Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1907-06-21

what God is asking thee today. Better
crush that hdecus skeleton of SIN
which thou hast hidden away in thy
closet. Crush il In Gods name, and
crush II now.
Felix Was Corrupt.
But Felix had more than the sin of
libertiniSm laid at his door. He was,
like PLATE. officially corrupt. He was
ready 10 sell his soul. his honor. his
oath of Office. He was ready to sell
everybody about him and anything
that he owned for money or position.
He knew, after he had heard the argu-
ments, that there was no case against
Paul. Every sense of justice demand
ed that he should say to the prisoner,
paul, thou art free" But he kept
Paul for two long years in prison be.
cause he Felix) was financial robber
and wanted bride to release Paul
from his prison bars.
Can't you today picture the merce-
nary righteousness of this Roman gov
ernor? The Bible reads thus: HE
hoped also that money should be given
him of Paul that he might loose him,
wherefore he sent for him the oftener
and communed with him" What does
that mean? Every little while Felix
turns to one of his officers and says,
Bring out Paul and let me talk to
him." Paul comes forth rafting in his
chains. Felix turns and says: paul,
shall i release thee? Why should 1 do
it, Then the great apostle, the great
orator, begins to show his innocence.
He says: why, governor, have done
nothing. Why should you keep me in
1ailE L have done nothing contrary to
the law" Felix was perfectly aware of
that fact, but he knew that Paul had
friends, some of whom were wealthy.
and he thought that by keeping the
case undecided some of them would
come forward with a bride But If he
limited that idea to Paul we may be
sure it was Indignantly secuted. Paul
preached to him, land as he reasoned
Of Righteousness, temperance and judg-
ment to come Felix trembled and an
swered: Go thy way for this time
When have convenient season will
call for thee" o my God, are some
OF us turning our backs upon thee be-
cause, like Felix of old, the palms OF
our hands are tainted with dishonest
gold?
The character OF Felix Is type that
reaches far beyond governors and
judges in the present day There are
men in Office who would not accept a
bride. but they would be influenced by
the prospect of political preferment.
They assess lightly the man whose
friendship they wish to gain; they IA
vor the men who can help them for
ward. have known even ministers
who shrank from denouncing certain
sins from the pulpit for fear they
should offend their influential hearers.
Modern Instances.
Felix trembled for his political pros
poets. We all dcspise the hedger. the
trimmer, the man who is not willing
bravely TO defy the powers that be and
denounce and rcctify wrong, no mat
ter where he may find il. Just read the
last verse OF this chapter OF Acts. What
do you find there? We find that Gov
ernor Felix kept Paul in Jail for two
long years for unjust cause. He kept
held Captain Dreyfus on Devils island.
Then, when the new governor was ap-
pointed, he handed over Paul a prison
er TO him. Why? The Bible tells us:
And Felix, TO show the Jews n pleas
ure, left Paul bound" "Ah." l can
hear that cowardly political governor
say, these Jews have a large political
influence, l must not do anything to
make them angry with me. Therefore
will keep Paul in Jail and hand him
over 10 my successor, and he can de-
eide his case, and then will make no
enemies unnecessarily" Do you won
der that when Paul denounced Felix he
made him cringe? Do you wonder also
that when Paul Is dcnouncing some OF
us for our cowardly actions in life he
is making some OF us cringe rs we'll?
NO" you say. IT am no coward.
No one holds the whip hand Deer me.
You are not talking fairly when YOU
compare me to Felix" Am | not ?
Why. my friend, you are such polit-
ical coward that you are afraid to call
your soul your own, and you know il.
II you are not political coward, then
why do you not put on your hat and
walk out OF the store where you are
employed? You know your employer
Is not an honest man. You know that
some OF the goods you sell are not
marked right. Why are you staying
there unless you are party to his
crime? II you are not a political cow
ard, then why did you not turn your
glass down the other night at that
banquet and be brave enough to say.
Boys, do not drink because l do not
believe 1t IS right TO drink" IL you
are not political coward, then why
are you not willing to identify your
selves with some OF the unpopular
movements OF this day which are try
Ing to grip the public enemy by the
throat and make right triumph over
wrong? Are you willing TO become
the defender OF the weak? Are you
willing to extend the right hand OF
love TO them who need your help rather
than seek the fellowship OF those who
can help you? Paul is before you as
he stood before Felix reasoning the
righteousness and temperance. Do
you, in defiance OF popular approval
Say, Let that prisoner go free. even il
must suffer lossy'
Moral Fiber Needed.
Oh, that today we Were made of the
moral fiber out of which the founders
or our government were made! They
were ready to dare and to brave all
for righteousness and Justices sake,
When Samuel Adams, was arousin.