Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-07-01
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
THOUGHTS WORTHY OF CALM
REFLECTION.
A Pleasant, Interesting, and Instract-
i've Lesson, and Where 1t May Be
Found-A Learned and Concise Re-
View Of the Same.


missionary journey of Paul carried the
gospel to Europe. 1t Is therefore of pro-
found interest to the historical student
and especially to ourselves; for had not
Christianity showed itself capable of
breaking through the gates of the East
and entering a different civilization, final
ly transforming the great Roman Empire,
II would never have reached our Saxon
and Norman ancestors. In returning to
the life of Paul after several weeks d.
gression the teacher should review the
first journey and the council at Jerusalem.
The lesson should begin with Is: 36, at
the beginning of the second journey. At
ter some time spent In teaching at Anti
och, probably not far from two years
(5O-52), Paul and Barnabas decided to
make another tour, to see how the
churches were prospecting that had been
previously established. But a disagree
ment arose between them on the question
of taking John Mark or leaving him at
home Us: 81, 3S). The latter, 1t win be
remembered, had deserted on the first
journey when the apostles reached Pam
phylia, and Paul was unwilling to run tho
risk of another such experience. Barna-
bas held TO his purpose, and they sep
arated, Barnabas taking Mark and Paul
taking Silas (Silvanus). This disagree
ment, while a serious one, should not be
exaggerated into an angry quarrel. Paul's
route lay through Syria and Cilicia-that
is, northward by land instead of west
ward by water. He Travelled through the
country as far as Derbe and Lystra, cities
of Lycaonia or South Galatia, visited
twice on the first journey. AT Lystra he
found Timothy, converted on the first
journey, and took him with him.
Explanatory.
"Phrygia and the region Of Galatia":
there is some dispute as to what these
geographical terms mean here. Galatia
Is understood by some writer's as the
northern central part of Asia Minor, a re-
gion peopled by Gauls, or Kelts, speaking
a language very similar to that of Gaul
itself. The principal cities were Ancyra
and Pessinus. This makes the apostles
travel from Lystra far, to the northeast
and then back again to the west. Prof.
Ramsay, however, and some others, hold
ing to what is known as the South Ca
latian theory" think that Luke refers to
the Roman province of Galatia, which in
cluded not only the northern part inhab-
tied by Kelts, but also the southern re-
gions of Phrygia and Lycaonia, in which
Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe were
situated. These cities Paul visited on his
first journey. Ramsay holds therefore
that to the Christians in them Paul wrote
his epistle to the Galatians. This is an
intricate historical and geographical ques-
tien, not of great Importance to our study,
though 1T affects Paul's route snd the date
of the epistle.-''Asia" it will need to be
explained that this is a much restricted
term, embracing only the western end Of
what we call Asia Minor. 1t was Rom
an province The Holy Ghost doubtless
forbade them to preach here MT this time
because there was more pressing work to
be done on the opposite shores of the
Aegean.
Passing by Mysia": rather. passing
through Mysia, for they must do this to
get to Troas. But they did not stop TO
preach as they travelled.
"We endeavored": notice how abruptly
the ''we" comes in. The indication Is pain
that Luke, the writer of the book of Acts.
met Paul at Troas and journeyed with
him thence.-Neapolis, at the head Of
the Aegean Sea. near Philippi.
"Out of the city by a river side: where
the Jews assembled to be free from moles-
tation. Apparently it was a women's
meeting on this Sabbath afternoon in
which the preachers found themselves.
We do not know how much thought
Paul had already given to the evangelical
ton of Europe. 1t was certainly included
in his plans. He already looked forward
to going to Rome though the desire was
not granted until six years later. But at
any rate the vision with it's call to Mace
donia could not have been great surprise
to him. He was waiting for just such
message.
Mysia and Bithynia should be looked up
on the map. 1t will be seen that Paul and
Silas were cropping around trying to find
the place where the Lord wanted them to
60, turning first to the right hand and
then TO the left, but finding no rest until
the divine message reached them and was
obeyed.
"a seller of purple: the ancients de-
lighted in brilliantly colored cloths, and
dyers were numerous, often very pros
porous The finer purple dyes were cost
", and the facts that Lydia was engaged
in this business implies that she possessed
considerable capital. Already God-fear-
ing woman, she received gladly the larger
light of the gospel.
1t has seemed TO some tnat Ly01d q
household must necessarily have contain
ed one or more children too young to be-
lieye in Christ, and that these were bap-
tized with the rest. The weakness of an
argument which requires such support
need not be pointed out.
Teaching Hints.
The tireless vigilance of Paul in caring
for his converts is worthy the imitation Of
all Christian leaders. He was not contene
TO found churches and then leave them. to
shift for themselves, but after a brief in
terval set out again on another journey
to see how they Jared. In this as in many
respects, Paul was the model missionary.
His missionary craftsmanship" showed
itself not only in choosing strategic points
for his work, but also in training and en-
couraging others to carry on that work
when he was gone. Self-support, not
merely financial but moral and religious.
was what he aimed TO cultivate In the
churches under his care.
The first convert in Europe was a wom-
an. and the missionary work began IN her
family Is not this significant? The fam
lily must be the center Of enduring mis-
sionary work. While Christianity deals
with the individual primarily, II is propa-
gated normally through the home. Az
women who were also mothers were first
at the tomb on the resurrection morning.
so a mother was FIRST to believe on the
shores of Europe. We may well believe
that there was very soon a women's mdo-