The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1893-11-23
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.

IIME-WTVteu uuEIue Ebul uOulau
imprisonment about A. D. 81
PLACE.-Paul's prison at Rome
PLACE IN BIBLE HIsToRY.-Paul's imprison.
ment is referred 10 in Acts 1880, 81 There Is
no mention Of the Colossians in the Acts, but It
fs probable that the church there was founded
while Paul was at Ephesus. In that neighbor-
hood (Acts i9).
SENT by Tychicus and Onesinus, the run.
away slave OF the Colossian Philemon st the
same time with the letter to the Ephesisns and
the letter to Philemon OF Coloss@
The CHURCH AT CoLcssG was founded only
indirectly by Paul. either while he was for
three years in Ephesus, Its natural seaport
(Acts 19), or as fruit Of his tour through
Phrygia (Acts 6:6). Paul himself never visi-
ted the city (Col 2:1). TIE chief name con-
nected with this church Was Epaphras (Col
III, 8; AID, who seems 10 have been their
pastor and perhaps founder. Philemon and
Onesiumus also belonged TO this church (Col
4O.
LESSON NOTES
The True Spirit of the Christian
Family.-12. "Put on thercfore:" DR..
Maclaren speaks of these verses as
description of "the garments of the
renewed SOUL" and "the wardrobe of
the consecrated soul" For these vir-
tues are represented here as put on,
not having existed before, and as en-
IOloIuS OuC WhOtC lllC LING garment
which covers, adorns and protects the
whole body. Nor is this inconsistent
with the fact that every virtue must
grow out of right heart. I've speak
of trees putting on their leaves, al
though the leaves grow out of the
tree. So these graces should grow on
all sides freely, fourishingly, till
they form a beautiful garment. 'As
the elect:" The chosen ones ''of God"
in whom He delights, for they are
holy, consecrated in heart and life,
thus belonging to God, and beloved
of Him as children are beloved of their
parents. These two words describe
the proof that one is chosen, and the
love that accompanies the choice.
First, Compassion. Bowels of mer-
cies:" Rev. Ver., a heart of compassion.
Every person, rich or poor, prosperous
or unfortunate, sick or we'll, has need
of sympathy for his trials, his
weaknesses, his errors, his failures, his
aspirations. (1) Without it no help
will be of much use to the receiver, nor
of any to the giver. Much is said about
ingratitude, but very often it is but the
instructive recoil of the heart from the
unkind doer of kindness. Aid flung
to man as bone is to a dog usually
gets as much gratitude as the sympathy
which it expresses deserves. (2) Above
all things, beware of letting pity
(meant to be the impulse toward help)
be excited and then not allowing the
emotion to act To stimulate feeling
and do nothing in consequence is a
short road to destroy the feeling
Maclaren. (3) Sympathy and COM
passion are as necessary for the giver
as for the receiver. They keep the
heart from growing narrow and selfish
and limited.
Second, Kindness, from kin, kinned-
ness, having the feelings which befit a
common nature. In the Greek the
root of the word is proftableness. that
kindly disposition that would do good
to others, profit them. Some souls are
SO lowered that they have this grace
without effort, and come like the sun
shine with welcome and cheer for all
the world. But even less happily en-
dowed natures can cultivate the dispo-
sition. The prudent hypocrites who
get on in the world, as ships are
launched, by "greasing the ways" with
fiattery and smiles, teach us the value
of the true thing, since even coarse
caricature of it wins hearts and dis
arms foes. This kindness" is the
most powerful solvent of ill-will and
Indifference.
Third, Humbleness of Mind A lowly
estimate of ourselves is not necessar-
lily blindness to our strong points. II
man can do certain things better
than his neighbors, he can hardly help
knowing it, and Christian humility
does not require him to be ignorant of
it. suppose Milton would be none
the less humble, though he was quite
sure that his work was better than
that of Sternhold and Hopkins The
consciousness of power usually accom-
panies power. And often it accompanies
also very small degree of power mag
nified by the telescope of self-conceit.
Humility does not exalt itself on ac-
count of Gods gifts; it sees its weak
nesses as well as it's power; it sees and
acknowledges the greatness and good
ness in others. Each one has some.
thing which others can look up to,
which he must look up to others.
Hence between husband and wife
there can be mutual admiration and
respect; and similar experience
among members of the church.
Fourth, Meekness-Thati is, patience
under injuries real or supposed; the
opposite of revenge. The meek are not
easily provoked or irritated. In order
to be meek there must be long-suffer.
ing, patient endurance of the faults
anddisagreeable qualities of others. 1t
is our business to be right and to do
right, no matter what others do or say.
Now, since those who live in the same
family are of different tastes and dis
positions and see things from different
standpoints-a fact on which depends
much of the best discipline of life
there can be no happiness, no best life,
without meekness and long suffering.