The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-11-14
can but feel the keenest and most SYM
pathetic interest in the solution which
the Church will discover for it."

st. Paul had a loving, tender heart.
He shows it in the earnest and al
most pathetic way he addresses the
converts Under. him and the blessings
he pcurs ou upon them. Take the let
ter to the Ephesians, the people con-
verted there nde his faithful and
powerful ministry-the people of the
very Ephesus once so carried away by
the worship of Diana, the goddess.
Many Of them believed at last in Christ
Jesus, and found in the great apostle a
warm, sympathetic heart; a watchful,
earnest pastor and shepherd, and a
friend who cared for their spiritual and
eternal welfare. He begins his epistle
in these striking words: Paul. an
apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of
God, to the saints which are at Ephe-
sus, n to the faithful in Christ
Jesus" There is no installing the
warmth of a genuine love, and the
recognition of the adorable Saviour of
sinners. In the few lines given the
name of the eternal Son of God is
mentioned twice. He is particular also
to give his W name, the author of
the letter, and TO tell them of his exalt-
ed office, an apostle, and to signify
clearly whence he derived his high post
and commission. He says he is an apos-
tie of Jesus Christ and by the will of
the Father, God himself. A preacher
of the Gospel who is called by a gov
prnmPnt or nv coma nfhar nrQaphar
to the office of the ministry, has poor
credentials if that is all. If he has
not higher and surer commission than
that he is poor indeed and is as empty
of spiritual power as a thinking GYM
bal" His calling must be from God
and through the Divine Spirit. No
man is an ambassador Of Heaven who
is not called and commissioned by God
although he may be learned, able, elo-
quent and popular. 1t is Paul. an
apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of
God" Then see how the great apostle
addresses his converts. He calls them
saints. This is the Bible name, the New
are sincere believers. A saint in Christ
is a soundly converted man who has
been regenerated by the Holy Ghost,
and is living a piOus, faithful, cOnse-
Grated life. Paul addresses such as
saints, and in various places in his let
ters. A striking, necessary quality of
saints is obediance to God, is fidelity to
duty. Paul writes to the saints and
describes them as "the faithful in
Christ" He probably does not limit
this address, this descriptive title, to
simply the Christians at Ephesus,
which was the metropolis of Asia, but
he probably embraces all "the faithful
in Christ" in that a S continent. Bur-
kit in his Notes says: 'These two
words, saints and faithful conjoin-
ed, denote both their dignity and their
duty; their dignity, in standing near
to God, as His children; their duty, in
being faithful to Him as His SER
wants" There is no fidelity to God out
of Christ. The man who does not put
his trust in Christ, and daily loves,
honors and serves Him, cannot be ad-
dressed as Paul does the Ephesian dis
ciples and brethren in the Lord. He
says, faithful in Christ Jesus" Here
it is apparent that Christ is all and
in all, and that He is the source of all
| grace, power and life. Cali our grace
and holiness must be holiness in Christ
| Jesus" as pious Burkitt affirms. There
is no need of farther enlargement on
that first verse of the Epistle. At an
other time we hope to consider other
verses and ascertain what they impart.