The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-08-28

tude in regard to the church in Corinth.
Its schismatical strifes and lowered spir-
itual tone. threatened even its extinc-
ton as a church of Christ; and such a
failure of church in the commercial
metropolis of Greece would be an alarm
ing calamity to the Christian cause.
Paul became very impatient; he could
no longer wait. Again be embarked at
Troas for Macedonia. When he had
reached Macedonia and presumably
Philippi. he found Titus. The news
brought from Corinth was but partially
reassuring. The church there was still
in tumultuous strifes; a sect was still
calling in question Paul's right to as
sumo the authority Of an apostle. The
generous contribution which the Cor
inthians believers had the year before
eagerly promised to the GENTLE collec-
tion for Jerusalem, was delayed; there
was danger that it might be by the domi.
nant faction even willfully forgotten.
The prevailing sensualism of the cor.
rupt city could scarcely be kept out of
the church; there was also a constant
assault made on the Pauline interpreta.
ton of the Gospel by the Judaizing
party
Under such circumstances Paul was
moved to write this Second Letter to
the Corinthian church, and send it by
Titus, whom he commissioned anew to
labor in the distracted church until the
time, not far in the future. when he
could himself reach it in his journey.
The Letter is precisely such an one as
Paul could write under such con
ditions. To be appreciated in it's
mighty emotions, it's spontaneous ex-
pressions of human agonies and swift
following divine consolings. the reader
should at single sitting read it from
the beginning to the end. Into this
Letter Paul pours his whole self. 1t is
trem ulous with burdened human love.
He tells freely how his detractors by
their unjust charges have lacerated his
heart. He finds human relief in max
ing bare his soul to his fellow Chris
tians. His affections are keen, yet they
are but for moment. He finds rest
ay - exultant joy,-when he
turns his thought from the things visi-
BILE and temporal. to the things unseen
and eternal.
The general collection from the
Gentle church in behalf of the church
in Jerusalem. had been organized by
Paul more than year before. He speaks
of it in his First Letter to the Corinth-
ians (16: La as thing then we'll under
way. The believers in Jerusalem had
continued to suffer sore deprivatione.
The fearful contest between Rome and
the Jews was there focused, and the
crisis which was to result in the destruc-
ton of Jerusalem and the dispensing of
the Jews was but tw elve years away.
Six years before our lesson date the first
council of the church in Jerusalem
while decreeing the largest spiritual
liberty to the Gentle Christians, re-
quested them, in behalf Of the needy
brethren in Jerusalem, to remember the
poor (Gal. 2: 10). Paul now ardently
wished that the contribution of the
combined Gentle churches should not
only meet the urgent need. but be itself
grand propitiatory offering Of the
GENTLE to the Hebrew Christians. Paul
was to the marrow of his bones He
brew; his patriotism no less than his
religion of humanity prompted him to
endeavor to awaken the GENTLE churches
to joyous exercise of Christian frater-
nifty and self sacrifice.
Our lesson passage is portion of
his appeal to the Corinthian church in
behalf of the great collection.
1 Be Ready to Give, vs.. 1-5.
In the previous context Paul had
spurred the Corinthian believers by
telling them of the readiness and large.
ness of the giving in the churches OF
Macedonia; and further. that this liber-
ality had been in no small degree quick
ened by what he was able to tell of the
enthusiastic liberality which had the
year before pervaded the church in
Coripth. He says that he now sends
back Titus to them. with two compar-
ions to us unknown. that their offering
might not longer be delayed. SheW ne
therefore unto them. he says. in the face
of the churches, the proof of your love;
and of our glorying on your behalf.
He then proceeds in the words of
our lesson. passage. We reproduce
them in the rendering of Conybeare
and Howson: For Of your ministration
to Christ's people at Jerusalem it is
needless that / should write to you;
since | know the forwardness of your
mind, and boast of it to the Macedon-
ians, saying that Achaia has been ready
ever since last year; and the knowledge
of your zeal has aroused the most of
them to follow it. But / have sent the
brethren Titus and the other twol lest
my report of you in this matter should
be turned into an empty boast; that ye
may be truly ready, as l have declared
you to be; lest perchance the Macedon-
ians, who may come with me to visit
you. should find you not ready, and so