Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1914-12-16
CALL FOR SERVICE
Deep Significance in Gods Cues
tioning of Abel, "Where Is
Thy Brother?"

The early chapters OF the book OF
Genesis still keen their hold on hui
man life. Many difficult and puzzling
questions are brought to our notice
concerning them, but in spite of all
questions these early narratives con-
tain spiritual truths which are de-
scriptive of mans perpetual expert
ence Much In the pages may perplex
us. but their pictures never fade from
sight, nor lose their meaning for our
consciences
There is the garden. and the first
man into whom God breathed a living
soul; then the mans life richened and
deepened by the woman at his side;
then the catastrophe of the fall, and
the expulsion from the garden. and
the angel of God standing with fam
ing sword at his gate. Then came
the first children, the boys, growing
up even as boys do now. with different
characters and following different &C.
equations. Then like a thunderbolt
comes hatred and murder. and there
is the dreadful forsaken plain where
one brother lies dead. and the other
'Vanders far with the irrevocable deed
burning on his soul. answering the
voice of God with the passionate re-
lection OF responsibility, Am l my
brothers Keeper"
Gods question, Where IS Abel. thy
brother" suggests that every man is
responsible for his brother man. This
is not Gods first question. The first
was that personal inquiry which the
Holy Spirit still brings home TO every
heart convicted of sin, to every man
who desires to hide himself from God,
Where art thou?" But the second ques-
ton is, Where is thy brother" How
wide. or how narrow is that question?
May Not ShIrk Responsibility.
The family is the divinely estab-
lished unit Of human society, and il
is our ideal of love and service,
and vet | have heard people dis
claim all responsibility for members
of their immediate family Parents
often shirk their responsibility for
their children on the ground that they
are powerless to control them, and
many a son has allowed aged par
ents to suffer privation, denying all
responsibility for those who cared for
his childhood. Brothers and sisters
often cast off some member of the fam
lily who has been hayward, and in the
spirit of Cain. say. Am | my broth
ers Keeper" Gods answer is that
we are; that whether we accept it or
not. the responsibility still rests upon
our shoulders.
But responsibility reaches further
than that immediate family 1t rests
upon us in some way or other with re-
gard to our friends and acquaintance;
with regard TO those with whom we
have business relations; the men with
whom we work. the men with whom
we travel; our most casual acquaint-
ances. Where Is thy brother"
Where is he morally and spiritually,
so far as the influence which you have
exercised over him goes? To have
laughed at the evil or profane joke:
to have spoken the foolish or the
angry word-to say nothing of far
more grievous stumbling blocks than
these-must have had influence over
others. God has given us marvellous
opportunities in life OF helping others
to resist temptation, and to stand
firm How have these opportunities
been used? Have they beeen used at
all? Where is thy brother?" The
question is a searching one The BIZ
bic has a great deal to say about In
fluence concerning which we talk so
much, and which we practice so little.
Some heather people seem to have a
greater realization of it's power. In
the Picking Gazette years ago the gov.
ernor of one of the central provinces
Of China reported in regard to a case
of parricide. that he had the houses
of all the neighbors pulled down
on the ground that they had failed
I'm their duty to exert a good moral In.
fuence on the criminal
All Evil Lives Do Harm.
Gains answer. Am / my brothers
keeper" was insolence defying the
Almighty. IN the same spirit men
often urge tho innocence of their con.
duct that they have never done any
one any harm. II Is the old excuse
which is used by careless and wicked
people to salve their conscience. But
can 70 be said OF even the best OF US
that we have never harmed anyone
by word or deed or example, Often
do We hear it said Of a careless and
ungodly life. He never harmed any.
one but himself. ne YVES his own
worst enemy What a fallacy that
| is. No man can harm himself without
| harming others. no man cen lead a
| d'ssolute life without helping to spread
I the plague OF evil II IL the old ex-
cuse OF Cain. Am ! my brothers keep
err" The spirit Of Cain stu lives. and
| the blood OF many n ruined life cries
out for Justice The spirit ~ I'm ev ~
man who refuses TO accept the respon-
I gbility for his brother which God has
| laid upon him
There is special responsibility
I upon the Christian The question