Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-10-15
A Prisoner in the Castle
+. Sermon by
REV. FLOYD ". roMKI>>.
Textt Acts Kali.
Textt Acts xNii.

IL must have been trying expert
ence 10 Paul to be shut up as "A pris-
oner. He was essentially an active man
and he was burning with zeal for his
Master and eager to continue his jour
ney and preach. God's apparent con-
tradictionB are hard To meet and de-
1nand great faith and absolute Obedi-
encc. BALKAN. In the old Testament.
met with this confusion when God told
him to go to Balak aud then stopped
him on the way. But BALKAN was in
sincere: he tritled with God. and so he
could not understand God. with the
froward thou wilt show thyself fro
ward" ops. XVIII. 2G). David had quite
another experience.
He wanted to build temple for the
glory of God. and God told him he
must not build 1t. There WAS no ex
PLANTATION. but David made no com
plant: lie simply ohcyed. How often
We want to do right things. good
things. and Gods ways are beyond our
comprehension. But He knows best.
"DiSappOintmeatS are His appoint
ments." So Paul. the great missionary
who wished abov. all else to tell the
story Of Gods love. was shut in the
castle prison. When you are confused
and cannot understand Gods plan. just
walt. Read the thirty-sevcnth Psalm
and take courage
ORATORY FOUND Trs
POWER IN SINCERITY
Three experiences came to Paul AS
a part Of his arrest and imprisonment.
lie had an opportunity 10 make a great
address. he was bound with thongs
which cut into his flesh. and he claim
ed his rights as 81 Roman citizen. ST.
Paul was great orator. Ills address
used to be In school readers when | WAS
boy, and wish boys to-day were
taught To learp ii by heart and speak
IT, We need "a little OF that strong
religion which results from familiarity
with the Bible. I;ut Paurs ora,ory
found It's power IN his sincerity. He
believed and he spoke. aud his
words thrilled with the emotion of his
soul.
great actor who loved Shakes
peare's plays once said that he made
himself the person lie represented
Tho play became absolutely real to
him. Only he who speaks from the
heart can Influence others. When Il
minister knows what it II to have his
sins forgiven he can lead others to the
cross. when his heart Is throbbing
with love for Jesus Christ. then he
can draw others TO that love. When
Il Sunday school teacher has the les
son in her soul as ii message to her
self she can hold her class. 1t was
not mere defense for his liz. tina,
Paul made: II WAS an effort to bring
men TO accept Christ az their Re
deemer. lie forgot himself in his mes
sage.
GOD HEARS AND GIVES
STRENGTH N SUFFERING
When they bound the apostle with
thongs II must have been painful in
deed Did he cry out? If he did W.
may be sure God heard him and gave
him strength to bear the suffering
] am sure he remembered how Chris,
suffered and felt himself drawn as
never before to the Master whom he
loved. That is the virtue OF pain. al
ways First, IL must have some aSso-
citation with Him whom we serve
Second. IL must bring 10 our memory
what He endured tor us. Third. il
must assure US OF HES sympathy And
fourth. II must cXHlt us in that We
can follow Him by showing sympathy
for others because OF our own en-
pcrience.
Or. James Eiintons little book Oh the
Mystery of rain" has much help in It,
So has DR.. Slatisry's book. why Men
Pray" especially the chapter OH
prayer Submits 20 the Best" But W..
can go 4 little deeper and realize that
in pain wc have tiic assurance OF Il
divine glory which works upon the
human in such fashion as 10 make IL
holy. How often tl.. Bible speaks OF
gold purified in the fire Numbers
NIX. %; Icch. xiii. g: Nal iii. 81. II
seems to be law of nature; II is also
q law OF grace. Accurate students OF
Paur3 life and writings claim u nn-
IN MS later Writings a depth Of faith
ana devotion which mark Il new era
IN MS religious experience. Or. Alathc-
son, in his book. THE Spiritual DE.
Nel9pment OF 81. Paul" makes this
quite clear. Alay i, not lie that the
great Interpretation Of all pnin-evcn
when
in the awful horrors OF war--lies In
that sanctiication of life and char
acter which shall at last draw hu-
manity near TO God and fit the earth
ror the second coming OF Christ?
GODS LOVE BEYOND POwER
OF OiH UNDERSTAND ING
Or course II is easy to cry, How
can God be so cruel as to demand suf-
terinE In the fulfllmcnt OF His pInm
Tor the worlds redemption?" No an
swer can be found save I'll. fac; thut
GOD Is love fand if He is not love then
ne cannot be God, and that lie proved
Ills love through tha sufrerings az
Jesus Christ. His Son Ii love and
serve my God. then the very greatness;
or his ways must make them beyond
my power Of understanding, but not
neyoho my power OF trust. All. when
! can lind even with my limited un-
derstandinS, that my pain. If rightly
endured. brings patience and sclf-con-
troll and sympathy and peace. then
can look the larger question In the face
and cry. know that He docth ali
things WE'LL"
st. Paul claimed his rights as "a Eo-
man citizen. Religion does not destroy
manliness and patriotism. Principles
OF righteousness are principles OF truth.
There Is no contradiction between So
cfal welfare and Christian faith il oul,.
the Christian faith is placed first.
may urge people to be patient ana
endure trial. but ] am at the same
time quite justified in seeing that ius-
tlce is recOsniZcd-nay. ii is part Of
my Christian duty. Clean streets. d.
cent homes, good schools, the war
against saloons are all Il part OF that
claim for good government; which I'ruI
made when he cried. lis il lnwrul 10,
you to scourge q man that is II To-
man"
CHURCH NEEDS PATRIOTISM
10 STA Nd For HONHSsY
Christians arc by their vcrs name re-
FORMERS and can demand as none
others cam that purity end temperance
u nd JtICt too oil,