The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-07-17
Sunday School Lesson for July l8. -.,.
Paul ait ThessalOnica and Berea
Acts XVIII, 1-12.
BY j. e. GILBERT, D. D., IL. D.,
Secretary of American Society of Religious Education
Acts XVIII, 1-l2.

did. John v, S9. Paul's Christianity was
Biblical.
CONVERTS.-That Is the true way TO
win men, indeed, the only way. Mark
xvi, 15). Harangucs and manipulations
may attract crowd and produce an ex-
citement, but the truth Is the only instru-
ment that can be welded in the capture
and regeneration of a soul John viii, 32).
Paurs Scripture, set in logical order, was
convincing. Two classes of persons be-
lieved-some of the Jews and multitude
OF the Greek proselytes. (Verse A. 1t ap-
pears that the latter were more numer-
Gus. They might have been more open
to conviction The Hellenic mind was less
trammelled than the Israelitish, better
qualified to Judge dispassionately any
great popular concetn. Among the con-
verts were many chief women, members
of representative families. Here as on
other occasions notably at Philippi, the
Gospel began to win it's way into the So
cial system by securing the endorsement
of women. Unless wives and mothers en-
brace the faith its progress will be slow
and uncertain.
UPROAR.-It was hardly to be expect
ed that Paul would be allowed to pursue
his ministry unmolested at Thessalonica.
Jealous because the abhorred preaching of
a crucifed Messiah should win adherents
from those who had long been taught the
laws of Moses, furious, above all, to see
themselves deprived of the resources of
the leading women, those of the Jews who
did not believe formed an alliance with
the lowest dregs of the populace. In
those days, much more than now, and now
TO an alarming extent. there We're loaf
ers and loiterers who lived on the dolcs
of the wealthy, ready for slight compeu-
sation to do any dirty work. Engaging
these roughs and scoundrels, the Jews
| melted a mob and set the entire city in an
uproar Verse 81. There was nothing
new in this. The same kind of opposition
was encountered at Antioch in Pisidia.
! (Acts xii, 50). 1t was an expression of
| that narrow bigotry and wicked ntoler-
ance which characterized the age. In
! this riot the only charge brought against
| Paul and Silas was that they had turned
| the world upside down" (verse g. d
charge that, however intended, contained
the truth. (Ezek. xxi, 2O.
| ATTACK.-Under the leadership of the
| Jews the excited crowd assembled at the
house of Jason where Paul and Silas were
| guests, with the intention of bringing
| them forth to the people. Failing to find
| the apostles they seized Jason and
brought him before the rulers of the city
oversees and y. There they set up a
clamor, saying that he had committed a
grave misdemeanor in harborinc the min
listers who they regarded as disturbers
of the peace because they taught that
Jesus was king. on the face of it the ar
rest of Jason was ludicrous, and after a
brief hearing and pecuniary security FOR
| good behavior (vCrses and y. he was dis
missed In 1876 an old triumphant arch t
| Thessalonica was destroyed fragments of
which were preserved by the American
consul and deposited in the British mus
cum where they may now be seen. On
these fragments are inscriptions. still! leg
! ble, showing that the city was governed
| by seven men. Among them appear the
| names of Sosipater, Gaius and Secundus,
| who with Jason probably became Christ