The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-03-08
Exposition of the
Sabbath School Lesson

,
-.m--4-4-%-.-
MARCH 16, 1902
BY John R. Whitney. Copyright, 1902
The Ethiopian COnverted-Acts VIII.
26-4O.
eth unto righteousness; and with the mouth
confession is made unto salvation.-Rom X,
10. 80
Some years ago had the privilege of
spending a few weeks among the miners of
silver in Colorado. I found that when the
''prospector" went out to search for the pre-
cious metal there were certain appearances
OF the soil and vegetation which first arrest
ed his attention. They were merely surface
indications, but they told to his experienced
eye that probably in that region he would find
the metal for which he was seeking. So stalk
ing off the. land having these promises. he
began n to dig AS he ne went down 1y With ham
which had at the first arrested his attention
often became more and more abundant, and
new evidences were added to them Still he
to go deeper even if the labor increased.
For he knew that if he stopped there his
claim would be worthless. and all that he
when his pick struck a rich vein sparkling
with silver, then his heart was filled with
gladness Then he had struck what he en-
H. y Il LII
fastened to make the land his own, and he
was rich indeed.
Somewhat similar to this is the experience
of every true searcher after truth in the
Holy Scriptures. When he opens them, his
attention is at once arrested by the histor-
ical facts-the wonderful prophecies, the sub
lime poetry and the elevated tone Of all the
| teaching. They are matchless. But after
all they are only surface indications of
something richer and better hidden under
meath. So as he searches deeper into these
narratives ho
! finds that they all set forth great moral prin-
clples. Lessons for personal conduct may be
| man to God, and of man to man. They
teach men to live soberly, righteously and
godly in this present life. critus il, i2.)
But the miner after silver does not cease
his search when he finds simply conirmatory
evidences OF value II he did, he would never
be enriched. Neither will the searcher after
truth, unless he goes deeper still and finds
| etry and the sublime moral teachings, point
to Jesus Christ; that. as he said, they revea
TN 4g concerning cones MI himself Guke xiv
out in his life and death. When he finds hin
and claims him for himself, then is he truly
rich. For he is the rock" the chief cor:
ner- stone, elect, precious" q. Peter, ii, 16)
| on which men can build for time and eter.
nifty, and "other foundation can man lay
q. Cor. ill.,, 11.)
dent now brought before US concerning Philil
and the man Of Ethiopia The narrative
alone is exceedingly interesting. Every on,
is, attracted by it. And the moral truths
which it sets forth are of great value The.
will undoubtedly command very large at
tention. Doubtless they did so at the time.
| But the one thing which stood out abov
every other fact connected with their meet
ing was that one began at the same scrip
ture''. which the other was reading, IAN
preached unto him Jesus and that the othe
had believed in him and found peace. I
meeting would have been Of but little little value
nevas o xs 4eeor0eo 0r gu
J Last week we left Philip in some unknow
) town of Samaria. Probably he visited an
And ''the people with one accord gave bee
to those things which" he "sDake." (v. G.
|, As saw last week. the success which at
tended his labors soon attracted the attentio
of the apostles in Jerusalem. and the
promptly sent Peter and John to aid hin
Possibly during their stay, and whilst the
!; themselves preached the gospel in many vi
suddenly directed by 'sthe angel Of the Lord
to ''arise and go toward the south. unto th
, way that goeth down from Jerusalem unit
GAIA; which lis DESERT" (v. 26.)
: On this road-all unknown to Philip at tn
time-the treasurer Of the Queen of Ethiopi
N was travelling on his way from Jerusalem
dace'-given to this queen was mot prope
, PANE of an Individual, but that of dynast
Of ETHIOPIAN queens" (smith's Dict0;, g
. Pharaoh was IN Egypt and Caesar"
Rome.
> Her treasurer had been ..to Jerusalem for
worship" " 27) He was proselyte
at the passover when Jesus was crucifie
and remained until after the feast of Pents
4 cost. Certainly he was there not long befol
Philip was sent to meet him. If so, he mu
:, have been familiar with all those even
!, which we have recently considered.
J. To the mind Of thoughtful man avail
hinl-and who had journeyed all the way fro
below Egypt to Jerusalem to learn of hi
:, and to worship him,-al Of these events mu
!; have had lively interest. But he had n
: understood any Of them, and evidently he HI
. not met with any one who was able or willi1
;, to explain them. He was still an anxio
seeker after lght-a barden t sinner - i9n aa
whether Philip met him or overlook hi
, is not important He found him reading Il
scriptures aloud 50 that %nen ne ead M
:. prophet Esaias'' ". 3O). The passage viii
was then engaging his attention was the f1ft
third chapter AS quoted mere e. ane ~ eer s
lie tuagint version They spoke Of one who h
suffered-who was as innocent as lamt
and yet who W ;Ys lea as dn ehef befo 70
shearer, so opened he not his mouth, for
II life was taken from the earth
-, -, Now this imam of Ethiopia must ha
40 been very intelligent man. for he was
'seunuch of great authority under Canda
Queen of Ethiopia and capable of TAXI
charge of the financial interests of her kr
1. dom. He had probably read the passage
- fore him, over and over again, and given
IL ! deep and careful thought But with all of
Intelligence he could not comprehend
n meaning Of the prophet. Suddenly, hoWev
Of Philip now stood before him.. and was e
he IDENTIFY interested in what he had heard b
- reading, for he courteously asked, 'Und
!, standest thou what thou readest? lv. ~
~, How can the IMAM with all frankn
= and humility replied, Except some one sh
guide me?" So he ''besought Philip to co
rio up and sit wit him. ". 81, r. V.) TT
OF he unburdened himself to his guest, "a
said: I pray thee of whom speaketh
prophet this? OF himself or of some ot
man."
20 Philip told him that twas of an cot
-, ,soV man"--even Jesus of Nazareth, for he =
sa gan at the same Scripture and preached u
M him., Jesus ". 35).
he This is the brief summary OF Philips
- struetion. But it must have begun with
story of Jesus birth in Bethlehem as Ii
IN child, made Of a woman, made under
OF law, to redeem them that We're under I
es, law (Ga1.. w., 4-5). That, whilst ye
child. only eight days" old (Luke, x,
The according to the mmandment, he was
T. Icumcised, and became "a debtor to do
whole law" (Gal., ", 81 That when he
grown TO mans estate he was baptized
fulfil all Righteousness" Matt, lii, 15),
81. become the end Of the law for righteousl
p; to every one that belieyeth GRom., K.
ana That he proclaimed himself to be him
whom the prophet.wrote when he said !.
seet Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because