manded them to make ready two hundred soldiers, and threescore and ten horsemen, and two hundred spearmen, at the third hour of the night, that is, at nine o'clock, and, providing beasts for St. Paul and those who guarded him, to set off for Cesarea. There Felix the governor of Judea resided; unto whom they were commanded to bring Paul safely. The chief captain also wrote a letter to Felix, explaining what he had done. The soldiers of course executed this command punctually; they carried Paul in the night to Antipatris, a town, as you may see, a little more than halfway between Jerusalem and Cesarea. There they left him, and returned to the castle, leaving the horsemen to go on with him to Cesarea, which was about seventy miles from Jerusalem; who delivered the letter immediately upon their arrival to the governor, presenting Paul also before him.

E. I wonder how Felix received him?

M. He inquired of what province he was, and when he understood that he was of Cilicia, he told him that he would hear him when his accusers were also come. Meanwhile he commanded that he should be kept in Herod's judgment-hall, which was the residence of the Roman governor, one part of which was converted into a place of confinement for prisoners of importance. It is spoken of as Herod's judgment-hall, because it had been originally built by Herod as a palace for himself. It was not long before St. Paul's accusers appeared; but as the chapter we have been considering ends with his arrival at Cesarea, I think we may as well bring our conversation to a conclusion also.

See Acts xxiii.

285

TWENTY-SEVENTH SUNDAY EVENING.

ST. PAUL BEFORE THE ROMAN GOVERNOR.

E. I should like to know, Mamma, what sort of a person this Felix was, in whose hands St. Paul was now placed; it seems as if so much would depend upon his temper and character.

M. It will unfold itself, Edward, to your own observation, I think, as we proceed in the narrative; and there is but little information concerning him to be gathered from books of profane history, excepting that he was a very bad man, addicted to disgraceful vices, and had been raised from a low rank by the influence of his brother Pallas, who was a favourite slave of the emperor Nero. Let us now contemplate the highminded Apostle on his trial before such a judge.

E. But who were his accusers, Mamma?

M. No other than those who had so lately been his judges! What prejudiced judges, so soon to become his accusers! But so it was. Ananias the high priest, with the elders, and with their orator and advocate Tertullus, followed St. Paul to Cesarea, and in the course of five days after he had left Jerusalem, stood before the governor, prepared with their accusations against him. And when he was brought forth, Tertullus endeavoured, by an artful speech full of flattery towards Felix, to ingratiate himself and his party, and to prejudice him as much as possible against the Apostle, whom he accused in the coarsest and most vindictive manner as a sacrilegious man, and a mover of sedition, and a ringleader of the despised sect of Nazarenes. Such were the crimes alleged against St.

Paul, who, being permitted to reply to them, began with noble simplicity to reply to the heavy charges brought against him. Observe, Edward, his mild yet firm self-possession; observe his language in addressing Felix: what a beautiful contrast does it present to the meanness and violence of his enemies! How free from rudeness on the one hand, and from flattery on the other! With what magnanimity, and yet with what meekness, does he repel the vile charges brought against his character, and challenge a proof of them! Where could we find a better specimen of the peace inspired by a good conscience and a sure confidence in God! Surely these "create a heaven in a man's bosom, beyond the power of the little accidents of this world to ruffle and discompose." Well might a heathen writ ercompare the mind of a wise and good man, to the state of the upper regions, always serene and calm!

E. But what did St. Paul say to the charge of his being a Nazarene ?

M. Not for a moment would he deny Jesus of Nazareth: but boldly confessed himself what the Jews called a heretic, that is, a Christian; yet declaring as a Jew his faith in the prophecies, and his hope of a resurrection to come. There was prudence indeed as well as boldness, yet not the slightest artifice in his speech; but a calm, dispassionate, straightforward relation of facts.

E. I wonder what effect it produced upon Felix?

M. It was impossible for a mind like his to understand or appreciate such a character as St. Paul's, so beautifully displayed in the address which he had just delivered. Yet he could not altogether withstand its

influence. He was convinced apparently, in his own mind, of the Apostle's innocence, and better acquainted with the Christians, than to believe all the charges brought against them. But he was unwilling to release him for fear of offending the Jews; nor could he resist the temptation of detaining him prisoner, in the hope of a price being paid by the Christians for the liberation of their Apostle. He commanded therefore a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have as much liberty as was consistent with his safety, and also to permit his friends to visit him.

E. He must have had a good opinion of Paul, or he would not have treated him so kindly; but what a mean-spirited man he must have been, Mamma! So cowardly, and so avaricious! You might well say, I should find out his character for myself—and I am sure I despise it thoroughly; as I dare say the Apostle did?

M. No, Edward! His maxim was, "despise no man;" and he seems to have had no feeling but of pity towards his wavering judge, and anxiety for the salvation of his soul. When, a few days after, Felix sent for the Apostle to hear him privately concerning the faith of Christ, he neither remonstrated with him as to the injustice of detaining him a prisoner, nor availed himself of the opportunity of interesting him further in his own favour. No; forgetting his own position, his own injuries, his own danger, with a fidelity and courage worthy of a servant of the living God, he reasoned with the covetous and rapacious Felix respecting justice, and self-control, and judgment to come; and reasoned so solemnly, that "Felix trembled !" his guilty conscience was shaken from the false security in which it had slept so long undisturbed; and shrinking

from the heart-searching appeal of the Apostle, he said to him: "Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will send for thee." Poor self-deluded man! that more convenient season never came! Those salutary fears which might have led him to repentance, were soon checked: his love of money prevailed over his fear of judgment: he sends indeed for the Apostle from time to time, in the hope of leading him to purchase his liberty, but ends at last, after two years had passed, by leaving him bound, to be disposed of by his successor Porcius Festus; and this merely "to show the Jews a pleasure." So dreadful, my dear child, is the power of sin, when long indulged; like a hot iron searing the conscience! We should listen to wholesome warnings the moment they are given. We do not hear of Felix trembling the second time! It is a rule of the divine economy "not to cast pearls before swine;" not to throw away precious instruction upon those who will not value it!

E. And so Felix forsook the Apostle for the sake of pleasing the Jews! I dare say he gained nothing by it.

M. No, indeed, he did not: the Jews were not grateful to him for it; on the contrary, when he was recalled by Nero, the Jews of Cesarea sent to Rome with complaints against him, which brought him into disgrace with the Emperor, from the effects of which he with difficulty escaped. What different fruits might he have reaped from the gratitude of the Apostle, and the approbation of his own conscience!

E. Did St. Paul's condition improve at all under the new governor?

M. No, his enemies the Jews took care to prejudice