The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-07-18
Abdul Hamid n Imprisoned I'm the City,
Which was Visited BY Paul on
His Second Mission- 81
airy Journey.
by wILIIAM r. ELLTs.

Young Turk movement; and the other
Is that under its ancient name of Thes-
salonica, the city Il the scene of an
incident that Is being studied by MEM
bers of the Sunday schools OF the
whole world. 1t is q coincidence Of
striking Interest that Just now these
world-affecting events should be To-
Gated In the one place.
This historic city. named by Philip
Of Macedon. after his daughter. sis
ter OF Alexander the Great, because
on the day he received news OF her
birth Philip gained a victory over
Thessaly. 1t was at Thessalonica that
Xerxes rested his army before attempt
Ing the invasion of Greece. Cicero,
In his exile. came thither from Rome.
century before the visit Of Paul.
In the middle. ages, Thessalonics was
the bulwark Of Christendom In the
East. It was captured by the Sara
Gems In 904 A. D., taken by the Cru
saders 1884, and finally by the Turks
in 1880. Now 1t has become the head
center of the reform Turkish parry,
which promises a new day Of religious
tolerance and Of civil liberty for the
Ottoman Empire.
or all the personalities associated
with this historic spot, the Apostle Paul
is the greatest. Yet none OF the
ever came to 1t more inconspicuously
than did Paul and his friends. We
picture the great apostles advent as
an important event, and 1t was. Yet,
could we have witnessed the reality,
we would have seen the little company
of trave1-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 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 incon-
spicuous little Jew, whose character
was revealed only by second look
at his face, searching for work Tor
his fellow-countrymen, did not NIL
the role of a Xerxes or an Alexander
in the common eye. Nevertheless, be-
meath his cloak was wrapped UP more
of portent for Thessalonica and for
Europe than ever came in 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 a mirror of fashion,
but when he speaks his true worth
Is revealed. Sabbath came, and these
pilgrims entered the synagogue and
began 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 1t In humble
guise.
Often the best unites with the worst
in opposing a better. The Jews of
Thsssalonica were morally the clean
est element in the community; yet,
because they disagreed with Paurs
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 Paprs teaching Of
crufiihed Christ.
The last virtue men display in con-
nection with religion is the virtue of
tolerance. Even the man whose creed
Is a 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 hear 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 and intolerance.
A HerO's Hardships.
The fact belongs to the A B c of
all religious teaching that controversy
upon religious themes has tendency
to arouse the lower passions. When
engaged in debating the Hottest truths
NhA fhnnGhf
men indulge in the meanest suspicious
and utter the basest insinuations, and
even resort to dishonorabie methods.
The Thessalonica Jews, like those of
their religions capital who had cruel
fed Jesus. made a 'pretext of their
loyalty to Rome when no sentiment
vas farther from their hearts.
st Paul was driven from the troubled
city on the charge of having been one
of those who had turned the world
upside down-or, better, right side up.
He was not surprised at this persecu-
ton and opposition. He had grown
accustomed to it, Like every other
pioneer of a great cause, he had learn
ed to enduse hardness. He himself,
in one OF his letters, calls the roll of
some of his missionary experiences
I'm labors more abundant, In stripes
above measure. in prison more fire.
Quent. In deaths Oft. VI the jews HWe
times received l forty stripes save one;
thrice was / beaten with rods, once
was l stoned. thrice 1 suffered ship
wreck, night and a day have I been
in the deep; in journeyings often. in
perils of water. in perils of robbers, In
perils by mine own countrymen, in per-
lis by the heather, In perils in the city,
in perils III the wilderness, in perils in
the sea, in perils among false brethren,
in WEAKNESS and painfulness, in watch
ings oft, in hunger and thirst, In fast
ings often, in cold and nakedness
This was the price paid for the ser
vice of the Crucifed. In 1t all, Paul
learned the glory, for he found him
self a sharer of the cross of Jesus.
A Friend I'm Need.
E In his extremity of persecution. Paul
was cared for by the converts he had
made. 1t was the brethren who sent
him and Silas away by night from
Thessalonica to Berea, for this man
had the royal gift of attaching men to
himself with steadfast loyalty. For
him his friends were willing to risk
their lives Wherever he travelled he
made new friends who wore ready to
share his dangers and his sufferings.
Let us not pity PaulStoo much. Aside
from his fellowship with his Master.
he won the close sympathy of com
pany of new friends. When we con-
slider how few real friends will stand
the test OF the fires of adversely that
come to the average man or woman
in this life, we must count Paul roy
aIl% rich