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Sketches from the Life of Paul
God, and he would not interfere with the divine purposes respecting
himself.
Toward the close of this time there arose a fearful strife among the
population of Caesarea. There had been frequent disputes, which had
become a settled feud, between the Jews and the Greeks, concerning
their respective rights and privileges in the city. All the splendor of
Caesarea, its temples, its palaces, and its amphitheater, were due to
the ambition of the first Herod. Even the harbor, to which Caesarea
owed all its prosperity and importance, had been constructed by him at
an immense outlay of money and labor. The Jewish inhabitants were
numerous and wealthy, and they claimed the city as theirs, because
their king had done so much for it. The Greeks, with equal persistency,
maintained their right to the precedence.
Near the close of the two years, these dissensions led to a fierce
combat in the market-place, resulting in the defeat of the Greeks. Felix,
who sided with the Gentile faction, came with his troops and ordered
the Jews to disperse. The command was not instantly obeyed by the
victorious party, and he ordered his soldiers to fall upon them. Glad of
an opportunity to indulge their hatred of the Jews, they executed the
order in the most merciless manner, and many were put to death. As
if this were not enough, Felix, whose animosity toward the Jews had
increased every year, now gave his soldiers liberty to rob the houses
of the wealthy.
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These daring acts of injustice and cruelty could not pass unnoticed.
The Jews made a formal complaint against Felix, and he was sum-
moned to Rome to answer their charges. He well knew that his course
of extortion and oppression had given them abundant ground for com-
plaint, but he still hoped to conciliate them. Hence, though he had a
sincere respect for Paul, he decided to gratify their malice by leaving
him a prisoner. But all his efforts were in vain; though he escaped
banishment or death, he was removed from office, and deprived of the
greater part of his ill-gotten wealth. Drusilla, the partner of his guilt,
afterward perished, with their only son, in the eruption of Vesuvius.
His own days were ended in disgrace and obscurity.
A ray of light from Heaven had been permitted to shine upon this
wicked man, when Paul reasoned with him concerning righteousness,
temperance, and a judgment to come. That was his Heaven-sent
opportunity to see and to forsake his sins. But he said to the Spirit