The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-09-11
& ~~~~*~ = 80 = = 80
: IN THE SUNDAY SCHOOL. =
I: BY w. P. Chambers. =

The lesson this week is partly geo
graphical, being on account of sea
voyage from Miletus, on the west
coast of Asia Minor, to Caesarea in
the land of Palestine, where the mis-
sionary party landed, after touching !
first at Tyre, and then at Ptolemais.
The distance covered several hundred
miles. The student will note thai
the 1--WE" in the text, indicates that
Luke himself, was along with the del
egation.
One is tempted to wonder why the
,, ships in those days were so often In
sight of land, or rather were guided
in their course so largely by islands
and promontories; but navigators at
that time probably did not have that
which we now consider the first re-
quisite in a ships equipment, to-wit,
q comuass.
During their stay at Tyre, to which
port the merchandise on the ship
was consigned, Paul found the Chris
tians in the place, and tarried with
them a week. think they had a
protracted meeting; for when the
time came for the ship to sail south
ward, the whole church, men, women
and children accompanied Paul to the
beach, where they had a farewell
prayer service. These brethren had
attempted to dissuade Paul from going
to Jeruselam. A curious question
obtrude itself Just here. These Ty-
rian brethren spake Through the
Spirit, and forbade Pauls' going to
Jeruselam. He himself testified that
he journeyed to Jeruselam bound in
the spirit"
At Ptolemias (the ancient Accho,
or since the Crusades the modern
Acre), twenty miles south of Tyre,
stop of one day was made. The dis
ciples met Paul, and he and his COM
panions "saluted them" 1t is proba
Bile that the benefactions of the west
ern churches were already being dis
tributed. Leaving Ptolemais by ship
and sailing still southwark some forty
miles, they came to Caesarea, the
Roman capital of Judea, where they
finally disembarked.
Here they met with old friends,
concerning whom our lessons have
been silent long time. They first
went to Philips house. He was one
of the seven deacons ordained at Je-
ruselam and GAIA. In the interven-
ing years, he had acquired the title of
Evangelist" He had raised family
of children. and at that time had four
grown unmarried daughters. Thesf
were all jealous church workers, and
the record says they "prophesied.
Some hold the opinion that they were
regular preachers, while others put a
different construction on the term
"prophesy.'
Another old acquaintance appears
on the scene. From Judea there came
certain prophet named Agabus. We
saw him once before, some fifteen
years ago, at Antioch in Syria, predict
ing a famine in Judea, similar to the
one that was now being relieved
Judged by his former prediction, ant
what he does and says to Paul, OF
So this occasion, some facetious pencil
pusher will be ready to dub him
first class calamity bowler" or, al
: Poe puts it, prophet of evil" Thu
: fact is, Agabus had just come fIon
!. Jerusalem or it's vicinity, and knew
: the temper of the unbelieving Jews.
He took Paul's girdle, and with |
!, binding his own hands and feet, afte
? the manner of the Old Testamen
I prophets, testified that the owne
!, thereof should be so bound by tn
Jews at Jerusalem, and delivered t.
the Gentiles. When Luke and Paul
, other companions heard this predie
I ton, they Joined their entreaties t
J, those of the local disciples, that Pau
! should abandon the contemplated tri
to Jerusalem. They even besough
him with tears, to forego the visit.
4 Pauls answer was characteristic O
I the great apostle. He has been calle
D Paul, the Ready" Blessed, yea
: thrice blessed, is that disciple who ca
truthfully say, am ready, Lord" An
when Paul could not be dissuade
!, from the performance of duty, hi
friends. approximating his sublime dc
Z yotion, found grace to say, 1.-THE wi
Q Of the Lord be DONE"
. After many days, they proceede
: to Jerusalem, where they became tn
\ guests of an early disciple" name
y Mason, while the Jerusalem brethre
II received them gladly"