Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1897-07-30
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON v, THIRD QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, AUG I.

Text of the Lesson, Acts xviii, 1-11-NIem-
DRY Verses, S-11-Golden Text, I Cor.
iii, I1-Commentary by the Rev. ID. NJ.
Stearns.
1. "After these things Paul departed
from Athens and came to CCrinth." He
is still led and controlled by the Spirit, and
if the Spirit had not now wanted him in
Corinth He would not have suffered him
to go (chapter xvi, 6, y. Thus also we
may know His way for us If we are hon
estly living unto Him who has bought us
to be set apart for Himself, then wherever
He would have us to go the door will be
open and the way plain. and where He
does not want us He will close the door
and hinder us from going.
2 "And found a certain jew named
Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from
Italy, with his wife Priscilla" Then, as
now, the Jews were made to move on.
They had chosen Caesar instead of their
Messiah, and instead of rest which Christ
would have given them, they have been to
this day driven hither and thither and
prosecuted in many lands. 1t is written,
81 will command and l will sift Tor cause
to movc) the house of Israel among all ma
UlODS. IL IL ulSO MTlittu, ne JLub SCttt-
tered Israel will gather him, " and, again.
81 will plant them upon their land, and
they shall no more be pulled up out of their
land which l have given them saith the
Lord thy God" (Amos tx, 9, 10; Jer xxi,
1O).
3. "And because he was of the same
craft he abode with them and wrought, for
by their occupation they were tentmakers.
| Paul loved, when possible, to earn his
own bread, and he often testified that he
did so that he might not be a burden to
any of them IL Ihess ii, 9; II Thess iii,
s.. He said to the elders of the church at
Ephcsus Yea, ye yourselves know that
these hands have ministerCd unto my ne
cessties and to them that were with me"
| (Acts Xxx, 34).
L. "And he reasoned in the synagogue
every Sababth and persuaded the Jews and
the Greeks. ~ He would talk on the same
| lines as at Thcssalonica, showing from the
| Scriptures that Isracl's Messiah had to
suffer and die and rise from the dead be-
fore He could be the immortal man on
| David's throne who had been foretold, and
| that Jesus of Nazareth had fulfilled every
prediction concerning the sufferings and
| death and resurrection and would GER
| tainly in due time fulfill every prediction
concerning the kingdom and the glory
! (Acts xvii, 2, 3; iii, 21). The church of
today seems to think that many so called
attractions are necessary to hold and win
the people, but it is IA fearful mistake.
The gospel of God concerning His Son
Jesus Christ our Lord is enough.
5. "And when Silas and Timotheus
were come from Macedonia Paul was
pressed in the Spirit Or. V. constrained by
the wOrd) and testified to the Jews that
Jesus was the Christ. He had left these
| two brethren at Berea when he had gone
to Athens (chapter xvii, 1870. But now
they have joined him. and he must have
been somewhat comforted by their coming.
Paul knew what sorrows were, and he
knew what real comfort was, and it is from
the heart that he speaks Of God as the
Father of uercies and the God of all COM
fort Oh Cor. i, 81.
g. "Your blood be upon your own heads.
l am clean. From henceforth l will &c
unto the gentiles." This he said as they
opposed him with blasphemy, for our Lord
Jesus had taught that if the message OF
His servants was not received the servants
were to wipe the dust off their feet as q
testimony against them and pass on tC
those who would hear When the gospe
is faithfully preached the messengers are
unto God sweet SAVIOR of Christ in then
that are saved and in them that perish
: Oh Cor. H. l5)
z. "And he departed thence and entered
into a certain mans house, named Justus
one that worshiped God, whose hous(
joined hard to the synagogue" So wheI
one door is closed another opens, anC
whether it be just next door, as in thi
case, or across the street, or in some othe
city or town, or in some other land, tn
Spirit of God will lead His people, anC
they have only to follow where He leadeth
with no desire but to be controlled by Hin
J and to please Him.
s. "And Crispus, the chief ruler of TIN
synagogue believed on the Lord with al
J his house, and many of the Corinthians
hearing believed and were baptized " Girls
pus was one of the very few whom Paul bap
! tized with lis own hand Il Cor. i, 1916
for he said that preaching the gospel wa
his commission rather than baptizing, no
that he in any way made light of ordi
nances, but he emphasized that salvation
depends wholly upon believing or receiy
ing Christ and not upon any or all of tn
ordinances. Neither baptism nor joinin
the church nor taking the communio
can save or help to save soul, but saliva
ton is through the finished work of Chris
, alone without any possible addition.
9. "Thcn spake the Lord to Paul in tn
. night by "A vision, BE not afraid, bu
=! speak and hold not thy peace" He sal
to the Corinthians in his first epistle, -
. was with you in weakness and in fear an
in much trembling" Il Cor. ii, -, 50 tina
I there was some occasion for this specii
visit from his blessed Master and for thi
L. encouraging BE not afraid. The eye
1 of the Lord are ever upon His people, fo
q their good and to show His strength o
/ their behalf III Chron. xvi, y. If necei
! sary, He will send Gabriel or even a hos
I of angels on our behalf.
TO- For l am with thee, and no ma
: shall set on thee to hurt thee, for l hay
much people in this city" 1t would seeI
L that there were much disturbance an
u probably threats of violence to the perso
u Of Paul. OF these he would not be afraiC
y for he had already been scourged and i'll
u prisoned and stoned to death, but as til