hedgerow, as others do to canvas and etching, but whether they are justified is the point

in question.

Coming to I Tim. 2: 1, 2, we anticipate a difficulty in connection with the injunction

to "give thanks for all men". There is no difficulty in understanding the meaning of the

words. "Pray for all men". The word translated "for" is the Greek preposition huper.

The primary meaning of huper is "over", but this is modified in usage. We could speak

of praying "over" anyone, but it would not be good English. "For", is the natural idiom,

and out of some 134 occurrences of huper, the A.V. renders 105 of them by this word.

Now the preposition is a servant (not a master) and it must be flexible. When I pray

"for" another I may think mostly of his future deeds--as when one prays for kings and all

that are in authority, that we may lead a peaceable life, but when I give thanks "for"

another, I mostly think of his past deeds--as when I give thanks for kings and all in

authority. We have actual evidence that "thanks" refers to the past, as the usage in the

apostle's own case proves.

There are only three occurrences of eucharistia = "thanksgiving" in the pastoral

epistles. One refers to "kings and all in authority", the other two refer to meats over

which some had scruples (I Tim. 4: 3, 4). Is it possible that some of our readers would

have no hesitancy in thanking God for "bacon", who would hesitate (forgive the play on

words) to do the same for "Shakespeare". Is food for the body so very much more

spiritual than food for the mind?

Now we are aware that this emphasis on the possible legitimacy of some earthly things

will be misunderstood by some, and for this we are sorry; this however is no adequate

reason for countenancing misinterpretations of the Scriptures, nor for allowing shackles

to be imposed where grace has set free, for we have seen minds and spirits cramped and

starved, in consequence of mistaking the denial of "natural affection" for "holiness". For

most of us however the pressure of circumstances and the demands made by higher

things will cause us to forego the transient pleasures that are lawful, whether we will or

not, and although this be so, and we find--at the right hand of God where Christ sitteth--

more than all the world can give, let us not despise or judge those whose leisure permits

the enjoyment of some of these lesser blessings that help to lighten the pilgrim journey.

There are other aspects of this subject that demand attention. These we must leave for

another article, praying that what has been seen may be a means of true liberty to those

who have been raised with Christ and who seek those things which are above.