The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-10-13
INTERNATIONAL
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
By w. T. ELLIS

| their head. who presented their case,
somewhat after this fashion:
Il We have. come, o august repre-
sentative of the all powerful Nero. to
pay the respects of our nation. We
speak for all the Jews of your prov
| ince You know their number and
their power: they are your humble
servants. If there Is aught you de-
sire of us, speak but the word" Then,
after a long conference, full of mu-
/ tual compliments the Jews remarked,
/ most casually. There is one trifing
i matter in which we entreat your Ia
vor. There is a pestilential fellow, a
petty criminal named Paul, down in
the Caesarea jail But his offense was
committed in Jerusalem. Would 1t
not serve the convenience OF your ex-
cellency to send for him and get his
trial over while you are here in Je-
rusalem. That would also save US
from the necessity of having to go to
1 was to assassinate Paul en- route
t In this case, however, Greek met
/ Greek; or, rather, Roman met Jew.
I Festus was no novice. He had en-
countered oriental guile before; and
| probably he knew the whole story of
Paul. At least, 1t was clear to him
that any man about whom the pow
erful leaders of the Jewish organiza-
ton concerned themselves, was no or
4 binary criminal. Because he was a
4 politician. however. he temportzed.
/ and invited the Jews to face Paul at
1 Caesarea~
There violent but false charges were
made against the prisoner by the
pleaders for the Jews The succinct
answer of Paul was. Neither against
the Jewish Law, nor against the Tenn
, pie, nor against Caesar. have l COM
mitted any offense whatever" Moth
ling had been proved: Paul should
have been acquitted. But alas, politics
! was sitting on the bench The judge
; had his eye on the Jewish vote. He
enrnity had overthrow his predeces-
scr. In his eyes, policy was bigger
rend than justice; expediency greater
. than integrity. So he proposed to
Paul that he go up to Jerusalem to
stand trial.
5 The Appeal to Caesar.
If this venerable prisoner had been
: ike some other pious folk. with "a
cotton string for backbone" he
would have let the Jewish ccnspir-
ators and Roman politician have their
way, while he prayed for the grace OF
I come to mankind because, at critical
times, men have lacked little cour-
n age The conformers bequeath g
}: burden to their non-conforming chill
I dren. People who take the easy way
t out OF political and social difficulties
t make 1t hard for the brave spirits who
n come after them to find way out
n Sheer sturdiness of character, anc
t clear insistance upon manhood's right
). COMPOUNDED the cabal of vindlctiys
d plottcrs. From the petty politicians
e Paul turned to the famed imperial jus
t tice OF Rome. Hear his magnificent
statement, before which even tn.
n trucking governor must have squirm
S ed:
8 Il am standing before Caesars
a. tribunal" replied Paul, where
Hlone l ought to be tried. The Jews
!. nave no real ground of complaint
: against me, in fact you yourself
!, are beginning to see more clearly.
. If, however. I have done wrong,
q and have committed any offence for
which deserve to die, I do not ask
= 10 be excused that penalty. But if
there is no truth in what these men
e auege against me, no one has the
? right to give me up to them as a
= favor. I appeal to Caesar"
q There spoke a good citizen H
Is knew his civil rights, and insiste
= upon them. If Rome had been bless
ed with more citizens of this sort. tn
[, grafters would not have led her int
: condition of corruption that spelIe
t. collapse. Militancy in civic life is
s Christian duty. The man who saws
e Politics are defiling; I'll have none @
l. them" is not fit to stand in the com
i pany OF the Apostle Paul. This lesso
: should be tonic OF Christian citizen
o ship.
!, When Paul announced the fatefu
It words Il appeal to Caesar" he bake
: all the conspirators who sought hi
d life. At the same time, he set hi
d feet upon the road that led him t
e Rome Wrapped up in these word.
:; = appeal to Caesar" was all the fu
e ture glory and power of Rome, as tn
~ capital of Christie ndou