THE KING’S BUSINESS.
181
Saturday, February 10 . Acts 16 : 19 - 21 .
their business, but how indifferent or even hostile they are to the laws when they run contrary to their own interests.
The poor girl’s masters were trading upon her misfortunes, just as mediums today tradei upon their own misfortunes. The girl was possessed of a demon, it was not a case of out and out fraud, but of actual possession by an evil spirit, and this evil spirit imparted to her powers not naturally her own, and thus she brought much gain to her masters by her fortune telling. Many a woman possessed with similar, powers today loóks upon it as a good fortune, but it really is the gravest kind of a misfortune. When the evil spirit had gone out of the girl she was of little or no commercial .value and her owners were, enraged, just as those who trade upon the vices' and weaknesses and superstitions of men and women today are enraged when these' men and women aré converted to righteousness and truth, a;nd so their nefar ious business is ruined. Those who stand out against the evils that pay (those who practice the evils, must expect to suffer for their opposition. The accusation brought against Paul and Silas was that they, had “exceedingly troubled the city." Nothing troubles a city in the eyes o some men like a revival that upsets their illicit gain and brings in righteousness. The saloonkeepers, and brewery men and distillers and the wholesale liquor dealers think that a revival that shuts up the saloons and gets men to give up drink exceedingly troubles the city. The forces of evil that are mak ing money out of sin would welcome, of course, any plague to their city sooner than they would welcome a revival of religion. These men who were making money by their >evil practices suddenly became very much interested in the customs of the Romans and deeply concerned that any, one should teach customs which they were sure it would not be lawful for them to receive or observe as loyal Romans. It is wonderful how interested some people become in the laws when the laws favor
Sunday, February 11 . Acts 16 : 22 - 24 .
Nearly the whole city seems to have taken part in the demonstration against Paul and Silas. It was a very improtant matter, for “trade had been interfered with.” ' Some think that if the verdict against any man or men is unanimous, or nearly unanimous, they must surely be in the wrong, but it proves nothing at all against a man that the multitude are against him. The multitude was against Paul Ccf. ch. 17:5; 18:12; 19:28, 29), they, were against Jesus, and at times pretty much the whole world has been against othef true and good men. “The voice, of the people” is not always “the voice of God.” It is quite as likely,to be the voice of Satan. But even if the multitude was against them, and though the magistrates were against them, God was with them, and that far more than compensated (Rom. 8:31). Paul and Silas fared hard indeed; their clothes were torn off from them, their backs were flogged with rods until they were torn and bleeding, and then without any care of their wounds, they were thrust "into a dark and filthy dungeon and their feet made fast in the stocks. This is the kind of treatment that any one who loves God may expect sooner or later (2 Tim. 3:12; Acts 16:24; John 15:18-20). But it is a blessed privilege to thus, suffer for the Lord Jesus, who laid down His life for us (Isa. 53:5; Gal. 2:20, R.V.), and it brings an abundant reward
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs