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THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
“My present behaviour is no t th e effect of rashness, bu t proceeds from my love and fear of God, who made th e world, and who will judge th e living and th e dead, whose commands I dare n o t tra n s gress. I have h ith e rto done my duty to the emperors, and am always ready to comply w ith th e ir ju s t orders, accord ing to the doctrine of our Lord Christ, who bids us give both to Caesar and to God th e ir due; b u t I am obliged to pre fer heaven to earth , and to obey God ra th e r th a n man.” The governor, on hearing th is speech, immediately passed sentence on him to be burned, which was executed accordingly, and th e m arty r expired, singing praises to God in the m idst of the flames. Golden Text Illu stration s. Voltaire, tbe infidel, said: “ I despair of destroying religion while millions meet tog ether for worship on th e first day of th e week.” , Canon G irdlestone: “The A theist would take away from me th e God who hears my prayer, and leave me th e needs th a t drove me to pray. He would take away the God who over-rules the world, and leave me to th e risks and dangers of death. He would tak e away th e God who is my power for good, and leave me weak as a child, w ith sin struggling in my heart. He would ta k e away my God, who said, ‘I will blot out your sins as a cloud,’ and leave me w ith a load upon my conscience, sin lying a t the door. He would tak e away my God and give me the devil.” P au l H eals A Cripple. Acts 14:8-18. Memory Verse.— “F o r th e Lord is great, and greatly to be praised.” Psa. 96:4. • ‘ Approach.-—How many of you boys and girls ever saw a person who could not walk because he was crippled? Yes, all have seen crippled people. We
once visited the earth , and worked won ders, -and vanished before any were aware of him. P au l’s work has grown in men’s eyes w ith tire passing of cen turies. Bible Illu stra tio n of Courage. Abraham , Gen. 18:22-32. Jacob, Gen. 32:24-29. Moses, Ex. 32:31, 32; 33: 18. Aaron, Num. 16:47, 48. David, I Sam. 17:45. E lijah, I K ings 18:15, 18. Nehem iah Neh. 6:11. Shadrach, Dan. 3:17, 18. Daniel, Dan. 6:10. Joseph, Mark 15:43. P eter and John, Acts 4:8-13. Stephen, Acts 7:51. Paul, Acts 13:27, 29; 19:8. Apollos, Acts 18:26. A m in ister-w ithou t boldness is like a smooth file, a knife w ithou t an edge, a sentinel th a t is afraid to le t off his gun. If men will be bold in sin,m in isters m ust be bold to reprove, says Gur- nall. Good Intentions. These are no t enough for places like Iconium ,— Chicago, St Louis, or Los Angeles. On a tombstone of a French prince is inscribed, “Here lies a man of th e best intentions.” And these words could be spoken of many people in all walks of life. “W rite on your doors the saying wise and old, ‘Be bold! Be bold!’ and everywhere— ‘Be bold; Be not too bold!’ Yet b etter th e ex cess Than th e defect; b e tte r th e more th an less; B etter like Hector in the field to die, Than like a perfumed P aris tu rn and fly”— Longfellow. C hristian Courage. Philip, Bishop of Heraclea, a t the commencement of th e fou rth century, was dragged by th e feet th rough the streets, severely scourged, and then brought again to th e governor, who charged him w ith obstinate rashness, in continuing disobedience to th e imperial decrees; b u t th e Bishop boldly replied,
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