The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-01-10
A LETTER OF LONG AGO
The international Sunday School Les
son for January 11-"Christian Liv-
ing"-Phil. w., 1-13-(The Entire
EpistIe Is to be Ready

Simple age gives value to writing.
ANY letter 500 years old would be priz-
cd; and when a letter is 1000 years
Old 1t is priceless. Add to its great
age great wisdom, and advice that is
good for today, and you have such val
ue as is found only in the collec-
ton of ancient writings known as the
scriptures. This portion Of the Bible
winch we are now studying is simply
a letter written by the Apostle Paul
TO ms friends in the church which he
established at Philippi, about which
the sunday schools of the world stud
1ed last week Getting into Jail at
Phl1ppi was not PauPs only expert
ence OF the sort: he passed through
many prisons before he was finally
sent to Rome a captive. 1t was while
mere, IN bonds for the sake of this
Name, that he wrote the letter to his
Fnlnpplan friends who had sent him
sLIs py one OF their number. Epaph-
rodltus. 1t is a thank YOU letter
and letter of loving counsel.
IheSe friends needed advice; they
were fresh from heathendom and by no
means perfect saints; yet we have not
progressed SO far beyond them that
we 90 not need exactly the same teach
ing tnat applied to them. Missionaries
elgn held sometimes show a preference
Tor the Book of Acts, because those
people do not seem any better than
we are; they had their divisions and
packsld1ngs and troubles just as we
nave" So this letter was to ordi-
nary people and it makes profitable
reading for ordinary people today.
A Famous Mans Unknown Friends.
Some men feel themselves too big
TO be interested in individuals: but
they are really not great men. The lat
ter hold fast to their interest in peo-
pie to the end. Here was Paul, the
pussy apostle, one of the greatest men
OF all times, carrying in his heart the
private affairs of a host of men and
women. See how his letters abound in
personal greetings. There are manv
names in the New Testament which ap-
pear simply as the friends of Paul.
In these few verses we find him re-
Numbering a disagreement between
two members of the Philippian church,
and urging thin to be reconciIed to
one another. Truly, as he says ear
l1er in the letter, Il have you in my
heart" Is it any wonder that the
old apostle was dear to them; or that
they sent him greetings and gifts in
his lonely Imprisonment?
Woman and the Church.
Some wit has said that IF it were
not Tor dead men and live women, the
missionary boards would be in a bad
way The generalization is no moro
true than all generalizations, but it
points to the great fact that the de-
Totlon and activity Of women is, and
mas been, mainStay of the church
Jesus had no better friends than the
women who followed him, and the
apostolic church abounded in wise,
busy and holy women. Woman is the
best friend of religion, and religion is
the best friend of woman. The keener
spiritual vision of woman, which leads
her to goal while man is hunting
around for path, has enabled her to
see the primacy of religious truth and
10 yield to her devotion. 1t is not q
defect in religion, but tribute to it,
that it appeals strongly to a woman's
nature. Help those women" is a
Pauline word that may be written to
many churches besides the one at Phil
ippi.
talk Happiness"
In business offices all over the land
one may see little pIacards bearing
IN bold type the words, Talk Happi-
ness" then the card continues
somewhat in this strain: "The world
has troubles enough of it's own. with
out adding yours" The advice s.good:
It was good when given by Paul and
David. The repeated rejoice" of the
lesson is sound counsel; it makes for
health and happiness. The Bible pre-
scr1bes manner Of life that is mostly
sunshine; long-faced Christians are
such in spite of scripture. Out of his
bondage and miseries the prosecuted
apostle sent forth unfailingly his mes
sages of cheer; the Savior Himself on
the eve of His crucif1xion bequeathed to
His followers the fullness of Joy. There
is never condition in which a friend
Of Jesus finds himself wherein he NAV
not rejoice always" From beginning
to end the Christian life may be all low:
a rejoicing disposition is every believ-
er's- debt to the world.
The Gateway to Peace.
In this programme for Christian Iiv-
ing peace has large place. For no
man is living christianity who is not a
possessor OF the mysterious and mighty
peace Which Jesus bestoWs. Paul writes
down certain prerequisites to peace-re-
!olclng, forbearing, not worrying, pray
ing, praising and remembering the
nearness of the Lord. Do these things
says he, and the peace of God. which
as Paul and myriads of others could
testify, passeth all understanding, shall
stand guard over your hearts and
minds. This is one of the present re-
wards of discipleship: Thou wilt keep
him in perfect peace whose mind is
stayed on thee" Amid all the t11roI11ts
Of this world, and all it's harassing
cares, the Christian may still abide in
serene peace.
A Recipe for Lofty Living.
Low lives are born of low thoughts.
To elevate our thinking is the only
way to elevate our living. This is a
mean, small, sordid and miserable
world to many people, because their
own thoughts are that way Men do
not need to have their material inter-
ests improved nearly so much as they
need to have their thinking improved
Back Of all the lust and greed and
gambling and selfishness and frivolity
which are the curse of this earth lie
thoughts that are low and vile and
petty. All reforms would be accom-
plished speedily if men would but con-
troll their thinking, and direct it into
noble channels.
The wise old teacher whose words
we are studying knew that he was Civ
ing his Philippian friends practical
counsel when he said: Whatsoever
things are true; whatsoever things
are honorable; whatsoever things
are just; whatsoever things are pure,
whatsoever things are lovely; whatso-
ever things are of good report; if
there be any virtue and if there be
any praise, think on these things"
This is golden philosophy, which
every person who studies this lesson
should commit to memory, and en-
deavor to put into practice, remem-
bering that "as a man thinketh in his
heart SO he is"
A Man Who Was Contented.
In America we think we have pro-
duced the extreme type of siren
Mons life Tn orr view there are Amer
lean men who have lived harder, done