The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-04-01

posed. Having all these things in mind he
exhorts the people to strive at all times for
holiness of life. Instead of saving when IN
Rome do as the Romans DO. this man says
do right. Let no man doubt the integrity or
your purpose. Heed not the insinuation that
you must run with the wicked to evil IL you
would be popular. Regard not the sugges-
ton that you must cater to the depraved
desires of the people in order to make a liv-
ing. Your chief business is not to make a
makes make P his life IL I teii for arG ris es en,s nses in T the
service OF God. God always commends the
man who does right in the face of adverse
conditions. And as uniformly does he con-
denim the man who lives for bread alone,
sacrificing character that he may make a
living. And in the midst Of the CONNER
cialism and prevalent vice Of your city. 1
tan life in ST. Louis is no easy task. But
recognizing its difficulty. I exhort you to
put your trust in God and go forward in
the path of righteousness.
The apostle next says. be of good comfort:
That Is exhortation was needed is beyond
question. At this remote date it is not posi-
bic for US to even imagine the gloom that
must have settled down over the church in
Corinth. as they realized that the great
apostle had gone from them. and that they
might never again see his face. And those
wonderful letters he had written from time
to time must cease also. They had been ac-
customed to refer questions that perplexed
would they go with their troubles? And
they were depressed with a sense Of their
loss. But they lad forgotten. In their de-
votion to the apostle they had forgotten
their Lord. Not Paul or Peter is the head
of the church. but Christ. He still lived.
and while that is true, no man, not even
church. My friends. God still lives. and his
work still moves on. Men may come ana
men may go. but his work goes on forever.
When a church begins to trust In its past.r
instead Of trusting God. Its spiritual life mas
begun to go out. And that is the condition
that produces gloom when a leader departs
from his field. Trust in God. Be OF good
comfort, and his work will move right on.
Re OF one mind, says the apostle. That
mean, harmony. Paul desired to see the
most cordial feeling among the people OF
the Corfnthian Church. In these words. be
Of one mind. he recalls what he had said in
ths first chapter of this book. He there
epoke of the divisions that existed among
hem, and in the third chapter he tells them
naIity. Where there is deer. spirituality d.
visions disappear like frost before the sun.
How unseemiy are these divisions and how
they must pain the Lord himself: SO deep bpe
made this a prominent part Of his ~interces-
sorry, prayer. as recorded In the seventeenth
chapter of John. He prays that his people
may be one. even as he and the Father are
one. But that prayer can never be answered
so long as there is strife, envy. bitter feel
fng and an unforgiving spirit among the
:hese things here. But that prayer cannot
be answered while there ie even indifference
among the people of God. l am sure that
God IL ready to grant the Son his prayer
Indifference? Are we going to tell our Lord
that we know that his prayer is for the
unity Of his people: but we dc not mean can
Indifference?
81 hortation OF the apostle. Be perfect. be OF
pood comfort, be of ore mind, be at peace
and what follows? And the God OF love and
peace shall be with you.