The Green Forest tribune., 1916-02-25
INTERNATIONAL, SUNDGYSCID)OL
 LESSON (By B. o. SELLERS, Acting Director of Sunday School Course, Moody Bible Institute.)
 Copyright, 1916, Western Newspaper Union.) )
LESSON FOR FEBRUARY 27
THE SEVEN HELPERS.
| LESSON TEXT-Acts 6

O. GOLDEN TEXT-Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christi Gal. 6:2
 1t would be source of great bless ing ii every teacher and scholar would read through the book ot Acts several times during the year. Such reading will give vision, inspiration and more comprehensive idea of the con tinuation of what Jesus began" and which record is not yet fully written. The time of this lesson is about A. D. 35, though Ramsey places it at 32, 33; and the place, the city of Jerusalem.
 l. The Occasion, w. 1-2. Fer time the preaching ot the Gospel of Jesus continued in Jerusalem, but soon the pressure ot circumstances thrust 1t forth as prophesied (1:8). There were two groups of men in the early church: those who had been born in Judea who spoke Hebrew (Aramaic), and those born in foreign cities and who spoke the Greek language. Trou- bic arose over the distribution of funds among certain of the dependent Wid ows-the text suggests secret dis pleasure" There was imperfecticn, | seltishness, suspicion and jealousy in that early church.
 n. The Method, w. 8, 4. It does not - appear that God gave the church cut and dried program according to which it must act Certainly the church had no precedent tC follow, and step by step God was developing it. This lesson gives us a suggestion of those steps: CD As the occasion demanded, CD The Apostles refused to diminish their praying and preach ing, literally it was not pleasing" to God for the Apostles to serve tables" Such work must be done, certainly, but it was not to be done by these God-appointed and selected leaders, their duty was clearly stated. The minister's business is praying and ministering the word. These things should fully engage his attention, and in chem he is ito continue steadfast- iy. The minister cannot nanifestly know more about books than the schoolteacher; more about politics than the politician; more about med icine than the doctor; more about psychology than the college profes sor." No, that is out of the question rfl5 e @ saai sr ssTe E these lines. But he should be pre- eminent in prayer and in the minis try of the word, and furthermore he should preach that word pre-eninent ly. (3) The church, not the apos ties, must needs select these new of. ficials. (4) The qualifications of these men, who were thus to care for these temporal affairs, were (a) 'men of good report" not those bear ing doubtful regulations, nor chosen because they were rich or shrewd in business. (b) full of the spirit" It demands the Spirit-filled man to look after financial affairs as certainly as it does to teach or preach the word. Co full of wisdom" Men of com mon sense, quality often sadly lack ing among spiritually-Eainded men. Men meeting such qualifications will be men of the spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind Literally sound sense). G1 Tim. I'D.
 Ill. The Method of Choosing, w. 5, 6. CD The people did the choosing The markably democratic CD The choice was made after, and not before, pray CT had been offered This is a sug- gestion and warning for present-day practice of choosing church officials. (3) It was a legal selection, not the selection of a minority, and it was confirmed by the laying on of the hands of the apostles.
 ". The Result, w. 7, 8. First of ali upon the people. CD The word .'in- creased.'(2) The number of disciples multiplied greatly" and (3) Some of the priests of the Jews were "obedi- ent to the faith Secondly, the re- suit in the lives of the thus chosen and Spirit-anointed men gave evidence of the good hand of God. They were full of grace (Eph. Az, Acts 15:15); they were full of power" 0:S). The first two of them soon became great and mighty preachers as well. h. deed as far as we can read they even outstripped the apostles themselves in real achievement for God Ste. phen, of course, stands out pre-emi- nently. His character is suggested in verse eight. He was (a) full of faith, (b) full of the Holy Spirit Co full of grace (R. VI, (d) full Of power" How sad it is that so frequently our churches fail to make a wise and spirit-led choice of it's leaders, and are content with few, or perhaps none, be- ing added to it's membership.