The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-03-21
SUNDAY MEDITATION.


Weleave the Gospel of st Mark for one week,
to consider an important clause in st. PauIs
Epistle to the Ephesians
2. Wien Written.
The Epistle was probably written 4. D. go, or
80 years after the death of Christ and 1927
years ago. AS the Epistles are arranged in our
Bibles the Epstle to the Ephesians is fifth in
order of those written by st. Paul Chronology
ically it was in fact his ninth Epistle.
g. Where Written.
The Epistle was written at Rome while st.
Paul was there as a prisoner. (Acts, E28: 16.
Compare Eph., 3:1.) Though a prisoner he
was allowed some liberty. He could see callers
and send letters.
a. Aathor.
The writer OF the Epistle to the Ephesians
was undoubtedly st. Paul. (See 1:1.) He
wrote ID of the EpiStles. He was prisoner
of the Lord" (4:1.) He was not criminal.
He was not in prison for debt, fraud, theft, nor
the like. 1t was then crime to be Christian,
and st. Paul was prisoner on account of his
following the religion of Christ. He suffered
various fluctuations. (3:13) He was pris-
oner because he was an ambassador of Christ
in chains as punishment for being Christian.
g.: 20) His great culture, his deep aud di-
versifed experiences, his severe trials and
prosecutions, all fitted him to write with
authority and intelligence.
5. To Whom Written
Though commentators are not agreed as to
which place-whether Ephesus charlottesville
letter was sent, we may consider it addressed
to Ephesus. The meaning of the contents does
not depend on the fixing indisputably of the
place whittier sent. Ephesus was city in
lonia, Asia Minor. at the mouth of the river
Cayster, which emptied into the Egean sea.
That earlier city went to ruins, and another
was built on the site. In the latter st. Paul
founded church. We read in i: of the Epis-
tie that it was addressed I" to the Saints which
are at EphesuS." In that city was the famous
Temple of Diana. Though the Epistles of ST.
Paul are addressed to certain places and con-
gregations, yet they were intended for all times
and all localities. Hence we are interested in
their study.
6. Relation Of the Paragraph which is cur Lesson
to the EpiStle IN General.
The Epistle is divided into two parts:
l. The doctrinal, chapters l to inclusive
2. The practical chapters 4, SO The lesson is
IN the practical part, and consists of several
important virtues or duties. Most of the ex-
hortations are positive or affirmative Only
one IS negative. (V. 49, Two of the positive
are, however, strengthened by adding mega
tlyes; c. g., Walk crcumspectly, not as fools"
". To- and Not unwise, but understanding"
". H. We may read verse IS, BE filled
thought of the Apostle was evidently thorough
enforcement of his exhortations.
z. Items Of Erhortation.
1. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not
as fools, but as WISE" (V. 49, Persons who have
abandoned evil and set out in the good must
be very careful. Old habits assert themselves
See, " look out be on your guard. Lifes path
way is full of dangers, and one must not walk
carelessiy. The idea of representing the Chris
tian life as walk is very expressive. We are
not to make too great haste We are not so
much to ride as to walk. Much is said in this
Epistle about walking in religious sense
walk not in trespasses and sins e: 1, 2) walk
in good works q: 10; walk worthy of your
vocation "a: u; walk not as Gentiles (4:17( /;
walk in love (5:2l; walk as children of the
light 5:8)
e. Judson wrote the following:
The Christian life itself is q walk First, we
learn that man is n cripple. Secondly that the
beginning of Christian life is q leap. And thirdly
the Christian life is walk Some people seem to
think that it is n sort of hop. skip aud Jump
all the way along. But this is a mistake 1t is q
walk. 1t is sort of q tramp tramp, tramp; a
steady walk. 1t is described in the Bible as a walk
Ii we walk ia the light az he is in the light we
shall have fellowship one with another and the
blood of Jesus Christ his Son ceanseth us from all
SIM Again, in one of the earliest biographical
notices we find in literature the Bible refers to
man named Enoch, and we have his whole life
summed up in the statement that he walked with
God
To walk with God is TO walk according to his
laws. To walk with Christ is to follow his ex-
ample. Walking with God gives sense of
protection. The child feels no fear if at the
side of father. There should be nearness,
familiarity and confidence between God and
all his children. 1t is not an easy thing TO be
a Christian One needs to be watchful This
is the more so from the fact the highway is
narrow. man who is circumspeet looks all
around before he steps, takes in the situation,
is not impetuous, never "goes off," A fool is
careless, but wise man is cautious. (V. ISL
WEAKNESS is wisdom. 81 did not think" is
the excuse of the light-headed. Life is full of
periis, and the traveller will fail who does not
keep vigilant eye on the road over which he
goes.
2. "Redeeming the time, because the DAYS
are evil.n (V. 16) To redeem is to buy back
One who has misspent time will try to make up
the loss by greater future diligence. We cannot
regain lost moments, and all that can be done is
to be very diligent in time to come. Do not
let moment pass unimproved. Time any way
is short. We cannot afford to squander our
minutes nor be lavish with our moments Why
redeem the time? Because so much has already
been lost But the reason given by st. Paul is
this: Because the days are evil" Tempta-
tions beset US to use time improperly, and
therefore we must set ourselves against the
tendency to waste moments. Our culture in
mind and our growth in spirit require a useful
employment of the fleeting hours. Redeem
time; spend it for the good. Improve the
intellect by proper reading. Help the needy
and distressed. Work for the salvation of asso-
ciates. Lay up treasures in Heaven Devote
much time to prayer and meditation at home,
and to worship in the sanctuary. A moments
time spent in sin is an inexcusable extrava-
gance. Make every act serviceable for good.
Time must be given to sleep, work, dress, cat
ing, company etc, but it is too precious for.
these legitimate purposes to allow any waste
in sin. What time it is possible to give to re-
ligous and mental culture must be greedily
snatched.
3. "Be ye not unwise, but understanding
what the will of God is" ". H. 1t is very
unwise exceedingly unsafe, not to understand
Gods will There is a madness about sin.
Study Gods Word. There you find the Ten
Commandments. There you find Enoch and
Noah and others walked with God. There you
will see the folly of being lavish with time and
the wisdom of diligent employment of every
moment in duties to God, men and yourself
There you will find that God requires you to
be chaste holy, pure SOBER thoughtful, prayer
full 1t is terrible folly TO be Ignorant of these
things; to be wise, or up, in earthly knowl-
edge, but wanting in information as to spirit
ual concerns.
4. "Be not drunk with wine wherein is ex-
cess, but be filed with the Spirit" (V. 49,
Temperance men of all grades and shades of
belief of all theories as to the political DISPOSE