Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-01

1t appears to have required perse-
cution To break out In Jerusalem before
the membership of Christ's Church
started to carry out His great commits
sion. In the lesson before US we see
how Philip, one Of the seven, whose
name followed that Of Stephen In the
records of the election Of the deacons,
carried the gospel to Eamaria. He
/ found this city made up Of a people
Of q mixed race, part heather and
part Jew. They followed the law Of
possess the oldest copy Of the Penta-
teuch In existence. A bitter racial
prejudice and religious antagonism ex-
lsted between these worshippers Of
Jehovah.
Although the Jews had no dealings
with the SamaritanS, Jesus had been
moved to pass through Samaria. At
Jacobs well He had revealed Himself
| as the promised Messiah, taught that
( the Jews were correct In their inter-
pretations of religion, and preached to
the city which had been stirred by the
testimony of a woman to hear Him.
In His final orders concerning the ex-
tension of His kingdom, He had named
Samaria as the section where the COS.
pei should be preached following its
proclamation In Jerusalem and Judea.
Under the urge of the Holy Spirit
Philip opened up an evangelistic CAM
paign among the Samaritans, who well
coined His message and the whole city
was won. Whether this was the capital
city or Shehem, modern Nabulous, the
influence would permeate the other
city 6 miles away.
One of the forces that Philip had to
overcome In his work was that Of
Simon Magnus, whose works as magt-
clan had deluded the people so that
they spoke of him as "the great power
Of God" He was forced to recognize
IN Philips ministry a power greater
good news" and joined the ranks Of
the believers. The shallowness of his
profession was not recognized until
Peter and John visited Samaria and
placing their hands upon the converts
prayed that they should be filled with
the Holy Ghost. Seeking to possess
this power through the gift Of money
Simon found that the apostles were in
corruptible. Peters rejection Of the
mars offer and the apostles words
filled the magician with terror, for he
sought Peters prayers that he would
not suffer the result Of his sin. His
penitence was not perfect because
Simon only desired to escape the
penalty Of his iniquity.
Divinely Commissioned.
From a human standpoint, Philips
work was to continue in Samaria, He
would have carried on the city-wide
evangehstic campaign that had opened
up under his ministry If God had not
made it clear to him that he should
turn away from the crowds. The divine
message made 1t clear TO Philip that he
should go south to a section called
desert, on the lonely road to GAIA. I'm
mediately he started in obedience to
Gods orders southwark toward the
PhiliStinean territory.
God moved in mysterious way to
bring Philip upon the highway that a
prominent government ofhcial was tax
ing upon his way home from Jerusa-
lem, where he had been to worship.
The retinue of the treasurer Of the
Queen Of Ethiopia was passing by, when
once again Philip was divinely ordered
to glue himself to the chariot" where
the distinguished government ofncial
was reading aloud from the prophecy
of Isaiah. Immediately Philip ap-
preached the chariot and inquired in a
friendly way, "UnderstandeSt thou
what thou readest?" The Ethiopian
was God fearing Gentle. who. II he
were not convert to Judaism, had
been influenced by the high religious
ideals Of the Jews, to make journey to
Jerusalem to learn more Of their faith,
if he had not become q believer ID
Judaism. He revealed his humility and
candor when he answered How can I,
except some man should guide me?"
Philip needed no further request, for
he began at the same Scripture and
preached unto him Jesus" We do not
know how long the conversation was
carried on, but we do know that the
light Philip gave the eunuch must have
resulted in an animated discussion about
Christ that filled the soul of the Ethi-
opian official with the joys of saliva
ton. Obeying the orders Of his Risen
Lord, Philip won the first Gentle for
Christ and His Church. He won a key
man that day for the Lord, for through
the conversion Of the important gov
eminent official. Philip opened Ethiopia
for Christ. When we walk and talk
with the King. He may send us after
key man. Dwight L. Moody heard
the same orders as he walked along a
crowded Chicago street, commanding
him to speak to an approaching
stranger about his soul. He allowed
the man to pass, but the urge of the
divine command became so strong that
he retraced his steps and spoke to the
stranger about his personal salvation.
That man accepted Jesus Christ as his
personal Savior and in time became
the secretary Of the International Sum