The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-08-21

(Nerse 81 other states and actions are
for time, destined to fail after a while,
but love never fails-it endures forever,
through all time and circumstances in
this life and through the endless ages
of the next life. Paul draws this contrast
with three of the most coveted gifts
among the Corinthians, endeavoring to
convince them that what he commended
was vastly better than what they de-
sired, because it has the element of per-
manence. Prophecies. whether under
stood as prediction of the future, or, as
is more appropriate, as the delivery of
instruction under the prompting of the
Holy Ghost; public speaking in unknown
tongues, conveying ideas to others who
might otherwise remain in ignorance;
knowledge, stores of information, laid up,
classified, available at pleasure for var
ious uses in the church-these three were
certainly exalted attainments for various
uses in the church and men seeking them
might be pardoned for their ambition.
q. Cor. XII: 81 And yet they are all
short-lived glories-they shall fail or
cease, or vanish away. How much to be
preferred is that beautiful grace of holy
affection, which is perpetual, which
adorns and blesses year after year, and
grows brighter as the successive years
take flight.
PERFECTING.-Love not only outlives
knowledge and prophecy, but it works on
after them toward the completion of
character. Their ministry, important
while 1t continues, is for a time and pur-
pose, and, when that ministry is accom-
pl!shed. love carries forward and pertects
what they begin. knowledge and pro-
phecy are only in part (verse 81 neces-
sarily limited, but love knows no limita-
tion, and under its influence all that was
partial shall be done away. Verse 10.)
The apostle has here struck the doctrine
OF perfection which has provoked so
much discussion in the modern church.
There Is a state to which our Lord inyit-
ed His followers, (Matt. V: 4S) and to-
ward which the whole church is urged
to press QIeb. vi: ID as the goal of all
holy desire and effort But that is mere
ly the love state. An old English divine
who wrote more than any other on this
subject, said, $50 to love God with all the
mind, might and strength, and the neigh
Dor as ones self, that out of this foun-
tain of love to God and love to man shall
proceed all the actions of life-this is
Christian perfection" Paul had sub
stantially the same idea, when, in another
place he urged disciples to put on "the
bond of perfectness" (Cor. iii, 40, as the
one regulating agency in life.
MATURING.-The power of love to
complete the character is set forth in
himself as passing through various per-
iods from childhood up to manhood, de-
claring that when he reached the latter
state he put away the things that be-
longed to the former state. He had out
grown them had no use for them, felt no
desire for them. His richer, fuller life re-
quired what the child life could not sup
ply, although as a matter of course, the
manhood had been enriched by that
which was no longer needed. BY this It
is intended to say that the earlier minis
tries of the Christian religion, about
which the Corinthians contended with
Jealous zeal, belonged to an immature re-
ligious life, and that something nobler
and better, namely love, was demanded
and strengthens Christian manhood; rip
ems its powers, and sets it forth in all its
Divine glory!
BEHOLDING.-Paul advances, in the
unfolding of his theme, to make known
the blessedness Of him who has attained