The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-05-08
Studies in the Acts and EpistIes.

itudl L dui, tuo Z duI VI euo Avs nho oAo
Epistles is in appearance like the imagi-
nary Mercury.
2. IdOlatrOus Offering brought
to the Missionaries; their Indig-
nant PrOtest,-vs. 1918.
The report flew abroad through the
pagan city: Jupiter has come. and Mer-
curry. The excited people would lose no
time in paying homage to their imagined
visitants from the skies. The priest OF
Jupiter was summoned to bear sacrifice
to the god he served. A procession was
formed. Oxen for sacrifices, wreaths for
crowns, we're borne by the train through
the crowds toward the tarrying-place of
the unsuspecting missionaries.
On the approach of the procession
the customary chant, with the uproar.
may have announced it's coming.--the
apostles were informed of its purpose. A
shock was given to their senses. That
they, the servants of the ONE, apostles
of Jesus,--should be mistaken as Divine!
1t was revelation of the grossness of
the popular idolatry. in the inland town.
In the sight of the pagan devotees
Barnabas and Paul rent their clothes.
This expression of extreme grief, like
the tearing of the hair. is understood by
all races. Then the apostles sprang forth
among the multitude. Had they re-
NAMED on the portico of their house, the
sacrifice, Notwithstanding their protest,
might have been offered before them.
But by moving among the people, as
men, they could make their humanity
manifest.
The speech they made is ascribed to
both in the record. yet it is too Pauline,
as appears in the brief outline preserved
to us, to be ascribed to other than Paul:
Sirs, achy do ye these things9 We also
are men of like nature a0ith you. and
bring you good tidings. thdt ge should
turn from these cain things unto the
iUing God, aUho made the hedUen and
the earth and the sea, and all that an
them is: acho an the generations gone By
suffered all the nations to aUdlk in their
oacn acogs. And get he left himself not
without acitness. IN that he did good,
and gaze you from heGUen rains and
fruitful seasons. filling gourhearts cih
food and gladness.
This sublime appeal to the innate
faith of man in the Invisible ONE, re-
strained the multitude from it's idola-
trous purpose. Yet it was not an easily
won victory. With these sayings scarce
restrained they the muttitudeS from do
ing sacrifice unto them.
3, Paul Stoned and Left as
Dead,-vs. 1922
How tickle we're these pagan friends!
The news having been carried back to
Iconium and Antioch of Pisidia, that the
missionaries were winning the people in
Lystra. the Jews of those cities sent
emissaries to hinder and undermine
their work. The revulsion of popular
feeling in Lystra toward the apostles
soon became panic. Credence was
readily given to false witnesses who had
only evil to say against them. The same
people who would one day have sacri-
feed to the missionaries, and garlanded
their brows, few days afterwards are
found stoning Paul to death.
The stoning appears to have been
done. contrary to Hebrew usage. within
the city gates. 1t was probably the
answer of the Infatuated populace to an
address by Paul. His body, uader the
belief that life was extinct. was dragged
outside the city.
There it was left. Then the disciples
those who had heard the Gospel with
believing hearts. gathered around the
bruised body. After a season Paul's
consciousness was restored; and he was
able to go back to the city.
A story is thus briefly told which
would bear a voluminous telling. 1t is
in many points like the story Of Steph-
ems martyrdom. From this dreadful ex-
perence Paul bore scars to his dying day.
From henceforth. he said to the Gala,
tians. let no man trouble me; for bear
branded on mig body the marks of Jesus.
And this also is probable: AS Paul
himself could never forget the lesson of
the dying Stephen. so he now taught
one youthful beholder in Lystra, Tim
othy, his son in the faith, a Gospel lesson
that changed his life-convictions and
ambitions.
The missionaries went twenty miles
further at the southeast to Derbe. OF
the details of the mission in this I'M
known town we are not informed.
Then the apostles began their home
ward journey. They made stay in Lys-
ira. apparently avoiding public recogni-
ton. They went back to Iconium;
thence to Antioch in Pisidia.
In all these places the apostles taught
the converts that twas by heroic endea-
vor and through trials that they must
enter into the kingdom of God. The
Christian life was not then thought of
as an easy life.
TEACHING POINTS.
INTRoDUcTIoN.-We have an interesting