2 Thessalonians 2:2 That you be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us… Two anecdotes of two very different men well illustrate that practical combination of energetic discharge of duty with Advent expectation which these Epistles have secured to the Church. When was once, after intense labour, unbending himself at a game of chess, some morbid precisian who was near, asked him what he would do if he knew that the Lord's coming was even at hand, "Finish the game," said the bishop, boldly; "for His glory I began it." General Lee wrote a striking story to his son, "Last century, in New England, a day of sudden and unaccountable gloom, known yet by tradition as 'the dark day,' occurred while the senate of the State was sitting. The universal impression was that doomsday had indeed come. Suddenly a well-known member stood up, 'President,' said he, 'I propose that lights be brought in, and that we pass to the order of the day. If the Judge comes He had best find us at our duty.'" (Bp. Alexander.) Parallel Verses KJV: That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. |
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