The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1916-09-28
INTERNATIONAL
SUNNGS(HOOL
LESSON
By f. o. SELLERS, Acting Director Of
the Sunday School Course OF the Moody
Bible Institute. Chicago.)
Copyright. 1915. Western Newspaper UnionI
LESSON FOR OCTOBER I
PLOT THAT FAILED.
LESSON TExT-Acta "a

| against thee: but they shall not prevail
against thee; for ! am with thee. saith
Jehovah. TO deliver thee.-Jer. 1:is.
The stirring events Of this lesson oc.
Cured in the Castle Antonia and the
Snnhedrin hall, near the temple court
Of Jerusalem also in Caesarea. the
Roman capital of Judea, on the Medi-
ternnean coast. In the year A. d. 81,
just at the close of Paul's third mis-
slonary journey. The lesson pictures
two successive days of strange adven-
lures In which Paul was concerned. a
narrow escape and the unexpected
| prOvldences used In his dellvernnce.
The day was inaugurated by Puul's
magic wOrds."I am Roman citizen"
which caused the commander, Lysias.
to release him from the threatened
scourging, and made him more than
ordinarily careful In his treatment OF
| Paul.
|. Before the Elders (vv 1-12J. By
referring back to chapter q, v. IL, we
find the charge which really underlay
all OF Paul's trouble, his preaching In
the name of the Lord Jesus. Pauls
defense is. interesting. lie gives us a
rehearsal of his Christian life, laying
emphasis upon its blamelessness and
the fact that he is not an up0slate
| Jew. The high priest speaks to silence
him, but not gently. Although Paul
for moment seems to give way to his
justitiable Indignation, he quickly re-
veals his reverence for the rulers OF
the people. lie then divides the san
hedrln. Read carefully chapter 22 :G-7,
and compare with verses II and Is.
The sanhedrin could not explain this
testimony of Paul and were seeking
to put aside the whole question. An
interesting discussion would be to con-
slider the insult to Paul. Was his in
dignatlon right and rightly expressed7
Another question. the matter of Paui's
apology Just for what did he apollo
gize? Is IL ever wrong to speak evil
Of rulers? These were indeed days Of
stress and storm. Was Paul justified
In dividing the sanhedrin In order TO
conquer their opposition to him1
Again, how God used these incidents
In the furtherance of the Gospel Is a
suggestive lesson for us all. II has
been hlnted that Ananias was not In
his prlestly garments, and therefore
perhaps not readily recognized by
Paul. Paul may never have seen him.
as he was elected high priest after
Paul had left the council. II Is inter
esting to note that II Is not said that
anyone struck Paul or that Paul did
not apologize for his words or deny
them to be true, but only for their be-
ing spoken to the high priest. Read
In this connection what Christ sald TO
the Pharisees Matt. % ;2O. Paul ap-
Ologized because he had broken the
law found in Exodus % :2S. In the
trial Of Christ one of the officers struck
Jesus with the palm Of his hand
whereupon Jesus answered him. say
Ing: "lf have spoken evil, bear wit
ness of the evil, but If well, why smt-
est thou mei' On the other hand
when Jesus was ill-treated by the com
mon sOldlres. he opened not his mouth
Was Paul one "who was angry and
sinned notf" (See Eph. 4:2G). Our
danger is not so much In the posses
sion of temper, but In our lack of
controlling 1t.
II. The Plot and Deliverance wv. -
35). Paul's prospect was not pleas
ant one. In his darkness God appeared
to his faithful servant to cheer him
". 11). Perhaps Paul was tempted TO
think he had made mistake in com.
Ing to Jerusalem over the protests of
his friends. but evidently the Lord
heartily approved of his testimony
there. A dangerous conspiracy was
forming against him, but God was, as
he always Is. beforehand with his com
fort and preparation for the crisis. We
have often specuated as to what be-
came of the forty men who entered
into II (see V. l2)-whether they uc-
tually lived up to their oath. If they
did. they must have died of starvation.
They were determined men. willing TO
go any length. and fancled they were
doing the will of God. There is no
more dangerous man than he who fan.
cies that he must be the judge as to
who are Gods friends and who are his
foes. and that he Is the appointed exc
cutloner Of Gods judgment. The plot
was well laid. and seemed certain of
success. but 1t failed miserably. tSee
Psalm 2;l-4; G4 lilo; Isaiah Al :l0).
The wicked. who leave God out of
their plans, no matter how cunningly
they plot, are doomed to failure Q,om.
S:31). These plotters co-operated with
the priest. Ecclesiastics have often
descended to the lowest vlllainy. Men
are not murdered today. though their
regulations are often blasted by un-
prlnclpled and helIishly impelled pro-
fessed followers of the l0wly Naza-
rene. Paul had friends In this city.
His nephew's discovery and revelation.
and the Gentle soldier, colonel. eff
fered his dellverance. In the boys
heart there must have been great ad-
nlration for the uncle. II would be
well for teachers of boys to have them
repeat In their own language this boys
story. Paul was not safe In Jerusa.
lem. The Roman governor recognized
a. -.