The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-06-26

week, which is taken from a lettel
that Paul wrote to the church at Rome
a long time before he was permitted
to see that city. Early realizing ite
importance as a religious center, the
great apostle ardently longed to &c
there in person, but the Holy Spirit
led him otherwise. until, as prison.
er, who had appealed unto Caesar,
he first beheld the seven-hilled city.
The Holy Spirit frustrated Paul's de-
sign to visit Rome, in order that the
volume of inspiration might contain
the profoundest book ever written
the Epistle to the Romans. L. is
not known who first carried the gos-
pei to Rome, but Paul would have
them well grounded in the truth, and
so he unfolds the wonderful doctrine
of salvation by grace, and imposes a
tribute of loving service upon every
redeemed soul.
Among the practical duties enjoined,
are those contained in our lesson to-
day. After showing how every
Christian is bound to religiously obey
every requirement of the civil law,
and that every obligation, whether
civic, moral or financial, should be
squarely met, and fully satisfied, he
continues, "Owe no man ANYTHING save
to love one another" He recognizes
that this loving one another, is an
debt. If every obligation
to love your fellow mortal could be
absolutely cancelled tod " to-
morrow's sun would rise on another
score longer more comprehensive and
more imperative than any that had
gone before it; and so OF all the sue
ceeding days.
He that loveth his neighbor hath
fulfilled the law" We must always
bear in mind that love as generally
used in the Scripture is not simply
an unspoken sentiment to be made
manifest or not as convenience occa-
sion or inclination may dictate. On
the contrary it always carries the idea
of insistent activity in behalf of its
object; in other words it consists
more in such deeds as are prompted
by love than in indulging the senti-
ment itself. The apostle then speci'
flies instances in which love fulfills the
law so far as our relation to other
men is concerned. No i'll can pos
sibly come, through us, to one whose
welfare is first in our hearts. We
will also note just here, that it is not
simply the SHALT nots" of the old
dispensation, that is fulfilled by love
but the ego" of the new dispensation
is also included-in fact, is made
paramount. 1t is an active love thai
counts.
An additional reason is now brought
forward why Christians should live
only for service. You know it is the
season, or time, he would say, wher
you should awake out of your sleep
because your salvation Is nearer thar
when you first believed. The secor>
coming of Christ, without sin unto
salvation" was probably in the apos
ties mind; but in another sense, the
salvation of every child of God from
| contact with sin, is nearer consumma
ton every day that we live. 1t il
always one day nearer home.
AS though the night watches wer'
nearly ended, and the day were break
ing in the east, he urges them to pu
on the "armor of light" The idea is
that the soldier should be. armed an,
equipped for any possible contingenc
that might arise during the day. Thor
the picture changes, and he admnn
ishes them to walk becomingly as il
the day. That every act and ever!
word may be publicly seen and heard
and bring no blush of shame.
How dark the picture of what th,
night may have hidden. is next re
vealed. Revealing and drunkenness.
"chambering and wantonness," "strif,
and jealousy are the three pairs o
sins, that characterize the night o
debauchery. But to his brethren h,
says, put We on Christ Jesus Tn,
expression is Greek, the idea oriental
and means that to put on a person
is to represent him in your life, as
nearly as possible. Originally refer
ing to actors, who assumed the cos
ture and the character of the person
represented, it has come to have Z
deeper and a holier meaning when ii
signifies the oneness of Christ and his
people for which he so earnestly
| prayed.
The last injunction, is a significant
one; we are to make no provision for
fulfilling the lusts of the flesh.
AS already stated. this is called y