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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Herald, 1909-10-15, Page 3a ool: LESSON III. --OCTOBER 17, 1909. Paul a Prisoner -Before 'Felix. Acts 24: 10-27, e • Oo' mentary L The chci,rg es against Pial (vs. 1-9). Withie five days the high priest, Ananias, together with. repiesene, atives from the Sanhedrin, aecantprinied by a prafessioual. grater,. Tertullius, ar- rived in Caesarea to present their charges age est Paul, Tertul'lius began by flattering Felix, as one'veio had done Trewt and noble deeds and *h3 had eat- ly advanced the government. This was eat in keeping with the truth, for "both ,I"asephus . and Taoitus represent him as me of the mast corrupt And oppressive .rulers ever sent by the Romans into Judea," Terbullus then presented three charges against Pani- They were, 1. Se- dition, or treason agairvst the Roman F'ovenv)¢n'ent. 2. Heresy. 3. Sacrilege ,wet prafaaing the temple. Triose who were with Tertullus all assented that these things were ,'true. II. Paul's defense (vs, 10-21). 10. Paul ....answered -Although twice before •Paul head spoken whet he called .a de- fense -M.0; before 0„. vest crowded Jews • in the . temple area, and again before the assembled Sanhedrin -yet this is this first actual defense, as he now standsebeforo an imperial tribunal, the governor repre- senting the person and authority of the eri>pes'oz:-Butler. Forasmuch ea I know -It is remarkable that Paull did not be- gin his speech, as Tertullus bad done, by any flattering addeess, or by any of the arts of i'hetoriic. He founded his plea on the justice of lois cause, and on the fact that Felix had had so much expere once in the affairs of Judea that he 'vie well qualified to understand the merits of the case, and to- judge impartially, Paul was well acquainted with his. char- acter, and would not by flattering words declare that which was not strictly true. -Barnes. Many years -For the com- paratively long period of six ar seven years Felix !rad been in Jerusalem and Caesarea. A judge -A magistrate, or one appointed to administer the affairs of government. More cheerfully answer -Because of Felix's unusual familiarity with Jewish questions. The fact of his knowledge is e;ttested in v. 22. 11. May - est understand -From the shortness of his stay in Jerusalem, any offense com- mitted there must have been recent. There gourd be no difficulty in obtaining witnesses and proofs. -Cook. Twelve days -From the time Paul left Caesarea, until his return, it was only nine days. Only eight of the twelve days had been spent in Jerusalem. His design in men- tioning the number of days was to show the improbability that in so short a time he -could have produced a tumult. To worship -He went on purpose to wor- ship and had no thought of producing a tumult, or of profaning the temple. 12, 13. Neither found me, eta -In term of unqualified denial he meets the first charge -of sedition. Worship, not insur- rection, was the object of Ms visit to Jerusalem. He was arrested while won tbipping and had not even spoken in pub. lie. Neither can they prove -He chal- lenges investigation. They had made vague, wild. assertions, hoping the gov- ernor might be influenced to condemn him without trial, as doubtless he would have done but for his Roman citizenship. They very well knew that their charges could net' be sustained under the Roman low. Accusation is not proof. 14. This I confess -This verse and the following contain Paul's reply to the accusation of Tertullus that he was s ringleader of the sect of the Nazar- enes. He boldly and joyously confesses that he is a Christian, but at the sante time declines to acknowledge the op- probrious terms used by Tertullus.- Lange. The way -"The way" is here used by Paul to signify the Christian religion (see chap. 9:2). Heresy- "A sect." -R. V. The word used is the same that Tertullus used in verse 5, when making Ms charge. They had called the Christians a "sect," and Paul does not disown the name. So worship -See R. V. It is as if he said: "After the way which they call false and er- roneous, but which is according' to the inward light given me, worship I my ancestors adored." 15. Hope toward God -Having a hope of the resurrection of the dead. 16. I exercise myself- He strives as the athletic or warrior, only his struggle and warfare is within his soul. His supreme aim and constant effort was to keep a clear conscience. Conscience -"The eonscienoe does not tell us what is right, but urges us to do what we know to be right, and re- bukes us for doing what we know to be wrong." -Hurlbut. 17. After many years -Paul refers to the four years which had elapsed since his last visit. to Jerusalem (chap. 18: 22). -Meyer. He came as the almoner of help, not as the fomenter of disturb- ance and source of injury to the nation. This incidental statement is the only allusion in the Acts to the faet that Paul had been engaged' for four years in gathering collections from all the Gentile churches in aid of the poor Christian Jews of Judea. In the epis- tles Paul frequently , refers to this. matter. -Butler. He came to bring of- ferings, and therefore he had no thought' of profaning the temple. 18.21. Jews from ,Asia -"Paul justly complains that the very persons who alone could testify against him were ab- sent, and showed that there was really no well-founded charge against him. They alone'could testify as to anything that occurred in the temple; and as they were not present that charge ought to be dismissed" Or else -"Paul turns with a• bold challenge to the Sadducean .views present. Ile demands their own personal testimony upon the facts that occurred when he stood before the San hedrie. With a keen thrust he asks if the utterance of the hated truth of the resurrection was not the only charge of eval coy b they could bei nb , Li. lmprisoninient at'Uaesaiea (22-27:) e2, 23, When Felix heard -The govern. or -virtually decided the case in favor of Nut. But he wished to keep'the good will of the Jews. So he delayed bis fin- al answer, in the meaueeldle allowing Peel much liberty, in "the company "cel his friends- Havieg -, knowledgs. 1'elix knew more than rnost Roman rul- ers about Christianity. lee evidently keew the character of the disciples alid that what Paul said was true. 24. After certain days -Felix cane in the audi- ence -chamber with his wife, Drusilia, and the prisoner was summoned before them, Thus Paul had an oportunity in his bonds of preaching the gospel, and such an' opportunity as he could hardly otherwise have obtained. 25. Reasoned of righteousness, etc. - Paul preaches as a faithful apostle should have preached to.auoh hearers. They sent for him to hear about Christ. They heard much more than they cared to hear. Felix trembled -In view of his past sins, and the judgment to come. Go thy way -Felix was troubled, but iii- stead of asking the way of peace, he sent the messenger of warning away. Convenient -Tire sinner is always look- ing for a "convenient season" to turn to God. -.26. He hoped, etc. -He hoped that. Paul would pay for his freedom. 27. Left Paul bound -Felix was desire ous of gaining favor with the Jews as he retires from the governorship, and acordingly withdrew the special privi- leges Paul had been allowed. ° Questions, -.-Who came to Caesarea to testify against Paul? How did Tertul- lns begin? What charges did he bring against Paul? Why had Paul gone up to Jerusalem? How did Paul answer; his accusers? What privileges did Philip grant Paul? Before whom was Paul aum- moned to speak of Christ? Of what did he reason? What was the character of his hearers? How did the truth affect Felix? PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS. ' Paul Defends the Faith. I. Paul speaks. "Forasmuch as I know" (v. 10.) Tertullus began his ac- cusation of Paul with abject flattery (vs. 2.4.) Paul respected Felix's office and what it represented, but did not flatter the bad man in the office. He was "subject into the .higher powers" (Ram. 13: 1.) He spoke truly and availed himself of a plain fact, when he said, "As I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, I do the more cheerfullly answer for myself" (v. 10.) A great roan will hon- estly praise; he will never flatter. Jesus commended (Matt. 8: 10; John 4: 17) ; he never flattered. II. Paul reasons (v. 25). To the judge, in public, the prisoner gave the defer- ence due to his office; to the sinner, in private, the preacher dared to give the warning that his official character and his private conduct would both come in- to judgment. To this unjust extortioner, this defrauder of widows, this plunderer ,of Children, this buyer and ,seller of jud- :eial decisions, "he reasoned of righte- ousness." To the woman, who had lost everything for which a wife and mother ought to live, whose passionate desires had never been checked, he dared to speak of self-control, self-restraint, self- government. To this tyrannical prince, this unjust judge, he dared to tell of "a judgment to come," until the man "trembled" at the sight of the great white throne and the opened books whose record was red with the blood of "private murder and public maccacre." During the temperance crusade in Brooklyn, Louise C. Reynolds and a friend of hers, visited a liquor saloon. Turning to the bar -tender, she said, "Do you know there is a terrible woe in the Bible pronounced against triose who sell liquor?" and quited to him Hab. 2. 15. "That is not in the Bible," he said al- most fiercely. She opened her Bible and pointed to the ''verse. He snatched the book from her, and pale and trembling Toad the words. Two days afterward the liquor saloon was closed. The fearless words of the holy woman smote his con- science, and he gave up the unrighteous traffic. At Paul's courageous words Fel- ix "trembled," but he would not yield. He said, "Go thy way," to the Spirit of God, and "wait for a convenient season" to the Christ of God. "God.. .now coin- mandeth all men everywhere to repent" (Acts 17.30). Those who have a right to command expect prompt obedience. God has a right to expect instant obedience as Creator and Redeemer. That people delay instead of decline to become Chris- tians is an admission of God's„ eternal right to their obedience and a'proplam- ation that they deliberately intend to trample upon his claim and longer sin against the love that bought them with the price of blood. This is cowardly, un- grateful, rebellious. III. Felix trembles (v. 25). "Paul was not the only ono who was being weighed or judged in this lesson. Felix also was fear of the consequence of his sin. Many times men have committed sin which leas ation that they deliberately int -end to trample upon his claim and 'Imager sin against the love that bought them with the price of blood. This is cowardly, un- grateful, rebellious. III. Felix trembles (v. 25). "Paul was not the only one who was being weigh- ed or judged in this lesson. Felix also was in the balances. His conscience was accusing him for his sin. He trembled for fear of the consequence of his sin. Many times men have committed sin which has made them afraid all their lives, and •they have been unable to die fn peace." Felix trembled over his sin, but put off the remedy for curing them. If he had only listened to Paul ani received Christ they would have all been pardoned; bub he loved his sins so much that he put it off until' some other time, and that time probably 'nev- er came. How foolish for boys and girls or for any ono to put off becoming Christians. Christians do not treiittile when they hear about right living and the judgment to came. They know that to die will be their gain. �...-.,,..�„�,, ern..-..-.-,,.• • ,11MI 9 n a 1. v iiiKaUZCNEVONVI TORONTO, 'MARKETS. , LIVE STOCK. •" The railways reported 58 car fouls of live stock at the City Market for Wed- nesday's market. There was little ehango in price's in any class of live ' atock, witi3•'a steady but quiet trade all rolfedsr ` Butchers. -George Rowntree bought for the Harris Abattoir Co 230 • cattlg ; butchers' steerseend heiferse14.20 to .$5 per cwt. e. cows, $1.50 to $4.40; bills, • $2.50 to $4 per 'cwt. • Feeders. -Harry Murby reports prices and trade steady at Tuesday's quotations Mr. Murky bought 4 loads at $2.75 to $3.75; and 1 load Manitoba feeders, 900 lbs. each, at $3.65 per cwt. Milkers and Springers, -Trade in milk- ers and springers was generally good. Fred Rowntree bought 15 milkers and 'springers at $48 to $68 eaoh. Mr. Rown- tree sold a selected load of choice milk- ers and springers to Mr. Armitage,. of Lachine Rapids, at an average of $58 each. Veal Calves-Pricea for veal calves were inclined to be strong at $3 to $6.- 50, and $7 per cwt. D. Rowntree bought 40 for Wesley Dunn at $8 each, and A. Pugsley bought 30 calves for Harris Abattoir Co., at $3 to $7 per cwt. Sheep and Lambs. -Trade in sheep and lambs was steady, with prices un- changed. A. Pugsley bohght for Har- ris Abattoir Co, 350 lambs at $5.25 to $5.80 per cwt.; 120 sheep, $3.75 to $4 per cwt. D. Rowntree bought,- Wes- ley Dunn 900 lambs at $5:75 per.ewt„ average price; 100 sheep, at $3.80 per cwt,, average price. Hogs. -Prices unehanged for hogs, at $8 for selects, fed and watered, and $7.- 75 for f.o.b. cars atcountry points. FARMERS' MARKET. The offerings of wheat to -day were 200 bushels, which sold at $1 to $1.01 for fall. Barley, unchanged, 200 bushels selling at 58 to 60c. Hay, quiet and unchanged, with sales of 25 loads at $16 to $20 a ton for tim- othy, and at $8 to $10 for clover. Straw, easier, a load of bundled selling at $14 a ton; loose sold at 88. Dressed hogs are easier, with p°rices from $10.75 to $11. Wheat, white, new ....$ 1 00 $ 0 00 Do., red, new „ - . .. 1 00 0 00 Do., goose . - . .. .. 0 96 0'00 Oat's, new, bush .. .. , , 0 42 0 43 Barley, bush .. - - .. . . 0 58 0 59 Rye, bush . , , .. 0 08 0 70 Hay, timothy, ton - , , .. 16 00 20 00 Do., clover, ton .. , . , . 8 00 10 00 Straw, per ton .. . o• .16 00 0 OQ Seeds- klsike, fartcy, bush' 6 75 Do., No. 1 :. .. 6 50 Do., No. 2. .. 25 ' 5 50 Do., No. 3.. 4 85 . 5 00 Red clover, bush . , 7 00 7 50 Timothy .. 1 40 1 60 Dressed hogs .. .. „ .• 10 75 11 00 Butter, dairy .. . , , , , 0 23 0 28 Do., inferior .. . , . , 0 20 0 21 Eggs, dozen... . - ... , 0 30 0 32 Chickens, lb.. .. 0 14 0 15 Ducks, ib.. , . .... , 0 13 0 15 Turkeys, Ib.. .. 0 20 0 22 Geese, lb.. ..... 0 11 0 12 Fowl, lb... , , , . , , , 0 10 0 11 Apples, bbl.... , , , , . , , 1 00 2 50 Potatoes, load, bag . , 0 60 0 70 Celery, dozen .. , , , 0 30 0 35 Onions, bag .. ., ,... , 1 40 1 50 Cauliflower. dozen .. 0 75 1 25 Cabbage, dozen .. .. 0 60 0 75 Beef, hindquarters . . 10 00 10 50 Do., forequarters , , , , 5 00 6 00 Do., choice, carcass . . 8 00 8 75 Do,, medium, carcass . 7 00 8 00 Mutton, per cwt.... 8 00 9 50 Veal, prime, per cwt 8 00 10 50 Lamb, per cwt. . .. , . 9 00 10 00 HORSE EXCHANGE. ,i6' 00 6 00 5 West Toronto -Trade on the Horse Exchange showed signs of recovery this week from the dullness of the summer season, although it will be a few weeks yet before the normalestateof activity will be resumed on this market. On Monday and to -day about 150 horses were sold, including some of the finest heavy draught stock ever seen here. There were aver a hundred young heavy draughts which weighed from 1,- 450 to 1,700 pounds each. The good de- mand for lumber and railroad horses helped to dispose of a large number of the heavy animals at high prices. The general range of prices remained at about the same level as last week, as follows: Heavy draughts, $180 to $220; general purpose, $140 to $175; wagon and express horses, $150 to $200; driv- ers, $100 to 8160; serviceably sound, $35 to $70. OTHER MARKETS WINNIPEG WIIEAT MARKET. Wheat-Ootober 061-2c, December. 64c, May 98 7-8e. Oats-Octover 34e, December 3e 7-8c, May 36e. • THE CHEESE MARKETS, Macke, Ont.---To-thy 050 boxes Cheese boarded; all ' sold at 113.8e. Teterboro, Ont.-Te-ckty `3,188 colored offered; all sold at 113.8c. Woodstock, Ont.--efo-day .911 white, 1,400 colored; 11 3-8c bid; no sales. BRITISH CATTLE MARKETS. • London. London cables ,for cattle, are lower, at 12 to 13 3.4e par Ib. for Cana- dian steoru, dressed weight; refrigerator beef is quoted at 11 1.4 to 11 1-2e per lb, MONTREAL LIVE STOCK. Monlree l: About • 1,200 head of but- chers' utchers' cattle, 150 calves, 35 mileh. cows, 000 Sheep and lambs, and 800 hogs were offered for sale at the mast End Abat- tole this foreseen. 'Trade was fair, with. • ,theeprloce of cattle about the saute as on Monday, !rut kv fhb end'huge are higher. Prime beeves sak at e3-4 to 5e per lb:; pretty good 'animal*, 31.2 to • 41-2e; ormus,tn stook, 2 to 3 1-4e per lb About a dozen lean old, c ow., wive sold at $9.50 each, of 1'1-4e p•.i Ib. Calves soldat from it toli 1-2e per lb. Sheep sold at .1-2 to 3P-4.0 pro.• Ib.; iambi at 5:3-4 to, Se per ib: Gooch lots of fat hogs sold at 9 1-4 to 91-2c nor, Ib. e,� - ee rweeteeeawwwwrsxsesear ewrwdoaaserret T FARM ss. wetwataiasaaom r thug M,,Mrwsaosalwwe,rr SHEARING SHEEP BS' MACHINE.• Western Ranchmen Dispensing With Hand Work. N. Y. Sun: The great sheep camp of the United States is now in the North- west. The rhea, ing of the twenty er )iiore million sheeli that produce wool, like the garnering of wheat and other big crops, requires the employment for a more or les; shortened period of'a large number oar man, The local labor supply is entirely insufficient and were it not for the existence of a partly organized body of nomads, who start in at the south and work their way. north as the season broadens, great difficulty would be met with. Many of these shearers are easterners, New York furnishing quite a number-. Before reaching Montana or Wyoming they have relieved many thousands . of sheep of their fleeces. They begin down in Texas or perhaps Arizona and work north, taking in Kansas, Nebraska, Utah, Wyoming and the Dakotas before they land in Montana. Many of them also come from the West. This gang starts in in Cali henia, and after shearing its way through Oregon, Washington and 'Main re::elus Montana to aid in garnering on common ground the greatest crop o? wool in any section. These men are well paid and most of them end the season with from $5500 In $800 in their pockets. All are experts, Most of them still use the wrist thong and hand shears, but in the last few years shearing by machinery has calm in vogue and is rapidly supersedingiell other methods. The better hand shearers average 100 sheep a day, and there are a few who have a record of 200 in twelve hours. It is hard work. A man must stand with legs stiff for honrs, he must lean over until he can almost reach his toes and he must all the time be holding down a struggling, frightened animal. These hand workers are paid at the rate of seven or eight cents for each fleece tied up and delivered to the sacker. The grading is done in advancd of the shearing, so that subsequent trou- ble is avoided. After the shearing hag been accom- plished the wool is sacked in long bale - like burlap forms and turned over to the freighters. Montana is not gridironed with railroads, and it is a long drive from many of the ranches to the rail- way depot or wool market. Two and sometimes three heavily laden wagons are coupled together and with eight or ten horses attached the outfit starts across the hills. It is hard, slow going, and if the rain comes and the roads get gummy the freighters often have to go into camp and wait for the sun to pave the way. Sometimes wool has to be hauled in this fashion for 125 miles. In the last four or five years the shearing machine has pnehed to the front. An ingenious mechanic has de- vised a shear which c'an be worked either by hand or mechanical power, and which has proven a tremendous econ- omy. The machine is declared by sheep men to be a far e s ahead of the old hand shears as the self -binder is in advance of the old-fashioned cradle. R. M. Marquis., a Montana young gran, holds the world's record bath for hind and for machine shearing. At • Bower Brothers' ranch near Martindale, Mont., 3m sheared 300 seven pound (to the fleece) waiters ingl 14 hours 46 minutes, taking off 2,650 pounds of wool with a machine. This record will likely stand for a long time. Marquis has been at the business for about eight years and has often shorn 200 sheep a day and over ley hand, and on the machine has several times gone above 300. His average work in \.lontan,a last season ran from 175 to 2.155 sheep a day, in nine and ten hour clays. In one shearing season, 'not in - eluding the fall work, he sheared 17,013 Flreep. The man's work is almost as mechan- ical as that of the machine he uses. He starts in by grabbing the animal by the right hind leg with his left hand, turn- ing it easily over on its back. He then pulls it into an upright position, with its hindquarters on the ground and the body resting between his legs. He begins by parting the wool at the forward end of the brisket and starts the clippers going. Bent over at an angle of 70 or 80 cegrees, he keeps firm hold of the sheep with his knees, turning the animal as though it were in a vice and keeping the skin stretched tight. When half way through he has attained the position of having partly stepped back, 'While the sheep•is flat on its side. It is no trick for him to finish the animal in two nlin• utes, and he has turned out as many ae twenty-eight in an hour.. Besides the advantage in time and la- bor cost the machine does not hack or cut the sheep, and it is possible to get from a half to a pound and a half more wool off each amnia]. The staple is longer and this means a better price. Usually it is not desirable •to send hand sheared sheep to the market until a week after the clip, as it takes that long to feed them into presentable shape. This is avoided by the use of the tire• ebatiikal contrivance, which lacteal th.e animal evenly clipped and free from cuts. HANDSOME JEWELRY CATALOGUE yy�+ • FREE oUR 144 page Catalogue illustrated in colors will be sent free upon. request. This is the finest Cath- Logue of Diamonds, Jewelry, Silverware, China, Cut Glass-, Leather Goods, Stationery and Novelties, ever issued. We prepay all express charges on every article sold by us and cheerfully refund the money if goods are not satisfactory. RYRIE BROS., Limited 134-138 Yonge Street TORONTO The hand power machine is. in almost universal use among the smaller flock piasters who cannot afford a power plant or are unal3te to get the servioes of experienced shearing experts, who keep date and route books much like the average theatrical company manager. The usual model consists of ra large wheel, fastened to an upright beam in the barn. On the face of this wheel teeth are generated on an automatic ma- chine that insures absolute accuracy. This gear is enclosed' in a stationray frame and drives a hardened steel cut pinion, to which is connected a universal joint flexible shaft. The pinion shaft is fitted with a small turned balance wheel, which, running at a high speed, gives steadiness to the machine at all times. The shears, which greatly, resemble at the end a pair of barbers' clippers, fit on to the end of this jointed shaft, and this is operated much like the power de- vices in dentists' shops for the drilling or cleaning of teeth. With a boy to turn the big wheel by a convenient han- dle and a man to operate the shears it is not much of a trick to denude the sheep. The power plant machine is growing in favor. Makers of various devices in the last year on their own initiative and for their own profit have established power plants at points in the sheep belt, The 'result has been that big sheep men have taken to installing them with gaso- line engines far motive power. Many of these plants have as high as fifty shear- ing machines, with power furnished from overhead shafting and gearing. The newest departure in this line is an elec- trically driven affair, with direct con• nections, so that the instant a machine is stopped to change cutters or combs or so that another sheep may be caught or let go the power is cut off absolutely from telt one, while the others keep at work. Customer -I want a cake of soap, pl. ..ierk---Yes, madam. WlI1 yea •••••• se -F" Customer -No; 1 want the unscented. FIN ZS LD F During Change of Life, ' says Mrs. Chas. Barclay , Graniteville, Vt. -"I was passing through the Change of Life and suffered from nervousness and other annoying symptoms, and I can truly say that LydiaE.Pinkhaui's Vegetable Com- pound has proved worth mountains of gold to me, as it restored my health and strength. I never forget to tell my friends what L ydiaE,Pinkham's Vegetable Compound has done for me during thistrying period. 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