"To both Greeks and barbarians, to both wise and foolish, a debtor am I," Romans 1:14.

The above expression takes in all classes of humans.  Greeks indicate the cultured; barbarians, the uncultured.  The wise are those who use their time, their talents and their possessions wisely; the foolish are the ones who do the opposite.  

Paul said he is under obligation to all.  Is he alone in this?  Are not we all, as saints, under obligation to every person whom we can reach and bless?  If not, why not?  To say "I am a debtor," is to say "I am under obligation."  

This obligation does not stem from something they have done for us; it is upon us because of what God had done and is doing.  His blessings call for us to try to bless others.  This principle is seen throughout the sacred scriptures.  It stands out in bold relief in the life of Abraham, the man of faith.  It is seen in the writings of David.  It comes to its full in the life of Paul.  God's apostle to us.  If He has given us the ability to believe His truth, a solemn duty devolves on us to try to similarly bless others. To put it concisely, we could try to reach others with the message, knowing that God will, as it pleases Him to do so, give to them "the hearing ear and the understanding heart."  

But we should remember that it is not the time for all to believe.  Let us not, therefore, be discouraged, when the majority turn a deaf ear to what we are saying.  If only one is blessed, out of many who are contacted, we should be happy.  

Many highly cultured people believe the truth as we teach it.  It is not very easy for them to turn their back on, and break with, their former connections.  There are other cultured people who look askance at them, and wonder if they are losing their mind.  Cultured ones have a harder time of it than do others, and, therefore, contrary to what is usually thought, need more of our sympathy and encouragement.  In many places, people who are as highly cultured as any you will find in the world, revel in the grand doctrine of universal reconciliation.  

On the other hand, many uncultured people are with us.  When we show a greater solicitude for the cultured ones then for them, it is sometimes misunderstood.  It is not that the cultured ones are more desirable, or more worthy.  It is that it is harder for them to live the truth, because of their associations.  Let us never let the uncultured ones think that we show a preference for those who are cultured.  Many of the older people now living on farms and in poor sections of cities, were reared just after the War between the States, when educational and cultural advantages were few.  They are not to blame for their uncultured condition.  They are as precious in the sight of God as are the others.  And they are more easily reached.  They are approachable.  let us lose no time in trying to reach them with this glorious message.  Thousands of them are "diamonds in the rough."  

All about us are wise people.  I don't mean educated, necessarily.  I mean that they have used their time, talents, money, etc., in a way to build solidly in this life.  The fact that they are wise, makes them approachable.  We nave a good field in which to work there.  If God gives them to see the truth and to believe it, they take hold of it and live it.  If God gives them to see the truth and to believe it, they take gold of it and live it.  Our ecclesias in Georgia are largely made up of this class.  

Then wherever we go we meet the foolish ones.  They have dissipated their time, their talents, and even their very lives, in foolish living.  Let us not shun them.. It is not so easy to reach them, because they have an inferiority complex.  But when they find that we love them in spite of their foolishness, they will give an ear to what we have to say, and if God causes them to love the truth, they will not only accept it, but it always tends to make them better.  But they will not immediately become a great deal better.  However, let us not become discouraged.  Let us take into consideration their background.  Let us know that the struggle to live decent lives is very hard for them.   Therefore, we should give them special sympathy and attention.  We should not easily let them go.  Hold them with the cords of love, and when they fall. remember that we, too, would fall, if we were similarly situated.  Endless patience and love is needed.  If there were no such people, we would have no opportunity to "bear with one another in love."  

I am wondering if we are doing as much in this line as we should.  I mean in the line of evangelism among all classes.  It is easy to sit down smugly, and worship with those who have already been gathered into the truth.  But when we do this, the ecclesia begins to die out.  It is necessarily so, for if some are dropping out by death and no others are coming in, it means a gradual death for the local assembly.  

Not everyone can do these things to any great extent.  Christ gives the evangelists and pastors and teachers. Most of the others will find that the fulfillment of their obligation consists in providing the means for those who are called into this work, to go and devote time to it.  In too many cases, those who should be out among all classes, bringing to them the evangel, either by public proclamation or by private talks, are bound down to the earth with the necessity of making a living.  The Lord prescribes that those who are announcing the evangel are to be living of the evangel, First Corinthians 9:14.  

And let it not be said that I am writing about myself.  I am grateful to say that the saints take care of my needs.  I am free to devote my time to this work.  So I may reasonably expect to be free from suspicion.  Surely no one will say that I am thus writing in order that it might be done to me.  I am pleading for others.  

Some of the noblest work ever done is being done by Bother Edwin Riale, among the mountain people in Virginia.  It is hardly possible for him to get a congregation together, so far apart are the houses, and so rough the roads.  He travels on foot, and talks to whom he finds, and he has had the satisfaction of seeing evidence of the Lord's blessings on His efforts.  He is doing a hard hob.  It is much harder than my work.  The people to whom he ministers are not able to do much in the way of remunerating Him.  He earns some by selling such commodities as he can, and some of the saints in other sections help him with cash and provisions.  Some send money to him through me.  I would be glad to handle this work for others who might wish to help the brother.  He is so far from a bank that money if sent should be in the form of cash, in registered letters.  His name and address are Edwin Riale, Jewel Valley, Virginia.  This is written without his knowledge. 

Then there is Brother Heidel, who expects to soon return to China, where, before the War, the Lord so greatly blessed his efforts. 

True devotion to God knows no national lines.  We are fellow-saints with people of other nations—even our erstwhile enemies.  Let us keep down bitterness, and cultivate love for all. 

And let us not forget that we are under obligations to all. 

IN BEHALF OF—

In his second Thessalonian letter Paul was writing IN BEHALF OF the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ and our assembling to Him—not CONCERNING it.  The Greek word used here is uper—not peri.  The latter would be "concerning."  

The apostle had written on this subject in the first letter, and had told the saints that they are not appointed to indignation.  This showed them that the church which is the body of Christ will assemble to the Lord before the indignation era begins.  But this has been undermined by a letter with Paul's name forged to it, saying the day of the Lord was present.  If that was so, they would be in the indignation.  They were troubled.  

So his second epistle was in behalf of what he had already taught them.  Here they are told that the man of lawlessness must be unveiled before the indignation.  He reminded them that they knew what was detaining, for the man of lawlessness to be unveiled in his own era.  This could mean but one thing: The presence of the church on earth was, and is detaining the man of lawlessness.  He cannot be unveiled so long as we are here. 

In the present era this precious doctrine of the presence of the Lord and our assembling to Him is being undermined.  Saints are being taught that the church will be in the indignation.  This is the very thing that Paul was combating in Second Thessalonians. 

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In the booklet, "After the Atomic Bomb—What?"  By Pastor H. B. Prince, is the statement, "History is His Story."  This is well said.  The history of the world is a record of what God has accomplished.  Much of it has been done through human beings, no one of whom is precisely like any other.  Variety is God's way.  He uses each one—the large, the small; the cultured, the ignorant; the brace, the coward; the master, the slave; men and women of every nation, race, creed, color.  All are His creatures, and all are in His hand.