Lydia. The incident recorded did not occur on the first visit to the proseucha, but some time afterwards. A certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination; literally a spirit of Python. "Python was the serpent that guarded Delphi, and which was slain by Apollo, and hence that god was called Pythius. In the temple of Apollo the organ of the oracle was always a woman, said to be inspired by the god. The heathen inhabitants of Philippi accordingly regarded this woman as inspired by Apollo. impostors and getters of unlawful gain. Hence the rough treatment which follows. The girl was a "mixture of fraud, clairvoyance, insanity, and devil." The heathen regarded the insane as inspired, because there were occasional flashes of sense out of a clouded intellect. 19-21. Violent rage on the part of these masters was the result. Their influence with the people was gone, and they had no hope of future gain. Revenge was sought. They dragged the missionaries into the forum, where the The gospel was now brought into courts were usually held. Some charge conflict with heathen superstition. In must be trumped up: "these men are the gospel we read of persons possessed throwing the city into confusion; morewith evil spirits. In the case of the girl over, they are Jews, and they are at Philippi we read of something similar. attempting to introduce new religious It is called a spirit of divination-the observances, which we, being Roman power of knowing and foretelling the citizens, cannot legally receive and future. The devils knew Jesus; they adopt." "believe and tremble." 66 These de- 22. The missionaries were stripped of mons," according to the heathen, were their garments, and beaten with rods, and to be worshipped; but Christianity then thrust into prison and firmly seidentified them with devils, which were cured. 23-24. to be cast out. This girl seemed to possess knowledge beyond that of mankind. The heathen supposed she was inspired by some spirit. Apollo was the so-called god of music, oratory, etc. He had, it was said, slain the serpent Python; hence his name. Now this girl, being accustomed to speak in an enraptured manner, was said to have a spirit of the Pythian Apollo. "Sometimes those who were possessed were of the highest condition; sometimes they went about the streets like insane impostors of the lowest rank. It was usual for the prophetic spirit to make itself known by an internal muttering or ventriloquism." One would think that the gospelcause had failed. But no; we shall see that in that very prison souls would be won for Christ." Notice the effects of the gospel upon different people. It first secured the conversion of Lydia. Then secondly, it relieved the distressed damsel from the influence of the evil spirit. Thus the gospel not only converts, but comforts and relieves. But it also provokes the opposition of bad men. The men at Philippi loved gain more than truth. The gospel destroyed their traffic: they perceived that their hope of gain was gone; and therefore they took to persecuting the missionaries. The same followed Paul and us, and Wherever the gospel is truly followed cried: The one before us followed the by a community, but little money is Apostles, and proclaimed their character spent on sinful indulgences. Saloons and mission. Paul would not tolerate are closed, dens of infamy are not frethis. He called on the demon to come quented; and the keepers of these places out of her; and his command was given take to denouncing and persecuting in that Name which causes demons to Christians for destroying their business. tremble and obey. He came out of her." These men (Christians) do exceedingly As at Jericho and Gennesareth, the de- trouble our city." moniac at Philippi was restored "to her right mind." Her natural powers resumed their course, and the gains of her owners were gone. And this was the offence of the missionaries; the gospel of Christ destroyed the wicked traffic of AN old Spanish saying full of sense and of general application:-" Grandfather farmer; father trader; son gentleman; grandson beggar." LESSON VII. SEXAGESIMA SUNDAY. THE CONVERSION OF THE JAILER. ACTS 16: 25-40. 25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. OUTLINE. Feb. 17, 1884. the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. 34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. 35 And when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, Let those men go. 36 And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace. 37 But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out. 38 And the sergeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared when they heard that they were Romans. 39 And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city. 40 And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed. 1. ANSWER TO PRAYER AND PRAISE. Vs. 25-26. GOLDEN TEXT: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shait be saved, and thy house. V. 31. INSTRUCTION. 26. Earthquake-caused by God's presence 33. An act of kindness; also household bap. and power, in answer to prayer. Doors opened, tism. 34. Meat food. Rejoiced-forgot his and bands loosed-a miraculous intervention. troubles in view of the great salvation. 3527. Keeper drew sword-intending to commit 36. An unjust and cowardly proposal. 37. suicide. Supposing, etc.; and he would have Paul refused to accept liberty unlawfully. been held responsible. 28. No harm the 38. Magistrates feared-because they were gospel forbids all injury to self. 30. Brought guilty of an outrage. 39. A proper apology out-i. e., out of the inner prison and stocks. made, and a public release from prison. 40. What must I do the question of every awak- Went out, with honor and triumph. Departed ened soul. Saved-not from Roman punish--Paul and Silas. But Luke and Timothy rement merely. 31. The great command "be-mained as pastors. lieve;" the promise—“ -"thou shalt be saved." QUESTIONS. Verse 25. Tell about the imprisonment of Paul and Silas. What did they do at midnight? Who listened? 26. What occurred? What caused. it? What effect had this upon the doors? In answer to what was this miracle performed? 27. What did the awakened keeper draw? Was suicide common among the heathen? Why did he intend to kill himself? 28. What command did Paul give? What reason did he give for the prohibition? 29. How did the jailer now conduct himself? Repeat his great question. What hearts ever ask it? Had he heard that "these men shew the way of salvation?" (V. 17.) 31. Repeat the gospel command. The pro 32. Into what was the prison converted? 33. What washing did the missionaries re ceive? Who received "the washing of regeneration?" Who besides? 34. Whither did the jailer take them? What did he give? What caused his joy? 35-36. What message did the rulers send next morning? Did the earthquake convince them of the innocence of the missionaries? 37. What reply did Paul make? Was it a specially henious offence to beat a Roman citizen? Did the law forbid public disgrace like this? Was Paul willing to go out privily? What did he say the haughty rulers must do? 38. Tell the cause of the officers' fear? 39. Did they come? Were they humbled now? What did they do? Could Paul have caused their disgrace and punishment at Rome? Did he? Can you thus forgive? 40. Whither did Paul and Silas go? What next? Who remained with the Church? CATECHISM. Ques. 107. But is it enough that we do not kill any man in the manner mentioned above? Ans. No; for when God forbids envy, hatred, and anger, He commands us to love our neighbor as ourselves; to show patience, peace, meekness, mercy, and all kindness towards him, and prevent his hurt as much as in us lies; and that we do good even unto our enemies. In the last lesson we had the account of the founding of the Church in Philippi, followed by the casting out of a demon and the imprisonment of Paul and Silas. This very hindrance turned out to the furtherance of the Gospel. 25. Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises. They had learned in whatever place they were, therein to be content They now rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ's sake. They not only prayed, but sang praises -glorified God whose servants they were. They remembered with joy the "Lord our Maker, who giveth songs in the night" (Job 34: 10). Racked with pain, sleepless and weary, they were heard at midnight,, from the depth of their prison-house, praying and singing hymns to God. And the prisoners hearkened. No wonder the prisoners listened; for singing and prayer in prisons was a new thing; but has been common since Christianity has taught its disciples to pray for "all prisoners and captives." It is probable that the hearts of many of those unhappy bondsmen were "prepared that night to receive the gospel; that the tidings of spiritual liberty came to those whom, but for the captivity of the Apostles, it would never have reached; and that the jailer himself became their evangelist and teacher." 26. There was a great earthquake. This was God's answer to their prayer. It was heard and felt by all within the prison the earthquake-shock, the opened doors, the loosened chains. 27. Drew out his sword, and would have killed. The effect produced on the jailer's mind is fully related. Awaken ed in a moment, his first thought was of his prisoners; and seeing the doors of the prison open, and supposing that the prisoners were gone, aware that inevitable death awaited him, he thought that suicide would be better than disgrace, and drew his sword. Philippi is famous for its suicides. There Cassius and Brutus ended their lives rather than be taken prisoners. Had it not been for the Apostle, the iler would have followed their evil example. 28. Do thyself no harm! This is God's In command to all despairing hearts. many ways men do themselves harm: by sinful indulgences, and by self-inflicted death. It is a crime against God, who gave life and being. Trust in God is the only safe prevention against thoughts of self-murder. We are all here-such was Paul's reason for demanding the sheathing of the sword. No prisoner has fled; and you need fear no disgrace. 29. Then he called for a light-the ordinary lamp which could be carried to him. And sprang in-into the interior of the prison where the captives were. Came trembling, for fear. He connected all that had occurred with the two prisoners, Paul and Silas, and as they were not fled away, a change of feeling came over him, and he at once judged them to be more than other men. Fell down before Paul and Silas, because he recognized that they were under the protection of One who was more than mortal. He would now show all reverence to these messengers of an unearthly King. It is probable that, when they were committed to prison, he had heard of their being religious teachers; and it is possible that he had learned something of the character of their teaching, and of their miraculous power over the demoniac slave-girl. 30 And brought them out-from the inner prison into the court of the jail, and there he asked that "celebrated question which has formed the text of so many an earnest and impassioned exhortation in such varied language during eighteen centuries." What must I do to be saved? he asked. It is a mistake to suppose that the jailer's inquiry had reference merely to temporal danger. He was in no peril ; for his prisoners were safe. "The awakening of his conscience, the presence of the unseen world, the miraculous visitation, coupled with some confused recollection of the way of salvation which these strangers had been proclaimingwere enough to suggest that inquiry which is the most momentous that any human soul can make: what must I do to be saved?" The Apostolic answer is the very essence of the gospel : 31-32. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ; such is the direction; to which is added the great promise: thou shalt be saved; and not thou alone; the life eternal is for all thy house. And doubtless every man in the prison was startled, as he listened to these glad tidings of great joy, so new to their ears. 33. Took them, and washed their stripes. Immediately upon his conversion, the jailer became humane, and washed their wounds. The evening before he had thrust them into a dungeon without any care for their bruises. Now he only thinks of relieving their bodily distress, since his anguish of mind had been turned into joy. der and gentle, and did all he could to relieve Paul and Silas. Truly conversion is a radical change of a sinner! 35-37. Morning broke on the eventful night. "In the course of that night the greatest of all changes had been wrought in the jailer's relation to this world and the next. From being the ignorant slave of a heathen magistracy, he had become the religious head of a Christian family. A change also had come over the minds of the magistrates.' They now sent word to let these men go. To this message Paul gave an ever memorable reply, (1). they have beaten And was baptized, he and all his. At us, and that, too, without a hearing or once he and all his family were baptized. trial. (2). Publicly-so that Christ's There was, doubtless, a well or fountain servants were disgraced in the commuwithin the prison, or in its surrounding nity. (3). Being Romans-and thereyard, where both washings took place. fore not lawfully subject to be beaten "He washed, and was himself washed; or imprisoned thus (4). Do they thrust they from their stripes, he from sins." us out privily? Nay, verily. The Roman -Chrysostom. law had been violated; it must be vinThe voice of Paul, saying, do thy-dicated. They have violated their self no harm, roused the jailer's mind office; let them apologize for it. out of the stupor of fear. The Stoic 38-40. Great fear came upon the rulers philosophy taught men to commit suicide whenever life was no longer agreeable. The jailer had imbibed that teaching, enforced by so many illustrious examples. Now he heard the gospel, which forbade self-murder. Why should a prisoner feel pity for a pitiless jailer? That was something strange and unusual. He was aware that these two men claimed to be servants of God, and "showed the way of salvation." Perhaps he had heard them preach during the several weeks of their sojourn. The earthquake convinced him that Paul and Silas were servants of the true God. Hence his question was perfectly natural. I have often sinned against that God, and now intended to slay myself. I am lost. What must I do to be saved? This is the most important question for the sinner. It concerns not only his happiness here and hereafter, but his character, life, usefulness. Rome would punish them severely, if these citizens should appeal. Therefore they came, and publicly rectified their great wrong, so far as they could. They besought and desired now, instead of commanding and abusing. The Apostle might have taken revenge by complaining to Rome, but forgave his enemies, and sought the congenial company of the Church; and then renewed his missionary journey, leaving others to care for the Church at Philippi. Luke and Timothy remained and cared for the little flock, of which the jailer was a member. All Roman citizens were exempted from stripes and torture. Cicero says: "It is a crime to bind a Roman citizen, a crime to scourge him." Paul was a citizen by birth, and could say: "I was free born." It was right that he and Silas should demand a public vindication of their innocence, for the sake of the Gospel. It was in their power to save the Gospel from reproach, and they used the opportunity. Notice the change in the jailer: (1). He had been a heathen; (2). He had no sympathy for the Apostles when they were thrust into prison. His occupation Songs in the night" are a proof of may have made him brutal. "No more faith, and a sign of the morning, when hopeless case for conversion can be joy cometh. The New England Thanksreadily conceived." Notice the change: giving Day was originated in a time of (1). He at once believed the gospel (2). great distress. God's people must not and was baptized, and (3). became ten-forget to sing praises. LESSON VIIL QUINQUAGESIMA SUNDAY. THESSALONIANS AND BEREANS. ACTS 17; 1-14. 1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis, and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath-days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures, 3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. 4 And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas: and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. 5 But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. 6 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down, are come hither also: Feb. 24, 1884. 7 Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Cesar, saying, that there is another king, one Jesus. 8 And they troubled the people, and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things. 9 And when they had taken security of Jason and of the other, they let them go. 10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither, went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. 12 Therefore many of them believed; also of honorable women which were Greeks, and of men not a few. 13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people. 14 And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul, to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still. OUTLINE: { 1. SUCCESS AMONG GREEKS. Vs. 1-4. 2. OPPOSITION FROM ENVIOUS JEWS. Vs. 5-9; 13-14. GOLDEN TEXT: These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether these things were true. V. 11. INSTRUCTION. 4. Consorted-cast their lot. Devout wor- | called Christ a King. 9. Security-to keep shippers of God, instead of idols. 5. Lewd fel- the peace. Berea-in Macedonia. Whether lows-literally, wicked men about the market- those things were 80-inquired, not in doubt, lace; idlers. Jason, with whom Paul and but in the spirit of faith. 14. As it were= Silas lodged. A relative of Paul (Rom. 16: even unto the sea 21). 7. Contrary to ** Cesar-because they QUESTIONS. Verse 1. What is the subject of the lesson? Is a likeness, or a contrast, drawn between the Thessalonians and Bereans? Where is Amphipolis Apollonia? Thessalonica? 2. Where did Paul go? How many Sabbaths did he preach? Had he any text-book except the Old Testament? 3. Whom did he preach to them? What two aspects of Christ's life did he present? What all is included in "suffered"? What was the conclusion of his sermon? (That Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah.) 4. Did any believe? What evidence of their faith is given? What class of heathen became disciples? Who else? Were any epistles written to these Christians? Which? 5. What feeling filled the unbelieving Jews? Whom did they take unto themselves? Who are meant? What did the mob do? Who was Jason? Is it true, in a good sense, that Christians have revolutionized the world? 7. How did they do contrary to the decrees of Cesar? Is Jesus an earthly king? 8. Who troubled the people? Does the introduction of the gospel always excite the minds of heathen? 9-10. Who went security for Paul and Silas? Whither were Paul and Silas sent? Where is Berea? 11. What can you say of the Bereans? How did they receive the word? Did they search the Scriptures with a doubting spirit? 12. Was the gospel accepted? Did the citizens create an opposition? Who, especially, believed? 13-14. From whom did the opposition come? Whither was Paul sent? Were the Jews particularly opposed to him? Who remained as pastors in Berea? Of what are the 6. What did they do with him? What Bereans a good example? (Of all diligent charge did they bring against the disciples? students and scholars of the Bible.) CATECHISM. Ques. 108. What doth the seventh command teach us? Ans. That all uncleanliness is accursed of God, and that therefore we must, with all our hearts, detest the same, and live chastely and temperately, whether in holy wedlock, or in a single life. |