Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1913-11-05


Paul was In Corinth, a city OF lux.
ury, learning and RIGHTEOUSNESS when
he wrote this letter to the believers In
Rome. a letter OF profound logic and
ethics as we'll as a profound study In
psychology and philosophy.
I. None Of W llveth 10 himself"
w. I'll. Paul begins this chapter by
giving a caution as to doubtful dispu.
tations. Judgments upon thoughts"
whether II be In the matter OF eating
herbs or meats, or in the observance
OF set days. Who are we but fellow
servants ". ~ OF God? About such
things as habits and observance Of
days we must each be assured In our
own minds, w. 81, but while that Is
true yet, none llveth to himself"
". y, for I'VE are the Lords" ". 81.
He is the universal Lord, both OF the
living and the dead, ". 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 ". 81.
There is, however, judgment seat be-
fore which all shall be brought w. 10.
We may well ponder upon this last
verse. The Judging Of others Is a we'll
nigh universal sin. Before one bar,
however, all must stand aud we can
rest assured OF strict justice.
Four Things Suggested.
III. "olvs an account TO God" w.
t2-ts. Verse 10 suggests four things:
O A universal summons. each one
OF us" great and small, obscure or IA
nous, each one must appear, none
overlooked. none excluded. none ex-
cused. (2) A particular summons.
each one Of u.s." not en- masse, but
as separate units. 90 A purposeful
summons. TO 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 lmagi-
nation Of the human heart (Gen. $3.50
and whose judgment will be righteous.
(4) A rightful summons. because OF its
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
well to our own conduct, lest that con-
duct become a rock of stumbling to
other and weaker brethren. Better far
to curtail our personal liberty than to
help condemn a human soul. Suppose
all things are pure to the pure ". 90
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.
III. "FoIlow after things which make
for peace" w. 1928. To follow that
which shall edify is to exercise the
'law Of liberty" James in his epistle
Q:25, 2:12) tells us to look into this
law and to continue therein for by II
we shall be judged, yet there Is still
another law, the royal law" (2:8
Matt. 2:36-40), the fulfilling of which
will settle every question of mans re
lation to man. We should so use oul
liberty that 1t be not evil spoken o.
or become a rock of stumbling to any
Whether or not the kingdom OF Goo
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, bu
rather in the manifest righteousness O.
our lives and in having peace in oul
hearts, CHI. 1913, being filled with "joy
In the Holy Spirit" v. IT. Therefore
II to eat meat shall cause my brother
to stumble or to be made weak ". 81
II will eat no flesh for evermore,
/. Cor. S:13. Our pursuit in thu
Christian life must not be to exercise
our liberty, for our greater liberty /;
to restrain ourselves for Christs SAX
and our weaker brother. Our pursui
is not to observe the subtilties of lega
observance but rather after the thing
that edify Christian growth ant
peace is far more important thar
questions of hairsplitting interpreta
tons or observances; the things tina
make for peace are not the things tina
call forth divisions.
All of this leads up to thu true prin
ciple of total abstinence as reveale,
in verse 81, at is good not to ca
flesh, nor to drink wine, nor to d.
anything whereby thy brother stun
bleth or is offended" This does no
alone apply, to the Great American
Juggernaut, the commercialized liquo
traffic, which. according to the Unite
States Supreme court, has no lega
ground upon which to stand. Whel
the members of the church Of Co
In this land of liberty" shall eacI
be governed by this principle 1t vii
not be long before the liquor problem
any many other questions that ar
troubling us will be settled The rea
/ question will not be. rs 1t wrong?
but rather, How will 1t affect m
brother?" All meats are clean, W
know that, Acts 1915, but we ais
know that many cannot eat. canno
participate IN our acts, with a clea
conscience because in so taking par
there comes before the mind Of tn
I waakar hrnther the evil asanciatinn