LESSON VIII. Feb. 24th, 1884. ally a Gentile-Christian Church, like that at Antioch. Quinquagesima. 1. Passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia. These were the intermediate stopping places from Philippi to Thes salonica. In these two places Paul and Silas did not tarry. There may have been no synagogues there in which to begin their labors. Hence they hastened on to Thessalonica, which was from early times a commercial centre. Before the building of Constantinople, it was the capital of Greece and Illyricum, and even now Salonika is the second city of European Turkey. It was an appropriate place for one of the starting points of the gospel in Europe; and "from them the word of the Lord sounded forth like a trumpet, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place," says Paul in 1 Thess. 1: 8. It became a leading city in Christian history, and so continued for many centuries; and even in the middle-ages was called "the orthodox city." There was a synagogue of the Jews. The first scene to which we are introduced in this city is entirely Jewish. It is not a small meeting of proselyte women by the river-side, (as at Philippi) but a crowded assembly of true-born Jews intent on their worship, among whom Paul and Silas now make their appearance. 2. Paul went in unto them. Here he preached Christ crucified. The Old Testament Scriptures were the ground of his argument. He recurred to the same subject again and again. On three successive Sabbaths he argued with them. The three points on which he insisted were: (1) that He who was foretold in prophecy was to be a suffering Messiah; (2) that after death He was to rise again; (3) that the crucified Jesus of Nazareth was indeed the Messiah who was to come, v. 3. 4. And some of them believed and consorted. At first the gospel was received with favor. Some of them believed, and joined Paul and Silas. It is not said "many" but some; this refers to Jewish converts. But the Greeks, who had become proselytes to God, turned in a great multitude. Also a great many of the chief women. Hence we may call the Church of Thessalonica emphatic-| "When Paul spoke of Jesus to the Jews, it is noticeable he never appealed to His miracles, but always referred them to their own Scriptures of the Old Testament, every letter of which they valued as divine; and then, after calling their attention to this or that well-known and often-read type or prophecy of Messiah, he would turn to the life and death of Jesus, every detail of which at least the well-instructed of the foreign synagogue well knew, and would ask them, Was not this One, after all, the Messiah, the Christ?'-Schaff. Opening and alleging, explaining the sense of the Old Testament, by rightly interpreting their prophecies. The epistles to the Thessalonians give us some additional information respecting Paul's course during this ministry, and its results. He labored by night that he might not be a charge upon the infant Church (1 Thess. 2:9); and set them an example of purity and industry (10-12). His ministry was accompanied with the power of the Spirit, and produced the fruits of the Spirit (1 Thess. 1: 3-5). 5. The turning of such multitudes of Gentiles to the Christian faith aroused envy in the bosom of the Jews, who raised a mob of worthless idlers lounging about the markets. The point of attack was the house of Jason, one of Paul's relatives, where the missionaries lodged. But the Apostles were absent at the time; and hence the mob drew Jason unto the rulers, v. 6. Some charge, or indictment, must be brought; and this was agreed upon: Christians are turning the world upside down! They change religious customs, and revolutionize the thoughts, religion and daily life of mankind. Now if the Christians had been disturbers of the peace, they would have given occasion for the charge. But of all men they were the most peaceful, both in their manner of preaching and in their behaviour. But their message was certainly destroying the old foundations of ignorance, superstition, idolatry and vice, and creating a new world, wherein righteousness and truth should prevail. Turning the world upside down. "It speaks much for the spread of Christianity and its powerful influence, that words like these should come from the lips of enemies." "They uttered a great truth without knowing what they said. The religion of Christ is revolutionary. Its aim is to overthrow selfishness, cruelty, idolatry, and all forms of immorality. What human depravity has accomplished, Christianity seeks to abolish." "The gospel turns the world upside down, because the wrong side is up, and the gospel has come to put the moral world right side up. Whatever wrong is now enthroned, whatever sin is now popular, whatever evils seem to rule men, whatever falsehoods are flourishing, the gospel will cast down; and nothing can be settled till it is settled right and there can be no peace till righteousness and love and truth rule the world, and all wrongs and oppressions, all falsehoods, all evils are cast down and destroyed." "He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and exalted them of low degree." Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. The meek shall inherit the earth. The humble shall be exalted. 7-8. The specific charge was that of disloyalty; they recognize another King besides Cesar, (the Emperor of Rome), and ruler of Macedonia. Undoubtedly they had proclaimed Jesus as King of kings. But this was not rebellion. Jesus had taught that men should render to Cesar the things that are Cesar's, and unto God the things that are God's Faith in and obedience to King Immanuel, is not contrary to loyalty towards earthly rulers. 9-10. Taking security of Jason, they let them go. Jason went security for the Apostles, either by giving hostages, or a sum of money; and that same night Paul and Silas left the city. But the gospel remained, and the Church continued to exist and prosper there; whilst the word of God was carried to other cities. Unto Berea; these were more noble, and received the word with all readiness of mind. We come now to a more noble class of Jews. Berea contained a colony of them; and into their synagogue | Paul went, as was his custom. The Jews here were of a nobler spirit. Their minds were less narrowed by prejudice, and they were more willing to receive the gospel-a great contrast between them and those of Thessalonica. The Bereans not only listened to the Apostle's arguments, but they examined the Scriptures to see if his arguments were justified by prophecy. As we now compare Old Testament prophecy with New Testament fulfilment. This they did daily; and "this was the surest way to come to a strong conviction of the gospel's Divine origin. Truth sought in this spirit cannot long remain undiscovered." They that seek shall find. 12. Many of them believed-that is, may of the Jews. To their number was added a large number of honorable men and women of Greek origin. 13. Jews of Thessalonica came thither also, and raised an opposition even in Berea. Their hatred was against Paul chiefly; and hence the brethren sent him away, and thus allayed the storm, v. 14. By sea he went to Athens; but Silas and Timothy abode as pastors of the Church at Berea. In the Bereans we have an example for all men. Let parents and children, teachers and scholars, diligently follow it. Search the Scriptures daily. None have ever done so with candor, and with the spirit of prayer, without being convinced of the truth of Christianity, and without submitting to its influence. "This They that seek shall find. truth is confirmed by the fact that the great body of earnest seekers after the meaning of God's Word who seek only for the truth, substantially agree on the great doctrines of God's Word; and the great mass of sincere Christians differ less from one another in doctrine than they do in personal appearance and dress." "The genuine, honest spirit of inquiry is ever allied to true gospel teaching."-Schaff Search the Scriptures, that you may be certain in regard to your faith and convictions, "Uncertainty about religious truth, where certainty is attainable, is unmanly."-Bushnell. The Scriptures are like those lands beneath whose soil are many mines of gold, silver and precious stones. Deep study will discover the precious truth The Guardian. VOL. XXXV. MARCH, 1884. NO. 3. HOW BEAUTIFUL THE MORNING STAR. Thy Spirit, Word, Flesh, Blood; The love NOTE.-Philipp Nicolai is the author of this famous German Choral Hymn. It was during the raging of a fearful pestilence, in 1599, that he wrote it. It was subjected to various changes, which by no means improved, but rather degraded it to a popular song. In 1831, A. Knapp restored it to its original form and spirit. He calls it the richest of all German Hymns, and compares it to the 17th Chapter of St. John's Gospel. The author built it on the 45th Psalm. We have tried to preserve both the unction and the meter of its primitive, Christian form. How beautiful The Morning Stir Of Grace and Truth shines forth afar, Fair David's Son of Israel's seed, My Golden Crown of whitest Pearls My heart holds Thee as Sharon's Rose; Inflame within my inmost heart, On Thee: Sweetly; Celestial ray, I seem to see God's smiling face, If e'er Thy kindly eye of Grace But glance on me benignly. O Jesus Lord, my Treasure-trove! Inflames my soul Divinely! Draw me; Kindly; to Thy embrace! My Father God, Defender mine; Praise God upon ten thousand strings, And echoes all around me! My glad heart beats so loud and fast, Soon wilt Thou raise me 'mong the Blessed, HISTORY OF THE HYMNS. BY REV. H. M. KIEFFER. V.--CLOSING HYMNS. The hymns which we sing in the evening, particularly those with which the evening service of the Lord's day are concluded, seem always to possess a peculiar charm and power. And this seems to be the case, because to every thoughtful mind and reverent heart the close of the day is, perhaps more than any other time, the natural hour for calm thought and reverent devotion. Evening is the season of rest, of reflec- Whoever writes a good evening hymn tion, of quiet meditation. Then the confers a great blessing on God's people day's work is done; its harrowing cares throughout the world. Difficult as is are over. Darkness comes over the the composition of a true hymn of any face of the earth; the stars come out in kind, the preparation of a good closing, the sky, and both mind and heart, as evening hymn seems to be particularly by an irresistible impulse, run up to- a matter of rare accomplishment. We ward God the Creator of all; while have, as you may have perchance alfeelings of thankfulness for past mer-ready observed, very few good hymns, cies possess the soul, and thoughts come suitable to the close of the Lord's day, into the mind of the approach of that as will be found on consulting any hymn night which, sooner or later, must enve- book. We e propose in this, our last lop us all in its impenetrable gloom, and paper on this subject, to call attention that great and endless day of God which to a few of the best. shall know no setting sun. The evening of the Lord's day is, in a double sense, a time well suited for devotional purposes; and the hymns which we then sing should be, as we believe they for the most part are, sung heartily. The evening hymns we are accustomed to sing in church-how sweet they are! How they seem to give expression to our otherwise pent-up and voiceless feelings of adoration and praise to our Heavenly Father! Then, if at any time during the Lord's day, we should join heartily, earnestly and prayerfully in the sacred songs of Zion. Have you never noticed what a power the last hymn of a worshipping congregation has over both mind and heart? If it be an appropriate evening hymn, and is sung to some well-known melody -how it lingers about one for days af terward! You find yourself humming it, perhaps audibly, perhaps only inwardly, making melody in your heart unto the Lord," while you are walking home from church. If you live in the country and have several miles to drive home in your carriage, as you roll along under the light of the full moon or thro' the gloomy forest, you find yourself or your wife or children breaking out in voluntarily in the strains still floating in your mind and memory, as if wafted to you from God's assembled people. You will find that same parting song of Zion following you during the week with its sacred melody as a breath from heaven. The wife at her work in the house hums it, the husband perchance whistles it as he shoves his plane or follows his plow, while, even when silent, the sacred echo of the song is heard far back in the mind or deep down in the heart. We have already noticed the beautiful composition-"Abide with me: fast falls the eventide "-which is indeed an evensong of surpassing beauty. Then, there is the good old hymn, "I love to steal awhile away," which has been in use among Christians of every denomi nation for more than fifty years. Of this hymn it is related that it was written in answer to the fault-finding of a meddlesome gossip. It was written by Mrs. Phoebe H. Brown, who lived near the village of Ellington in Connecticut, and it was first published in the year 1824. Mrs. Brown was, at the time of the composition of this hymn, a careworn mother of a large family of children. It was her custom every evening, when the weather permitted, to set her house in order about the hour of sunset, and, leaving the children alone at home, to go out by a well-worn path to a quiet and secluded spot by a neighboring mountain stream, and there hold sweet communion with God beneath the overarching trees. There she was wont to pour forth her soul in supplication for her children, herself and her friends; to tell over her sorrows and trials, and seek grace and strength sufficient unto her need. One summer evening on her return home from her leafy closet, she learned that a neighbor woman, a great gossip, had been for some time watching her, and had been sharply criticising her apparent neglect of her family. Deeply pained at this, she sat down and wrote an apology for her conduct in the form of a poem which was soon adopted as a hymn: "I love to steal awhile away This she entitled "An apology for my twilight rambles," and addressed it to her lady critic, who, let us hope, was profited as well as reproved. One of the little ones, for whom this Christian mother prayed in her leafy seclusion by the brookside, was the Rev. Samuel R. Brown, D. D., who was for many years an efficient missionary in Japan. It may also be interesting to know that the author of this hymn had been in early youth a servant girl; her life, from nine to eighteen, being spent in poverty and slavish drudgery. She never went to school, seldom got to church, and learned to write after she was married. She is one of many persons whose lives have so forcibly illustrated the truth that it often pleases God to use the humblest instruments to accomplish His purpose, and that "out of the mouth of babes and sucklings He has perfected praise." In very striking contrast with the lowly origin of the above hymn, we may here mention that masterpiece of evensong, "Sun of my soul, Thou Saviour dear." Scarcely ever can one join with God's people in the use of this hymn without feeling himself brought into fellowship with the most gentle and loving spirit of its renowned author, as well as being lifted up into an atmosphere of sweetest communion with our Lord and Saviour. There is something so pure, so exquisitely tender in this sacred song-it brings Christ so near-that we feel quite certain, even before we know anything of its author, that it must have been written by a man not only of the finest scholarship, but also of the deepest piety. In this our natural expectation we are not disappointed. The author of this hymn, the Rev. John Keble, was indeed a man of the highest scholarly attainments, ennobled and purified by the power of Christian faith to a rare degree. If ever 'sweetness and light" were ever harmoniously blended in the character and life of any man in this poor world of ours, John Keble was that man. In the absence of all information as to the immediate circumstances which gave rise to the hymn we have in hand, it will be at least interesting to our readers to know something of its author. John Keble was born on St. Mark's day (April 25), 1792, at Fairford, Gloucestershire, England. His father was rector of the Episcopal church in this village during a period of fifty years. Himself a good scholar, the elder Keble did not send his son away to school while very young, but conducted his early education himself, and he did his work so well that his son John was elected a scholar in Corpus Christi College, Oxford, at the unusually early age of fifteen. He obtained a fellowship in Oriel College in his nineteenth year, and the year previous to this he received double first class honors, a distinction which had been obtained only once before in the history of the university, and then by Sir Robert Peel. He also gained the university prizes, and "achieved the highest honors of the university at an age when others frequently were but on the threshold. During his days at Oriel College he had for his fellow-students some whose names became subsequently widely known throughout all Christendom: for the college at the time when Keble entered it, was the center of all the finest ability in Oxford. Sir John Taylor Coleridge had been his fellow-scholar at Corpus Christi, and at Oriel he was surrounded with such men as Copleston, Davison, Whately, Arnold (of Rugby fame), Pusey, and Newman. Not only in point of scholarship was he distinguished amongst such men as these -"he was more remarkable for the rare beauty of his character than even for his academic distinctions." Great purity of spirit, sweetness of disposition, simplicity, humility, characterized him throughout his college days, and ever afterward. When he entered on the pastoral work, he was renowned for hist great kindness to the poor and the un |