The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1902-1905, 1903-05-15
S~A~~NN,NN%N<%NNNANS


That tri-party scene in Felix's
iudgment-h well represents the
state and spirit of the prevailing re-
ligions of that day. Felix's charac-
ter shows too well how utterly etfeto
the heather faith was, either as Il
spur to conscience or as II curb to
passion. The high priest in his turn
represents religion which had
missed it's noble calling to be an al
moner of grace to the nations of the
earth, and had gone into the broad
ening of phylacterieS and tithing
mint, anise, and cummin; and while
engaged in these small matters could
give way on occasion to a blind rage
against those who dared to point out
more excellent way. AT the third
angle in that congress of religions
stood Paul, Incompatible example OF
the power and beauty of Christianity.
Paul is his own lawyer. His
manly courtesy toward his judge is
in marked contrast to the fawning
| language of the Sanhedrin's hired
attorney. His straightforward ac-
count of himself carried with it ire
sistible conviction of innocence.
The court stood adjourned only for
want of evidence to convict or Il
bride to acquit."
Luke's lively narrative quickly
shifts the scene from the Judgment
| hall to the audience chamber, to
which the spirit of curiosity next
summoned Paul. In the sumptuOus
Herodian palace, on a richly tessel-
lated pavement, beneath succeed
and gilded ceiling stand divans up
holstered in Tyrian purple, on which
recline the auditors who seek to
drive away ennui by listening to the
novel tenets of this learned enthusi-
asst.
Paul's keen and disciplined power
of discernment instantly strips the
scene of its showiness. He sees be
fore him slave tossed up to a gov
ernor's seat by a whirl of fortune;
but a slave still, led captive by his
greed and lust. One might think
Paul the prisoner; but
oNo more he feels upon his high raised arm
The ponderous chain, than does the playful
child
The bracelet formed of many nowery link"
No court preacher was ever more
uncompromising in the delivery of
his message. Paul did not tax Felix
with unrighteousness, but before a
governor whose only principle of
ruling was self-interest, avaricious
and cruel, welding, it has been said,
the power of a tyrant in the spirit of
a slave, before such one he held up
the perfect mirror of that righteous
ness which the law of God requires.
He did not tax the astonishIngly
beautiful Herodian princess with her
infidelity to her lawful husband or
her licentious relation to the man
beside her, but before them both,
and with steady hand he held the
nawless mirror of that absolute
countenance even in thought upon
which Jesus insisted. AS the climax
: of his fearless discourse Paul pic
tured the great assize in which all
must appear before judgment-seat,
whose very color is emblematic of
the immaculate character of Him
who sits on it, and to whom all must
, give account of every deed done in
the body, whether good or evil.
AS Felix saw his hideOus likeness
in the faithful mirror of Paul's ser
mon, and in the lengthening vista
beheld the great white throne Csc
unlike his OWN of judge whose err
mine never yet was soiled, he was
seized with an inward terror, which
may or may not have made itself ap-
parent in a physical tremor. See
( the inveteratenesS of sin! The next
moment it frightened its grip upon
the poor bondman who thought him.
self free, and he became a type OF
1 those whose spiritual life is ruined
, by like prOcrastination. Avarice
+ most persistent of vices, asserted it.
self. Felix expected ransom fol
Paul. He had his eye on the large
| sum of money known to have beer
= brought up to the Church at Jerusa.
, lem. Felix trembled. He did no
reform.
THE TEACHERS LANTERN.
Among the cities with which Her
cd decked Palestine, Caesarea was
the chief jewel. Nothing but mar
, Bile was used in building. It's tenn
= pie, amphitheater, and artificial har-
Dor We're wonderful. In this city
= Herod ruled like second Solomon
1 This splendOr of purple, marble
and gold was Il veneer over a corrup
ton so extreme as to defy descrip
Z ton and belief. The city was an eX-
= ponent of the evil spirit of it,
v founder 1t was a hotbed of treach.
g cry and lust.
Pauls appeal from Jerusalem tt
5 CRsarea was an appeal from malice
= to cupidity What could Paul ex
q pect from Felix, united as he wal
q adulterously to a princess of thu
fourth generation from Herod-
n I'll H., 30,
\ sassination of a high priest, anC
a whose hand never ceased itching 70
: a bride, who precipitated the Jewish
: wars and the destruction of Jerusa
lem?
That is superficial view of thu
p case which imagines that the higl
priest appeared in person agains
}. Paul because of his pique at beinl
= called whited wall. He was there
because the crisis of Judaism ha(
r, come. The current festival was evi
i dence of the deep iproad Christianit,
e had made The masterful leader
e ship of Paul was recognized.
o blow fatal to him would also par
: alyze the new faith.
What retaliations of fortune history
e records! Two years later Paul an(
j Felix are again in the same city. /
q is Rome. Paul is set free, as most be
lieve; but Felix wears doubl,
i chain-one on his soul, as well as on,
t on his body-and so makes his dis
Y graceful exit from human annals.
The son of Drusilla by Felix anC
y Drusilla herself are said to hav,
persisted in the eruption of Vesuvius
Appropriate ending of the Herodial
race! Most cruel, licentious, anC
f tyrannous of history! One find
, himself wondering whether th,
princess mother, yet so young anC
: of such dazzling beauty, but Sinfu
f as ever, did not remember anon,
= those frightful and lurid scenes tht
words of him who in her far-awa,