Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-07-22
Church, Christ, Conquest.

The starting of the Christian mission
and the organization of the church in
the home of the God-fearing gentle.
next to the synagogue, aroused the
most bitter opposition to PauTs minis
try The uniting of the ruler of the
synagogue, Crispus, with the church
caused Paul to depart from his usual
custom and to baptize him with his own
hand. This served to attract the gen.
tile Corinthians. who attended in large
numbers, and many heard, believed and
were baptized.
Whenever opposition arose in the city
of the nature and kind that developed
in Corinth, 1t had been sign to Paul to
commence to pack UP and move on to
Paul ever willing left was Athens. and
there is no evidence that he established
any permanent work there. 1t was only
the appearance Of the Lord in vision
that kept the apostle at his task in
Corinth. Although Paul had seen his
Master before in visions. he, naturally,
was like any man would be, afraid of
the presence of the Lord. He was not
afraid of bodily injury, for his back
was barked with the blows Of the rod
God had given him victory when
stoned and prosecuted after he had
moved to other fields. Now the Great
Commander calls for him to stay and
win the contest al Corinth.
does not understand how important his
part may be in completely carrying out
the program of the campaign. Paul
recognized that his Lord understood
than Jesus the possibilities of victory
in the city and what His forces needed
to conquer. The presence of the Lord
meant protection and unlimited power
The prospects of large harvest of
souls challenged Paurs faith and sum-
r1f IN ed i'm n O NJ ftrl
sured through Christ's personal pres
ence of ultimate victory.
The rupture that started with the break
from the synagogue took definite form
with the arrival Of the new governor The
Jews trumped up charge against Paul
and brought him before Gallo. who was a
member OF a noted Spanish family that
had won high place in Roman life and
rician. and Seneca, the stole and tutor
OF Nero. was his brother, and Lucan, the
poet. was his nephew. The Jews thought
they could easily persuade Gallo whose
reputation Of being sweet spirited had
preceded him. to carry out their plans
TO punish Paul. The Romans love OF
the law and his high character kept
Gallo from allowing the civil author
tiles under the guise of the law to be
the tools of the malicious Jews
Why the bystanders 1ogged Sos
themes does not appear. unless it was
popular uprising against his underhand
anti-Semitic feeling. Gallo, thinking.
| possibly. that he deserved the beating
| for his unjustifable accusation, did not
interfere on his behalf. The result was
| encouraging to the apostle and the
church. for the supreme tribunal had
virtually decided in favor of Chris
tianity. Paul could now rely upon the
government to protect him from the
Jews. The proconsuPs decision gave
| him freedom to enlarge his work by
permanently establishing in Corinth a
missionary base for the conquest Of Eu-
rope by the power of the sword of God
Paurs experience in Corinth should in
| spire all to follow in the hours of dark
| ness. doubt and despair the leadership
| of Christ. for He win turn defeat into
victory.
| He Ieads us on By paths We did not know;
Upward He leads Us, though our steps be slow:
Though oft ~ faint and fslter the way.
Though storms and dsrkness Oft obscure the day.
Yet wksu the clouds ere gone
We know ha Leads w oa.