Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1897-10-14

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THE LESSON.
/. The Plot.-As soon as Paul was
taken to the castle 40 Of their number
conspired to Eill him. binding them
selves not TO cat or drink till they had
murdered him. But Paurs nephew IN
some way learned of the plot and re-
vealed il to the commander.
II. Paul Transferred 10 Cesarea.~
As soon as the Roman colonel Lysias
learned of the plot he arranged to have
Paul start that same night for Cesarea
under guard of 400 infantry and 70
cavalry They left Jerusalem at nine
o'clock that same evening. bearing a
letter to Gov. Felix, recounting tie
circumstances.
III. Trial Before Felix.-Within five
days the high priest Ananias, accom-
panied by a deputation from the San
hedrim, and by professional advocate.
Tertullus, arrived in Cesarea to present
their charges against Paul
The charges brought against Paul
were: l. Treason against Rome. IN
mover of sedition among all the jews
throughout the world" referring to the
mobs of the jews against him in almos.
every city, as if he were to blame for
them. 2. Heresy against the Jewish
religion, ringleader of the sect Of
the Nazarenes. Ringleader, the leader
of ring, or riotous body. 8. Sacrilege
in profaning the temple, as charged BY
the Jews of Asia.
IN. Paul's Reply to the Charges.-vs.
1921 The introduction. verse 10, was
courteous, but not fattering.
The answer to the charge Of treason
was simple denial, sustained by a
PLAIN statement of facts and the utter
absence = any witnesses or proof.
In answer to the second charge Of
heresy he acknowledged the fact. bur
denied that it was heresy.
Paul brought forward three reasons
why his way of worship was not a sect
or heresy. 1. Because with il he vor-
SHIPPED the same God of my (our) ia
theirs whom his accusers worshiped. He
was true jew. 2. lie held to the jew
lsh law, while he rejected many of their
interpretations of it. Christ and the
Gospel fulfilled, not anndlled. the law.
And in the prophets The Jewish
8.
Il. And have hope toward God:" In
reference to God, founded on His rev
elation. His hope was that there shall
be a resurrection of the dead:" Immor-
tai life and glory, just as his accusers
themselves believed; Paul, pointing to
them as he spoke. ''Of the just and I'M
JUST" Bringing a double motive of
hope and of warning.
The answer to the third charge, of
sacrilege Tvs. 17-21), is a direct denial,
through a statement of the facts.
II. NOW after many" Several years
from Jerusalem. 1t was four years
since he was there. 81 came to bring
aims to my nation:" The large sums
he had been collecting in Corinth and
Macedonia. And offerings:" The Gus
tomary Pentecost sacrifices in the tenn
pie This was the exact opposite of
sacrilege
There was no answer to Paul's argu-
ment, for there could be none.
y. Two Years in Prison at Cesarea.-
VS.. %, IS, Felix, for fear Of the Jews
who were turbulent people, and knew
his wicked deeds, and for the sake of
making money out of Paul Tvs. &c, 2-),
deferred his decision. knowing the
character of the disciples. and that
Paufs story accorded with what he
knew Of them, Felix avoided outrageous
injustice TO Paul, and yet did not set
the Jews against himself. by simply de-
ferring his decision. PauI's confne-
menl was as easy as possible, because
FeliI knew that Paul was innocent.
and yet for the reasons given above he
was afraid to release him. This inn
prisonment lasted for two years (v.
@7).
VI. Felix Before Paul.-vs. "a, 25
"a. when Felix came:" He resided
only q part of the time at Cesarea, and
had now returned. HE sent for PAUL"
Either from curiosity to see such a we'll
known man, or from some remnant of
conscience and thought of a better life,
or, as in verse %, in order to extort
money from him.
25. And as he reasoned" In this
private interview with two such UNI
godly people as Felix and his wife Tru-
silla in palace, amid all the dazzling
circumstances Of rank and power. of
righteousness: Our English Justice"
includes in Greek ethics the duties
which man owes to man Temper
ance:" The Greek word has a far
broader significance than the English
temperance; it denotes especially self
control" the power OF couquering ones
own passions and lusts. And judg-
ment to come" Rewards for the vir-
tues, and punishment for vice Now
was the time to repent and escape
Felix trembled;" Better as Z. V, was
terrified. Well might he Ike filed with
fear. 60 thy way for this time:"
Fear sent away not the sin, but the
preacher. when l have a convenient
season." He put off deciding to repent
till he could hear more. But his good
feelings vanished like the morning
cloud and the early dew" The con-
venient season never came.