THE KING’S BUSINESS
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know many of whom this is true. In verse 26 we see the results of the prayer meet ing—“a great earthquake,” “foundations o f ' the prison shaken,” “everyone’s bands loosed.” Our land needs a moral earth quake at the present time, and the way to get it is to pray for it, and there are many persons who need to have'”their bands loosed, persons helcl by the chains of evil habits and sin. The way to get their bands loosed is to pray for that. Great things were wrought by the prayers of Paul and Silas, and as great things can be wrought by prayer today. We shall see greater results of this prayer meeting as we go on: we shall see a jailer and his whole household converted, baptized and rejoic ing. The jailer in his hardened brutality had been entirely unconcerned regarding the sufferings of Paul and Silas, and about as soon as the door closed upon them he had fallen into a deep sleep. While no com passion could keep him awake, the earth quake awakened him immediately. He was f responsible for his prisoners and would be held to the strictest accountability. See ing the doors all standing open he naturally supposed the prisoners had escaped, and in his dismay attempted suicide. He was within just one step of hell, but a little further on, within an hour, we shall see him rejoicing in Christ with all his house. How many men and women there have been in the history of this world, so full of sin on the one hand, and with so mighty a Saviour on the other, who at one moment have been about to send themselves to hell by suicide, but a few moments later have been saved and rejoicing in Christ. There was no bitterness in the heart of Paul against the man who had so cruelly treated him; he is at once concerned for his safety and his salvation. Paul might-have fled, but he stays to save thp jailer. Tuesday, February 13 . Acts 16 : 27 , 28 .
Monday, February 12 . Acts i 6 r 25 , 26 .
This is one of the most inspiring prayer and praise services on record. 1 Note first of all the circumstances under which the prayer meeting was held, in a dark dun geon, with torn, bleeding, and aching backs, and with a very dark outlook for the mor row. Most of us would have been sobbing and grumbling instead of praying and sing ing hymns at such a time. However, it really was a good time to pray, just the kind of time that God has taught us that we ought to pray (Ps. 50:15; Jas. 5:13). But while it . was a good time to pray, it certainly did seem like a very strange time to sing hymns. But really it was just the time to be rejoicing and' singing hymns (Luke 6:22, 23; ch. 5:41; Rom. 5:3; Phil. 2:17; 1 Pet. 14:4; Eph. 5:20). The suffer ings that we bear for Christ are not some thing to be sad over nor to weep over, but something to rejoice over. Sorrows and aches and pains taken in this way become sweet friends. Note also the time of the prayer meeting, midnight. There is no better time for a prayer and praise meeting than that. It might seem as if Paul and Silas' would have been better employed sleeping, getting strength for the next day’s trial, but strength can often be better gained by prayer than by sleep; And not only was God listening to Paul’s prayer; “the prisoners were listening.” They were doubtless a hardened crowd, more used to blasphemy and bitter oaths and cursing, than to prayer and songs of praise; but oaths and cursings were hushed and the wondering fellow-prisoners listened while Paul and Silas prayed and sung. Paul and Silas would never have gotten a hearing from these prisoners had they not them selves been cast into prison. • Being cast into prison has been a door, of opportunity to many a Christian man since, and many a man who has been cast into prison, not as Paul was, for doing right, but for doing wrong, has been converted in the prison and become a messenger of life to fellow prisoners. It has been our privilege to
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