, 1876-05-13
RELIGIOUS.
Interesting Session of the Meth
odist General Conference
Yesterday.
Cordial Reception OF Delegates
- from The Southern
Church.
Characteristic Message from the
Venerable LOvtck Pearce.
sUNDAY-SCHOOL LESSON.


Aets, tu-The City Of Jerusalem Was still
full Of people The Pentecostal season ha'
passed, but many from distant towns still re
mained for business purposes 4 large nun
bcr Of Jews had been converted to Christianity
They were warm friends of Him whom the.
we're glad to call "Our Messiah"
The Sadduces we're exasperatcd on 1earnin!
that Peter and John were constantly and stout
ly affirming " that their Master, Jesus, haG
risen from the dead.'' They were provoked thai
these uneducated men should attempt to enlIght
en- Jews in matters pertaining to religion They
began to see that their own craft Was in danger
| They had aided in destroying Christ with the
| hope that His death sould scatter His disciples.
But the last few days had taught them that
| their trouble with these irregular teachers had
just begun. The absence OF the Master had
made the disciples more energetic and effective.
His rising to life after He surely had been dead
| gave them large amount Of assurance.
The apostles we're aware that the Jewish
priests were greatly disturbed at seeing so many
| persons docking to Christ, and that they we're
anxious to know how they could e1-
! tinguish tho fire the apostles had kindlcd.
The disciple, were greatly encouraged. They
| said, "Our Master often told US that our
| preaching would have exactly the effects we
! now witness This very condition OF society
| confirms our faith and brightens our hopes"
] The Sadduces were the earliest and deepest
| plotters, ale has risen'' were words they
| could no longer tolerate. Five thousand con-
| verts had mighty influence. They we're fresh
! and ready soldiers In the army Of the Gross.
| They had full proof Of what they asserted. "He
was cruciaed, buried, and rose on the third day."
Peter preached the doctrine OF the resurree-
ton In strong terms, The mass OF the people
were becoming more and more confirmed In his
views. The priests, the religious teachers Of
&Hay7 tf+1|
e1pounders Of the law, and were under the
greatest obligations to preserve it and hand it
down to posterity. They, therefore, were re-
solved to resist these men, who were not cdu-
Gated In any plfestly school.
Peter was preaching to the people, saying:
''God, having raised up His Son, Jesus, sent
Him to bless you," when the priests and rulers
Of the temple, and the ye1ed saducecs, had
near evening, and 1T was not lawful to put
on trial, OF pass sentence on, any person after
sunioun. So Peter and John were thrown into
prison. Their unbounded confidence in their
fort. They had personal friends outside the
prison walls, and the spirit Of the living God
was very near them. They said, II God is for
US, no harm can occur to US: This onset Of
our foes will multiply our friends. The hostility
Of the priests will command the sympathy Of
the world. It will make our converts more
active In the cause Of our Master" So these
devoted men slept well that night, even If they
were In prison and were compelled to rest
on weil-worn straw. They were sure that they
held the truth as it was In Jesus, and were IT,
solved at all hazards to maintain it. They were
conscious that their Master was near them, and
would watch over them during the darkness Of
the night, and the deeper darkness Of the prison
cells. The earliest rays Of the morning found
them In humble PRAYER for courage and strength
In discharging the duties Of the coming day.
They remembered that their Master told them
$Hn$ oil fhoSr o1S H>%
with them. They now needed His presence.
Their lives we're at stake The Church Of Christ
Mas IN danger. They needed great wisdom. |
The Master had folewarned and forearmed |
fore rulers, be not anxious how Or what you |
shall say, for the Holy Spirit shall then teach |
you What you ought to say.H
At an early hour, the rulers, elders, aud |
scrlbes-the Sanhedrinl-assembled At their !
usual place Of holding court. It was in q large
ediice: not very far from the Temple. The |
members sat on an elevated semicircular plat
form: The prisoners were placed in front. The
rear Of the prisoners. The Sanhedrim was the |
Supreme Court Of the Jewish people It's |
Chief Justice was usually man OF worth and |
wisdom: .
friends Of the prisoners. The Council was |
opened in the usual form. Suddenly the proper I
officer Of the Sanhc1ri1n cried out, as fe Tas |
wont to do, 'Peter and John, false teachers and |
preachers, come INTO Court" IlGY promptly |
appeared. The Court, no less than the people |
fixed their eyes upon the Apostles. The person
of Peter deeply impressed al. He entered the |
council-room with more than his usual dignity.
He did not seem to realize that he was now pr-
raigned Us q criminal at the bar Of the highest
tribunal in the country. Hc seemed to feel that
he was master of the situation.
John, SO full Of goodness and love, command
ed the respect and esteem Of friends and foes.
As he entered be looked upon the crowd With
so much benignity, and even affection, TINT the
people fnvoluntari1y returned bis sweet smile.
The cripple, As he was still called, somewhat de-
layed BY his friends in expressing their congrat-
ulations, at last came H. He seemed to be full
Of gladncss, thinking that now he should be
able ia testify to the supreme court Of Jerusa-
lem hoy much that Great Physician, the Christ,
whom they had cruci6ed, had done for him.
The SanhedFim must have been yexed TO see |
IS the cripple" standing directly before them.
The Court could not for moment believe
That men, unaccustomed to public affaiEs-merc
dshermen-could find courage and words enough
10 defend themselves before their august tt
bunal They felt aire that their voices would
,tick IN their jaws. The hour for commencing
he investigation had fully come The Chief
" whAt name have you wrought this miracle Of
restoring the feet OF that cripple to perfect