Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1913-10-29

Rome, letter OF profound logic and
ethics as well as a profound study In
psychology and philosophy.
!. None Of us llveth to himself"
w. iii. 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 ". A OF God? About such
things az habits and observance OF
days we must each be assured in our
own minds, ". 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. a judgment seat be-
fore which all shall be brought ". 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 and we can
rest assured Of strict justice.
-Four Things Suggested.
". "GlVe an account to Cod" w.
1918. Verse ~ suggests four things:
| % A universal summons, each one
Of us" great and small, obscure or ia
overlooked, none excluded, none ex-
cused % A particular summons,
each one of US" not en- masse, but
as separate units. 90 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 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
! az A rightful summons, because of its
source, before Cod" and shall not the
| Judge Of the whole earth do right?
! No excuse because of the failure Of
others will avail, no subterfuge be &C
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
w. 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 human soul. Suppose
all things are pure to the pure w. 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.
III. "Follow 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, BID tells us to look into this
law and to continue therein for by il
we shall be judged, yet there is still
another law, the royal law" (2:S
Matt. 22:36-40), the fulfilling of which
will settle every question Of mans re-
lation to man. We should so use our
liberty that 1t 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 oil
our lives and in having peace in ouI
hearts, CHI. 1913, being filed with 10y
in the Holy Spirit" v. II. Therefore
If to eat meat shall cause my brother
to stumble or to be made weak ". 81
81 will eat no flesh for evermore,
l. Cor. S:13. Our pursuit in the
Christian life must not be to exercise
our liberty, for our greater liberty Il
to restrain ourselves for Christ's sake
and our weaker brother. Our pursuit
is not to observe the subtilties of lega,
observance but rather after the things
that edify Christian growth anC
peace is far more important thar
questions of hair-splitting nterpreta
tons or observances; the things tina
make for peace are not the things thai
call forth divisions.
All of this leads up to the true prin
ciple of total abstinence as revealed
in verse Fl, ut 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 liQuot
traffic, which, according to the United
States Supreme court, has no lega
ground upon which to stand Whel
the members of the church of Coz
in this land of liberty" shall eacl
be governed by this principle it vii
not be long before the liquor problem
any many other questions that ar,
troubling US will be settled. The rea
QuSStlOA VIII AoI 10 10 ~ HlOh5
but rather, How will it 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
weaker brother the evil association
and practices which so frequently az
company such acts or such eating
Our indulgence, no matter how innC