Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-28
By REV. HUGH It. STEVENSON.

nave covered the first half OF the
course on Some of Great Teaching
of the Bible" They have been
sons of unusual value. Although thu
subjects have been old they possess
permanent character because they
demand consideration from each
generation and individual Christian
They have been studies concerning
the most fundamental realities of the
Christian faith and life.
While each lesson has been distinct
they have all served to emphasize the
individuality of every man. setting
him apart by himself surrounding
him with an atmosphere of personal
privileges and responsibility as an
! important factor in the solution OF
the problem of the kingdom Of God
, This makes the golden text and the
selected readings from Pauls letter to
! the Philippians very appropriate. 1t
! is only the individual who has re-
sponded to Gods love. like the psalm
lists. who. speaking out of his per
sonal experience of divine grace. can
declare, because of the JOY out of sal
walton, that he will praise the Lord
with all his heart. Paul experienced
the joys of a Christian life He re-
sponded to the high calling of God
in Christ Jesus. He completely COM
United himself to the Lord. He identi-
fled himself with the Savior's service
He consecrated his life and concen-
trated all his labor in an effort To
obey the Masters will and help as an
individual 10 advance the kingdom of
God among men.
While one claims that these lessons
are so independent. that cit is difficult
10 review them in any systematic and
logical way" another suggests that in
inns review the twelve subjects. that
were so complete and perfect. each by
itself lesson chnp1l ha tod
up to each other. actually interlocking
into one symmetrical whole. as hewn
stones prepared in distant and separated
| quarries. shaped according to the plans
OF the rlasterbuilder. when brought to-
gether are found to have each a per
| lection of its own and at the same time
to be necessary element i'm the per-
lection of the designed combination of
them ALL" When they are considered
| iT their unity the lessons will each an
pear to be greater in the greater setting.
This greatness will add to the value of
others in answering the questions con-
corning God and man and the actual
| as we'll as the ideal relations and atti-
tude that ought TO exist between
| God and man.
During May the lessons centered
| about the personality and three
| fold manifestations of God the Father
the Son and the Holy Spirit. The
| love of God was manifest in creation.
| as Father was intimated in the Old
| Testament studies that revealed His
| love for the chosen people. but the
| full knowledge of the moral qualities
| of God and the revelation Of His love
! was seen in the life of the Lord
| Jesus. In those two lessons the fact
| of His love was learned through His
| gift of His only begotten Son. as our
| Savior. so that whatsoever believeth
on Him should not perish, but have
\ the Father we learned found ra-
tional expression in Christ. who re-
vealed by His life. lessons and Iabcr
the love. light and life of the Father
| He proved the Fathers love by His
death and demonstrated His own
| deity nv His resurrection, that has
removed the worlds greatest source
! Of sorrow because His victory over
| the grave is a pattern of the future
resurrection of all believers.
Gods love was seen also in the
study of the coming of the HOLY
! Spirit. whom the Father sent. as the
! Lord Jesus had promised. to carry
! on the work of salvation which the
| Master had made possible by His
| death and resurrection. Through the
! presence and power of the Holy
| Spirit the Christian first receives life
| from above. and then all the help that
! is needed to live the life and per
| form the labor THAT he ought to do, pa
! Gods son. MANY oupht to live itf"
! in fellowship with his position as
/ child of God which was given unto
| the first man. who. when he was Gre
! ated in the likeness OF Cod. became
| a living spirit. lust as there Is tri-
! unity of God in the Father. Son ami
Holy Spirit so there exists trl-
! unity in man. The spirit gives ma"
a "God consciousness. differing thus
from animals Soul gives self-con
| seriousness. differing from plant liz"
| The body. through the senses mas
| world consciousness" The ideal re-
| lationship is far above the actual re-
| lationsh;p because of the existence o.
; Gin that severed the RELATIONSHIP
/ which had united man with God ~
| the beginning. separating man from
! his Heavenly Father and thus intro
| ducing death among men.
AGAINST this dark background or IN
| iuuity God painted the picture OF HIS
| grace. In the manifestation OF un-
merited favor to sinful man GOD re
vealed His love. Offering 10 p
! forgiveness to the man VINO ,,lt'
! to live life of obedience in fellow
shin with the heavenly father. TIE
! democratic character of Christianity u
seen in that this offer of divine grace
was freely offered to all VINO wouiu re-
! spond to Gods love through repen'an'N
and faith seek to enter anew s n u"o ,,, I'm
| tain the same by life of obedience
PRAYER and love.
Mans response to the Fathers love
onens up the privileges of a Christian
life. The gift of Gods grace opened nn
This privilege to ALL but it depends
upon their acceptanca of His oner @,
salvation. which from its commencement
to its completion was seen in the sur
iects that were considered IN the iast
, norton of TIE quarters studies. Whicn
traced the beginning and the norma
,a;ntanapce and develounlent of the
~h-istian life Systematically.
The beginning of the new I'VE is
marked bv repentance. which literary
means a change of mind. that causes
one to turn away from SIN ava WIN
faith to turn toward God. The prin-
cinle that urderlies and guides the re
nentaut soul under the leadership "t
tho Holy Shirt is faith. without that
..trnstfuI recognition of unseen rea
ity" of the living God. as revealed un.
to men in the character OF thf noi
Jesus, the Savior of men. II is ,mnos-
sible to please the Heav"nlv Father
ard live in fellowship with Him
The fruits Of the Christian life De
pend upo, the maintenr zee or Nv"
of filial devotion. Every child wiz
saeL to live a consistent life Of vol
untarv and iovfu, obedience to the
Masters commands. The proof OF
ones love for the Lord and the t.ather
;s seen in living 'if" IN ohehleh,'"
to the commands of God. TINS rs on,V
nossibIe bv the intimate fellowship IN
nrayer which keeps the Christian IN
constant communication with his d.
vine Leader and Lord: keeps him IN
touch WITH the Father and the SIR
tnal forces that are essential TO ,nA
develoDment of the CHRISTIANS lie
PRAYER purifies the life and gives
mower to those who follow the exam
nile and teachings OF the Lord Ies"s
and the guidance of the Holy Spirit