The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1894-06-13
THE EXCITED GOVERNOR.
Rev. DR.. Talmage Discourses About
Felix and Drusilla.
why Felix Sent Paul Back to tho Guard
Room and Adjourned the Subject of
&c.. Religion-The Dangersof Putting
the Matter Off--Now Is the
Accepted Time.

course through the press last Sunday,
"The Excited Governor" the text being
taken from Acts XIV. %: Felix trem-
bled, and answered, Go thy way for
this time; when l nave a convenient
season, will call for thee"
A city of marble was Cesarea-
wharves Of marble, houses of marble,
temples of marble. This being the or
dinary architecture Of the place, you
may imagine something of the splendor
Of Gov. Felix's residence. In a
room Of that palace, floor tesselatod,
windows curtained, ceiling fretted, the
whole scene affiuent with Tyrian pur-
pie, and statues, and pictures, and
carvings, sat very dark-complexioned
man by the name Of Felix, and beside
him woman of extraordinary beauty,
whom he had stolen by breaking up
another domestic circle. She was only
eighteen years Of age, a princess by
birth, and unwittingly waiting for
her doom-that of being buried alive
In the ashes and scorie of Mount Vesu-
vius, which in sudden eruption, one
day, put an end to her denominations
Well, one afternoon, Drusilla, seated
in the palace, weary with the magnif-
cent stupidities of the place, says to
Felix: you have very distinguished
prisoner, / believe, by the name of
Paul. Do you know he is one of my
countrymen? / should very much like
to see him, and | should very much
like to hear him speak, for have heard
so much about his eloquence. Besides
that, the other day, when he was being
tried in another room of this palace,
and the windows were open, heard the
applause that greeted the speech OF
Lawyer Tertullus as he denounced
Paul. Now, / very much wish / could
hear Paul speak. Won't you let me
hear him speak?'' YES" said Felix,
81 will. ! will order him up now from
the guard room" Clank, clank, comes
a chain up the marble stairway and
there is shuttle at the door, and in
comes Paul, a little old man, prema.
turely old through cxposure-only
sixty years of age, but looking as
though he were eighty. lie bows very
courteously before the governor and
the beautiful woman by his side, They
say: Paul, we have heard great deal
about your speaking; give us now a
specimen of your eloquence." Oh!
II there ever was n chance for man TO
show off. Paul had a chance there. He
might have harangued them about
Grecian art, about the wonderful water
works he had seen at Corinth, about
the Acropolis by moonlight, about
prison life in Philippi, about "What
Saw in Thessalonica," about tho old
mythologies; but "No!" Paul said to
himself: II am now on the way TO
martyrdom, AMI this man and woman
will soon be dead, and this is my only
opportunity to talk TO them about the
things of eternity" And Just there
and then there broke in upon the scene
a penl of thunder. II was the voice OF
a Judgment day speaking through the
words Of the decrepit apostle. As that
grand old missionary proceeded with
his remarks, the stoop begins TO &c
out of his shoulders, and he rises up,
and his countenance is illuminated with
the glories OF n future life, and his
shackles rattle and grind as he lifts his
fettered arm. and with IL hurls upon
his abashed auditors the bolts Of Gods
Indignation. Felix grew very white
about the lips. His heart beat unevenly.
He put his hand to his brow, as though
to stop the quickness and violence OF
! his thoughts. lie drew his robe tightly
around him, as under a sudden chill.
His eyes glare and his knees shake,
and, as he clutches the side Of his chair
in paroxysm Of terror. be orders the
sheriff 10 take Paul back to the guard.
room. Felix trembled, and said: "Go
thy way for this time; when have a
convenient season, | will call for thee. =
A young man came one night TO our
services, with pencil in hand 10 carica.
ture the whole scene, and make mirth
of those who should express any anxi'
ETY. about their souls; but met him AT
the door, his face very white, tears
running down his cheeks, rs he said,
"Do you think there is any chance for
me?" Felix trembled, and SO may God
grant IL may be so with others.
Ipropose 10 give you two or three
reasons why think Felix sent Paul
back to the gnard room, and adjourned
this whole subject of religion. The first
reason was he did not want TO give ur
his sins. He looked around; there was
Drusilla. lie knew that when he be-
came ChristiaB he must send her back
to Azizus, her lawful husband, and he
said TO himself, "a will risk the de.
struction of my immortal soul, sooner
than will do that" How many there
are now who cannot get TO be Chris.
tians, because they will not abandon
their sinsl In vain all their prayers
and all their church going. You can.
not keep these darling sins and win
heaven; and now some OF you will have
TO decide between the wine cup and
unlawful amusements, and lascivioui
qualifications on the one hand, and
eternal salvation on the other. Delilah
shsared the locks Of Samson; Salome
danced Herod into the pit; Drusilla
blocked up the way TO Heaven for
Felix. Yet when present the subject
now, fear that some Of you will say:
"Not quite yet. Don't be so precipitats
In your demands have few tickets
yet that have 10 use. l have few
engagements that must keep. Iwani
10 stay little longer In the whirl Of
oonviviality-a few more outlaws Of
;unelean laughter, q few more st cps or
the road TO death, and then, sir, win
listen 10 what you say. Go thy way
for this time; whom have convenient
n IN III