s a thief, that is unexpectedly, disagreeably, to take away what
they prize most and leave them stripped and naked.

The longest message is to the group in _Philadelphia_. Christ reminds
them that He is holy in character, faithful to His promises, having full
control, and giving opportunity of service as the highest reward of
faithfulness. This candlestick is giving out light, for it is given yet
further opportunity of shining.

The chief characteristic of this group is its steady plodding
faithfulness. They are not spoken of as brilliant or talented, but
faithful in the midst of opposition. He loves them with the sort of deep
love drawn out by love freely given. And a special promise is given, a
significant promise. A great persecution is coming, an awful testing
time to all the earth. But He will keep them _through_ this unhurt
because they have been keeping His word so faithfully.

The common reading here is, "I will keep thee _from_ the hour of trial."
It is quite as accurate to read "through" in place of "from." And there
is good reason for taking this as the sense here. The word underneath
here is translated by several different words in other passages.

Where a word in one language may be translated by any one of several
words the general sense of the passage must decide which one correctly
expresses the meaning. Here the meaning must be gotten from the whole
trend of New Testament teaching. Like the Israelites during the plagues
that came to Egypt these faithful ones will be kept untouched through
this terrible time that is to come.

The _Laodicea_ group is to be talked to plainly by one who is a true,
faithful witness in dealing with His people's faults, and who has all
the authority of God in doing so. This is the second group that actually
has not one good thing to be commended. There is no false teaching, no
compromise with evil; they are simply _asleep_. Rich, influential,
self-satisfied, grown fat and sleek,--so they seem to their neighbours
and themselves. Wretched, poor, blind, naked,--so they are. And the
chastening threatened will be of the severe radical sort that strong
love insists upon.

A Heart-breaking Sight.

Here then is the picture of the whole Church as seen by the eyes of
searching flame. There is a mixture of bad and good, active bad, active
good, and sleepy indifference. There is a Church within the Church. But
the bad is bad enough and big enough to endanger seriously the
useful