Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1909-07-28
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvoR.
Prayer Meeting Topic Fer the Week
esoiEcing Aug. 1, 1909.
BY REV. S. II. DOYLE

lOPlt.-1<t&G ieS&0nS LOT TIE kTDtt tnS
book Of Acts.--Acts xvii iS-4t tCoose-
uration meeting)
The book Of the Acts is the earliest
history Of. Christianity. or, rather. OF
the Christian church. Ii begins with the
ascension of Christ and the last cont
mands of Christ TO His disciples aud
ends with Paul at Rome. after having
made his three remarkable missionary
Journeys. TO be tried by Caesar him
self. Arrested after his return from
this third journey and undergoing
severa. trials. he exercised his right
rs Roman citizen TO appeal to Gaze
ear, which appeal was granted. The
book closes abruptly. telling nothing
of what became of Paul. This is best
explained on the basis that the history
of the church was net yet closed. The
chapter was left open. that by other
bands it might be continued as the
life OF the church continued and its
influence grew stronger and stronger.
Only some such reason can explain
the abrupt ending of this most inter-
esttng and useful book.
The Acts fall naturally into three d.
visions. In the first chapter Jesus
said, after that the Holy Ghost is
come upon you We shall be witnesses
R1nto Me both in Jerusalem and in
uudea and in Samaria and unto the
mttermost parts of the weird The
book is therefore divided into three
parts-tD witness bearing 10 Ierusa-
pem. chapter i, l; vii GO; 81 witness
bearing in Judea and Samaria. chapter
viii, L. xii, %; 80 worldwide witness
bearing, especially by Paul, the apos-
tle, to the gentiles, chapter xiii. !;
xviii. 81. In the early part Of the
book Simon Peter is the central figure,
but from the beginning OF the thir-
keenth chapter at least Paul becomes
Hhe great leader of the Christian
church and nobly performed the great
responsibility placed upon him. He
was the greatest missionary the church
has ever produced and through his
celebrated Epistles the greatness of
his influence has never ceased and
never will while time lasts.
In the Acts the Holy Spirit is the
principal divine figure. In the. Old
Testament God the Father wash SUI
preme, in the gospels God the Son.
but In the Acts God the Holy Ghost
began His dispensation. and we still
live under it today Fifty times in the
ACTS He Is spoken of by name, or
more frequently than in all the Cos
pels. His coming was emphasized by
Christ in the first chapter. and in the
second chapter there is the record Of
His coming. and he still remains in
khe church, the representative Of
Christ and the One who applies the
redemption of Christ 10 the hearts
and lives of men.
The Acts is great missionary book
and most interesting one. Classes in
mission study go further and do much
worse in not making the Acts the text
book of their studies. No other book
should be selected until it has been
thoroughly mastered. Here is set forth
every possible missionary experience.
Missionary earnestness and progress
1yeness are emphasized. Interesting
events are related. Here it is taught
that missions We're worldwide. The
gentiles had their great apostle in
Paul, and his personal zeal and sue
cessful efforts have never been sur
passed. Who has met more dangers
than he, and who has more boldly
faced them and snatched victory out
of seeming defeat? Under his leader
ship the new pilgrim became a mighty
force and spread through the Roman
empire.
Life lessons for me:
/. Fearlessness in danger (xxvii, -
20).
2. Trust in God in the storms Of life
(xxvii, 21-20.
8. The power Of personal influence
txxvii, ~, 43).
4. A lesson on Gods power to save
(xxvii, 43, AZ.
BIBLE READINGS.
Acts i. LA; ii, Is, 37-47: v, 1922;
vii. $3.50; viii. 1-s. 26-40; tx. 10; xii,
Ill; xiii, II; xvii, 1-29