The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-08-18
SUNDAY. MEDITATION,

A Study of the. International Sunday
School Lessen Appointed for August
%, 1892. a ss1,
| Subject: The First Christian Martyr. Acts.
1864 50; Said.
Zone reading these notes should first carefully
| study the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures rs
| indicated above.l Etsa&
INTRODUCTION.
The former lesson gave account of the trial
before the Sanhedrim of the Apostles as a
body. Before that SITS. Peter and John had
been arrested, imprisoned, tried, and dismissed.
with the command they must not again preach
about Jesus. Shortly afterwards meeting
was held, aud Christians in general had posses
| sons quite in common. Out of this grew the
unfortunate conduct of Ananias and Sapphira.
The deaths of those two, so peculiar, attracted
much attention. Then followed wonderful
miracles by the hands. and even by the pass
ing shadows of the Apostles. The people be-
| came all stirred up in interest," and the Apos.
| ties were very popular. The jealousy aud rage
| of the Sanhedrm were fired, and they had all
| the Apostles arrested. imprisoned, and tried.
| ThroHgh Gamaliel's influence they were dis
| cherged, with the command to stop preaching
| about Christ. But they were not let wholly
| off, as had been Sts Peter and John, so far as
punishment was concerned. Each was beaten
| with probably 80 strokes each. They were not
| daunted. They went forth obeying God rather
| than men. Their main business was to preach,
and organize churches, and administer ordi-
nances. Help WAS required. and SO originated
| the order of deacons. Seven were elected,
among them Stephen. He was mighty in word
and deed. He stirred up the people. Soon he
was brought before the Council. Is: 12-1o.)
The trial was shamefully unfair. We have in
Z: 2-53 his defense. 1t is grand piece OF
oratory. 1t was very bold, and could but Of
| fend an audience so guilty as the Sanhedrm.
All forms of regular legal procedure were ig-
nored and the court became a mob.
/. References.
1854. Cut to heart 5: 33; CT. 9: 81. Crashed
with teeth. Job, 1919; Ps., 81: IL; st. Mt,
8: 12; IS: ~.
V. 50. Full of tho Holy Ghost. A. s; 6:3, 5;
1879. Jesus at right hand of God. SIS; st. Mt,
&c: Ga. Glory OF God. st. Mt, 6:27; U., ST.
Luke, go.
" So. Heavens opened. Eze., ] !: 1. Heavens,
plural. Cor, IL g. Son of Man. Dan, Z: ID;
ST. Mt, 30; "a: 80; Rev., 10; IA: IA.
Standing. Generally Christ is represented sit
ting there. s
ST. Mark, 16: 10; Eph.. 20; Ps., ITO: L.
Y. 81. Pell-meli against Stephen without
deliberate sentence. CT as to Christ. st. Mat,
%: 65.
V. So. Cast out of city. Lev, "a: ID; XII,
81: 10; Heb, 10 11-l3. So Christ was treated.
st. Luke, 30. Stoned ID: 49, Ex., 49, 10;
Lev "a: 14-l6; Deu., 10: 10; 17:5 Josh,
1925; st. John, 81, SO; 2 Cor, IL: 25. Wit
nesses. 6: ID. ID; St, John, 8; II. Witnesses
obliged to cast first stones. Deu., 17:7. Saul.
81 3. Clothes mt Saui's feet. 20.
v. So Receive my spirit. So Christ. st.
Luke, %: As. Prayed to Christ. Cor, /: q;
Phil, 9: 10.
V. 60. Lay not this sin to their charge. st.
Mt, 5 A: st. Lu.. 8: q, 90. So Christ. St.
Luke. %: "a. Asleep Ps.. 1877 %; Ps., 49, 2;
st. Mt. 8: "a; Cor. IL 30; Is: 10. 81; TIL,
4 IA; 5: TO- A glorious death. Nu., %: 10.
8: l. Saul Z: So. Consuming % 20;
%: 10. Great persecution. IL: 10.
Va Great lamentation. st. Mt, 9: 90.
W Saul made havoc. 26: 10, III Gal,
1:13.
Perhaps late Autumn of the year A. d. 90 or
beginning of year 80.
g. Place
The trial was in the Council House, build
ing adjoining the Temple OH the side (west)
| toward the city. At the same place Christ was
tried and .condemnensf There also SITS. Peter
and John were examined on account OF the
agitation of the people by reason Of the lame
man being enabled to walk.
1t ia said that Stephen was cast out Of the
city thro' what is now called tho Gate of
Damascus, in the northern part of Jerusalem.
So tradition has handed down. Rev. j. d.
Phelps says: "They took him into the Valley of
Jehosophat and near where Gethsemane stands
! over against Jerusalem they stoned him to
death"
1t is believed by later tradition the execution
took place on the east side of Jerusalem at the
gate now known from the death of the Deacon,
as st. Stephens. The sloping of Mt. Olives
near by is Of pure white limestone. In earlier
times persons were; shown the red streaks on
| the candicant rocks caused by blood streams
| squirting from st. Stephens wounds.
A. Stoaing TO Death.
Petracution or lapicuton was the method
of capital punishment according to Hebrew
| law. Romans crucifed in general. but dis
membered special criminals; Chinese roast !;
ancient Britons burned; Anglo Saxons, Per.
slams, etc. drowned; Burgundans smothered
| in mud; French decapitate; Spaniards straDgle;
| Mexicans shoot; we hang or electrscute.
Rev. Dr. G. S. Robinson gives an interesting
| account Of the method of stoning to death
| 1.-The first mention we have of stonng Grim
| inal is in the regions of Arabia Petrga. lev.
| "a 10-l6) The ready abundance of suitable
| missiles there may have quite likely suggested
| the custom. Its main purpose, however, seems
| to have been to furnish all the people with an
opportunity to slars in the infection of pen.
| atty. and so cultivate detestation of crime.
| But as it came to be an ordinary and recognized
| procedure, certain set guards and regulations
| appear to have been prescribed. These, by
| quickly putting tho sufferer out of pain re-
| lieved the execution OF biuch of its bari'arOus
and brutal cruelty. procession was formed.
at the head of which, and Immediately followed
| by the criminal himself, marched herald,
| announcing the crime and the names of the wit
| nesses by whom it had been proven. and calling
| on any passer-by to come forward, if he knew
| further evidence and arrest the judgment.
| With the same excellent purpose the judges
generally kept their places humanely waiting
| to hear any possible new testimony, until they
were officially informed that the culprit was
| dead. When the train reached tue selected
spot, usually chosen outside of the city gates,
the condemned man was stripped of most of
| his clothing, and his hands were bound strongly
| together with thongs. He was then urged up
| to the summit of some elevated cliff, perhaps a
| tower or an old rain, from which there might
be downfall The legal regulation said this
must not be less in hight than twice the tall
ness of the man. AS he stood on the verge of
the rock, the witnesses who had testified
against him at The, trial, solemnly laid their
truthfulness, and then retired Immediately be-
| low to lay off their upper garments in prepare
| ton for the final JUDICIAL act. AS mere pre-
1 tc,.