The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1909-10-21


man who sleeps
in n cell and is branded as a criminal,
while absolutely innocent OF guilt.
At Caesarea Governor Felix kept
him two whole years IN military Gus.
tody. To be sure he was not Goa.
fined in prison. neither was he out
on bail. but he was put ~ the care OF
soldier who was hell respoc -!h,r
for him when wanted At the end Of
that period Felix, the governor. was
himself called to Rome to answer
complaints against his administration,
and new ruler, Festus, was appoint.
ed in his place. Three days after rs.
suming office Festus went to JerUsa
lem on his first visit. and the very
first complaint that he .Icard was t1.5
old trouble about Paul. The C".tty
knaves who had planned The first Goa.
spiracy, asked that the apostle mi i-lt
be brought to Jerusalem, iatendiag 20
assassinate him on his way thith9r.
But again these "black hand" rascalP
are defeated in their purpose Fc@-a5
appoints q new trial at CaesarcI
Appeal to Caesar.
At this preliminary tearing raul
who has come to the r)aclus.On tSGt
he cannot hope for fair tr..! IA
Judea, falls back upon his riGI,s IS
Roman citizen, and appeals Cr
Caesar The pronunciation CT the
single word Appello, was suaic,c1, 10
transfer all further proceedings iron
the provincial tibura! tc the LII
peJor.
While the governor waited 81 Co.
portunity to forward his prisoner, he
was visited by his royal ne.5hooE
Agrippa. and his sister %ernice. Eered
Agrlppa II. was jew. His father,
Herod Agripra l., in this very city OF
Caesarea had died Il tragic death,
eaten alive by worms. lie was ;he
grandson OF that Eerod who had Ie.
headed John TIE Baptist, and ta5
great grandson Of TIE Herod w,o
slew the children Of Bethlehem a the
birth of Christ Therefore, he hailed
with delight the opportunity OF seeing
and hearing the most brilliant teach
er and preacher that christianity had
produced. Accordingly brilliant
audience gathered in the judgment
hall. and Paul was given tac opqor
tunity of telling the story OF his con
version to christianity and his SUD
seuuent % years o. missionary ser
vice.
The Point ~ isaGc.
After an introduction OF singular
grace Paul comes az once to the pom
no
into a nutshell. His enemies hat
thrown a great deal OF dust into IN
eyes of his judges in lheir frantic ei
forts to get rid of him, hut PAU IN
single sentence goes straight to IN
heart of the matter. and affirms ina
it is on account Of the hope held D.
the Jews themselves that he Is nov
Judged 1t was the great promise G
the Old Testament, viz, the comm
of the Messiah The whole Jewish NJ
ton believed Gods promise OF Me'
siah, and looked and longed for 1
And the only reason for their hatre
and persecution OF Paul was the la'
that he taught that Jesus OF NaZare'
whom they had crucifind, was the
Messiah.
Dodging the Truth.
Both Paul's auditors are moved, bl
both in a different way dodge respo
sibility. Festus, the heather, can
count for the apostles earnestness
no other way than on the ground
brain storm" He cries out MUG
theological study has turned yo'
head" And Agrippa, the Jealous Je
sneeringly says, with but little pc
suasion thou wouldst 'ain make n
christian" (Revised Version)' ~
Roman official scoffed in one way, u
intelligent blue.blooded Jew sneer
In another. But they both lodged q
truth.
Paul Is not the only man W
has been stigmatized as luhat
Dwight l.. Moody was hickman
Cray Moody" before the world car
to recognize the method OF his ms
ness. II there were more crazy p'
pie, after the pattern OF Paul, IN
christian church to-day. the "ol
would sit up and take notice
knees of corrupt Judges Would kho
together again with Felix, ana N
Agrippas. hard, selfish, blgoted, wo'
again feel the force OF the spirlt'
earnestness OF the soldiers OF
cross. II modern disciples felt
profoundly the revolutionary doctr'
of the birth, life, death and resurr
tion of Jesus Christ, there would
mighty host of believers ready
cry out, with the apostle, Il would
God, that whether with little or "
much, not thou only. but also all u
hear me this day, might become 81
aa 7 amn ,aa<a0s