The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-06-30
THE SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR JULY q.

Lesson Text: "First Converts in Europe
Acts xvi, 6-15-GOlden Text: "The
Entrance of Thy Words Giveth Light -
Psalms cxix., 13O-The Commentary.
G., 7. "Now, when they had gone through
out Phrygia and the region Of Galatia, and
were forbidden Of the Holy Ghost to preach
the word in Asia, after they were come to
Mysia, they essayed to 60 into Bithynia,
but the Spirit suffered them not" Our
last lesson in this book introduced us to
the apostles at the conference in Jerusa-
lem, from which Paul and Barnabas, with
Silas and others, returned to Antioch and
continued there teaching and preaching
the word OF the Lord (Acts XIV, $50.
After some time they started on their
second missionary tour, BarnabaS taking
Mark and sailing for Cyprus, and Paul
taking Silas and starting through Syria
and Cilicia, confirming and establishing
the churches. At Lystra, where Paul had
been stoned and left for dead on his first
tour, he takes Timothy with him, of whom
he afterward says, 81 have no man so dear
unto me" (Phil. H., 20, margin). AS they
continued journeying and preaching
through Phrygia and Galatia they thought
to turn southwark and afterward north
ward and give the glad tidings in Asia and
| BlClSnla, DuL WoEe III eacu case pEeNeuLeu
by the Spirit from so doing. The Spirit
sent them forth on His business for Christ,
and, being willing to be controlled by Him,
He controlled them and for some good
reason kept them at this time from going
into these two provinces, that He might
send them elsewhere.
s. "And they, passing by Mysia, came
down to Troas." Hindered on the right and
left, they found that the open door was
straight ahead, and so kept on to the sea at
Troas. thine ears shall hear a word be-
hind thee, saying: This is the way. Walk
We in it when we turn to the right hand and
when ye turn to the left" lisa. NIX, 21).
To be sure that the Lord has a purpose in
your life, according to Eph. H., 10, and that
He will surely perform it according to Isa.
xiv, "a, make one quiet before Him, not
daring to murmur even though with ach-
ing heart and streaming eyes we say,
Even So, Father" "My Jesus, as Thou
wilt
9. "And a vision appeared to Paul in the
night. There stood a man Of Macedonia
and prayed him, saying, Come over into
Macedonia and help u.s." In a dream or
vision of the night God has often spoken to
men Dob xxXiii., 15) and will yet, II neces-
sary, though he generally guides by His
Spirit either in His word or In the events Of
daily life. The right attitude is to watch
the way n Watch to see what He will
say" (Nah. H., l; Hab. H., y, then meekly
Doing as occasion serve US, for Goo is
with us" q Sam. ", y.
10. "And after he had seen the vision i'm
mediately we e%ndeavored to 60 into Mace
donna, assuredly gathering that the Lord
had called US for to preach the gospel unto
them" Being willing to be guided by the
Spirit, they were sure this was the Spirits
guiding. If we are willing and earnestly
DESTROYS to be led Of the Spirit, We may be
every opening is Of Him Notice that they
knew what half the people Of Macedonia
needed, and that was just what they had to
give-the gospel or good tidings Of the
grace of God. They were not on a lectur-
ing or an entertaining tour, but only and
wholly on business for God, to win souls to
Christ.
II. Therefore, loosing from Troas, we
came with a straight course to Samotnra-
cha, and the next day to Neapolis." This
lesson should be taught with the map be-
fore the scholars that they may see that
Paul and his company now crossed from
the continent Of Asia to Europe; that Ne
apolis was the seaport Of Philippi, and Sa-
mothracia an island about half way from
Troas to Neapolis. As in many another in
stance in the Scriptures, the incidents of
the voyage or journey are wholly omitted.
They set forth and they arrived are all the
Spirit sees fit to record. From the heaven
ly standpoint, iourneyings take no time,
for they run and return as a flash Of light
ming (EZek. l., 14.)
u. And from thence to Philippi, which
is the chief city Of that part Of Macedonia
and a colony, and We were in that city abid-
ing certain days" There seems to be no
welcome for them, no one specially expect
ing them, and yet they are in the land to
which they had been called, and doubtless
they gave themselves up to prayer that the
same Spirit who brought them thither would
now use them. They not only abode in the
city, but they abode in Christ.
13. "And on the Sabbath we went out
of the city by a riverside, where prayer was
want to be made, and we sat down and
spake unto the women which resorted
thither," 1t would seem, then, that the
fast preaching of the gospelin Europe was
at a woman's prayer meeting. Mary, the
mother of our Lord, and other women were
assembled with the apostles for prayer dur
ing the waiting days between His ascen-
sion and Pentecost (Acts l., ~. 1t is prob
able that upon the women also the Spirit
came as tongues Of fire, and as there were
present in the city at that time strangers
from Rome, there may also have been some
from Mace donia. However. it came about,
here are some w%orshippers Of the true God
who had evidently been crying to God for
more light, and now God has sent it. The
same God who sent Gabriel to Daniel and
Simon Peter to Cornelius sent Paul and
Silas to Macedonia.
IA. "And q certain woman named Lydia,
a seller of purple, Of the city of Thyatira,
which worshiped God, heard US; whose
heart the Lord opened, that she attended
unto the things which were spoken Of
Paul" Here is a business woman from
Asia, for Thyatira was In Asia Grew. l., 11),
who was for the time living in Philippi,
and was evidently one of those chosen in
Christ before the foundation of the world
CEph. l., 4; II Tim. j., 81. 1t was worth
while going to Europe to find her. She
was probably another hungry soul like
Cornelius. Wherever on earth the eyes of
the Lord see a real thirst for Him, He will
find a way to supply that thirst. BLESSED
are they that hunger, for they shall be
filled" He satistieth the longing soul"
Is. And when she was baptized and her
household, she besought us, saying, If We
have judged me to BIZ faithful to the Lord,
come into my house and abide there. And
she constrained u.s." Her heart became
a home for the Lord and her house q home
for His disciples. There were probably
four at least in Paul's party, for Timothy
had joined them at Lystra, and it looks as
if Luke had joined them at Troas. Con-
trast the "they" Of verses 6 to s with the
I'VE of verses 10, II. Contrast the spirit
possessing the damsel Of verses l6 to Is
with the Holy Spirit now possessing Lydia
and her household, and remember We are
controlled by one or the other, either the
Lord or the devil.-Lesson Helper.
nevive the fony Lnpress.
On the Hftieth anniversary of the Nor