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TWO DOLLARS AND FIFTY CENTS.
IPEIR. TJT&.
VOLUME XL., NO. 40.
Original 'Joctrg.
AFFLICTION.
“Sweet are the uses of adver-ity.”— Shah spear*.
“The j?ood are better made by ill,
A-j odors crushed are sweeter still.’*— Jiopera.
“To live is Christ, to die is gaio.”— St. Aim/.
BY W. P. R.
I’m weary with watchU g a sleeper so fair —
A beautiful child upon her tick bed ;
I’m trusting and hoping and wa’ching in prayer.
But anxious and fearful, my thoughts with the
dead;
Three bright ones have gone—how sal is the past,
With its shadows of death and its losses and
pain !
But yet in life’s changes, this truth I hold fast—
“To live is Christ Jesus, to die is cur gain.”
How poor is the world, and how void is this life !
Where Time writes “ 1 ecay ” on all neath the
sun;
How fleeting the trophies we gain in the strife—
The. laurels, the p1e...-ures the joys that ire w- n!
But what, though earth’s treasures may never en
dure,
A.nd life seems a dream that is empty and vain?
Yet, faith ir. Col’s goodness may ev ;r reit sure—
To Jive is Curia*./or it*,*to die i* our gain,
Ifie world is a waste in the light of this line,
I live among graves, and my idols are dead;
Naught lives but in C irist—He only is mine.
Ail joys are fro nll uu—all others are fled:
This lesson grows brighter as years come and go.
The hopes that wc cher.sited —but could not re
tain —
The lives that wore precious— departed —all show :
To live is Christ, with n* —to die is our gain.
My life as a tree, is all b asted and bare,
St >rm-shak n—of verdure and blossom bereft ;
Though dying, yet living through winters of care.
With few vernal hopes on the branches yet left:
But still the tree grow*, out of sorrows and woes.
And sweet are “ the peaceable fruits ” tha re
main ;
And so, in affliction, my spirit yet knows :
To live is Carnt, in a*—to die is our gain.
Oh, hopes of swert lives that were 1 oyoud.v given!
Now f.dle l to moulder away in the earth—
Ye nourish the grain that is blooming for hciveti.
To be garnered immortal in beaut: and worth;
Let sickness and sorr w and death reap a while !
The angels shall gather and h irvest the grain :
And Faith, looking upward, may say wit . a smile :
“To live is Christ, only— to die is our gain.”
“Christ for us—Christ with us—Christ in us,” our
creed!
Life’s title and power—“the light of life” given.
Life's uiodel and glory—“the //” th:it we nee I,
For l fe that is richer and swo d.er in heaven:
The bread and the water of life, and its wine—
The strength for ail weakiies-—tha cure for all
pain ;
Or living, or dying, this knowledge be mine—
To live is Christ Jesus—io die is our gain !
For the Southern Christian Advocate.
Contributions.
FRATERNAL RELATIONS OS' T!IE M.
E. tIIIKPII, AND .11. K. rill Itnl, Sill Til.
Dear Brother Kennedy : Whilst 1 have
hail honest doubts as to the formal move
men's of these Churches, looking to for
mal arrangements and declarations of fra
ternity, I have been unwilling to do or say
ought that might really or seemingly be
wanting in catholicity of spirit as a Chris
tian, and especially as a minister ot the
Gospel of peace. But now, that initiatory
s’eps have been officially taken in this direc
lion, and th ,re seems to be general sat. fac.
tion on both sides—there are some excep
tions —I venture to suggest, as being prudent,
I will not nay wise, that, as a vital element
in real, permanent frniernity—noneolh- r is,
or can be. desirable—it be arranged, in th<
provisions of this Chrisriiu courtesy, that
the Methodist Episcopal Church withdraw
entirely from the Southern territory, and
that the Methodist Episcopal Church, South,
as equally withdraw from the territory of
the C hurch, North.
It is obvious to the most superficial ob
server that so long as these Churcht s antag
onize each other, as at the present, there can
be no real peace or fraternity. They will
‘■bite and devour one another.” Besides,
why should the Church, North, annually
spend thousands of dollars to maintain a
meager existence in the South, and why
should the Church, South, at the same time,
in like matter and with similar results, do
likewise? Is not the world open to them
both ? And does not the world need their
help? With fraternity, "let us hare peace."
I incline also to believe that peace would
be promoted, and the Gospel greatly ad
vanced, by colonizing and consolidating
these Churches west of the Rocky Mono
tains. This thought seems to me to be in
harmony with the Divine administration, in
pushing the conquests of Christianity and
civilization. Who can venture to predict
what grand results, for the good of the
Church and the world, would grow out of
such a fraternity, and, magnanimity on the
part of all concerned, so God liae in its na
ture and spirit ?
These suggestions are thrown out in no
spirit of controversy or capiionsness, but
from a deliberate and abiding conviction of
their correctness, and a desire to promote
the peace and usefulness of the Church of
Christ. If they shall receive the approval
of the good and wise, I shall be gratified ;
bat, if Otherwise, I shall have the salisfuc
tion of having done what I believed a duty,
and the issuer will be referred to the dis
closures of the final day. Jesse Boring.
Gainesville, Georgia.
A CRITICISM.
I beg leave to call attention to an error in
the excellent and popular commentaries of
I)r. Whedou. In his comment on verse 85,
lat chapter of Luke, words •• The Holy
Ghost," in the sentence " The Holy Giioat
shall come upon you,’ he Bays: “ The deli
nite attiele is not in the Greek. The phra e
‘Holy Spirit’ designates not the third per
son in the Trinity j for, then, He would be
the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ ; bit
the same Holy Spirit of Deity which brood
ed upon chaos and produced the creation.”
To this comment there are the following ob
jections :
1. The absence of the article here no
more destroys the personality of the Spirit,
than its absence before Theos in John i: 1
destroys the personality of God there. The
same argument which establishes the char
acter ot the Theos of that passage could be
applied to the pneuma agion ot the verse in
question.
2. The view which he presents of the di
vine Spirit brooding over chaos destroys one
of the arguments in favor of the divinity of
the Spirit, namely, his creative power. Th s
argument is used by Biekersteth, “Spirit of
Life,” page 14. W ,tson’s “ Institutes,”
page 354.
3. The comment as to the Spirit’s being
the Father of Christ is contradictory to the
standards of the Church. It is contrary to
Creed,” which says—“ Who
f. and of the llolv Ghost:” the - Ni
f ■ And was i-icanmte by me
of the V.rgin Mary." Also
in controverting th- id-a -hat Christ
of God in hia incarnation, says,
“Wueu the persons are distinctly
of, it is clear that he who produced
1 price
the human nature of Christ in the womb of
the Virgin, was the third person.” We see
from ihis argument of Watson’ the danger
ous tendencies of the comment of the
learned Doctor. Albert M. Williams.
A LEAF FROM THE VOLUME OF 11U
31AN LIKE.
A few years ago, it was my privilege, to
spend a Bhort time with my esteemed friend,
Dr. Littlejohn, whose obituary will be seen
in another column. I listened to him with
j great plea: ure, when he sketched the early
society of upper Carolina, as he had heard i*
described by others, or remembered it in his
childhood. The following is the substance
of a short parenthesis in his narrative:
. . . “But, there was an old lady, then
living not far from this place, who, I think,
did a great deal, to sow the seeds of Chris
tian influence about here. Her opportunities
for social and religious intercourse were, of
course limited. She went to hear the Meth
odist pioneer, at his monthly appointment,
at the log church, and laid in supplies tor
another was a. fj-eat reader to:
‘her B ble. an (Fa liule rooir/of the house ™
her chapel.”
‘‘Are any of her descendants now living
near here? ’
“Yes, I am the youngest of seven sons,
whom she reared to manhood. Iri her last
illness, one of my brothers and I met at her
house. ouß day when we could leave her
quite comfortable, we rode over to another
part ol the plantation, to visit the spot of onr
birth. We reached the hill, and found the
plum thicket, which we knew was near the
spot. But time had so changed everything,
that we could not at any moment, stop our
horses and say, ‘Here stood our old home
stead!’ You see. air, the house, that our
fa'ber built for us, had utterly perished, but
the Christian training, our mother gave us,
remains to this day "
But one of the seven now remains. Let
the reader breathe one earnest prayer for
him, and for all the many living descendants
of that good woman of another generation.
And let the Christian mother of to day
faint not! J. 11. C.
Selections.
From the Nashville Chrts ian Advocate.
LETTER FROM BISHOP MARVIN.
NO XXXV. —GOSSIP.
On Tuesday, May 1, at 6 o'clock P. M., we
embarked in the Steamer Esp“ro, of the
Austrian Lloyd line, for Constantinople, tak
i"g leave of Beyroot after a very pleasant
sojourn of three days. Be it known by all
t.ravele 8 that, the Austrian Lloyd steamers
do no extra feeding. Their dinner-hour is
five, and when they sail at six, as they gen
orally do, if a passenger gets his dinner he
pays for it extra. Moreover, they take great
pants tf> land you at the port of destination
just lie fore a meal. In the run of the year a
good deal of bread and meat is saved by this
clo e sort of economy, and I must say this
Austrian bread is worth saving. It is the
sweetest bread I have ever eaten.
Out capiain is a boriy Italian, a funny,
genial fellow, who plays a practical joke on
someone every now and then. He takes
more pains to get off a poor trick than any
man I ever saw. For instance, he fastened
thp p’ate of Cook’s dragoman to the table
cloth with sealing wax. just before dinner
one day, burning a hols in the table cloth in
doing it. How he did laugh when the man’s
plate was to be changed and the table cloth
was lifted with it. The man who can get so
much laughter out. of a joke no bet'er than
that is to be envied.
We have several Turkish officers on board,
bound for Constantinople. The war has be
gun ; the whole weight of Russia is coming
unon the Empire, and Turkey “ expects
every man to do bis duty.” Some of the
officers of the lower ranks amuse me. Their
uniform is blur, and the skirt of the coat is
sewed to the body in plaits nearly an inch
wide. Brother Hendrix says they remind
him of a negro in his master's cast-off coat.
Those we have seen are certainly as ungain
ly a looking set as can be well imagined.
Now and then one makes a show of dressing
up, but there is always sure to be something
outre. I have seen some quite elegantly
dreesed, except that their feet were in slip
pers which were down at the heel, with no
stockings on.
But at Smyrna some officers of high rank
got aboard. They are faultlessly dressed in
European style and as fine looking men as
you will see anywhere. Onp, especially, is
a man of very imposing presence, who would
be taken for a man of mark in any country,
They are very courteous and self possessed.
One of them sits next to me at meals. On
mv asking him if he spoke English, he sho< k
his head and said, “ No.” But we manage
by a sort, of pantomime to keep up an ex
change of amenities at the table, in whi. h
he will never allow me to get ahead of him.
I have taken a decided liking to him, which.
I imagine he reciprocates. Two things I
hope for in connection with this Russo-
Turkish war—one is that the Turks may get
a good drubbing, for they need it; the other,
that, this particular Turk may not get a hole
shot through him.
Most of our passengers are Englishmen
and women. Two of ihem are clegymen of
the Established Church. They and their
party are the jolliest set on board. They
are the only ones who act like snobs. One
of the reverend clergymen, especially, puts
on airs, and affsets the elegant gentleman in
many respects, while at the same time he
pays assiduous attention to the ladies, and
often sings snatches of humorous songß with
grimace and gesture that—well, I will not say
it. This gentleman was invited to read pray
ers on Sunday,but he had the grace to get his
older and better-behaved friend to officiate.
After prayers there would have been a ser non
but the ship was just landing at Mitylene,
and the confusion was so great as to render
it impracticable.
Nearly all on board are people of good
sense and modest behavior —that is, I mean,
of the first class passengers—and some of
them are men of very large information.
The English, so far as our observation ex
lends, travel more than any other people,
and, with very few exceptions, they are sen
sible travelers. They press for it in a plain,
substantial way, and do not overload them
selves with luggage. They are rea ly to take
things as they come, rarely making any ado
if they encounter some mishap or have some
discomfort to undergo. Oily now and then
one is a little snobbish. Perhaps they are
somewhat too much given to ordering ser
vauts about in hotels and on ships, and once
in a while one is noisy and blustering in his
way of doing it. One of our snobs, going
ashore in a boat at Mitylene, quarreled with
the boatman on his return, and fell foul of
him with his fists. lam glad to say he was
not one of the clergymen.
The English ladies knov exactly how to
PUBLISHED BY J. W. BURKE & COMPANY, F01; THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, SOUTH.
travel, dispensing with all finery and non
sensp, dressing in stout goods of sober col
ors, and taking things as they come. Two
unmarried ladies, not over young, out with
out any male friend, taking care of them
selves under Cook’s auspices, were in Dr.
SchafTs party through Palestine. I ad
mired them, not for their personal beauty—
for they had none of that —but for their good
sense, which they were liberally endowed
with, for their unaffected good manners,
their remarkable intelligence, self possession
and first rate horsewomanhip. They were
provided with gentle, but active, and spright
ly horses, and were as fearless riders as any
in the company, complaining less of fatigue
than the men. Tuey sometimes uncon
sciously led the cavalcade at so rapid a rate
that the venerable Dr. Schaff was compelled
to break into an undignified canter to keep
from getting lost. He protested that it had
never been in his expectations to gallop
through Palestine, but he was obliged to do it
to keep iu sight of the rest. Oace the spell
was broken, and he haj begun to gallop, I
half suspected him of enjoying It. Certainty
he was not always behind. I am not sure
but that with practice he would excel as
muchin hor emanship as in Hebrew. I have
rarely met with a more genial, enjoyable
man.
Both companies of us were photographed
together amid the ruins of Bialbec. Two
negatives were made, in one of which a heavy
shadow fell from me upon the Doctor. He
consoled himself that the shadow was not
upon his head, and I acknowledged that it
would be impossible to throw that in tbe
shade. It always shines out clear.
But I roust get back on board the good
ship Eipero. We have on board the Rev.
Dr. Post, of the Mission at B-yroot. He is,
by the necessities of his position, in a large
practice as a physician and surgeon at Bey
root. His reputation as a surgeon is all
over Syria. Patients come to him for capi
tal operations from great distances. He is
also Professor of Anatomy and Surgery in
the Medical Department of the College, and
of B tarty in the Scientific Department—
wotk enough for one small man; but, like
many intellectual men of small stature, he
has the nervouß and muscular fibre that can
bear almost any strain. Ha can turn off
work and stand it like Dr. Summers. He is
going to Constantinople with the scientific
text-books which have been prepared in
Arabic by the missionaries, to show the Gov
ernment that the hard work of the Mission
looks to the substantial and permanent ad
vancement of the Turkish Empire, and to
(•quest certain franchises for the College.
But I suspect the Government has its hands
too full of tbe war to give him much atten
tion. Little cares it, at best, about the edu
cation of the people, though it does some
times grant favors to distinguished men when
they apply. At any rate, under whatever
auspices of Government, and in spite of all
wars, these great labors and educational en
terprises, carried on in the name of the Ron
of God, will go forward to the happiest issue.
In addition to the first class passengers,
we have a motley crowd below, ia all styles
of dress. European and Oriental, of all col
ors, from the fair Greek to the jet-black Nu
bian, men and women, distributed about in
the most picturesque way ; each individual
or group provided with its own mattress and
quilts, which serve them to squat on by day
and sleep on at night. Tbe gabble they
keep up is incessant. Rome of them are re
markably fine looking, and some as squalid
as dirt and rags can make them. There is
not a single native traveling first-class, ex
cept the three distinguished officers who
came on at Rmyrna,
A devout Mussulman is often seen in his
devotions. He takes no pains to get out of
sight. The “ corner of the street” is as
good a place as he wants for prayer. Turn
ing his lace towards Mecca he bows repeat
edly, touching the ground with his head, and
runs rapidly over his set form of words
The floors of mosques and chapels for
prayer are always covered with mats, and
the man who performs his devotions out of
doors, so far as I have observed, alwai s
spreads down his blanket or cloak, to stand
air! kneel and prostrate himself upon.
There is always a decent aspect of reverence.
I think I have never witnessed an instance
of indecent flippancy.
Our first landing place was at Larnaka, in
the Island of Cyprus. After Paul and Bar
nabas had been solemnly and formally set
apart to the work of Missions, at An'ioch,
they came first to Cyprus. On this island
the first missionary trophies were won,
though not on this part of it. Bat we were
in the neighborhood of those great, events.
Just beyond the mountains, to the west of
us, was Paphos, where the Deputy, Publius,
was nonverted, and where t he sorcerer, Ely
mas, was struck blind. Of what a career
was that the beginning I
We landed and walked through the town,
visiting the bazaar, an old church and con
vent, and, best of all, a Greek school. In
the church I suggested to Dr. Schaff to go
up into the story pulpit, and give us a
sermon, which he did, but in an unknown
tongue. However, it had the merit of being
short, consisting of two passages of Scrip
ture in Greek, followed by the apostolic
benediction. The school was a large one.
For our entertainment, the boys—for there
were no girls—sang one or two pieces, and
one of them recited the Lord’s prayer and
the Credo, but in the most rapid snd irrev
erent manner.
We visited Mr. Cesnola, the brother of
the former United States Consul, who was
so successful in collecting ant quities here.
Besides the two collections that have been
s°nt to America, there is a fine one still
here, which we saw. Mr. Cesnola received
us with great courtesv, and presented each
one of u with a specimen.
From Cyprus we steered direct for Rhodes,
so long the headquarters of the Knights of
St. John. Here we saw a specimen of the
harbors of a. cient times. Heavy stone walls,
built out into the water, affording ample
room for the ships of the old time mariners,
and sheltering them completely from storms
and waves, are still in perfect preservation.
But they have outlived their day. Great
steamers cannot eater. I was impressed,
howevt r.when I went in, in a little row boat,
with th> perfect security of the place. There
was a brink breeze, and the waves were run
ning somewhat, outside ; but within the
space protected by these walla the 8-arface
was perfectly smooth. The masonry must
be of the most remarkable solidity; for, at
the very least, theße walls, so perfect, have
stood against the waves from the days of the
Crusades.
We visited such of the castles, barracks,
hospitals, and churches of the Knights as
are still standing. There are two houses
pointed out as the residence* of the Com
manders. The buildings are all of stone,
very solid, but not of the magnificent pro
portion* nor high finish I expected to see.
MACON, GEORGIA. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1577.
They are in rather a rude style. Coats-of
arms appear here and there, in relief, with
an occasional figure of Christ, or the Virgin,
or a saint; but the carving is not abundant.
Yet one cannot but honor the history of
those doughty knights, whose chivalry was
devoted, however superstitiously, vet, ac
cording to the light they had, to the honor
of Christ and the glory of his kingdom.
They were high souled men, who held for
ages this stronghold of Faith, in the Levant,
by force and arms, against the power of the
inSdel. But they are gone now—gone for
ever; forthe Christian civilization has realized
a spirit and taken on forms that render such
an arm of support and defense impossible.
Her battles now are on a different arena,
and she has come to know the weapons of
her warfare better. They are not carnal,
but mighty through God to the pulling down
of strongholds. The Church has become
more skillful of fence with the sword of the
Rpirit, which is the word of Goi. With
this she turns to flight the armies of the
aliens, end overthrows the info*"V T ‘t
ana then, tne Russian maxes the defense of .
Christians the pretext of a war, all the world
knows that it is but a pretext—‘hat political
considerations, a' bottom, determine her
course at all times.
In the Grecian Archipelago we have is
lands in sight all the time, and generally,
on our right, the mainland. Cnidos, ICos
(Coss), Mitylene, Troas, remind us of that
journey of the great, apostle, when he “must
keep this feast at Jerusalem.” On Tburs
day evening the sun went down directly over
Patrnos, which lay just in sight, upon the ho
rizon. Patinos! It looks like any other
island in the fistance, most truly, for i'g
glory is not of its rocks or hills. But of
what a drama was it the theatre 1 With
what, scenic splendors, with what display of
celestial grandeurs, with what coining and
going of mighty angels, did God open the
unseen world, and disclose tbe future there!
The book sealed with seven seals was opened
by the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Harps and
trumpets, thunders and voices, shook the at
mo sphere, and lightnings striped the sky.
Bnt the drapery of the vision all passed
away, and Patrnos became only as another is
land.
We landed at Rmyrna. This was the seat
of one of the Reven Churches. There was
no fault found with this Church. “Be thou
faithful unto death, and I will give thee a
crown of life.” This was the message of
her Lord to her, from among the sublimities
of Patrnos. This, also, was the warning,
“Fear none of those things which thou shalr,
suffer;” tor persecutions were in the near
future. “Rome of vou shall be cast into
prison, and ye shall suffer tribulation ten
days.” Tbe faithful Polycarp did indeed
suffer here afterward bearing a glorious tes
timony to the last, and loving not his life
nnto the death. They have made a poor
modern tomb, under a cypress tree, which
they point out to travelers as Polycarp’s
tomb. It is on an elevation back of the cite.
There is an old castle, built, probably, in
med rnval times, of stone and fragments of
old marble structures, on the spot, they say,
wt>e*e the TV 1 rtyc.ft‘t.
Rmyrna is now the second city of the
Turkish Empire, having a population of
200,000. More than half of them are Greek
Christians. There is a large Jews’ quarter.
Passing through it we saw many good look
ing people, and many signs of prosperity.
Two or three fine groves of cypresses and
several large gardens add greatly to the
beauty of the place. The shops, in the Frank's
quarter look for ail the world like small re
tad stores in America. The native bazaar
is like ull other bazaars in Oriental cities.
Viewed from the castle, or from the sea, the
city is one of the prettiest we have seen.
One thing impresses me —wherever we have
seen any decided marks of prosperity we
have found a predominant Christian popula
tion. Ro it is here in Rmyrna.
It was in our plans to run down to Ephe
sus bv rail ; but our steamer was a day late,
having been delayed by foul weather off Jaf
fa, and the captain would not give us time
for it. But, as it turned out, we did remain
long enough to have made the trip. Thi s
was a great disappointment to us, for we had.
a great desire to see that cily where the books
of the magic'ans were burned. Interesting
ruins are still to be seen. It seemed a pity
to be so near, and yet not able to meet our
expectations.
This railroad was constructed and is own
ed by an English Company. Foreign enter
prise again. Poor Turkey ! She does noth
ing tor herself; she has not sufficient li f e,
and does not know how.
At Mitylene we discharged a good deal
of cargo—amongst other things some barrels
of petroleum— 1 Refined —Baltimore.”
Monday morning we had the “plains of
Troy” on our right. It is a beautiful aid
fruitful reig on. Of course, we thought of
Priam, and Hector, and the wooden horse,
and Helen ; hut much more did we think of
another and later event. It was at Troy
(Troas) that St. Paul, having reached the
western extremity of the continent of Asia,
had the vision of the man from Macedonia
calling to him, “Come over and help us.”
It was the voice of God. In that little ,
ship that sailed by a straight course froMa
Troas to Samothracia, and from thence to
Neapolis, were the fortunes of Europe and
the ages The gospel of Christ contained
the seed of the civilization of the Germanic
peoples, and on that voyage this one men
carried it into Europe. This was its fourth
great point of departure. Jerusalem, Jop
pa, Antioch, Troas. From each of these
successively the word of God started out on
anew campaign, and to new conqnests.
Some events standby themselves ; others
are so related to human affairs that they con
tinue to reproduce themselves to the end
time. Such was this voyage of the apostle
to Europe. It carried into the West that
faith which was to type European society,
and infuse info it all that wonderful energy
which would make it what it is to day. In
fact, the gospel contained all that is distinc
tive in the Western civilization, in germ.
Long time was necessary to bring it into full
development—indeed, it is not yet at i*s
highest point; but, after being repressed and
retarded for ages, its proper issue began to
appear in the higher civilization of Europe
and America.
If all this is true —and it seems to me to
be unquestionably so—then St. Paul carried
iu his own person across the oEgean Sea, to
Europe, the printing-press, the telescope,
the cutton-gin, the power-loom, the modern
plow, the steam engine, the microscope, the
magnetic telegraph, railroads, Kepler, Sir'
Isaac Newton, the Herschels, Christopher
Columbus, and America. What a cargo for
one little ship!
When Asia took Mohammed to be its
Prophet, rejecting Christ as its Saviour,'it
staggered back
bai baiism
thß>J&d
: witnessed the creation and decay of great
•v-mpires; but in government, in art, in in
' dustry, in science, in commerce, its only
j movement has been in a retrograde direction.
! At one time the Moslem power seemed to
; have sufficient force to subjugate Europe,
riand did actually establish its capital on the
j west bank of the Bosporus; bnt there was
| wanting that inward vitality which would suf
j tfice for development; and now at this mo
, ment, having given the seeds of civilization
, to the West, Asia is receiving back from the
the ripened fruit. The tide of life that
rolled westward is now, after so many ages,
'returning in a refluent wave upon the shorts
leom which it took its first departure. The
little of new life that is starting up in the
East at this moment comes from Europe and
•America.
And most deeply is the new life of the
West needed here. If we saw men made
..beasts of burden in Japan and China, we
have seen the same thing in a worse form
ihere. The most fearful burdens are borne
jk-- .v- •* •„< _ --■>}, r r j
*-■*. pack saddle so constructed as to distri
fcfe’te the burden evenly all along the spine.
On this the most incredible loads are placed,
.and the loaded man, going half bent, ap
proximates the very posture of a dumb brute.
I saw two men in Smyrna carrying a log that
I am sure any six men I ever knew in Amer
ica would have found too heavy tor them,
■liven for a rod or two; but these men had it
to carry for a great distance. These pack
saddles are in common use in Constant!
Wbple, and men may be seen staggering
Wilder great boxes and barrels along every
street. To day I saw three men strain them
selves painfully in lifting a bale of cotton
upon the back of another, who walked off
with it I know not how far. The doom of
the laboring man here is not overdrawn in
the primal curse. Two words give the sum
of his existence—overwork and s,cant pay.
jJV'hat horses, and mules, and steam, and
wheels, do in America, men do in Asia.
The plain of Troy is bounded on the north
,by the Dardanelles —the Hellespont—which
£ a long, narrow strait connecting the iEgean
*) ‘a with the Sea of'Marniora, which is again
connected with the Black Sea by the Bos
porus. On the west side of this strip of
waters is Europe, wli ch we sighted first at
■the entrauce of the Dardanelles, May 7.,
Mov. 28, we had landed at Yokohama, and
rom that day to this, with the exception of
eight or ten days in Egypt, we had beeu
raveling inAAsi a period of more than five
oponths. What a world in itself this great,
continent is 1 so vast in extent, and, in many
oarts, teeming so with human life. More
ban one-half of the human race live on it
'or its population exceeds that, of Europe,
Africa, and America. In some parts of it
*&ere was once the highest civilization, but
• t this time the most cultivated and enlight
i.ned portions of it have a civilization, cer
;ainly, of a very low order. I know there is
ft class of literary men who will criticise a
i statement of this sort, and affirm that I am
applying to them my standard of
Civilization, and judging them by th it, and
Aat there can be no absolute standard. Of
-1~-r " e r~“ r ) r'renfc
Tnicdedness, if not great wisdom; but, in
truth, they seem to me to be shallow in pro
portion to their breadth.
Is there not, after all, a positive standard
by which all civilization is to be judged? It
seems to me so. The general in'c-lligence of
the common people, the culiivaiion of the
arts and sciences, the comforts and refine
jnents found among the laboring classes,
architectural elegance of houses, command
of the forces of nature, and such knowledge
of the la-a of nature as to free the mind
from a superstitious feeling with regard to its
operations—these, among other things, it
seems to me, give a just standard by which
all civilization must be tried. Judged by
such a standard, there is no civilization of
any high order from Yokohama to the Dar
danelles. Much has been written about the
magnificence of Oriental architecture; but
we saw no really elegant archhecture that is
not to be traced to European influence, un
less a few of the most famous mosques may
be excepted, but it is not, by any means,
Aertflin that they are exceptions, properly.
It is certain that the most celebrated edifices
of the Moguls in Indiaowe their magnificence
and perfection chii fly to European artists.
I have already spoken of the work of the
Presbyterian Board ol Missions in Syria.
What is called the Turkey Mission is in the
hands of the American Board of Commig
sioner3 of Foreign Missions. The work in
this field has been, and still is, prosperous.
It lies in European Turkey and Asia Minor.
It. has quite a large number of Churches,
widely scattered, with a membership of near
6,000 and a registered Protestant community
of 30 000.
Registered Protestant community. This
phrase sui g-sts a state of things which the
American reader will not understand. Every
person in Turkey is registered as of some
faith, for purposes of the civil and municipal
administration —especially the collection of
the taxes. Each religious community ia a
village - Mussulman, Gieek Orthodox, Greek
-Catholic, Maronite, Druse, Protestant—has
la chief person through whom the Govern
deals with the community. This per
son is notified of the amount of tax his com
munity is expected to pay. The Government
looks to him for it, and he colie ts it as he
may choose. But if he one as
delinquent, the Government authorities quar
ter a soldier in the house until the amount is
forthcoming. The soldier makes himself at
home, orders whatever he wants, and makes
himself as intolerable as possible. The po m
tax payer in such circumstances will sell his
last she-goat, or borrow money at any rate
of interest, to rid his family of the hateful
intruder.
Before any man has himself registered as
a Protestant he has weighed the matter well.
Especially as in most cases he will be sub
jected to many mortifications and annoyances
by so doing, for in most cases there is very
pronounced and vexa ious opposition. It. is
known that many are very favorably disposed,
and, indeed, secretly convincid, who have
not yet bad the courage to come out. But
as the Protestant communities become strong
er, and grow to such numbers in given local
ities as to suffice for all social ends, adhesion
r*jecomes less and fficult, and the work pro
f gresses more rapidly.
We have been three days in Constantino
r- pie, and have seen and heard much. I am
sorry to know that I shall not be able to do
|it justice in what I shall write. It would
| require several articles to say half I would
i like to say, but I presume I shall be able to
i give it but one. Indeed, Idq not know but
that the readers of the ADvocATE~ara T gr<>w
ing weary of my long communications. I
have not seen a Southern Methodist paper
since I left Shanghai, so that I do not
know whether all that I have
reached its desti^Hj
the fear of God, I commit all to his gra
cious hand.
To morrow we are to sail for Athens, and
take a final leave of this great world, this first
home of the human race, which it is certain
that 7, at least, have now seen for the first
and the last time. E. M. Marvin.
Constantinople , May 10, 1877.
SOBRIETY OF LIFE.
There is no trait of Christian character
which the world so persistently misinterprets
as sobriety. \ T et it is a most radical element
of power in the Christian life. Christian so
briety must be chiefly evident in the inde
pendence and principle which leads us to
absent ourselves from all those amusements
and companies of the world where the re
straints and proprieties of Christiauity are
trampled upon. We may meet men any
where in the prosecution of purely secular
interests, and in any society or guild where
the exercises are purely literary, or social,
and where religion is neither recognized nor
denied. But if amusement only is sought,
and if those methods are employed which
rouse the passions, and especially which in
troduce us into a descending scale of asso
ciations, both as respects ideas and compan
ions, the Christian man should not afford
the countenance of his presence, or if uuwa
rily enticed there, should at once withdraw.
And in conversation the Christian man must
frequently stop short, feeling that his char
acter is compromised if he propels, or even
tolerates, the current of spirit and expre*
sion which pr. vails. And yet no one is
more habitually cheerful, no one is more
fund of brilliancy in social discourse, more
apt in repartee, or more keen to perceive the
ludicrous aspect of men and things. He
lives not for amusement, but for labor. He
is searching for truth, and he perceives and
reveres it. ; he discerns folly, and shuns it,
and his soul is al ways in that attitude in which
he regards the intrinsic truth or falsity, right
or wrong, of men and things which he en
counters, and regulates his conduct accord
ingly. This in the highest and best sense is
sobriety of character, and it is one of the
greatest slemenig of power in the Christian:
—Michigan Christian Advocate.
RE ASON’S LIGHT IMPERFE CT.
If the glorious light of the gospel he some
times overcast with clouds of doubt, so is the
light of our reason, too. But shall we de
prive ourselves of the advantage of either,
because those clouds cannot, perhaps, be en
tirely removed while we remain in this mor
tal life? Shall we obstinately and forwardly
shut, our e; es against that Day spring from
on high that, has visited us, because we are
not as yet able to bear the full blaze of his
beams? Indeed, not even in heaven itself,
nor in the highest state of perfection to which
a finite being can ever attain, will all the
counsels of Providence, all the height and
depth of the infinite wisdom of God, be ever
disclosed or understood. Faith even then
will b necessary ; and there will be myste
ries which cannot be known by him other
wise than from revelation, or believed upon
any other ground of assent than a submissive
.confidence in the divine wisdom. What then,
l&nH-vifeMr Mil -weak a4- tide
row understanding is sufficient to guide him
into all truth, without auy deed of revelation
or faith? Shall he complain that, the wavs of
God are not like his ways, and past his find
ing out? Tru* philosophy, as well as true
Christianity, would teach us to be content
within those bounds which God has assigned
to us, ‘’castingdown imaginations, and every
high thing that exaltetb itself against the
knowledge of God, and bringing into cap
tivity every thought to the obedience of
Christ.”— Lord Lylton.
A SUPPLY FOR EVERY NEED.
Physicists publicly insist that there must
be somewhere a supply for every need which
nature reveals. Bear this in mind, and be
gin your study of man. Like any other ani
mal he has physical wants ; and so the world
offers him bed and board, and a field for the
exercise of bis senses and instincts. But
man has an intellectual nature also, of whicn
the physical is only the scaffolding. Science,
faithful to its principles, recognizes this fact,
and devotes itself to the study ot the laws of
this nature and of the supplies which the uni
verse offers to its demands. Have we now
reached the end of our analysis of human
nature? Is this all of man ? Do body and
mind complete the inventory? Is the world
no more to him than dormitory, larder, gym
nasium, school house, workshop, and muse
um ? Nay, more than these ; it is a temple;
man worships. He lias a moral and spirit
ual nature. This nature has its needs, no
less distil ct and urgent than those of the
body and of the mind. The canons of science
are bound to hold that there exists some
where a supply for these highest needs. We
need God, and a hereafter, and a revelation,
and a redemption. Those inspired seers
who cried, “ 1 thirst for God, for the living
God,” “ 0 that I knew where I might find
Him 1” “If a man die shall he live again?”
and ‘‘O wretched man that I am, who shall
deliver me from the body of this death?”
were only articulating the wails of the race of
mankind. — Dr. C. D. Doss.
GOOD THOUGHTS.
Good thoughts are, like sunbeams. They
are purifying, warming, and life giving. With
out them a mind of necessity becomes shrivel,
ed, debased, and distorted. When the image
is lost, it becomes the saddest of wrecks.
But a good thought, even though there be
but one, is like a lump of leaven to him who
possesses it; and if it be kept warm by a de
sire for better things, it. will exert its whole
some influence upon the whole mass of
thought. Good thoughts come out from the
majestic glory of heaven. They are geinti)
lations from the divine mind —sparks to light
the human torch Down through the long
ages they have fipsl ed, and still are being
passed on, and are sparkling with brilliancy
in lands so lately dark.
God is as lavish with good thoughts as with
his love, but the soul-soil is not all receptive.
Mind is blinded by sin; and often its “daily
bread” falls unheeded, while it fills itself
with husks. The “secret, of his presence”
only can make most fertile; but each soul
must learn (or itself what is this “secret.”
Its outward manifestations are being painted
every day upon the canvass of the world in
the great, drama of life, but eye hath not
seen, nor ear heard, this ‘ secret of his pre
sence.”
Good thoughts lift the mind above the nar
row realm in which “self” dwells, and bring
it in sympathy with-God and humanity. Thus
it excites new desires and capabilities for
usefulness, and at the same time,
a panacea for own ills. When
selfish desiics the mot of o.r
tri-e amjjj^^^^^^^^uhreateir
snap it „. H
he us i ag i ri y
ties, and rendering insensible to the woeful
wants of i he world.
It is nn old and trite saying, “Take care
of the dimes and the dollars will take care of
themselves;” but it is a far more important
truth, that if the children are properly cared
for, the “coming” men and women will do
more and better work for God than did their
predecessors. Good thoughts, well adapted,
must be their milk in childhood, and their
meat in alter years. No one would set a
screen to prevent the glorious sunlight from
ever falling upon a child, except through
ignorance or evil intent, yet worse than this
is done when good thoughts are withheld
from it. A child does not have to reach out
so very far, after all, to catch a glimpse of
the best thoughts, and it will often recipro
cate, with one that will sparkle, in its turn.
Good thoughts are the mind’s crown; and
it beams with brightest luster upon him who
las from early dawn of life till its latest Bun
gathered and strung and woven them into
the web of his own life, and passed of his
r,rnnrwJ tanannsna n f/\ nlliaro Ho wIIG Pan
“play skillfully” on the mind of a child may
bear the echoes thereof when his head is
blossoming, his eye growing dim. and the
wheel is faltering at the cistern.—Northwest
ern Christian Advocate.
“I WILL GIVE YOU REST.”
It is not ihe labor that issues in triumph
that wearies and discourages men, but the
abortive labor and unequal warfare which
result in defeat; such as ail wage against sin
who presume to overcome it without laying
hold by faith of the grace of God, which
alone bringeth salvation. These invariably
meet with failure at every step. They never
have victory over sin, and never enter into
rest, because they do not avail themselves of
the divine help that is offered them.
“This is the victory that overcometh” —
that gives the rest of triumph—“even our
faith.” He who by faith obtains “grace to
help in time of need,” doeß not meet with
weariness and discouragement in hia conflict
with evil. He has daily and constant victory,
which takes away all sense of weariness. To
the believing, trusting soul, there is rest and
peace in the very midst of his battle with the
“evil that is in the world,” because always
above the din of conflict he hears the Sa
viour's voice saying, “1.0, I am with yon ul
way;” “Be of good cheer, for I have over
come the word;” “My peace I give unto
you;” and, “I will give you rest.”
Brother men! Are you temptest-tossed
and not comforted ‘I heavy laden and weary ?
“seeking rest and finding none?” There is
rest in Christ for you. Come to Him, be
lieve on Him, trust Him with all your heart,
and “Ye shall find rest to your souls.” —
Methodist.
INTERNATIONAL LESSONS.
October 7, 1877. Paul at Cassarea.
Actsxxi: 8-15
Golden Text.— " Hut none of these things
move >ne ; neither count I my life dear unto
myself.’’ Acts xx : 24.
Topic. — 'The will of the Lord be done."
Home Readings. Mond iy, 2 Cor. v:
1-21 Willing to be Absent; Tuesday, Heb.
xi 22-40—-Not Accepting Deliverance;
Wednesday-Tiitum. iviii - 14-89 “.More
Omit Con,,- lr, ltlier U 1„C1 dr . V-vur. tv';
1-18 —“Always Delivered to Death”; Fri
day, Matt, vi: I—21 —‘ Thy Will be Done”;
Saturday, Matt xxvi: 20-45 —“ Not as I
Will”; Sunday, Ram. v: 1-21 —“ We Glory
in Tribulation.”
Time —A.D. 58 (Summer). Place —Caesa-
rea Ruler. —Nero. Felix governor of Judea.
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
The Connection. —Henceforward we. stu
dy no longer Paul’s missionary journey, but
his trials,his persecutions,his imprisonments,
and his death. Early on his homeward trip
he seemed to have had, not, indeed, a clear
revelation, but a strong presentiment, of a
disastrous fate awaiting him at Jerusalem.
While at Corinth, in his letter to the Ro
mans, he besought them to strive in their
prayers “that. I may be delivered from them
that do not believe in Judea, and that my
service which f have for Jerusalem may be
accepted of the saints.” Rom. xv : 31. It
is evident from this that he feared the hatred
of the Jews and the opposition of the Juda
izing bf-lievers of the gospel. The tone of
the request sounds almost despondent. In
the las! lesson we learned how, though "he
did not, know what, specially should befall
him. yet that he was aware that, the Holy
Spirit intended “ bonds and afflictions ” for
him in Jerusalem the same as m other cities.
The nearer he came to the city of his desti
nation the clearer became the revelation of
what was going lo happen. At Tyre some
of the disciples, enlightened by the Holy
Spirit, warned Paul against going up to Je
rusalem. The inspiration of the Spirit.,
plainly enough, dictated only the informa
tion they gave, and not the advice the? prof
fered. And yet, through all this, he remain
ed steadfast to his purpose and to his feeling
of obligation to God. “ None of these
things.” indeed, moved him. He went for
ward with a Bteadim-ss that was simply he
roic. Like Chr at, when the time came for
him to be received up, he “ steadfastly set
his tace to go to Jerusalem ”
Good Society 8, 9).— The disposition of
every Christian man to associate with other
Christian men is well illustrated tiy his
“ finding” the disciples at Tyre and those
at Ptoiemais, and by his sojourning at the
house of Philip at Caesarea. “ Brethren,”
and especially brethren of the faith, like to
asaocia e with eacu other. The visit at
Tyre had a solemn and affecting close. The
disciples there, with their wives and chil
dien, accompanied him outside the city, and
kneeling down upon the shore, commended
ihe apostle to God. It is clear that they
did uot expect to see the beloved Paul
again. Tue presence of the ehitdren in this
farewell service is a pleasant mi: g to note ;
for it argues that Paul was beloved by them
as well as by their parents, and that they, as
well us their elders, were included iu his
minigi rations.
At Caemrea he had company after his own
heart. After his toilsome journeys, his con
fliets and his persecutions, his siripes and
Ilia imprisonments, and his long, wearying
voyage, it is delightful t,o think of h,s enter
ing into such a haveu of rest, before the tur
moil upon which he soon was launched It
wa- a place where, unconsciously, he was
laying in strengih for his coming trials. The
fir t attrsc ion here, we presume,was Philip,
the evangelist. An “ evangelist,” literally,
was the bearer of good tidings, and, proba
bly, was distinguished from a pastor or
teacher, in that he was an itinerant. See 2
Tim. iv:s, where Timothy is exhorted to do
the work of an evangelist. Phiiip had been
one of the “seven” —all of whom were
chosen, according to the directions of the
apostles, because they were “ men of honest
report, lull of the Holy Ghost and of wis
dom.” fhe last that we read of Philip con
cerned his wonderful work in Samaria,
and his teaching the Eunuch who was on
his way to Egypt from Jerusalem. While
Philip was laboring with the Ethiopian oil
this southward roa.i, at about the same time
Saul was journeying ou the one leading
northward to Damascus, brea'hing out
threatenings and slaughter against all who
dared to identify tnemselves with those of
* this way.” Years bring the two together,
both now of that same way,” and both
strong friends. Talking with him could not
help but have been a great refreshment to
Paul, for Philip was filled with the Holy
Ghost and of varied and rich experiences iu
the service of the Master.
The next attraction were the four daught
ers yNto had the gift of prophecy. This was
a reajizatiou of the prediction uttered by
on the Day of Pentecost, repea'ed
r: “And it shall come to pass, iu the
saith God, I wili pour oat my
|g all flesh, and your sons aud your
|f shall prophesy.” Joel ii: 2f^B
17. “To tliejlfi
E&nl does nuLalways^wb^*:-.-
F. M. KENNEDY, D. I)., Editor
J. YV. BURKE, —Assistant Editor
A. G. HAYGOOD, I>. D.,—Editorial Correspondent
WHOLE NUMBER 2070
frequently, mean to foretell, hut, rather, to
teach with inspiration—to deliver messages
of warning, of comfort, and of instruction.
The root idea of the word is “to boil” or
“bubble over,’ as from an inward fountain
of inspiration. It is not easy always to tell
when itineludes the gift of prediction. Alex
ander suggests that in this case it did, and
that, like the prophets at Tyre, they also re
vealed to him the danger there was in his
going up to Jerusalem. This seems not only
possible, but very probable, so many having
been granted an intimation of his approach
ing affliction.
We pause just here to note the remarkable
fac that there were four daughters that were
endowed with the gift of prophecy. The
reading would imply that, these were all the
daughters and, in fact, all the children he
had, and that suggests how the character of
the father was perpetuated in his children,
how well they had been brought, up in the
nurture and the admonition of the Lord, and
how family prayer and adoration had so en
larged their natural receptivity that they
could take in thiß gift of the Spirit. Had
not Philip been a faithful evangelist, they
had not been prophets 1 In an atmosphere
like this, no wonder that Paul stayed “many
days ” His hurry was over. Contrary 'o
hie evnoetation he It and art-'”''-’ - - I'.'l
in amplelluii e—,v.r. c„—, aud, now that he
was within easy reach of Jerusalem, it was
natural that he should tarry where all his
needs were so fully met. Tarryii gat C;eaarea
was the best preparation for the arena at,
Jerusalem.
A Warning Rion (10, ll).—Hitherto the
thickening warnings have been vague and in
definite : now comes Agabus, with a clearer
revelation than had been granted to others,
and exactly indicates what his trial is to be.
His plain prediction of what was to occur
was made more iinpresrive by the symbolic
act that accompanied it. In a similar way,
Isaiah “walked naked aud barefoot three
years, for a sign and a wonder upon Egypt
and Ethiopia,” to indicate what would lie
theconduifin of their inhabitants when the
Assyrian king should come and lead them
captives. Is. xx: 1-4. See also the C!-ss
kindred to the one we are considering, in
Jer. xiii : 1-9, when the linen girdle was rot
tedin the ooze of the Euphrates, to show how
God would cause the strength of Israel to
decay, and her pride to crumble. And for
other instances of sign prophecy, consult 1
K. xxii: 11 ; Ezek. v: I—4; xii : 1-12, etc.
It has been supposed by the majority of
readers, that it was Paul that Agabus bound
with the girdle. But in the original it is very
clear that Agabus hound himself with it. He
made tbe act, an objeit lesson, on which
Paul could look, instead of one which he
could merely feel. The method of Agabus
was very similar to that, of the Old festa
ment prophets, but in one thing he diverged
very widely from them. They would have
exclaimed: “Thus saith the Lord”—ftede
clared : “Thus saith the Holy Ghost.” The
variance contains within itsell all the differ
ences between the old and new dispensa
tions 1
The prediction of Agabns was not techni
cally f Killed. The Jews did not, literally,
bind him, and hand him over to the Gentiles.
Rpeaking with exact precision, it vas the
Gentiles themselves that rescued him from
the Jews, and then bound him. 27-33. But
although not fulfilled in the exact letter, it
was iu the spirit of it, for the Jews compelled
his binding by the Gentiles, in order that the
latter might save his life. It fully answers
the prophecy when one does, or causes to be
done, the thing which is predicted of him
Faithkullyßtf.au vast (12-16). —This act
ed prophecy hi ought upon Paul the great 1 rial
of his life. To a nature like his it was far
easier to resist the threats of enemies, than
the affectionate fears and entreaties of friends.
How sorely he was pained is more manifest
in the original than in onr translation; for
JX ere i'Ai- not: .‘gSC-at, mean re to weep and
break my heart,’ ' but, ‘“whit <I,J
and breaking mine heart?” The stress was
already upon him—he was not fearing that
it would come.
And now, in order properly to appreciate
the heroism that rose above this severe temp
tation, let us note the elements that made
it almost irresistible. First, there were the
foreboding! that had caused him such des
pondency, and which had found expression
in his letter to the Romans, and in his fare
well at Miletus, 'o the elders of the Church
at, Ephesus. Second, there was the protes
tation of the disciples, at Tyre, against his
going—a protestation that must strongly have
reinforced his own melancholy presentiments
of evil. Third, came the prophesying of the
daughters of Phiiip, if we take the view that
they predicted his captivity. Four h, was
the prophecy of Agahus, set for hin such a
way as to shake him from his purpose il any
thing would, for Paul was eminently a man
of activity, strongly disliking quietude of any
sort. And yet the vision that Agabus brings
up before him is of himself, bound, lying for
many months, and perhaps years, in prison.
It takes more courage patiently to endure,
than bravely to act. He reached the very
climax of heroism in his life, when he silenced
his friends with ttie solemn, yet, joyful, decla
ration: “I am ready not to be bound only,
but also to die, at Jerusalem, for the name
of the Lord Jesus Christ.” Fifth, was the
weeping entreaty of his dearest friends Luke
was one of the companions who joined in im
ploring him to turn aside from his intention.
Philip, the evangelist, by implication, was
among those of Cassarea who besought him
to recall his resolve. These were men whose
lightest word would be valued by Paul, and
whose weeping solicitations could not but
stir his very inmost nature. It was exceed
ingly ha and to be firm as against such an as
sault, thro lgh his affection l --.
What made him so tenacious of his pur
pose? Nothing but his own knowledge of
his duty. He met their revelations us to
what he should suffer with an inward con
sciousness. which was, also, a r -velation,
that, the Holy Spirit intended him to suffer
for the name of Christ. In the ease of Se
phen, he had seen how that the cause might
receive more impetus from the death ot a
good man than from his life. Paul in prison,
hy the will of God, could accomplimore
than Paul out of prison, contrary to his will.
It he did not realize this just at this time he
did later, when he wrote to Timothy: “I suf
fer trouble as an evil doer, even nn'o bonds;
but the word of God is not bound.” 2 Tim.
2 9. The armor, which even the entreaties
of friends could not pierce, wa; loyal devo
tion *o Jesus, who had met him on the way
to Dimascus. Nothing could prevent him
from following the command of that Master.
For that name he was willmg not only to be
bound, but also to die. Paul has not been
the only one so tempted. Luther with ahe
roism that fully matched that of Paul, when
liis friends attempted to persuade him from
going to the Diet at Worms, exclaimed, in
words that have become almost equally fa
mous with those of the apostle: “Although
there were as many devils in Worms as there
are tiles on the housetops, I will still go
thither.”
The hard-fought battle was over. The
submission of the disciples to what now,
very apparently, was the will of the Lord, is
almost as remarkable as the apostle's unyield
ing persistence in obedience to • he inner man
date of the Spirit. It may he well to notice,
right here, that the very thing which the
Christians at Caesarea thought would take
Paul away from them fin ever, and from
which they were, therefore, specially anx
ious to deter him, was, actually, soon the
means of again bringing him back in their
midst, a nd giving them two years of uninter
rupted intercourse with him. 21: 23.
Having submitted to the will of the Lord,
they did not sit down in idle resignation, but
were helpful iu those little attentions that so
well show thoughtful sympathy and affection.
VVe need hardly say that, “carriages” is mis
translated, and shoti’d be rendered “bag
gage.” Turnouts in those days were un
heard of. The sense, too, was not “took
up,” hut “packed up’’—whether to take
with them them, or to leave it stored, is one
of those little points on which scholars have
differed. We need not concern ourselves
with it. Some of the disciples of Caesarea
went up to Jerusalem with bravi g
whatever fate might be incurred oy being in
his company, am brought
ot Mnuson, who from the
spoken of.
i i: 1 1 • ■ i.t K t.