mony here to Paul's belief in a pe!'>'onRl tempter. Satan appears here In hie real cha- rBCter ILi! adversary of God's Jl('ople. BcpC'ate,lly he actu~lly sncccPded in hindering Paul in his good intentions. Thon~h only a sC'cnndary agent, he has a wide ra11cre in the use of means. "'e are to tl,ink of th,· 1UC':t11s here not as sickness (which" was allowed in the case of .Joh), nor as other work needing to be done elsewhere, but as difficulties caused by the working of evil in the minds of persecuting enemies or unfaithful friends. The language is, "Satan hi11dered u.s;" for there was not only a hind<'ring of Paul, but of Silas and Timothy as well, who were iuterested in the advancement of the cause in Thessalonica. III. ESTEEM WAS THE REASON FOR DESIRING TO SEE TIIE TnESSALONIANS. II For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of dorying? Are not even ye, before our Lord JesuH at his coming? ~'or _, e are our glory and our joy." The use of the plural, which bC'gins with the pr ..ceding word, illustrates the humility and generosity of the apostle. As in the next statement of fact he has to slide again into the singular, he miaht nat11mlly have preserved the singular in this interme,!iate burst of feeling. But°he will not exclude Silas and Timothy when it is possible to include them. These apostolic men had their hope. Without hope it is not possible to endure existence. And if the future is not really bright, it is made to appear bright with false colours. They had not only their hope, but their joy ; i.e. they were joyful in view of what they hopt>d for, which a_~ain was a crown of glorying. As Christian athletes they looked forward to iheir wreath of victory. This is thought of as the Thessalonian converts, they among others. These conquerors were not to apprar alone before our Lord Jesus at his coming. But their converts in the various places were to be as a wreath of victory around their heads. It is faith that brings us into a li.Jndamentally right relation to Chrbt; but within that relation there is room for greater or less activity. The teaclii1,g here is that we are to aim at not appearing before Christ alone at his coming. Christian parents and Christian ministers ought to be in a position to say then, " Behold I, and the children wl,um the Lord hath given me." There is inci- dl'ntally a comforting thought in the lans?,uage used. It is implied that Paul would kncrw .his converts at Christ's coming. We may, therefore, feel cert~in that Christian friends will know each other in the future state. And what a stimulus is this to be unremitting in our prayers and lahours, so that all who are dear to us shnll appear in that happy compauy at last, nut one wauting ! It is ad<led, "For ye arc our glory and our joy." As woman is said to be the glory of the man, so converts are here said to be the glory of ministers. The Thessalonian converts were a halo around the heads of their teachers. They were also their joy, a 110urce of deep satisfaction, as their wreath of victory at the looked-for coming.-R. F.
Ver. 2.-Boldnus in declaring the gospil,. I. THERE ARE OIROUMSTANOE8 THAT HA.l!.'.J!! THE DECLAHATION OF THE GOSPEL AN ACT OF l!.0LDNESS. St. Paul had been "shamefully entreated" at Philippi. Dangn threatened also at Thessalonica. But the apostle was nothing daunted, not even holding his life dear in the prosecution of his great mission. Similar daugers beset the missionary uow, and no one has a right to undertake miJ;sion work who is uot prepared to endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Moral conra'..!e is not less req11isite in outwar<llv peaceful circumstances. The discouragement of iudifferl'uce, the cl1illi11g influeuce of riJicule, and even the hindrance of direct op1•usirio11, will 1ueet u.s if we are faithful tu our <luty of declaring the gospel where it is most needed. lL IT IS THE DUTY OF THOSE WHO ARE ENTRUSTED WITH THE GOSPEL NOT TO SHRINK Fll.0._DECLA.RlNG IT IN SPITE OF ADVEltt;E ClRCUMHTAKCES. It is a trust, and the trust must be di,-charged eve11 if the steward die at his post. The world needs the gosp~1 most when it is mo~t opposed tu iL. l◄'or the sake of the very men who mock or resist us we must faithfully discharge our message. Others also need it who must not be kept out of their lawful privileges by our weak fears. Moreover, the glory of God must l,e 110ught above all considerations of personal safety. How strangely that passion of ,ievotion to Christ which inspired the apostles to preach him at the peril of tli~ir lives wntnults with the selfish, co111fur1.-luving habits of many who have u11dertaken tu dil!cb&rge the duties of the same stewardship in 011r own day! llL A BOLD, DECIDED DECLAHATl0N 01' 'l"Hli: G0ol'JIL 18 ALWAYS NECESSARY. Chris- va. 11. 1-20.] THE lt'IRST EPISTLE TU THE THESSALONIANB. 49