Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1923-11-29


shadow of death, or missionaries might
be coming to us from India and China
Paul went to Philippi. an important
city Of Macedonia. But no man met
him and gave him welcome. Indeed,
he tarried in that place several days,
without any apparent tokens that God
had really sent him thither. On the
Sabbath, he and his companions Wis
tied Jewish place Of prayer by the
river side, and Lydia, whose name has
been fragrant In the Christian church
throughout the centuries, comes upon
the scene.
We should not forget that this first
convert to the Christian faith in Ee-
rope was woman. Not only SO, she
was well-to-do, as Is implied by the
fact that she was seller of purple"
She conducted trade in purple-dyed
garments, the finest wares. 1t may be
as difficult for rich man to enter the
Kingdom of Heaven as for camel to
pass through the eye of a needle, but
1t is not an impossibility. We soon
find Lydia opening her house to the
poor missionaries, and it is harbin-
ger of the effect of the Gospel In
loosening purse strings and leading
men and women of wealth to lay their
means at the feet of Jesus.
Destroying Barriers OF Race.
We are told she was Of the city OF
Thyatira, in Asia Minor. so that she
was an Asiatic. Later, in Philippi,
Paul led the jailer, who was Roman
to Christ, and 1t is likely the
Greek slave girl. out Of whom the
demon was cast, became Christian.
Behold, then, the alchemy Of grace,
which breaks down all barriers of dis
tinction as to race and sex and social
positions How much needed, today, Is
society
Lydia ''worshiped God" which
means that, although Gentle, she had
come to fear the God of Israel. Yet,
though devout, she needed salvation.
In this she reminds us Of Cornelius, of
whom it is said that he was "a de-
vout man. and one that feared God
with all his house, which gave aims to
the people, and prayed to God always
(Acts 10 ~. Yet an angel told him to
send to Joppa for Peter who would
| tell him words whereby he and all his
house should be Saved" (Acts 11:14.
Is it likely that there Is anyone who
does not need to be saved no mat
ter how reyerent and moral, If Cor
nelius needed this blessing through
hearing and believing the gospel?
Faith by Hearing.
There is reason to believe that
Lydia was not saved the first time she
heard these Christian preachers. Stu
dents of the original text tell us that 1t
indicates she came repeatedly to the
preaching. What encouragement is
here for the earnest seeker of Christ.
Mr.. Sturgeon used to urge these seek
| ing salvation to be found much where
the Word of God was proclaimed, for
faith cometh by hearing and hearing
by the Word of Cod (Romans 10:1O.
The secret of her salvation, in the
| final analysis, liz found in the state
ment, whose heart the Lord opened
that she attended unto the things
which were spoken of Paul" We
know of no other hope Of getting hui
| man hearts opened to the gospel, ex-
cept the hope that the Lord will open
them. Even this gentle, devout woman
must needs have this divine grace to
enable her to repent and believe the
gospel. But what confidence 1t gives
us for the salvation of those about US,
that the Lord Himself may be be-
sought to open their hearts by His all
conquering grace. We live in a day
when an attempt is made to bring
everything down to the natural plane
but competent writer las well said:
psychological analysis does not eliin-
mate the direct workings Of the Holy
Spirit"
Names in Heaven.
Paul in writing to Philippi later,
spoke Of two women, Eucdias and Syn
tyche, who had labored with him in
the gospel and with his fellow labor
ers. whose names are in the book Of
life." Lydia's name is written in that
book. Marvellous privilege that your
name and mine may be written there!
Jesus told His disciples not to rejoice
so much In that the evil spirits were
subject to them, but rather because
their names were written in Heaven.
This high honor will be ours if, like
Lydia, we attend to the word of the
gospel. Well may each of US sing:
In the book of Thy Kingdom
with it's pages SO fair,
Tell me, Jesus my Savior,
Is my name written there7