Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-24

|5TUDlESIn T|HI|N[u TESTAMENT
AUL's eoUNsEI.1o THE THEssALoNIANs.'
FOR JAM AR 1 IS.
The Koran commands. the Blble en.
By Rev.. John n. Lyle.

re
The Koran commands, the Blble e1-.
horts.
The Bible touches lie at every point. 81
Great principles underlte the Christian
Life.
Christianity Is the highest altrutsn.
They might not need nae-yet they.
might
I'll let my heart be just in sight--
| \ smile ossmall as mine, mlght#be
Precisely their necessity.
THE PERSPECTIVE.
| BY force Of circumstances Paul vas
separated from the church at Thessalon-s
lea. He could not be with 1t In person.
Satan hindering,. so ne did better than
that, as far as we are concerned; for he
wrote 1t a letter Of exhortation and en-
couragement. that has spiritually enrich
ed the world. It was not many weeks
since he had left Thessalonica that ne
aid this. The young church needed at
tention. These Thessalonians had no
New Testament to guide them and pro-
badly had very little access to the Old
Testament Paul's first epistle to these
rhessalonians was probably the first part
Of the New Testament to be written.
Some think that the epistle of James
was. written first. They both were given
q the Christian world about the middle
part Of the first century. A.. D. Paul
wrote this epistle from the city of Corinth
where he was laboring with his own
hands for a livelihood and preaching as
Re had occasion. Paul writes here like
man whose heart is beating hundred
o, the minute. His sentences are light
| ming discharges. 1t is his first letter to-
any Of his European churches Its inten-S
sity5 suggests that he wished for wings
shat he might. fly to his converts, instead
of sending this letter The substance.
ef the apostles counsel to the Thessa-
lonians and to all Christians Of later
INES and places is Give the Divine
Spirit free course in your life, sustain
the, spiritual life by prayer and thanks
giving cast off all evil and hold fast
TO all good.'''..sIt is a friendly, personal
letter. commencing their hospitality and
friendliness and aggressive Christian ac-s
tivity: declaring his own affection for
them and closing with a series Of prac-
zeal exhortati tons to an earnest and lofty
Christian life. sentences of extra ordi-
nary force. freshness. and beauty, unique
N their originality and model Of con-
densation. The heather or pagan world
has no such precepts as these, ss
GOLDEN WORDS OF EXPLOITATION.
I'VE exhort you. brethren, admonish
the discrderly, encourage the faintheart-.
ed, support the weak be long suffering
toward all. See that none render unto
any one evil for evil; but always fol-
low after. that which is good. one toward
another, and toward all. Rejoice always;
pray without ceasing; In every thing
give thanks; for this is the will Of God
~ r;c& 70 r6
not the Spirit: despise not prophesyings;
prove all things; hold fast to that which
is good; abstain from all form Of evil
And the God OF peace himself, sanctify
YOU wholly: and may your spirit and
body be preserved entire. without blame
At the coming Of our Lord Jesus Christ
Faithful IS he that calleth you. who Will
also do it. Brethren, pray for US. Salute
all the brethren with holy kiss. ]
adiure you by the Lord that this epistle
be read unto all the brethren. The grace
81 our Lord Jesus Christ be with you"
HELPFUL GOODNESS.
A Christian man should not only be
good himself, but he should help others
10 be good He should not only strive to
be. spiritually strong himself. but he
should strive to make all other people
spiritually strong. He Should not only
bear his own burden but other peoples
burdens also Christian should be not
only negatively good. but positively good.
He should be not selfishly good, but bene-s
violently good. Christians are literally
band Of brothers--a mutual aid society
Some Christians need to be admonlshed
BY other Christians, and some need TO
be encourag ed, Some are to be resisted
and some helped up The disorderly, the
fainthearted. and the weak, we have. in.
:alI our churches. If you are an admon-.
isher of the Christly kind, you are help
Hing to carry some ones load without
Dragging a about it. or expecting to wear
halo. Encourage the fainthearted..
This means yon Of the strong heart.
'tStrcng Paul says. there goes
Faintheart, all alone dropping: This IS
no time to Re staggering IN your
strength. Strength is not to make a
show Of Strength is to prop up burdens.
Join yourself to Fainthearted and put
Your shoulder under his burden. Be
long suffering" Patient kindness is one
of the most beautiful virtues in the
world. MANY people make splendid
hammers. who J. re poor anvils. :" Sup
port the weak. God has meant for US
to be indispensable to each other. We
much as they need u.s. We develop in
Christian life by suffering with and help
ing other people. "See that none render
evil for evil'' We must not fight evil
people with the same weapons with
which they fight us. A sense Of Gods
mercy shown us will make US merciful
towards others .tFollow the good. 49, A
great motto. a wonderful pursuit! Christ
went about doing good. 1T is good to be
great. but. 1t is greatness to be good. :
Real goodness is the, supreme possession
of life.
DIVINE COMMUNION
Here we find Paul's keynote OF joy
again REJOICE evermore." he says to.
the Thessa lonians. This is possible only
to the soul that is centered in God
through Jesus Christ. Joy Goes not mean
painlessness. but the shout and victory Of
{ the soul in the midst OF. its pain. It is
based on perfect trust in God. and in a
desire to see all that happens rebound TO.
his glory Spiritual, triumphant JOY only
comes through e Spirit OF constant cons
naunion, with God. Constant prayer and
thanks giving rising from the altar of
ones heart make this communion real
AS prayer Is not mechanical thing: I'm
5ceasing prayer is possible in a spiritual
way. as the vapors constantly. although
generally unseen. ascend towards the
Sun. s54E-.z
GROWTH IN VIRTUE.
The Holy Spirit, abiding in the Chris
tian's soul Is the snergizing principle
for his growth in grace and Christ-like-
ness. like the vita ~ life-force In the