Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-02-20


creed of the Nazarane. became 'obed-
lent to the faith" 1t is worth while
10 note here that many good people
are narrowly opposed To anything III
the chaurch that is not specifically
authorized by the precedent ot the
early church. a. though these men
/ OF nineteen hundred yeais ago were
| gittell with the wisdom To prescribe
I forms and ceremonies and methods
that should be held saCredly sufficient
| Tor all times ana seasons The same
course Of reasoning would have bound
them to contine themselves to only
| such things as their Lord had spocj-
! fled. Bat Jesus did not lay out a
blueprint ol directions AZ TO VIII n
should he done under all cirCum-
stances. and !hcse disciples, as ncw
needs and new problems present,
| themselves. aid not haik back to any.
body's precedent. but themselves
created a precedent to fit the occasion.
II is well enough 10 stay close to first
principles as matter of safety, else
we would he tempted - cut loose
from ali moorincs and soon &C, far
away from the apostolic pattern; yet
IL is not reasonable 10 deny that 1ew
conditions and new problems present
themselves To Gods people in this
twentieth century, and they must be
met sometimes with mcthods that 'he
apostles did not foicsee. his is nos
Ia infer that purely human device
can he trusted to meet such emerccn-
4 CicS, tor the scripture laws down
plainly specific principles applying 10
every possible event; but these prin-
ciples must constantly he made 10
apply 10 new conditions and IT, uucs-
! tons that Peter and Saul could never
"a A..l ,.f sta,is
we make on the side oi sincerity Is Cf
/ placing too much emphasis ON prec-
! edcnt and not cough on the under
! living principles the Lord has lail
down for our puidarcc. Instead Of
| trying to finl out what Peter or Paul
! would have done under like circur-
| stances, which sometimes takes u h.g
! stretch &C he Imagination, we should
consult the teachings of Jesus and
seek to make those teachings Apply
! to the problems in hand. There is
no piety in sticking to the form and
! doing violence tp the principle.
The VnwcIcomc Truth.
one of these deacons. Greek
speaking Jew named stephen be-
came notable instrument Of good
among the people His activities were
not strictly confined TO the duties of
his office, put he even riValed the
apostles III tlDuutItt ana III nllIitu-
lous power. lie grasped the truth
that his opportunity TO minister to
the bodily wants Of the membership
gave him an added Influence over
their souls, and the record is that he
improved his opportunities with tell
ing effect. lie was bold and fearless
both in speech and action, and Joal-
ousy of mis- growing influence, com
bined with little prejudice because
of ..f tod
soE.e discordant spirits TO inform the
ecclesiastical dignitarlcs Of the ma
tion that he was preaching contempt
for the law of Moses and dislOyalty
10 the scente of David. The scTthCs
and elders were not slow to call him
to account and. after listening to his
mastery defense, found him guilty
of blasphomy and condemned him 10
execution by Stuning. I'm so doing
they started the fire that .-e long
burst all geographical bounds - d en-
tailed the spreading of Christianity
throughout ASIA Minor, Greece and
Rome. Instead of putting out the
fire of the gospel, they scattered the
brands that started now fires in
various parts OF the world
F'ratcrnit, an Essential.
one of the important lessons we
must not forget is that the children
o1 tod are rSSf nUdll\ brotherhood.
We are unmistakably taught that ms
the children of our Heavenly Father,
and with Christ as our elder brother.
We must of necessity be the most
closely bound fraternity on the face
of the earth But we often forget it,
The members of a lodge. bound to-
sether by a secret oath. often put us
to shame. They stand up for each
other through thick and thin. while
church members not only in denom-
national differences but in the same
congregation, are found taking spc-
cial delight in knitting one another
This is not as II should be. Above all
other fraternitios the children of The
living God should be bound to each
other by ties the most sacred and in
violable. Not only should they serd
shoulder to shoulder, but each indi-
vidual should he possessed of gen
uine concern for the well-being of his
brother, conSiderate of his failings
helpful IN his Weaknesses, sympa-
thetic in his misfortunes and mis-
takes, always ready to lend loving
hand to lifI him when he stumblcs
and feed him when he is hungry. So
many people all around US, both in
and out of jhe church. are furnishing
for "A little bit of the love that the
Lord has bestowed on us so laVishly
As ye have freely received. freely
give. not Srudgingly or condescend-
ingly, but rs n cherished privilege
Bear ye one another's burdens. and
so fulfil the law Of Christ"