The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1909-11-20
Sabbath School
NOTES BY r. S. HOLMES.
Lesson VIII. November u, 1909
PAUL'S STORY OF HIS LIFE.

Golden Text: "He said unto me,
My grace is sufficient for thee; for my
strength is made perfect in weakness
III Cor. II: 9.
Paul had his troubles. Great trou-
bles they were. The age was intolcr-
ant. The worst hater in the world was
a Jew, and the worst element OF hate
in him was religious. a dead religion
always makes bigots. 1t is safe TO say
no man was ever hated more than was
Paul, the apostle II is also safe to say
no man ever bore suffcrings more
bravely.
This lesson is called The Story 81
Paurs Lic, but it is in no sense a
history. There is no way IN which to
verify the statements OF these chapters.
But they are true Paul was answer
ing his detractors. Enemies were en-
deavoring To dscredit him in Corinth,
and to break the Christians in Corinth
from their loyalty to the man who had
brought to them the story OF Jesus the
Saviour OF the world. Keep that in
mind as you begin TO study
The lesson begins with the reply of a
man incenSed by misrepresentation and
unfair hostility OF men who were deter
mined to destroy his influence in the
Church he had founded. and whose
members he loved His language is
vigorous OF il he says in parcnthcSis;
II speak as n fool" lie felt, perhaps.
il was folly Ia write rs he did and yet
he was following the uroverb. AN
swer fool according to his folly"
There are times when one must
make defense against uniairness and
injustice One OF those times had
come 10 Paul To his aroused spirit We
owe this story oi his Fife. and though
all too brief and undctailcd as 10 time
and place il is still graphic and sug-
gestiyc of the suifcrings through which
he had passed for Christ's sake.
Remember there were two sorts nf
Christians One that contcnded that
Christ was the Messiah oi the Tcws.
and that Gcnt'lcS had, and could have,
no part in Christianity, Another that
was rs strenuous in saying Christ died
for the world and j. to be preached to
the Jews first but also to the Gcnlilcs,
or this latter sort were Paul and his
school Some oi the former sort had
been in Corinth malipning Paul They
claimed that they were the real Heb
rcwS, the real l,racltcs, the real stock
OF abraham. the real ministers OF
Christ To each ~ these assertions
Paul answered. Are they these
things Good So am l. Md when it
comes Ia the matter ui being a minis
ter ~ Christ. | ,urpaSS them all In
lahors. III ,uifcrng', in impriSunmcn's,
yea. in that which wa, meant Tor death
10 me. ! am iar beyond them all"
That was a great boast. Paul knew
Boosting was dangerous. and It once
he appeals tn his record
II Is q great thing to have a record
10 which appeal can be confidently
made For lack IT such credentials,
before n'w, men have suffered who did
not deserve IL y record Is treat
safeguard
Note now the specifications.
Five times the lcwS had >cnur"cd
him The legal penalty for a culprlt
adjudgrd worthy ri the Scourgc was
forty stripes To exceed that number
made the ones VIII" inflicted the lash
guilty. So they counted M tu thirty
nine and ,ton"cd i"r safe guard These
puniShmcntS were made. 81 course, in
places where Jews had Jurisdiction
Second count Three times he was
b'dNtU WIN l''tNf l'hE WIS q 'N'li''l
punishment ClaudiuS I.ysiaS, in com
mand ut the castle II Nntonia, ordered
him hca'cn once. The taller at Philip
ri beat MN once. Pani'S memory was
keen l"r these things.
Third count lie was pcltcd with
stones once. luke tells about that. II
was done b" lcws IN city oi Greece.
They thought they had killed him that
Fourth count ! have been ship
wrecked three times \hout one ~
these shnwrcckS NC have studied.
Ab"ul the other tw" We know No more
than be tells here. In one ot them he
was ailoa' Tor night and =" ~
the mercy ~ the waves. Strange he
did not 'c No, not strange. Jesus.
thou Prince al Life. thy chosen cannot
die "
Fifth count Verse, 20 ard y arc
pathetic. Think ~ him Weary. pain
rackcd. without sleep, in pcrilS OF every
sort rs he iuurncycd, hungcring, thirst
ing, TASTING, cold and naked Md Tvs
2S) in addition TO al the burden OF re-
sporSbil'ty he bore in the interest Of
Al.