Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-13
WHEN M:N SEEMED AS GODS.
The international Sunday School Les
son for May 16 is "PauI's First Mis-
slonary Journey-iconlum and Lys-
ira" Acts IA: 1928.
BY WILLIAM t. ELLIS.


ira" Acts 14:1-2s.
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
Whenever a traveller returns from
heroic deeds in far countries great
turn out to acclaim him.
Lieutenant Shackleton, who has been
"farthest South" will find himself the
lion of the day when he gets back to
Humanity instinctively pays
tribute to the hero. Pauls heroisms
have done more to popularize him
than his theology. There was man.,
is the spontaneous tribute that springs
to the lips of every careful reader OF
these early narratives Of Paul's jour-
neyings. Hardships were accepted as
a part of the days work. The traveller
preachers equanimity could not be
seriously disturbed, whether he was
hailed as a god or stoned as hereto.
incidentally, t,may be remarked, he
was stoned oftener than he was
apotheosized.
Driven from Antioch to Pisidia, the
disciples, not one whit discouraged,
but, as the narrative pointedly re-
marks, "filled with JOY" went on
their way to Iconium. There again
they created a, esensation. The city
was turned upside down. A great null
titude of Jews and of Greeks entered
upon the Way. Here again the blind
bigotry and sectarianism set to work.
Boldly the disciples spoke and wonder
ously they wrought. But the Jewish
ecclesiastical party found itself In
command Of sufficient mob and the
Christians were stoned out of the
city
Now history judges Iconium chiefly
by it's attitude toward the prophets
whom it stoned. Well does Carlyle
say: "The most significant feature in
the history of an epoch is the manner
it has in welcoming a great man,
whether they shall take him to be a
god or prophet, or what they shall
take him to be; by their way of an
swering that we shall see before us
little window into the very heart of
these mems spiritual condition
The Religion That Makes Men
Straight.
Moving on to Lystra, when driven
from Iconium, the disciples continued
the same sort of work that they had
been doing previously, in spite of the
| opposition In connection with this
visit characteristic incident Is relat-
ed by the historian. In Lystra there
was we'll known beggar, congenitally
lame. He was town character. Yet
he seems unlike some modern mendi-
cants, to have desired relief from his
affliction. Pauls alert eye singled him
out. Perceiving the mans eagerness
and responsiveness, and that he had
the faith to be healed, Paul said with
a loud voice, "Stand upright on thy
feet" and he leaped up and walked.
The Gospel has been doing this sort
of things right along for mems minds
as well as for their legs. The cripples
whose bones are abnormal are not
half so serious burden upon society
as those whose spirits are twisted,
bent and weak. Very much more than
it needs, a gospel for the sick and the
lame and the blind and the deaf, the
world needs q gospel that will take
the spiritual cripple and make him to
stand erect and walk. There are many
surgeons who can straighten out the
kinks in backs and limbs; but only the
Great Physician can make men
straight in their souls. That is the mir
acle which may be seen daily in al
most every community in the land.
Spurnina High Honors.
The healing Of the lame man proved
the sensation of the hour in Lystra
| The tickle crowd was caught in it's i'm
agination by this spectacular perform
ance. Moved by the excitement of the
occasion, and reverting to their ma
tive mother tongue, the populace
shouted, 'The gods are come down tc
us in the likeness Of men" Barnabas
they named Jupiter, and Paul, Mer
curry.
/ If these evangelists had been as
modern and progressive as some later
ones, they would have sent a specia
messenger back to Antioch with the
story concerning the high honors that
had come to them. Their press agents
would have been busy recounting theil
greatness, inasmuch as they had ever
been hailed as the ancient gods rein
carnated
For the tribute was an extraordinary
one, Possibly the incident of the heal
ing of the lame man occurred at the
gate of the temple. The priest O
Jupiter, eager to take advantage O
everything that would favor his TEN
pie and his trade, brought oxen ant
garlands to the apostles, and would
have done sacrifices. the multitude
heartily approving
The real distress of Barnabas ant
; Paul at this proceeding is an unmis
taxable tribute to their genuineness o
character They did not want honor'
for themselves. They would not &C
cept any false rating. They were no
ambassadors of a religion which, Xix,
Buddhism, is keen to consolidate will
all the other faiths that men hold
, They preached what they believed t.
be the one Gospel for all men. and
was in direct opposition to all sucl
women are addicted at any given time
We are bound to admire his courage
and we hope that he may bring bacl
the rule of common sense. Let II,
glorify the women who wears her own
even if in this day she makes hersel
quaint by so doing.
aypt ok hoe, a oh =,