The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1892-10-19
Peter at C@sarea.

The lesson for Sunday, Oct %, may
be found in Acts 10: 34-4S.
INTRODUCTORY.
Here is an excellent missionary les
son. Very timely it is, just at this time
when the churches, young peoples So
cieties and Sunday-schools are glrding
themselves for the mighty lift that
shall give us the million dollars for for
eign missions wanted in the North.
Peter goes out on the first great mis-
sionary itineracy. Outstationed work
is begun with the household OF Cornell
us, and we'll begun. 1t is a blessed work.
owned and sealed OF the Spirit. Let
us go on with it.
WHAT THE LESSON SAYS.
And Cornelius said. What lies be-
tween this and the last lesson has to do
with the preliminaries of the great proc
lamation. Until this hour. We read
in verse three that it was the ninth hour,
! l. e., 3 %. M Here il is restated.-I
prayed. Better, was praying, or en-
gagged in prayer, copula and participle.
Bright. Or, shining, from the verb
to give light
Thy prayer is heard. Not simply
heard, but hearkened to. The full form
of the verb. Had in remembrance.
merely general statement of the COM
| munlcatlOn OF verse ICur.
Send, therefore. little more close
than the preceding, but still sufficiently
variant from the original, verses five
and six, to indicate that he is quoting
from memory. 1t is an interesting
study in Biblical restatement, showing
how inconsiderable, in most cases, the
variations are-Who when he cometh
shall speak unto thee. Omitted by
| Tischendorf.
Immediately. A strong word, like on
the spot in its makeup ALL here.
He had gathered in his kinsmen and
near friends, V. 24.-Before God. The
attitude God always blesses. The model
for congregational service. - Com
manded thee of God. Or, OF the Lord.
Cornelius recognized the divine origin
OF the message.
Opened his mouth. Introducing
formal discourse or deliberate speech.
i perceive. Or, L grasp, appre-
bend. OF something unexpected or
surprising. - Respecter of persons.
One word in the Greek, face-receiver.
/. e., partial.
Accepted. Not in the sense Of saved,
for Cornelius is not yet a Christian.
The word refers to favorable reception;
he is in condition TO appear before
the king and receive his gracious gifts.
The word is also used at Luke 4: 1924.
Acceptable tpropitious) year OF the
Lord" No prophet IS accepted
in his own country"
The seed which God sent? What is
this word? A reference to the Greek
will, it would seem, indicate that it is
the word Jesus in verse thirty eight,
with which, indeed, this is grammati-
cally in opposition. the chill
| Of Tcra al hn in ha
ament.-Preaching The Greek
word is the one for evangel, gospel
(euaggelizo).
That word. A different term from
that used in the verse preceding, OF
somewhat narrower significance here,
like report, tidings, with allusion to
Johns special proclamation.-Ye
know. The preaching OF John had
doubtless been the talk throughout all
the coasts.
Commanded, or directed In tho
name OF the Lord. Or. Of Jesus Christ.
Emphatic position in the original. The
essence OF their conversion was their
acceptance OF the Christ as preached by
him.
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
Thou hast we'll done that thou art
come. Has it not been so with you, Chris
tian brother? You have gone, under a
spiritual impulse, to speak to friend
about his soul, possibly expecting in
difference or rebuff. But 10, you have
found him not only ready, but, as it
were, expecting you. By his manner, IL
not in word. he has said: Thou hast
done well that thou art come. o, let
us believe it. God prepared the way.
His Spirit prepares our hearts with tho
message; His Spirit prepares another
heart to receive it. May God make us
sensitive and alert to the leadings OF
the Spirit How shall it be? Here Is an
intimat.on. They were both praying,
both Peter and Cornelius, and above was
God listening. That seemed to complete
the circuit and establish communica-
ton. The Welcome and the we'll
done" hinge on prayer.
All things that are commanded thee
Of God. 1t was all of God. When
Cornelius spoke to Peter he asked what
1t was God desired; and when Peter an
swered he said, Il perceive that GCd is
no respecter Of persons" What God
said what God thought. As for Cor
nelius, he was ignorant; he was but
man. AS for Peter he was partial and
person respecting; he was man. But
God, he knows and he performs. The
Almighty stopped down from the heav-
ems and opened that gate to the Gen.
tiles. Trust God.
The Holy Ghost fell on all them which
heard the word. See what God does for
faith, the faith OF Peter, the faith Of
Cornelius. He will do as graciously by
faith to-day. There are some features
Of the manifestation which will be Diff
rerent to-day; the times are different,
The needs are different. But as respects
all the essentials of that amazing trans
action, we stand on the same footing to-
lay. We require the Holy Spirit for at
testation and for enduement as much
to-day, though in different demonstra-
ions, as ever. He is given here to faith
Just as there. What was it called down
Gods Spirit from the skies? There was
man standing and preaching the word
Of God and believing it. There was a
nan standing and hearing the word OF
Sod and believing it. You have the
word: what doth hinder Faith, that is
Ill. Lord, increase, our faith"
| Next LeSson-'The Gospel Preached