Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1908-03-21
Calnnase
Sermon
BY Rev.
Frank De Witt TalInsae. L. d.

Los Angeles. Cal. March s. That
the old Bible Is still the best and In
deed the only guide upon which man
may depend for the present life aud
that which Is to come ~ the lesson
taught in this sermon. The text Is
Acts viii. 30. "Understandest thou what
thou readesty'
or all the narratives and incidents In
the Bible there is not one that Inn
presses me as more powerful and dra-
matte than this conversion 81 the secro-
tary Of the treasury OF Queen Candace's
court II occurred IN the midst OF
great desert through the Instrumental
ity OF humble travelling evangelist.
Philip by name. This Ethiopian states
man evidently had been sent 10 Jeru-
sion Of inquiry Methlnks | can hear
her say 10 this member OF her prlyy
council: mir. Secretary. we are not get
ting rs much money from our taxes as
we ought We must learn how TO ham
die better our national system of
finances. The expenses Of the govern
ment are increasing year by year the
people are growing weather. all the
time. and yet the revenues are not
Keeping pace with the prosperity OF our
land. You had better hand over the
treasury department for little while
TO your deputy. Go north aud study
the Roman system of taxation. You
need not announce that you are going
there for that purpose But go and
keep your eyes open and learn what
yOu can. and we will reorganize the
treasury department when you return"
Thus. | think, Queen Candace spoke to
her chief secretary.
The mission would be welcome
one to him. The Acts tells us he had
gone 10 Jerusalem 10 worship. We
may assume, therefore, that he was
either Jew serving II foreign sover-
eign AS Joseph served Pharaoh and
Daniel Darius. or that he was for
eigner who had come to know the true
God and. like Naaman. desired To wor-
ship him. and him alone. AS he had
gone to Jerusalem to worship and had
n Jewish book to study as he Travelled,
he was evidently no stranger TO Juda-
ism.
The scene changes. We now enter
with the southern diplomat the gates
of historic Jerusalem. He stays on
week after week. month after month.
lie meets all the high officials OF the
province. He talks with the Roman
governor and his council ms we'll as
with the members of the Hebrew san
hedrin. And. strange 10 say. while he
is there he hears the disputes In Ieru-
salem over the arrest and the trial and
the sentence aud the execution OF
young Hebrew OF the name of Jesus
Christ. which had taken place about
seven years before. Then. as every
Intelligent foreign statesman would do,
this secretary OF the treasury of the
southland not only studies the fiscal
system and government OF these peo-
pie. but their religion as we'll lie
does Just as you would do II YOU went
TO an oriental country. In India you
would study what Hinduism means;
II I'm Arabia, what Mohammedanism
means; If in China. what Confucian-
ism means; II in Tibet. what Buddhism
means Not only did he study the He
brew religion while IN the Jewish cap
ital. bur he also took some OF their re-
ligious books along TO study on his
way home.
The Ride In the Chariot
The scene again changes. The stu
dious statesman of the south Is riding
In his chariot over the hot. blistering
desert on his way south lie is return
ing TO Queen Candace's court In Or
der TO lessen the tedium OF the journey
he opens one of the religious books OF
the Hebrews. called the prophecy OF
Isaiah" and begins 10 read. While he
reads and studies a young unknown
man comes alongside the chariot and
asks him. "Understandest thou what
thou readestY" The puzzled student
answers How can unless some one
explains this book 10 mef Come up.
young man. and ride with me. aud tell
me what this prophet means" Then
Philip enters the chariot and sits by
his side. He begins to read nj the page
OF the parchment which was opened.
This was the Messianic prophecy,
where Isaiah described Christ as being
led ms a lamb TO the slaughter Then
Philip said: Can you not see that the
prophecy Of Isaiah has been fulfilled
You heard In Jerusalem how they led
Christ before PLATE. You must have
heard how he was condemned and ex-
ecuted. though he was innocent. That
was the fulnllment OF the prediction
you have been reading In this book OF
Isaiah His life and death were az
Isaiah said they would be. and the 9th
or prophets described them almost as
plainly" Philip went on 10 preach 10
him so forclbly and earnestly that the
Ethiopian statesman became humble