Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-07-24

| their funds.
and evil, and he would not, even under
the stress of great temptation do away
from home what he would not do at
home.
Duty to Brother.
In Paurs time the new ideals and
| standards of Christianity were not only
! in conflict with the teachings and Gus.
toms of the time. but because no set
rules of conduct were prescribed, these
standards were variously interpreted by
the early converts to Christianity, an
they approached them from the differ-
, ing angles of their own home training
and customs and beliefs Discussions
naturally arose, especially in the
churches established by Paul among
the gentiles, and in answer to appeals
arising from these discussions, Paul
wrote his wonderful epistles inter-
preting to these churches the ideals and
standards of Christ
In the church at Rome, composed Of
both Jews and Gentiles. the question
arose whether it was right for Chris
tians to eat the meat obtained on the
market which was not prepared ac-
cording to the requirements of Jews.
and was at least technically offered as
sacrifice to heather gods.
fau! answer TO TINS and the other
questions that came to him for de-
cisiop was based On the new standard
raised by Christ, THAT of duty to ones
brother. IF eating meat make:h my
brother to offend, will eat no meat
while the world stands" said Paul IF
thy brother be grieved, destroy not
him with thy meat" Thus the measure
OF conduct was placed on a higher
plane than that of consistency with
custom or tradition. and based on re-
sponsibility to ones brother man
Am l my brothers keeper is a
question raised not only by Cain. but
by men of all times and conditions
since; and the answer was never com
plete until Paul interpreted the stand
ards raised by Christ and taught his
converts to determine their conduct
not only by their duty to God. but
also i'm view of their responsibility
to others. The Individual consciousness
of good and evil must be supplemented
by the consideration of the influence Of
example.
Away From Home.
when you're in Rome, do as the
Romans do Is an old saw that il
dangerous in its leading, because IL
expresses but half-truth.
When Jesus said, "Ye; shall know the
truth. and the truth shall make you
free" He did not mean freedom from
duty to God or man, but freedom from
the restraints of custom. tradition aud
false teaching.
The question whether one NAV con-
sistently do at one time place what
would be wrong for him in some other
time or place must be determined by
the tests of duty to God and respunsf-
bility to others
Whenever one goes away from home,
whether for an hour a day. month or
a life time. questions Of conduct arise
because of differences in conditions and
surroundings. How far do the home
standards apply. and to what extent
should one be governed by the In
fuences. habits and rules of lie home.
when he goes beyond it's pale? These
questions must be met by every person
at one time or another, and each in
dividual must decide them for himself.
Under modern conditions we face con-
Stantly such questions as Sa bbath OBJ
servance. total abstinence, recreat tons
and amusements. There are those to
whom 1t is sinful to ride in street cars
on Sunday. or to go pleasuring in many
ways, or to neglect to go to church
even under the most difficult circum.
stances, while others will find no harm
to themselves in some of these things,
as long as they are not causing SONS
one else to stumble by the influence of
their example. Questions of drinking
near beer" of signing pledges, OF
partaking in various forms of amuse-
ment and recreation will be conscien-
different people, and by the same per-
son under different circumstances.
4
The Real Test.
The Epworth Lacquer must decide
these questions for himself an in
dividual. not only in the light of his
consciousness of good and evil. includ-
ing his duty to God and responsibility
to his brother man-but also with the
ideal of service to God and man before
him. Not only must he ask himself:
rs this wrong? VIII It harm me? VIII
my act harm any one else?" but he
must go further and answer to these
also:
as this good? Will 1t really benefit
me? Will it really help any one elser
All of these tests are included In
Shakspeare's familiar words.
To thine own self be true
Thou canst not then Be- false to aug MAJ