Evening star., 1923-12-15

Paul the vision that pointed out to
him the line of missionary extension
1t will be an interesting study for
any one to trace through the study
of the Bible the many instances
where sleep has been the medium
through which God has spoken &c
men: Psychologists have just touched
the borderland of the powers of the
subconscious mind that works while
men sleep. 1t was q man and not
map that appeared to the apostle
The suggestion that the man was no
other than Luke, the beloved physi-
clan, who attached himself to Paul's
missionary party of Troas. has much
In its favor. "The man of Mace
donia was visualized to the apostle
through his subconsciousness Sc
long as Paul was conscious of his
surroundings, limitations and pre-
ventions God could not reveal His
will and purpose to His servant. Blu,
when the cerebro-spinal nerve sys-
tenn was at rest and the sympa-
thetic nerve system was awake God
photographed upon that sensitized
surface the revelation of His will
Between Troas and Rome was most
OF the then known world when Pau
responded to the call for him to Cir
die the globe with the gospel. A
similar call comes to every Christian
today from the suffering nations OF
war-tired- Europe "to come over and
help" them. The same appeal Is
sounded by China seeking to free
herself from exploitation. We heard
1t when the earthquake recently Wis
tied Japan whose leaders. inspired by
western civilization, have been break
Ing from the faith of their fathers
1t is the prayer of Korea longing for
her independence, and of India, throb-
bing with the power OF new life. The
republics of Central and South Amer
lca plead for our help n assisting
them to cast aside the w.tght of cen
turies of paganism. HTom Africa
which still remains the dark con
tinent, there comes the call that Poui
heard while he slept, Come over and
! light and love.
1t was an epoch making day ir
human history when Paul and his as.
sociates sought to enter Europe. With
straight course" they succeeded
in the short space OF two days ir
carrying civilization into Europe
The apostle centered his efforts upor
the cites, and the strategic places
that he was called upon TO conquer
for Jesus Christ. The commencement
srn continent was very humble. They
| found the Jews of Philippi had nc
synagogue. Tha few residents OF
Hebrew ancestry had place fol
prayer outside OF the city upon the
banks of the Ganges. There they
Irst Saturday that they We're in
Europe, which was the commence
ment of Pauls campaign to wiz
Europe for Christ
Philippi was a miniature of the cap
ital of the great empire. 1t was a
colony with officers, laws, privileges
and spirit similar TO Rome. The sue
cess that attended their labors in
Philippi, where God opened the hearts
of a capable Jewess woman to the
truths nf the lrnGnal 1rnThar ir
of the results that would be attained
during his missionary pioneering in
Europe. Although there has develop
ed during the centuries since the
apostle preached great missionary Or
ganizationS and enlarged missionary
enterprises the methods adopted by
Paul still prevail. He based them
npon the principles and practices Of
Jesus Christ, who gave the church IN
His last message the command tC
preach the gospel unto the last man
The Lords program for worldwide
missions contains the only hope for
threatened civilization. The Master :
desire to unity all nations by His
spirit of love is the only foundation
upon which a world court, league OF
nations, or an association of nations
can be erected that will bring peace
to all nations and unite them into
a fraternity of nations. Until all ma
tionS are evangelical we cannot eS'
peCt permanent peace.
Paul found in his pioneer work thai
Europe responded to his message. He
sowed the seeds of the gospel of free
dom that was destined 10 ripen II
the life of America and become the
spirit that gave unity to the allies
and our land in seeking Ito save
den ocracy for the world" Paul and
Silas endured the penalty of the
prison because they had mastered the
spirit of Python In the possessed girl
They turned the prison cell into a
prayer meeting room, where he and
Silas prayed and praised God. An
earthquake offered them freedom, but
they used il to advance the kingdom
Of their Lord. They won the jailer and
baptized his household as well as the
jailer. who would not have been con-
verted had Paul claimed his rights
as Roman citizen. Phillip, Beroea
Thessalonica and Corinth and the sur
rounding sections We're visited
Churches were established. Rome
the political capital and center OF
civilization, awaited to be won. Ii
was due to his claims Of being &
Roman that Paul finally reached
Rome as prisoner. and did some OF
his greatest work for worldwide
missions. The ancient capital was
like Washington today. It's influence
swayed the world. If our nations
Capital was controlled by the infiu-
ence of Christ 1t would help make al
nations and races subjects of the
Lord.
Prison life did not hinder the apos-
tie from preaching Christ. He made
his "own hired house" a church audi
torium and a school of prayer He
opened up correspondents courses
upon the glory of the gospel with
he had established. The New Testa-
ment is by-product of missionary
endeavor. Paul contributed a large
portion of 1t while % prisoner OF
Christ Jesus" not of Rome, but in
the bonds of the Lord for the pur-
pose of helping the Gentiies. to whom
he had preached the good news Of
the Lord He reminds the Epresians
that he was in prison because of his
passion to preach the democratic gos-
pei of Christ and of his program OF
treating the Gentle nations just like
he would treat the Jew.
The missionary whose pioneer work
had embraced the Roman empire anC
whose passion for souls moved him
prison for his fidelity to Jesus Chris
and his loyalty to his brethren of the
Gentle churches, whom he consid'
cred to be co-heirs in the promises
of God. is an inspiration to us to at
tempt to finish the task of winnins
the world for Christ. When We
realize that our Lord is no respectol
of persons we will try to live with
all men as brothers. The missionary
finds that he wins converts for the
Lord by treating the pagans as
brothers. 1t is only on this founda-
tion principle that missionary or
church work can succeed. Paul re-
manned an intense Jewish patriot
during all his efforts to create an in
ternational spirit of good will and