The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-01-30

80. OhOsatibB DdIudodS was IoShNuou,
he became covetous. He wished to be
priced by his brethren, like Barnabas.
tie wished to be praised for benevolence.
Ananias talked the matter over with
his wife Sapphire, and with her del ber-
ately entered into scheme to defraud
the church. He, like Barnabas. would
sell his field. He would profess to bring
its entire price. as Barnabas had brought
the full price of his field, and lay it be
fore the apostles in the open session of
the church; but he would meanwhile,
according to his plan, secretly withhold
share OF the price. He assumed that
no questions would be asked of him;
none had been asked of Barnabas. He
would, he inferred, be afterwards re-
moved for his generosity, and yet have
his private treasure for an emergency.
He calculated, it may be, even more
closely than this. The apostles, he may
have surmised, would believe he had
given to them all his property; they
would therefore gladly apportion to him
his living from the common fund.
Do we marvel that sane man should
undertake such shallow scheme of de-
ception? So we might, il we did not see
that all bypocrites are dupes to their
own schemes. They deceive themselves
more than others. II hypocrites only
knew how little their schemes really de-
ceive. some among them might be dis
couraged from farther attempts at n.y.
pocrisy.
We may marvel, however. that Sap
phira did not dissuade him from his n.y.
pocrital scheme.
3. The Frightful G Consequences,
VS.. Bill.
The church is in session. In these ex-
citing days, indeed, the church is often
in session and long in session, to legis-
late in regard to the perils of the hour,
for it is period of persecution. The
twelve are the jury to which all urgent
matters are referred. Ameng the apos-
ties Peter, James and John have special
influence; and among these Peter is by
general consent chief.
The assembly is under spell of tt Q
Spirit. All Christians implicitly be-
lieve in the risen Christ. All feel the
influence of the Pervading Spirit. And
all who are sincere surrender themselves
gladly to the sway of the Power that
melts and fuses the brotherhood.
Into this assembly Ananias comes.
He initiates Barnabas. He lays at the
apostles feet fragment of his pretended
gift. His act says to the assembly: II
give the entire price of my estate; 1 cast
my lot with you; become poor as the
poorest"
Peter at glance penetrates the sor-
did soul of the hypocrite. The scared
look, the trembling limbs, the logged
constraint of Ananias betoken neither
honest nor cheerful giving.
Peters question, Anonias, achy hath
Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy
Ghost2 comes to the cringing culprit
like an electric bolt from a cloudless
sky. And when Peter further shows
him that the apostles know the whole Of
his crafty scheme, and further declares
that Ananias has done an altogether
needless thing,-for there was no nee
essity laid upon him to sell his land at
all or to bring any part of its price to the
common fund.-and declares further
that bis attempt at deception under such
circumstances is worse than lie to
men, it is lie to God: when Peter has
said this. in the awful hush of the hor-
rihed assembly. the effect on Ananias
is even surprise to Peter. Ananias fell
doaon and gaze up the ghost. The sur
prise, the fright, the CONSERVATION, bring
a fatal shock to his physical frame.
The young men of the awestruck as
sembly Immediately enswathe the body
and bear it away for burial.
Three hours pass.-hours of awe; for
a great fear has fallen upon the assem-
bly,.
Sapphira, the wife of Ananias, comes
in. She lives at the suburbs of the city,
we will assume; she has heard no word
concerning her husbands dreadful fate.
She expects to see him sitting in place
of honor beside Barnabas. She goes to
the front, willing to share in the ap-
plause which she imagines has been
given to Ananias.
Wait moment! Peter asks her ter
rible question: Did you sell the land for
so much? He names the amount Ana
Mas brought; perhaps he points to it on
the floor. where it has remained ur-
touched since Ananias cast it down.
Sapphira promptly replies. repeating
the agreed upon lie: Yea, for so much,
naming the amount Peter and the church
know to be false.
Again it falls to Peter to voice the in
dignation of the Spirit: HoV is 1T that
BE hare agreed together to tempt the
spirit of the Lord?
These words are like a sword thrust
to her soul. She perceivss that her b, =
pocrisy is all revealed. She trembles;
she withers; she gasps.
1t is to visibly dying woman Peter
now says: Behold, the feet of them Which
buried thy husband are at the door, and
then shall earn thee out.