Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-07-06

LESSON II, THIRD QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, JULY 9.

stearns.
10 "They caught Paul and Silas and drew
| them into the market place unto the rul
ers." The previous three verses tell Of the
| healing of a woman who had an evil spirit,
| by means of which she brought gain to her
masters, but being healed she was of no
more use to them, and hence their D....n
| against the apostles. What devil we hare
to contend with, to whom sound mind in
a sound body * something distastcfull Let
us all the more bless the Lord, who healeth
our diseases.
20. These men, being Jews, do exceed
| ingly trouble our city" 1t is all right to
siin people soul and body, but those who
reek the welfare Of soul and body are 0c-
counted troublers. 1t grieved Sanballat
and Tobah exceedingly that II man had
come to seek the welfare Of Israel tNeh ii,
10) 1t grievcd the Jews that Jesus had
come to heal the sick and raise the dead.
And have actually seen ministers grieved
that a man should i'll their town teach peo-
pie to love the Bible more, and thus be
| saved from sin and folly.
81 And teach customs which are not
lawful for us to receive, neither to observe
being Romans" They did not know that
the men they were prosecuting were Re
mans also Verse 30 and loyal citizens. If
to honor God is contrary to Roman custom,
then Rome is not on Gods side.
%. And the multitude rose up together
against them" The whole world licth in
the wicked one q John v, 10, r. ". Mar
vel not if the world hate you John Ky, 49,
If the world does not hate us we cannot be
very like our Master, but it was the reli-
gious world that hated Him.
%. And when they had laid many
stripes upon them they cast them into
prison" This seemed like very poor treat
ment from the man of Macedonia who said,
Come over and help u.s." but Paul under
stood it, having been told at the start that
be was to suffer for Jesus sake (chapter tx,
16) and having already on his first tour had
considerable experience of it.
pa who, having received such charge,
thrust them into the inner prison and made
their feet fast in the stocks" And it is not
at all likely that he used much tenderness
in handliugthem So with torn and bleed
ing backs they find themselves well under
the power of the enemy Without friends
aud without influence they suffer this
shameful treatment Il Thess. ii, q simply be-
cause hey had interfered in the unlawful
gains. Men have been murdered in our own
day for the same cause. The world changes
not.
- And at midnight Paul and Silas
prayed and sang praises unto God, and the
prisoners heard them" Truly they were
putting in practice the words of the psalm
list Il will bless the Lord at all times His
praise shall continually be in my mouth"
Ops Xxxiv D. They were filled with the
spirit of Daniel and his companions. who
, went cheermlly to the lion = den and to the
, fiery furnace for the sake Of their God.
26. And suddenly there was Il great
4,
{ loosed." Their songs were heard in heaven
as well as on Garth and though they had no
influence in the city see the power they
, had in heaven. A quaking earth, open pris-
, on doors and all bonds looSed. Surely this
, is suggestive of coming events and reminds
us of His death and resurrection and the
, accompanying events of earthquake and
resurrection OF the saints He came to pro
claim liberty to the captives and the open
ing of the prison to them that are bound
lisa. Iii, y
81 And the keeper Of the prison, awak-
= ening ont OF his sleep, would have killed
himself While the righteous, although
in great suffering, were praising God, the
r unEodly, though perhaps Oh the verge OF
. eternal torment, were in health and asleep
= What mercy to awaken such ere it be
r too late! Then in his blindness, not know
+ rushed madly into it, only to find himself
e in hopeless despair Read carefully Luke
: XVI, 20, 23. Ruv. xiv, ell; Job xxXvi Is.
3 IS But Paul cried with loud voice
saying, DO myself no harm, for we are all
! here Here Is good for evil on the part OF
= Paul in the true spirit of his Master u
;, Thess. V, ID. he could not rejoice to Sc,
i the jailer suffer, nor permit him to iuiur(
o himself, though his own body must have
> been full of pain. If we endure grief, suf
y tering wrongfully, or if we do well and
:. suffer for it and take it patiently, God i:
z well pleased q Pet. ii, 10, 2o).
90 "Then he called for light and
f sprang III and came trembling and fe
IS down before Paul and Silas" How wei
Il he knew to whom to gol lie had nevci
y seen prisoners like these, nor met with suCi
i conduct under such treatment, and thel
h had not Paul called out TO him that n,
d should do himself no harmS Paul's interes
$ in him and in his welfare Wrought upoI
l. him by the Spirit of God.
If 80 And brought them out and said
Sirs, what must do to be saved?" Wheth
sr he had before heard anything of Paul
preaching or had through others received
- any light on things eternal we are not told
i, But through combination of maryelou
- events he is now powerfully wrought upol
q, Tor his souls good ana mace TO see MS Srea
% danger See how much God will do to say
~ u soul from death, Read Job xNXiii, Is, g
30, and the context and consider the sorroW
-. of Jesus to save us.
w 81 And they said, Believe on the Lore
- Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved AM
- thy house" This is the teaching of all Scrip
- ture AZ to the wor!. of salvation His worl
y lisa finished work. 1t is impossible to add t.
it or to improve upon it.
81. And they spake unto him the wor
-" of the Lord and to all that were in hi
n house." No doubt they would show iron
,f the Scripture, that Jesus was the Chris
20 and that the law cannot give life, but tina
- Christ is the end of the law for righteou,
w ness 10 every one that believeth, and tina
y believing means receiving, for he that hat
The Son hath life, and he that hath not tn
Son hath not life Gal iii, 81; ii, 10; Rom
Y, 4; John i, II; l John V, II, ~
H. 81. And he took them the same hour c