, t h e K I N G ’S BUS I NE S S cry: Mothers crying in behalf of sons and d augh ters; children crying in be h alf of th e ir parents, "Come and save us.” This is th e cry coming down th rough the centuries— th e cry of per ishing souls. Our Lord said “Go” , and th e needy world says “ Come” . W hat a sad reflection upon th e church, th a t, saved by His grace and made p arta k ers of the heavenly calling, we can he so occupied by th e little things of th is world th a t we have no eyes for th e vision, and no ears for the call. (33) The F irs t Convert in Europe, vs. 13-15. The evangelistic p arty responded a t once and took passage for Samothracia, th e seaport, and on to Philippi, th e chief city of Macedonia. There were Jews in Philippi, h u t no synagogue. There were women th e re th a t believed in prayer, and th a t prayed, and P au l found them by th e riverside, probably in an en closed place. Did th e evangelist look for a g reat gathering? Is th e g reat Apostle P aul disappointed? No commit tees, no advance agent, no advertise ments, no reception,— ju st a little band of women, unexpectedly honored by the presence of God’s g re a t little man. God m ust use hum an agents. God works in H is own way. Europe is to have the Gospel, and th e en tering wedge is found in the h e a rt of one woman. Lydia heard the Gospel, the door of h er h ea rt opened to its tru th . Into th e open door w ent the Holy Spirit and took pos session. There was no synagogue b u t a new temple for God in th e m idst of the heathen, a temple of far g rea ter value to th e Lord th a n all of the temples bu ilt by men, and one th a t will outlive all others th a t have ever been built. Lydia confessed h er faith by baptism into the name of h er Lord, and so did h er house hold, old and young, whosoever they were. She opened her home gladly to God’s representatives. The first convert in Europe was a woman. The Gospel of Christ has changed th e ch aracter of th e life of
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womankind and has lifted her from a life of thralldom and servitude to a sphere of high and holy service, th rough which pure womanhood has been able to glorify God. How much th e church owes to th e un tirin g devo tion of th e women of th e church. How much th e world owes to th e splendid exemplification of th e power of the Gos pel in th e lives of Godly women, to save from sin and to keep holy and pure, in peace and quietness. P ain t th e pictures in th is lesson. There are so many. Make th e tru th s stand ou t strong. There is a lesson here for every believer in your class, and a lesson for every unsaved one. There is a lesson for all of us as teachers. W hat is th e g re a t business of tru e Christians? Is every tru e Christian called to be a soul w inner? A re you doing your p art? (4 ) The F ru it of Conversion, Jas. 5:19 - 20 . Nothing can be clearer th a n th a t in these verses Jam es is exhorting the breth ren , th e laymen of th e church, to the joy of soul-winning. P ity th e be liever who h as never known th e joy of leading someone to an open confession of Christ, or a backslider to th e feet of his Lord. There are so many ways given us of w inning souls. We can win them by prayer. This is the knee way,—-not th e easiest, h u t the sure way. We may w in: them by letter. This is th e pen and pencil way,— a loving way. In th is way we trav erse miles and give th e message from our h earts to th e h earts of others, and th ere is little room for controversy. Then th ere is the face-to-face way,— the personal touch way, and th is is the royal way. But any way is a good way if you win them , and if you give your self to any one or all of th e ways, you are sure of fru it, for it is promised. P ray for guidance. P ray for open doo rs; for ta c t; for a tend er h e a rt; for compas sion. One soul is worth more th a n a world. Some one labored for you, and has th e rew ard. If you would be fru it-
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