The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-10-01

-. -. -! geance came.
Paul returned to
Jerusalem, and as his custom was
went into the temple itself to wor-
ship his God and the God Of his
fathers.
A Temple Mob.
Now 1t was we'll known that Paul
had taught that the Jewish rite of
circumcision was no longer binding on
Christians, that it was not essential
to salvation, that 1t amounted to
nothing one way or the other, and on
this visit to the city of Jerusalem, he
had as associates some men who were
known to have refused to submit to
it. This was enough to kindle their
smouldering wrath into flame. Con-
sequently when these zealots recog-
nized Paul in the temple, they jumped
at the conclusion that he had brought
his companions into that Holy Place
for the express purpose of showing
his contempt for their faith and dis
regard of their feelings. Instantly
the worshiping congregation was
transformed into a bowling mob. With
shrieks and curses they rushed upon
the peaceful intruder with the inten-
ton of assassination then and there.
In their zeal for their religion they
would have split the blood of the
apostle upon the sacred pavement it.
self. But the Roman guard, en-
bodied and authorized law, charged
the bowling rioters, rescued the pris-
oner, and dragged him away from the
would-be lynchers to place of safe
ty. 1t was narrow escape, and it
was all the more dramatic from the
fact that there was not the slightest
reason for it; the whole thing was
based on a misconception of the truth,
a supposition merely. The enemies
of Paul put this and that together,
drew certain inferences, came to GER
tain conclusions, and the mob was the
result Appearances were against
him, that is all.
Mean Suspicious.
But Paul was not the only man who
has had to suffer through the mean
suspicious of others. Since the world
began, and society was organized it
has been the lot of man to be subject
to criticism, unjust and foundation
less. Hearts have been broken, homes
have been disrupted, and communities
scandalized, by suppositions stated as
facts, suspicious reported as verities,
appearances, where evil is taken for
granted, the evil existing only in the
perverted mind of the disturber of
the peace.
The writings of Christ and the apos-
ties contain numerous warnings
against unjust and baseless conclu-
sions. Judge not from appearances
but judge righteous judgment" Judge
not, that ye be not judged" Charity
thinketh no evil" With such warn
ings as these the Scriptures abound.
Without any thought of the serious
consequences likely to follow, reputa-
tions are torn into tatters, characters
are blackened, and life-structures de-
stroyed. 1t Is not necessary to repeat
tale of suspicious appearances. A
shrug of the shoulder may be all that
is necessary, a wink of the eye, or an
arching OF the eyebrow may be as
damaging as an affidavit. When the
avalanche is poised Just of the bal
ance a single movement may send 1t
into the valley on its errand Of de-
struction.
Out of Whole Cloth.
In Paul's case, there was absolute
1y not a grain Of truth in the accusa-
ton Of his enemies. It was made
out Of whole cloth. He had not done,
nor had he the least intention of do
ing. what they charged against him.
1t was wholly manufactured. He was
simply under suspicion, and being
such his most devout acts were open
to criticism and the subject of misin-
depreciation. His enemies were
bound to impute evil to him whatever
he did. and they only waited the fav.
orable moment to fire the train which
led to the prepared explosive. And
though entirely innocent this temple
riot resulted in putting the apostle un-
der arrest. and making him a prison
er probably for the balance of his life.
From that hour. he was in the grip
of the Roman law, a grip which did not
relax its hold until the headsman's
axe liberated the spirit Of the daunt-
less missionary Of the Cross. And It
all came about, because, while this
man was in the line Of duty, some un-
known. sneaking. suspicious, fanatical
Jew started cry one day in the tenn.
pie at Jerusalem, that a hereto was
polluting that holy place by bringing
into 1t some uncircumcised Gentiles.
Paul on the contrary was engaged in
performing an old-fashioned. orthodox
Jewish VOW. for the express purpose
of disarming suspicion and relieving
the minds Of those who had already
begun to fudge him By appearances.