The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-09-09
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
Lesson XII. Third Quarter,
For Sept. Il, 1909.
The INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

by Rev. D. NJ. Stearns
Copyright. 1909. By American Press Association
When the time came TO leave Tyre
the disciples there. men. women and
children, accompanied Pauls party out
Of the city down to the shore, and
all kneeled down on the shore and
prayed. What an object lesson for
those who may have been looking on!
There are always some watching us
who draw their own differences from
our conduct as to whether we are
worldly or other worldly, whether We
are for the most part in communion
with earth or heaven. Some vino bear
the name of Christ have been known
to shrink from praying before others
or even asking a blessing on their food.
What can He think of those who are
thus ashamed Of Him? Matt y. 80
As at MlctuS. 50 here at Tyre we
have another painful separation when
Paul and his companions set sail and
the friends from Tyre return to their
homes. but we trust that all hearts
We're more than ever turned to Him
who is our continual habitat tPs.
lXNL b and from whose presence some
day We shall 90 no more out One day
at PtpigmaiS. where they also found
hrn,hren and then to Cacsarea. where
they tarried many days in the home of
Philip the evangelist. who had four
daughters, virgins, who did praphesy.
We recall that Philip WAS greatly used
Of God in Samaria and then to lead
the Ethiopian treasurer to Christ, after
which he preached In all the cities
from AZotuS Ia Cacsarca CActs viii,
40l, but that seems to be the last We
have heard of him till now. God gave
to the churches apostles. prophets,
cYan@CIiStS pastors and teachers for
the perfectiug of the saints. for the
work Of the ministry, for the edifying
If the body Of Christ Eph. iv. II, ~,
and were ii not that Philip is still
called the evangelist we might think
that he had become pastor of the
church at taeSarea and that Cornelius
and his household were members Of
that church. There are so many things
We are not told and We are curious
enough to want to know. but we must
wait to find out why we hear nothing
more of Philips active ministry and to
learn what he was doing at Caesarea.
Then those daughters Of his-in what
sense did they prophcsy?
Concerning it all it comes to me con-
tinuaIly that there is only One witt
whom we have to do. and if we are
filling the place He assigns us, be its
service small or great that is all He
requires Of us, whether other people
know much or little or anything about
1t. lie appoints to every one his work
and says occupy till | come" Mark
xiii. "a; Luke xix. 49,. He knows in
what part of His field His plants will
thrive best and bear the fruit that He
desires, so it is ours 10 quietly abide
in Him and see no one but Jesus ONLY.
We may imagine what a time of pray
er and praise ard study of the word
these days in CacSarea were and how
they would listen to Paul declaring
what things God had wrought by his
ministry Verse 19, for as he after
ward did at Jerusalem he probably did
here also and elsewhere While at
CaeSarea Il prophet from Judea named
AgabuS by a striking object lesson
forctOld that at Jerusalem Paul would
be arrested and imprisoned, upon
which the disciples there as we'll as
PaulS own companions besought him
not to go to Jerusalem. Paul's reply
to them all was that he was ready,
not to be bound only, but also to die
at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord
Jesus verse 49,. Compare his words
to the Ephesian elders at MietuS In
chapter Xxx, "A. Both of these are
splendid utterances of whole hearted
servant Of Christ who would not by
any persuasion of friends be turned
aside from what he believed to be the
Lords way for him, When they saw
that he would not he persuaded they
simply ceased urging him and said.
THE VIII Of the Lord be done" Verse
IA. Being joined by several of the
disciples from Caesarea and by an
old disciple from Cyprus named
Mnason, who was tn lodge them, they
in due time reached Jerusalem and
were gladly received by the brethren
Thus ended the third missionary jour
ney.
Concerning the will Of the Lord to
which they desired to submit when
they found that they could not per
suade Paul not to 20 70 Jerusalem,
there can be nothing greater or higher
and when His viii shall be done on
earth as I'm heaven that Will be the
kingdom of God on this earth. Our
Lord Jesus could say, II delight to do
Thy will, o my Cod" MY meat Is TO
do the will Of Him that sent me and
to finish His work FPS. xl. 8: John
". 3b. In proportion as His will II 6
done in us now, that good and accept.
able ana perfect will Of God Rom. XII,
l. y. We have just that much Of the
kingdom in us. foretaSte Of eternal
glory. May we ever say from the
heart cheerfully Thy will be done"
Is II possible for Ms to think that we
are in the viii Of God when we are
simply working out our own Will? It
is 70 be feared 50. could believe that
Paul was RIGHT In resisting all the en-
treaties Of his fellow believers and