The Saint Paul globe., 1903-04-04
What the Religious World
Is Thinking About and Doins
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON AND YOUNG PEOPLES TOPIC
COMMENTS BY w. T. ELLIS

things, feels competent to pass sweep.
ing judgment upon the church, which
Is the largest, Oldest, most 'beneficent
and divinest institution beneath the
stars. Paul laid stress upon the truth
that the church was purchased by the
blood of Christ. In our case the church
may be said to have been purchased
also by the blood of an uncounted
most OF martyrs, who yielded up their
hVes in her defense and service.
The Power That Builds Up.
The very men to whom Paul was
speaking had been won from the mar
roWness OF Judaism or the Wickedness
OF outright Pagantsm. They them
serves were evidences of the trans
forming power of the gospel. Now it
was essential that if the church should
continue, these transformations should
likewise continue. Therefore Paul
commended them to the Lord and the
WoTd OF his grace, which had power
10 Dulld them up. The teacher who
had been everything to that Ephesian
church was going away for good; but
COO was abiding and the word was
abiding, and these were enough. No
true church Is ever dependent upon
any one man for its success. This last
counsel Of PauPs was fundamental for
he knew that for them, for us, there
can be no growth in character Or
works without the word of God.
Growing Christians are ever Bible
reading Christians.
The Unwritten Word.
1t must not be thought that the four
gospels contain all the teachings or
words of Jesus. They contain all we
need, but. as John says, the record
that we have is far from complete.
There were doubtless many sayings of
Jesus current among the early Chris
tlanS that have not come down to US
one of them was quoted by Paul in
this address, 1T is more blessed to
give than to receive" This was a dis
unct advantage which the Apostolic
church had over the church today, but
we have greater advantage in the
volume of the mind and words Of
Jesus, as spoken through Paul and the
other New Testament writer's which
we possess. We need not mourn for
the unWritten words of the Lord until
we have mastered and practiced the
words that we already have.
When Strong Men Weep.
Strong men do not often weep. When
they do, the spectacle is a moving one
This scene at Miletus is affecting, for
more striking than any word of Paul
is the conduct of the EDhesian elders
after they had prayed together. The
words or their friend and pastor,
that they should see his face no more,
overcame them with sorrow, and they
fell on his neck, weeping soreIy and
kissed him again and again, as the
prodigal had been kissed by his father,
and as the grateful woman kissed the
feet Of Jesus. Doubtless they lost
sight for the moment Of the signifi-
cance to the kingdom of PauTs de-
parture, and thought only that the
man whom they loved was going from
them. The presence of loved ones is
dearer than any successes or honors
they may achieve apart from us. A
mother longs to see her absent child,
and no measure of good fortune on
that child's part can heal the ache in
her heart caused by the separation.
How these people loved Paul! In
the light of this scene we gain a fresh
understanding Of the character of the
man who penned the thirteenth chap
ter of Corinthians. PauFs life proved
his words. And doubtIes he priced
this sign of heartfelt affection above
all the tributes of the Athenian phil
osOphers, and above the distinguished
honOrS shown him by his fellow apos-
ties Of Jerusalem. Then, now, and for
ever, love is the best reward.