Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-23
Sunday School Lesson for Tomorrow !.
r. +

Ry Rev DIR. Joseph Edmund Smith. Secretary
American Society Of Religious Education.
PAUL BEFORE FESTUS AND AGRIPPA.
Acts. 25:8-l2: 26:l-32.
IN the study of these lessons one fact
looms large, and constantly before
us. Every effort made for the sup
preston of Christianity resulted in
it's wider diffusion. Paul was pris-
orer He could no longer. as flaming
herald. roam through near and distah'
lands. stirring the hearts OF the peopie
nv the story of Jesus and HIS love- i"e
Jews. with deathless hate. sought MS ire
hit their very malice was the means vi
throwing wide before him the doors OIL
na,aces and of making known to princes
the gospel which they sought 10 sup
press.
To Felix. TO Festus and to Asrippa ne
vas privileged to preach the gospel. II IL
true that no one of these accepted the
eosnel offer: but it by no means follows
that the knowledge which they thus gain
ed of Christianity was not a1terwaro
helpfnl to the infant church.
Felix was succeeded by res Jus ,er Mo
salem than the Jews began their accuse
tons against Paul. They demanded thar
paul should be brought to Jerusalem LOT
trial. intending to kill him on the way.
But Festus was too much OF honIan !,
to grant their request. He summoned
them to Cesarea, and there listened to
their accusations. Again the Jews 1alleu;
FINDING that the prisoner was charged
with no crime against the state that tiie
charges consisted, as he SAID, OF Ques
tions of their own superstition. he asked
paul if he was willing to go to Jerusalem.
there to be tried by the Jewish cour Is:
Then it was that Paul threw hlmseli
upon his rights as Roman citlzen anu
appealed to Caesar. The utterance OF
two magic words. -Cesarem Appello" CT
anneai to Cesar'O. transferred the tri-
bunal from Cesarea to Rome.
But now Festus was in a dilemma lie
dare not refuse the demand or a roman
citizen but how could he send a prisoner
without suitable accusation: just a.
that moment Herod Agrippa, king OF
Chalcis and of the district of lturca. with
his sister Bernice, appeared on the scene
He was a Jew. and was we'll acquainted,
therefore. with the accusation brousht
against the apostle and could inform the
procuratOr what report ne Slouiu sehu
to the emperor.
Paul was brought before them. 1t was
a great occasion. Agrippa and Berlice
were there in great pomp The chief cap
tains and principal men of the city added
to the impressiveness OF the scene: and
Paul was given permission to make his
defense.
The Sermon.
This was dignified. eloquent and
manly utterance. 1t was addressed to
the king. Its central truth was the
of Christ. With this doc
trine he began his discourse, and with
this he concluded it. But by what means
did he. Jew, become an apostle of the
new religion? This he knew. was the
question that was in the mind of the
king. For the third time he tells the
story of his conversion. He. too. was
once a prosecutor He had pursued the
saints into strange cities. shutting them
up in prison. putting them to death and
denouncing them after they were dead
Il gave my voice against them" But
there came a time when he was ar
rested There came light from heaven
above the brightness Of the sun. He
was blinded and smitten to the earth
And Christ from heaven demanded why
Paul should be his prosecutor. In that
hour Jesus revealed himself to Paul as
the Messiah Of the Jews and the Savior
of the world. Then. too. he was COM
missioned by Christ las a minister and
a witness of these things: to open the
eyes Of the blind, to turn them from
darkness to light and from the power
of satan unto God, that they may re-