The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1909-03-03

Department secretaries are follows: Home
department, Mrs. E. W.. Pierce. Deli Nor
NAL department. Prof. E. w. Follows. Denison
House to house. Mrs. Helen Cassaday. Denison.
PRIMARY. Mrs. z. L. Voss. Denison. Temperance
Sears McHenry. Denison. Missionary. Mrs. ]. B
uyon Of Denison.
March Z. Philip and the Ethio-
spian. Acts S;26-36.
Our lesson of last week told of
=xhat the preaching of Philip did at
the large city of Samaria. when he
spoke to men and women in masses.
This week we will see what he did in
che conversion of one man. 1t would
appear that message came to Phil
dp while at Samaria telling him to
make journey of perhaps sixty or
seventy miles southwark to one of the
sgreat roads over which caravans
passed going from Jerusalem to
Egypt and further south Whether the
information came by voice he could
hear, with the natural ear, or how it
was impressed on him. no one knows.
st. Paul tells much in Acts of having
direct directions from the Holy Spirit
as to what to do, and in fact the
bible is full of instances where men
are guided in their movements by God.
Philip obeyed at once, and when
passing along the highway directed,
ghe found man riding in chariot
who was reading as his servants drove
the equipage onward. He appeared
80 be one Of power and high standing
aud the record say he was an Ethio-
plan Of great authority. "The Spir-
it, said to Philip that he should go
near and join himself to the party.
. On doing this, he heard the man in
the chariot reading from the portion
of our bible called Isaiah and the
part which foretold how the Messiah
should come and be led as lamb to
the slaughter, and would be dumb.
- found in the fifty third chapter.
AZ the man was puzzling in mind over
what these words meant. Philip en-
.qmred, 'Understandest thou what
rtian readest7" The man replied,
Bsw can /, except some man should
guide me?" He then asked Philip
10 ride with him and to explain what
Ae might think the scripture meant.
HMlip vas fully prepared, and he ex-
splained this portion Of the bible as
pointing to Jesus. and then he pro-
.eeeded to preach Jesus in 60 powerful
q way that the stranger was convinced
and wanted to become . Christian
then and there. Philip said, IF you
believe with all your heart on Jesus
yea may" The man replied. II
sbelieve that Jesus Christ is the Son
of God. -. This was sll necessary in
the eyes Of Philip, and coming to
sone water, both left the chariot and
going into the water the Ethiopian
WAS baptized and the record says
went on his way rejoicing. Philip
! disappeared from his sight and is next
! heard of preaching in the cities
through which he passed until he came
no the great city of Cesarea. We hear
Asno more Of Philip, until years after
Paul when at Cesarea found home
wieh tim as recorded in Acts 81.
TMs nuch for the facts of the lesson.
We now turn to some Of the good
things we can learn from it:
First. Philip obeyed at once what
the Spirit told him to do. How often
we feel it our duty to speak to an
other about Jesus and then fail to dc
SO. How often we resolve we will
visit the sick and those in trouble be.
cause Christ commanded it, yet fai
to do it when the time comes.
Second. The Ethiopian was read
ing the bible to find out about what
it said, and he found just what hi
needed and wanted. The Golden Tex
rs the command of Jesus in John 5 81
to search the scriptures and be direct
ed to eternal life In Acts 17:1l il
Is told how nuble were the people Of
Berea in that they searched the scrip
cures to find out as to truth of wha
Paul told them. The way to find GU
about the religion of Jesus and secur
ing eternal life in heaven is to rea
che bible. If on much careful reading
the meaning is not plain, call o
some one who has thought on til
scripture, whose personal life an