Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-11-17

1HlGIlSlIy OF the ndITeu WHICH Cn6
Jews bore to Paul. 1t would seem
that after he had been two years
in prison at Caesarea, the Jews in
Jerusalem would have forgotten him.
But they had not. When Festus,
the new governor, came to Jerusa-
lem, the Jews there demanded that
Paul be brought to Jerusalem for
trial. They thought they could take
advantage of the ignorance of sthe
new governor of all that had
transpired, and they had laid their
plans so that Paul would never reach
Jerusalem alive.
There was one thing about Roman
law that was most commendable-
no prisoner could be condemned with
out fair trial. Festus saw through
their scheme and told them they
might come to Caesarea when he re-
turned in a few days, and he would
take up the case. 1t was a bitter
pill for them to swallow, but there
was nothing else they could do.
When they appeared as his ac-
cuSerS, FeStuS saw at once that they
had no charges which they could
prove; and that the matter involved
no civil law at all. Justice required
the immediate release of Paul; but
he, too, was anxious to make a good
impression on his Jewish subjects
here at the first of his administra-
ton, and so proposed to Paul that
he do as the Jews had requested
and take him to Jerusalem to be
tried before the church court, under
his protection. This Paul refused
to do. He knew what the sentence
would be beforehand; he had been a
member of that court himself, and
had voted on similar cases. If he
had done anything worthy of death,
he was perfectly willing to die; but
since he had not, and had been in
the courts now for more than two
years, and had been adjudged inno-
cent in all of them, but still was in
chains, he had gotten tired of it,
and had determined to exercise his
right as a Roman citizen. and appeal
for hearing before Caesar.
This appeal was rather shock
to Festus. 1t was not very. compll-
mentary to him that his first case
in the district should be appealed;
but he had no choice in the matter.
Roman law required that it be grant
ed Festus was further embarrass-
ed by the fact that he had declared
Paul innocent of any civil crime. 1t
put him in a terrible dilemma be-
fore the emperor. A visit Of Agrip-
pa offered him solution out of it.
The Big Show
Agrippa was a grandson Of Herod,
and a king by courtesy. He had
no real powers; but by way of
sop to the Jews was nominally the
ruler of that country, the protector
of the temple, and the one who noml-
mated the high priest. He was very
fond of show, as most men are who
have only little authority. The
new governors arrival gave him the
opportunity to crafty this charac-
teristic, so Agrippa came with his
wife, Bernice, on a visit to pay their
respects to Festus. After they had
been there many days F'estus told
them about his dilemma. Agrippa
had heard of Paul, and expressed
a desire to see and hear him. So
next day the big show was pulled
off.
The palace was all decorated for
the occasion; the chief men OF the
city were invited; and dressed In
their best the king and his wife, the
governor, and all the high muck-a-
mucks filed in in proper order
and took their respective positions.
Then Festus ordered Paul to be
brought in.
Look! yonder he comes!7a handy
legged, little Jew; bent with age ana
the hardships he has suffered; blear-
eyed; pale from his two-years' I'M
prisonment, and both hands bound
with chains! Quite a contrast TO
the gorgeously-appareled members OIL
the court about him; but no greater
than the contrast between the splr-
it's within them!
His Defense
Permitted by Agrippa to speak,
after the formal introduction of the
matter by Festus, Paul stretched
forth one of those chained hands OF
his and began to recount in a sin
pie way the story of his life, az
how he had voted as member OF IL
Sanhedrim for the death of those
whose only crime was their faith
in Jesus as the Christ. He told OF
the vision of that same Jesus on
the Damascus road, and how that
sight had turned him completely
around and changed him from per-
secutor into a preacher; and how
with the help of God he had con-
tinued until that day witnessing to
small and great three things-that
the Christ must suffer and die, that
He had risen from the dead, and that
in His risen life He should be the
Light to both Jews and Gentiles..
So earnest was he that Festus
thought he had lost his mind, par
+jo,,lo rlv when he smoke of some
ones rising from the dead. But
Paul assured him he was not only
not crazy, but was speaking only
true and sober words. These things
were we'll known to Agrippa even.
They were what the prophets mad
foretold, and king Agrippa; you
believe the prophets, don't you? l
know you believe" Paul said. He
pleading for Agrippa's heart; he was
Just about to draw the net; but
Ohio, with a very few words you
think you can make a Christian of
me, do you? Of me-King Agrippa,
the descendant Of the great Herod.
| the king of Judea, the protector of
the temple, the nominator of the
| high priest! How absurd! (There
must have been a derisive smile
on the faces of most of the COURT.
But Paul would not be stopped or
diverted Whether in few words or
in many, he replied, I would to
God that not only thou, but also all
that hear me were such as I am,
(and then holding up his chained
hands, except these bonds!