The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-07-10

of last week in the Scripture nar>-
tive. AS Paul and his companions, ST.
las, Timothy and Luke, went back and
forth, from Lydia's house to the place
ing was in progress, they often en-
countered young woman, a servant
or slave-who had spirit of divina-
ton. ExactI what that meant, schol-
ars are not entirely agreed. Some
hold that she practiced ventriloquism
as an evidence of her supernatural en-
dowment. 1t seems to have been a
case of denominacal possession, such
as was common in Palestine, some
twenty years before. At any rate,
whenever she saw the missionaries
she would cry out, These men are SER
wants of the Most High God, who pro-
claims unto you the way of salvation"
This was literally true, but for the
same reason that Jesus suffered not
the demons to speak, Paul refused
to have her testimony. So, in the
name of Jesus Christ, he commanded
the spirit to come out of the maid,
and was at once obeyed. The de-
parture of the unholy spirit destroy
ed the financial value of the slave,
and her owners seized Paul and Silas,
and brought them before the magis-
traits, accusing them of being Jews,
and of teaching customs that it would
be unlawful for Roman citizens to OBJ
serve, as well as being disturbers of
the peace. This unlawful custom
probably referred to the decree re-
quiring divine honors to be paid to
the statue of the reigning emperor.
Just why Timothy and Luke were
not apprehended, is unknown. They
may not have been present when the
arrest was made. or it might have
been thought sufficient to punish the
ringleaders. The magistrates were
ready to accept the accusation of the
multitude. Perhaps they wanted to
stand in with the popular side. So.
without investigation of any sort, they
ordered the prisoners beaten, and then
safely kept in prison-for what pur-
pose. We are not informed. The jail
or cast them into the inner prison.
and proceeded to make their feet
fast in the stocks.
About midnight Paul and Silas we're
praying and singing hymns. We know
| how long they had been thus engag-
ed. 1t is worthy of note that that no
other religion in all the world, ex-
cept Christianity, has ever taught men
tc sing. And while they sang the
praises of God, wonderful thing oc
Cured. A great earthquake, some
thing that occurs frequently in thai
region till this day, shook the founda
tons of the prison house and Jared
the walls so much that the doors fell
open, and the prisoners We're free to
go out if they chose. The jailor arous-
ed from sleep, and seeing the outer
doors open, supposed at once that his
prisoners had escaped, and knowing
that disgrace and death were his por.
| ton if such were the case, was minded
to shun the disgrace by killing him
self.
Aware of his purpose, Paul called
to him out of the darkness, saying:
do myself no harm, for We are all
here" For some reason, the jailor's
mind connected the earthquake with
Paul and Silas. 1t seems altogether
probable that while he secured their
feet in the stocks, Paul had preached
Jesus to him, as the Saviour of sim
ners. Be that as it may, he called for
a light, fell down at the apostles
feet, brought them out of the ruined
prison, and all a tremble with fear,
he asked the great question. "Sirs,
what must l do to be saved?" Evil
uSllIy ne lSlI lldI ne NdS a iOSl Sill
ner and was terribly in earnest. The
answer was prompt, and was in line
with what had probably been said to
him already. But the whole gospel
was Immediately preached TO him and
all his household. Perhaps the other
prisoners were included. The bruised
and bleeding backs of the missionaries
We're washed and dressed, the jailor
and his believing household were bap-
tized, and the night ended with feast
for the prisoners and glorious
praise service for the new converts.
Probably some inkling of what had
occurred at the prison had reached
the ears of the magistrates. In the