The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1916-06-01

tSee use OF WOru we, V. lol, anu
Timothy ". 1-3). The latter came Of
good ancestry, had good training and
was of good report, still to avoid con
tention he submitted to the rite Of
circumcision. Paul's work was to
promulgate the Jerusalem decree. to
establish or to confirm the churches
and to add to these churches new con
verts. But that did not entirely full
fill Pauls commission (9:l5l. The
word Asia ". 81 means the Roman
province of Asia and, wisely obeying
the Spirits direction. Paul passed on
until he came to the seaport town OF
Troas At later time Paul spoke
the word of the Lord Jesus In Asia
with wonderful effect G9: l. S, 49,,
26, 27). 1t must have burned within
the bones of Paul thus to be re.
strained, but II did not serve as an eX.
cuse for him to take vacation, but
rather to seek new fields wherein to
preach. Thus he came to Troas It
must have appeared strange at the
time, but God was working out larger
plans for his faithful servant and for
the advancement Of his infant church
In this connection II is suggestive
(see Revised Version, that the name
given to the Spirit is the Spirit OF
Jesus" indicating his nearness to and
directions in every advance step.
II. The Macedonian Call. v. 9.l3.
Paul had several epotAmaking vi
sions; on the Damascus road (9:3, 4
and 26:19); in Jerusalem (23:1D: az
the time of his shipwreck (27:23),
and the one we are now considering
A vision is a knowledge of the need
and of the resources at ones com
mand. Grecian beauty philosophy,
art and culture needed Christ
Christ as resource was adequate
and available to supply that need
This vision Paul saw: through It God
called him to Macedonia We"
(the first use of that pronoun in the
book of Actsl. Paul and Luke, immG-
diately essayed to obey. Tradition
tells us that Luke the beloved physi.
cian' was a native OF Antioch and
had met Paul at the university Of Tar
sus.
The promptness with which these
men responded is worthy OF empha-
sis. The vision amounted 10 call,
and response to Gods call must for
all time be the secret of a happy and
effective life There is no progress
In mere metaphysical speculation.
III. The Open Door, v II. 10. On
what seeming tritles does history
turn, An outcast wandering Jew
coming to help proud, cultured, in.
huential foreign city, but he bears the
Gospel which alone can be of help
to them. Paul did not wait TO lin
vestigate the field nor to establish
a working organization. lie knew
better point of contact, and that was
to find those in that city who knew
God even though ignorant of Christ.
He began by preaching Jesus, not
comparative religions, nor did he
seek to found community centers"
with soup kitchens and social uplift.
Paul knew that to elevate the individ.
ual by establishing him in the faith of
Christ would soon result in commu.
nifty uplift. On the other hand
faith which evaporates in words and
does not give tangible, concrete evi.
dence in works may well he chal.
lenged as to its being genuine. There
was no supernatural direction as to
what part of Macedonia Paul was to
visit, and exercising his common
sense, Paul went at once to the prin.
cipal city. He did not begin at once
to preach the Gospel e.. II Il. W,
but waited and watched for an oppor.
tunity. doubtless praying much for a
favorable opening (Ch. 10: IA 17;2:
1870. When they did begin il was
in most modest and humble way.
Not even in a synogague-no crowd
called together by flaming advertise
ments; simply q company of obscure,
praying women gathered according to
Jewish custom. apart from the syna-
gogue, by the side of running water"
The man of Macedonia seems to
have been a woman unless we consider
the Philippian jailor This open-air
meeting was one Of the most notable
in history The Lord opened the
heart of pious Lydia and II was the
turning point of the evangelization of
Europe and America and the world
God must open the hearts of men and
women John 644, 45; Eph. 1:17, is;
Luke 24:45), and this he Is willing
and glad to do. The steps of this
woman's conversion are clearly
marked and present a good type ()
She went out to pray ". 1S), (2) She
heard the word w. lS, IA; see also
John 5:2D. (3) She had her heart
opened by the Lord ". 1D. (i) She
gave heed to the things which were
spoken " 13 and Mark 1910. t5)
She made public confession of her
uewly-found faith by baptism.
(6) She carried with her the whole
household, perhaps children, workers
n, haY hnrinacu and corvorfe 40 ~