The Washington herald., 1909-07-03
The Fortune Teller and the Jailer.


The lntCnatioaal Sunday School Lesson for Iuly
II 5 "Pauls Second Missionary Journey the PM
lITian Jajler. Acts IIiI64o.
Newspaper readers the world over are
keeping an eye upon Mr.. Roosevelt in
Africa, partly because OF interest in him,
and partly. IT must be confessed. because
OF the innate human love Of adventure. No
matter how routine or commonplace our
lives. we feel ar instructive sympathy
with those who roam and VINO undergo
strange experiences. Travel lectures and
books have been a staple Of literature
since ever the art Of writing was dis
covered.
The 10000 members Of the worlds
Sunday schools are finding the present
course Of lessons Of unusual interest be
cause these narratives Of PauI's journeys
are as lively as newspaper and as fun
OF human interest
Now We find Paul landed in Europe
This is the most distant and perilous
flight he had thus far made Indeed, DR..
James Stalker declares that this journey
was not only the greatest be achieved.
but perhaps the most momentOus record
ed IN the annals Of the human race In
its issues it far outrivalsd the expedition
Of Alexander the Great. when he carried
the arm and civilization Of Greece into
TIE heart Of Asia. or that of Ceasar when
he landed on the shores Of Britain, or
even the vayage OF Columbus. when he
discovered a New World" Dr.. Stalker
goes on 10 point out that had Paul zone
in Another direction Instead Of 10 EU-
rope, missionaries from India and Japan
might have been coming 10 England at
the present day 20 tell the story Of the
cross. But Providence conferred on Eu-
rope a blessed priority. and the fate Of
our continent was decided when Paul
crossed the Aegean Sea
= CONTRAST IN wOAANHOOD
The scene Of the particular episode as
signed ror present study is PhiIppi. the
chief city Of Macedonia Paul was on his
way with Lydia. the devout woman who
was his first convert in Europe. 10 the
place OF prayer. Religious associations
are not necessarily delverance from
temptation. The worst Of influences may
accompany one 20 the best Of places. a
hysteTical fOrJWne-teller. demon possessed.
followed Paul and his friends crying out
that they we're the servants OF the Most
High. Dr. Lyman Abbott says that the
young woman "Was a mixture OF fraud.
clairv0yauce insanity, and the devil
ShSSTas In that long line Of succession,
which has continued 10 the present day,
of persons who. by one influence or an
other, undertake 10 exercise the arts OF
magic. CuriOusly enough, these evil spir-
It's Of diviuari0u aye even linked With re-
lgions. l recall picking up 81 q Port
said book store a little volume on magic,
which IN all seriousness pUrported 10 re-
~ ~ "a -
every page the names Of tho great teach
ers of religion we're invoked as masters.
As PaUls first convert IN Europe had
been a woman, representing The lOfty
estate 10 which WOmanhOOd was called by
the new Gospel Of Jesus. so this sooth-
saying maiden may stand as a figure OF
the plight Of UomanhoOd under a heath
en- dispensatiou. she was held in slavery
By men VINO were making profit out Of
her misfortune. Her misery and degra-
dation were a symbol Of the dlsfgura-
tion Of her sex. even as Lydia's noble
character represented the TRANSPORTATION
which the Gospel effects IN the character
Of wOmanhOOd
HIGH PROFESSIONS FROM low MOTIVES
The crooked know the straight. None
Is so sensible Of virtue as those who
lack IT, Wei does Jesus say. The devils
believe and tremble." The testimony Of
this poor girl 70 the real mission Of Paul
and his friends is significant of the fact
that evil is alert TO perceive the power
Of good. Perhaps that is why "the wick
ed fee when no man pUrsUeth.T Paul was
not one OF those who would receive honor
from the enemy: he would not build a
church out OF salOOn-keepers. subsCrip-
tions nor be hattered into silence by the
compliments OF the wicked rich. He
wanted not the testimony Of this demon
possessed girl. So he commanded the
spirit 10 come out OF the girl, and thus
freei her from her thraldom. His inter
est was always deep in the human side.
He cared for persons
On the contrary, the girls masters
seemed not 10 be interested IN the girl for
herself. but only ia The money which her
art brought TO them Apparently she was
50 profitable that syndicate had been
formed 20 own and manage her. As soon
az the GOw Of gain stopped there was an
uprOgr. Tie seusitiVeness OF money, as
~ messed In WaH street. Is no new at
tribute There always have been persons
IN whom the money nerve has been quick
er than the nerve Of conscience.
Ia this Phiippian episode We may see.
without stretching the figure. an analogy
cial interests at Washington IN the mat
ter Of the tariff. Vested interests are
pulling for high tariff or for low tar
III, not for the Country's sake but fOr
their own private profit They vie with
each other in invoking the highest senu-
ments OF patriotism 10 cloak their mean
est motives, even as these Phnippian cap
italists displayed a remarkable access OF
zeal for the Roman divinities when Paul
had smashed their industry. So also az
EpheSus the silversmiJhs set the mob 10
crying, Great IS Diana Of the Ephesi-
ans So did Nero turn the wrath Of the
mob upon the Christians to divert atten-
tion from himself II Is we'll always 10
be skeDtical or an aligators motives. I
Paul perceived this IN MS own case, and
was careful 90 receive no profit for his
preaching. He maintained himself by
eent-mak!ng, because he would not bring
reproach upon the Gospel.
BEATEN. IlIPEIsONED-sNGIN
What 60 you do when in trouble? DO
YOU simply collapse DO yol whimper
and whine and pour your grievance into
the ears of all who listen? Do you Bit
terIy rail- against tate. your FeHow-raea. /
and God? Or do YOU smile and sing when
troubles pile the thickest2 That last is
the apostolic way. Beaten with rods
stretched in exCruciaJiHg stocks dumped /.
Into the lowest dungeon Of the Philippian 4
prison, because OF the mob's false accu- I
satiOn. Paul aud Slas yet made melodi- /
ous the midnight hours by their songs I
They had Witlin themselves springs OF 4
eXhaustless 1oy. That Is the spirit of
faith which the world cannot touch. Al
though earth cannot move IL, IL NAV /
move heaven, for We may be sure that /
wherever men are suffering for truths I
sake. wherever Gods servants are shut into /
any prison, there is concentrated the spe- I
cial interests OF all the forces of. heaven. +
The PRAYERS and songs of the 6isofnIaa I