Evening star., 1923-09-22

Timothy was one of the choicest
characters of the companions OF
Paul. His personality and fitness for
the work of the ministry attracted
the attention of the apostles upon
their first missionary journey. when
they visited Lystra. The location OF
this ancient community was identified
in 1885 by the discovery of marble
pedestal dedicated to Augustus near
Katyn-serai, in a fertile plain among
the mountains of Lycaonia- It was
military colony which Augustus
had established as one of chain OF
fortified communities to repress the
brigands of Bisidia and Isauria- the
garrison town had no Jewish popu-
lation. and was without a. synagogue
The population was largely com
posed of the Roman garrison anu
the aboriginal Lycaonians, VINO pre-,
served their native language and
worship. though they spoke also the
common Greek and could understahu
the preaching of the apostles, VINO
the people in the PUBIC
squire.
There was one religious family IN
the community whose home IN al
probability was opened to the apos-
ties during their stay in Lystra. w
know the names of three members OF
the home. Timothy VINO was the son
of a pagan father, was probaply
about sixteen years or age When s.,, lne
two travel-stained men. fleeing from
the prosecutions in Iconium, arrived
in Lystra and sought shelter In the
lads home. His gentle father prop
ably had been dead some time. IL is
quite evident that his mother. Eunlce
I'D dY1n nf
watched over him with the greatesI
of care. Although she had married
against the teachings of her religion
Eunice. with the assistance or ner
pious mother, had trained the youns
Timothy carefully in the teachings
OF the Scriptures. 1t would appear
from the record that this whole
household was won for Christ as .
result of the apostles ministry IN
Lystra before the persecution proke
out against them because they re-
fused to accept the demonstration oil
the masses which resulted from q
miracle performed by Paul IL leo
the people to believe that they were
the gods, Jupiter and Mercury
Doubtless they were the disciples
who ministered unto him that night
assuaging Paurs wounds and caring
for them both until they were able
to leave Lystra for Derbe.
Timothy's training for the ministry
started
word was studied and the spiritual
life cultivated by prayer and oDedl-
ence to the teachings OF the Scrip
lures. Timothy's debt to MS plous
mother and consecrated grandmotheI
for his physical, mental and moral
inheritance was increased by their
thorough training OF the lad IN the
Scriptures. We are apt to underestl-
mate the amount Of religious knowl-
edge that can be impaired TO the
children in our homes by precept and
practice. No better preparation fol-
the work of the ministry could pos
sibly been given to Timothy than the
instruction impaired to him by his
mother and grandmother: MOODY
once said that he owed all that he
all. Many OF us are what we are
| in the world because our mothers
dedicated us to the service of the
Lord before We were born Ihe
moldinE and shaping of our careers
character and capabilities under Goo
| Is largely due to the personalities OF
our mothers and grandmothers.
Luke, having found the Lord, be
1 came an active worker in the com
munity in which he dwelt and in the
| neighboring city of Iconium. The
| brethren in both the churches spoke
| we'll of the young man, whose per
| sonality had made such favorable
| impression upon Paul during the frs
| missionary journey. The apostle OBJ
| served that God had given him tht
| physical, mental and moral founda
| tions needed by q good minister o.
Jesus Christ. He called him to be
\ come his assistant. Timothy heard
| the voice of God speaking to hin
| through the apostle, for he Responded
to the call and entered upon a min
| isterial apprenticeship under the di
| rection of Paul.
One of the first things that
/ apostle advised was that Timot
! should be circumcised. Men ha
| been surprised that the great adv,
| cate of the abrogation of the law b
! the gospel should have insisted upo5
| Timothy's compliance with the re
| quirements of the Mosaic statutes
/ He ought to have been circumcised a
a child. Possibly his father may hav.
/ objected. or his mother did not de
| sire to insist upon the ceremonial a.
at the time when there was appar
| emily no opportunity open for th'
| young lad to enter into the privilege!
/ of membership in Israel. 1t was Il
/ secure the fellowship of the syna
l gogues so that he could preach the
| gospel unhindered that Paul urgeC
l Timothy to become identified with the
| race and faith of his mother. It ma,
l have been that Paul desired also t
| counteract the Grecian stream o.
\ heredity that was inevitably strivins
| to master the Jewish stream within
Timothy. calling for the surrender o
| the will or the speculation of the in
1 tellect.
There was a tie of love and affec
tion between the young minister, wht
| probably had been ordained and cir
| cumcised in the community where h