The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-08-12

by the powers, before Mustapha Renal
Pasha revised their plans for them.
Adaiia, the port assigned the Italians,
is where Paul and Bafnabas landed
and left.
We may take the much discussed
LBagdad railway to the scene of our
Lesson; for Konia is the principal sta
tion on the line in Anatolia, and the
junction point for all Smyrna Lystra
and Derbes our other two lesson cities,
are along the line to the east. Derbe
is amid the magnified scenery just be-
fore you come to the Taurus noun
tains; it is almost due north of Pauls
home town of Tarsus- If he had al
ready evangelical the Cicilian Plain
(Which the French have lately had to
evacuate), his carrying the Good News
to Derbe would be like a generals eff
fccting a junction of his two 'front.'
For be it remembered that this mis-
s,onary tour was no hasty trip, but a
campaign covering three or four years.
The great apostle entertained none of
the easy and superficial conceptions of
the missionary enterprise which are
sometimes prevalent.
Apotheosized-Then Mobbed.
A theological professor told me. the
other day, OF a Boston minister who
was examining his face in his study
mirror when a visitor unexpectedly
came upon nlnl- me clergyman was
heard soliloquising, Napoleon Bona
pare Jebb, you are the handsomest
man in iBoston!"
Insofar as he had any reputation
at all, that really was the reputation
this popinjay preacher possessed. OF
course. no man who would care so
much for his personal appearance
could ever mean anything serious to
the world. In this lesson we find Paul
and Baranbas hailed as gods, and it
wrought them up to a pitch of horror.
They wanted no honors for themselves.
After their popularity and then ex-
pulsion from Iconium, they had gone
to Lystra, where Timothy was doubt
less one of their converts; and there,
too, they had shared the Masters ex-
perience of being acclaimed with no.
sannas and then bounded with curses.
Popular favor is a tickle MISTRESS
At Lystra, Paul had healed a lame
man. The miracle was sensational.
Before ever the Christian missionaries
knew it, the word had run thru the
bazaars and baths that Jupiter and
Mercury had come to earth, in the
person of Barnabas and Paul. So
the mob, led by their priests, brought
garlands and sacrifices to offer to the
strangers.
Shocked, outraged and Inundated
that any glory should come to them
that belonged to God, the Apostles
dAS 1OtIh dA1OIS LIE
rending their clothes and protesting
against such an exaltation and apothe-
osis of themselves. Significantly, tho,
these missionaries, whom nothing
could divert from their first work,
used the occasion as an opportunity
for preaching Christ. So they re-
strained the multitude.
Ere long the bitter Jewish enemies
that were now continuously on their
trail stirred up the volatile crowd
against the missionaries. who were
stoned out of Lystra. Paul was left
for dead: indeed, the text implies that
he arose by a miracle. We may easily
imagine the deep sorrow, and even
panic, that filled the group of disciples,
including young Timothy, who sur
rounded the PROSTATE and bleeding
figure. But PauPs work was not yet
done: and the next day he was off to
Antioch in Syria, where the church
received its ENJOYS with great rejoie-
ings.