Evening star., 1911-08-26
Gptportb league
Uopie
BY
REV. SAMUEL w. GRAFFLIN.
"The Debt of the Strong"


"The Debt of the Strong"
Scripture basis: Romans 151: | Corinthians
SIS; Corinthians. 1O:31S3.
~ HE hall mark of strength is self
vi denial, and the man who most
menaces society SIS he who is
prone to say concerning indulgence of
any Kind. II can do this or let 1t
alone and then does it. If his state
ment be not true he is of all liars the
most to be dreaded. If it be true. and
he elects to do. because Of his strength,
that which will be a snare to every
weakling around him. he is beneath
contempt. There are but three temp
tations that beset the weak. These are
to indulgence, Incidence and display;
and the burden of the strong is, as it
has ever been, to counteract these tend
encies by self-restraint, industry and
simplicity.
In the Scripture given us as a basis
for our topic Paul. perhaps the strong
est example of self-denial for the sake
of others in all history, lays down the
simple logic of The Debt of the
Strong" when he says. I'VE. then, that
are strong ought to bear the infirmities
of the weak. and not to please our
selves" Proceeding, he sounds the high
note of Christian self-sacriice and gives
to us the final word upon the subject of
self-restraint for the sake of Others
In this bearing of the infirnities of
the weak two great obligations rest
upon us:
First. the obligation OF example. and
second, the obligation of burden bear
n n
strong, and our lesson is complete.
The first place, then, concerns the
obligation of example. In these three
temptations Of which we have spoken
indulgence. Incidence and display-those
who should know better are often the
most culpable. 1t is the society woman
with her reckless expenditure and lavish
display of finery and gems who is re-
sponsible for the tawdry apparel of her
poorer sister. In nothing has wealthy
Womanhood gone farther from that path
OF intelligent influence that should al
ways characterize the well bred than in
setting such an example for her less
favored sister.
The business man who permits himself
to indulge in any form of excess is no
less culpable, while the prominent Chris
tian who countenances or shares in any
form of questionable conduct or amuse-
ment, without regard to the effect upon
those around, is sapping the strength OF
pose OF Christian example. Whatever
else the race has learned in it's struggle
toward the light. this one thing has been
made clear-that strength is given, not
Tor Its posseSsor's pleasure, but for his
weaker neighbor's benefit. Thus, when
strong women show taste and modera-
tlon and strong men are abstemious in
all things. their example will go far to-
ward guiding the unthinking out of the
wilderness of dissipation and display into
which they have fallen
Following this comes the second OBJ
legation, the obligation of burden bear
ing. The motto of the Epworth League
is Look Up, Lift Up," and for nothing
should we SO constantly look up to our
Heavenly Father as for the strength to
lift-to lift the burdens from the anxious
hearts and weary bodies of those who
only need our strength and encourage
ment to enable them to win out in what
would otherwise be losing fight. Some
one must carry the load; the weak can
not; the strong must. And then there
is the thought of the glory of the strong.
Three lads started one morning to
climb a mountain from whose brow could
be seen one of the most beautiful pros
poets in all the land Two were well
and vigorous; the other frail and crippled
AS they toiled slowly up the steep ascent
one grew tired of tagging because of the
crippled lad, and saying So sprang
ahead and was soon upon the peak.
drinking in the view. The other strong
lad stayed behind, lifting. supporting, en-
couraging the weakling friend. At length
they too reached the height, and as the
strong lad who had helped his weaker
friend to gain that otherwise impossible
pleasure saw the joy upon the weak
ling's face he saw with twice the pleas
ure and felt with a twofold thrill the
beauty of that scene. This is the glory
Of the strong-to do without that
others may not feel the snare of our per-
feet liberty; to curb our tendencies
toward lavish expenditure or needless dis
play; to lag behind, that the frail or
crippled may share our strength and
companionship, in lffe's steep ascent. and
then to rejoice as the JOY thus purchased
is seen upon the faces of those whom we
have helped
There are lonely hearts to cherish
While the days going by;
There are weary souls that perish
While the days going by
II smile
As our journey pursue.
Oh, the good we all might do
While the days going by"