Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1897-04-30
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON v, SECOND QUARTER, IN
TERNA1lONAL SERIES, MAY 2.

documentary by the Rev. ID. NJ
stearns.
l. "Now there were in the church that
was at Antioch certain prophets and teach
Frs, as Barnahas, etc, and Saul" The
work began at Antioch through the preach
ing of those who were scattered by the per
secution about stephen, and was followed
up by Barnabas and saul teaching the peo-
pie for a whole year (chapter xi, 10, 26) The
church at Antioch, hearing of the need in
temporal things, of the believers in JudRa
sent them relief by the hands of Barnabas
and Saul, who, having fulfilled their min
istry, returned to Antioch.
2. Separate me Barnabas and Saul for
the work whereunto l have called them. "
Thus spake the Holy Ghost as the believ-
ers ministercd to the Lord, thinking much
more of His business than of any comfort
of their own, and even Notifying the
body If perchance the soul might be more
alive to things eternal it is written of
Job that he said, Il have esteemed the
words of His mouth more than my neces-
sary food" dob xiii 12) When the dis
ciples brought our Lord food at Jacobs
well, He said, Il have meat to eat that We
know not of, 80 My meat is to do tho will
work. (John iv, 30, 34) When the things
of the Lord are of more importance to US
than aught else, we have the spirit of fast
ing.
3. "And when they had tasted and
prayed and laid their hands on them they
sent them away The Holy Spirit is the
one who has fun control of all the affairs
of the church during the time of our Lord 5
absence.
4. $50 they being sent forth by the Holy
Ghost departed unto Sclencia, and from
thence they sailed to Cyprus" The Holy
| Spirit called them, sent them forth, and
would use them as He saw fit that God
might be glorificd All that the Lord Jesus
said or did was by the Spirit, and He alone
can do in and through us that which
ought to be done.
o. "AnG when they were at Salamis
they preached the word of God in the syna-
gogues of the Jews, and they had also John
as their minister" AS servants of Christ
we have but one book, the word of God,
and but one Teacher, the Holy Spirit
This word we must make our constant
study, and this word we must ever speak
in whole hearted reliance upon the Holy
Spirit, and 'TO the jew first seems to
be the unchanged order (Rom. i, Is; ii,
100. The promise to Moses still holds good,
'NOw, therefore, go, and l will be with
thy mouth and teach thee what thou shalt
say (Ex iv, 12).
6, T. Coming to Paphos, the deputy of
the country, Sergius Paulus, sent for
them, desiring to hear the word of God. -
Thus the Spirit leads together those who
are ready to hear and those who are ready
to speak the word of God as when He
brought together Philip and the cunuch,
Simon Peter and Cornelius. When it is
thus His doing, something is always ac-
complished to the glory of God, as in each
of these cases. What, therefore, can be
more desirable than to be filled with and
controlled by the Holy Spirit? For our
comfort we remember that our Lord Jesus
said, If We, then, being evil, know how
to give good gifts unto your children how
much more shall your Heavenly Father
give the Holy Spirit to them that ask
Him" duke xi, 13). We have also the
comfort of knowing that if we are filled
with the word of God and controlled by
the Spirit of God He will fit into our lips
the right message at the right time prov
xxi, 1S). And Math. x, 20, will be true
of us as of the disciples.
s. but Elymas, the sorcerer, withstooC
them, seeking to turn away the deputy
from the faith" The same old serpent
the devil, and satan, who turned Adam
and Eve away from God, is ever at work
He seeks to keep people from hearing the
word of God by making believers indiffer
ent to the command to preach the gospe
! to every creature, and when the word ha
been preached he will, if possible, tax,
away the word out of their hearts lest the,
should believe and he saved (Luke viii, 12)
II 50 Ia
| choke it that it may not bear fruit. Re
sist the devil (.Tas. iv, y.
0. "Then Saul, who is also called Paul
filed with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes OF
: him The Holy Spirit can look through
our eyes as well as speak with our voice
and our eyes viii then be searching il
some little measure as Christ were. Blu
we will be unconscious of it, for anythin,
like self consciousness is in opposition Il
being filled with the Spirit. Moses wis
not that the skin of his face shone Eek
xxxiv, 29). And no doubt Stephen wa
unconscious that his face was as the fac
of ap angel (Acts vi, 49,. This is the frs
time that saul is called Paul.
10 "Wilt thou not cease to pervert tn
right ways of the Lord?" Thus the Spiri
in Paul addressed him, calling him chill
Of the devil and enemy of all righteous
ness. Some good people today would sa
that he was Il child of God, and that Go
was his Father though he was WANDERING
from Him But the Spirit of God doe
not talk 50. The Lord Jesus said to Ger
tain religious people, "Yc are of your ia
Their the devil (John viii, Az 1t is ais
written of Cain thai he was of the wicke
one Il John ill., ~.
R II. "And now, behold, the hand of tn
7 Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind
not seeing the sun for season. " Instant
Y ly it came to pass, and he sought some on
to lead him by the hand. His outwar
condition was now like his inward cOnd
ton. He was truly a child Of darkness:
If his darkness was only for this life, G
Dnly for Il season, it was well for him. Blu
our Lord spoke of some who would be cas-
Into outer darkness where there is weeI
ing and gnashing Of teeth Math. xii, 13
In Jude xiii we read of some to whom il
reserved the blackness of darkness forever
Happy are those who, receiving the lgh
Iii III