The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-03-22
The Teachers Lantern.

4AU ASoSASA ASAAASGA hs
 The reality. extent. turpitude. and ulti- mate outcome of the sinful state needs emphasis in our day. Sin Is not just an error or accident. It Is not so much series of acts, but q state of nind and heart out of which they spring and which makes them possible. Sin of sins is the fostering of an evil disposition, either negative or positive, toward God.
 Out of this condition one needs to be aroused as from sleep or death. The d. vine agencies for the accomplishment of this end are manifold and constantly op- erating. but can not be effective, except by human consent and cooperation.
 When so operating. the resultant is the Christian character, in striking contrast to the un-Christian. a character which. in successive epochs, keeps exhibiting. in increasing measure, the riches of grace and the kindness of God.
 The old apparent antagonism of faith and works Is always asserting itself. Some one aptly says: The Christian tiaa man works"
 Paul himself, the Roman citizen. the wide and observant traveller. was the most fearless and forceful among the Chris tian critics of heather immortality. He threw the gauntlet of his inyineibie logic down before the famed and prized mys' teries--the holy of holies of classic heath enism. He declared the things done ir these mystic rites under cover of nigh | to be so vile that 1t would be an offenst l against modesty to mention them; tha | the heather justified their crimes by ex amples of the crimes of their gods, tt celebrate and portray which the myste ries were instituted.
 This paragraph is like the device which | from one angle, shows one portrait, an, from another. another portrait, quite il contrast. In this instance the first is re puisive. the second attractive. If tn | whole Epfstle resembles the sixty-eightl Psalm. this part Of it is like the thIrteentl l verse: Though ye have Hen among tn pots. yet shall ye be as the wings of l dove, covered with silver, and her feath CTS with yellow gold
 Prince of the air: Paul Is using phase of his time. He alludes to mat ters the Ephesians believed in terms the commonly used This phrase may or ma not express his personal belief It prob ably does express his belief. Whether Is fact or not is another question
 Children of wrath: a pure Heoraisal Paurs mother tongue asserts itself eve when he writes Greek. The wrath her referred to has been described as the an tagonisrh of personined holiness to pc, sonifed sin.
 All the terms here used are 80 full freighted with meaning as to be worth of close study; for example; Quiekene is to he mado alive Fin trespasses an sins is not general. hut specific viz through your trespasses and sins: ''th course of this world is walking accord ing to the age of the worid-Di e.. in guilt harmony with the usages of the times
 n heavenly places is ons word in th original: the heavenlier E'Airaiinr an elevation are synonymous; to be saved to be raised up
 Whether Paul meant that salvation z that faith is the gift of God has alway been sharp contention. To the avera reader who has no theory of interprett ton or theology to maintain fl woul seem that faith is latent faculty in ., cry man, given as other powers arc fl use brings salvation. just as the use other faculties brings the result for whic they are designed. h this sense fait and salvation are both the gift of Go and there Is really no ground Of contrt versy