Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1897-09-28
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
FOURTH QUAR-. LESSON I. OCT.
9 ACTS 2I:I-IS.
Golden Text am Ready Not TO BE
Bound Only. but Also to do at Jeru-
salem for the Name of tho Lord
Jcsus.-Acts. ~. 13.

Time,--in the spring OF A. d. oS.
Places.-i. Coos, a small island in the
Aegean Sea, now called Stauchio. 2.
Rhodes, an island OF the Aegean, thirteen
miles from Asia Minor. 3. Patara, sea-
port on the southwest coast of Lycia. In
Asia Minor. 4. Cyprus. an island In the
northeast corner of the Mediterranean,
on this voyage not visited by Paul. 5.
tyre, an ancient commercial city of Phoe-
nicia, on the Mediterranean, northwest or
Ialestine q. Ptolemais, city on the
mediterranean Sea, in Palestine, north OF
Mount Carmel. now called Acre. !. Gaze
sarea, the Roman capital of Palestine,
south o. Mount Carmel, on the Aediter-
ranean.
Events in Judea.-At this time Felix
was procurator He had been a slave, bur
liberated and made a ruler by the En-
peror Claudius. His rule was cruel and
UNJUST but was made more so by the
constant tendencies of the Jews TO re-
volt Ananias, son OF Nebedaeus. was
hlSh priest. He had been deposed by the
romans on account of crime, but as no
successor was Yet appointed he still held
tne power and title of the Office. Cana
4lei, the teacher of Paul. had died four
years before. Josephus, the historian, was
now about twenty years old, and already
rising to eminence among his people.
Asrippa III (king AgFippa, Acts Is. 49,,
the son of Agrippa L (Herod the king.
Acts IL -, was king" or ruler, over the
region OF Bashan, east OF the Sea of Cali
Zee. lie was young man, and perhaps
me least wicked of the Herodian family
OF princes. Both the provinces OF Pal
estihe were under the lule oil Quadratus,
project of Syria
raul Journeying I'm spirit OF ever-ln-
creaslng sadness. The lying in wait OF
the Jews (Acts 20. 81 had interrupted the
very commencement of his journey: at
VI nnit 81
SUIT weighed upon his own spirit (Acts
-. -, 90 at Tyre a presaging warning
from others forbade him TO proceed Verse
~ ana at Caesarea an explicit prophecy
tc"etold his surrender TO the Romans, and
the tears OF all his friends implored him
TO proceed no farther But he is bound
IN spirit TO be in Jerusalem at the feast
OF Observation-Disclosures
Lesson Hymn
Jesus, die TO thee
Whenever death shall come;
10 die in thee is life TO me.
In my eternal home.
whether 10 live or die,
know not which is best:
To live in thee is bliss TO me.
To die is endless rest
Living or dying, Lord,
ask but to be thine
My life I'm thee, thy life in me,
Makes heaven forever mine
-HeIry EarDaugh.
CARED In the. ................... materials
Tor a picture OF the apostolic Church.
almost thirty years-a generation-haye
passed away since the ascension OF
CHRIST: what was the condition Of the
Church at this epoch?
|, 1t was already widely extended. and
established in many places. Beginning
from Jerusalem. the Gospel had already
gone as far west as Rome. In this lesson
We find churches in Ephesus, Tyre Ptole-
mas, Caesarea, and Jerusalem. The
whole Roman empire had been honey
combed with the Gospel OF Christ In less
than thirty years.
III. 1T was Church of strong fellowship.
There was close relation among it's
several branches. Paul and his compan-
IONS visited the Church in various places
on this journey: the members gathered
Tor farewell meetings; a member comes
down from Jerusalem TO meet Paul. The
bonds were strong that bound these early
CHRISTIANS They loved one another, as
the picture in this lesson shows
III. 1t was a Church of family rel-
Sion There is touching suggestion OF
this in the wives and children pravipv
with the apostolic company on the Shore
and in the home of Philip who was NOT
u monk nor celibate priest, but had a
family, all enriched with the gifts of the
Spirit. The Church in the home is anos
tolic in its character
" 1t was a Church of abundant snir-
itual power. AT Tyre the disciples smoke
by the Spirit; al Caesarea there were
women who prophesied: from Jerusalem
came the aged Agabus with his predic
tons. The early Church lived i'm a al.
vine atmosphere. was quick TO receive
suggestions from the Spirit, and rich in
its endowments. 1t possessed an abound
ing spiritual life.
V. IL was prosecuted Church. 1t stood
in a hostile world. AS yet Jewish intoI
erance was its iercest foe: but I'm few
years ii was destined to see the indjffer.
cnce of the heather religions blaze our in
the terrible prosecutions OF Nero. "
VI 1t was a Church devoted to Cbr,st
as It's supreme Lord Paul was road to
die for the Lord Jesus; and Christ's will
was the higher law by which every NEW.
Der was ruled. Here is the test of a tr,Ie
Christianity in all ages; for the aisctn,e
is one VINO submits himself absoIItaIv 70
Jesus Christ.