of the false gods had come from Greece. In Athens and
Corinth the most beautiful buildings were heathen temples, and not a
house in the whole land was without its images.

Paul had preached at Athens and Corinth, but in the very midst of his
difficult work he heard that the little band of faithful followers he
had left behind in the city of Thessalonica were in great trouble.

They had no books to help them except the Old Testament, written in
Greek. Although they had tried hard to remember his words, many things
still perplexed them. Besides, the Jews living in the city were their
bitterest enemies, and had so stirred up the people against them, that
they were in constant danger of losing their lives.

Would not their great leader tell them what they ought to believe, and
how they ought to live?

Paul loved these Thessalonians, and longed to go to them. But he could
not leave his work in Corinth. What then was he to do?

He could write a long letter to them, bidding them to '_Stand fast in
the Lord_.' (1 Thessalonians iii. 8.) To remember that God had called
them '_unto Holiness_.' (1 Thessalonians iv. 7.) Paul did not need to
remind them to love one another, for that God Himself had taught them.
(Verse 9.)

He told them, too, not to sorrow hopelessly for those who had died for
Christ, for when Christ returns, as He surely will, those who have
loved Him shall rise first to meet Him, and so be with Him for
evermore. '_Wherefore, comfort one another with these words._' (Verse
18.)

We can imagine how eagerly the Thessalonian converts listened to the
letter. We see, too, that the first Christian document ever written
contained the full Gospel message, and that the heathen had already
'_turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; and to
wait for His Son from Heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus,
which delivered us from the wrath to come._' (1 Thessalonians i. 9, 10.)

A few months later the Thessalonians were once more in great perplexity.

'What are we to believe?' they had asked. 'Paul tells us plainly that
Christ will return to the earth. How can we settle down to our
ordinary work with such a wonderful hope before us?'

From the answer which the Apostle sent to their questions--which we
call to-day the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians--we can see clearly
how troubled they must have been.

In order to understand their position we must remember that the words
and acts