Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-03-21

natural desire to 60 with the multitude
Such results have been quite constan
attendants upon great religious awaken
Iings. Simon was most likely one of thi
class before he had been very inhuenta
with the Samaritans. If he would retail
that influence to any extent he must nov
identify himself with the Christians. W,
need not, however, consider that he wa
influenced altogether by sinister motive
in protesting faith in Christ. He had ye
clinging to him much of the old man afte
professed regeneration. Who does not
Simon had been accustomed. doubtless, t.
communicate the secret of his tricks o
Iugglerv for money, having first bough
the same of others; so in his Ignorance
and spiritual blindness he thought to buy
of the apostles, Peter and John, the ability
to communicate the wonder working
power of the Holy Spirit.
1t is not definitely stated here what were
the special signs following the importation
of the Holy Spirit to these Samaritans, bu
it is to be presumed that they were like
what followed bis first coming at the day
of Pentecost. We cannot suppose thai
there had been no work of the Holy Spiri,
in the conviction and conversion of these
Samaritans, but up to this time he had moi
come to them, bringing those special gifts
which were the sign of his larger outpour.
ing.
The Spirit came upon these believers in
answer to the prayer of the apostles. The
laying on of hands had no real casual
relation to the importation of the Holy
Spirit. but was merely a symbolical act
indicating that this gift which had been
given to the church was to be communi-
Gated to all who came into this holy
relation. But Simon, seeing the tokens OF
divine empowering following the laying
on of hands, thought that this act was the
chief factor in the proceeding, and so
offered them IL price if they would give
him the same power also.
II he had been able to so bewitch and
dominate the Samaritans by the poor
tricks of his craft, how much greater
would be his influence when by the simple
laying on OF hands he should communicate
power to speak languages without study
ing them, or power to heal the sick and
cast out devils.
Again. what wealth would come to him
through such power. He had doubtless
made a gain out of his jugglery, as multi
tudes do even to this day, but none of his
most astounding feats could equal what
he now sought power to do. One thing
shows clearly that Peters Judgment
" Thou hast neither part nor lot in this
matter" was wholly correct. Simon had
thought of self simply in this desire he
expressed. Self, fame and gain, instead
of duty, God and humanity. By the same
test men are tried to-day, and alas! how
many times found wanting.
Peters rebuke--" Thy silver to perdi.
tion with thee "-seems little harsh and
summary to our good easy " times; but
the case was desperate one, and unless
it was dealt with promptly and severely,
would soon be hopeless. Such utter mis-.
conception of the very first principles
of the Christ life must not be allowed to
remain in the minds of his professed
followers. Peter meant to imply directly
that the Spirit manifested in the request
of Simon, marked him as candidate for
perdtion; his aims all showed that his
life tended that way. 1t was necessary,
inasmuch as Simon had no part or lot with
the true followers of Christ, that if he
would have, he must begin again, repent
essay, as some modern religionists do, to
educate or develop Simon out of his bad
state, but sent him back, as hopeless
sinner, to the very rudiments of the new
life. There is wisdom in this also; for if
a single rotten plank is allowed in the
sheathing of the ship. the whole may be
ruined; so if a single wrong principle he
held, by one protesting TO follow Christ,
it may prove his eternal ruin. Many who
have made shipwreck of faith and mau-
hood, might have been saved if they had
early met with some one as faithful and
nj yuou patar
The rebuke and appeal were not with
out affect upon the long dormant consci-
ence of Simon. A fear of perdition
alarmed him, and he eagerly besought the
apostles to pray for him, lest the punish
ment of which they had spoken, come
upon him. We have no further smention
of this man, and from the position in
which he is left we may regard his case
as doubtful. 1t was hopeful indication
that he was sufficiently aroused to ask for
but his request is only that they
pray that harm or merted loss do not
come to him, and, unless he came to take
a different view of his situation than what
is implied in such requests, he would
never come to real knowledge of God.
This lesson has some very important
81 questions, not specially growing out of
the case of Simon. 1t marks an era of
broader development in the work of the
early church. The Word preaced to the
Samaritans is at least long step toward
preaching everywhere.
HOmeward Bound,