The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-10-16
Paul and Felix: A Great
 Man Versus q Grafer|

.a and the manly simplicity of Paul's de- fense. His own attitude toward Ro- man magistrates waP invariably that of respectful but independent citi- gen." The prisoner's incisive mind quickly stripped the non-essential charges from the essential.
 1sThe Way Which They Call . Sect"
 The notion is prevalent that foreign missionaries devote great deal of their time to attacking the beliefs of the people among whom they live. Men who should know better have declared publicly that it Is in bad taste for. mis- sfonaries to combat idolatry. A . matter of fact. the missionaries are most di1igent and tactful to seeking q point of contact with the native thought and belief. have heard Q missionary in Japan quoting the Japanese classics at Q preaching service. It is a general rule to follow the Pauline way. as the great apostle exemplified 1t at his trial before Felix. He went into consider able detail to SOW that in all points except one, he believed as did his Jew ish accusers. It was good. strategy. as well as the flower of Christian cour- tesy, for him to identify himself with the faith of his adversaries. The Chris tian way Is to seek points of agree ment. rather than of disagreement, with people.
 First of all, though. Paul avowed his faith in Christ After the Way which they call .. sect. so .servesI the God cf our fathers" This declaration inci- dentaily throws light upon the manner In which carly Christianity was 9ener- ally regarded by Jews and outsiders. It was not new religion. but Jaw fish sect. Perhaps if 1t had not been for the missionary labcvs and broad thinking of Paul. it would have re- mained division of Judaism. Paul knew 1t to be more than sect; as the Master had said, the new wine could not be kept in old wine-skins. The Good News was Way for the whole world. regardless of national, racial ar religious lines. Indecision is mark of the weak. The backward or retrograding nations have tomorrow" for their watchword. They fear to force condittons 70 an ls- sue. Felix adopted this evastves poi- icy. He dared not do Roman law the violence of condemnipg Paul. and be- ing in his inmost fibre q grafter and a politteian, he feared to offend the Jews. So, in cowardiy fashion. he ai- lowed things to drift. meanwhile per- l hitting the prisoner to have many in- dulgences. xN
 The aged governor and his young
 
 to call Paul into private audience.
 There, In the seciusion of . personal interview, the apostle conducted hirs- self not as a prisoner on trial, but as a preacher of the gospel seeking to 1 turn erring human beings from their way. He cared not for the face of man the ministry knows no difference 1 in souia Paul did not time vhis mes sage to curry favor, with the man | whose word could release ilirn from 1 iail. His hot-fiung arguments pierced the conscienees of the guilty ruler and | his wife. and Felix openly; displayed his terror. There is no man so high in state that, he is above the plain pres entation of "rightecusness,l and self control, and the Judgment. to come. Stili seeking the refuge of the weak,
 Felix put off a decision until "a con- yenfeut season"--which. alas for him. never came. Now he is best known in history for that phrase, "a convenient eason." He is the New Testament .putter-off.s the historic example of that long train of undecided arst fear smitten ones who hope some day. to deal fairly with truth and their souls. Paul remained in Felx's prison. but Felix remained in the worse prison of his own cowardice and 'crookedness: a bond slave to graft.