Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1897-04-02

leAI VI tne Lesson, Acts IN, o--4o-men-
ory Verses, 3e-35-Goiden Text, Acts tx,
34-Commcntary by the Rev. ID. NJ.
stearns.
30. "And it came top pass as Peter passed
throughout all quarters, he came down also
to the saints which dwelt at LYDIA" Tho
last we heard of Peter he was with John
preaching the word of the Lord us they re.
turned from Samaria to Jerusalem, having
witnessed the great work of the Lord
through Philip in Samaria (chapter viii
25). In Jerusalem the number of disciples
multiplied greatly, and a great company of
the priests believed ichapter vi, y. In all
the land the churches had rest, and were be-
ing built up, and were multiplying walk
ing in the fear of the Lord and in the COM
fort of the Holy Ghost (chapter tx, 80.
Peter seems to be itnerating little and
helping the saints here and there Notice
this name "saints. " We are not called to
be saints, but we are called saints from.
!, I, emitting the italics; also Cor t. p
by virtue of our oneness with Christ
Every believer is saint
SO. "And there hefound certain man
named Enas which had kept his bed eight
years and was sick of the palsy" We
would infer that Hnas was one of the
saints to whom Peter came, and finding
him in this Helpless condition he had com
passion upon him. Possibly Hnas and
| Others had been praying that the Lord
would scnd some one that way through
whom health might come, remembering
Math. xviii. 10 How very suggestive Of
the utter hclplos:ncSs of the sinner is the
corGN.cn tf 80 pGr@lytic who had beer
eight years t.. 4.
"a. "And Peter said unto him, EnGs,
Jesus Christ mnketh thee whole. Arise
and make thy bed. And he arose imme-
diately." Peter was greatly used of the
Lord in the healing of the body as well as
of the soul See chapters iii, 6, :; V, 10, 16.
1t would seem that some were healed even
by the shadow of Peter falling upon them.
30. "And all that dwelt at LYDIA and
Saron saw Him, and turned to the Lord. -
God saw that this showing forth of His
power through Peter would be the means
of many turning to Him. He does not
heal all who are sick, but to this day He
does, both with and without medicine heal
many who are sick. He knows whether it
is best for us to abide here or be with Him
at home, and whether, abiding here, it is
best for us to be sick or well. The great
thing is to glorify God that people may
turn to Him (Phil. i, 20; John xvii, A..
So "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" She was a Christian in
deed, one of the kind that is missed when
she goes away. All who truly receive
Christ are saved (John /, 12). Disciples
are those who live upon His word and fol
/ M nj mr. ( .ul- vi
27). Those who are both of these and also
full of good works and kindness to the
poor must come specially near to the heart
of Christ, for He, being full of the Spirit
went about doing good and healing the OPP
pressed.
81. And it came to pass in those days
that she was sick and died. whom, wher
they had washed, they laid her in an upper
chamber" Her workdays over she il
absent from the body and present with the
Lord; she has departed to be with Christ
which is far better (Phil. i, 81, 23; II Cor.
V, So; she has truly experienced n great
| gain. We ale not told if her sickness was
long nor if she suffered much, but she has
gone from them, and all they have of hen
is the body in which she lived and wrought
among them. No, they have also her good
works and blessed memories of her
IS. They sent unto him two men, de
string HIM that he would not delay tC
come to them LYDIA was not far from
Joppa, and the disciples, hearing that Peter
was there, sent thus urgently for him, foI
they longed to have Dorcas with them once
more. This is the natural longing of the
heart to keep our loved ones with us ever
though we know that their departure i,
their gain.
80. "All the widows stood by him weep
ing and showing the coats and garment:
which Dorcas made while she was witt
them. FOndly remembered by what she
had done, they make us think of the words
"Blessed are the dead which die in the
Lord from henceforth. Yea, saith the
Spirit, that they may rest from their la
bors, and their works do follow them
Rev. xiv, 49,.
40. She opened her eyes, and when she
saw Peter she sat up" Many miracles o
healing had been wrought through Peter
but this is his first case of resurrection
from the dead Alone with the dead body
he poured our his soul to God, doubtle :,
pleading the promises of God the commits
sion in Math Y, 3, the assurance of JOIN
xiv, u, and withal asking in complete sub
mission To the viii of God (John xiv, 13
IA; John Y, II, 49,. He must have re
ceived some assurance that his request was
granted, for hc turned to the body and said
"Tabitha urlse. And she sat up, looking
upon him.
Al. "And lie gave her his hand and lift
ed her up, and when he had called the
saints and widows presented her alive. >
There are three resurrections of the deaC
in the Old Testament, three in the life q
Christ, and this is the FIRST of three aftel
His ascension (Acts xiv, 10, 90; Xxx, l2)
We have no record of any utterances o.
those who had been dead and had beer
brought back to this world. Paul says i
was not possible for him to utter what hi
heard in paradise OI Cor. xii y, doubt
less when he was stoned to death at Lystra
AZ. And it was known throughout al
Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. ,
The resurrection of Lazarus led to many
believing on Jesus (John xii, IL, and here
is another case in which the Lord saw
that a resurrection would be the means o.
leading many to Him. 1t does not seen
as if Dorcas would have been sent from
paradise back to earth without her con
sent. She may have been informed of the