The Acts of the Apostles (1911) — PDF Scan 353
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LABORING UNDER DIFFICULTIES 347 tion of the Lord. In accordance with this custom, Paul had early learned the trade of tent-making. Before he became a disciple of Christ, Paul had occupied a high position, and was not dependent upon manual labor for support. But afterward, when he had used all his means in furthering the cause of Christ, he resorted at times to his trade to gain a livelihood. Especially was this the case when he labored in places where his motives might have been misunderstood. It is at Thessalonica that we first read of Paul's working with his hands in self-supporting labor while preaching the Word. Writing to the church of believers there, he reminded them that he ^' might have been burdensome'' to them, and added: ^'Ye remember, brethren, our labor and travail: for laboring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God. ' ' ' And again, in his second epistle to them, he declared that he and his fellow-laborer while with them had not eaten ^'any man's bread for naught." Night and day we worked, he wrote, 'Hhat we might not be chargeable to any of you : not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. " ' At Thessalonica Paul had met those who refused to work with their hands. It was of this class that he afterward wrote: ''There are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread." -1 Thess. 2:6,9. »2 Thess. 3:8,9.