Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1909-03-03
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson X.-first Quarter, For
March 7, 1909.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text Of the Lesson, Acts viii, 2e-4o.
Memory Verses 29-31-Golden Text,
John v, 39-commentary Prepared
by Rev. D. M. Stearns.

Memory Verses 29-31-Golden Text
John v, 39-commentary Prepared
by Rev. D. M. Stearns.
copyright, 1909, by American Press Association.
In the midst Of all this great work
In Samaria. Philip is commanded by
messenger from heaven to arise and
go toward the south to a certain road
through a desert place. That Heaven
is really interested In affairs on earth,
that God Himself cares for my per-
sonal affairs, that He careth for me as
| truly as He cared for Abraham or
Isaac or Jacob or Hagar or Samuel or
Gideon or the many others to whom
He sent special messengers or special
messages, is great truth to have
grasp ones soul. Yet 1t is so plainly
stated in such passages as II Chron.
xvi, 8; Prov. XIV, 3, as well as Illus
trated in so many individual cases that
to question it Is simply unmitigated
unbelief. Here is the story Of great
man in the eyes Of the world who had
Of Ethiopia, man who was well fixed,
as far as this world goes, but he evil
IDENTIFY had no rest in his SOUL but
great hunger for something that mon
ey could not buy. He had made long
journey to Jerusalem, the city Of the
great king, where the queen Of Sheba
had once gone to see the greatness Of
Solomon, but he was returning home
unsatisfed. not having found that
which his soul sought.
AS he journeyed he was reading the
prophecy Of Isaiah. 1t would be q
rare thing today to find any one trav-
cling by train or trolley or steamer
reading such book. Whether he pos
sessed the book before he left home or
obtained it in Jerusalem the record
does not say, but the record does say
that he read 1t as he journeyed, and
that is the important thing He was dill
gently seeking the truth, and he was
noticed In Heaven, and events were
ordered that he might obtain what he
sought (Jer xxx, 49,. God used an
angel and a man to bring it about.
In connection with angels / love to |
ponder Ps. Gill, 90 BLESS the Lord, We |
His angels, that excel In strength, that
do His commandments, hardening unto
the voice Of His word" and then
Heb. /, IA, where we read that they
to the heirs of salvation.
They are His ministers doing His
pleasure, and we should be the same,
proving always that good and accepta-
Bile and perfect will Of God. Philip
was evidently one with the angels in
his matter, a willing and obedient
servant of Christ, for without ques
Joining he arose and went. The Lord
Knew His man and could say In this
,ase as in some others: | have found
We man. He is ever saying, Whom
hail l send. and who will go for u.s."
But how few reply like the prophet,
Here am | send me!' lisa. vi. 81 1t
vas wholly against human reason and
% called common sense that man
yhO was being used as Philip was
hould leave q great work and go down
0 the desert. But the great question [
5, Whose work is 1t, and who is doing
t? That being settled. then it must
e day by day, What wilt Thou. or
where wilt Thou? And to the reply .
here is nothing for us but prompt and :
heerful obedience. Philip was man r
D whom all angel or the Holy Spirit 8
ould talk. He had obeyed the voice a
I the angel, and now the Spirit says. s
Join thyself to this chariot" So he 4
IN to it and heard the man reading q
he prophet Isaiah and said to him. :
CnderStandest thou what thou read
ST." Verse 30J We are reminded Of L
ur Lords oft repeated similar ques-
on, as in Matt xiii. 81; xvi. Oil, and I
T Heb. xi. >. where we learn that the
'ay to understand Is to believe. Phil v
, Is invited to ride In the chariot that
e may explain the portion being read,
hich was what we call lisa. lii, Z. s,
nd beginning at that Scripture he
reached Jesus. His sufferings and
ory. His kingdom and the way to
tier It, The eunuch. seeing him
HON he unconsclously longed for
lus set before him, at once received
i'm and confessed 1t by baptism and
ent on his way rejoicing, no doubt
carry the glad tidings to many In
thiOpia. Philip was caught away by -,
e Spirit aid from AZotus to Caesarea IL
cached the gospel in all the cities
rough which he passed.
Our Lord was as ready to preach to
Ie as to hundreds, and If we are
uly His followers we will be ready
do likewise. How varied was Phil. Is
s experience In this incidental long
urney OH foot, ride in royal
ariot, caught away supernaturally
the Spirit, but, best Of all, used by -
ID to turn a seeking soul to HIMSELF
hat an illustration of "for any man. y
r Of service, wholly at thy COM
andment" q ChrOn. xviii, 2D. AS
preaching Jesus. there Is no ono
;e to preach. and unless He Is set
rth as God manifest in the flesh.
fering for our sins, wounded for
r transgressions, bruised for our In
titles, risen, assembled, intercedinC nj
d coming again in glory to estab
b His kingdom, the preaching is not .,
cording to the Scriptures. Philip ~
gan just where the man was read
, and preached Jesus. and, while lisa
is a specially good portion to begin
and to preach from, there is no
rt of the whole Bible where He can
be seen and from which He can
be set forth as the suffering and
. glorified one. IL
N nrn L. roccihiIit1r of folIorrircr q