, 1876-04-01
Tho Flrst Chapter Of tho Acts Of tho
Apostles.
A Icttor from Mr. Moody's SundaJ"school
!. Teacher
Tho Ea,ly Religlouu Experionoes Of tho
Evangelist,
An EGoctual Quietus Put to Certain
Silly Stories.
suNDAy.scHooL. LESSON

fH0u1Ut4 4{Q kl46 HulAH VI = &Vlu k1Au1-AAc
whom we Gun presons to tho old no fces thaa to
tie young as we'll worthy their confidence and
Imitation
"Ths Acts Of tho Apoatles" vaa written by
81, Luke como forty years after his DiviDo
Mas.or returned 10 heaven. 1io was born. bred,
and studied medicine At Antioch, In syris. lie
p.satcol "a we'll as preached. He followed 6A
James In showing hls faith by hla works, and
followed his Master In going about and doing
good. IIo Ind clear mud actiyO mind, pure
snd warm heart. le meyer hinchod from duty,
however trksomo, so tint he WAS . fitting COM
panou to st. pAul that wonderful man WHO
acoma to havn bocn mado expressly Tor tue
placo t1o 80 nobly fltod. 81. Luke wsn not
a sIgn-post. He did not simply potns p, thc Wy
81 His praiBe was In all tho chuEchos." Ho vas
g. Panls nearly constant companion, and was
faithful to him In ali hie trials and afllIesiona.
} ~ Bt- Luke roiosa at tue ontaos a. ot hia nsr.
ration OF what tho ApoatlcB said and did, to the
fact thai hc had already sent to his most c1ce!-
lent fripnd Thoophi.ua tho exact truth regard.
tng Jesus Chrtst and His caunet even "as 1t WAS
given a. BY toso trsty t' s wo ~sto oye,
us"-n narration OF all Iae Jesus did and
taught (2) from tho outset Of Ills ministry
until the t{Eac He gave, BY the Holy Spirit, di-
(9) and vent homp to Heaven, whore 10 waa
Win Tho Father before the creation Of all thinBa,
It soemB Ho carne 10 earth 70 show mon tho way
to those many maustons which the uroAt Fsthor
Ind prepared for thoso who love Him enough to
obey Him and comply with certain terms Of IT.
ucsa. Surely this Id marvellous love tho FathyE
had for man-the loyo Of tho Infinite for the
dnte.
uo had suffered upon tho crosa, had tllcd, aud
had been entombod ylovlug fttonds, and bad
remained thoro three days. This wonderful and
memorable restng place had large stono 70 eyer m
death. And still At tho tinao forotold tho stons
wss rolled away, Ho' who WIG w &c olleao.ly
Hss sd.ss s aa II .pa oo1 aA9ssS snd, nn1sf @ rss s
moet marvellous oyont. Wast real? Was It
not . ireem7 Bt. Luke aflrms that many suro
proofs OF itB reality may be cited. Wo wish to
1as~ as mint oss nne nss'as sn6@ of IL ( ss
giving lib q glimpse OF the Fathers gracious
tl,ouEhss, and nov development OF His plan:
He had gigon to the psophste, anostles, aud
Cd. i' But but now to jesus CHRIST Me impafts Ills
spirit without measure (Jbhu, ill.,, 2i). Tho
functions OF Ills Bon were higher, broader, snb-
liu,or, 10 Ho had the ontire <ulnces of Dlviln
power.
Dut what are the auro proofs7 His friends,
during forty days, converscd with, their risen
Lord, ,-thoy Rte with Him, they WhlLtod with
MIN. and lio said to them many things concern
tng the Kingdom Of God. Thoy said, "8urely re
da 500 lin dead, vo sAw Him r. His tomb,
md now wo see Him alive. IIo told US this worry
thing would happen. Plato. Cicero. and other
thinking minds lad hoped Tint future Me--n
iifo beyond tho g1avo-would be grnnted 70 mon.
And now onr Lord has confirmed those hopes.
liz has brought lifo and Immortality 10 light.
Hs was dead, but Is alive again ws cannot
doubt It; We say Him on the cross and IN tho
Ho even spoke 10 doubling Thomas about tho
wounds In Ills banda and feet. Bat our loyo for
Ha, was 10 great that onr minls may DO bssed.'
Then lot Us consider what tho Roman
eoldIors said. They affirmed that ue had loft
the tomb. Whom they mado tho discovery they
wera greatly Rurpnsed, aud oven anxious for
their livos. Their eyos opened widely as they
Baid repeatedly "What docs this moan? Have
70 boen aalocp while on guard7, Could man
inside tlia tomb roll that groat stons away from
ia mouth n Did these soldiers doubt 7 No;
they tromblcd. Their fncoB were pale. Death
for gross neglect Of duty vas staring tho1n IN
the faces, They SAID this IN their souls posi-.
bly, to ench other. "rho dead man waa lii tho
tomb, but He ilaa gone. We saw no porson take
Him away. How could Tic escape without our
%s Snsst,;Hs So IT, What shall NO S'ya What shall
Aud then, those pEiesta who knew tue fncta
were alatmot1. Tloy did no. deny that Ho had
left tho tomb, and affirmed that this event
may be tho germ OF civil trouble, we must
bFbe she sodIoEs 70 sny, that His disciples stole
Him away while NO alopt." Luke must have
been right wien he said; ~Wo have full aud
ento proof Of tho Resurrection ct our Lord,
Jesus Christ" Eyen Ills onomics, tho priesta
and the civil government, Of Jerusalem. said
"lie, who WAS crucifled, who Was placed In thai
new tomb and who said, Uo should rise on the
third day. Las actually loft T. He must hare
wo1c looking on. Ware ttley aaeop7 For the
more. wo inycntigsso The sacts. the stronger the
cannot doubt It." ...-..
right. He had proof, full aud sure, that He whe
WIS dead, waa alive again. During Ills walkk
and talks What JeBus bnid to His dlsclplct
VIC do not know. But, probably. ue told theu
Of Heayon-that wondorfnl iitnoss Of thlngt
Ia to be seen in nil It's departments, thhs VI
lnen arc sinners ngainst our Heavenly Father
md yet I1o has provided way ~ which Eo ma,
.e eeeaqs ',o'e nansion al % snore. IL ay sses nsy Nv
Ia,d "John'a baptism vas preparatory to tlt
baptism OF the Holy Spirit. Ilc baptized 70,
j., m unseen and yet not uufelt power. Qu
Father iH untollnR His groat plas, Which III
formed at creation. We are aeolng moro ant
more Of II. Do net doubt tho cxis.onca and In
cannot 500 1t. All The forccs of tho msteria
world aro rnsoeu, and rot arc deeply felt. Th
forco Of gra,tsasion has never boon soon, an
yat 1t movos sud controls those Immense ofbs
lon. Heat light, sud electricity aro equally 10
Visible, and yot by no means unfolt. 80 70,
paust o1pect that all spiritual foEcea arc tnytst
i m.aitsstalon Of Ills power slld iii
E!oV., This new force vaH promise
by tho Father. Do you belioye the e1st
tncs OF God. hocauae unsoen? You can 80
what He does. uo makes the grass Of th
meadows, tho grains at the folds, tue trees Q
the forests, tho lHheH Of the seaat ths birds O
the ait, tho beasts Of tho woods, all 10 grow au
multiply. The planets IN their regular rouudl
tbs coueta Ia their unknown eccentric coursea
hnd tho stars IN their nearly tnan,te distaneeA-
:. ell camo into being 1t His will. And lie wtshe
70 confor upon us now powet-tho Holy HpiEi
Nov. stay In Jetusalem-for this promise OF I'll
dued with thIs power ffoa % o. {lsh:" -
20 whan 10 lhsy had met tho disciplas 4Aka
Him II IT tlia time lie should restore the kinS
dola % ls1aeL Thsy dreanat that Lie wa4 Ahot
to fnlall their long-chershed hopes. They oou
aot forget the ronovn hnd glosy OF thelt anco
tora III tho time Of David and Boluuo,
They Vere then sho controlling power OF Il
world, noW they wata subjects Of ,Noms. T4e
hAd looked for freedom, fo< uational grand GU