Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-10-08
The Arrest of ST. Paul
Sermon by
REV. FLOYD W. 'TOMPKINs.
Text: Acts, AL. 1910.

'' -hctNp All, IT'D.
Paul declared that bonds and impri-
sohmcnt awaited him Il; Jerusalem
'Acts xx-, 30. and go il was. There
seems TO have been {: curious suspicion
concerning nm, even among the chief
men or the church We read between
me lines. and James himself was -,
concerning this man who see-~cd to he
kind or free lance, going everywhere
and Drcachin. the Gospel regardless
Oh Jewish tradition. II makes US {,
niue Indignant as wc read. and then
our Indignation turns TO sadness. FOR
inns ls q modern as we'll as an ancient
experience. Men settle down, Just as
'hcse Jerusalem elders settled down, to
quiet. formal religious life. careful
not to offend anybody ana watchful
IN all diplomacy lest any man should
be disturbed In his way Of living. aud
then along COMES a man all or fire for
truth and righteousness. hitting right
and left wherever Gin shows its head
and especially condemning those vino
are "at ease in Zion At once there
Is dread. what shall We do with thi,
wild evangelist? lie is simply turn
Ing things upside down. and our quiet
church life which has caused no dis.
turbance hitherto will be all broken
up 1t is so easy TO fan into religious
ruts and shut the eyes to SIN and
wrongs and injustices which the church
Is bound TO rehuke. But Paul had no
patience with such dead Christianity.
He burst Into Jerusalem with all tn"
nery energy OF "A rcformc. and a sol.
der who had Tough; with beasts"
literally as we'll as netaphorically. aud
who had set his heart on converting
the world to Jesus Christ. Let US
look to II lest our churches lose thu
bright shining which Christ has com.
manded ("Let your lamps be trimmed
mr. two Il Nf, t.fl 4
cause we do not attack 1t and sinners
die because have not held M tho
Cross In all It's glorious brightness. |
heard only yesterday Of two New Eng
land ministers who refused 10 let a
brother minister OF their own d.nomi-
nation preach tho Gospel within two
miles OF their own poor little hwif-
ding churches! God pity such false
shepherds.
WILLING TO SHOW THAT
HE WAS 40 ISONoCLNSr
On the other hand. Paul was wonder
fully subservicnt to the wishes OF the
elders when there was no principle in
volved. lie was willing TO show That
ne was no iconoclast tearing down the
old traditions OF Israel. ard so he ar
ranged TO go into tho temple in accord
with custom which ought TO prove
him loyal TO tho law of Moses Mum
bcrs VII. II WIS not necessary for
Paul to do this. but h. yielded to the
wishes OF the elders in order 10 avoid
trouble. cannot help thinking our
friend Paul made a mistake here. You
can never convert men by Welding 10
their prcJudices, nor can YOU make
men believe in you OF your teaching by
shaving down the truth
do not preach that there is a hell;
tho people hrrc don't believe in Il hell:
and the new preacher tribes with his
belief and with the truth 10 avoid
hN &c
tho beginning. Just AS il Was here with
l'aul. Dress up in our clothes and
tho people will think YOU arc All
right: and tho man puts on the clothes
but they do not lit him. confess To a
KIND OF horror as ! Sc. tho big Paul in
the temple with his head shave:l yoin.
through tho Jewish ritual which was
swept away forever when Christ died
and the Veil OF tho temple was rent!
tic was too big Il man to be a rituaiist'
hut trouble came. aud his enemies
came at him just tho same. and there
was riot, and Paul was taken TO IN.
castle prison. II is just as well, per
maps, that an explosion should come
now and then TO clear the atnIos phcrc
terrible though it may be- \ thunder
storm is startling. but tho sun Chimes
more strongly afterward through the
puriNed air. Paul was given an oppor-
tunity TO preach the old gospel several
times. and doubt not this was tho be-
inc church center from Jerusalem. to
Asia Minor and made lii. Gentle world
strong In tho faith OF Christ
WRATH Of MAN TURNS
no PRAISE Or COP
Good comes out OF evil in Gods time |
and the very wrath OF man turns to |
His praise. I love 20 see this heroic |
man Paul standing on the castle stairs !
and telling the story of his life 7
wonder 'fl
near him as he poured out with charac-
terlsttc VeheH.nce the story of Chrjc.'s I
call to him en- the way to Damascus.
Have you ever heard n man tell tn, |
story of his life?
heard last summer tina: dear man |
VINO mas Just died, Harry Monroe, OF |
the Pacific Garden Mission. Chicago
where Mr.. Sunday was converted tell |
tho story OF Christs call TO him, and I
ielt as l listened as if all the li,tl,
thinGs or organized Christianity were
inade small and almost insignia amt
IN the lace OF that sacred meeting be-
tween the aforetime gambler and the
Christ who died for him. We need
not despise or Disregard the excel
lehcles or ecclesiastical order, but oh, I
DO not let us suffer them TO grow so /
important that they overshadow the II
GEAR Master whose work they arc de- II
signed to advance. 1t is good to bring
man who has been wonderfully saved.
and let him tell his story. | once had
my dear friend. Henry IIadlcy. speak
IN an old conservative church in Con-
nccticut on 4 Sunday morning, and he
almost paralyZcd the staid congrcga-
ton by standing up and singing, do
You Know Why Love Jesus" 1t
was a fine prelude to his address.
which the church people never for
got.
We do not know how long Paul was
Kept to the castle but we can easily
believe that he turned the prison into
a church Ivy his prayers and singing
and by his cXhortation to the other
prisoners.
stone walls do not a prison make.
Nor iron bars cage
MAY
BECOME RICH HL(:SsING
Indeed. confinement may well N'ccomc
r rich blessing for an active man. The Y