Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-04-29

| view OF the Same.
| Lesson for May 2.
Golden Text.-"Go We into all the world.
and preach the gospel to every creature"
| Mark 10: 10.
This lesson Is found in Acts 10: 1-13. It
tells Of Paul beginning his first mission
airy journey.
Here begins the second grand division of
the Acts. We return TO the life of Paul
and continue in its study during most Of
the remaining lessons of the year. Hence
1t Is suggested that a brief summing up Of
the preceding lessons should be made at
this time, indicating the main results of
the first fifteen years of the church's ex-
istence. Those results were, a simple or
| ganization, development of apologize
preaching, or defense of Christianity, I'M
der the leadership of Peter, a common fell
lowship promoted by common trials, and
the beginnings of movement towards the
Gentiles. Paul's conversion should also
be carefully reviewed, and the probable
events of his life between that time and
his first journey should be taken up. These
were, the sojourn in Arabia (Gal. 1: III.
the work in Damascus, the first visit to
Jerusalem (Gal. 1: 49,, and the years in
| Tarsus, and in preaching throughout
Syria and Cilicia (Acts 8: 30; Gal. 1: 22).
These events, covering seven or eight
years, are very briefly mentioned in the
| New Testament, but must have had an
important place in Pauls preparation for
the great work of his life. The present
lesson finds him man in the prime of life
-forty-three years old according to one
tradition. somewhat younger in the opin-
ion of other writer's. He was a man of
Doundless activity, though not of great
physical endurance. An able speaker,
though plain one, and man of unriv-
aled executive ability, he was eminently
| ntted Tor missionary career. The task
which he set before himself, or rather
which God set before him, was to lead in
the evangelization of the northern shores
OF the Mediterranean, which constituted
the most important portion of the known
worlds. North Africa, the great Greek
| city of Alexandria, and the far East of
the Roman Empire were not included in
his work, but the territory which remained
was sufficiently stupendous and populous
to discourage any but a heroic heart. Yet,
as Stalker and others have pointed out,
the Roman world was in some ways pecu-
| liarly fitted at this time for the reception
| OF the gospel. The prevalence of the
Greek language and the ease and safety Of
| travel made possible by Roman roads and
| Roman guards, made the evangelization
| OF Asia Minor, especially, far easier than
1t would be to-day. Thus the world was
| ready, the man was ready and the church
| at Antioch had already come to be a CEN
ter OF zeal and missionary activity suita-
BILE for the starting point of the new move
ment.
Explanatory
Certain prophets and teachers: the
| teachers were probably the leading men of
| the church, while part of them were
| also prophets, that is, had the gift Of pro-
| claiming religious truth under special di-
vine inspiration. The word prophet" is
| used in the Bible in wider sense than is
common in English, and seldom is limited
to mere predictor of the future. 1t
means rather all those who proclaim the
word of God as direct message from
him, under the influence of a special en-
dowment of the Spirit.
Sent forth by the Holy Ghost: though
ordained by the church. God acts through
the church when it is in the right attitude
| and spirit towards "Selencia": the
| seaport of Antioch, near the mouth of the
river Orontes. In Salamis and indeed
| throughout the islands, Jews were numer-
Gus. They were largely interested in the
commerce of Cyprus. which was consid-
cradle. Zone of the most conspicuous
passages in the history of Salamis was the
instruction of the Jews in the reign of
Trojan, when part of the city was de-
stroyed." In this city the missionaries
confined their ministry to the Jews.
"The deputy of the country, Sergus
Paulus": should be rendered exactly, "the
pro-consul." Cyprus was at first an Sim
perial province" that is, under the direct
control of the emperor, Augustus, and
governed by pro-praetors; and it was once
supposed that the writer of Acts made a
mistake in calling Sergius Paulus a pro-
consul, for that was the title of the gov
ernor of a senatorial province. But coins
discovered during the present century,
and passage in the history of Dio Cas-
sius hitherto overlooked have proved that
Cyprus was subsequently made a senate
rial province and was governed by pro-
consuls in the reign of Claudius. Thus an
interesting confirmation of the accuracy
of Luke was established.
Paul evidently did not shrink from u.s.
ing strong language when the occasion
seemed to demand it. His words, how
ever, do not indicate ordinary human an
ger, but a righteous wrath against the
false prophet, comparable to that Of Eli
jah against the prophets of Baal.-The
change of the name Of Saul to Paul, men
toned at this time, has given rise to much
discussion. Did he have both names be-
fore Jewish and Gentle name, as had
many Jews and did he begin to use the
latter now as indicating the real beginning
of his work for Gentiles? Probably this
was the case. Some have thought that he
adopted the name as a compliment to his
distinguished convert, Sergius Paulus, and
of course the coincidence may have some
thing in it. But it is quite likely that the
coincidence is one noted by the writer,
rather than one originating as a matter
Of fact at this point in Paul's life
Teaching Hints.
The best men for foreign missions. Let
this point be emphasized again and again.
The missionary enterprise at the present
day Is just as immense, just as urgent, as
In the year 40, though we have far greater
reasons for confidence and hope of sue
cess than had the prophets and teachers
of the church ut Antioch. We need lead
ers for India, Japan, China. There are
many able men now at work, but not a
1.-THE of the number that there should be-,
Missions the chief concern of the
church. Barnabas and Paul had spent a
year or so in building up the church at
Antioch, and just as soon as that church
was able to stand on its own feet II did not
ask them to stay and preach eloquent SER