Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-07-15
The International Sunday School Les
son for July 10 is "Paul's Second
Missionary Journey - Thessa,onica
and Berea." Acts II: lis.
sALohIcA, OLD AND NEW.
BY WILLIAM t. ELLIS.

Worldwide interest centers this
week in the second city of European
Turkey, for two reasons; one Is that
Salonica is the place of imprisonment
of the deposed Sultan of Turkey, Ab-
dull Ha1nid, and the center OF the
Young Turk movement; and the other
Is that under its ancient name of Thes-
salonica, the city is the scene OF an in
cident that is being studied by mem
bers OF the Sunday schools of the
whole world. 1t is coincidence OF
striking interest that just now these
world affecting events should be locat-
ed in one place.
This historic city, named by Ph1llp
of Macedon after his daughter, sister
of Alexander the Great, because on
the day he received news of her birth
Philip gained victory over Thessaiy.
1t was at Thessalonica that xer1es
rested his army before attempting the
invasion OF Greece. cicero, in his exile,
came thither from Rome, q century
before the visit of Paul. In the middle
ages. Thessalonica was the bulwark OF
Christendom in the East. 1t was cap
tured by the Saracens in 904 A. D.,
taken by the Crusaders 1854, and IL
nally by the Turks in 1870. Now 1T has
become the head center of the reform
Turkish party, which promises new
day Of religious tolerance and of civil
liberty for the Ottoman empire.
OF all the personalities associated
with this historic spot, the Apostle
Paul is the greatest Yet none of the
great names linked with Thessaloniea
ever came to 1t more inconspicuously
than did Paul and his friends. We pic
ture the great apostles advent as an
important event, and it was. Yet,
could we have witnessed the reality,
we would have seen the little company
of travel-worn and weary pilgrims en-
ter the town as quietly as humble
strangers could do. Nobody paid par
ticular attention to them except the
town dogs They sought a quiet lodg-
Ing, and then went from door to door
of the tent-making homes, seeking for
employment All was as commonplace
as could be imagined. The inconspic-
nous little Jew, whose character was
revealed only by a second look at his
face, searching for work from his fell
low countrymen, did not fill the role OF
a Xerxes or an Alexander in the COM
mon eye Nevertheless beneath his
cloak was wrapped up more of portent
for Thessalonica and for Europe than
ever came iii the train of Alexander
the Great
When the Best Side With the Worst.
The butler may look more imposing
than the head of the house, but when
he opens his lips to speak we know
him for the butler, even as by the
same token we know the head of the
house. Broadway can change a tramp
over night into mirror Of fashion,
but when he speaks his true worth is
revealed. Sabbath came, and those pill
grims entered the synagogue and be-
gan to reason about the great things
of the other world They at once be-
came marked men. No longer were
they commonplace pilgrims seeking
work; the city soon knew that great
teachers had come to it in humble
guise.
Often the best unites with the worst
. IN opposing better. The Jews OF
Thessalonica were morally the clean
est element in the community; yet,
because they disagreed with Paul's
teaching, they joined hands with the
rabble to drive out the little band OF
missionaries. They did not hesitate to
appeal to the lowest mob passion in
order to accomplish their purpose.
The Jews were jealous, and they also
were resentful OF Paul's teaching of a
crucihed Christ.
The last virtue men display in con.
naetfon with religion is the virtue OF
tolerance. Even the man whose creed
Is protest against religious conserva
tism Is intolerant Of all who differ
with him. We cannot deny that even
in this liberal day men who do not
like to near of the sufferings OF
Christ, and whose fastidiousness
would Danish the sight Of blood from
all theological teachings, and who
would eliminate the cross, profess
their advanced position with heat ant
Intolerance.
A HERDS Hardships.
The fact belongs to the A B C Of
all religious teaching that controversy
upon religious themes has tendenc.
to arouse the lower passions. When en-
gagged in debating the Hottest truths
that can engage the human thought
men indulge in the meanest suspicion:
and utter the basest insinuations, ane
even resort to disbonorable methods
The Thessalonica Jews, like those o
their religious capital who had cruel
fed Jesus, made pretext of thei
loyalty to Rome, when no sentimen
was farther from their hearts.
So Paul was driven from the tron
bled city on the charge of havin!
been one of those who had turned tn
world upside down-or, better, RICH
side up. He was not surprised at thi
persecution and opposition. He ha,
grown accustomed to it. Like ever
other pioneer of a great cause he ha,
learned to endure hardness. He, him
self, in one of his letters, calls tn
roll of some of his missionary exper
ences--tin labors more abundant, i
stripes above measure, in prison NOR
frequent, in deaths oft. OF the Jew
FIVE times / received forty stripe
save one; thrice was | beaten wit
rods. once was ] stoned, thrice ! SUI
fered shipwreck. night and a da
have been in the deep; in journe.