The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 2 — Section 110

tlon, so that he felt everything most keenly. Such natures yearn for love with an Intense passion, and they feel slights and unkindness, and seemin:i: failure and unfaith- fulness, in those they trust, with a passion equally intense. They have altogether higher joys than most mon can know, but they have answering sorrows deeper than most men can sound. 'l'o such natures alone can spiritual visions come : they gain tho truth by power of insight; and, often at the cost of extreme personal sufferin~ and distress, they become the great thought-leaders and teachers of the age. Such me-; are amongst us still, and they need the tenderest consideration and sympathy. They will reward us by thoughts and views of Christ and of truth such as never can be won by mere study. '!'heir love and faith alone can sound the deep thing~ of God. II. WHAT THE INCIDENT TELLS us OF THE LORD JESUS OBRIST, 1. The first thine, is the assurance it gives of Christ's actual presence with his servants. Be may not always be felt, but he is always present. 2. He is never failing in his gracious and tender interest in their doings, and in them. 3. He is ready to make manifestations of himself, and of his will, to his servants, in exact adaptation to their needs. 4. He may show his nearness, and assure his servants of his sympathy and help in unique ways. The point of all our Lori's manifestations to his people is the need for keeping up in their souls the conviction that he is really with them. All comfort, strength, and security for Christian workers come with this conviction. So St. Paul elsewhere declares, "I can do all things through· him that strengtbenetb me." ·we may learn: 1. That times of depression are no unu8ual experience for God's people. 2. That they may even come in the very midst of our work. 3. That they. are under the gracious watching of the Master whom we serve. 4. And that they are only the sides of weakness that belong to natures endowed with special capacities for special work.-R. T. Vere. 12-17.-Gallio's indifference. It is a singular thing that altogether unworthy ideas should have been associated in Christian minds with this man Gallio. He is known to have been the brother of Seneca, and a man of singular amiability of character. "Seneca dedicated to him two treatises on Anger and the Blessed Life ; and the kindli- ness· of his nature made him a general favourite. He was everybody's 'Dulcis Gallio,' was praised by his brother for his disinterestedness and calmness of temper, as one • who was loved much even by those who had but little capacity for loving.'" F. W. Robertson remarks on the expression, " Gallio cared for none of those things ; " "that is, he took no notice of them, be would not interfere. He was, perhaps, even glad that a kind of wild, irregular justice was administered to one Sostbenes, who had been fore- most in bringing an unjust charge. So that instead of Gallio beiug, as commentators make him, a sort of type of religious lukewarmness, be is really a specimen of an upright Roman magistrate." But a careful judgment of the incidents which bring Gallio before us leaves the impression that the general idea of bis character is in great measure the correct one ; his easy-going gentleness was only too likely to lead him to connive at wrong-doings, and fail adequately to punish wrong-doers. From the narra- tive we may learn such things as these- I. SoME THINGS ARE BEST TREATED WITH CONTEMPT. In life we often meet with difficulties which are made by treating trifling matters seriously. 1. Certain forms of opposition to Christian truth are best "left alone." They grow into importance by being treated as if they were serioUll. 2. Officious and intermeddling persons are best treated with a quiet scorn; by making much of them utterly incompetent persons are lifted into positions for which they are wholly unfitted. In the practical relations of society and of the Church there is a mission for humour, satire, and even scorn ; and in the use of such weapons we have the example of St. Paul. But it is manifest that. such weapons are dangerous, and may only be used with due caution and reserve. II. RELIGIOUS QUARRELS MAY OFTEN WISELY BE 'I'.BEATED WITH CONTEMPT. The dis. put.ea e.nd contentions which arise in religious communities seldom bear relation to principle; they usually come from petty misunderstandings, or aroused personal feeling. Mischief comes by fostering them, giving them importaMA. and letting them develop thoir ovil influence. '!'here is often needed, in religiouij associations, the strou~ firm iuler who, like Gallio, will refuse to hear miserable contentions about words and names, t)r .to heed the reports of shinderere IU).d backbiters. It is seldom fouua- possible to 112 THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. [ OH, XVIU, 1-28.