Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-08
+@ the @kalm of8 lghsrQ hin9st IT
he Christian history Of this famous


The first of these is far too much in
volved with the strange phenomenon OF
clairvoyance for us to closely follow it's
| intricate details, in the endeavor to un-
ravel its mystery. Let us accept the
Scripture narrative and read Of how II
certain damsel possessed with spirit OF
divination met us, which brought her
masters much gain by soothsaying; the
same followed Paul and us. and crieu
saying, These men are the servants of
the most high God, which show us the
way of salvation"
When at length forbearance had ceased
to be virtue Paul exercised the demon
masters saw that the hope of their gains
was gone" they dragged Paul and Silas
before the magistrates, with the accusa-
ton These men. being Jews. do exceed
ingly trouble our city,
The apostle and his companion were
stripped and beaten and cast into prison.
and thus they became the first European
martyrs, beginning a history of suffering
for the honor of the cross which has
been the glory Of that continent This
much for the first event, which leads us
directly to the second.
AS Paul and Silas lay upon the prison
floor that night, their feet thrust into
the hard, rough apertures of the stocks.
their bleeding backs soothed by the cruel
GOODNESS of their stony resting place,
the INluQlSnt nOuf drew near. COulQ
not sleep. no men of their fine mettle
could have slept, while such injustices as
had sent them there Knocked at their
Master and His messengers: and so they
sang and prayed.
Had ever music such as this filed that
stark prison with it's melody? Had pray
ers like these been heard by their COM
panions in arrest before? Hardly. But
was there none to hear but sleepy senti-
nels and fellow-prisoners? Oh. yes! for
he Of he
God whose Son they served, and suffered
| for sat waiting, watching, furnishing the
grace which gave them faith to pray
and voice to sing.
Poised in His hand He holds an earth
quake shock; then hurls 1t at the prison
| where they lie, with rocks on it's founda-
tions. till each door swings free: and the
| centurion whose command had been the
cause Of their harsh treatment, and
whose rest had doubtless been disturbed
by their devotiOns. fearing the prisoners
| escape, seized on his sword, resolved by
/ his own hand to die.
| With cheerful reinsurance Paul cries
out. DO thyself no harm, for we are all
here" and when the trembling Roman,
| torch in hand. enters to find the prisoners
safe. and hence his life and occupation
| assured, he feels that these poor prison
ers possess hold on heaven and
| feet. he asks the most important question
| man can frame: '.Sirs, what must 1 do
| to be saved?"
Their answer is at once as simple in
its language and as complete in its salts
| flying fullness as their question: BE
| lieve on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou
| shalt be saved!' Like Lydia, he believes,
and in the joy Of his new-found saliva
tiop shows the same hospitality that she
displayed; and. taking them into his own
home, he washes their stripes and nour-
tshes their spent bodies
The next day. the magistrates doubt
less suspecting that their action was
| in-advised, sent word to the prison
| that they should be released; but with
quiet. insistent dignity the prisoners
claimed that inasmuch as they had
beaten a Roman uncondemned." they
should come in person to release them.
and this they did, desiring them to
depart out Of their city"
Twice or thrice again Paul visited the
scene OF his early labors. and in his
age and from his prison cell at Rome
| he wrote that letter which we call
''the Epistle to the Philippians" burn
ing with zeal. fragrant with gratitude,
buoyant with spiritual hope-the only
| one Of his letters in which he does
| not use the lash.
Around the modern Turkish village