The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1893-08-18


TIxx.-ruesdsy. May 20. A. d. 30; . week
After the last lesson Paul remained In prison
q C@sarea. from the last Of May. A. ID. -. 70
midsummer A. ID. "a
PrAcE-Cesarea, the residence o: tho Ro
man governor OF Judea II was on the Medit
e-.snean. forty seven miles northwest OF Jers
salem. Here . Roman centurion. cornehuss
had been converted eighteen years before
Here lived Philip the evangelist
RuLERs-Nero. emperor OF Rome Fehxs
governor OF Judea. A. ID SEQ Agripps' king
OF Trachonitis. etc
LESSON NOTES.
The Course of Events--In our last
lesson we left Paul as he was being
rescued from the mob after his address
upon the stairs leading from the court
of the Gentiles to the tower of Antonio
May 2S).
Paul's Romsn citizenship did him
good service on this occasion: for when
the chief captain Lysias, supposing
him Of course to have been some kind
of malefactor, since he aroused such
bitter opposition. ordered him To be
bound and scourged, Paul made an ap-
peal for his rights He was released
from bonds and saved from the scourg-
ing. but detained in prison.
Before the Jewish Council. Jerusa-
lem, Wednesday, May "a. The next
morning Lysias brought Paul before
the Jewish sanhcdrim to learn what 1t
was they accused him Of Note ~
Paul's righteous indignation at the In
sulting and brutal shifting him on the
face. Note (2) Paul's noble apology
for his sharp words, when he learned
that he had spoken them to the high
priest. He could not have imagined
that one who uttered SO unjust and I'M
worthy command could be high
priest Note (3) the lesson on speak
ing evil Of rulers and leaders. !. The
tendency is to criticise severely all
their acts that work against us, how
ever good for the whole people 2. 1t
Is easy TO find fault with Others whose
circumstances and limitations we do
not wholly understand. B. Speaking
evil Of rulers tends To disobcdience and
lawlessness, lessening the power OF
those who would execute law. 4. 1t
tends to irreverence toward nod. D.
We should respect the Office, even
when we cannot the officers. q. This
does not forbid a fair and candid
discussion of the actions of rulers. or
of their character SO far as necessary
to prevent the election Of bad men, or
the imitation of their conduct Note
(4) Paul's shrcwd use of the diversity
Of the council to escape from their con-
demnation. But it was the shrewd-
ness of pure honesty and sincerity,
seeking to advance the cause of the
Lord rather than his own safety. yet II
1 Ia. f.x cfx~-F
be the very best policy"
The Plot-Thursday May 25.. Early
the next morning forty Jews plotted
to kill Paul. binding themselves not to
eat or drink till they had murdered
him. These bitter enemies were afraid
that they had no case against him
which would hold in Roman court;
and even the sanhedrim were divided.
But Paul's nephew in some way learned
Of the plot and revealed it to the COM
mander.
Paul Sent to Casarea- The night Of
May IS. %. The conspirators wero
foiled. and Paul was sent under guard
by night to C@sarea. the political CAPT.
tai. Here he remained five days MAY
% to 30), while Gov. Felix sent for his
4 0cCustIS W NOhlC AAVih ~ oss~A>sA@ e~ee's
present their charges
Paurs Appeal TO Felix and Drusilla.
Yer "a, -. The Audience. ~
Felix. the governor Of Judea, original
ly slave. who. together with HE
brother Pallas, was bought by An
tonia. the mother of Emperor Gland
ius. They were both smart, capable
young men. and IN time received the
Gift of their freedom. After Antonia 8
death they served Emperor Claudius;
Pallas as "a sort Of major-domo of the
palace in Rome. while Felix rose rap
idly in the army. and at length in
81 was appointed procurator OF Judca.
"Tacitus writes of him as one who,
trusting to his brothers powerful in
fluencc at court. knew he could com
J nit any wrong with impunity. lie
! was VIGOROUSLY avaricious. cruel and
, licentious. but withal man of great
! energy and talent, welding, however
as Tacitus tells us, the power of q ty
rant in the temper Of slave Ac
cording to Josephus. he was one of th'
most corrupt and oppressive governor
. ever despatched from Rome TO Judca.
Rev. Com. t2) Drusilla was th'
daughter Of TIcrod Agrippa l.. VIII
,, died in Cnsarca in horrible torment
Acts 1881. and sister of the IIerc'
'. Agrippa of chapter IS. she was
: famous beauty, and married when onl.
J about fifteen to Aziz. the petty king o
= Klamath. north Of Palestine. Felix
7 meeting the beautiful queen OF liza
1. math at the house of her brother, fel
in love with her. 1t was not unrcasor
Z able in the libidinous old slave IN
2 must have been well advanced toward
: sixty to mistrust the power OF hi
= personal destinations; and in looking
! for some ally in his criminal desig
\, : he found, all ready to his hand, ccl
= tain magician named Simon, in whor
= we cannot be mistaken in rccognizin
our old acquaintance Simon tn
Magus, who wanted to buy the fol
. Ghost some sixteen years before. Thi
: appropriate agent piled his arts Of SC
duction to such purpose on the youn
bride that she abandoned her husban
and gave herself to be the so-callc