Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-03-28

Sunday School Lesson Notes.
BY REV. j. o. SHERBURN.
April 8: Philip and the Ethiopian-Acts s:ao-io.


successful in preaching and winning men
among the Samaritans. Now he has a
special divine call for work in another
fl Id. We have no very particular account
of the method by which God directed him.
save that Me angel of the Lord spake to
him. 1t is not said that the angel appeart d
to him, but a natural supposition is that
he came and spake with audible voice.
The command might have appeared
strange and even senseless 10 ono not
schooled to walk by faith; but there is no
hesitation on the part of Philip. voice
from the Lord stilled every cavll with him.
What made the command still greater
test of faith and obedience was tho fact
that only indefinite directions were given.
He was to 60 down the way which leads
from Jerusalem to GAIA. But no indica.
ton is given as to the purpose of his
mission, or the distance he was to travel.
lie was simply to set out upon this way
and wait for events to teach him what the
design of his going was. But she arose
and went" and in this way of obedience
God gave him a grand opportunity to lead
waiting soul to the Lamb Of God; and
through the influence of this one conver-
sion bring many others to know Christ.
The man was at the head of the treasury
department under Candice, queen of
Ethiopia. The English would term him
master of the exchequer.
1t is not little surprising 10 find this
man a devout worshiper of the true God,
but it shows to what an extent the Jews
had become scattered even at that day,
and also that they had made converts or
proselytes to their national religion
wherever they had gone. lie had come
some 1900 miles probably to attend some
of the great Jewish festivals. He was
from the same region whose queen visited
Jerusalem to learn the wisdom of
Solomon. Here we seq devout inquirer
ait II the truth We shall find in several
in stances in Acts accounts of Just such
men, and in no case are they left without
clear tie e,chng concerning tn, way of life.
God shows an infinite interest in the man
who is honestly seeking the light. This
Ethiopian was on his way home reading
ftom the Old Testament scriptures. Pos
sibly he had procured roll of parchment
coataining the Prophes, or some parts oi
or Old Testament, on his recent visit to
the Holy City. 1t would be matter
worthy of comment to find a minister o
finance in any of the great Christian
nations of to-day reading Gods word on
his journeys 1t would be also an exceed
ingly hopeful sight, for no man, who reads
devoutly and thoroughly that word, would
be likely to prove treacherous to such
hi yh oblig atoms. Here then in this officer
OF distant realm was Philips opportunity
to preach Jesus. If this man had been
travelling ia II drunken carouse Col wo lid
not have taken Philip from Sanaria to
preach to him. BIT here WIS soul
needing aid, willing to be aided, and the
divine economy makes extra provisions
for Just this class. The spirit, which ha |
before spoken to Philip by an angel, now
suggested to him, without sny mediate
agency, that he 60 near AMI join himself
10 the chariot. That would naturally mean
that he find a place among the attendants
who were about the chariot of this officer.
Now Philip begins to see the meaning
of his mission to his region. The treasur-
er is reading aloud. and Philip catches the
words as he pronouncc5 them. A remark
able coincidence, rather wonderful man.
Hesitation Of divine foresight that just at
the tim, Philip C inc up the Ethiopian
should be reading the SD, of Isaiah, and
should b, Just at those verses which speak
80 directly Of Christ, and cannot be
explained without him. Christ there set
forth as the patient sufferer, the sacrifical
Offering, the abusel criminal, 50 called
"His judgment was taken away" i. e :,
no fair trial WAS granted him, m,-Cnrist the
character vastly above all mere human
characters, "who shall declare his genera
tion?' or find other characters with whom
he may be classed.
These great prophetic pass lges furnished
all the text that Philip ,needed for the
occasion. 1t may be presumed that some
thing in the manner of the M IN or the
tone of his reading indicated that he was
at Il loss to know the roll import of what
he read. Hence Philip made bold to ask
"understandest thou what thou read estP"
AT once tho mln brings up the central
idea of the pssage, and inquiries of whom
Isaiah is writing and as the prophet died a
violent deathhe intimates that the language
might refer to him. Now the way is
, omp.etely opened Philip could ask nc
better opportunity to preach Jesus; and
it would appear that he used the cpportun.
ity we'll; for in little time this prince oI
Africa was bowling his whole soul to the
Prince of life, and protesting without the
least hesitation, Il believe that Jesus
Christ is the Son of God"
Having believe he was ready to act
The inward man being enlightened, he
was anxious to keep all proper outward
observances. Philip doubtless explained
the meaning of baptism to him, and at the
first convenient place he said eagerly "See
h,ro is water what doth hinder me to be
btptzed?' So in m hours time almost
this man of rank and wealth put himself
among the number OF tlo followers OF
Jesus. Philips work being accomplished
he ID miraculously removed from this
convert from distand land, and is soon
found preaching in the towns far to the
northward of Palestine. The work goes
forward rapidly and he who was rejected
by his own people is received with
gladness by multitudcs of other races.