Connecticut western news., 1876-06-09
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSONS. k3yRcv. Mason Noble, Jr.
FOR JUNE 11TH, 1876.
 THE APOSTLES BEFORE THE COUN-

THE APOS ILES BEE OhE HE COUN- CIL-ACTS V, 27-42.
 GOLDEN TExT.-If God be for us. who can b. against us. Rom. viii. S1.
 In the last lesson we learned of the ar rest and Imprisonment of the eleven. and of thelr lease by angehc power. We saw the astOnlShment of the rulers at the bold ness of these men who, notwithstanding all thclr threats. continued in the most public place. preaching of Jesus but the rulers sent thc1r officers to arrest those whom God had delivered. The officers brought them before tho council without violence because the people mapnitied them if their rulers did not.
 CAUSES FOR DREAD.-[27, 28l The eleven were set before the council. You may re- member we found last week that thls was an unusual assembly t21). Itincluded the council, the sanhedrim. or the highest court of the Jewish nation, and also the senate, or the elders of the city of Jerusa- lem. Here the high priest, Calaphus, lays down tho charges that are brought against the apostles. He says nothing about their escape from prison, which seems to lmply an acknowledgmento of a miraculous delv- 1 erance. But the charges are two 1st, that l they had disobeyed the commands of the court that they should not preach; and 2nd, that they were trying to excite the people against their rulers because the | rulers had crucitied Jesus. Of these charges tue first was true. The apostles had done IS they declared they would 10 aud obey ed God rathor than men. The second was rot quite true, for though they charged t e rulers to their faces, With slayng Christ | with wicked hands, they had not tried 70 stir up the people against them on that account. Those who slew Jesus had said
 to Pilate: His blood be on us and on our children Now these rulers feared that | the apostles would bring thIs mans blood
 upon them. How would 1t be when they
 came to stand before thls man at the last
 Let us always remember, when we think n IGh lOr GiYN hot stand before the judgment bar of Chrls, l THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT.-[29 33I In
 2 .swer, Peter, ,speaklng for himself and the
 rest, says: N We ought to obey God rath- CT than men. (2l He repeats the accusation.
 Ye slew Jesus (Savlou) and crucificd Him. (S) He speaks tie Gospel. God hath rais, d
 Hlm up and exalted Him, making Him a
 Prince and Saviour that He may glve a
 rcpentant heart and forgive sins. (4) He
 spoa6s of the witnesses to the truth of
 what He declared. We are witnesses, and
 so is Gods Holy Spirit from Heaven. This
 was Gods word to these rulers, the sword
 of the Spirit and it cut them to the
 heart. These human witnesses against them were ln thelr power, and they took
 counsel to say them.'
 I FIGHTING AGAINST GoD.-[34 39l Then
 there stood up In the council an old and
 honored man one widely known a mar
 whose fame as counselor and teacher has
 come down to us outslde ot ScriuLure his
 tory. He Was the grandson of Hlllel, one } Of the greatest of all tue Jewlsh teachers lie IS described in Jewish books as the
 dent of the Jewlsh law under thls nan Gamallel, the Pnarlsaic Rabbi. He warned , the council to be careful what they dld He reminds them of two incidents in thei
 late history; Josephus tells us of then both they had occurred some 30 years before, about tho time of the birth 0 7 Christ. In both cases mon bad risen III l and obtained followers, but when thel leaders had been slain their followers ha( ] been scattered. Now, said Gamallel, n,
 you have slaiu these men, let them alone
 This thing, If it is mans device. will com, g to naught; If 1t lives, it is of God, and dt = not let Us be found fighting against God
 We may accept the word of Gamaiel. Tn, truth that Jesus taught has not come t,
 naught. God has preserved it, for it Is Q IT. God.' And these mon were Vainly fight 5 ing a9alnSt God.' 2 WORTHY TO SUFFER- 40 42l The coun n l Gil agreed that Gamaiiei was right. Tn ' apostles who tS4 at his command had beer
 put forth little space i. c. led out of tn - room for a little tune while the council de
 liberated, were called back to hear the de clsion of their rulers. And when they ha r beaten them,' 1t IS in few worus,wo haId
 notice them in reading the story, but
 means that these eleven men were made t e bare thelr backs, and that cruel blow n from knotted whips were ia1d upon thou every stroke bringing blood. And the }. the command that tho rulers knew woul !, not be obeyed was repeated. not to spea m the name of Jesus.' And the apostle
 went forth from the presence of their ru
 lers, reiolcing. Rejoicing that they ha :, escaped with their livesf No, rejoicn u that they were counted worthy to suffe shame for the Saviour they loved. Wha r have We ever done or borne for our Lord t compare with this And thus, with th n threats of thelr rulers overshadowlu Q them, they went on, In public and privat
 making known the love and work of Jj n sus to those tor whom He had dlcd