hereth, the flower fadeth, but the Word of the Lord
endureth for ever." The graves of the blessed ones who worked for the
heavenly Master then are more than eighteen centuries old now. But the
Letter to Philippi is to-day as new as ever. It is addressed to us,
that we too may "believe, unto life everlasting," on "that same Jesus."

[1] Preserved by Eusebius, _Hist. Eccl._, ii.

[2] Written early in 1896.

[3] Cowper, _Conversation_.

[4] _Philippians_ (ed. i.), p. 30, note.

"Man, like the grass of morning,
Droops ere the evening hour;
His goodliness and beauty
Fade as a fading flower;
But who may shake the pillars
Of God's unchanging Word?
Amen, Himself hath spoken;
Amen,--thus saith the Lord.
BISHOP E. H. BICKERSTETH.

_THE INTIMACY OF HUMAN HEARTS IN CHRIST_

"I learned without booke almost all Paules Epistles, yea and I weene
all the Canonical! Epistles, save only the Apocalyps. Of which study,
although in time a great part did depart from me, yet the sweete smell
thereof I trust I shall cary with me into heaven."

BISHOP RIDLEY, 1555.

CHAPTER II

THE INTIMACY OF HUMAN HEARTS IN CHRIST

PHILIPPIANS i. 1-11

The Apostle and his converts one--The possible isolation of
hearts--Union with and in Christ--Christ and the personality--Christ
the secret of intimacy--Is the secret ours?--Reserve in Christian
intercourse

Let us begin our verbal study of the Letter which Epaphroditus carried
to Philippi. We attempt first a translation of its first main section,
interspersed with an explanatory paraphrase. This will be followed by
a brief meditation upon one of the main "Lessons in Faith and Love"
suggested by the section.

Ver. 1. +Paul and Timotheus, bondservants of Christ Jesus, to all the
holy ones+ in union with +Christ Jesus who are living at Philippi,
Overseers, Workers, and all+.[1]

Ver. 2. +Grace to you, and peace+--all the free favour of acceptance
and of divine presence, and all the repose which it brings, within you
and around you--from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,

Vers. 3, 4. +I give thanks to my God+ (He is mine, as I am His) +over
my whole memory of you; always in each request of mine on behalf of you
all forming and expressing+ (_poioumenos_[2]) +that+ (_ten_) +request
with joy+;

Ver. 5. +on account of your participation with me in regard of the
Gospel+, your active co-operation with me, by