Evening star., 1931-12-26

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and ever. r."-Revelations, Kills.
Our Nation holds It's position of pri-
macy and power today because OF the
events we have been studying during
the past quarter When Paul was won
for the Lord Jesus, our Master secured
from the ranks of the enemies OF His
people the man whom he determined
would become His ambassador to the
Gentiles. He was Jew by birth and
also Roman citizen His boyhood days
had been spent in Tarsus, the city OF
his birth, which was not only center
OF commerce, but also of Greek cul-
ture. He had been educated in Jeru-
salem, where one of the leading He
brew scholars of all time had been his
teacher Although Christ had selected
him to carry the gospel into Europe,
Paul started out on his third missionary
journey determined to evangelize the
fouriShing and strategic cities OF
Asia" The apostle was forbidden OF
the Holy Ghost" carrying out his pro-
gram. so he came to Troas, a seaport
community, where he was guided to
enter the epoch-making plan OF carry
ing Christianity into Europe. His deci-
sion to follow the divine revelation re-
suited in Paul and his small band car
rying "civilization into Europe" when
they started upon winning Macedonia
for Christ That decision determined
the character of not only Europe, but
especially our own land, whose first set
tiers came across the uncharted ocean
to establish new civilization based
upon Christian teachings and the prin-
ciples of religious freedom.
Although Paul was directed by the
Holy Spirit not to enter what is now
Asia Minor, our last two studies were
taken from the writings that the Apos-
tie John sent to the seven churches in
Asia '-EpheSus, Smyrna, Pergemum,
Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Lao
decea-after God had given him a
revelation while he was a prisoner in
Patmos because he had been a faith
full preacher of the Gospel in that sec
tion, where Paul desired to enter as
missionary evangelist His first letter
we considered last Sunday in our study
of the greatest event in history, that
Christmas calls for all to consider every
year Gods gift of his only begotten
Son changed the map of the world. the
character of men and the destiny Of
nations. One Of our lessons gave us
message from the work of Paul in
Ephesus and another pointed out to us
the apostles experience in Jerusalem,
that resulted in his carrying out his
plan of preaching in Rome. Aside from
these four lessons, all of them were
connected with Pauls missionary work
in Europe.
Christianity Enters Europe.
1t may have been due to the apos-
ties requiring the services Of a physi-
clan that Luke was called to visit him
professionally. Through him, in all
probability, Paul learned Of the need
of the Macedonians, which impressed
him so much that he heard the call of
the man from that land urging him 20
come over and help them The provi-
dental leadings of God were so clear
that the apostle lost no time in pre-
pairing to carry Christianity into Eu-
rope. When the missionaries entered
Greece they opened up the campaign
to win that continent for Christ Their
first convert was a business woman,
who was converted in prayer meeting
by the riverside where Paul preached
to the few assembled there the mes
sage of salvation. Lydia opened her
home for their headquarters.
4iC lltAU tUllN 6lI llldI we TedO
was Greek slave, whose gifts were
utilized by her owners to increase their
wealth. Her conversion hit their
pocketbook. so they raised new issue
claiming that Paul and Silas were law
breakers. Their revenge resulted in
Paul and his associate being placed in
prison, where they prayed and sang
Gods praise. Their prayers and songs
attracted the attention of the other
prisoners who saw in the earthquake
a divine answer to their petitions. The
1ailer would have committed suicide, if
Paul had not stopped him. His con-
version followed and he made a confess
sion OF his faith. Paul never forgot
this first European church and they
supported him in his missionary work
generously.
Leaving Philippi, We journeyed with
Paul to TheSsalonica and then to Berea.
He persuaded many Gentiles to turn
from idols to serve the living and true
Cod His success was so great in
IhesSalonica that he had organized
strong church there; when Influenced
by persecution. Paul moved on to Berea.
there he found his fellow countrymen
tested his message by searching the Old
Testament prophecies to verify the
message. His ministry reached
several Grecian women and a number
OF men, who probably had been at
tracted to Judaism by its high religious
locals and principles. When the fires
OF persecution broke out there. Paul left
SllaS and Timothy in Berea to complete
the work of organizing the church and
pressed on to Athens. His address on
Mars Hill failed to grip Athens, SO we
followed Paul to Corinth, one of the
most important cities in the Roman
Empire. In this commercial center,
noted for the corruption and the cos
mopolltan character of it's population,
Paul did strong work, and received
the protection of the Governor, who re-
fused to recognize the charges of his
enemies that he was violating the law
oy his preaching. Among the epistles
lhat ne wrote to the churches, where
ne had worked while in Corinth, the
two letters to the Thessalonians have
come down to us. His letter to the
Galatians, written from Ephesus, and
the epistle to the Romans we consid-
cred In connection with our temperance
lesson.
Preaching In Rome.
When persecution forced him out of
tpheSus, Paul revisited the churches
hat he had established in Europe, max
ng a collection for the poor that he
carried with him TO Jerusalem. Here
Paul was mobbed as a result of a COM
promise effort made to prove his love
'or his brethren and especially his
loyalty to the teachings Of Moses and
The prophets. The forces of the Roman
government saved his life by their in
,ervention. The captain of the guard,
when he learned that Paul was a Ro-
nan citizen, extended every possible
courtesy and protected Paul by sending
him under an armed escort to Festus.
In making his defense before this pro-
curator, the Apostle appealed to Caesar.
Reaching Rome after series of expert
ences that ~had increased mis- prestige
with the government, Paul was permit
led to hire his own home, that became
his prison for two years.