The Vinita weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1905, 1903-03-19
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
son in the international BSRTaa
for February ~, 1g0a-chris-
aian Love.

dnE eymbdi.
Z And though / have the gift ofprophecy,
and undorstand all mysteries, ana all
knowledge; and though I have all faith, 20
that could remove mountains ana have
not charity. am nothing.
3 And though bestow all my goods 20
feed tho poor, and though my BODY be
burned. and have not charity, it prohteth
1 Charity suffereth long, ana IL kind;
charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not
itself. is not puifed up.
8. Doth not behave itself unseeniy, seek
eth not her own. ~ not easily provoked.
thinlceth no evil;
G. RsjOieeth not in iniouity but rsjciesth
In the truth;
7. Beareth all things. believeth all things.
hopeth all things, endursth all things.
8. Charity never faiieth; but whether
there be prophecies. they fail; whsthsr
there be tongues, they shall ceases whether
thero be knowledge. itahaii vanish away.
q For we know in parS. A'iS we prophecy
10. But when that which IL perfect iseoma.
then that which IL in part shall be Done
away.
ii. When was a child. spaks as
child, Understood as child, I thought ~
a child; but when became man. Pat
away childish things.
Il For now we see through glass dark
iy; but then face 70 face; now l know in
parti but then shall know even a. also
am known.
10. Ana now abideth faith. hope, charity.
these three; but the greatest OF these u
charity.
GOLDEN rExr.-xow Abfhssh faith,
hope, charidy, these shreet but the
Ereatest of these - eharifys-1 Cor.
13t 10.
OUTLINE OF SCRIPTURE SECTION.
The Importance OF Iove.........1 Cor. 1sii-1
Tha nature OF love.............1 Cor. i3-tq.
The duration OF ioye...........1 Cor. I6-l1
TIMB.-A- d. 81. spring.
PLAcE.-EphesuA
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
On account OF their disputings this
lesson on love was needed by the
Corinthians. In connection with its
study one should read Drummond's
famous address, first delivered to the
students at Mortified. on THE Great.
est Thing in the World" What one
longs for above all else IS TO him
the greatest thing. Among the
things that Christians desire paul
doea not refer 70 others) the apostle
mentions eloquence, the gift Of proph-
ecy, miracle-worldng faith, know
ledge Of mysteries. charity. the hero
ism Of martyrdom. Here IS q list
from which one might find IL difficult
70 mako q choice. And Paul set love
higher than ell. Why?
TIE last clause of chapter xii. be-
longa With this section In which Paul
speaks of love. He has told them
that 1t is right that they should az
sire and strive for some Of these
gifts-the more important ones-and
now. hs says. he will tell them how.
Seek love, and let these gifte be man
ifeststions of love, for only so are
they really of any value (vs. i-3l.
"speak with tongues':F One Of
the gifts OF which the Corinthians
were very proud. II was TIE utter
ance of wild and ineoherent words
and meaningless sounds when under
religious excitement. The same thing
is observed to-day in connection with
the "eamp-meetings" In the south.
Paul said that he would rather speak
FIVE words with his understanding
''than ten thousand words IN a
tongue" (i4;lal. "Of men and Of
angels; "of men, aye. and Of an
gels" in whom the gift might be
supposed to be even superior to that
Of men-even this, without love,
would be only useless noise. "The
gift Of prophecy; This was what
we call speaking IN meeting" or
exhorting. These things. which are
Of the head, and good in themselves.
are nothing" so far as character Is
concerned. unless the heart ia right.
"Bestow all my goods; A man may
make great gifts TO charity and yet
be an abominably mean aud selfish
man. lie may endure great personal
diseomforts and even sacrifice his life
rather than yield . theological opin-
ion. and still be proud, narrow
minded, unchristian man. Outward
actions do not tell. II is everywhere
question Of motive. With love IL
the governing motive all life and ac-
tiou are good; without Il nothing is
good.
Paul was writing 10 a particular
church about the tittie rivalries and
jealousies OF its church life, which
were utterly inconsistent with the
Christ-spirit. but the lesson Is needed
fully as much by US as II was BY the
people IN Corinth. "Love suffereth
long: hut more than that though
injured, love Il "aggresslvely kind"
"Envieth not: When II lacks. Is not
too greatly "set up" over what it
has. "Taketh not account Of evil.
Is not always looking for personal
sights. and does not bear grudges.
"Prophecies +. shall be done
away: All those gifts which are use
ful to rs now, children as we are.
in the knowledge Of divine mysteries.
win be no longer needed when that
which is perfect Il come" They are
partial and temporary. But faith In
God. joyous hope in view Of the
future, which is Gods future. and
\. 4