Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1884-03-06


no man shall set on thee Ia hurt thee /;
for have much people in this city
Acts Is {: 10. s.#Es
Paul's stay at Athens could not have
been long. 1t was not promising field.
The pride of worldly wisdom does not
readily bow to the humbling claims of
Jesus. nor often perceive that it has
need of any divine Saviour. Besides
this, he may have been threatened with
persecution as the introducer of new
goods, an offence for which Socrates
was condemned and put to death.
From the portion Of Scripture to which
we now turn, We lean,
|. What makes desirable .held Of Chris
taa iaJor.- Departing from Athens
Paul came to Corinth." As Athens
was the in ellectual centre of Achaia,
Corinth was its commercial centre and
political capital. Greece now being sub.
Fy15St 20 Rome, il wAa the residence of
the Roman proconsul or governor. 1T
WAS the most populous city in Greece,
diverse in the m,ke-up of its inhsbi.
tants. the resort OF traders from every
.-part of the world. Christianize such
city and you have made 1t "radiating
centre of Christian influence" Such
points are always to be secured for
Christ, if by any means this is possible.
1t is better TO lay out strength where it
will tell most widely.
But Corinth was II wicked city, fam
ed for it's proaigacy q city OF impurIty,
drunkenness and extortion. Nowhere
did vice more abound nowhere were
the dissolule mere open and bold in
their wickedness. such field is full of
difficulties but IL is not hopeless. The
openly proHigate know they are sinner,
and that is at least one step toward a
readiness to welcome q Saviour. Of the
various hindrapces to the gospel pride
is greater than open sins. The church
at Corinth had long and great fight
-asgith the vices for which the city ~as no
torious. Nevertheless = church was
planted, and lived, and grew, and did =
great work there.
2. Hoe the early Christiarv regarded
manual labor. Reaching Corinth. Paul
found home with Aquils and Priscilla
his wife. These had been driven out
from Rome with other Jews who had
romehow incurred the displeasur. OF
the Emperor CIsudius. Quite likely
they were already Christians for among
those who listened to the Apostles at
Pentecost there were persons from
Rome, who no doubt Carried the gospel
there. And being Christians they would
readily welcome Paul TO their homeI
and all the more as he and they were OF
the same craft.
This is the first allusion We have to
the particular craft by which Paul earn
I'd his bread. His parents had not only
given him the advantages OF the best
schools, but had taught him trade.
This was the Jewish custom. The Bah
binical Laws required it. Rabbi Judah
said: ole who teacheth not his son %
trade. does the same a il he taught him
10 be a thief" Gamaliel said ale who
hath trade in his hand, II like vine
ward that is fenced. They were right.
4 trade. is moral safeguard. Every
rich and every poor mans son should
have one. So should those who have the
best education. Why should daughters
not have the same2 Who knows when
il may be needed ? There would be
less gambling, and theft, and tramping,
and poverty, AMI suffering. If every
youth were required to learn some
means Of earning a livelihood with bis
hands. Jesus was carpenter; Paul
was a tent maker. VI ,nual labor is hon.
orablc. The present Crown Prince of
Germany is n book.hnder The French
historian and Statesman. Gui1ot. was q
carpenter.
3 What comes Of grcat s1rHra'"ess in
Christian work.-wheu Silas and limo.
thy were come from Msceionia paul
was pressed in the spirit OF, A. the
New Version read ''was constrained by
the word" Whichever reading is cor
rect, the general thought is the same.
Silas and Timothy found Paul constrsin-
cd, by that word which the Spirit some
times impressess u on the heart in I'm
wonted ways, to testify with new earn.
estness to Jesus a, the Christ. Or, per
haps the coming Of the brethren brought
new cheer and incil ment to his heaft,
oppressed as it mas have been with 8
sense OF LONELINESS. or they may have
a 49,, rthuft t,tstsfrofu the chtff nez