BS 2401 l? r, vJO 1 * „v ■* .' .0* •'•••V '• •-.'•" or did thev travel together just for the sake of enjoying each other's society. By no means. They had higher and nobler objects. Though required by the dying command of the Saviour to go into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature, they well knew that thev should obev the in- junction in the best manner by doing their work thoroughly. When they established a church, they could unite their wisdom in assisting its members in organising it. " Two eyes see more than one ;" and the united wisdom of four men in so weighty a business as that of setting up churches and DIFFERENT Q1 ALlFiCAITONS .] \ ordaining them ministers, is by no means too much. It is worthy of remark that no two of these four men were much alike, if we ex- cept Paul and Silas. Timothy was youn- ger and more inexperienced than the oth- 1 ers. Luke was older. Paul was more ar- dent and bold. " Old men for counsel," we are told, " and young men for action." Here, then, they both were. Luke was old, and Timothy was young. One thing more. There is an evident advantage in letting those who are ignor- ant of the gospel see it acted out in more than one individual. When a man goes out a missionary alone, it is easy for those among whom he goes to think his religious ' character assumed ; or at least to doubt whether he be not a different man from the rest of his countrymen. But when they see a large company of men together, and all of them not only preaching new doctrine, but acting it out in all their words and actions, their impressions are very different. The 42 SECOND FOREIGN MISSION. gospel is presented to them, as it were, in a greater variety of aspects, and it appears to form a more perfect and harmonious character. The practice of sending out many mis- sionaries in company, instead of scattering thera one by one, all over the earth, ap- pears to be now rapidly gaining ground in the world ; and many rejoice that it is. Experience, they say, ought to teach us that this is the best method. We see, at any rate, that this method was frequently adopted, 1800 years ago. CHAPTER IV. The missionaries embark for Europe. They touch at Samothracia. Arrive at Neapolis. Proceed to Phil- ippi. Account of Philippi. Curious Anecdote. Or- atories. The prayer meeting. Conversion of Lydia. The Pythoness. Trouble with her. Paul casts out her evil spirit. He and Silas imprisoned. Where Luke and Timothy were at this time, and why they were not imprisoned. We have now become acquainted, as it were, with the whole company whose track we propose to follow. We have seen how wonderfully and providentially they were brought together, and how well adapted they were for the great work in which they were employed. Having made every nec- essary arrangement at Troas, for their de- parture, in conformity to the indications °* 4 44 SECOND FOREIGN MISSION. Providence in the vision of Paul, they now set sail from Troas for Macedonia.* Their course was northwest. The first place at which they touched on their pas- sage was Samothracia, though we do not know that any of them landed there. Sa- mothracia is a small island in the Egean sea, (or as it is now called, the Archipela- go.) It is about 70 miles from Troas. They appear to have arrived there the first day, and to have staid only during the night, for the next day they went on to Ne- apolis, which was about as much farther on, in the same direction. With the ad- vantage of a fair wind, it was only two days' sail from Troas to Neapolis. Neapolis was a small seaport in Mace- # Though the distance which they would have to sail was less than 150 miles, it was quite a long journey for those times. You will remember what was told you in the " First Foreign Mission," that they had no marin- er's compass in those days, so that they did not like to venture far out of sight of land in cloudy weather, though in clear weather they could get along very well ; for they could steer by the sun or stars. The present journey was probably performed in two days, without sailing much in the night ; besides, they were out of sight of land but a small part of the time. PHILIPPI 45 donia, near the borders ot* Thrace. It is now called Napoli, and is an inconsidera- ble village. Of its former size or history we know but little, for we hardly find its name mentioned, except in connection with our present story. It is remarkable only as being the spot where the first christian mis- sionaries set foot on the continent of Eu- rope. They made no stay there, but hast- ed on to Philippi, probably by land. Philippi lay about fifteen miles westward of Neapolis, and on a little river called Ma- ritz about eight miles from the sea. When first built it had been called Datos, but it was repaired and made more beautiful by Philip, king of Macedon, the father of Al- exander thegreat, (or rather the guilty,) and called Philippi after his name. Near this place, as is generally supposed, a famous battle had been fought, about 90 years be- fore our missionaries were there, between Cassius and Brutus on the one side, and the emperor Augustus, and Mark Anthony on the other, in which Brutus and Cassius were 46 SECOND FOREIGN MISSION. defeated. It was quite a city, at that pe- riod ; but it is now a mere village ; though the ruins about it show very clearly w 7 hat it was. The place is meanly built, without fortifications, or a single good street. Its situation is so low and moist that the mud in the streets is sometimes one or two feet deep ; and stones are set up like posts to facilitate the progress of foot passengers. There are here the remains of several mon- uments, and of an amphitheatre.* Although Philippi lay within the bounds of Macedonia, it was a Roman city. Still it was not inhabited wholly by Romans, for there were many Jews within its walls, and at least one synagogue. There was also a proseuche or oratoryf here. It does notap- * Amphitheatres were very common in Roman cities. They were large buildings, constructed in either a cir- cular or an oval form, with seats one above another, and a large open space in the middle. In this open space the public amusements were conducted. The seats were for the spectators. t These oratories appear to have properly belonged to the synagogues, though built separately from them, and sometimes a great way off. They were commonly in fields and retired places, and were chiefly used for pray- er. In general, they were nncoveied, and unsheltered, PREACHING AT PHILIPP1. 47 pear to have been within the city walls, but near the banks of a small stream, probably a branch of the Maritz, a little way from it. Luke, the writer of the Acts, says that Philippi was " a city of the first part of Macedonia, which led many of the learned critics into a dispute ; seme of them insist- ing that Luke must have been a little mis- taken. After a while, however, several coins were found, with some reading on them which explained the whole matter, and showed that Luke was correct. Whether the missionaries preached much within the walls of the city, till some time after their arrival, we are not informed. But they did not lose any time. The first Sabbath after their arrival they went to a Jewish prayer meeting, at the oratory we have just spoken of. The people who at- tended were principally ladies, but they welcomed these distinguished strangers a- except by the surrounding trees. These oratories were very numerous in Judea, and in the time of Tiberius Caesar, there were a few of them in the immediate neighborhood of Rome. The Jews sometimes used them for bathing, and for their numerous purifications, 6* 48 SECOND FOREIGN MISSION. mong them, and when their worship was o- ver, Paul rose, and preached to them the first Christian sermon that was ever preach- ed on the continent of Europe. Among his hearers was a pious lady by the name of Lydia. She was not a native of Philippi, but came from Thyatira, a con- siderable city in Asia Minor, and had ta- ken up her residence in Philippi for the sake of her trade. She was a seller of pur- ple cloth, which was then very much valu- ed among the Pvomans. It is generally supposed she was wealthy — I know not why. She was indeed a merchant, but all merchants do not become wealthy. But if she was really wealthy, she was not much like some rich people in the world. Their time and thoughts are so constantly taken up with their business, that they are very apt to neglect religion. So few rich people ever become really pi- ous that the Saviour once said such a thing was more difficult than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. Lydia, on LYDIA'S CONVERSION. 49 the contrary, hearkened with very great pleasure to what Paul said, and being en- lightened and influenced by the Holy Spir- it she became a convert to Christianity, and was forthwith baptized by him, or at his or- ders or request. The rest of her household were baptized soon after. From these small beginnings a large church was, in a few years, collected and established atPbil- ippi, containing not only Jews, but Gen- tiles,* or heathen. Lydia was no sooner converted than she invited, and as it appears, urged the mis- sionaries to leave the place where they had thus far lodged in the city, and take up their residence with her ; probably from a desire to enjoy, as much as she convenient- ly could, their conversation and society. Some have supposed, and even asserted, that they had thus far been poorly accom- modated, and had lodged in one of the meanest parts of the city ; but I know not * The Jews called all other nations, except their own favored one, by the general name of Gentiles, which was much the same to them as heathen is to us. 1* 50 SECOND FOREIGN MISSION. upon what authority. That they did not stop at the gayest and most expensive pub- lic houses, we may readily enough con- clude ; first, because they would not, in all probability, relish their society ; and sec- ondly, because they were not able. They were rather poor, all of them ; as missiona- ries usually are. But 1 do not think, on the other hand, that they would be likely to put up in a very mean place, if they could help it. The Saviour himself could dine or converse with mean,* and vicious people ; for he came into the world to seek and save and do them good ; and every true follower of his will, no doubt, imitate him. But there is a very great difference between spending an hour w r ith them, occasionally, and taking * When I speak of mean people, I would be under- stood not to refer to those who are deformed, or ugly, or ill dressed; nor yet to the poor or the ignorant; but to those who are intemperate, or lewd, or profane. I abhor, most sincerely, that propensity, which some peo- ple exhibit, who seem to say, in their conduct, to the poor and ignorant ; " Stand by, for I am holier than thou." Yet, at the same time, there are those with whom we cannot associate Ions:, without beino* denied. LODGINGS OF THE APOSTLES. 51 up our lodgings, from week to week, with them. Taverns are not, certainly, the best pla- ces for christians. Still, as there are not always to be found, in every place, charita- ble Lydias, they are sometimes glad to take up with them. And when this is the case, they have nothing to do, but to make the best they can of it. They are not obliged to indulge in idle or wicked conversation, because the rest, at the table, do it. They are not obliged to drink wine and brandy at their dinners, because some of the com- pany are addicted to habits so pernicious. They are under no necessity of eating highly seasoned food, or of glutting them- selves with food of any kind. Nor is a boarder at a public house obliged to ab- sent himself from church on the Sabbath, because other boarders may do so, or join in sinful or criminal parties by night or by day. Who can conceive of our missiona- ries — even the youngest of them — as going out of the way, in any of these respects 6 ? xo2 SECOND FOREIGN MISSION. Yet they were exposed to similar, if not ex- actly the same temptations, and were men of like passions with ourselves. Paul and his company had not been long at Philippi, before an event happened, which, in the end, led them into great trouble. A gentleman at Philippi had a slave.* who pretended to have the power of sooth- saying or prophesying. You probably know that almost all nations, in ancient times, not only Jews, Greeks, and Romans, but other people, had their magicians, their sorcerers, their interpreters of dreams, their necromancers, their soothsayers, or their astrologers ; and that they had them in Eu- rope as well as in Asia. You probably know, too, that it was contrary to the laws of God, as given to Moses, for them to do * Slavery, dreadful as it is, has been practised in all ages of the world. Even Christianity, which is certain- ly, in its principles, opposed to it. has not yet been able to eradicate it from the earth. It is to be hoped, how- ever, for the honor of human nature, as well as for the sake of pure and undented religion, that it will not con- tinue much longer. THE SOOTHSAYER. Jj any thing in this way, or for people to con- sult them. But the people of Philippi were not all Jews ; and some of them en- couraged sorcery, soothsaying, &c. The slave of whom I have spoken, was called a Pythoness. Her business, chiefly, was to be a kind of oracle, and utter am- biguous predictions,* like the conjurers of the present day. She also, for money, pre- tended to foretell what would happen to people. She would also pretend to point out the authors of concealed mischiefs, and discover stolen goods. She seems to have been owned by several masters, and there can be no doubt, from the account given, * Oracles were very common, at one period of the world. But there were oracles of various kinds. The most striking was in the case of young Samuel. Here the Lord called Samuel in a voice so plain, that he mis- took it for that of Eli, several times. There are many instances on record, where God spoke to mankind from some temple or sanctuary, and gave to them certain im- portant information. These were oracles of divine truth. But the heathen nations, as well as the Jews, had their temples, and their oracles. In these cases, the voice which was heard was from some priest or priest- ess, either openly, or concealed. Most of the heathen oracles, were, however, very obscure, and it is surpri- 54 SECOND FOREIGN MISSION. that she was a very profitable slave. She seems, from the account which follows, to have been possessed, even, with an evil spirit. As the missionaries were going to the or- atory, one day, this Pythoness followed them, crying out as they went through the streets, " These men are the servants of the Most High God, which show unto us the way of salvation." At first they took very little notice of her, but pursued their course, and attended to their own business. But as she continued to follow them, in this way, w r hen they went abroad, day after day, they at length grew tired of her. No doubt, she sometimes drew great crowds a- sing that men of sense could have ever placed any re- liance on them. And yet they did. When a person wished to consult the oracle, if he came on the proper day and proposed his question in a proper manner, he generally had an answer of some sort ; but it was often in such a wav that, let the event be as it mio-ht, the ora- cle could not be mistaken. Thus when Croesus wish- ed to know of the oracle at Delphi whether he should attack Cyrus, he was told; "If Croesus crosses the river Halys, he will overthrow a great empire." This he interpreted in his own favor, of course ; but though he was defeated and overthrown, the oracle remained true. We see, then, the folly of their trusting in them. PAUL'S REBUKE. 5f, round them ; and it is possible that many were led, in this way, to hear Paul preach, and perhaps to believe the gospel, who might not otherwise have ever been con- verted. But Paul and his company well knew that the truths they taught did not need such testimony, and besides, they do not appear to have been fond of such scenes of public excitement. Mobs are al- ways to be dreaded. However forcible they may seem to be to an individual, there is no reliance to be placed on them. Though they should testify their applause by carrying him on their shoulders through the streets to-day, they may be for crucify- ing or hanging him to-morrow. Paul, after enduring the cries of the Py- thoness long enough, at length turned to her, and, in the name of Jesus Christ, com- manded the evil spirit which possessed her to leave her, immediately. And that very hour, the spirit left her, and she was at once restored to herself again, and was cured of her soothsaying. 5 56 SECOND FOREIGN MISSION But now a new trouble arose to the mis- sionaries. The owners of the slave, finding her no longer profitable to them by her soothsaying and juggling, determined to be revenged on the missionaries, seized Paul and Silas, who were doubtless considered as the leaders of the company, dragged them to the market-place, to the under or inferior judges, and afterward to the high- er magistrates, accusing them of disturbing the public peace and teaching bad doc- trines ; such as Roman citizens could not lawfully receive or believe, There was, indeed, no law in existence, to hinder the Christians from preaching their doctrines in as public a manner as they chose ; but the accusation of the Phil- ippians was founded on an old law of the Romans, which, though it forbid the wor- ship of strange gods, had nothing to do with the present case ; and one would think this might have been seen, and that Paul and Silas would have been immediately acquit- ted by the magistrates. But they did not THE APOSTLES BEATEN. 57 have a hearing. The whole multitude was enraged against them, and no doubt clam- orous ; and the magistrates took it for grant- ed they were guilty, and never put them upon trial. In conformity to the custom of the country, in regard to criminals found guilty, the magistrates commanded their garments to be torn from them, and the lic- tors, as they were called, were directed to beat their backs and shoulders with rods, and then cast them into prison. These cruel orders appear to have been fully obey- ed. Paul and Silas were cast into prison, and particular orders given to the jailor to keep them safely. Where Luke and Timothy were all this while, and whether they were ill-treated by the enraged multitude or not, does not plainly appear. There is no reason to be- lieve, however, that they fled, as the disci- ples of Christ did when he was taken by his enemies to be crucified. That example with all its painful circumstaoces,was doubt- less familiar to their minds, and proved a 58 SECOND FOREIGN MISSION. warning to them, not to desert their fellow- companions, in distress; at least there was scarce a possibility of their being able to escape, if their enemies chose to pursue them. As Luke was now an old man, and probably had but little to say or do, com- pared with Paul and Silas, and as Timothy was young, it is likely they were not med- dled with. The mob wreaked their revenge on Paul and Silas, and left the rest, it is supposed, to go at liberty. What course Luke and Timothy might have taken, had Paul and Silas been kept long in confinement, I do not know. Paul was so necessary an agent in their mission, that it is possible it might have been aban- doned. I do not think so, however. That God who has promised " As thy days, so shall thy strength be,' 5 would probably have continued them in the work, and sustained them in all their efforts. But they were not to be put to this trial ; as we shall see in the next chapter. CHAPTER V. Description of eastern jails. Stocks. Behavior of Paul and Silas in their dungeon. Midnight prayer and praise. A miraculous earthquake. The jailer and his household converted, instructed, and baptized. Paul and Siias liberated. Conduct of the magistrates. Noble conduct of Paul and Silas. Reflections. Paul, Silas, and Timothy depart for Thessalonica. The common jail or prison of eastern countries, was a place in which they con- fined the worst of their criminals. In the centre of it was the inner prison, a kind of pit or dungeon, filled with deep mud or mire. Into this wretched place did the jailer " thrust," as the Scripture expresses it, Paul and Silas. This jailer appears to have been a hard-hearted unfeeling man, and wheth- er he had the power of treating his prison- 5* (30 SECOND FOREIGN MISSION. ers kindly, when he chose to do so. or not, he does not appear to have been disposed to exercise any clemency in the case of Paul and Silas ; but on the contrary, to treat them as harshly as he could. At the command to keep them safely, he not only ordered them into the inner prison, but had their feet put in the stocks. The stocks used in Roman jails were heavy pieces of wood, so contrived as to press hard upon the limbs of the prisoners, and also, at the same time, prevent their pla- cing them in a natural position. Think, reader, of the condition of these excellent men ! Innocent as the lamb of the flock, and yet treated like the most guilty ; — unoffending as the infant, treated like the most hardened transgressors. Their limbs were stretched out, in a painful position, with a heavy weight on them ; they were placed, notwithstanding the mud and filth, upon their backs, in total darkness, and without food or drink. Xor must the con- , dition of their bodies, smarting under the / PAUL IN CIHC1A. Gl scourging they had just received, be forgot- ten. We can hardly conceive of a more painful condition, in which human nature can be placed. Surely these tortures must have been extreme ; especially after having been there a little while. But did they complain ? Did they repent of the boldness which had brought them hither % Did they murmur inwardly at the dealings of Providence °l No such thing. They had done their duty. They had done what they supposed God would have them do, and they were willing to put their en- tire confidence in him, and wait with pa- tience to see what he would do with them. 4 Nay, more than this; they gloried in their tribulation ; rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Christ. It is not acting the part of a Christian to run into danger, unnecessarily, but rather of an enthusiast. But when, in the way of what we sincerely believe to be our duty, we suffer, it behooves us to bear it patient- 7 62 SECOND FOREIGN MISSION. ly ; remembering that, let us endure ever so much, we can never endure more than Christ has for us. We may well suppose, however, that they did not sleep. But do you think Tim- othy and Luke slept 9 Is it not probable they were engaged in the most fervent prayer to God in beha ] f of their brethren? They could not have forgotten how Peter, though imprisoned at Jerusalem and sleep- ing between two soldiers, bound in chains, was miraculously liberated. Surely, then, they would not fail to offer up the most hearty prayers in behalf of Paul and Silas. And how do we know but their escape, like that of Peter, was the answer of God to prayer ? As to Paul and Silas, we know very well what they were doing. Though they were confined in darkness, and smarting under torture, they could hold intercourse with each other, and with God. Their tongues and their minds and souls were yet free, and they could use them. In the very mid- AN EARTHQUAKE. 03 die of the night they prayed, and sang praises to God ; and that so loudly that their fellow-prisoners, in the outer-prison, heard them. But while they were probably wondering at the strangeness of the sounds which they heard, an event took place, which was stranger still. There was a great earth- quake, which not only spread terror through the city, as is usual on such occasions, but affected the prison in a manner still more striking. The doors flew open, the chains on the prisoners throughout the prison fell off, and the building shook to its very foun- dation. The noise of the earthquake, and the confusion it had caused in the city, awoke the jailor, who, starting up. saw the prison doors all open, and supposing the prison- ers had all escaped, drew his sword, and was about to destroy himself; fearing, no doubt, that the escape of the prisoners would be charged to his cwn negligence or treachery. But before he had time to 64 SECOND FOREIGN MISSION. commit the fatal deed, Paul, who knew — perhaps by revelation from God — what he was about to do, called out to him with a loud voice, and with the utmost earnest- ness, " Do thyself no harm, for we are all here." Why none of the prisoners had fled, it is not easy to say ; and how Paul knew they had not, is equally unaccountable, (shut up as he and Silas were, in a dark dungeon,) except by supposing that he had information in a miraculous manner from God's Spirit, or from some heavenly angel or messenger. Indeed the whole affair was miraculous. Earthquakes were common in Asia Minor, it is true , but why should one take place, just at this critical moment in the affairs of Paul and Silas ? Why should it unlock the doors and loosen the bolts of the prison ; and even shake off the chains of the pris- oners ? Was such a thing common 9 Amid the earthquakes which have happened in the old world, and also in the new (as, for instance, in South America) were the pris- THE JAILER HUMBLED. 65 oners in the city prisons ever released in this manner? Prisons, as well as other buildings, have been shaken down; but when or where did the chains of those who were confined in them become loosened or fall off? Another thing. The prisoners were not so unaccustomed to earthquakes, as to be very much frightened and dare not attempt to escape, through fear ; at least I should think so : why then did they not flee for their lives, as soon as they found themselves at liberty, and the doors all open ? 1 have said that the jailer was about to kill himself. The voice of Paul, however, checked his rashness, and calling for a light, he sprang into the prison, to Paul and Silas. His hardened heart was softened by the grace of God. They were his prison- ers still, but he was also willing they should become his teachers, and desirous to sit at their feet, and hear the glad tidings of the gospel. He could not, indeed, set them at liberty ; but having no longer any fears 9* 66 SECOND FOREIGN MISSION. that they would endeavor to escape, he was ready to take them out of their dark, muddy, filthy dungeon, and make them as comfort- able as the nature of the case would per- mit. It is not to be supposed that he neglected his duty as a jailer, for the sake of convers- ing with Paul and Silas and making them comfortable. No doubt he shut the doors, to secure his prisoners, and fastened their shackles again. Our Father in heaven does not require that in seeking our salva- tion, and yielding our affections and our allegiance to him, we should forget our du- ties to our fellow creatures. He says, in- deed, " My son, give me thy heart ;" but he never says, Thou shalt not love thy neigh- bor, or Thou shalt not perform thy 'duties towards him. But no sooner had he put every thing in a proper and safe condition, than he sent to have Paul and Silas taken out of the stocks, and brought into the outer prison, collected his whole family together and THE JAILERS INQUIRY 67 believing that they were indeed the minis- ters of God, and taught the right way of salvation through Jesus Christ, he begged, in the most earnest manner, that they would tell him what he must do to be saved. Paul and Silas accordingly preached to them ; and no doubt, in such circumstan- ces, they preached eloquently. Some who do not believe the bible, or who wish to explain certain things in such a way as will fall in with the notions they have before hand, say that when the jailer inquired what he must do to be saved, he only wanted to know how he should escape being blamed by the government. But this is quite unlikely. For what reason had he to think that Paul and Silas understood such matters ? And besides what could he fear*? The prisoners were all safe. But above all, let us look at the consequences. Paul and Silas told him, in answer to his question ; " Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." A most singular way to escape 7* $8 SECOND FOREIGiN MISSION. blame from a human government, and es- pecially in the present excitement against the apostles of this Jesus. Then, his household was to believe and be saved, too. But what had his family to do with it c l' Would the Roman laws make them suffer, for the faults of the jailer ? Let us look a little further still. I have not told you all. The jailer called his fam- ily together immediately, and Faul and Si- las instructed them. " They spake unto him," the jailer, " the word of the Lord" not the words of the law, or of the Roman gov- ernment ; " and to all that were in his house." One would suppose that no think- ing person could mistake as to the meaning of the whole story. The truth is there was a great miracle, and a wonderful conver- sion ) and it seems next to impossible for reasonable people, who believe in the bible at all, to deny it. Some may wonder how the apostle could be so speedily reconciled to the jailer, as he seems to have been ; and this, too, at THE JAiLOR BAPTIZED. 59 m the very time when he was suffering severe bodily pain from the infliction of stripes which he did not deserve, and from addi- tional cruelties which the jailer chose to make him suffer. But we must remember that this great apostle was not led by the spirit of the world. As a christian, a fol- lower of his ascended Saviour, he knew nothing of retaliation or revenge. With him all was meekness, gentleness, and for- giveness. The jailer was melted with such doctrine as Paul taught, and especially when he be- held such a striking proof of its effects on the hearts and the lives of these two prison- ers. The hearts of his whole household were also evidently affected, and as it ap- pears afterward, they all embraced the gos- pel. It was customary in those times to be baptized, at once, as soon as they become believers in the gospel. Accordingly the jailer and his family had no sooner believed than he went and made the necessary pre- 70 SECOND FOREIGN MISSION. parations, and had himself and family bap- tized. He did not do it however till he had performed, like the good Samaritan, the kindly office of washing and dressing their wounds. When the baptism was over, he took them into his house and gave them some refresh- ment. It was now a joyful time among them. Paul and Silas must have rejoiced — if not at their escape from torture, and from a dismal dungeon — that God had changed, in so wonderful a manner, the disposition and character of the jailer. The jailer and his house-hold rejoiced that mercy and for- giveness had been extended to them at such a time, and in a manner so miraculous, as well as so unexpected. The night was now very far spent. As soon as it was day, the magistrates, who had probably heard what had happened, for such news flies very swiftly, sent w r ord to the jailer to set the missionaries at liber- ty. The jailer told them what his orders were, and bid them go where they pleas- PAUL A ROMAN CITIZEN. 71 ed. But Paul hesitated. You may won- « der why. I will try to tell you. 9 Though Paul was born in Tarsus, which ! was not properly a part of the Roman em- pire, yet it was not very uncommon, in i those days, for the Roman emperors to grant to certain distant cities the privileges of t citizenship ; that is of being Romans, as . much as if they were born in Italy ; and Tarsus was one of these favored cities. Paul, therefore, was a Roman citizen. The Philippians did not know this, however. tHad they known it, they would never have dared to treat him and Silas in the manner they did, beating them, and then sending them to prison without a trial. Now Paul well knew that they had done wrong, and though he did not wish to be revenged on them, or even to humble them for his own private gratification, yet out of regard to other christians, who might come to Philippi afterward, and who might, in this way, be likely to receive more respect- ful treatment, he was determined not to be 9 72 SECOND FOREIGN MISSION. dismissed from the prison till the magis- trates had been made to feel a sense of the ill treatment they had been guilty. It was on this account that when the jailer told them they were at liberty, he refused to go. " They have beaten us openly, uncondem- ned, being Romans, and have cast us into the prison ; and now, do they thrust us out privily !■ Nay, verily, let them come, them- selves, and fetch us out." And they had it to do. Paul and Silas would not leave the prison on any other condition. It appears that the magistrates were even glad to get rid of them so easily. For when the lictors who had been sent to the jailer with orders to have them set at liberty, went back and told the magistrates that they would not go, and gave their rea- sons, they were afraid. They were liable to be brought to an account — and perhaps lose their lives — for having treated, with in- dignity, a Roman citizen. They not only went immediately to the prison, but were very urgent. They brought them out, as , THE APOSTLES LIBERATED. 73 the scripture expresses it. The idea seems to me to be that they hurried them out. And not only so, they pressed them to leave the city. Some may wonder why Paul did not tell them he was a Roman citizen, when they were beating him. The only reason I can think of, is, that the people, and even the magistrates themselves, were so much ex- cited that it would have done no good. It mav still be doubted by some of our readers whether the spirit which Paul and Silas manifested, in refusing to go out of the prison till the magistrates themselves came, in a public manner, and conducted them out, was a truly christian spirit; — and whether the Savior, had he been placed in similar circumstances, would have acted in the same manner. But had they gone pri- vately away, as soon as the orders came, would it not have appeared to many people, the same thing as acknowledging that they had been justly imprisoned °l On the con- trary, by having the magistrates bring them 8 74 SECOND FOREIGN MISSION. out publicly, was it not the same thing as compelling them to acknowledge that they were innocent, and had been wickedly and unjustly imprisoned? It is evident, therefore, that there was nothing unchristian in Paul's conduct in this instance, though we do not suppose, nor does the Bible ever say, that he was by any means a perfect man. One of the strongest proofs of the truth of the Bible — I mean that God inspired ho- ly men to write the Bible, — is, that it tells of the faults of good men, as well as of their excellencies. We must remember, also, that they are often faults of the writer of the book himself; for you probably know that many of the books in the Bible were written by the very men whose lives they give an account of, or whose names they are called by. Now would men who were wicked enough to forge or invent such books, tell of their own failings ? But to return to our story. The magis- trates, as we have already seen, not satisfi- THE APOSTLES DEPART. 75 ed with getting Paul and Silas liberated, were urgent to have them leave the city.* It is probable they were about ready to leave it at the time of their imprisonment ; and they were not the men to stay in it, af- ter their work was finished, merely out of spite. So they left the prison and went to their lodgings at the house of Lydia, where Luke and Timothy and many more of their christian brethren appear to have been col- lected together. They spent a little time with them, comforting them and rejoicing with them ; and then set out on their jour- ney to Thessalonica. * Is it not probable that Paul and Silas might have asked and obtained a large sum of money of the magis- trates, for their abuse and detention, had they asked it? And why should they not ask it? They had much need of money to spend, on their journey. 1 can only say that they were christians. CHAPTER VI. Journey from Philippi to Amphipolis. Description of that city. Journey to Apollonia. What became of Luke ? — They arrive at Thessaloniea. Account of this city. Its modern aspect. They stop at the house of Jason. Preaching in the synagogue. Their success. Labored on week days at tent making. Ought ministers to labor with their hands? A mob raised. Evils of idleness. The mob attack the house of Jason. Seize Jason. Liberate him. The mis- .„ y „ „„„,™, The first place of any importance which the missionaries passed on their way west- ward to Thessaloniea, was Amphipolis. This lay near the sea, by the mouth of a small river of the name of Strymon ; which, running in a circuitous manner al- most around it } gave it the name, Amphip- THE APOSTLES' JOURNEY. 77 olis. * This city had been built, at that time about 550 years, and was the capital of one part of Macedonia. It was a place of considerable trade, and contained about 10,000 inhabitants. The distance from Philippi to A.mphipolis was about twenty miles. How long the company staid at Amphip- olis, it is difficult to determine. Probably ■not very long. They next proceeded to Apollonia. This was a place of less note than Amphipolis, lying to the southward of it, and not exactly on the road thither. It does not appear that they staid long, in either of these two latter places. There were no synagogues there, so far as we know, and probably few if any Jews : and we do not read of their making any con- verts. From Apollonia, they went towards Thessalonica. The reader has not been informed whether Luke accompanied them on their * This name is made up of two Greek words viz.: Amphi ? around, and polis, city. % 78 SECOND FOREIGN MISSION. journey from Philippi to Thessalonica. There is much reason to think that he did not. In his account of what happened to the company, instead of saying we and us* he says they, continually, till they returned toAntioch; and even longer. The first account we have of him after the imprison- ment of Paul and Silas at Philippi, was sev- eral vears afterward when Paul, having been on a second tour to Greece, was re- turning through Philippi. On sailing from this place to go to Troas, we find Luke with him again. From all these circum- stances, and many others, there is reason to believe that Paul and Silas and Timothy left Luke at Philippi to take care of the church they collected there before the im- prisonment; and that he staid there till Paul returned from his second European tour when he went with him to Jerusalem, and afterward to Rome. Calmet, in his dictionary, says expressly, that Luke was left at Philippi : which w T as probably the case. But it is impossible THESSALONICA. 79 that he or any one else can know with cer- tainty. The event, however, is quite prob- able. Paul and Silas and Timothy had now ar- rived at Thessalonica. This w r as a large city, and had at least one Jewish synagogue in it. It is even now a large city, having as many inhabitants in it as Boston. But you must not compare it to Boston for splendor, wealth or business. Its present name is Salonica. As the missionaries spent some time here, and their preaching was attended with considerable success, it may be well to describe the place, briefly. Thessalonica was situated at the head of a branch of the Archipelago, called the Thermaic Gulf, or more commonly, the Gulf of Thessalonica. It is not far from one hundred miles westward of Philippi, 270 westward of Constantinople, and 200 northwest of Athens. The city is now about five miles in circumference. It stands on a steep side hill, descending from the northeast to the bay, and is surrounded 10 SO SECOND FOREIGN MISSION. by a very lofty wall, built of stone. At the present time it contains about thirty church- es, of the Greek church, fifty Jewish syna- gogues, and fifty Mohammedan mosques, A very different appearance, in all proba- bility, from what it presented when Paul was there. Then, there was one syna- gogue, perhaps more : the rest of the pub- lic buildings were heathen temples. At the top of the city wall, at the high- est part, is a fortress with seven towers. From this point of elevation, which over- looks the whole city, and harbor, and much of the bay, the prospect is very fine. Were not the streets narrow, and irregular, and many of the houses rather mean and wretch- ed, the prospect would hardly be exceeded by many in the world. The domes of the churches and the minarets of the mosques in Salonica, rising amidst other buildings, and surrounded by cypress trees, give this place a most singular, but by no means un- pleasant appearance. Salonica, in com- merce, is the next place in Turkey to Con- stantinople. HOUSE OF JASON. gl This city, when first built, was called Italis, but Philip, the father of Alexander the great, afterwards called it Thessalonica, in remembrance of a great victory which he obtained over the people of Thessaly. It is now, as I have already told you, called Salonica. There are to be found a few re- mains of its ancient architecture, pillars, triumphal arches, &c. but they are by no means numerous. When our missionaries arrived at Thes- salonica they repaired to the house of one Jason, a Jew, who appears to have been a distant relative of Paul, where they made it their head quarters as long as they staid in the city. The first sabbath after their arrival found Paul — as might have been expected — in the synagogue, ready to speak a word for his Lord and master, if he had an opportunity. This, we may be sure, soon offered. It will be recollected perhaps, as stated in the "First Foreign Mission," that, when the Jewish service was over, any stranger pres- 52 SECOND FOREIGN MISSION. ent was considered at liberty to make re- marks to the people, on any religious sub- ject; and sometimes they were invited to do so, if they were persons of any distinc- tion. Paul received manv such invitations ; and there is much probability that he wait- ed to be invited, on the present occasion. In his first sermon to the Jews at Thes- salonica, it was PauTs great object to prove, in the first place, that it was to be expect- ed that the Messiah they had so long look* ed for should suffer and die, and rise again from the dead. This he proved from their own books, the scriptures, as they were then called ; that is, the Old Testament. In the second place, he endeavored, with all his might and elocuence, to convince them that Christ, whom he preached to them, was the same expected Messiah. This was the substance of his preaching for the three first sabbaths after he arrived. Where Timothv was we are not told. I suppose he was at Thessaionica, all this while. Xor can there, indeed .be much PAUL'S SUCCESS. S3 doubt of it, when we consider what hap- pened afterward. But it is unnecessary to advert to that subject now ; I shall mention it in its proper place. Paul does not appear to have preached here on week days, for the first three weeks. It is probable that he confined his instructions to the Jews. — If you ask why he did so, when he was divinely ap- pointed to the special work of an apostle to the Gentiles ; the reply is, that the Bible uniformly states it to have been the purpose of God, from the very first, to have the gos- pel preached in this way. There are many reasons for this, which might be mention- ed, if we had room; besides which there were doubtless many reasons existing in the Divine mind, which he has not seen fit to reveal to us. His labors at Thessalonica were not wholly without success. Some of the Jews believed, and finally many of the devout Greeks, as they were called. These were probably Grecian proselytes to the Jewish 12* $4 SECOND FOREIGN MISSION. faith. Luke, in the Acts, calls the believ- ing Greeks " a great multitude." — [t is not improbable that after the first three sab- baths, the preaching of both Paul and Silas was wholly confined, for a while, to these Greeks, and that they had the most unex- ampled success, among them. Several em- inent women of the place, also came over and embraced the faith. We find from the second chapter of the first Epistle from Paul to the Thessaloni- ans, (and this letter was probably written soon after the missionaries, in pursuing this journey, came to Athens,) that he and Silas employed themselves at Thessalonica, dur- ing week days. This they did to support themselves and Timothy ; for they were unwilling to live at the expense of their new converts ; some of whom were proba- bly poor. We may infer, very naturally, that Silas, as well as Paul, was a tent-mak- er ; though there is nothing certain on the subject. We may see, from the example of Paul MINISTERS 1 SUPPORT. 85 1 the great importance of having every min- ister know how to work. Would it not be a good thing if every christian child was obliged to be taught some one useful trade, just as it was among the Jews ? It could do them no harm, and it might prove the occa- sion of very great good. Ministers ought not, it is true, to be compel- led to labor. It is no more than right and proper that they who preach the gospel, " should live of the gospel." And it usual- ly will be so. If a minister goes straight forward and does his duty, the people will rarely let him starve or freeze. I do not say that such a thing might not happen once in a thousand times ; but I doubt it. The Thessalonians, for any thing we can learn from what Paul says in his letter to them, would have supplied their wants, had the missionaries been willing to be charge- able to them. But for reasons which we do not very well know, Paul did not think it expedient to let them do it. He and Si- 10* S6 SECOND FOREIGN MISSION. las chose rather to labor hard, by day anc by night, What they wanted of much money, when they were charitably sustained by Jason, may be a question with some. They should remember, however, that travellers have other wants besides food and drink. Clothes and sandals will wear out, ferries and bridges must be crossed, in travelling ; and bills sometimes must be paid for food and lodging. They did not find a Jason at every place where they stopped on the road, nor in every city. It costs no small sum to travel, even if we travel on foot, as our missionaries did. The success of Paul and Silas in Thessa- lonica became so great, and such multi- tudes believed, not only of the Greciar proselytes, but probably of the idolatrou Greeks and other Gentiles also, that th< Jews began to grow envious, and to preju dice the minds of the people against them. It was not long before they found means to MOBS. 87 collect together quite a mob, consisting as mobs usually do, of the meaner sort of the people. The truth is, that ingenious, but wicked men, either by the arts of persua- sion, or by promising money, can raise a mob, almost any where ; especially in large cities. There are always many idle and un- principled people in large towns and cities, lingering about markets, taverns, court- houses, post-offices and other public places, ready to do almost any sort of mischief, es- pecially if excited and set on by the hope of some kind of reward ; and sometimes al- most without the hope of any thing. Peo- ple cannot very well remain long idle. They had about as lieve do mischief. You may sometimes find good natured well meaning boys, drawn into trouble, solely by venturing among these idle but more unprincipled fellows, and joining them in their tricks. Boys always hate to retreat when they get into a mischievous frolic. They are too proud for that. — The best 88 SECOND FOREIGN MISSION. way is to keep ourselves employed at some- thing useful to ourselves or others — play, work, or. study ; — and not begin to venture in idle company. The Jews at Thessaloniea, as has already been observed, found means to raise a mob against the missionaries. Greatly angry that the benefits they had refused, — the glad tidings they had despised — should not only be offered to Greeks and idolaters, but should be gladly accepted by them, they were determined to wreak their revenge. Probably they succeeded in inflaming the minds of the mob, partly by persuading them that the missionaries w T ere bad men, and partly by promising them some sort of gain. It seems that the missionaries had so ma- ny friends in Thessaloniea, that they chose not to be so bold as to attack them in the streets. Or else the fit came upon them at a time when the missionaries might have been expected to be at home ; for the first JASON ACCUSED. S9 attack was made on Jason's house, mean- ing, in this way, to compel Jason to bring them out and deliver them up. But they did not find them. If they were at home they had probably hid them- selves ; but the greater probability is that they were not in. Enraged still more at not finding them, they seized on Jason him- self; and not contented with that, they laid their hands on some of their Jewish breth- ren, who had lately become believers. These they dragged before the magistrates and charged them with harboring unprinci- pled and traitorous men : men who, they said, would turn the world, if they could, upside down. But their heaviest charge was against Ja- son, for receiving them into his house. It seems that a Roman decree had been pas- sed, not long before this, that no person within the bounds of the Roman emperor's dominions, should take to himself the title of king, without the emperor's direct and plain permission. The missionaries, they 12 90 SECOND FOREIGN MISSION. said, had been teaching that there was another king, one Jesus ; and Jason had encouraged them in spreading doctrines so treasonable. This was the ground of their accusation, and this subject they pressed upon the magistrates, in a loud and clamor- ous manner. It is highly probable that the state of things had become such that all hope of doing any more good at Thessalonica was at an end. When it was evening, and all was once more quiet in the city, Jason and the other disciples of the missionaries per- suaded them to leave their hiding places and go to some other city. The conclu- sion was that they should proceed toBerea, about 40 miles westward. The missiona- ries usually travelled on foot ; at least so it appears ; but from the language of the Bi- ble, "the brethren sent them away by night to Berea," it is probable they rode in this instance. Thither they arrived safely, the next morning. Before closing this chapter, 1 ought to PAUL'S SUCCESS. *9 ^ * * '•"in** A* V •••• \v <0 ° " ° A u ^ » / 1 •^ 4>" /^^^'- ° 'j. v O m °o Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide Treatment Date: June 2005 aO^^iv- ^ PreservationTechnologies ■ A WORLD LEADER IN PAPER PRESERVATIOf- c 1 1 1 Thomson Park Drive Cranberry Township, PA 16066 (724)779-2111 o o v 00' » • • > ** o, V , # - A V *9 •!%?- <^ ^ ^ w°'DEC 81 , ST. AUGUSTINE m *\ ^§^32084 ,.$** oobbsbros. TsgimS* 4 «* • LIBRARY BINDING - f^ ^\ ^^ , ^4- LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 014 383 607 1