The citizen., 1914-02-12
ALMOST PERSUADED
Sermon by Bishop seiew Delivered Berea College Chapel
Thursday, February S, 1914.

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the forest. II may be so with us,
that IL we had more persecution we
would be better Christians. The
Apostle Paul was now followed by
these prosecutions from place to
place. II increased in quantity and
intensity. AT one place he was
stoned and his carcass as that of a
dead dog was thrown out on the
rubbish heap outside the city, but
thank God, life was still in him for
the devil never can kill man until
God gets thru with him.
Finally at the time of our text
they have conspired against him
and at last they have him safely Sc
cured in an old Roman Jail, guarded
by four Roman soldiers and bound
with two Roman chains. He has
reached the bottom as far as earth
ly conditions are concerned. This
was the situation at the time of this
memorable meeting between the
Apostle Paul and King Agrippa.
Who Was Agrippa1
Agrippa on the other hand as a
type of the worldly man, had been
born and reared a Jew, and as such
he had the choice of being associat-
ed with his own prosecuted people
or of taking service under the RO-
man Empire. He chose to become
Roman politician. He was probably
a collector of taxes, later a Roman
ofllce-holder, serving the Roman
government, itself corrupted at this
time to degree that we can scarce
ly imagine or conceive. He was ad-
vanced from one office to another
until at last he has reached the
pinnacle of his ambition and he has
become the great King Agrippa. He
and the Apostle Paul come together
for the first and last time.
A Prisoners Speech
Their meeting came about some
thing as follows. Festus was a Ro-
man, born and bred in the Roman
Empire. He knew but little about
Jewish affairs and history. He was
the official who held the Apostle
Paul as prisoner and as such pris-
oner he did not know what to do
with him. He could not send him
to Rome without preferring proper
charges against him which should
accompany him. He would endeav-
or to write letter to Caesar Angus
tus specifying these charges, but he
could not find the proper charges to
bring against this man. AT this time
Agrippa came to visit Festus, and of
course they talked together about
their state affairs. Festus told
Agrippa that he had a strange per-
son whom the Jews hated and he
had appealed to Rome and that he
could find no charge against him.
Agrippa informed him that he might
be able to help him out as he un-
derstOOd the Jewish laws and Gus
toms, and said he would like TO hear
him. A meeting was therefore ar
ranged. There was large gather
ing for the occasion. On the plat
form sat Festus, Agrippa and Ber-
nice in their royal robes. There
were governors and judges and Of
flcials both from Rome and from the
state, and great congregation gath
cred together at this meeting. The
Apostle Paul, bound with two RO-
man chains and guarded by Roman
soldiers in this memorable crisis of
their lives. The Apostle Paul makes
his plan, tells his story. II is told in
simple language, the language of
Christian experience, what he was
before he was saved, how he had
been saved, what he had been since.
A remarkable appeal-he is not
quoting Greek poetry, he is not
showing any learning, he is telling
a simple history of Christian exper-
fence in a simple language. Festus
does not understand it. He is a RO-
man. He cannot understand this ex-
perience. He has heard that Paul is
a great and learned man, he sees the
fire in his eye, and he hears the
JUNCTION of the words he utters, he
breaks out and says to Paul Thou
art beside thyself; much learning
hath made thee mad" The Apostle
Paul turns to Festus and says II am
not mad, most noble Festus, but
speak forth the words of truth and
salvation" then he turns to King
Agrippa "Believest thou the proph-
cts? | know that thou believest."
Then Agrippa says to Paul in the
language of the text, almost thou
persuadest me TO be Christian"
The answer of this noble Christian |
man was remarkable. He says II
would TO God that not only thou but |
also all that hear me this day were |
both almost and altogether such as