The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-07-28

as often loving memory will not let him
stop Now he is done: now he con-
tlnues, another name he must mention.
Another and another until he may have
sometimes felt his letter was growing
child-like and prosy. Child-ike it was :;
and may we all be just so child-like in
love. But between the lines there is
poetry here to him who has the spirit of
Poesy Who would have it one whit less
marked by these particular greetings.
How unstudied this all rises out of full
soul How incomparably superior to mere
fine writing.
There are certain portions of the
word of God apparently given to us for
the sole purpose of revealing to us the
spirit of the writer,-it is revelation of
the Holy Spirit through the personality
OF the writer. Can any scripture be more
important than that which by its very
reading was intended to battle us in the
depths of religious spirit? Without keep
ing this thong in mind, the last chapter
to the Romans, and the outset of other
epistles my seem to the ordinary reader
proftless.
When Paul was bound in Rome he
wrote to the Philippians one of his most
touching letters They had been con-
slant In their attachment to him. Epa-
phroditus was in Rome now sent by them
to minister to his wants. He fell sick.
After his recovery, having heard that
report of his serious illness had reached
Philippi, Paul writing in that heavenly
strain with a sad, sweet undertone in
which he so excels,- tone of tremulous
human weakness overlaid and overborne
with unwavering faith and resignation,
tells them that indeed he was sick
nigh into death: but God had mercy on
him; and not him only, but on me also,
lest L should have sorrow upon sorrow"
These words, with those connected, are
not the words of one only considerably
exercised in view Of the possible death
Of this brother. This is no mere polite,
supplementary sympathy. They point
Enthusiastically backward to the past few
weeks of man whose spirit of exalted
sensibility, already worn with the great
burden of his intense sympathies had
been sorely pressed with this particular
atf1iction. There was much anxiety at
Philippi. This, when he had heard it,
troubled Epaphroditus no little. There
were some peculiar circumstances, doubt
less, calling for the safe return of this
Philippian brother home. 1t NAV be
he was young, and the main stay of
widowed mother or of orphan sisters, who
all felt they could not bear the rude blast
of his fall. At any rate the anxiety be-
came general as usual. For which of them
suffered and the others did not all suf-
fer? Amid such mental suffering of
course Paul had no power to moderate
his own. Imagine, if possible, how often
and with countenance how earnest he
prayed, his whole heart going up out of
him there in that prison at Rome for the
life of Epaphroditus
And when it pleased God to restore
him, he sends him the more carefully
home, and is not fully at rest until they
rejoice at sight of him again. Then, |
much more, what carefulness for their
spiritual health! what watchingl what
anxiety what self-denials of things law
full lest he cause the weak to stumble
What an indefnable power, this love of
Paul, consuming his very life, and even
bringing him pain
We are apt to lose sight of his mental
in the contemplation of his
labors and physical suferings. We are
apt to feel that man of his heroic
mould and spiritual endowment could |
have had but little real inward pain.
But listen: for out of much affection
and anguish of heart 1 wrote unto you
with many tears that we might know
the love which have more abundantly |
unto you" 2 Cor: l.
Noble man, full of labors and suffer-
ings, how he must have looked with long
ing for signs of brotherly-love and sym
pathy. No man, however exalted his
faith, was ever Indifferent to the love
and sympathy of the faithful And all
the more does the Christian desire the
Of the saints as he finds him
self separated from worldly, Indifferent
Dr. prosecuting generation.
That Paul had in abundant return the
ove which showed itself on every oc-
,asion, and breathed itself mingled with
prayers in all his letters, there can be no
doubt See him parting from certain Of
hem after exhorting and praying with
Them they all sorrowing, wept sore
md fell on Paul's neck and kissed him."
accompanying him unto the ship, and
. sorrowing most of all for the words
which he spoke, that they should see