The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-06-04
PULPIT UTTERANC CES.
WAITING FOR AcoNvgNIsNr SEASON
Tho Awful Tendency of Human Nature
to Procrastinate.


Rev. o. P. Clifford, pastor of the Warren
Avenue Baptist Church, Boston, Mass, re-
Gently preached a stirring sermon on the
evils Of delay in embracing the Christian
faith, and beginning the faithfdl. practice
Of atrue religious life. He took for his text:
I And ashe reasoned Of ofsrighteousness, tom
perance and Judgment to come, Felix trem
bled and answered. go thy way for this timei
when l have a convenient season will coll
for theo."--1cts Tpiu: rs.
tRaups third missionary journey covered,
In time, from the years SO to 90 A. D., and
In distance about nineteen hundred and
fifty miles. At the end of the journey he
met the brethren atiJerusalem, and they
listened gladly while he talked of the
things that God had wrought through him
among the Gentiles The report had al
ready preceded him that there was trouble
in Asia, a charge being brought against
him that he was overturning the law and
the prophets. The counselers Of the Church
advised him to purify himself, and take
the charge of four men, meeting their ex.
pense. At the time of tho publication,
while entering the Temple, he was met by
certain Jews from Asia, who raised the
shout: "This is the man that teacheth all
mon everywhere against tho people and
the law" Instantly the apostles hurried
out of the Temple to the outer court, and
Jerusalem was in ferment. While the
mob is surging this way and that, the chief
Captain Of the Roman centurions, with
strong guard, seizes him, manacles his two
wrists, md hurries him across the area to
the castle, a place of imprisonment. Nc
sooner does Paul feel the firm steps of the
castle stairway beneath his feet than he
asks the privilege Of speaking.
They listened all through the unfolding
Of his missionary journey until he came
to the word "Gentiles," and then they
lifted their voices and shouted: "Away
with him; this man is not fit to live on the
earth" The next day he is brought before
the Council. 1t Is divided into two schools
Of thought, tho Pharisees and Sadducees
The Pharisees believed in spirits, angels
and the resurrection, and the Sadducees in
none of them. Paul throws his Judgment
in with the Pharisees: al am Pharisee,
the son OF Pharisee." The Pharisees say
"There is no charge against him,n But he
is carried back to Lysias, and forty men
pledge themselves to neither eat nor drink
until he dies. At night, with strong
guard OF Roman cavalry and infantry, the
apostle is hurried from Jerusalem down to
C@sarea, political center. After short
time Tertullus makes his charge, and Paul
answers Felix. Then Felix valves further
discussion, puts him in temporary confne.
mont, and let's his acquaintance and
friends come and go when they please.
Felix, the Governor of Judea, has Jewish
wife. He wishes to have her hear this new
preacher. So Felix and Drusllla sum
moned Paul to be their court preacher-a
strange group, the homeless, friendless
preacher of the Gospel of Christ face to
face with Felix, the Roman Governor, who
has power Of life and death. Now is his
chance 10 preach an historic sermon, to
unfold the law and the prophets, to make
friends with the power of Rome. They
want to hear the faith of Christ.
This man, Felix, had curious and
varied experience. Years before he had
been run down from the hills of Arcadia @
slave, had been sold to the highest bidder,
carried to Clnudius, had ingratiated him.
selfwith the women Of the court, had been
raised step by step from slavery to official
position, to bo Governor of the Province OF
Judea; shrewd, sharp-sighted, licentious
libertine-all his past record was stained
with blood. 1t was said of him that he
had the power of King and the disposi.
tion Of slave. Tacitus says of him that
he acted as il he had liberty and license to
commit all sorts Of crimes without fear Of
punishment. That is the man before whom
Paul breaches.
The woman, Drusilla, had come under
the gaze of Felix, who already had two
wives, was won from her husband, and
now, she, Jewess lin Distance of the law
Of God and mani, was living with that
freedman on the throne Of Judea in open
adultery. She is the woman to whom
Paul breaches temperance-or, better
chastity. That is what the faith Of Christ
means-meeting present want, adapted
to and fitting itself to the present need. II
is the same old story of John the Baptist
/, before Herod; Paul before Felix, apply.
ing this Christian remedy of the Gospel
1t is a strange sight as the great apostle
warns TO his work. He stands like O
mountain oak, rude in his righteousness
And Felix shivers like an aspen leaf. As
the wonderful preacher unfolds his past
it comes up stained with blood and do
bauchery, and, to shut cut the vision, be
says: "Go thy way for this time; when
have convenient season l will call fol
thee" "
Who Is master, the prisoner or the King
The man who lives up to the consciousness,
of the truth that God has given him 1.
master everywhere, and the man with Q
bad past Is slave anywhere, He trem
bles, but he does not believe. He trembles
but he does not reform. He trembles, bu
he leaves Paul in chains until he is sum
moned back to imperial Rome to give NJ
, the puaorhe lids abused.
want to call your attention to q few
practical thoughts out Of this lesson.
l. The first shot hearing is not be
Ueving, is not doing. Fslix had no cholc,
the first timeIhc heard the great apostle o.
the GentilSs; she wus an oficer, and in al
official capacity Panl met him. Fell,
liked the preaching and style Of the man
and he summoned him again There is {
time in mans life when hs Is compelled
TO listen to Christian preaching; when o.
a child his parents take him to church, ol
j when ho goesto meet the passing desire o.