The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-04-11

are expected TO awake out Of sleep. TO come
to their best Intellectual and spiritual state,
TO lead holy lives and do justly to all. Here
time was Ike the dawn OF the day when
men leave their couches and go forth to
duty. So. says Paul. must the Christian
consider that he Is 10 summon himself 10 the
utmost possibilities OF good hying. And
this he ought to do with greater aiacrity.
made and the results We're apparent. Sal
walton, the end sought, was nearer than
when faith was first exercised. There was
a daily approach 20 the new kingdom.
PAST TIME-Oerse 12~)-NaturaIy the
mind Of Paul turned from the glory OF tho
present time. the gospel day. to consider in
contrast the arkness that was passed The
deplorable condition OF the heather had
been portrayed by hin In the earlier part
CT this episte tom I'D; apd the Jews
were not FAR behind. Notwithstanding they
had been so highly favored. tRom. 10. 81
But the time for sicn ignorance and crime
was far spent-it was rapidly disappearing
before the splCuGoT OF the day OF which
mention had just been made Under such
circumstances the believers are called 10
emerge from the daTkness TO the light. TO
advance from the past 10 the present. The
eNhortatioE IL like that which might be
made nov with propriety 10 any who PRO
posed 10 !inGer in the gloom OF the Eight
zenith Century, which has wholly departed.
fOrEetful that the twentieth Century has
come with all It's magnificent opportunities.
its high ideals and lis spleudlu prospects,
Put on the armor Of light. the defense
against evil provided In the new day.
lGVNE-EA AIM A4N 10 IL IL
an expression deuOting TO live. psalm {. II
Let Us walk means let us conduct ourselves.
Honestly means deceatIy or in 4 becoming
manner, IN a manner appropriate TO the
children OF light. the children OF God-as
in the day. as II all our actions were seen
and known Christians should live as II
they had nothing TO conceal. This rule
will exclude certain actS-as rtoting. the
noisy and Ohstreperous mirth. the scenes
OF disorder and sensuality INDUCED by the
unEOdly: also drunkenness. then common
In the heather wOTld-more common than
now. even among the notables dan. ", p.
and chamberiEE ana wantonnesS. lewd. i'm
modest behavior. Illicit indulgence Of all
kinds. II will be noticed that Paul here
enumerates thc-e debasing practices OF
which the psEans were guilty. 50 indecent
that hey cannot be described here with
propriety: And these are Joined with strife
and enyying. contentious and disputes. less
loathsOme. but not less Troublesome. all
which must be put away from the life OF
the CaT.Stan as wnoiIy uhoes0m,ns 20 nln-
in the closing verse the high purpose which
ought to control the Christian This Is in
ing the latter first. we haye: Make no PFC
vision for the lusts of the flesh" for the
improper; excessive and huTtfui indulgence
TO the soul II Cor. *. ~. and lay no plans
and give no opportunity for merely physi-
and a iarce part OF the immoralit,es and
vices OF men that cause much misery; q
Peter II. IL Now. over against this kim
OF life. which IS condemned. there Is placed
another lfe-"Put We on the Lord. Jesus
Christ" Here is a form Of expression COM
monty employed in reference TO clothing.
To put on 4 person means to imbibe his
principles. TO initiate his Xample to copy
his spirit. 10 become like him. So the Greek
writers speak OF putting on Plato or Socra-
ties. Thus our lesson closes with holding
before the mind the matches life OF the
Savior Of Men as a pattern 10 ali OF his
followers.
CLOSING THOUGHTS-Our lesson natu-
rally fails under three great heads-the
spirit. the motive. the pattern Of Christian
living. The spirit must be one OF exact
justice and controlling love. rendering to
every man what Is due out Of regard FOR
him. not because some law compels- but
because a generous affection prompts, the
state OF the heart regulating the outward
life. The motive to this IS found In the
fact that the days OF w~ickedness. OF wrong.
OF selhshness. are passed or are passing
away. and the better day OF Hight and l:b-
ertv, of peace and good Will. has dawned
and Is far advanced. rendering such life
appropriate and necessary The pattern
is not to be found IN a carnal man, moving
on the low plane OF ~passion-a plane be-
low that Of the beast-but Of the spiritual
man who aEpires to be confOrmed TO the
image Of Christ. the IDEAL man. the nobiest
and best type OF our humanity. who glon-
nes the race in his spotless purity and leads
IL to God In the sweetest fellowship Il
John 4 ~