The Montgomery tribune., 1909-04-30
= 5
sunday School Lesson for May 2, 1908
Specially Arranged for This Paper

verses, 2. 3.
GOLDEN TExT--"Go .ye into all the
world and preach the Gospel to every
creature. MARK 1918.
TIME.-Probably in the spring and
summer OF A. d. n.
PLACE.-Antioch in Syria, and the is
land Of Cyprus.
RULERS.-Claudius Caesar, emperor OF
Rome. H-4. Cuspius Fadus. governor of
Judea. The Romans are in Britain, SEEK
Ing to subjugate the country.
Suggestion and Practical Thought.
"The church at Antioch, from
which Paul's missionary journey
started. Jerusalem had before been
the center of influence, its heat and
light radiating to Samaria, Joppa,
Ethiopia, Cyrene, Damascus, Tarsus.
Antioch. The ray that reached Anti.
och kindled, as 1t were, a new sun,
which became center of radiation
for Asia Minor and Europe.
It was a small and struggling church.
Paul and Barnabas were the strongest
men in it, the leaders. How could
they be spared? Our modern
churches and Christians need to learn
that 1t Is not keeping, but giving
away, that enriches and strengthens.
Missionaries Are Your Representa-.
tives.-Those whom you have commits
stoned, the official heads OF the church.
have sent the missionaries forth for
you. They are your proxies. When
you Joined the church, you made its
enterprises yours, and assumed re.
sponsibility for them. You became a
partner in business, the greatest
business in the world. II the missions
Of your denomination fail or grow
weak through your neglect, 1t Is as
great disgrace as for you to become
bankrupt in any other business to
which you have made yourself part.
ner.
Lessons for Our Work.. Paul
and Barnabas went first to Cyprus,
where they would find a beginning
easiest. Wise workers always work
along lines of least resistance.
2. They worked in the center of in.
fluence, large city, where they could
reach the most people. The church
must never neglect the city.
8. They based their work upon the
word of God We shall fail If we do
not do the same.
4. They did not try to do their
work alone, but utilized John Mark,
and doubtless all the other helpers
they could find. The most useful
workers are those that know how to
set others to work.
5. They were ignorant, as yet,
| that their great work was to be for
the Gentiles, but they followed along
the line of providence. "a flower will
often remain furled for days till sun
beam touches it, when instantly 1t will
expand. Barring Gould. Their mis-
sion was preparing for a full unfold
ing.
v. 8. "Elymas," not necessarily a
proper name, being merely Aramaic
for magician. He was a Jew; false
prophet, an impostor pretending to a
knowledge of the future and teaching
untrue doctrines; and he was "sor-
cerer," magician or sage, the name
given to the wise men from the East,
the Magi of Matt. Q: 1, 7, 16. In those
days superstition and science were
commingled, and the scholar did not
|
fortune-teller and the magician.
There stood before the proconsul
the apostle of truth and the emissary
of falsehood, like Moses and the magi-
clans before Pharaoh. Dean Waugh.
an. Victory over the opposition of the
sorcerer was a specimen of all the
missionary victories that have been
won since, in countless numbers, all
over the world. 1t was won by three
means:
/. BY the power of the spirit w.
81. Saul, (who also is called Paul.
and henceforth, to mark his change ol
labors, the history drops his Jewish
name, Saul, and uses the Gentle name
solely was filled with the Holy Ghost.
"The tense of the Greek participle
implies a Sudden access of spiritua
power, showing itself at once in in
sight into character. righteous indig
nation, and provision of the divine
snt."-Ellicott.
Q. BY bold speech ". 10). Pau
never minced matters. He spoke ou
his full heart. Thoughts were made
for words, with him! With a sterI
face, his eyes fixed intently upon the
sneering sorcerer ". 81, he burst ou
with stern words: 20 full of all sub
tility" (R. v. guile" receit) "and al
mischief (the Greek word implies th'
easy doing of villainy), thou chilt
of the devil" (though- named, alas
Bar-Jesus. child of JesusD 'tho,
enemy of all righteousness" (for tn,
Greek word devil, means slanderer
false accuser. and therefore enemy o
! the truth and right. wilt thou no
cease to pervert." ("distort, turl
aside) "the right (straight) ways o
the Lord?" II was frankness an,
truth rebuking craftiness and lies. an,
doubtless every one within hearing
and perhaps the wretch's own cor
science-recognized the justice of tn
condemnation.