Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1892-10-07
ENEAS AND DORCAS.
L-5cCr =. rC;.@TH C1NrTER. 'NTG7.
,lAT, JNAl- CeRlE- OCT. }.


'eA' vi '"e Iesson' Ho's IN '|s en-"
ory Verses, 4o-i@-Golden Text, Acts
tx, 36-Comiacntary by the Rev. ID. NJ.
stearps.
32. And it came to pass, as Peter passed
throughout all quarters, he came down
also to the saints which dwelt at LYDIA.
Believers are called saints in the various
epistles (see Rom. |, Z; Cor. |, q etc,
omlttlng the italics), because all who truly
receive Jesus Christ as their Saviour are
IN Him washed snnctlf1ed Justified, and
lie Is maze unto them wisdom righteous
ness, sanctlfication and redemption Il Cor
VI, II; !, 3o ii Cor. v, ~.
LYDIA is between Jerusalem and Joppa
ABOUT ten miles east OF Joppa.
30. And there he found certain man
named rneas, winch had Kept his bed
eight years and was sick of the palsy"
Jesus healed those who had been eighteen
ana thlrty-eight years SICK, and Peter had
already been the channel OF health from
Jesus to one forty years afflicted duke
NIL, IL; John V, .; Acts w. ~, so That a
sickness which had lasted eight years
would not seem an lnsuperable dlihcuity
TO Peter or TO any one VINO believed Ger
ANNll, ~ MAIN. Mn %o' XVII ~.
81. Anu Peter eud unto hlm, IEneas,
Jesus Chrlst maketh thee whoie; arise
ana make tiny BED; ana he arose lmmedl-
ately. compare H. %, TO- ana ", III. Inc
great TACT OF our redemption Is Jesus
Chrlst risen from the ueau, ana awe fol
eVermore, having All power IN heaven ana
on earth (hev. !, Is; Main xviii ls).
rms was made pam TO saul IN the last
lesson by the appearing OF Jesus 10 hlm'
and is now made plain to Atneas and to the
people OF LyGia ny this miracle.
30. And all that dweIt at LYDIA and
Saron saw him, ami turned to the Lord.
Note the expression turning to the Lord
in chapters ri, q; XIV, IL; NXvl, ~, and in l
Ihess. l, y see what 1t means turning from.
we are all by nature turned from Dod,
ana repentance Is turning TO Dod' TO
serve him, and wait Tor lis son from
heaven Il Thess. l. lO If more of the
power and works of the risen living Christ
were seen in us, there would be more sin
ners turning to God, and the kingdom
would be greatly fastened.
36 Now there was at Joppa certain
disciple named Tabitha' which by inter
probation is called Dorcas. This woman
was full of good works and aims deeds
which she did" Both of the names of this
woman signify "a roe or hart or Sazelle,
and are indicative of swiftness. See
| Chron. xii, $; Songs II, Il; Will IA. She be
lieved that the kings business required
haste, and whatever was to be done should
be done quickly. She is called disciple
l. e., taught or trained one. All who
truly receive Christ are holy IN Him, but
not all such are willing to be trained by
Him. All true disciples or trained ones
will, like Dorcas, he full of good works
(Eph. il, 10; Titus iii, S; John XIV, s..
81 And it came to pass in those days
that she was sick and died, whom when
they had washed they laid her in an upper
chamber" No evil can befall child of
God; not even satan can lay finger on
such without Gods permission Both
sickness and death may glorify God John
XII 1, Il, 80 by giving occasion for the dis
play OF His grace and power. Precious in
the sight of the Lord is the death of His
saints-to die is gain, to depart and be
with Christ is far better Dps cXvi, Is;
Phil. i, Il, 23)
80. "And forasmuch as LYDIA was nigh
to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that
Peter was there, they sent unto him two
men desiring him that he would not delay
to come to them" Whether they thought
that God might through Peter give Dor
cas- back to them or whether they wanted
only the comfort of the Spirits words
through him, is not very clear While
thank al for the comfort of such words as
ii Coz V, l; Phil /, 81; Thess iv, 1913,
most Of us are selfish enough to want our
friends back again, even though we know,
or ut least profess to believe, that having
died in Christ they are now unspeakably
happy
80 Then Peter arose and went with
them. When he was come they brought
him into the upper chamber, and all the
widows stood by INN weeping, ana show
ing the coats and garments which Dorcas
made while she was with them" OBJ
serve Peters promptness, remember the
significance OF Dorcas and pray for that
quickness to respond to the call of the
Spirit which Is here suggested. 1t was I
sad house; the sorrowng hearts, and tear
full eyes, and the works wrought by the
hands now cold in death, all proclaimed
what blessing she had been who wa:
now no more with them. Happy are those