The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1913-10-31


he wrote this letter to the believers in
Rome, letter of profound logic and
ethics as well as profound study in
psychology and philosophy.
]. None Of US Iiveth to himself"
w. 7-11. Paul begins this chapter by
giving a caution as to doubtful dispu-
tations, judgments upon thoughts,
whether 1t be in the matter of eating
herbs or meats, or in the observance
Of set days. Who are we but fellow
servants (v. A. of God? About such
things as habits and observance OF
days we must each be assured in our
own minds, ". 81, but while that is
true yet, none liveth to himself
(v. y, for I'VE are the Lords" ". 81,
He is the universal Lord, both of the
living and the dead, (y. 81. What folly,
therefore, FOR any believer to set him
self up in judgment upon his brother
We are the Lords, for this he both
lived and died and rose again (v. 81.
There is, however, a judgment seat be-
fore which all shall be brought ". 10).
We may we'll ponder upon this last
verse. The judging of others is a well
nigh universal sin Before one bar,
however, all must stand and we can
rest assured of strict justice.
Four Things Suggested.
II. "Give an account to God" w.
1918. Verse Il suggests four things:
CD A universal summons, each one
of u.s. great and small, obscure or ia
nous, each one must appear, none
overlooked, none excluded, none ex-
cused. GU A particular summons,
leach one of u.s." not en- masse, but
as separate units. CD A purposeful
summons, ito give account" not of
others but each of himself. 1t will not
be blind justice" that shall await us
there, but a holy God, one who knows
all. sees ALL every thought and imagi-
nation Of the human heart Gen. 6:5)
and whose judgment will be righteous.
ca A rightful summons, because of it's
source, before God" and shall not the
Judge Of the whole earth do right?
No excuse because of the failure of
others will avail, no subterfuge be ac-
ceptable, strict justice" will condemn.
Man-made laws and ordinances as to
what We eat or what days we may OBJ
serve will then be revealed In the
white light of the God whose name Is
love. In the light of such a prospect
how pertinent therefore that we turn
". 49,, from judging others and look
we'll to our own conduct, lest that con-
duct become a rock of stumbling to
other and weaker brethren. Better far
to curta1l our personal liberty than to
help condemn human soul. Suppose
all things are pure to the pure ". 20,
Titus 1:15), yet some have but re-
Gently come from impure surround
ings, shall we even suggest tempta-
ton to such because of the exercise
Of our liberty? The true Christian
will forbear for the sake of Christ
and his weaker brother. Even the
weak brother is "a brother for whom
Christ died"
Another Law.
i'll. "FoIIow after things which make
FOR peace" w. 1923. To follow that
which shall edify is to exercise the
claw Of liberty" James in his epistle
Q:25, 2:12) tells us to look into this
law and to continue therein for by it
We shall be judged, yet there is still
another law, the royal law" (2:S,
Matt. 2236-40), the fulfilling Of which
will settle every question Of mans re-
lation to man. We should SO use our
liberty that it be not evil spoken of
or become rock of stumbling to any.
Whether or not the kingdom of God
be in us, or we in the kingdom, de-
ponds not upon the scrupulous observ-
ance of ordinances either as to eat
ing, or the observance Of days, but
rather in the manifest righteousness of
our lives and in having peace in our
hearts, CHI 1913, being filed with 'joy
In the Holy Spirit" V. II. Therefore,
If to eat meat shah cause my brother
to stumble or to be made weak (v. 21)
Il will eat no flesh for evermore,"
|. Cor. 8:13. Our pursuit In the
Christian life must not be to exercise
our liberty, for our greater liberty is
to restrain ourselves for Christ's sake
and our weaker brother. Our pursuit
is not to observe the subtilties of legal
observance but rather after the things
peace is far more important than
questions of hair-spIitting interpreta-
tons or observances; the things that
make for peace are not the things that
call forth divisions.
All of this leads up to the true prin-
ciple of total abstinence as revealed
in verse 81, at Is good not to eat
flesh, nor to drink wine, nor to do
anything whereby thy brother stun
bleth or is offended" This does not
alone apply to the Great American
Juggernaut, the commercialiZed liquor
traffic, which, according to the United
States Supreme court. has no legal
ground upon which to stand. When
the members of the church of God
in this "land of liberty" shall each
be governed by this principle it will
not be long before the liquor problem
any many other questions that are
troubling us Will be settled. The real
question will not be "IS it wrong?"
but rather, How will II affect my
brother?" All meats are clean, we
know that, Acts 1915, but we also
know that many cannot eat, cannot
participate IN our acts, with clear
conscience because in so taking part
there comes before the mind Of the
weaker brother the evil associations
and practices which so frequently &C
company such acts or such eating.
Our indulgence, no matter how inno-