The Green Forest tribune., 1916-06-16
LESSON FOR JUNE 18.
THE pHlLlPPlAN JAtLER.


 Dean Vaughn has said of this lesson
 that in it we have an epitome of the
 whole history of the gospel" The time
 was A. D. 50 or 52 and the place was
 Philippi, an important city, as before suggested.
 |. The Damse Delivered of Demons | (vv. 16-1S). On their way to the pray ing place where they had met Lydia,
 the disciples met this maid who had a spirit, a Python" Greek soothsayers
 were supposed to be inspired by Apol- | To, who killed a great snake at Mt.
 Parnassus and left it to rot The girl
 was probably possessed of hysteria
 and thus spoke strange words, and her 1 condition brought much profit to her
 masters, who professed to interpret her words. This evidence of evil pos
 session aWoke a sympathetic response
 in Paul's heart. Her misery and | degradation were a symbol of the 1 degradation, as Lydia's sweet and be-
 nevolent Christian character was of
 the transfiguration of womanhood. ."-
 Stalker. Her cry after Paul was per haps that they were the slaves of some god, even as she was the slave of Apol-
 10. The Gadarene (Luke 8:28) used similar language. Paul did not at once 1 stop her (v. 8, perhaps to avoid con- troversy, but his deIiberation made 1 more profound the final deliverance
 wrought. Worn out at last with her
 cries, but taking no credit himself, | Paul spoke the name of Power which
 had foretold just such acts (Mk.. l 16:1T; Lk. 9:1; Lk. 10:1O.
 II. The Disciples in Prison (vv. 19- 24) Of no further commercial value, the slave drivers sought revenge by melting a mob to attack Paul and his
 companions. So today the liquor in- terests would seek remuneration for l the loss of their business" and
 anathematize their opponents, while
 the underworld tries to overthrow all
 who seek to restrain them. Paul and | Silas were accused of troubling" the
 city, for the trade has been interfered
 with. It, indeed, went hard with them
 thus to be unjustly set upon and final
 ly, through the connivance of t9e
 spineless authoritiesfna 1rnttaa | Selt0a seiuei
 ated in a filthy dd4 iii'0u States
 +t o ,,,oia,.i+,~ Lat the attempt to ar.
 tue ne, @ Nation might be renewed if +lio --1'D Carranzas reply to Secretary
 Lanslng's last note furnished any
 pase on which the proposal could be
 founqkl.
 ss .s.:,sa.s.ss,,.s !ss
 1y5). Christ before Pilate Vas ae
 c,ised of sedition, and these fogged dis
 ciples were likewise innocent suffer
 CTS. CD Prayer and praise (25-26)
 Praying, they sang hymns,"-in the
 midst of that heterogeneous lot of pris-
 oners they did not could not, keep si- l lent. The result was attentive listen l ing by the other prisoners and by a loving Heavenly Father, who shook
 the place to evidence his interest (V. 26). @ The jailed delivered. The
 place was so shaken that every barred
 door was opened and the staples of the stocks were so Ioosened as to liberate every prisoner. (3) The jailer saved. The brutal one is now the anxious in- quirer and becomes a good type for all to follow who are out off Christ. (a) He saw he was lost. He was subject to the same death as his escaped pris- oners. "Supposing" (v. 27) has dark ened many lives, and our greatest sor- rows are often imagined. Face to face with death, the jailer would plunge into an eternity for which he was not prepared. Paul's clarion call brought the jailer to express his anxie- ty (v 29), and it was not triaing nor indifferent man who ap- pealed to Paul. He was brought face to face with two holy men, with God and with eternity
 Those to whom he came knew the facts, had faith, and could meet the of life with confidence. (b) The jailer's question and it's an- swer. This question is the most i'm portant of life, and the answer is very simple. What is it to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ? The same as to believe in any other person. He is to take him (John 1:12) as Savior, Lord | and King, as the only One who can de- | l finally from the presence of sin (Acts 2: 36; Heb. ': 25). It is to commit all | we have and are to him (II Tim. 1:12) | Or guidance; to surrender absolutely | 70 him, cast all upon him and leave Ill with him. God is love, and we can safely trust in his justice yet in his son the full penalty of sin has been net and through him we are saved rom it's depression and power unto ; godly character and unselfish career. Salvation is loving everything God owes and hating everything God lates. Sam Jones. (c) Those saved. )ur trust makes a way for Christ to ave and for us to make a trial of him. 1e does the rest. The result was first
 service of ministration (v. 33), washing the disciples stripes as he had 'een washed from sin, and then ervice of testimony by being baptised n the water reservoir or swimming ath common to such houses The of Thyatire; the native lave girl with the divining spirit; the ,oman jailer-all alike acknowledged heir new faith; one an Asiatic, the ther Greek, and the third a Roman"
 w. The HumbIed Magistrates (vv 5-40). The jailer evidences joy, hos itality and changed home, which ews must have reached the magis- ates. Their early command was to let these fellows go." Paul here ses to his full dignity. Beaten open , condemned without trial and yer { ct, does not allow them to cover cir crime and blunder by stealth. The magistrates were liable to loss position, goods, and even life, and nee willingly did all that Paul re-