Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-04


it affords palatable and nutritious
untutored Christian who takes to it
the same inquiring mind that was
possessed by the Ethiopian eunuch.
A Waysde Meeting.
Whoever is running Gods errands is
sure of delightful surprises by the
way. Philip was sent man, mes
senger who employed life in going
where the Lord babe him. So, fol
lowing the strange command to leave
the thriving new work in Samaria, he
went south toward GAIA on what he,
together with the brethren, might well
have considered a wild goose chase.
We never can know what glad sur
prises await us around the next cor
ner. The unexpectedness of life is
one Of Gods greatest gifts to man.
On a commonplace day we set out for
the market or for the workshop, and
before we get there meet our destiny.
Who can forget the rare day when,
] with startling unexpectedness, love en-
tered his life? Or that other day
when, as by the rending of veil,
ones whole existence took on new
anu SCI
| Philip never suspected what await
ed him in the desert highway, but he
encountered an experience which God
had been making ready for him, and
which meant everything to the ETH
opian, and much to Philip and much
to the world. The Christian church
would not willingly relinquish the his
tory Of this small Bible class by the
roadside class smaller than that of
the most discouraged teacher today;
and no more fraught with conse-
quences to those concerned than many
| another small class has been.
The Milestone in the Forum.
In the center of ancient Rome's
Forum was golden milestone Thith.
er all roads led. One might start
from any point in the empire and
travel directly to this spot, which was
considered the center Of the known
world. So in Scripture all roads lead
to Christ. Philip started at the Old
Testament passage which troubled the
official, and straightway led him tc
Jesus, who was the fulflment of the
prophets vision.
This is Christianitys unique mes
sage. This is the heart of the present
lesson, as it Is the heart of the Gospel
The presence of personal human
divine Christ differentiates Christian
ity from all other, teachings in life
The wise teacher and the wise preach
er Is he who stresses, not the phi
losophy or theology or history Of
Christianity, but Jesus himself. The
great content of the Gospel is Christ
without whom the most brilliant
preaching becomes empty and point
less.
Baptizing the Nations.
The Ethiopian convinced of the
truth of Deacon Philips words, wen
all the way into discipleship, and wa!
initiated into membership in the com
pany of Christ's friends. He was the
first Of long train of people of Other
races who have joined themselves tt
Jesus Christ. Today the average o
these accessions in non-Christiar
lands is more than four hundred ever,
twenty-four hours. The Gospel /.
doing for them all that it ever did fol
the white man.
The Ethiopian eunuch, the Chinese
coolie, the Japanese warrior The
Indian pundit, all find that Christ i!
as much to them as he ever was tt
Philip, or any other of the long trai1
of disciples. And Christendons hes
contribution to the solution Of presen
world problems is what Philip gave t.
Candace's prime minister-the goot
news Ola personal Christ who for
gives sins and transforms lives.