The Sunday School

26. "Arise and go toward the srrath." Thusspake the angel of the Lord toPhilip wliilo he was in the midst of tl:is great work in Samarla. He is sent froni wuafc seems to bo a vcry greot work out into tha desert, and he is not told why he is sent Simple and whole hearted obedience is tho one thing required oí a servant or a aaldier. Angels that excel in strcngth d Hls commandments, hearkenlng unto tho voice of Hls word. They do His pleasur (I's. Oiil, 90, 1). If we are good scrvjnt and soldlers, we will Jiold ourselves .aocording to II Sam. xv, 15; I Chron. xxviii, 21; II Sam. iii, 36. 87. Ana iio iroso and went, nnd, behold, a man of Ethlopia." Philip seea what may be the object of his misgun, one man, an Ethiopian, the trcnsurer of Queen Candace, who liad been to Jerusalom to worshlp. ïho time will yet comt whon Kthiopia shall stretch out lier hand to God, whon from beyond the ri vers of Ethlopia suppUants shall bringanoiïoring to tlio Lord (Zep. iii, 10; Ps. lxviii, 31). Bilt, whether a nation or an individual God regards all who truly seck Him i Job xxxiv, 89). 28. "Sittingln his chariot, read Esaia the prophct. " What ho had heard or seen at Jeruaalem we aro not told, but wo niay wel] imagino tliat ho had heard somewhat concerning thoso who had lillod .lerusalem with tlieir doctrine and concerning Him of whom thcy spakê. Ho must havo been an earnost Beeker af ter light, for God sent Philip all the way from Sainarla to ba his teacher and to lead him to Christ 39. "Then the Spirit said to Philip, Go near and join thyself to this chariot. " Whatevcr fiiilip may have thought hu now knew tjio object of his mission. His trained ear heard the message of the Spirit, and without hesitación or question he obeya. I believe it is possiblo to livo always and fnlly onder tho control of the Spirit and have God working in us both to will and to do of His good ploasuro. IÍ this is our whole liearted desire, Ho wiU fulflll tho desire of thom that foar Him (Pa cs.lv, VJ). 30. " Understandest thou what thou readost?" Wlth thls questlon Philip introduced himself to tho man in the chariot, havlng rim to him as soon as ho was commanded by tho Spirit. Wlicn tho Lord sees nny one intent apon understandlng Hia word Ho wlll take pains to instruct him. The marginal reading oL Job x, 8, is very su rm-stive, "Thino iiands took paing about rae." Gabriel was sentfrom heavea to Daniel to make him understand and to show him the truth (Dan. x, 14, 21; xi, 2). Tho Holy Spirit has beon given to cvery believer to teaoh and to guide into all truth (John xiv, 26; xvi, 13). SI. "How can I, except somo manshould guido me?" Tbus graciously answered tho treasurer, and he invitcd Philip to ste into the chariot with him. How smoothlr everything goes when the Spirit is workine! Philip, sent bv tho Snirit. llniiann in whom the Spirit has been working, ani " thereforo ono ready to bo taught. Th Spirit might havo taught the eunuch Himself without the help of any man (I Johu ii, 27), but He saw fit to uso human instrurnentality. How blessed to be used of God! Only be vvilliug, and He wül uso you. 32, 33. ''He was led as a sheep to tho slaughter. " ïhus ho rcad In u-liat we would cali Isa. liii, 7, 8, concerning Hira of whom Moses and all the propheta lid write, Jesus of Nazareth, the 8on of Joseph (John i, 45), but ho kuew Him nok ïhis wholo chapter will doubtloss be th general confession of Israel as a nntioa after thoy sball have looked upoii Him whom they liave pierced (Zeeh. xii, 10) in the day when they shall say, "Lo, this is our God ! Wo havo waitod for Him, and Ho will save us" (Isa. xxv, 9). 34. "I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet thisf" Whether tho prophet was speaking of himself or of somo other man, the eunuch could not mako out. Tha prophets were types of Clirist and did in thcir uves i'oreshadow iu nomo measure tho sufierings of Christ. Isuiali and his children wero signs in Israel (ehapter viii, 18), and Jeromiah says of himself, "I was liko a lamb or an ox that ia brought to tho slaughtcr" (Jer. xi, 19). 66. i'liilip lxaan at tlio sarao Scripture and preaohed unto liim Jcsus. Ho woulft probably go back to tlio i3assover lamb ji Ex. xü and to the daily btlrnt offering, and possibly to thocoatsof skins of Gen. iii. Dl; tllen uu tJ tho Lamb of üod, of whom John tho liciptist spaka JIu could cusiJy iiutl in Isa. liii the sulïerinsrs. deatli. ïTsiinvrtion and future glóry of ('hrist. Jiut whati-verlino hetook, liomustccrtain]y have ehowp Christ to lo the only 8aviour of sinners md tliof ulilUiuuut of evcry tyjio aml sliii'dow. 'Mi. Tlu; breasureï evWenify Dook ifc all in and rocvivi d Jcsus i;hrist is iiis S:viour, for, oomiug to water, lio aaked for Ixtptism. Hiiving repeiverl ('luist, he vould as quiekly as pos'sibld cinfc-s it beioii' :ill v.iio jeuTneyed with Jiini, and ; clouhtlesa he wmild prooot] 'iiri.it to iuany, íor lio could uüt kuep tlio guixl uyvvs to liiniself. 37. "If thon I clievost v.-ilh all thiho heartj tjimi luayest." Thfs Is theória my emfntli to snlvatiou, tliut ChrUs bu truly n'i-i ■in-I in :.' ,n. "if.thou s.'uilt coni' ■ .vith tliy moni 1'. 1. rd Jesús and simlt bellere In thlne iie.nt tnai G.ul ImtU raiéod Hiii from the dcad, tlmu shalt bo suvud" (Lioüi. y, U). T.i beliej-e m lliiu Istorecoiye Hlxu (John i, 12), and if He be noi tríily rëceived thero is no savlng faith(I Jdlm-v, 1). 83. The drivcr of tho chariot' aud other Bttendnnts may havo overheard acd unde.rstood the whole cpnversatlon. ïhey ;ortainly now beheld tlat. whlch tlio treasurer (■milil iiKiru i'ully explain fto llw.m ;is thqf n tlu'ii' -.vny. tho oltó bapor itad llie v:iter póíirea ujidn him Soba imt rlcm-ly appe.ir. lí tlio-e wlio think that iiiijiiursion is tho rigiit way- (ainiiDt ]nvo .inil bear vvith thpsa who tlihik pouripa or sjirinkliug i-iifliciciit - th'eré a moni graoe ready for tiicm ii' tlicy wíll havá it. y', 40. The cimiK'h fíciostm his way rejoiuing, and Iliilifi, eaught away by tha Spirir, is íuund ni Azotas, aiul preaches thu gospel in all the otiles from thore t CS4áe, Tlio jny dl' ciinuuh was dus to his laitli in ('Iji-ist and to the fact that iiüw ho was acceded in tho Uefoved, justiiiud fnim all things anda joint lieir witk tlie man nf Sóü's right hand (Eph. i, 6.; Acts xiii, 68; Hom. viü, Itj, 17). Ho lolieved.auti was thus fllled with joy and peaqe (Kom. xv, IA). God had other 'work lor lJhilip, or rather more of tlie same work in othcr places, aud sent hJm off ta it. If hu bever saw tha eunuch again oa earth, he has certainly moe him long ere this in glory.