The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1963-10-18
For Ny Neighbor
Lesson for October 20. 1863

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Lesson for October 20, 1868
AS a Christian, I have &C
knowledged my responsibility in
two directions ! am responsible
TO God and FOR my neighbor.
No matter how high in the scale
of human society a man may
live, he never can climb so high
that he is no longer answerable
to God. No matter how high a
wall a man builds around HIM
self. though he may shut HIM
self away from mankind, or from
the needy part Of mankind
every man is still responsible to
God for his neighbor. This is
true of all men whether they
know it and believe it and live
by it, or not. The Christian is
not the only man who has this
double responsibility, but he is
the only man who is clearly
aware of this. If he is not aware
Of it, or denies it, we have a
right to ask. Is he actually
Christian?
Three Illustrations
Three illustrations will show
how this works out in practice
Take first the problem of liquor
Many man is able to drink in
moderation all his life. Such j
man may say to h j m S elf:
Drinking or not-drinking is a
personal problem. Every man
must solve it or answer it in his
best judgment. Other people
best jusgment. Other eople
have no business caring whether
l drink or not. and it's not my
business to INQUIRE whether
other people can drink and hold
their liquor like gentlemen.
Every tub must stand on its own
bottom.
But this man. Just because he
himself can hold his liquor like
a gentleman can be one Of the
worst influences in his com
munity. You will hear such a
man denouncing juvenile delin-
quency. unaware that he is con-
tributing to the very delinquency
OF which he complains. For
others, seeing how little he is
hurt by his temperate drinking,
will be encouraged to drink also,
only to find. when it is too late,
that they haven't the smae pow
erS of restraint.
Attitudes
Another illustration; S 0 m e
people are so constructed men
tally that they can take, or seem
TO take, some wrong attitude
more or less in fun. without
really meaning it. They speak Of
sacred things in a tone of light
mockery, or they make all sorts
OF Jokes. some pretty sorry ones,
about marriage or women, or
the church. They will say with
a laugh. I'D like to wiring his
neck" or refer to some absent
person as that dirty bllzzard .
Now such a person may be one
who really doesn't mean any
harm by this. and takes no
harm himself. It's just a man
ner OF speaking" He doesn't
seem to be affected by the silly
or vulgar words that pass his
lips. Essentially he remains an
honest and honorable man. This
doesn't happen often. but it doe
happen, Now here is a parallel
to your moderate drinker. This
careless talker spreads the dirt
or the froth in moderation. He's
really sober for all his careless
speech. But perhaps just be-
cause he is an attractive per
sonality, he maybe without in
tending it, induces others to imi-
tate him. And most Of these
lmltators find out. too late. that
he that tOucheth pitch shall be
defiled." Using vulgar language
leaves the user vulgar; use of
the language Of hate and CON
tempt helps to shape the soul Of
the man who even plays at hat
red and contempt 1T doesn't
hurt me. the first man says.
But it hurts others who tly it.
Just to be smart. The first man
does harm to others, just be-
cause he doesn't think about 9TH
ers. He feels responsible for
himself alone. whereas he is &C
tually responsible for all whom
he influences.
Justice
Take third example. Some
condition Of injustice may be
pressing hard on some Of your
nelghbors. Not neighbors you
see. perhaps. but the invisible
poor" for example. 1t may be
bad condition in the public
schools. or it may be the denial
OF an education to those who are
eager for it; it may be lack of
recreation facilities for young
people; it may be an unfair diff
ferent1al in wages because Of
sex or race. Whatever the lnius-
tic may be, if it doesn't hurt
me I'm not likely to worry much
about it. But this carelessness