The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1909-10-14

days. who will
undertake any dirty job for a fee, and
who are as conscienceess in their
cases as they are glib of tongue.
Prisoners Testimony.
But in spite of all the unfavorable
surroundings, Paul evnces not the
slightest perturbation. lie is the
same calm. courteous. courageous,
dgnifed Christian gentleman that We
have always found him. He has been
grossly maltreated. but he bctrays no
anger. He employs no lawyer TO res.
cue him from his prodicament by over.
mastering or sharpsighted technical
ity. He has nothing to fear OF cX.
posure. lie Is consciously innocent,
and he knows that his accuscrs ere
liars. He boldly takes up each charge
that has been made against him and
rcfutcs It completely. lie triumph el'.
ly vndicates himself OF the throero'd
indictment of sedition, hercsy and
sacrlege.
and this is the way he does II. lie
had been charged with sod.uon; he
shows that it had been bat T. days
since he passed through the very city
where he was then on trial, on his
way to visit Jerusalem for the first
time for years, and that he was irno-
cent of any such attempt. Ee had
been charged with heresy; he shows
that he believes all things which are
in the prophets" worshipping the
same God, believing the same scrip
lures. holding the same doctrines as
the Jews. He was accused Of sGcrl.
leg.: he proves that the object OF his
visit to Jerusalem was to worship,
and that when arrested ne was fulfil.
ing n special vow to the God of that
place. Thus he shows that what was
criminal in the charge against him
was not true and what was true was
not criminal
But now, right here appears the cor
rupt character of Governor Felix.
Satisfied that the charge was false he
yet adjourned the court without rem
derng a decision. hoping for bribe.
He knew that Paul was a man OF
great Importance to the church. and
his greedy, avarcious soul itching
for a price, for two whole years, kept
the apostle in military custody.
The Sermon.
A short time after this Paul is once
more brought before Felix. This time
the governor wishes to have speci'
men of what he can do as preacher.
He wants to amuse himself with the
eloquence of the apostle. He thinks
that he has only 10 command this
Jewish orator, and he will stand up
like a puppet and reel off a sermon
for his edifcation And so he seats
the harlot with whom he is living by
his side, and brings Paul in to preach
sermon.
Paul at the bar, and Paul in the pull
pit are different men. The p!eader
and the preacher are quite unlike.
Facing that licentlous pair, as in their
marble palace they put him on exhibit
ton, he proceeds to hand out to them
most straightforward message. Just
what he said we are not informed.
We only have the three points OF the
sermon; righteousness, temperance.
and judgment He preached OF r!ghte-
BUSINESS to man who was unrlghte-
Gus; of temperance, to = man who was
intemperate and of judgment, to
man who was not ready for it, Fear.
lessly, eloquently, pointedly, he hurled
the truth straight at the heads OF his
auditors. And before Felix realized
1t he was struck under conviction
His cheek blanched, his frame trem-
bled, his knees knocked together. lie
was frightened, overwhelmed, con
science smitten, and he cried out
Stop! Stop! | have heard enough!
Go thy way this time. When ] have
a convenient season | will send for
thee!" And he broke up the meeting
Felix was scared, but not saved;
frightened, but not penitent, trem'
bling, but not converted; wounded,
but not healed. And he lodges the
truth, silences the preacher plunges
deeper into the sins he loves, and
turns away from hope. All, weak
cowardly, vaccilatng Felix! There
are many like him to-day. On one
side Of them wall OF righteousness
that their urrighteousness cannot
scale On the other side of them
wall of purity, that their impurity
cannot surmount And before them,
along that track to which they are
walled in, the judgment is swiftly APP
preaching. 1t Is not surprising that
such people tremble. The wonder is
That is all they do. The surprising
tnlng Is that such people will idlotical'
~ talk about convenient season in
which to repent.
The only convenient season men
VIII ever have Is Gods ever blessed
NoWl ...a.