The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1909-07-17

Golden Text: Thy word have
had in mine heart that | might not sin
against thee" Psalm IIo: II.
Out in Phlippi went the apostolic
party. They were strangers in 4
strange land They rocked not Christ
had died Tor the stranger as well as
for the Hebrew. To preach was Paufs
consuming desire But never preach
er had harder time. II had been a
prison that awaited in Philippi. What
would the next place bring?
THE LESSON.
VS.. 1. Through Appollonia. How
long it took is not told. How often
and where they preached is unknown.
But one day four weary men tramped
into Thessalonica. IL was great city
OF Thessaly by the sea, or at but lit
tie distance from it, and its name still
remains attached to the Moslem town
OF Salonica. IL was splendid city IN
Paufs day.
VS.. 2. There was a synagogue in
Thessalonica. The Jews were widely
scattered abroad The synagogue was
the place where the evangelists would
be sure TO meet their countrymen. II
was easy to begin work where there
was a synagogue. II was the place
which Paul always sought, and for
three weeks there was no trouble. Paul
argued on each Sabbath day to prove
from the Scriptures that Jesus was
Christ
VS.. 3. There were two lines OF ar
gument. 1t is part OF the divine plan
that the Messiah should die and be
raised from the dead Paul proved
that from the Scriptures. The next
line was the man Jesus whose story !
am telling was the Messiah He died
and God has raised him from the dead
VS. !. The preaching was effective.
Three classes were converted. Some
OF them" These were Jews. They
showd their belief by becoming con-
slant attendants on the preaching OF
Paul and Silas. The second class was
composed OF dcvout Greeks. OF
them, large body believed Last,
were the women OF high social stand
ing. Three weeks made a great many
converts. and the church which Paul
founded was strong To this church
he afterwards wrote two letters.
VS. 5. Now the trouble began The
devil had kept still three weeks But
he was making ready. The first thing
TO do was to occasion unbclici. I'M
believers can always be found I'M
belief likes to fight, These Jews did
not rely on argument. They had a
surer way. \ mob was better than
logic These unbclicving Jews fired
the passions 81 the rabble OF the city
ID att 10
They assaulted the dwelling OF Jason.
Paul and his party were not there.
The mob was determined to have vic.
tim in some way.
Nss. OIL Accordingly they seized
Jason and rushed him into the pres
ence oi the magistrates, They had TO
make a charge, and they made the abb
surd one, in vs. and the first clause
OF vs.. 7. Jason was not one oi the
ovcrturncrs oi the world Md To- take
boarders has never been a crime, I'M
less they are proved criminals
The last part oi ". 7 IS charge OF
treason. but Jason had nothing to do
with IT, This was the old charge made
by the Jews against Jesus when they
took him to PLATE,
Nss so OF course the charge made
a great stir The people are always
ready Tor a sensation And magis-
trates are only men. They were cx-
cited. and made Jason give bonds 81
some sort Then they released him
VS. 10 The effect oi the riot was to
frightcn the little band oi believers.
Not apparently Tor themselves. but for
Paul and the rest The brethren did
not give up their new belief. but they
sent Paul on Ia another city. Bcrca
was southwest from ThcSSalonica.
Night favored the action, and Paul was
safe from the mob long ere morning.
Was Paul discouraged; Did he say,
] will give up preaching about Jesus:
BY no means.
vs.. ~. II was a happy change for
Pau The Jews oi Bcrca were fair.
They listened Readiness oi mind is
a great quality. Paul told his story.
The Jews did not refuse 10 believe, but
they said, We will study the Scriptures
and see whether this about Jesus is
true They could do nothing better.
Paul must have been greatly chcercd.
The outcome was almost sure to be
belief \ fair study oi the Scriptures
must always prove that Jesus was the
Christ.
VS. -. rs a matter oi fact a great
many did believe Some were women
and not few were men Whether
they formed church is nowhere told.
But because such letter does not APP
pear in the New Testament is no proof
that il was not written. How long
Paul was there is not known. What
drove him away is soon told.
VS. 10. News spreads always. II
was easy ior tidings to go IRON Berea
back to 1hcssalonica. Those were
venomous Jews in Thcssalonica. Hate
knows no bounds They had lost their
prey in Thcssalonica. they would have
il now in Bcrea They made an up
roar, and raised a mob just as before,
and once more the Christians stood
around Paul and saved him. lie had
planted the seed and no mob could
keep il from growing.
VS.. II They hurried Paul away,
pretending to send him by the sea out
Of the country. Probably Luke went