words imply that these "tongues," unintelligible vocal sounds, are valuable. "I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied." They are valuable, (1) Because they are symptomatic of a new spiritual life. You can talk about the facts of history, the principles of science, and the doctrines of theology, but not about the deepest and divinest things of the heart. They only come out in " groanings that cannot be uttered." They are valuable, (2) Because in them the soul expresses its devotions. "If I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful." It is delightful to think of the human soul generally so immersed in the selfish and the sensuous, bathing itself in the rising tides of spiritual emotions. They are valuable, (3) Because by them the religious sympathy of the unbelieving is often excited. "Wherefore tongues are for a sign not to them that believe, but to them that believe not." Sound expressive of human emotion often strikes potently on the heart of the listener. The emotions of others revealed either in sounds or "signs," groans, sighs, or tears, seldom fail to strike the deepest chords in the hearts of others. Take the most thoughtless man into some vast congregation in Wales, when all the people are singing their plaintive hymns in strains of wierd music, and he will not be long, even if he understands not the language, before he feels the influence. Deep emotion often speaks in the "unknown tongue." Unsyllabled speech is often the mightiest. There are melodies that carry into the soul that which no word can express. III. The highest endowment is the ABILITY FOR SPIRITUAL TEACHING. (To be continued.) 240 Germs of Thought. THE PREACHER'S FINGER-POST. Paul's Uninspired Conception of Marriage. "Now CONCERNING THE THINGS WHEREOF YE WROTE UNTO ME," &c.-1 Cor. vii. 1-14. Also from verse 25 to 28: also from verse 32 to 40. ALL that Paul here says of marriage is in answer to some communication which the Church had addressed to him on the subject, and what he says he declares is not "of commandment," that is, not by Divine authority, but by "permission." All Scripture is therefore not inspired, even all the wise counsels of St. Paul do not seem to have been inspired. So desirous did he seem to be that all he says on this subject should be regarded as coming from himself without any inspiration of God, that he declares it not only in the sixth verse but also in the twenty-fifth verse, in which he says, "I have no commandment of the Lord." My purpose now is to gather up from all these verses Paul's per sonal ideas of marriage. His idea seems to be I. That marriage is not a DUTY BINDING ON MANKIND. It is not a moral obligation like, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God," &c. He says, "It is good for a man not to touch a woman" (ver. 1), again, "I would that all men were even as I myself (ver. 7), and again, "It is good for them if they abide even as I" (ver. 8). In referring to the widow he says, "She is happier if she so abide after my judgment, and I think also that I have the spirit of God" (ver. 40). So Paul seems to teach that the question of marriage is optional,not obligatory. Some may feel that celibacy is best for them, then let them remain single; others think that marriage is the most desirable state, then let them enter into that relationship. Now it does strike one as something marvellous that this condition of life on which the very continuation of the human race depends, should remain thus open and optional. Suppose that to-day every individual of the human race determined not to enter into this relationship, and to have no intercourse with the opposite sex, sixty years hence, at least, the race would be extinct; no man, woman, or child would be found on the earth. The earth would be as it once was without a man, a school without a student, a theatre without a spectator, a temple without a worshipper. The answer to the question which some may give is this, that there is no reason for a written command, it is a law of nature. God does not command us to eat and drink because it is not necessary, the law of our nature urges us to it. For the same reason He does not command us to marry. However, so it is, and it is a wonderful thought that upon the volition of this generation on this question, depends the continuation or noncontinuation of the race. Paul's idea seems to be II. That marriage is PRI MARILY FOR SPIRITUAL ENDS. "The unbelieving husband is sanctified," &c. (ver. 14). The view given of the end of marriage in the marriage service, viz., the procreation of children, is evidently not the idea that Paul had, and it is a somewhat degrading idea. Paul's idea throughout. seems to be that the grand purpose of marriage is mutual spiritual influence. correcting faults, removing unbelief, establishing faith, serving the Lord. Those who enter on this relationship from fleshly impulses and with fleshly ends, misunderstand the ordinance, and are never truly married. There is not only no union of soul but an inner division. True marriage means such a mutual spiritual affection as welds two souls into one moral personality. Paul's idea seems to be III. That marriage IN VOLVES MUTUAL OBLIGATIONS THE MOST SACRED. First: Mutual benevolence. "Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence, and likewise also the wife wife to the husband." Benevolence, hearty well-wishing, each wishing the well-being of the other. The New Version drops the word "benevolence." Secondly: Mutual identification. "The wife hath not power over her own body, but the husband, and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife." The both are one. The equal rights of wife and husband are everywhere recognised in the Bible. Thirdly: Mutual honesty. "Defraud ye not one the other." Deception is inimical to the true union of souls. Nothing cuts united hearts asunder so easily and effectively as artfulness and deception. Fourthly:-Mutual forbearance. "If any brother have a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him" (ver. 12, 13). Should difference of opinion on religious subjects crop up, should the faith of one or the other in religious matters be shaken or wane, forbear, do not separate on that account, for the right may correct the wrong, the believing correct the unbelieving. Fifthly: Mutual concession of personal freedom. "But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God hath called us to peace. (ver. 15). If the wife feels it in her conscience to be a duty to leave her husband, he should not coerce her, nor should she employ compulsion, should he feel it his duty to withdraw. CONCLUSION.-Such are roughly and briefly some of Paul's personal opinions on the question of marriage. They seem to be on the whole wise and just. We have made marriage a civil contract, and we bind two persons together for life who never possessed those mutual affinities which are the essence of marriage. The essence of marriage is this, the strongest mutual sympathies and aims that one being can have for another;the bond of marriage is this the solemn mutual pledge. Those who are thus married are united by a cord stronger than adamant, finer than the finest web, too weak to fetter yet too strong to break.* Christianity in Relation to the Body. "ALL THINGS ARE LAWFUL UNTO ME, BUT ALL THINGS ARE NOT EXPEDIENT," &c.-1 Cor. vi. 12-20. It would seem that there were those in the Church at Corinth who regarded Christianity as giving them a kind of liberty to do whatsoever they wished. Some of them having left Judaism with its various restraints, and others paganism which also had restrictions. They were too ready to push the doctrine of religious liberty, as proclaimed by Paul, far beyond its limits. The Apostle here states, perhaps in answer to a question on the subject, that there is a limitation to Christian liberty. He says: "All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient." As the liberty which they seemed to covet was a liberty in relation to the gratifications of bodily appetites, he takes occasion to state certain things in relation to the body, and his remarks suggest to us the relation of Christianity to the human body. We ob serve I. That it recognises attention to the NATURAL NEEDS OF THE BODY AS PROPER. "Meats for the belly, and the belly for * See "Germs of the Gospel on Matthew xix. 1-12.” |