Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1897-03-04
The SUNDAY SCHOOL.
International Lesson for March Z 1897
The Ethiopian COnvert-Aets S.26-4o.
tArranged from Peloubet's Note

Soon after the last lesson.
PLACE-Jbdea. in the uEcultivated
GAIA, which is near the coast IF the Med
EXPLANATORY.
l. Providential Preparations through
% Philip and 81 the Man Of Ethiopia.
VS.. 26, q. %. And the (better, am
angel Of the Lord" Whether he an
peared in some visible form. or by some
inward communication. or by vision,
is not revealed, and is matter of small
consequence. "Spake unto Philip" The
deacon, or evangelist, not the apostle.
~ And he arose and vent" To
where his road entered the Jerusalem
and GAIA road. He does not seem to
have known the object OF his journey.
~ man Of Ethiopia:" Ii general,
Ethiopia is a vague term for the lands
south Of Egypt. but in this case we are
able to identify it with the ancient
Ethiopic kingdom Of Meroe by the name
of its queen. Candace. ~ eunueh of
great authority" The word. although
meaning a chamberlain or d servant Of
the bedchamber, denoted. as now, the
condition of a man who was chosen 10
watch over the women's apartment in
great houses. Such persons. deprived
of family ambition. were thought more
trustworthy than others, and often held
high Offices. He was at the head OF
the financial department OF the king
Tom, chancellor of the exchequer, sec
rotary of the treasury.
II. Seeking the Light VS.. 27. Is. 81.
"Iiad come to Jerusalem for to wor-
ship" lie had accepted the truth that
was given him, which fact in itself
he being a leading man, amid great
temptations. showed a deeply sincere
and earnest soul. But he wanted more
light, and he travelled g long distance,
at great expense. that he might obtain
it.
%. Was returning" From Jerusa-
lem, where he must have heard of
Jesus and His claim to be the Messiah,
ard of His disciples and their dc eds,
and it is almost wonderful that he did
not there join them to learn about the
truth. But it was natural that he
should go first to the Jewish leaders,
and they would misrepresent the Chris
tians 70 him. Still the very air was full
Of discussion of the Scriptures relating
to the Messiah, which would awaken
in him a desire to study them for him
self. Hence he had turned to the
particular passage in Isaiah, and was
studying the question as he was sit
ting in his chariot
III. Unexpected Help.-Vs. 29-31 %.
"Then the Spirit said unto Philip:"
Vow came the explanation Of the COM
maud to take the journey, Go near,
and join thyaelf to this charict:" No
doubt this royal treasurer had a nu-
merous retinue. and a single traveller on
a desert road would be doing what was
natural in attaching himself to a train
Of people who were journeying in the
same direction. Philip would there
fore be able . approach and hear what
was read without being deemed an in
truder. ''Understandeth thou ?" The
question would imply that Philip was
reagly 70 explain, The Christians had
been enlightened b. the Holy Spirit
and The continual necessity Of explain
ing and Interpreting must have made
them familiar with all the Scriptures
referring 10 Christ
~. New Light Upon Old Scriptures |
Us. 32-55. So. The place Of the Scrip
ture Qsa. 53:7, 81"
IS. "Then Philip began at
the same Scripture:" Which was full
filled in Jesus, and has been fulfilled in
no other And preached unto him
Jesus:" Literally, announced to him
the glad tidines, Jesus.--Abbott Philip
showed the strange and marvellous cor
respondence between the many descrip-
tons of the Messiah in the prophets and
the then well-lnewn life Of Jesus of
Nazareth. He placed Jesus in His life,
death and character, beside the picture
OF the Messiah which the prophets had
painted, and all could see that the pic
ture was q portrait Of Jesus.
y. Accepting and Confessing Christ
VS.. 36-3s. So Game unto a certain
water They had been riding some
time together. ard this marks the place
where tAey parted. See, here is
wator:" or. simply; 'Behold vaterl'
This was aging: Il believe In Jesus.
accept HIM rs my Saviour and now I
wish to confess Him by baptism, as all
other Christians had been doing.
IS lie commanded tho charlo5." Tie
ordered the chariot driver to stop, and
IF course the Whole rctinue would see
what took place, and tines may certain
is at regarded as the nucleus af con
geeratau to be established 10 i.faiopia
"53a Baptized hm Without wanting
fnctHer to instruet him cr delas .nr for
faa5c ceremonial I'aptm was the