The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-03-02
CHILDREN'S TOPIC

Scriptures do not always do SO intelli-
gently. The class to which the eunuch
belonged is a large one: readers who
do not understand what they read.
Nor are all SO honest as he. Some
are content with the mere sound OF
the familiar and sacred Words( ana
are little troubled that they do not
discern the deeper meanln or the
inspired page.
The Bible needs interpretation. It
should be read in the latest. simplest,
and best translation. Scripture should
be compared with Scripture. Every
available source of light upD4 its pages
should be utilized, for it is a unique
tribute to the Bible that it has for
centuries exhausted the fullest re-
sources of scholarship in its interpre-
tation. and still TO-DAY the profound
ost minds are wrestling with it. Never
theless, so wonderful is this BOO that
It affords palatable n nutritious
mental food for the simplest and most
untutored Christian who takes to it
the same inQuiring mind that was
possessed by the Ethiopian eunuch.
Whoever is running Gods errands
is sure of delightful surprises by the
way Philip was a sent man, a mes
senger who employed life in going
where the Lord bade him. So, follow
ing the TRANCE command TO leave the
thriving new work in Salnaria,- he.
went south coward GAIA or n he,
together with the brethren, might we'll
have considered a wild goose chase.
We never can know glad sur
prises await US around the next cor
ner. The unexpectedness of life is
one of Gods greatest gifts to man. On
4 commonplace day We set out for the
market or for the workshop, and be-
fore we get there meet our destiny.
Who can forget the rare day when,
with startling unexpectedness, love en-
tprp1 his Gfpc Or that other 09E when.
as by the rending Of a veil, ones
whole existence took on a new ana
larger significance?
Philip never suspected what await
ed him III the desert highway, but he
encountered an experience which COD
had been making ready fOr HIM, ana
which meant everything to the Eth-io-
plan, 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 thar that of
the most discouraged teacher today;
and no more frausht with conse-
n to those concerned than many
another small class has been
The Milestone in the Forum.
IN he center OF ancient Ronle's Fo-
rum was q golden milestone. Thither
any point in the empire and travel
directly to this spot, which was con-
sidered the center of the known world.
SO in Scripture all roads lead to Christ.
Philip started at h Old Testament
passage which troubled the official,
and straightway led him to Jess, who
was the fultilment OF the prophets
vision.
This is Christianity's unique mes
sage. This is the heart of the present
lesson, as it is the heart of the Gospel.
The presence of q personal. human.
;,;, CtI,r;Sf Iiffarnnti3tHS (NhPiSti3n-
ity from all other teachings in life.
The wise teacher and h wise preach
er is he who stresses, not the phllOso-
ply or theology or history OF Chris
tianity, but Jesus himself. The great
content. of the Gospel is Christ, with
out whom the most brilliant preach
ing becomes empty and pointless.
Baptizing the Nations.
The Ethiopian, convinced Of the
truth of AGO Philips words, went
all the way into discipleship, n was
initiated into membership in the COM
pany of Christ's friends. He was the
first Of q long train Of peOpie OF other
races who AVE Joined themselves to
Jesus Christ. Today the average of
these accessions in non-Christian lands
is more than four hundred every
tw~enty-four hours. The Gospel is do
ing for them all that 1t ever did TOR
the white man.
The Ethiopian eunuch, the Chinese
coolie, the Japanese warrior, the In-I
dian pundit, all find that Christ IS as
much to them as he ever was to phil
10, or any other of the long train of
And Christendom's best
contribution to the solution of pres
ent world problems is what Philip
gave to Candace's prime minister
the good news of a personal Christ,
who forgives sins and transforms
lives.
|
Go With Il Rush.