The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-07-24

thy in the Christian life."
Paul, under requirement of the jew
ish law, had in his youth, we recall :,
learned the trade of tentmaking. This
trade was intended to afford help in
precisely such an exigency as that in
which he now found himself.
2. Rejected by the Jews.-vs.
4-6.
After working at his trade through
the week he was prepared, in the in
tegrity of independence. to go to the
Jewish synagogue on the Sabbath. He,
for season, sought by generalities in
expounding the teaching of the Old
Testament, to conciliate all the Jews.
He was alone in the city. He was de-
pressed and apparently hindered by
some bodily infrmity. He did not
deem it wise. under such circumstances,
to enter single handed on an aggres.
sive ministry.
But the coming of Silas and Timothy
from Berea, with supplies from the
church at Philippi. emancipating him
from the necessity of day-labor, de-
termined him to enter upon decisive
ministry. He was constrained by the
soord, that is, compelled by an inward
impulse he could not represe, to plainly
testify to the Jews in their synagogue
that Jesus was the Christ.
This at once awakened opposition.
His experience in Corinth was like that
at Antioch in Pisidia Q3: As, 46). The
Jews would not allow him the custo-
mary freedom of the synagogue. They
"blasphemed," we are told; the meaning
is, as we are informed in the margin,
they "railed" against him as he at
tempted to teach under Jewish favor.
This exasperating treatment caused
Paul to turn from the Jews. He meta
phorically shook from his garments the
dust which he had gathered in their
midst. Hespoke with the same purport
as Q3:46) at the Pisidian Antioch
Your blood be upon your oscn heads !;
1 am clean: from henceforth I aUill
| go unto the Gentites."
This reputation of the Jews, however,
was always local and limited. He con-
tinued to strive and pray for the CONVEX.
sion of his countrymen.
3. His Work among the Gen
tileS,-ve. I'll.
Paups secession from the synagogue
brought his contest with his Jewish OPP
posers to crisis. He continued to live
with Aquila and Priscilla; but he held
his meetings in the house of Gentle
proselyte named Titus Justus, whose
house, it would seem, adjoined the syna.
gogue; and was also fortunately large
enough, with its court, to accommodate
Pauls multitudinous congregations.
Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue,
now surprised and chagrined his breth-
rem by casting his lot with the Chris
tians. From his office we infer that he
was man of learning and influence. 1t
was not customary for Paul to baptize;
it is not improbable that his bodily in
trinity was such as made this service
relatively inconvenient to him. But he
made an exception in the case of Girls
pus. With his own hand he baptized
him, together with two others Il Cor.
/: 14-16). In the other cases Silas and
Timothy baptized the converts. There
were many converts, many baptisms; a
large church was soon established.
The Jewish opposition became more
sullen and bitter. Paul queried wheth-
er, in the interest of peace, he had not
better seek another field. He was fear
full that, if he remained longer in Cor
NTH, he would bring disaster to the
brethren as we'll as to himself
While he was in this state of inde-
cision he was,-as he had been at Troae,
before coming to Europe Q6:9),-de-
cisively influenced by night vision, or
night voice: Be not afraid but speak,
and hold not thy peace: for l am Nth
thee. and no man shall set on thee to
harm thee: for haze people IN this
city.
Having this assurance of the Spirit,
he daCelt there a gear and sac months,
teaching the a0ord af God.
During this time he wrote the two
Epistles to the Church in Thessalonica;
initiating thus the writing of the epis-
ties which the Christian church now so
highly price, and through which Paul
is best known.
His ministry in Corinth resulted not
only in securing large and influential
church in that metropolis, but in estab
fishing other churches in Greece.
In the two epistles which he subse-
quently wrote to the Corinthian church
we learn how vital and heroic was the
apostles work in the pagan stronghold.