The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-10-17
UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

ExpOunding the Scriptures-SersnOn by Rev.
Il. ID. Mathews.
The Rev. G. ID. Mathews oflicated at half past
three P. NJ in the United Presbyterian church. Jane
street, between Hudson street ana Eighth avenue.
The congregation consisted principally OF trades
people, and the service was conducted in 4 style
that would gladden. the heart OF all opponent OF the
ritualistlc movement. There was neither organ nor
harmonium, and the congregation were the choir.
The hymn sung before the sermon was meJrical
version OF the nineteenth Psalm, from collection
allowed by the General Assembly Of the Kirk or
Scotland" and guaranteed to be '.more agreeable
TO the original than any YET published The sing
Ing commenced with the seventh verse, which ran
thus:- $50 4EN&F Nii .E tA a4 e z, tt'y "a ~ Ne K
m Gods law IL perfect, and converts ati
arg Gods testimony Is most sure 1850 N}sat
..t5s fee And makes The simple wise. aggssl 81 cgs
EXPLAINING THE SCRIPTURES. gsrr 4
The preacher, having read the first verse or the
he was commencing a series Of lectures from that
Epstle. In the first place 1t necessary to con-
slider the circumstances under which 1t was written
Thessalonca was city OF Macedonia, the northern
province OF Greece. and received It's name from a
sister Of Alexander the Great three hundred years
before the Christian era 1t was most iavorably
Situated for trade and commerce and rapidly rose
To wealth. and shared the traifc Of the Southern
seas with Ephesus and Corintn, ana before the
building or tanlnople II was the chief city On
either side OF the Heespont.
UNDER THE ROMANS
|
then masters many peculiar privileges for its citl-
zens. Under the slightly altered name OF Salonica
1t Is now the second city Of European Yurkey, and
contains seventy thousand 10 eighty thousand inhaD
itants Probably on account Of It's trading advan-
tages great numbers or Jews resorted there IN the
time OF ST. Paul, and to this day Jews are found
there in large numbers and exercise considerable
importance. When st. Paul went to ThessaUnIca he
visited the synagogue, as he was accustomed to do
IN strange places, and having to
enter upon discussion In natural theology,
he spoke TO them Of the characteristics OF the Mes
siah whose advent they looked and the result Of
his preachngl was that OF the Jews some believed,
while there were many prOseytcs among the creeks,
and OF tine chief women not few. His visit was at
1rst all pleasant, unlike that which he made TO
Phlllippi, where he was 80 asss /.
BARBAR0UsLY TREATED;
but the enmity 0t the unbelevlng Jews at Thcssa-
l0nica was soon aroused. There was great tumult
ana the brethren sent away Paul and his COM
panlons secretly and by night. Paul sent back to
them Timothy to learn their condition and teach
them those things they required to knew and limo
thy returning TO the apostle, overlook him at Co
rlntn and told him OF their steady faith and attach
ment ana their anxiety that he should revisit them.
Paul then wrote them this epstle, in which he does
not enter Into doctrnal discussions, In the Eps-
Tie 10 the Hebrews and Romans; but, on the basis
OF truth already received through his preaching he
seeks TO inclte them to the holiness or life and use