The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1877-11-08
The sunday school.
ratL HEEoR1 aeRtrFA.
stsat. Yo,rssm il. 1871

Two years after Paul preached bc
son Felix BE- was troagbs before Pr.
aas Fesss wAo sBccoeaed Filis A.
governor when b. sppcaied from the
Jevs o. TIE tribunal II CssAr FsstUs
presented Paal's case lo Agrippa, cali.
e. 80 H. % yosager AID grandson q
Hefod tie Great he was king n Chai
Gle small territory cast d tbe Jor
dsa and % The rveF Oroutes. together
with several teirafchies and some later
additions 70 his dominion Re came 70
caesafea u pay official respec, 70 Fcs-
tgs Ieh KY 49, and desired 70 bear
Paul iar himself Therefore "a The
next day. Agnppa, With Bernice, his
sister and equally beautiful sister Of
Draslla, and Ike her 10 having for
sAkea her husband, POLICEMAN. king Of
pontas. and ID then living ia very sus.
piclous circumstances with her brother,
together with some Of the principal
mcu # The city and military captains
aai a royal fetiuur. came with great
pomp iatp the audience chamber.
where again Paul indicated bis limo
ceaee aud rohearsed the manner d bis
conversion and call to bis ministry to
the Gcnlles Then was fuldlled tch.
/ tx 49, for he WAS hearing the name Of
Christ before a king. The transactions
bere recorded took place ~ A. p 60,
At Caesarea where Panl was lately inn
/ prisoued aud bloody Nero was en-
peror Of Rome. Felix had been sum.
mOued to Rome for his maladministra-
ton 10 Judea. and Festus, like him,
was Indifferent TO Christianity, and re.
garled il only as Jewish superstition.
i tCh XIV: lg Paul refuted the Jewish
charges, leaving that Of treason against
Rome till he should answer bis appeal
to Caesar He was gratifed that Agrip-
pa had knowledge Of the laws aud us
ages Of the jews as lie could therefore
defend himself before him with the
greater freedom aud success. His
whole life, before his conversion, was
very strictly devoted to the religion Of
bis nation, aud to the ritual and disci-
pline Of tue most straitest sect Of it.
the rigid Pharisees (ph iii:46) and
he was then arragned for embracing
the most precious promise of their
. Scriptures. and for defending the most
, cheering hope which the church of Is
rael entertained. How, then, was he
schismatic and hereto against the
people Of God 7
Some suppose that the hope men
toned in the first verse Of our lesson
was that o. the resurrection OF the dead
hich was taught in the old testament
so Dr. Clarke. But it is most probable
that the hope of the Messiah for whom
the nation of Israel was yet looking
was meant; and Paul believed that that
hope was already fulfilled in the person
death and resurrection Of Christ. But
the two are so closely united that the
one supposes the other. If Christ was
raised, all the dead will rise; and the
separate existance Of the soul and tht
future state are proved (See Mat
xxi :23.32) That promise was Of Goo
and therefore sure of fulilment anC
was made to the fathers, and thus be
came the inheritance of the nation. The
a opposing Jews were therefore rejecting
. their own religion. and the chief Of al
s blessings
9 That promise was OF momentous in
teresl to the Jewish people, who were
constantly looking after its fulfllment
/, though with mistaken views OF the ma
ture Of its benefits. 10 that expecta
r ton, their twelve tribes, the whole body
7 Of the lsraelitsh nation JAS. i;l) were
instantly, with constant zeal, serving
! God in all the temple and synagogu,
service day aud night, unweariedly
, thus keeping up Gods worship will
consistency aud ardor They we're thu
A waiting foe the promised Deliverer
! Paul knew he was come already, b,
! had performed the earthly mission aut
/, was then ia heaven Aud for cherish
ing that belief, and preaching it TO 9th
ers, he was indicted by the Jews Blu
J that, belief was not heretieal, nor wa
T" bis belief Of the resurrection Of Tia
: dead, for God had raised Christ i
proof Of universal resurrection at th
; last day. Why then, should Agrippa
a Jewish prince. and a believer 10 th
: sacred writings, have doubt Of it? il
hoyah. whom he acknowledged wa
. omnipoteut, aud could raise men; an
e was faithful 10 his predictions an
e promises. aud would do it. And why
). therefore, was the resurrection {
y Cbiis,. and BY consequence his Mes
! siabship. unworthy Of beliefg VIVA
1 absurdiiy. or what incrodibility, fol
z babe is belief by him! And VIII
!. should not the Roman Festus. as wei
u and lis attendants. believe that Cd
dead shall rise, and the consequent FAC
u Of the divine mission q Christ % men