The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1916-09-14
LESSON FOR SEPTEMBER II
PRISONER IN THE CASTLE.

Paul was rescued from the mob by
the prompt action Of Lysias, and was
saved from scourging by revealing his
Roman citizenship (21 :27-22 :2W.
Every true life, real social service, pa
triotism and national righteousness
rest upon the value Of conversion to
Christ. The fundamental message of
the Christian church must always be
regeneration. With this message Billy
Sunday is gripping the large cities
and DR.. John X. Mott is reaching the
student life Of the world.
!. Paul's Account OF His Early Life
". 1-5). by his use Of the Greek tongue
he obtained permission to deliver this
address and by his wise use of the
Jewish language he gained the atten-
ton OF the excited crowd. Paul as
serted his Jewish origin. (Acts 2l'3aO.
Tnrsus, where he was born. had II uni
versity which rivaled those Of Athens
and Alexandria, and Paul had probably
heard It's great philosophers. Paul was
an educated man. lie was brought up
In Jerusalem from his early boyhoOd
nj the feet OF Gamalle Its greatest
teacher. Thus his religious trimming
was according TO the law of the IA
thcrs, and as touching the righteous
ness which is Of the law" he was
blan eless (rhll, 3:6). He was Jealous
for God. doing what he thought he
would have him do even when "pcrse-
cuted this way" the way OF forgive
ness, salvation and righteousness.
Jesus said, Il am the way" Paul was
ut this time an instrument In the hnnds
Of the rulers, carrying out their plans,
but he exceeded them In his zeal FOR
"the traditions OF our fathers (Gal.
l.14). lie was not at all like those
Pharlsees whom Christ condemned as
white sepulchers." He was not what
we would term today. "a bad man.
He could not have done his work or oc-
cupied his position II he had been. he
was sincere In a bad cause; he was
Jealous In a mistaken religion he was
honestly on the wrong side. Politically
and religiously prominent and active
he was In error still.
u. Paul's Turning Point w. GID.
Paul seems to pick out three different
crises in this rehearsal. (D His inter
view with Christ, when he saw Jesus
ms he really was In his glory, a living
risen Savior (Cor. 9:1; 1881. He hnd
positive proof of the resurrection from
the dead. This proof convicted him
of sin. Re had heard Jesus call. He
had asked Jesus what he would nave
him 10 do. lie was ready to obey. and
something was given him 10 do. The
light which he met on that journey ar
rested him In his mad course. The
voice gave him his directions. In ohcdi-
ence to the command, "Arise and 20,
he gnined knowledge and skill. (2) He
lights upon his interview with Ananlas
". 14) where he received personal help
from on experienced Christian In the
darkness and conflict Of those three
days Of loneliness the questions must
have been: Could he leave rank, honor
friends? Could he entor the service of
the despised one and suffer reproach
danger and death? During this con
flict he must have had before him the
vision Of what God would have him do
and the work for which he chose him
wv. 1919. His vision and commission
constituted strong motive for right
decision. During the vision he came
into the light, and confessed his faith
by his baptism. rs result of those
three days and his interview with
Anunlas he came TO know Gods Will
more fuly. The next step was OF
course (3) his public avowal (See Acts
2:3S; Heb. 1922; Rom. 10:13; | Cor
GID. The purpose Of Pauls whole
life and mission was changed. For each
Of us, In our own degree, conversion
brings similar changes of life. Have
we experienced this great transforma
ti0n7
M. Paui's Dangerous Position wv
20-30). The mob gave him audience
until his words about the Gentiles. Hi
declaration that God had commanded
him to 90 upon a mission TO the Gen
tiles was an Offense to the Jews, an'
his words fell like spark upon nj
inflammable mnss OF fanaticism." The.
broke out into frenzy of excitement
and made preparations to stone him
An Oriental mob Is hideous beyond de
gree. bowling. yelling. cursing, gnash
ing their teeth, flinging their arms
casting off their garments ". 23)
throwing dust into the air TO reliev'
their excitement and TO express thei
execrntlon. II was manifestation o
their uncomfortable rage. The opposi
ton of n mob IL no proof that tn
person II curses Is wrong. The wroni
was not In Paul but In the mob; tn
cause Of the famine in Ahab's time wa
not In Elijah; the commotion of ou
day Is not with the reformers, but witt
those who uphold the evils whicl
should be reformed. Paul used ever
power he had TO MD his fortuno-hi
Roman citizenship. his social position
his knowledge Of law and his tralnin
and quick wit. The chief captain VIII
smoke Latin and Greek would not un
derstand what Paul was saying 1
Hebrew tAramaic). but from the fur
of the people he concluded that Pau
must be some great criminal, an
therefore ordered that Paul should b
compelled by torture to confess hi
crime. While they were binding Pau
he quietly askei the officer II II wey
lawful for them to scourge Roma
citizen, being uncondemned.