(Philippians 4:)

The great importance which the apostle attaches to a feeling of brotherhood in the ranks, is constantly breaking out, in what we may call this epistle of combat, and he himself is a living example of the affection and fellowship which should exist. "My joy and my crown." Such are the ardent words which run from his pen and flow from his heart, and the title to utter which he had proved in the yielding up for their sakes the sweet companionship of Epaphroditus. How often the mutual jealousies of earthly leaders have robbed some fair field of victory of its fruits, but how much direr are the results when strife and envy creep into the army of God. They blast and blight the whole. "Be ye souled together " (συμψυχoι) as we might paraphrase a verse in chap. 2:is all important, and this is shown in acts, not in words alone.

But the way in which those early Christians did love one another, would be a good subject of study today. It so touched the infidel Gibbon that when he had to speak of it he broke into glowing, rapturous eulogy. Yea, we remember that our Lord once said, "By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, that ye have love one to another." But have we? If not, are we then His disciples? This is a very practical question. It really measures our love to Christ; for the greater our love for Christ the greater will be that for our brethren.

In the battle, with the foe in front, while he gathers stronger and stronger to the attack, while within the camp itself his emissaries are sowing dissension, and he is seeking to corrupt the word of God, let every true hearted soldier of Christ stand shoulder to shoulder with his brother, and let not the breath of envy do its hateful work. Happy is that man who, when he lays his armor aside in the house of God, shall find no dint wrought by that weapon of the Adversary upon it. Would we know how to accomplish this best? The answer is before us:"So stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved."

The fact that this injunction is so constantly and earnestly reiterated, to an assembly in which everything seemed so bright, is well worthy of our serious consideration. "There is a tide in the affairs of men," says an earthly poet; and alas! how often are our flood tides the commencement of the ebb.

Did you ever think of those words, " The cock crew," in a spiritual way? The cock-crow was the sign of morning near. As Peter went out he may have seen the first glimmer of dawn breaking over the eastern hills, and have heard, as if to hail its advent, the voice of the herald of the dawn. The morning is near, poor Christ forgetter! The resurrection glory is breaking over the shores of time. "Stand fast in Christ" for the few fleeting moments ere He come and then stand ever in His presence, at home! How light will seem the trial then. How precious the present opportunity! And oh how sweet it will be, when that song, everlasting, because everlasting its cause, wakes the joyous voices of the morning, to think that in the night of His rejection, earth once heard it break from your lips, a true witness to Him.

" I beseech Euodias and I beseech Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord." We now come to the practical working of the love that animates the apostle. True affection cannot bear to see its objects at variance with one another, and so this petition comes in to remove all "root of bitterness." But how delicate and judicious in its framing! How well calculated to attain its end. He beseeches, and he beseeches both. No doubt one was more right than the other. Indeed there are very few questions in which this is not so. And yet the apostle ignores all that and leaves them to recognize it themselves. How much trouble would be avoided by God's people if there were ever such care and love exercised, and differences of opinion were removed ere separation of heart followed. But not only is this so but bonds must be strengthened, and so he goes on to say, "And I entreat thee also true yoke fellow help those women which labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also and with other my fellow laborers, whose names are written in the book of life." And then once more he breaks out, " Rejoice in the Lord alway and again I say, rejoice!" How wonderfully touching is this jubilant music from a prison. But this is after all the secret of all real service. One cannot labor with a sad heart. One cannot preach Christ unless he find Him a source of joy and blessing. The shout of triumph must ring in the heart of the speaker, and proclaim what a God he has-a God who stays the sun by man's feeble arm, who heals disease, who conquers sin, who preaches deliverance to the captives, recovers sight to the blind and, as the apostle puts it, " causeth us always to be led about in triumph in Christ."

And now that we are thinking about it, let us ask ourselves, how much we know about this. Is it true that the victor's song can be heard, or do the cares of this world stifle it in its birth? It is one thing to talk about it when there is nothing on any hand to put us to the test, and quite another when we are in the thick of the battle. Brass will glitter like gold, but there is a world of difference between them. Buoyancy of spirit will seem like the happiness of faith until it be tried in God's crucible. Dear brethren, how do we stand in the time of testing? It behooves us to ask ourselves this question very often. The next verse may be considered as a measuring-rod for the joy of the preceding. It is a little difficult to render so as to give the full force of the Greek. Primarily it is that which "fits to," and from this it might be translated " adaptability, "and as a special application of this latter meaning to the demands of others upon us, " yieldingness."

"Let your adaptability be known unto all men." If we are rejoicing in the Lord as the apostle wants us to, this will be comparatively easy, but if not, certainly impossible. I say " certainly impossible, "for I think the words imply a state of heart as well as of life. When rejoicing in the Lord, we are rich and can afford to yield and give way, and we continue rich. But if not, then we must necessarily cling to our own ways and fancies and to whatever else we count dear; for it is our all, and there be few that will let go their all.

In addition to this it says "let it be known!" Oh what a blessed testimony to Him, when men can say, He is so rich in Christ and the knowledge of His nearness that he does not care what you take from him. Truly that hymn is right which says it is

" Sweeter praise than tongue can tell, "
God is satisfied with Jesus,
"We are satisfied as well."

But then "satisfied" means a great deal and before leaving this point let us ask ourselves, "Are we really and absolutely satisfied with Him?"

The making known in the verse we have been considering is coupled with another making known in the verse which follows, "Be anxious about nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God."

In ver. 5, you are exhorted to let men draw as many drafts upon you as they wish, and then in ver. 6, God, in His wonderful grace says, "Come to Me, I will make up your shortage and fill your treasury to overflowing."

There are several things to be noted here. First of all it says, "in everything." How broad and inclusive is this invitation. We are to give God our full confidence. There is nothing in which He will not be interested, nothing too small for His care, nothing too great for His power. Then as to suitable manner of presentation it is " prayer and supplication with thanksgiving," and as to result, "The peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

If this peace then do not keep our hearts and minds, it is evident that we are not fulfilling the condition upon which it depends. It "passeth all understanding." How can men understand a peaceful mind where corroding anxieties would be natural? Do we know and possess that peace, dear brethren? If so we shall neither be fretful nor peevish though passing through painful circumstances. "But are we so? And if not, why not? Alas it is because we forget in everything with all prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, to make known our requests unto God. May we awake to our blessed privileges in this great grace of our God.

Prayer is a measure of our care for Him. If we do not pray much to Him we do not care much for Him. Is not that true? Let each of us make answer for himself. And should we, when thus before the bar of our conscience, feel compelled to return an answer of condemnation, may our cry be, ever increasingly, " Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation, and uphold me by Thy free Spirit! "

Danger thickens about us on every hand. The adversary knows that his time is short, and as we near our journey's end, increased effort is being made by him, to ensnare us into sleep.

"Blessed is that man whom when his Lord cometh, He shall find watching." To wait for Him! To watch for Him! To long for Him! and all through this dark night to let the candles of faith, and hope, and love burn brightly until they be swallowed up in the glory of His Presence. This is our blessed privilege. Are we enjoying it? F. C. G.