Evening star., 1916-09-30
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON.

|great hope in future life While Paul
did not win the Pharisees entirely, he
succeeded in proving to Lysias by their
clamor and controversy that any judg-
ment M NJ sueh a court would render would
be due to acute prejudice The Roman
commander was compelled for the sec
ond time to order his soldiers to convey
Paul back to the castle barracks and
prison.
In the darkness of the nigh, the
apostle. whose bitter experiences might
nave hlled him with fear lest God had
deserted him, was comforted by an
other vision of the Lord. The strain
OF the conflict, during which he had
oeen the storm center, must have af-
1ected his physical, mental and spiritual
life. Disappointed concerning his eff
iorts to turn the tide of the Jewish
leaders and people toward Christ. Paul
faced a dark outlook concerning his
plan to reach Rome with the gospeI
The only relief open to him in his
loneliness was prayer. The Lord drew
near IN person to put His sustaining
arms around His servant, cheer him
with His message of comfort and cheer
The enemies of Paul were united into
secret band of forty men, who had
sworn that they would destroy him
Ihey had plotted to kill the foremost
representative of Christ, and no doubt
/ any member of the band would have
considered that he was serving God If
he took the apostles life Many a
modern disciple has felt the power of
the organized opposition that seeks to
counteract his efforts to advance the
/ kingdom of God among men The evil
forces of today are organized and
united against every movement that
iaEors righteousness, religion ana re-
! form. Gods servants need rot fear fbe
! opposition If they are working in har-
mony with God
| Inc history OF missions has many
examples of the failure of the ulotters.
plans to prevent the further extension
! of the gospel. The British East Irii.
company determined to keen C.or.,y ana
Jud&on out of India. The Chimes. were
! resolved that Morrison should not set :
tie in their land. The japanese de-
creed that Christ tianity should not cain
a foothold in their country. Koreans
VINO nave become the strongest Chris
| tan force in the east thorpht ,b,,
/ they could keep theirs a hermit natinp
{ fod mad planned that Paul shonId
preach the gospel in Rome and his
| enemies could not prevent it, For six
protected by the Roman au,hori+iaS
| within a wall or steel. so that the great
/ missionary might complete hi. cara.r
and preach the gospel to the uttermost
part of the world
| faul nephew learned of the plot and
| reported the discovery to bis mt.
This is the only knowledge Recorded In
tne scripture concerning Paurs sister
| II is evident that the family must bav.
| betl influential Tor her son to be in q,
position where he could learn of the
secret plot and secure an entrance into
! the prison at night. The sincerity and
courage or the youth made an irnpres-
i sion upon the Roman commander for
| he Immediately made arrangements for
the apostles safety ordering am escort
OF 49e soldiers to conduct him sixty
| miles to Cesarea. Paul left that night
at o'clock. mounted on Il horse. with
his baggage on other horses, to appear
| before Felix for his examination
Luke passes over the incidents CON
nected with Paurs final departure from
Jerusalem. There was no time for fare
| wells. The safety of Paurs life called
| for haste. The letter Lysais sent with
Paul declared that the prisoner had
done nothing worthy of death or OF
bonds. and that the accusers had been
ordered to present their case against
the prisoner before the governor in
Cesarea. Lysias. by his false state
ments, proves the accuracy of Luke
/ Lysias tried to free himself from any
blame because he had overstepped his
authority in imprisoning Paul. On the
), face of his statements Paul was en-
titled to his freedom. II Lysias had
freed him he might have been accused
Of being bribed. so he placed the re-
} sponsib:lity Of, giving him his freedom
upon his supaffor officer. who, after a
brief examination. held Paul for trial
and placed him in prison, safe from his