The Red Cloud chief., 1909-07-08
The Philippian
Jailer
Sunday School Lesson for July II, 1909
Specially Arranged for This Paper

PLACE.-At Philippi I'm Macedonia.
Suggestion and Practical Thouaht
l. The Story of the Frenzied Girl
Her Mental and Physical Trouble
Paufs Faith. Her Deliverence.-Vs
1918. The missionaries frequently
went from Lydia's house within the
city to the place Of prayer beyond the
walls by the river side. On several
occasions they met In the streets
damsel possessed with a
spirit of divination." This girl gave
forth strange utterances and nysteri.
cal cH5s in her frenzied condition,
which her masters interpreted as they
wished.
Cried, saying, These men are the
servants Of the most high God" etc.
She seems to have been impelled to
tell the truth, as some demoniacs were
in Christ's time.
But Paul, being grieved said to the
spirit as distinct from its victim. "To
come out of her." and go away from
her, not to return. And he came out
the same hour"
III. The Missionaries Thrust Into
Prison: Their Faith: Their Deliver.
ance.-Vs. 1926. The masters. hav.
ing lost their source of gain, like the
makers OF silver shrines in Ephesus,
stirred up mob in the city and
dragged Paul and Silas before the
magistrates. The charge presented
was that Of throwing the city into con.
fusion and anarchy by trying to con.
vert the Romans to a new religion.
The clothes of Paul and Silas were
torn off and the men were tied up to
the triangles, and beaten with the fog.
ging sticks" upon the naked body
tsee 2 Cor. IL: 25; / Thes, 2: p, till
their backs were torn by the merciless
blows. Why did they not escape by
means of their Roman citizenship. as
they did the next morning? Probably
the clamor Of the mob gave them no
opportunity to be heard, and If they
protested, their protests would be dis.
regarded by the excited people. Then,
all mangled and bleeding as they were,
they were thrust into the inner prison
and their feet placed in the stocks.
Songs in the Night.-25. Paul and
Silas prayed and sang praises"
And the prisoners heard them"
This was the beginning of the further.
ance of the gospel through the suffer.
ing of the missionaries.
26, And suddenly there was a great
earthquake" This was the Lords
answer to prayer whether it came by
miracle, or was timed by special provi.
dence. "All the doors were opened,
and every ones bands were loosed."
Either by the action of the earth.
quake, or by the same supernatural
power which produced the earth.
quake.
III. The Conversion of the Jailer, De-
liverance from Sin and Death Through
the Faith of the Jailer-Vs. 27-34.
THE keeper would have
killed himself because by Roman law
he was responsible for the safety Of
the prisoners, and he would avoid by
suicide the disgrace of an execution.
2S. Paul cried we are all
here" Thus saving the jailers life,
for there was no longer a reason for
his committing suicide.
29. called for light" The Greek
Is plural, lights, torches or lamps.
Fell down before Paul and Silas..
30. Brought them out" of the in.
ner prison, into the open court, or into
his own house. What was the jailer's
motive In asking, What must / do to
be saved?" The motive was a con.
sciousness Of sin, OF danger, of need,
and Of the goodness produced in Paul
and Silas by their religion.
81. Believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ, and thou shalt be saved"
Saved from sin, from its punishment
md to holmes and heaven. And thS
house." BY leading his family to the
same faith.
Nv. The Missionaries Released and |
Sent on Their Way.-Vs. $500. The |
lext morning the magistrate, learning |
what had taken place, sent officers to
quietly release Paul and Silas, as the |
easiest way to save trouble. But Paul |
snew better way, and stood upon his
lights, quite as much for the good of |
he young church as for himself |
They have beaten us openly, uncon-
lemned," without trial, and legal de-
,ision that they were guilty according
o Roman law. Being Romans" and
Exempt from stripes and torture. Let
hem come themselves and fetch us
nut"
3S, "They feared, when they heard"
tic. The crime was regarded as trea.
on, and those who committed 1t were
liable to degradation from office, con.
lscation of property, and perhaps
eath. AS the result the magistrates
and requested them to
cave the city, which they did with
ignity, and for the peace and good
I the infant Philippian church.
Had they remained, there might arise
seless opposition: while by leaving
luke with the church (as we learn
rom the change of pronouns I'VE" TO
they'O. there was a peaceful but