Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-01
BY REV. HUGH T. STEVENSON.

Labor Sunday finds us studying how
workingnlan, Paul, who supported
himself by working at his trade as a
tentmaker. carried the message of the
gospel into ThesSalonica and Barhea. In
carrying the entering wedge of his cam
paign to win Europe into the capital of
the province Of Macedonia the apostle
was attempting to carry out the wishes
of the Master who Himself was a
Nazareth knew all the trials of the
toiIer. and the advances made by the
workers throughout the centuries have
been due, directly or indirectly. to the
gospel of the Christ that has changed
the character Of men and the destiny
of nations
Our Lord came to seek and save that
which was lost. He knew that they
we're the victims Of sin. seen in their
heredity. environment and influences,
economic and political. that hindered
their development and nodded their
destiny. His heart was full of COM
passion for the multitude, that we're
like sheep without shepherd. but the
acceptance of His gospel has always
been followed by an improvement in
ones social, fraternal and frequently
financial standing. 1t is for this reason
that the working people throughout the
ages have found in the gospel that
which has regenerated their lives,
| transformed their characters and that
Of nations in every field Of human ac-
tivity, The one hope for all forms OF
progress is found in ethical principles
based upon Christianity TO make them
effective and permanent One cf the
sources of persecution in Philippi and
TheSsalonica came from those who
| found that the results of the Christian
teachings were destructive of their
methods of earning a living and con-
Quoting public affairs.
Preaching in Thessalonica.
! After travelling over the Egnatean
road about 100 miles, the two mission
| aries reached the great commercial and
political center of Macedonia. It was
| recognized as strategic center durins
the World War by the allies. The trip
may have been made in about three
! days, but due to the physical condition
of the missionaries 1t may have been
| longer. Their wounds were still raw
from the scourgings and their ankles
swollen from the stocks Every stor
they took was marked by intense suffer
| ing, but they pressed on. passing Amphi-
| polls. famous in the Peloponnesian -.'ar
| leaving 1t to be evangelical from
| Philippi, and through Apollonia. await
! ing the establishment of a church ir
Thessalon!ca to reach that city with the
| gospel message.
When Paul and Silas entered the
| great seaport city known today as
| Saloniki, he saw the triumphal arch
| across the main street which still stands
| there, marking the triumph of Octavius
| and Anthony over BrutuS and Cassius
| at Philippi 1t must have been pro-
| phetic to him of the coming triumph OF
| Christ and His gospel IN that city He
| found lodgings and probably lived with
! Justus, who from reference In the
! epistle to the Romans may have been a
| relative. During his activities In Thes-
/ salonica Paul supported himself work
| ing at his trade and using every oppor-
/ tunity to present Christ To the people
| OF that city. Upon three successive
Sabbaths he preached i'll the Thessa.
| lonica synagogue. for there were many
| Jews there at that day. as there are to-
| day Luke gives us the gist of his mes
Sages that Paul delivered in the svna-
gogue. following his custom of inter-
! preting the Scriptures to them. The
three points that he taught were: u1
That 1t behooved the Christ (tha Mos
siahl 10 suffer" This Jesus had taught
Luke. xxiv26. 46l t2l That it be-
hooyed Christ to rise again from the
dead" He knew this fact from per-
sonal experience, for he had seen the
risen Lord. 49, That this Jesus whom
proclaim unto you Is the Christ"
The result of such preaching by a
man on fire with the Holy Spirit was
inevitable. Some of the Jews professed
| faith and a great multitude of the de-
| vout Greeks tthe "God-fearers," who
had accepted the Jewish teachings and
helped support the synagogue by their
attendance and contributions and q
number OF important women became
Christians. The gospel of Jesus gave
TO women new place in the world and
naturally the chief women would he at
tracted to Christianity. His success
| stirred up jealousy In the minds of the
| rabbis. who sought the assistance of the
lewd men. who are ever ready to start a
| riot and rnob In an effort In NIT a sto,