The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1916-06-02
LESSON FOR JUNE 4.
TIE CALL OF THE WEST.

sdIHul CtluECn, fHul ana B~afIanAS M
others continued their evangelism In
that city (ch. 1880. These leaders
soon felt the need OF rcyisitlng tho
scenes OF their former labors ". 3G).
but when It came to the organization
OF their party, Paul refused TO aCcede
to tho decision of Barnabas that John
Mark should accompany them Tvs. 81.
IS, see Acts l413l. SO sharp a con
tention arose that two parties were or
ganized. That Paul later forgavs
Mark Is evidenced by his tender refer
ences to him.
|. A Closed Door. Oh. 1918. Paul's
companions for this second mission
airy tour were Silas U5:4Ol, Luke
tsee use Of word ''wo,' v. 1877, and
Timothy ". 1-3). The latter came OF
good ancestry, had good training and
was OF good report, still to avoid con
tention he submitted to the rite Of
circumcision. Pauls work was to
promulgate the Jerusalem decree, to
establish or to confirm the churches
and to add to these churches new" con,
verts. But that did not entirely full
I'LL Paul's commission (9:15). The
word Asia" ". g. means the Roman
province OF Asia and, wisely obeying
the Spirits direction, Paul passed on
until he came to tho seaport town Of
Troas. At a later time Paul spoke
the word Of the Lord Jesus" In Asia
with wonderful effect 90: /, s, 10,
26, ~. 1t must have burned within
the bones Of Paul thus to be re-
strained, but It did not serve az an ex
cuse for him to take a vacation, but
rather to seek new fields wherein to
preach. Thus he came to Troas. 1t
must have appeared strange At the
time. but God was working out larger
plans for his faithful servant and for
the advancement Of his infant church.
In this connection 1t Ia suggestive
(see Revised Versi0n), that the name
given to the Spirit Is tho Spirit OF
Jesus" indicating hts nearnesn to and
directions In evory advance step.
II. The Macedonian Call. v. S.1S.
Paul had several epochmaling vi.
sions: on the Damascus road (9:3, 1
and 2G:19): In Jerusalem t23:1D; at
the time Of his shipwreck (27:23),
and tho n we are now considering.
A vision Is a knowledge OF the need
and of the resources ut ones com.
mand. Grecian beauty, philosophy.
art and culture needed Christ.
Christ az a resource wal adequate
and available to supply that need.
This vision Paul saw; through It God
called him to Macedonia. I'VE"
(the first use Of that pronoun In the
book Of Acts). Paul and Luke, imma-
diately essayed to obey. Tradition
tells us that Luke the beloved phyBi-
clan" was q native of Antioch and
had met Paul at the university Of Tar.
sus.
The promptness with which these
men responded is worthy OF empha-
sis. The vision amounted to q cali,
and n response to Gods call must for
all time be the secret of q happy and
effective life. There Is no progress
in mere metaphysical speculation.
III. Tho Open Door, v. IA, 16. On
what seeming trifles does history
turn! An outcast wandering Jew
coming to help a proud. cultured, In
.fiuential foreign city, but he bears the
Gospel which alone can be OF help
to them. Paul did not wait to "in-
vestigate the field" nor To establish
a working organization. He knew
a better point of contact, and that was
to find those In that city who knew
God ever though ignorant OF Christ.
He began by preaching Jesus, not
comparative religions. nor did he
seek to found community centers"
with soup kitchens and social uplift.
Paul knew that to elevate the individ.
ual by establishing him In the faith Of
Christ would soon result In commu-
uplIft, On the other hand, q
faith which eyaporates in words and
does not give tangible. concrete evi.
dence In works may we'll be chal-
lenged as to Its being genuine. There
was no supernatural direction as 10
what part Of Macedonia Paul was TO
visit, and exercising his common
sense. Paul went at once to the prtn.
cipal city. He did not begin at once
10 preach the Gospel ". IL r. W,
waited and watched for an oppor.
doubtless praying much for .
opening tCh. 10: IA; 17:2;
1910. When they did begin It was
In a most modest and humble way.
Not even In q synogague--no crowd
called together by flaming advertise
simply q company Of obscure,
women gathered according to
custom, apart from the syna-
sogue. by the side Of running water"
The man Of Macedonia seems to
rave been a IN unless we consider
he Philippian Tailor. This open-sir
meeting was one Of the most notable
history. The Lord opened the
leart Of pious Lydia and 1t va the
point Of the evangelization Of
and America and the world.
]od must open the hearts OF men and
women John ga, As; Eph. 1:17, IS;
luke 24:45), and this he is willing
md glad to do. The steps OF this
vorlan's conversion are clearly
and present q good type. ~
She went out to pray ". 49,. (2) She
leard the word ". 10. IA; see also
John 5:24). C) she had her heart
,pened by the Lord ". 14). ~ She
gave heed to the things which were
'poken" ". 10 and Mark 1910. (5)
,he made public confession Of her
faith by baptism.