Scripture for Meditation: 1 Cor. viii, 9-13; ix, 24-27.


We hear much about "personal liberty" in these days, and, to hear some
talk, one would think that personal liberty was a gift to be selfishly
guarded rather than to be sacrificed for the good of others. But Paul,
the apostle, sacrificed his liberty for the sake of others; so did
Onesimus, the Christian slave. Surely those professing Christians who
make "personal liberty" their plea for engaging in some form of worldly
amusement (such as dancing, card-playing, or theater-going), and those
who are given to some filthy habit (such as the use of tobacco), have
not studied the life of Jesus, or of Paul, or of Onesimus.

If there were no other reasons why these things should be renounced,
that they injure our influence as soul-winners would be sufficient; for
who ever heard of a man or woman who engaged in these forms of
questionable amusement becoming illustrious as a soul-winner? To say the
least, they are "weights," and must be laid aside.

In a revival service, a lady rose, and, with tears raining down her
face, said: "I have taught a Sunday-school class of sixteen young men
for three years, and have not seen one of them converted. I believe I
know why, and now confess my sin. Being a teacher in the city schools, I
thought I must see a Shakespearean play, and went to the theater one
night. I saw several of my class there, and they all seemed to be
looking at me as if surprised. Next day I met some of them, and they
confessed surprise that I was at the theater. I have been conscious
from that time that I had lost my influence to win these young men to
Christ." Within one week after this confession was made this lady had
won seven of her class for the Savior.