The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-10-20
INTERNATIONAL
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
For October % is "Paups Defense Be-
fore Agrippa. Acts 26.
The Orator and the King.
By w. T. ELLIS

The Orator and the King.
Oriental pomp and pageantry con-
front the Sunday schools as they en-
4 ter the great audience hall of Cover
nor Fcstus, on the special occasion of
/ a formal appearance of King Herod
/ Agrippa II and his wife Bernice, who
was also his full sister. Lovers of
show and state were all the Hercds-
! they gave more heed to the outward
form than to the inner inteerities.
They were courtiers alike of the Jews
and of Rome. cloaking their selfish
| ambitions and INSCRIPTIONS intrigues
beneath an appearance of Jewish
orthodoxy. The sumptu ously-robed
monarch, and his beautiful wife, blaz-
| ing with jewels of state, looked the
part of Romans, rather than of Jews.
1t was such occasions of ceremony as
this, when all the lick-spittle official
| dom of Caesarea did obeisance to
| them, that stirred the jaded Herod
! blood.
Did the proud king and his wife re-
call, as they confronted the manacled
| prisoner who had been brought ber
| fore them to crafty their curiosity,
that it was in this very city that their
| father, Herod Agrfppa 1, who had
slain the Apostle James with the
| sword, had died a horrible death.
snitten in his pride he paraded
himself as god? And did their
thoughts go back to their great grand
father, Herod TIE Great, who had
vainly sought 10 slay in childhood the
| infant Jesus, after whom all these
| Christians were named? A sort of
dire judgment seemed to attend the
contact of the Herods with all who
were associated with this new religion.
Did Agrippa and Bernice recall their
great uncle, Herod Antipas, who had
slam John the Baptist, at the behest
| of dancing girl? The king and
queen were not without imagination.
ri Of hn St 6riG
/ tan of the day did not leave them
wholly comfortable, even if he were
but a prisoner, with letters on his
wrists and ankles.
Little would the world today know
or care about the whole tribe of Her
DDS, were it not for their connection
with Christian history. Gone is Gaze
Sarea, the scene of the stately Herod-
ian triumphs. The allied wafships
that patrol the coast of Palestine to-
day waste never a shot upon it. Gone,
too, is Rome, with all her might,
while the message of Paul, and the
spiritual forces which he represent
ed, are daily increasing their sway
around the world. THE world pass
eth away, and the lust thereof; but
he that doeth the will of God abideth
forever
The Preacher as Sensation.
Those jaded Jewish-Roman poten-
tates, who sought a new sensation by
(
parts in the modern society leaders
who lionize evangelists. Billy Sun
days ovation in Washington, at the
hands of political and social leaders,
rather brings the matter down to
date. Thank God for the men who
nave made the Gospel a sensation;
who have set cities by the ears; who,
ike Savonarola, have been preachers
of righteousness to entire communi-
ties The preacher should be the
l ] " discussed
town. His words should set the PEG
, pie talking about the truth he
breaches. But woe unto him If he
yield to the temptation to be mere
entertainer, a seeker after notoriety
and social position. If he have one
gospel for the rich and another for
the poor; if he be afraid to speak in
Dame Societys parlor the message
Y that he delivers in the rescue mission
then he is an unworthy wearer OF
the name of minister of the Gospel
: This man Paul never swerved OF
= nesitated or compromised when ne
I stood before King Agrippa HIS ora
ton was almost the niSh-water marx
of all his recorded utterances. Es-
sentially, tho, it was the Same ole
speech that he had been delivering III
, and down the land. Because 1t is
u treat and classic uIterance, moro I'M
e Dressive than any comments upon It
v the; address is quoted in fCll:
A Famous Grafton.
So Paul, with outstretched arm
n | proceeded to make his defense.
''The kind of life I have lived from
u nv youth upwards, as exempll11ed II
n my early days among my nation an'
V in Jerusalem, is known to all the Jews
For they all know me of old-1f the,
would but testify to the fact-how
being an adherent of the strictest sec
! of our religion, my life was that OF
y Pharisee And now 1 stand here i'm
of INV
fulfillment of the promise made b.
s God to our forefathers-the promis
Y. which our twelve tribes, worshippin
IS day and night with intense devoted
O. ness. hope to have made good t
. them 1t is on the subject of thi
d hone sir, that 1 am accused by tn
g Jews Why is it deemed with all O
you a thing past belief if God raise
the dead to life?
81 myself. however, thought it
ID duty to do many things in hostility t
y the name of Jesus, the Nazarene. An
=, that was how I acted in Jerusalem
Armed with authority received froT
u the High Priests 1 shut up many {
Q. Gods people in various prisons, an
l. when they were about to be put t
&c death 1 gave my vote against then
A. In all the synagogues also 1 punishe
IN them many time, and tried to max
to them blaspheme; and in my wild fur
le I chased them even to foreign town
"Wh1le thus engaged, was traVe
ing one day to Damascus armed wit
authority and a commission from til
ed High Priests, and on the journey
of noon, Sir, I saw light from Heave
brighter than the brightness of tt
Ell sun-shining around me and arour
Id those who were travelling with me. "
al all fell to the ground; and l heard
q voice which said me in Hebrew:
Saul, Saul why are you persecu
ing Me? You are finding 1T paint,
at to kick against the ox-goad.'
m Who art Thou, Lord ?" 1 asked
= "'I am Jesus whom you are pers,
- cutting the Lord replied. But ris
IT and stand on your feet, for 1 ha,
its appeared to you for the very purpo
n