Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-12
Sunday School Lesson

peace of the world than is found in the
armies and navies of all the nations.
The armed forces have demonstrated
their value as a police force. but they
have failed to produce the spirit of
brotherhood that Is needed to usher in
the era of peace and goodwill among
men. While Christians throughout
the centuries have failed to make the
whole world Christian, nevertheless in
Christian missions rests the worlds
hope of permanent peace.
When the whole force of Christian
ity is marshaled to conquer all man.
kind for Christ, we will realize the
unity, reality and universally of our
spiritual appeal to all men. Christ
ianity emphasizes the unity of God,
the unity of the human race, the unity
of the world field. the essential unity
of the church, which is the body of
Christ; the reality of sin, the real
ity of redemption, the reality of Christ
ian experience, the reality of the pre-
sence Of God revealed and realized in
human life, the universally of the
gospel, the universally of human
need, the universally of personal infiu-
ence. the universally of every mans
opportunity" so that in the gospel of
Christ we have both the spiritual and
ethical teachings fitted to meet mems
needs.
Civilizing Europe.
Ramsay considers the section of our
lesson selected from Acts to be the
most remarkable paragraph penned
by the great historian. This epoch
making vision came to Paul at Troas,
after the Holy Spirit had closed door
after door on missionary work for
Iln rIn a wv ~ 80 he
Macedonian and his appeal for the
great missionary to cross the Helle-
spont and help the Greeks with the
gospel was an appeal that moved Paul.
His early days in city of culture had
made clear to him that Greece pos
sessed every secular thing that the
heart could desire-'beauty, philos.
ophy, art, culture. gaiety." He recog.
nized in this appeal the cry of the
secular for the spiritual as a command
of God for him to attempt to win a
continent for Christ.
The vision was a repetition of the
Masters marching orders to His
church to attempt the conversion of
the world. His ardent zeal to advance
the kingdom had chafed under the re-
strictions imposed upon his missionary
activities. He saw in the appearance
of the Macedonian and his appeal a di-
rect call for him to leave Asia and
enter Europe. His decision to respond
Immediately was turning point in the
worlds history. An eminent historian
claims that Paul carried civilization to
Europe when he landed in Greece.
There were not enough Jews in
Phillip to own a synagogue, so the
Apostle found their meeting place for
prayer, where upon the following Sab
kat 90 IL. Z.
pounded to those assembled the gos-
pei. The first convert was a native
Of the very section of Asia Minor
where he had sought to preach. She
evidently was the owner Of a prosper
GUS business. Her conversation and
confession Of Crist in baptism resulted
In her opening her home for the mis-
sionary party, as a base OF operations.
Whenever Christianity enters a mis-
sion field with the teachings Of Christ,
the converts demonstrate their faith
by sacrificial service and giving that
proves to men conclusively the SUI
Christianity Facing Crisis.
Although every denomination has
met with wonderful outpouringS of
the Holy Spirits presence and great
ingatherings, a crisis exists in mod
ern missions that challenges our faith,
daring us to be Christ's not only by
profession, but by action. Immediate
~ after the close of the World War
great movements were launched that
have been honored Of God. but at
this moment. just the boards are
reaping the results Of these mission
dry movements, they are facing def
cits and the possible recall Of mission