The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-07-01
THE SONDAY-SCH00h.
International Lesson Appointed
for July II, 1897.
BY REV. j. 8. LEMON, PH.D.
Subject: The Arrest and the Release OF SITS.
Paul and Silas. Acts, 16: 1884.

Paul and siIas. Acts, 16: 1884.
The data for the narrative OF the arrest will
be found in Acts, Is: 1924. The time was A.
ID. 50; the place Philippi, in Macedonis, The
outline follows.
/. Accusers. 10. CT. Is.
2. Charge. /. Real. 2. Pretended.
3. Arresters 10.
a. Place of trial. 10.
5. Court. 10.
6. Witnesses. o.
z. Punishment Beating. %
8. Prison. %
9. Jailor. %.
]. The accusers were the masters or owners
of the damsel. 16. She was seemingly owned
by partnership as a slave. It may be the
company was formed on purpose to make
money from exhibitions Of the woman, who
was, perhaps, shown, with Others In some kind
of public entertainment.
2. The charge was sedition. 20; II 8. The
accusers represented the Apostles as distnrber5
of the public peace. Civil authority is always
very sensitive about seditious acts. The ene-
mics of Christ made similar charges against
him. The case was more complicated, too, by
the fact that the Apostles were innovators as
| TO religious matters.
3. 1t would seem from the account that the
arresters were the owners of the girl, but the
arrest. it is likely. was not made by them in
person, but through proper officers secured by
| them.
a. The gateways Of eastern cities served as
! market places for general concour5e, and fire.
| quentiy for court Qaw) proceedings.
D. Livery city had rulers. or magistrates, who
| tried cases and ordered punishment admins
tered. Those who inflicted the blows were
| called lictors What was done ". 22) was not
! by the rulers in person, but by their order.
/, 8. 1t does not seem there was any formal
trial. The proceeding was itself riotous, aud
ypt w are nj trial of nv
| OF disturbing the public peace. There was
! general disorder. So DR.. kendrick wrote ::
The whole outrage seems TO have been con-
Quoted with hot haste which did not permit
| Paul to plead, if he had chosen so to do, his
privileges Roman citizen. We recall the
| Irregularities, utter contempt of law, in the
trial of Christ. So, too, as to witnesses in His
| case.
z. Punishment. Tied in a bent POSTURE the
| Apostles were subjected to severe blows whip
ping, inflicted by the lictors
| From all this we take these suggestions:
| a. Love of money is at times greater than
| fear of ones soul.
b. Good persons have often been in prisons,
| abused, etc.
C. False evidence (so-called) is possible, and
many persons innocent have been falsely con-
| demned. Recite the ninth commandment
| o. TO not with the multitude to do evil. Ma
jority ia not always right. V. %.
e. Notice how Jews suffer-a terrible case of
retribution for their treatment (cruelty) of
Christ. v. 90.
+. Corporal punishment is now quite extinc.
| in penal institutions.
q. Despise hypocrisy.
h. Suffer for Clirist's sake
i he data for the release is found in verses %
to 81 The time and place are the same. The
condition Of the prisoners may be represented
a. Under arrest.
!. On trial without any lega
regulations.
C. Charged falsely
d. Deprived of clothing.
e. Severely whipped, fesf
1. Adverse. torn, very sore.
+. In a dungeoD, damp, chilly
g. Ankles fastened, painful.
h. No cheer of friends from
outside.
i. Anxious for outside friends
J. Midnight, dreary, lonely.
a. Happy.
b. Singing.
C. Light, luminous as t.
minds.
2. Favorable. ! d. In prayerfnl mood.
e. Believing in God-right t
come in the end.
+. Patient.
g. Able to do good in prison.
The outline follows:
]. The prisoners.
9 The crime (so-calied).
3. Fellow prisoners.
4. JailOr.
pafo, o~.h Paul and Silas prayed.
anaL. Paul and Silas sang.
[ Prisoners heard.
Sudden.
Great.
6. Earthquake. Shook prison.
Opened doors, cells, etc.