The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-09-07
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
SEPTEMBER II.
Lesson Text: ''PhiIip and the Etht-
opian," Acts viii, 26-40-
Golden Text: John lii.
38-Commentary.

&c. "And the angel of the Lord spake unto
Philip, saying, Arise and go toward the
south, unto the way that goeth down from
Jerusalem unto GAIA, which is desert"
What an honor to have special heavenly
messenger bring one message right from
God. Compare Math. l.. 20; H., 13, 10; Luke
j., II, 10, %; Acts xii, Z; xvii, %. When
we read the Bible we must accept it as a
message to our souls as real as if an angel or
God Himself spoke to us.
q. "And he arose and went-and behold
a man of Ethiopia" From preaching to
many he had come to speak to one person.
Think Of Jesus speaking to Nicodemus, and
to the woman of Samaria, and count 1t not
a small matter to be sent as the Lords mes
senger to one soul. Obedience and faithful
ness is our part; God will see the results
lisa. j., 19.
2s. "Was returning, and sitting in his
from Egypt to Jerusalem to worship the
true God, and on his journey home was
reading the book Of God. He was an earn
est seeker after light ana truth and God OBJ
served him, for His eyes ran to and fro
throughout the whole earth to find just such
people III Chron. xvi, 81. Compare Acts
Z, 80, 81. Remember that God waits to re-
veal Himself to all who seek Him with the
whole heart Der. xxx, 49,.
29. "Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go
near and join thyseif unto this chariot" As
to the Spirit speaking 10 the apostles and
others, see Acts x, ~; xi., II: XIII, 2; xvi,
John xiv, 20; xv., 26; xvi, 13. 1t is pos
sible for us even now to hear the voice Of the
Spirit and be guided by Him.
80. "And Philip ran thither to him. and
heard him read the prophet Esaias and
said, Understandest thou what thou read
est?' See what pains God will take to cause
one to understand His word when He sees
that desire in our hearts. Consider how
Jesus opened the Scriptures to the two men
with whom He walked, and how afterward
in the midst of the eleven "He opened their
understanding, that they might mt understand
the Scriptures luke XIV, 81, 45).
81. And he said, how eau I expect some
man should guide me? And he desired Philip
that he would come up and sit with HIM"
The ennuch was greater man riding In his
chariot; Philip probably had the appearance
of way worn traveller; yet see his cordial
reception. Many messages are unspoken and
letters unwritten that. the spirit has whls-
pered because we have feared rebuke. We
must obey and not be afraid Mark ", 36,..
32 '"He was led as a sheep to the slaugh-
ter, and like lamp dumb before his shearer,
SO opened. He not His mouth" This was
the Scripture which he read lisa. lii q, and
refers to the suffering Of Jesus wnen led
bound to the high priest and to PLATE and to
be crucified. There are similar words IN
Jer. ii. 19, for jeremiah was type OF Jesus,
and suffered all but death for His sake.
There is time to be silent even when suffer-
ing Ps xviii, 1S, ~.
33. In His humiliation His judgment was
taken away; and who shall declare His gen
GRAFTON? His life is taken from the earth"
There was no justice done to Him, the Jews
could prove nothing against Him, Tor none
of the witnesses agreed; and Plate, though
testifying three times tnat he found no fault
in Him, yet scourged Him and delivered Him
to bo crucihed.
81. II pray thee, of whom speaketh the
prophet this-of himself. or some other
manY' This was the eunuch's question to
Philip, and one very much to the point: In
reading II Sam. vii, IL, 13: Ps. viii, 4;
xvi, 10, IL; xii, 8, IS; Isa. tx. Z, and
hosts OF other passages, doss ths question
ever arise in your mind, "Of whom speaS-
eth the prophet this% DO you care to un..
derstand Scripture, or do you read it as
religious duty?
began at tho same Scripture, and preached
unto him Jesus" Philip did not waste time
on the style OF the prophet, nor on the posi-.
bility of another Isaiah being the author or
this Scripture, neither did he drop hint
that prophet could not see 700 years into
the future, but from thi. aud other Scrip
lures he made plain the truth concerning
Jesus. That is what the Scriptures are for
and that Is the preachers business Luxe
xiv, 27, A.; John ", 80, 46l.
So. See, here is water; wnat doth hinder
me TO be baptizedY Thus spake the eun9sn I1S;1
to Philip as they went on their way. The
entrance of the word Of God had enlightene
him FPS. cxix., 1907, and having receiver
Jesus as revealed in the Scriptures, ne was
READY to confess it in baptism. de was
probably attended by many servants, ana IN
their presence he was ready TO confess tna1
he had received Jesus OF Nazareth as his
Saviour.
81. .And Philip said, il thou believest with
all thine heart thou mayest. And ne an
swered and said, believe that Jesus Christ
is the Son OF Goj." Compare the COMES
sions OF Peter and Martha IN Math. xvi, 10;
John Ii., -, and observe the root OF sucn
confession in I Cor. Kill, IL; John w., 10.
Remember also that to believe is to receive,
and that with the heart man bellevsth
unto Righteousness, and with the mouth con-
1ession is made unto salvation" tJohn j., IL;
Rom. K, lW
IS, "And he commanded the chariot to
stand still, and they went down both into tha
water, both Philip and the eunucb, and he
baptized him" Thus the eunuca fully
obeyed Mark xvi, 16, and Philip obey &c
(Math. xviii, 1g, and there was joy in
heaven over sinner repenting Nuke 1v.,
2, 10l. From beginning to end 1t was the
work Of the Spirit Of God, but the Spirit ia
graciously pleased to work through human
instrumentality. He will use any one who
is fully yielded to Him.
80. "And when they were come up out Of
the water, the Spirit Of the Lord caught
away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no
more: and he went on his way rejoicing"
The messenger had delivered his message,
had done his work and was gone. No
thanks, no reward, no praises from man,
but the approval OF God, and suddenly and
supernaturallY transferred to other oppor-
tunities for labor. Some day as suddenly
we may be caught to meet Jesus in the air.
How glorious if we shall be found abiding
in Him Il John il, 2S).
40. "But Philip was found at Azotus; and
passing through he preached in all the cities,
till he came to Cmsarea." There we find him
years afterward, with bis four daughters
who did prophecy, entertaining Paul and his
companions many days (Acts xxi, $40. II
the eunuch saw him no more on earth, he
has met him long since in the glory. VIII
souls you have saved meet you therei-Les-