Semi-weekly Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1897-1901, 1901-08-09
CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR.
Tonic For the Week Beginning Aug
1I-COmment by Rev. $. II. Doyle.


1I-Comment by Rev. $. II. Doyle.
| ToPic-Enemes and arms.-Eph Vi, l0-ls.
In this familiar passage Paul repre-
I sents the Christian life as a warfare.
! His residence as a prisoner az Rome
may have suggested t&is figure. The
equipment and discipline of soldiers
were daily spectacle in Rome ana
would naturally suggest such a par
allel. The figure, moreover, is an eX-
ceedingly apt one. The Christian life
is n struggle, q warfare. 1t Is fight
for God. for truth, for righteousness.
for justice against the opposltes OF
these things. 1t is constant struggle
and warfare.
Ne'or think the victory won
Nor Law thine down.
The heavenly will not be won
Till thou attain thy crown.
"There is no discharge in this war;
1t continues so long as life itself con-
tinucs.
The enemies and the arms Of the
Christian warfare are the especial sub
jects Of our study.
/. The enemies. % These enemies
are not physical but spiritual. 1--WE
wrestle not against flesh and blood,
but against principalities, against pow
ers, against the rulers of the darkness
Of this worAi, against spiritual wicked
ness in high Places CO Being spirit
ual. these enemies are invisible. The
enemy Of the human soul and his hosts
are shrewd and cunning and all the
more powerful because invisible.
Their battles are the rush Of a sudden
ambuscade. They fight not on
pitched field but by sudden assault
and secret and cunning onslaught CD
The enemies Of tue Christian are pow
erful. Just how much power satan has
over man we do EUt know, but we do
know that his power is great and is
not to be despised, but constantly
guarded against.
.. The arms. TO meet such enemies
both defensive and offensive arms are
necessary, and they have been proyid-
ed. The Christian soldier has an ar
NOR. Paul calls 1t the whole armOr
pieces. % The girdle. The girdle in the
ancient armor was the military belt,
which held the rest of the armor in its
place and hence was very important.
The spiritual girdle is truth. CO. The
breastplate The Roman breastplate
covered and protected the heart. The
Christians breastplate is righteous
L. te -i,,lt lint
Christ's righteousness. 81 Sandals.
The legs Of the Roman soldier were
covered with greaves. a kind of militia
ry leggiugs and the feet with sandals.
q kind of light. spiked shoe. To give
swiftness of movement was the pur-
pose Of the sandal The Christian
needs to be prompt and swift. and the
sandals which assist lin are the eff
fects Of the gospel Of peace. The Cos
pei brings peace. 1t scatters doubts.
In so doing it destroys timidity and
fear and inspires courage and prompt
ness in obedience to all orders. a. The
shield Roman soldiers used two kinds
of shields-a small shield, called a buc-
kler or target. which was held in the
left hand during a hand TO hand strug
gle. and larger shield, which covered
the entire person. Paul refers to the
large shield, which covered the person
and protected the armor of the soldier
from being pierced. The Christians
shield is faith, unwavering confidence
In God. which guards the mind against
doubt or unbelief, 90 The helmet. The
Roman helmet protected the head and
enabled the sokier 10 hold his head
erect without fear. The Christians
helmet is salvation-not merely the
hope Of salvation. but the assurance
that we are saved here and now. (6l
The sword. This is the only offensive
weapon that Paul mentions. The
Christians sword is the Sword of the
Spirit, the word of God" With this
weapon Christ beat off satan. and with
il we can do the same. Let Us put OF
and keep on the armor of God that we
may withstand the wiles of the devil.
TIE PRAYER MEETING.
Have a chalk talk or object lesson
talk on the subject.
BIRLE READINGS.
lisa. lix. Ii; Math. vi, 9-13; Rom. xiii.
12-14; Cor. Nv, lviii; II Cor. vi. 40;
X, 49, Thess, Y, 60; Jas. ", Z; Pet.
iv, Z; V, s, 9.