Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1916-05-31
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson x.-Second Quarter, For
June 4, 1916.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text Of the Lesson, Acts xvi, els.
Memory Verses, 9, 1o-Golden Text,
Acts xvi, documentary Prepared
by Rev, D. N. Stearns.

1t is beautiful to see Paul and Bar
nabas and Silas and others teaching
and preaching the word of the Lord at
Antioch after their return from Jeru-
salem. Personally am heartily CRATE
full to God that He ever led me to give
myself wholly to the study and ex-
position of His word and that He has
been graciously pleased TO use me to
help many to know Him better. This
morning MAY %, 1919 among other
mail was a letter which said: Many,
many years ago lit must be twenty five
at least / learned to love my Bible
through your teaching, and now | am
teaching large classes each week l
have a class of i65 ladies and am
teaching in Genesis-'My heart cries,
II will extol Thee my God. o King.
and / will bless thy name forever and
ever" ~" FPS cxlv, u. 1t Is not COM
forting TO read Of the contention over
John Mark which led to the separation
of such good friends as Barnabas and
Paul but the Lord overruled 1t for
good by sending forth four mission
aries instead OF two, Barnabas and
Mark sailing to Cyprus, while Paul
and Silas went through Syria and Gill
cia CIV, 35-41).
The first missionary tour ended at
Lystra and Derbe, whence Paul and
Barnabas retraced their steps by the
way they had come. strengthening the
saints and assuring them that tribuia-
ton was the way to the kingdom
civ, 21-26). Now we find Paul again
at Lystra and Derbe and are intro
duced to Timothy, Of whom Paul spoke
AZ my own son In the faith" and OF
whom he wrote saying, Il have no
man so dear unto me" q Tim. l. 2;
Phil. ii. 20: marginl. He also speaks
Of his mother, Eunice, and his grand
mother. Lois, and Of their unfeigned
faith, which had been granted TO Tim
othy likewise Oh Tim |, 81. Being well
reported Of by tie brethren that were
at Lystra and Iconium, Paul took him
along with him on this journey, and
we find him associated with Paul In
his letters to several Of the churches.
while In each Of the letters to the
Thessalonians the greeting Is from
Paul and Silas and Timothy.
1t will certainly be interesting II
Timothy shall tell US some day in the
kingdom that he saw Paul stoned,
dragged out Of the city as a dead man.
return to life and return TO the city.
and that with the teaching at home led
him to receive the Lord Jesus; wheth-
er in that way or just by the word
preached he was one Of those whom
God gave to Paul and In special way
a man after his own heart (verses 1-3).
As they went from city to city they
were able to comfort and strengthen
the disciples by the decision OF the
Jerusalem council verses 4, 81.
Having passed through what is
known as Asia Minor to the extreme
west, they were forbidden by the Holy
Spirit to preach the word in the prov
ince OF Asia or In Bithymia verses 8.
., and this leads us to notice the con
troll and guidance and power of the
Holy Spirit In all this working of the
risen and assembled Christ through HIS
messengers.
Whether it be our Lord Himself or
Peter or Stephen or Philip or Paul and
his companions, the Holy Spirit Is the
speaker, the worker, the teacher. the
guide, the controller In all things. He
Il mentioned fifty times In seventeen
chapters Of this book. There Is moth
ing that q believer needs so much as
to be filed with and controlled by Him,
for only thus can the risen Christ man
ifest Himself In US and work His
works through US. We are not told
how the Spirit forbade them to go to
Asia or suffered them not to go into
Bithynia- 1t may have been by cir
cumstances or by direct message, as
when He told Philip to speak to the
treasurer. or Peter to go with the mes
sengers from Cornelius viii, %; K, 49,.
Oh, for ears to hear and readiness to
obey, a heart In tune with God, life
fully yielded to Him!
While at Troas Paul saw. In a vision
of the night, a man of Macedonia, In
Europe, and he heard him say. Come
over and help u.s." Therefore they con-
cluded that the Lord was calling them
to Europe, and 20 they crossed to Ne
apolis and went to Philippi. the chief
city of that part Of Macedonia verses
SID. If We have no wills nor plans
OF our own the Lord will In His own
time and way give us sure guidance
Ps. xxi, 8; lisa XXX, 21: Elk. xiii.
2O). They did not at first find the man
Of the vision. but In our next lesson
In this book we shall see man and
his household made glad.
They did find ON the Sabbath wo-
mems prayer meeting. and az they
spake the word Of the Lord. the heart
OF a woman named Lydia was opened
TO receive the message, and being bap-
Used, abe and her household, she con-
strained the apostles to make her house
%o~ kh~ TINA hoinU lyarna1