Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1897-11-05
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON VI, FOURTH QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, Nov 7.

DRY Verses, 3-5-Golden Text, Rom. will,
2s - Commentary by the Rev. ID. NJ.
stearns.
/, @ Having all got safely to land,
somo by swimming and some by the help
of boards and broken pieces of the ship,
they found themselves on the island of
NIelita, or Malta, and received much kind
ness from the people, who kindled fire
and welcomed them and did what they
could to dcliver them from the rain and
the cold which prevailed. 1t must have |
been such "a cause of gratitude to find |
themselves safe on land that they would |
not think so much of the rain and cold, |
and yet tho kindness of the natives was
very refreshing. How much joy might be
brought into many u life If we all lived to
show kindness to those in need! AS we ex-
perience in our own hearts the loving
kindness of God, which is better than life
ops. xiii 3D. we should surely show the
kindness of God to others Oh sam. tx, ~,
but these people probably knew nothing
of the love of God. How often the conduct
of one who knows not God puts to shame
those who are Hisl
80 Paul was not above gathering sticks
with the rest to help make the fire burn.
1t is Christlike to he ready to every good
work, however humble. The meek and
lowly scorn not any service they can rem
der to another. Paul was an Carthcn YES
sci for Gods glory (Gal. i, pa, and God
was glorifed in him in the storm before
all the people on tho ship. He now allows
viper to fasten on Paul's hand that be-
fore these natives the power of God may be
seen in his shaking off the viper and ex-
pericncing no harm. This was according
to our Lords words in Luke X, 10, "Be'
hold, give you power to tread on scrpents
and scorpions, and over oil the power Of
the enemy, and nothing shall by any
means hurt you
:, s. "PaUl entered in and prayed and
laid his hands on him and healed him."
This was the father of Publius, the chief
man of the island, who was sick of fever,
but the Lord, through Paul, instantly
healed him. At one time God wrought
special miracles by the hands of Paul, so
that by handkerchiefs or aprons which had
touched his body the sick were healed Acts
xix II, 12). At another time Paul had to
leave Trophimus at Miletum sick. We
cannot always tell whether health or sick
ness or life or death shall glorify God the
most, so we should say as Paul said,
"Christ shall be magnitled in my body
whether it be by life or by death" (Phil. /,
2O).
8. $50 when this was done others also
which had diseases in the island came and
were healed. Thus the power of Christ
T was made widely known, and we cannot
think of Paul obeying part of our Lord 8
command without obeying the other. If
he healed the sick in the name of Christ
2 he would certainly preach the gospel of God
> concerning His Son Jesus Christ, our Lord,
to which he had been especially called and
i. separated (Rom. i, /. 81. Thus not only
were bodies healed, but many souls must
/ have been saved also.
r TO- "Who also honored us with many
honors, and when we departed they laded
us with such things as were necessary. "
When people are really blessed, it is not
necessary to ask them to give. Gratitude
will show itself in some mt least. The mis-
sionary money which comes to me from
year to year in gratitude for the blessing
. received at the Bible classes convincos me
i of this moro and more and the abundance
e for current expenses in my own congrega-
ton from the grateful hearts who enjoy
the ministry of tho word, so that l never
i need to ask any one for cent, but merely
II state the need when there is one and look
), to the Lord alone to supply it through His
>. willing people, makes me wish that al
d preachers and teachers would SO feed theil
- ! people JDuG lne BIdllGuuo WOulu DC luOI'
n manifest to the glory of God
0 II. "And after three months we depart
r ed in "a ship of Alexandria. " Paul hat
J learned to wait, and whether it was tW
e, or three weeks in a storm at sea, or three
It months ON shore at Malta, or two years
l. prisoner at Cpsarea, he knew what IL wa
to rest in the Lord and wait patiently fo
Him" ops. xxXvii, y. Our Lord waited
80 years at Nazareth and has waited owe
: 1900 years ut Gods right hand to hav'
His body gathered out of the nations of tn
earth We have great need to consider Him
ls lest we be wearied and faint in our mind
ID (Heb. xii, ~.
lP 1914. Three days at Syracuse, call a
al Rhegium, seven days at Puteoli, then oil
n toward Rome. And every day, whethe
v. on land or sea, journeying or waiting, jus
re living to glorify God. Conscious of HI
le loving kindness in storm and sunshine
ID not because we feel it, but because w
n. know il in Christi conscious of His con
IN slant care of and interest in us; rejoicing
~ y that God is for us, Christ is for u.s. tn
in Spirit is for us, and the angels minister
a us (Rom. viii, 81, "a, 26; Heb !, IA
le Sure that all our works are prepared 70
US beforehand, and we have only to wal
in them, doing as occasion serve us, for Go
m is with us (Eph ii, 10; Sam. X, y. Don
n with all frctting and murmurlng an
f. complaining, all of which is sinful; care
ne full for nothing, prayerful for everything
lie thankful for anything, and rejoicing in tn
III Lord always.
10. Brethren from Rome came to NEE
K Paul and his companions as far as App
| forum and the three taVcrns, causin
n gratitude and inspiring courage. 1t
heavenly to meet ON earth those who AZ
our true blood relations. | do not mean 5
much our kindred as those who are on
N with us by the blood of Christ. These al
~ often nearer to us than brother or sistel
The bond is wonderful. Blest be the d
that binds our hearts in Christian love
Paul may have met some of these brethre
in other parts of tho world or not We al
not told. But they were one in Christ an
i living for His glory and ready to die fC
Him.
is. They came TO Rome, and Paul WI