The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-10-05
PRISONS AND HICIS FOX EAtI
Lesson for Octoer 10 is Paul 4 Eis-
Oner-.he Plot Acts %: 500: 50,
BY William T. Ellis.

BY William T. Ellis.
Sometimes the public IS startled u
find how base politics reaches up mt
high places: and the criminal scheme
Of interruptions financlerS penetfat'
even into exalted courts of justice
Were they to recall history, peoplt
would not be surprised at this, tor |
is no new thing. Palace and Temps
have through the centuries Otter
echoed to the soft tread OF the abettet
murderer ard thief. The alliance be
tween priest and mob. judge and Tuf'
the world. Two thousand years agt
we find enacted q scene not greatiS
Gissimilar from some q IN
stances. The center if the story and 1tE
hero is the apostle Paul, whose for
tunes chs Sunday schools of the worlc
are now following.
After rescuing Pau from a fanati-
cal Jewish mob, the Roman colonel
iH order to find out more certainly
what the trouble was all about. called
the Jewish S%anhedrin together hat al
examination might be made into the
cause. Paul is the same undismayeo
gentleman in the presence Of these
great ecclesiastics that he had beer
in front of the bowling rabble. 1t is OF
interest that the narrative points Ou1
how he faced them. and looked hare
at the council" as one version has it
He vas the least embarrassed mar
present. for even lowly virtue never
has reason to blush in the presence OF
exalted Wickedness. He began his ad-
dress by what would seem a perfectly
simple and harmless remark: "Breth-
rem, [ have lived before God in all good
conscience until this day" The mar
who can say that has been q success
no matter what his worldly state may
be. Yet this assertion on the part OF
the prisoner made the Jewish officials
furious, and the high priest SO far for
got his office as to command the per-
SON nearest Paul to smite him IN the
mouth. Justice was far from Jerusa-
lem that day.
Paul was no "mollycoddle.' as the
modern phrase has it. and his high
spirit instantly flashed the retort Of q
just and fearless man: God shall
smite thee, thou whited wall: and
sittest thou to judge me accordingly
to the law. and c~Omnlandest me- to be
smitten contrary to the law?' The
gets small encouragement from this
virile apostle. Yet Paul was quick
to apologize when he realized hat il
was no ordinary Jewish official, bu1
the high priest himself, who had sc
violated justice. Paul practised wha,
he preached about respecting author
ity. Even a bad official must receive
the honor due his office. This whole
trial broke up in another row and
mob, because Paul created a diversion
by setting the Pharisees and Sadducees
at each other over the question of the
resurrection. once more the Roman
cohort had to come on the double
quick to rescue the prisoner and to
quiet the pro-
A Vision and a Promise.
- man IS immortal until his work
IS done runs the proverb. Fear OF
death is needless and unworthy. II
should have no place in the bosom OF
a strong man; although such may be
forgiven for fearing that he NAV not
be able to finish his task. or that he
may die. like a certain great financier,
in the midst of his plans.
Paul was sleeping sWeetly in the
castle prison that night, the auietest
spirit within its walls, despite his
bruises and the turbulent experiences
Of the day. Once more he was visited
by the familiar figure of the Christ,
who had appeared to him on several
previous occasions of crisis. b Of
good cheer: for as tho hast testified
concerning Me at Jerusalem. so must
h % bear witness also at Rome" was
n n~couraging message of the Mas
ter. Alongside of that divine Will all
the Vaccinations of the Jews and the
Romans were Of no avail. Paul was
sustained by the promise tina he
'iodlu 50 Oh 70 MS desired goal. Can
we wonder that he met the morrow
with a smiling and serene counten-
ance? Pity the souls that have no
vision. Well does the old Book say:
there is no vision. the people
PERISH The teachers of our own
tlnle are pointing out hat one of the
needs Of u day is this high sense of
q SUSTAINING purpose and Of a divine
call. The crusader spirit alone can &C.
complish lofty aims. P~resent-day So
clety needs more OF the conscious
ness OF election to duty which made
the Pilgrims and the Puritans nation
builders.
An UnhOiy Vow.
Mary Wilkins tells a human story
OF a man who sat on the steps of his
church for years because he had
vowed that if a certain minister were
3DDOlnfa6 aUar thn ~ ton he