The Detroit times., 1916-02-10

(6y WILLIAM r. glLis)
Most OF the places that figure In
the daily dispatches from the war
zones might almost as well be on
| the moon. so far a. the average
readers sense of their actual loca-
ton goes. In a general way. every.
body knows that the Ailies have e.
tablished a center At the port Of 3d.
ionika, Greece: and otheys, lees
numerous, have a vague ssographi-
cal sense OF the news that the CEN
trail powers are expected to make =
drive down the great highway from
Kavaila to Salonica.
When we recall. however. that al
this Il located on the map Of the
Apostle Pauls journeys, and that
Salonica Is his Thessalouica. %
whose Christians he wrote two let
ters: and that the apsx Of the pres
ent Balkan military situation 10 ex-
actiy where Christianity hrst invad-
ed Europe, in the person Of the great
missionary apostle. we zee new
light. IL was from the other side Of
the AEGEAN sea that Paul caught .
vision. In a dream. of . man crying.
Come over unto Macedonia and
help US" That same Macedonia. OF
which Salonica IL the chief city. 10
today q center Of the world war.
On the main road between Salon
ica and Kavalla. q road now worn
into ruts and hollows by the pas
sage OF the big guns. and about 10
miles inland from the sea. there is
little village and An ancient ruin.
That ruin Is Philippi. the once proud
city that bore the name Of Philip OF
Macedonia. Famous for its gold
mines. famous for It's battles, famous
for its prosperity In oiden times.
Philippi IL most famous as the city
where the Apostle Paul first preach
ed the gospel in Europe. There may
be great events In the vicinity OF
Philippi during the present war. but
nevertheless the place will always
have its highest honor from the fact
that here Paul established his nrst
church. and the one which he seem
ed to love best of all. All the stately
cathedrais and churches and chapels
and monasteries in Europe and
America trace their beginnings back
to the landing of Paul at Phillppi.
A Prisoners Letter
None OF the war literature that
has come out OF this neishborhood
In recent months Is comparable In
interest and importance with an old
letter. frst preserved in Philippi and
soon shared with the entire Chris
tian fellowship. written By Paul
while he was q prisoner In Rome. A
noble passage from this letter,
which still glows and throbs with
the warm personal friendship Of the
writer for the recipients, has been
selected by the international lesson
committee for study this week by
the Sunday schools of the world. We
can imagine with what peculiar In
| terest the lesson will be read by
many British mothers and children
whose husbands or fathers and
| brothers or sons are al present with
| in 10 miles of the ancient homes OF
| the people to whom the original let
ter was written.
| IL today's local color OF the lesson
II dramatic. what shall we say OF
the background during the years 81
or So. when the epistle itself was
penned! And these circumstances
need to be borne in mind for clear
understanding Of the message writ
ten by Paul. The author was in
prison In Rome. chained TO soldier.
Proud and heartless Nero, the mad
man, Was on the throne. All the
pomp and glory and seif-sssertion OF
that luxurious and ostentatious age
lies behind the letter.
with Paul in his Imprisonment
was Timothy, the beloved. The
Christians at Philippi, newly out OF
athendom, but with tender memo
ries Of their brave teacher, had sent
to the apostle In prison one Of their
number, Epaphroditus. who had
borne a gift Of money and many
messages of love, and these had
touched the heart of the imprisoned
hero. Epaphroditus himself had fal.
len III In Rome. apparently from the
dreaded Roman fever. His life had
been despaired Of. but the prayers
OF the Church had saved him. 30 hs
was sent hack 70 bis fellow church
members ~ Phillips with this low
Ing letter Of counsel from the apos-
tie who. In his prison IN Roma re-
called the time he had been q ppis-
oner st Philippi. having been arrest.
I'd on the trumped-up charges Of for.
tune-telling grafters. An earth
quake had opened the doors oe the
PhiIippi prison while Paul and silss
were singing hymns In the night
On that very night the jailer and his
family were converted. Such were
the facts behind the letter.
When Church ouarrsIs Inpsnd
A choice fragment Of the letter
has been chosen for the present les
son. II reveals the writer's solicit