The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-08-04
LESSON FOR aug. s
aREATEsITHINa lNT WORLD.
!, Uemperanee Lesson.)I

tnEAlfslthlNai TIE WORLD.
s.lIemperanee lesson.)
True ministry Is In the exercise OF
Spirituai gifts lEph. 4:7;l5). Every
believer is q member OF the body OF
Christ n therefore has a definite
ministry. Though the gifts are dl'
verse. all are equally honorable be
cause they nc bestowed administered
and energtzed BY the Holy Spirit
Lore alone gives value to the ministry
pr any gift
!. FIJI the GIFT With Love Wv. 1ts).
Just as the body Is dead unless a ly.
Ing soni abides In and inspires II, so
% the Gift unless filled with the spirit
icf love. This Is the more excellent
Tny" to which Paul makes reference
II the conclusion OF Chapter Il. In
prafstng love Paul does not fall into
the error Of %critcizing others, not even
bis followers, and suggests that even
BE may be wanting in this trait. The
Eorinthians were eager to attain ex-
cellence and to be prominent in wis
dom and philosophy; to understand
the world in which they lived; to be
scholars and teachers and improve
and correct society. Paul therefore
shows how vain are such things unless
allied with the motive Of love. ~ The
gtft Of tongues. The saints in the
church at Corinth seem to have been
particularly gifted in this direction,
and to have been proud Of #, tCh. IA:
Rs2sl and eagerito outstrip the others.
Paul tells them that such boast'ng
amounts to little. The grace Of love
Is q far more excellent way. t2) The
gift Of prophecy. The New Testament
prophet was a forth.teller, not a teller
of the future. 10 be a forth-teller was
thing to be coveted and admired, but
not unless accompanied by love. (3)I
Miracle working. a man car have
this IN the most powerful form con.
Iceivable, and yet 81 he has not love,
be is nothing.
II. Love % Known by Its Mani.
festatlons wv. I'D. Having shown the
absolute necessity of love Paul shows
how We may recognize 1t. The behay.
dor Of love can be seen and known.
Paul set for us is manifestations. ~
Love suffereth long. Love Is no pass,
Ing emotion, but a fixed thought. (2)
II Is kind. Kindness in action, love
ut work. ts) Love envieth not. II
does NOT grow ont Of selfshness, for
beihshnessi Is the very opposite OF o
t(4) Love vauntethi not itself, does not
climb TO the housetops. to proclaim its
glory. t5) Is not pulled up. There 10
no imitation, like soap bubble, to
dazzle the eye. t6) Does not behave
Itself unseemly, that is without dell,
tcacy Of feeling. Unseemly conduct
grows from pride and selfshness,
whereas love Is the Foundation of true
courtesy. 7)sseeketh not her own. Is
mot looking out for self first Of all. (s)
rs not easily provoked; good tempered,
not irritable. To lose ones temper Is
. dangerous evil The evil is not 50
much In the temper but In our failure
to control 1t. lsl Thinketh no evil
Puts the best construction upon the
acts Of others, making all possible al.
lowances. G0) sRejoiceth not in iini.
guilty. CID Rejoiceth In the truth, that
ts, Is In sympathy with all that is true,
lf12) Beareth all things; endureth
hardships and trials for the working
put Of the kingdom. (18) Believeth all
things; not credulous but putting the
best construction upon the words OF
others, and having faith In the final
outcome Of every good cause. d4)
Hopeth all things is not discouraged
IN the dark and shadowy days. 15)'
Endrreth all things; 1t goes on beliey-
Ing and hoping to the end; no obstacle
can stop II. Surely such a catalc- ne
pf the marks Of love is enough q
make. us all pause and mediate.
III. The Permanenee Of Life wv,
6-ls). The word sfailetho here denotes
failing In the sense Of cessation, and
love is contrasted with three typical
but passing forms of Christian er.
preston. az aProphecies ( not the
CA