The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1909-10-07
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INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM
MENTS FOR OCTOBER 10.
Subject: Paul Prisoner-The Plot,
Acts 3O-23:35---Golden Text:
Ps. O:13-Commit Verse Ii
Commentary on the Lesson.

Il
Acts 3O-23:35-Golden Text:
Ps. O:f3-Commit Verse ii
Commentary on the Lesson.
TINIE.-A. d. 5S.
pLACE.-Jerusalem.
EXPOSITION.-I. The Plot of the
Jews to Murder Paul, 1915. 1t
looked very dark for Paul, and If Paul
had been at all like most men he
would have had a heavy heart. But
in the night the Lord appeared to His
faithful servant to cheer him. Posi-
bly, Paul had been tempted to think
that he had made a mistake in COM
ing to Jerusalem against the protests
of his friends. What Jesus had said
to him was sufficient to Danish all
such thoughts as that. He told Paul
to 'be of good cheer" and that as he
had borne testimony concerning Him
at Jerusalem, so must he also bear
testimony at Rome. Evidently the
Lord approved heartily of Pauls tes.
timony at Jerusalem. 1t Is clear also
that those who fancy that Paul was
headstrong in going to jerusalem
and was following his own wishes
and not the leading Of God in doing
so, are altogether misjudging him.
Quite likely Paul's appeal to Caesar
at later day (ch. 25:1D was sug-
gested by the words that the Lord
spoke to him at this time. A dan
gerous conspiracy and plot was FORM
ing against him. But God was, as
He always is, beforehand with His
comfort and preparation for the cri.
sis. Human friends sometimes COM
fort us after the trial has arisen, but
it is God who comforts us before the
need appears. The conspiracy was
strong and apparently dangerous. No
less than forty men were in 1t. They
were determined men, willing to GO
any length to compass their purpose
They would not even stop at murder,
and would put aside everything
even eating and drinking-until this
one thing was done. They fancied
that they were the viceregents of God
on earth, and had a right to put those
whom they saw fit to regard as Gods
enemies out of the wav, even without
legal process of any kind There is
no more dangerous man than the man
who fancies that 1t is for him to judge
who are Gods friends and who are
His foes, and that he himself IS ap.
pointed OF God TO be the executionef
of Gods judgments. Doubtless these
conspirators thought that they would
be doing God service in putting
Paul out of the way (Jno. 1922, q
solemn warning to all in any age who
would take the judgments of God
into their own hands. This was moi
the only time that Paul was the OBJ.
iect Of such infamous plots (ch. 1853;
9:23, "a; 14-5, 6; 20:19; 2 Cor. Il:
%. &c, 32, 33). The plot was well
laid. 1t seemed certain of success.
But It failed utterly. Why? God
FPS. 2:1-4; GALLO; lisa. S9:10),
Paul was Just as safe after this plot
was formed as he was before (Rom. s.:
81. Forty desperate men, backed
up by the powers that be, and in
league with the devil himself, can ap,
parently accomplish a good deal in
this world, but they are utterly pow.
erless against God They cannot kill
in Jerusalem a man whom God has
appointed to go to Rome and bean
witness of Jesus there. Paul was fol
lowing again very closely in the road
his Master walked in having such 9
plot formed against him Matt. 26;
A.. That the conspirators thought II
a perfectly proper and pious thing
that they we're doing is evident from
their disclosing it to the priests and
elders (cf. Jer. 6:15 Hos. 4:9). They
sought the cooperation of the priests
and got 1t.
II. Gods Exposure and Defeat OF
the Plot. 1922. 1t required no mir
acle to defeat the plot of the Jews
But the defeat was Of God just a.
much as If the whole course of nature
had been stopped The plot leaked
ont and got to the ears of relative
of Paul. Very likely he did not sym,
pathize with Paul's views, but he re-
coiled at the thought of his being as
sassinated. Paul's enemies were
caught in their own counsel (cf. job
5:13: Cor. 3:19). This scheme tc
overthrow Gods purposes and word
had failed utterly (cf. Prov. 21:3O;
Lam. 3:3O. Paul had faith in God
but that did not prevent his taking
judicious precautions to defeat the
wiles of his enemies Matt. 1870.
The captains and colonel both had oc'
casion to fear Paul (ch. 22:25-29),
They were both eager to do some
thing to gain his favor. Probably
when the colonel took the young man
so courteously by the hand and led
him to one side he hoped he had come
to suggest a bribe for Paul's deliver
ance (cf. ch. 24:26). Thus his fears
and his cupldity worked together
with other things to secure PauPs
rescue (cf. Rom. S:28). The plot not
only failed, It resulted In furtherinl
Gods plans and fulfilling His word
1t started Paul on the road to Rome
and brought him into Caesarea
where he had the opportunity of bear
| ing witness for CArist before Felix
Festus. Agrippa, Drusilla and Ber'
nice. 1t resulted also In that impris
onment to which We owe so many pre-
cious epistles. Again God made the
wrath of men to praise Him (Ps. 76'
1O). 1t is not at ali likely that th'
conspirators kept their word abou
not eating or drinking until they hat
killed Paul. From the Talmud We
! learn that in such a case the rabbil
had power TO absolve them. So viii
every plan that is formed agains
| Gods faithful servants fail, ever
when It seems to succeed lisa. 64'
175.
Ericsson and the DreadnoughtS.
The naval correspondent of tn,
Daily Telegraph, of London, remind
the world that the great British
Dreadnought, which is credited will
revolutionizing battleship construc
ton, is a direct descendant OF tina
Monitor of Ericsson's which Dearl
half a century ago caused a still
! greater change In the nayies of tn