for their poor brethren in Jerusalem
occupied much of Paul's time and efforts before his last visit to that
city. Many events, which have filled the world with noise and been
written at length in histories, were less significant than that first
outcome of the unifying spirit of common faith. It was a making visible
of the grand thought, 'Ye are all one in Christ Jesus.' Practical help,
prompted by a deep-lying sense of unity which overleaped gulfs of
separation in race, language, and social conditions, was a unique
novelty. It was the first pulsation of that spirit of Christian
liberality which has steadily grown in force and sweep ever since.
Foolish people gibe at some of its manifestations. Wiser ones regard
its existence as not the least of the marks of the divine origin of
Christianity.

This passage is a striking example of the inimitable delicacy of the
Apostle. His words are full of what we should call tact, if it were not
manifestly the spontaneous utterance of right feeling. They are a
perfect model of the true way to appeal for money, and set forth also
the true spirit in which such appeals should be made.

In verses 1 to 5, Paul seeks to stimulate the liberality of the
Corinthians by recounting that of the Macedonian churches. His sketch
draws in outline the picture of what all Christian money-giving should
be. We note first the designation of the Macedonian Christians'
beneficence as 'a grace' given by God to them. It is twice called so
(vers. 1, 4), and the same name is applied in regard to the Corinthians'
giving (vers. 6, 7). That is the right way to look at money
contributions. The opportunity to give them, and the inclination to do
so, are God's gifts. How many of us think that calls for service or
money are troublesome obligations, to be got out of as easily as
possible! A true Christian will be thankful, as for a love token from
God, for every occasion of giving to Him. It would be a sharp test for
many of us to ask ourselves whether we can say, 'To me . . . is this grace
given,' that I should part with my money for Christ's sake.

Note, further, the lovely picture of these Macedonian givers. They were
plunged in sorrows and troubles, but these did not dry their fountains
of sympathy. Nothing is apt to be more selfish than grief; and if we
have tears to spare for others, when they are flowing bitterly for
ourselves, we have graduated well in Christ's school. Paul calls the
Macedonians' troubles 'p