Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1884-02-21

Ole than those in rhcssalonica, in that
they received the word with all readi'
ness of mind, and searched the Script
urcs daily, whether those things were
so.-Acts II IL.
Released from prison, Paul and Silas
very soon take leave of what must have
been promising band of converts at
Philppi, and set forth once more on their
missionary journey. Passing through
Amphipolis and Apollonia, they come
to Thes.alonica. whence after little
time they push on to Bcrca.
Then, as now, Thessalouica was pop
ulous and prosperous city. With its
modern name, Saloniki, its a present
population of some seventy thousand.
Bcrca. place of less size and impor-
tance, Is now Vera, and has a popula.
ton of twenty thousand. There were
Jews in both places and it was doubt.
less for this reason that they was prefer
ed to other places through which Paul
passed. 1t was still his first desire to
preach the gospel to his own people.
From the account given of his work and
experience in these cities, we learn:
l. TIE manner Of pVmahuc preacher.
Reaching Thcssalonica. Paul, as his
manner tods. went in unto them lthc
Jews and three Sabbath days reasoned
with them out of the Scriptures ON
the week DAYS he was earning his living
by his trade q Thes. > Q, and , Thcs.
3:S y meanwhile. no doubt, improving
every opportunity to converse with such
as came in way. But the Sabbath brought
him leisure, and gave him audience.
Respecting his manner, three things
are noted (Gl lIa reasoned he
sought to convince his hearers faith
must have some solid ground on which
to rest. tJJ lie reasoned out of the
Scriptures /. e., their Old Testament
Scriptures. To believer in the Bible
its plain teaching Is ever the end of ar.
gument lel The burden of his preach.
ing was "thc suffering and risen Christ. 70
Jesus, who died for our sins, and rose as
the fist fruits Of them slept, had been
long foretold "a the worlds hope.
What Paul did was to set this Jesus be
fore them as the ground of their hope,
their Saviour. This j, the manner of
all true and successful preaching. For
many years Henry Verne preached NOR.
ality and witnessed no improvement
among his people then he was led to
preach Christ, and -traightway souls tc.
gan to turn from their sins fruit unto
holiness began TO abound.
,. 4 gaoi sign IF true faith in a nlyps5ei
c71vcrk--"Aud some believed and con.
tcdwith Paul and Sila-" " Toward these
missionaries they were irrr,i-tibly
drawn it was the fellowship Of kin.
drcd minds The true Chi-tian best
loves the society Of Christians. Michael
Faraday, with all his learning and great.
ness and worldwide celebrity, never
lost his interest in the little group of
obscure and unlettercd Christians with
whom he cat in his lot in his early life
He loved no spot more than the place
of their weekly prayermeeting, which
h en- led. and where his face often
".honc like the face of an angel =
There is safety and JOY in the compan.
ionship with fellow disciples. If one
does not seek and find pleasure in it, he
lacks important evidence Of newsncss
of heart, Of true faith.
3. The common spirit and arts ef oppo-
ssr.-when converts began to reward
the faithfulncss Of Paul and Silas, the
unbelieving Jews began to be envious.
They set themselves to stop the good
work. They did not wish to have their
own lives condemned by the better liv.
ing of others. nor to lose their influence
with the people To accomplish their
wicked purpose they stirred up the rab.
BILE to do their work for them. The idle
loungers about public places are always
ready tools Of inscriptions leaders.
The safety of the church and of the
State, in these modern times, largely de.
pends upon their abilities TO restrain
this rabble. The surcst way to restrain
them is to go among them in love. and
give them the gospel, and they are often
far more hopeful subjects Of converting
grace than those who lead or set them
on.
4. An important e6eet ai,eavs to Be er.
pectedyf from uccessfat Ctristian ,oork Fail.
ing to find Paul and Silas in the house
which they assaulted, their opposers
dragged Jason, their host. and other
brethren before the rulers with the cry
'These that have turned the world up.
4 = nv