The Tupelo journal., 1909-07-02
Paul's Second
Missionary Journey
Sunday School Lesson for July 4, 1909
Specially Arranged for This Paper

Macedonia and help us."-Acts 1873.
Suggestion and Practical Thought.
Paurs Second Great Missionary
Campaign. The Patriotism of dis
sions.
Planning for the Second Missionary
Campaign.-Acts 15:36-39. The les
son for to-day connects with the
eighth lesson of our last quarter,
which describes the epoch making
gathering at Jerusalem to settle the
disputed questions concerning the re-
ception of the Gentiles into the church
with the Jews.
New Work in Old Ffelds.-Acts
1870; 1910. Barnabas and Mark
went to Cyprus where the family of
Barnabas belonged (Acts 1880, and
where he went with Paul on the fist
missionary journey (Acts 13:4-12).
Paul started on his journey alone,
but was joined by Silas at Lystra. as
we learn from the pronouns "he" in
VS.. 1-3, but they" in v. 4 and there
after. At Lystra Paul also found a
young man named Timothy to be his
associate and helper in place OF
Mark. He was converted as the re.
suit of Paui's labors on his first jour.
ney Il Tim. 1:2).
J~ourneyings Through Asia Minor
In his former journey Paul went by
sea. In this one he went by land.
Vending his way northward from
Antioch, he crossed through the
"Cilician Gates" a long defile in the
range of mountains which separated
Syria from Cilicia. Gradually turning
to the left around the Gulf of Issus
he went in a southwest direction till
he came tt his native city and home
at Tarsus.
What Paul and Silas Did on This
Tour.-They confirmed the churches
(Acts 15:41), making them strong
establishing them IN a firmer basis.
One means of doing this was by de-
livering to them the DEGREES lately
ordained at Jerusalem concerning the
Gentle Christians ". A.. One result
was a large increase of membership
". 81.
Were come to Mysia," the province
in which the port Troas was situated.
"Assayed," were planning, attempting
Ito go into Bithynia," on the north, in
which are modern mission stations
south of the Black sea. But the Spir.
it suffered them not" Every way but
the one the Spirit wanted them to &c
was hedged in; and thus they learned
the right way.
The Macedonian Call.-"And a vision
appeared to Paul in the night" ". 81,
in order to guide him in the right
way. The vision was of "a man OF
Macedonia" so recognized by his
dress or by his words.
Come over into Macedonia, and
help u.s." Paul had heard before the
call to missionary work; now he hears
the call to the place of work,
The Beginnings of Christianity in Eu-
rope.-Vs. Ills. The four missionaries
Immediately sail from Troas' in "a
straight course" 60 miles to the island
Of "Samothracia," the first day. The
next day they sailed rs miles ito
Neapolis'' New City, Naples), the sea
port of Philippi. Thence" ten miles.
by land or by the river, ito Philippi."
Lydia, the First European Chris.
tian.-13. "And on the Sabbath"
Note how Paul spent his Sabbaths.
went out of the city" there probably
being no synagogue in the city, 'by
a river side where prayer was wont
to be made" "a modern parallel, un.
til quite recently, was the Protestant
place of worship at Rome, which was
compelled to be outside the city, be.
yond the Porta del Popolo." and
spake unto the woman which resorted
thither."
The first of his converts vas a
noted woman named Lydia" (v. 14),
a merchant, a dealer in purple-dyed
fabrics and garments made in Thyat.
ira, one of the seven cities Of Asia to
which messages in revelation were
sent. She and her family became
members of the church by baptism,
and she entertained the missionaries
in her own home. Such guests are a
blessing to any home, not angels un.
awares'' but by invitation. 1t may
be said of Paul, "Where'er he met a
stranger, there he left a friend"
Missions and Patriotism.-It being
the Fourth of July, when every Amer.
lean boy is boiling over with some
expression of the spirit of patriotism,
it may be well to remind him that
giving to missions, working for mis-.
sions, and consecrating himself to
missions.are among the most patriotic
acts he car perform. For every feel.
ing is strengthened and developed by
being put into action.
These words of DR.. Nehemiah
Boynton are striking and true: "'Ours
is a country of prairies and muscle and
Rocky mountains said Walt Whitman.
But Sidney Lanier, the poet, in a
burst of fine indignation, turned and
said to Whitman: Whitman, you can.
not make a republic out of muscle and
prairies and Rocky mountains. Re.
publics are made of spirit
Aye, Republics are made of spirit
and If ours is to be indeed a Christian
republic it must be made of a Christian
spirit, and only one spirit can save
us, and that is the Spirit Of our Lord
and Savious Jesus Christ. You can.
not save America simply through
your pulpits or the churches which
you build. You must have also the
Sunday school. And we must add
that the Sunday school must be filled
with the spirit of missions. which is