Evening star., 1916-11-11

In this weeks lesson selected from
tn. epistle to the Romans, which was
written by Paul at the close OF his
third missionary journey and sent to
the church ar Rome from Corinth. the
reference to temperance is Indirect 1t
is I'entecost has pointed out "a diff
tcult passage to interpret with exact
ness" nevertheless the principle Of
s self-denial, self-repression and self
restraint that underlies not only this
passage. but other Pauline parallel
passages. that contains the principles
that ought to guide the Christian in
his relation TO his fellowmen, reveals
Paul as promoter of temperance.
Although the passage does not spe-
cifcaily advocate total abstinence or
prohibition there can be no doubt that
we're Paul living today that the ap-
plication Of the principles taught by
MIN in this lesson would ineyita bI
lead him to become one OF the most
strenuous advocates of the protection
u society against the evils Of interu-
perance- If every follower Of Christ
would allow the divine I!te of God irI-
planted IN HIN 70 nave expression III
hi attituos toward his fellow men
..--y opportunity OF service would be
recognized As = call OF duty The
chanc" presented to eradicate the sa-
loon and save civilization would be i'm
brcyed by the Christian force. So thar
mot only America but The world would
p. edily become free from rllc 30 g.,
Of inteInp.rancc. Unless society under
the leadership cf Christian men and
2sonen rises in its might and suppress
cs fhe great social pest Of drink civili-
ZatlpD is doomed.
The preservation Of the nations lib
r-ty calls for the breaking Of the
IFgr
forged and placed upon tho lives of
men What Tschelishen. the man
who was really responsible for one Of
tite most W 1nderful changes in = ma
Lor that has ever occurred in the
worlds histprr," succeeded I'm doing
"a RuSsia. certainly is possible in the
world II the thirty millions studying
'hls week Sunday school lesson could
andeTstand that in their attitude
toward this evil they ought TO be con-
rolled by the principles Paul placed
before the lovers Of liberty In the
church 1T Rome. II all recognized the
obligation imposed upon them by ;ac-
Hrowledging the Iordship of Christ
oimscf when he stands before the
judgment seat Of God. il is possible
that they would guide their lives ac-
cording to the law or love by acts of
selfdeuial.
When Paul tried TO reconcile the
Two parties in In" Roman church he
recognized the good IA both parties,
the legal and the spiritual, the con-
servatiye and the liberal. or, as he
termed them, the weak and tn. strong
Both sides recognized the authority Of
the Lord, desired To do His will and
acknowledged His goodness. yet both
lacked. as partisaus do today the
spirit of charity. While Paul held to
that axiom of religion that each soul
is competent TO exercise direct COM
-nunication with God, and that each
individual thas the right to interpret
Gods Will, word and work for himself
vet he warned them of the danger of
being stumbling blocks in the pathway
Of others, so that he might secure from
each member a personal contribution
20 the peace OF the church and the ad-
vancernent OF the interest OF his
brethren.
Although Paul had reference TO the
great abuses that had developed III the
church In connection with the love feasts
so that ct least III the Corinthian Church
u was not uncommon for men 10 go away