The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1916-11-09
LESSON FOR NOVEMBER II
WORLDS TEMPERANCE SUNDAY.

flesh, nor TO drink wine, nor TO do any
thing whereby thy brother stumbieth.-
Rom. ffi.
The early Christian church had two
outstanding problems, the question OF
the Sabbath days 1.-TWO Of them) and
the question Of eating meat offered to
4 idols. This lesson suggests the solu-
ton of the latter. Our modern prob
lem Of intoxicating liquors is very
much the same as this ancient one OF
the early Gentle Christians.
:. "let US not therefore Judge one
another" wv. 1870. There are GER
tain acts which are universally conced-
ed to be right and within the Christian
law OF liberty. There are also other
acts which are as plainly prohibited.
There are large number Of acts which
lie In the region between these two.
and men ought TO be careful how they
condemn one another for these latter
things. Where good and true men diff
fer. their acts, on the matter OF the
Sabbath tSee Col. :16), or on temper
ance. must be determined as being
unto the Lord. sincerely. conscientious
ly. IL IN not for us to judge ". 13).
literally, TO pronounce judgment. They
have a right TO their opinion and to
their liberty Of thought and action. but
wv. IA. %, 23) as for Paul or the
Christian. he must have a clear con-
science. lie must have faith. and be
assured that he Is right; otherwise he
Is condemned by God and by his own
conscience. and is not n sincere Chris
tian disciple. The word therefore" In
verse 10 points back TO verse II. which
ought to be carefully ponGered. As we
have each 10 render our accounts to
God. we should stop judging one an
other. Food IL very proper thing.
and laws are also proper. yet love is
the ruling principle Of the Christian
life.
We ought TO have our liberty cur
tailed rather than have our souls lost.
II we magnify our liberty to the sacri-
fee of our brothers soul we walk no
longer In love-" The demands OF
Christian love are more to the true
followers OF Christ than the permits
sions Of Christian liberty. The privi-
h'kN Va tAtbk ~
Injuries others. however harmless to
yourself, is not TO be tolerated.
The word "stumbleth" here used
". 2i) implies a movable trap or snare,
literally any impeachment placed In the
way so rs to cause another to fall. We
must never forget that even n weak
brother is "a brother for whom Christ
died.
u. "let not your good be evil spoken
or wv. 1928. The kingdom OF God
IL not meat and drink, but Il Is a life
of righteousness. peace and Joy In the
Holy Ghost. Our liberty Is TO be so
used that II shall not be evil spoken
OF. The real proof that we are In the
kingdom OF God and that the kingdom
Of God is In US In not found In our
scrupulousness or lack of Il. In our eat
ing and drinking. but In the manifesto
tons OF Righteousness In our lives, and
of having peace In our hearts (15 :13).
This peace must be manifested toward
our fellow men ". 10: Gu. Is :ls) and
being filled with 10Y In the Holy
Ghost" The object Of our pursuit Is
TO be the things which make for peace,
the things whereby we may al one
another up, not the exploitation OF
some pet hobby, for the kingdom OF
God does not consist OF riding hobbies
In this matter Of temperance reform
We all recognize that alcohol has many
uses besides that for drinking pur.
poses. and that there are various opin-
ions about drinking certain forms OF
II. and various ways OF advancing the
temperance cause. all Of which are
honestly held by many good men. but
Christian patriotism demands that ev
cry true-hearted man or woman. every
one who is loyal to his country. to hui
manity and to his God. should take
Paul's position. O That he will moi
be stumbling block in the way Of the
weak and Of the young. (2) That he
will not do anything to destroy his
brother for whom Christ died. (3) THAI
he WIN deny himself anything for theil
sake. t4) That his attitude will bs
that Of love and not OF selfshness
This places temperance on high mora
plane, but the world Is also beginning
to recognize that the temperance Ques
ton Is also an economic one.
II is well to have faith, but It 1,
also well to have the love that doeI
not injure others by the exercise Of
that faith. The question Is. "Are yol
perfectly sure this thing Is right 2
When In doubt as to whether any &C
ton will please God. doubt your doubts
and avoid that act.
~. I'VE then that are strong" (16
l-3). This section is In reality a con
tinuation Of Chapter IA. Paul IL con
tnuing his thought that we are no
to please ourselves. but rather to iv,
such lives as will edify or build up ou
neighbor. Oar strength IL not giveI
to US that We may glory or lord l
over our weaker brethren. but rattle
that we may serve them.
To please my neighbor does not meal
that "when In Rome do as the Roman