Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1903-01-22
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
International Lesson Comments For
January Is.
Subject. Paul's Counsel to the Thes salonlans,
Thess. ", l4.2S-Golden Text, Thess.
", 2l-Memory Verses, l6.lS-
Commentary on the Days
Lesson,

I. Christ's second coming Tvs. Lily.
The first part of this chapter stands IN
close connection with the last six verses
of chapter d. The two paragraphs touch
upon two different aspects of our Lords
coming, viewed first as it concerns depart
ed Christians, and then in its re.ation to
men living upon the earth. The former
passage supplies comfort respecting the
dead in Christ, the latter enjoins watchtul-
ness and preparedness upon the living:
Paufs teaching concerning the return OF
the Lord Jesus from heaven had very
deeply impressed the Thessalonians, but
his views had been greatly misunderstood.
The Aay of the Lords coming ". . no
doubt "includes not only His coming at
the end of the world, but all the special
manifestations of that coming, as at the
day of death and the destruction of Jeru-
salem (see Matt. pa
H. Rules for the sanctihed life Tvs II.
22). In verses u and IL he urges them to
properly love and esteem their ministers.
IA. "Brethren." This eEhortation applies
to ministers and laymen alike: The
weak" A man may Oc weak in his jndg-
ment or in his character. There may be
lack of information or a lack OF capacity
to understand the truth. Such people
need the assistance of those who are
strong. We can Support Others with
] ''''
example and (4) our counsel.
l5. ''See that none etc. Some one
has said, evil for evil is beast like; evil
for good is devil like; good for good is
manlike; good for evil is godlike.' Retail,
iation bctrays weak. igno5le and cruel
disposition. 'lIe is below himself who Is
Ro Rod a69yS sg15sss sn % eScr oM xG"s Snc s
The true Christian always renders good
| for evil The line of conduct here out.
lined is to be pursued both within and
without the church No follower OF Christ
will Intentionally harm any man,, =,
l6, II. "Reiocc alway." He who won!l
always rejoice must pray without ccaSing.
| Paul had learned the secret that in sor-
den a new spring of JOY" See Rom. s: j.
| j: Cor. 70: 10, and the words OF Christ In
Matt. ): 1912. TO rejoice is not only
duty. but privilege. The Christian has
the fountain of Joy within him. Pray
| True PRAYER springs from the heart. 1t
| includes (D an Acknowledgement OF God.
! (2) thankfulness, t3) confession, ti) en-
treaty. 1t is our duty to pray because (N
it is commanded, (2) because it tends to
impress lis with sense Of "nr dependence
upon God, (3) because it is the means by
which we commune with God. ti because
it is made the condition of our receiving
from God. Prevailing prayer % springs
from sense of real need, (2l is earnest,
! (3) is humble (i is imnortunatc. (5) Is Of
| fercd for specific blessings, C6) pleads the
promises and rests in them as the ground
| Of all faith.
is. GIVE thanks" Even in persecution
We should thank God that We are consd-
cred worthy to suffer for Christ. PRAYER
and thanksgiving are the two wings o the
soul by which it rises inward to God.
10. 90. "Quench not" Since the Spirit
may be nuenched he is a fire, as appeared
on the day of Pcntccost (Acts 2: -. This
! emblem sets forth the sudden and vchr'
mcnt activities of the Holy Spirit, with
His gifts of warmth for the heart and light
for the mind. and His power to kind'c the
human spirit. "The gift of the Spirit was
then existing. deep and powerful, in the
young Thes>aoNian church" ard they
were here commanded not to forbid those
wno under divine inspiration stood up to
reveal mysteries or speak with tonGNeS
But the command is universal. Whatever
hinders the work of the Spirit in ourselves
or Others is here forbidden. The Spirit is
quenched by depreciation. neg,cct or sin.
q, %. "Prore.' On the other hand. do
not accept as genuine all that may claim
to be genuine. 1t is our duty to probe.
test try all such manifestations and "ho'd
! fast only the good. But the cXhortation
here is capable of the widest application.
ror, and sft the chaif from the wheat
"Hod fast" We should never allow the
good to slp from us. Buy the truth and
sell it not" To do this viii take strong
| effort on our part. "AbStain," Not only
hold fast the good, but abstain from and
! renounce the evil which may have been de-
1 tected as a result of proving all things.
, lll. Sanctitcation promised Tvs. -,
2D. %. God of peace Peace is the
sum of all spiritual blessings fiat man re-
ceivcs and experiences The apostle
prays that the God of rcacc might sane
! tify them wholly. The Thcssaonian Chris
tians were trjriy regencrated; they had lad
genuine conversion (see chap. y. and
yet they needed entire sancti'icatIon.
tiication was begun III conversion, and
now it was their privilege to he made COM
plete-to be sanctfed wholly. Sanrthca-
ton signifies, !. Separation from sin. ..
| Conservation to God-the setting apart
from a common to holy use. 8. at IS
the act or process Of making holy" 4.
"It denotes the result of this proceSsthe
state of one who is made hoIy.' Spirit
sou!-body.' That is, the whole man. 1T
is net necessary to regard spirit aud soul
and body as three distinct logical divisions
OF mans nature But if it seems desirable
to distinguish between soul and spirit, then
the spirit must be regarded as the highest
part OF man, by which alone man possesses
intelligence and is enabled to apprchend
God, and the soul as the seat of the atfec.
tions. passions and appetites. Yet we
are to conceive of them as one indivsihlc
and spiritual being, called also the mind
and the heart. but usually designated az
the soul." BE preserved" etc. From
this VIC see that this experience Of entire
sanctitication is for this life.
a. win do it." This settles the mat.
ter. The God who has faithfully called us
to holiness is ready 10 make us holy, and
Peter in Acts Is: Q tells how the cXpe-
ricnce was obtained by both Jews and Cen
tiles. lie says their hearts were purified
"bv faith"
". Concluding words Tvs. 25-2S), 25,
&c. pray for us" st. Paul frequently
made this request. If he, in all the
strength of his gifts and his office, felt his
dependence on the prayers of the church,
how much should we? "Kiss.' This, the
usual sign of affection between kindred
and near friends appears to have been
quite universal in the primitive church,
but the custom gradually died out during
the Middle Ages. To-day we have the
"handshake, which answers all purposes.
81, 2s. "Adjure YOU" Literally, | put
YOU upon oath to do this. The grace"
etc. This is St. Pauls usual form of final
benedicton. at contains all spiritual
good that one Christian can wish another"
Good Work of Life Sapers.
Two hundred and eightyoight life