199
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
April 1927
A NOVEL MONUMENT HAS BEEN ERECTED AT BALTIMORE, DEDICATED TO TH E MEMORY “ OF ADAM, TH E FIRS5||M AN . JOH N R. BRADY WHO ERECTED IT, JOURNEYS EACH YEAR TO PLACE A WREATH UPON IT. ABOVE IS A PICTURE OF TH IS CURIOUS TRIBUTE. ON TH E RIGHT IS A CONTRAST— TH E EMPTY SEPULCHRE OF TH E SECOND ADAM. The Power of Silence
the “weak brother may perish, for whom Christ died” (v. 11). A single act of yours which leads such an one to. violate his conscientious scruples, may produce eternal consequences. Since Christ suffered so much that he might be saved, a true Christian ought to be able and glad to give up a few things for His sake. What father would not banish liquor from his table if his boy was in danger? What mother would not give up cards if it might make a gambler of her son ? What Sun day school teacher would not give up tobacco when the boys of his class plead his example as an excuse for smok ing cigarettes? What Christian woman would not dress modestly for the sake of her influence upon young girls? What friend would not forego the dance or theater if he knew it was presenting tefnptation to the mind of -his friend? This is the high-level life the Scripture exhorts Chris tians to live. It may seem to some a hard rule, but its practice will result in great good in the world and large reward for ourselves in the next world. It is more important that we should regard the Christian conscience of another than that we should magnify our own Chris tian liberty. Another’s scruple may seem trivial, but if we lead that one to disregard it, we tear up with it his feeling of the sanctity of conscience and reverence of the laws of God associated with it. Having violated the voice of God within him, the next step away from God is made easy. Shall I be bound down by the scruples and prejudices of weaker people? Paul, the great apostle and scholar, was willing to give up many things for the sake of his influence on weaker ones. He even went so far as to say: “If meat make my brother'to offend, I will eat no meat so long as the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend” (v. 13). : ¡.1
I T is better to shut up and seem dull,” said old Gordon ■Graham, in a letter to, his son, “than to open up and prove yourself a fool.” Some of .the world’s' most powerful men have been noted for silence. Somehow the world looks upon men who are not given to over-much talking as men who think, , who commune with their own souls. There are those who, could be called “men of few words,” but they keep those few in constant use, “Silenjx.Cal Coolidge,” Colonel House, “William the Silent” (great Dutch patriot), General Grant, General Lee, are good illustrations. We have known some preach ers who chatter idly and frivolously, seldom say anything serious, and often make most disgusting “breaks.” They may be enjoyed by some when they are looking for amuse ment, but they are not substantial, and they are not the people -to whom we go for sound advice in our difficulties. Shakespeare ridicules such ramblers in “The Merchant of Venice,” when he says: “Gratiano speaks an infinite deal of nothing, more than any man in all, Venice,” We need Christian workers who think much and talk less— men who speak wisely when they do speak—whose opin ions are worth knowing. Frederick H. Law gives sound advice when he says: “Resolutely practice the art of silence, so that when you speak you may say something.” ate Sub lim e Service "Christ hath abolished death, and hath brought light and immor tality to light through the Gospel: whereunto I am appointed a preacher” (2 Tim. 1:9, 10J. S UPPOSE there should be sent to you from heaven a commission to go from graveyard to graveyard, awak ening the dead. What an inspiring work, how sublime an
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