and saving power, so that the readers may be induced to
keep their allegiance to Christ and His gospel."

Fourth Group, First Timothy, Titus and Second Timothy.
"These are called 'The Pastoral Epistles,' and were
designed to instruct Timothy and Titus as
superintendents of the churches
in Ephesus and Crete, and were thus
semi-official in character. But they have also a strong
personal element and a tone of warm sympathy and
affection." The above characterization of the four groups of
these Epistles by Prof. G. B. Stevens is brief and to the
point.

+Common Plan.+--The plan in all of Paul's Epistles,
with slight variations, is much the same. The outlines of
these letters fall uniformly into six divisions. "First, a
greeting sometimes very brief, sometimes extending over
several verses, in which he generally manages with
consummate skill to strike the keynote of the whole letter.
Secondly, a thanksgiving to God for the Christian gifts
and graces of his converts. Thirdly, a doctrinal part, in
which he argues out or explains some great topic of
Christian truth, specially required by the condition of the
church to which he is writing. Fourthly, a practical
section, in which he applies to daily moral duties the great
doctrines which he has developed. Fifthly, personal
messages, salutations, and details. Sixthly, a brief
autograph conclusion to ratify the genuineness of the entire
letter."

+The Supreme Purpose+ was to make known the Divine
Christ as the Savior of all men, both Jew and Gentile
(1 Cor. 2:1-16; Col. 1:9-29; Phil. 2:9-11; Acts 26:22,
23; Rom. 3:9-31).

THE FUTURE OF CHRIST'S KINGDOM

FIRST GROUP OF EPISTLES

THE FIRST AND SECOND EPISTLES TO THE THESSALONIANS

+The First Group of Epistles.+--The First and Second
Epistles to the Thessalonians are the earliest writings of
Paul of which we have any certain knowledge. He may
possibly have written earlier epistles, which are now lost.
He speaks of writing a salutation "in every epistle"
(2 Thess. 3:17), "with mine own hand," which may
imply that he had already written a number of Epistles.
In regard to later writings he also speaks of an Epistle
(1 Cor. 5:9) to the Corinthians written to them before
that now known as First Corinthians and of one written
to the Laodiceans (Col. 4:16); of these writings we have
no record save these incidental notices, if these notices
refer to lost Epistles.

+The Chief Doctrinal Point+ considered in this