The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1902-03-21

4 Submitting yourselves ore 10 another
n the fear Of God.
GOLDEN TENT.-De not drunk WITH
sine. wherein In excess.-Eph. DIS.
LESSON ANALYSIS.
waking In Love .................-Eph- 81.
Waking IN purity ......-......---.:El ~ s-s,e
Waking in light -..............-.. Eph- s.s-as
MalklE. wise .-........-...---E ph e'ls--4
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
The Epistle To the Ephesians.-
Paul wrote this letter while he was q
prisoner at Rome, in 4. ID. 81 or g..
Il was probably sent with the letters
10 the Colossians and To Philemon.
and il closely resembles the epistic
TO the Colossians in outline and man
ner ~ thought. No special reason Is
mentioned in the epistle for its writ
ing. and il seems to have been low
inr pastoral salutation. Some Of the
Oldest manuscripts omit the name
Fphesus in III. one or TWO having
blank space there. That fact has led
some to think that il Was general
letter written To be sent TO various
churches. Some have identified IL
with Paul's epistle To the Lao
diceans. a writing which is men
toned in some early Christian liter
allure. but which is not now known
unless this suggestion ne correct.
Walking in Love.-Of Pnul's sum
mary of Christian duty. the heart Is
s:l-ef In this passage there Is COM
paratively little reference 20 specific
duties. but much dwelling on the
spirit which will make the doing OF
every duty n delight BY walking in
love Paul means that self-forgetfui
desire 10 serve others which was the
spirit that moved Christ to His great
sacrifice.
Walking in Purity.-The Christian
life furnishes no place for self-indul-
gent immorality. Such sins as are
spoken Of here were terribly com
mon in all the cities of the Greek
and Roman world. The Testing" of
verse 4 is not innocent joking. but
filthy wit and smutty humor. The
first clause Of verse aliudes to the
false reasons which are often given
in excuse for sins of this sort. There
is no real excuse for them. but the
wrath Of God falls on them.
Walking in Light.-Thc great res
son why the Christian must practice
personal purity is found in his reia-
tion 10 God. Gods light is too bright
for the darkness Of human filth To
stand before il. Some. however. while
seeking Gods light. try also To keep
in touch with the worlds wickedness
enough to know what bad men are DC
ing. such fellowship Paul rebukes. de-
-larinr that the attitude Of the Chris
iian must be one Of opposition to all
impurity. If the light of Christ really
shine in the life IL will reprove deeds
~ darkness. The Christlike life is
one Of Straightforward. simple trans
parent purity. The quotation in verse
II is believed to be from an early
HYMN. hut there Is no certain proof
that such Is the fact.
Walking as Wise.-This last sec
tion j. n call TO careful living II Is
not enough TO strive for purity Of
spirit. but one must watch constant
" the outworking of his spirit in
life. In verse 16 the duty of the
Christian Is likened 10 that Of the
iradesman buying stock for his store
He must keep his eyes open for good
bargains. and must see TO II that all
good opportunities for purchase are
accepted promptly. Especially must
he be very careful when bargains be-
come rare. Such situation is before
the Christian. He must strive the
more carefully 10 use every oppor-
tunity for n noble. Christlike deed
because Of the evil by which he is
surrounded in n. world. The great
essential qualification for such living
according {. verse IL. is knowledge
" Gods will. Such knowledge. Joined
with cleanness of spirit. is the crown
ing strength of the true life. Every
life needs periods Of excitement ant
-xhalfation. Such reliefs from mo
notony should be found Ivy the Chris
tan not in drunkenness or in arti
fetal stimulation. but in the specia
STRINGS OF the Holy Spirit. Suci
STRINGS will find utterance in song
NJ Christian praise. which rise from
the heart: in expressions Of thanks
giving to God through Christ TO
every experience of life. whether !
seem good or bad: and in the self
humbling fellowship which accept
admoniiion and suggestions from
Yellow Christians.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
Walk in purity. Do not 20 whcr
the very atmosphere is polluted Wit
foul thoughts.
There is an oriental story 10 tn
effect that a wise old shcik gave
young Arab prince. from whom h
was about TO part. list ~ e,iIi
Kidding him choose the one whic'i I
him seemed the least harmful. Th
young prince turned in horror froi
murder. theft. loss ~ virtue. ard tol
Voc patriarch that he would chooz
intemperance. Said the wise old man
You have chosen that which vi
sring you all"