The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-04-03


dream, had seen mystic vision of
sheet let down from heaven. and had
heard voice telling him to kill and eat
in disregard of the prohibitions of the
Mosaic Law. While he wondered what
this vision might mean the messengers
from Cornelius arrived. The spiritual
significance of the vision then became
manifest to him; namely, that the wall
of partition between Jew and GENTLE
was broken down by the Gospel. Peter
lodged the messengers over night; on the
morrow, accompanied by certain of the
believing Jewish brethren from Joppa,
he returned with them to C@sarea.
Cornelius had so implicitly believed
that Peter would promptly come in re-
Spouse to his invitation that, as the
time approached when the return jour
ney of the messengers would be com.
pleted, he invited his relatives and
| friends to his house, to meet the apostle
Peter on his arrival.
Contrary to all precedent as it was,
and contrary to all surface probability,
he believes that Peter would enter his
home, and freely preach the Gospel to
Gentiles.
This is the explanation of the GENTLE
assembly waiting in the house of Corne-
Illus to hear the Gospel from Jew.
AS soon as Peter and his company en-
tered Casarea, Cornelius met him and
fell down before him in oriental obeis-
ance. But Peter raised him up, saying,
I also am man, and after explaining
how he had been taught in vision not
to call any man of any nation common
and unclean. he followed him to his
house. In the presence of the expect.
ant assembly Peter said to Cornelius:
ask, therefore, avith aUhat intent ye semi
for nae9
L. Cornelius Tells of his Wis.
iOn,-vs. 1898.
AS explaining both to Peter and the
waiting assembly the reason of his un.
usual acts the centurion publicly mar
rated his mysterious experience. 1t was
he said, precisely four days BEFORE
the time of the afternoon prayer. the
ninth hour from sunrise. even as it was
at that moment the ninth hour wher
they were awaiting some gift of the
Spirit,-that he was praying alone in hii
house. Suddenly man stood before
him in bright apparel, and assured hin
that his prayers and his aims giving hac
become a memorial before God He mar
rated how the vision had directed him tt
send to Joppa for Peter, and had tol6
him of the house in Joppa where Peter
could be found. Cornelius was so i'm.
pressed by this vision that he immed
lately proceeded to yield it obedience
2. Peters First Sermon to Gen.
tile Hearers,-vs. 34-43.
of q truth, said Peter in beginning his
address to this eager assembly. l per
ceive that God is no respecter Of per
sons: but in every nation he that fear
eth him and qUorketh Righteousness d
accountable to him. This means the com
plete humiliation of the wall of separa
ton between Jews and Gentiles. All Of
every race, pagans and Israelites alike
are acceptable to God sccording to theii
sincerity and reverence and the moral
correctness OF their lives.
Then Peter told the Gentiles the won
derful story of Jesus. From the brief
report we have of his sermon we per
ceive that he touched upon all the i'm.
portant facts of the Saviours ministry
He told the story, he said, which had
been fully told throughout Judea and
Samaria; the story Of good tidings and
peace from Jesus the Lord of all. Jesus
was anointed by the Father with the
Holy Spirit and with power; and he de
voted his life to the service of man. He
went about doing good. He had won
drous healing power. and delivered al
who believed on him from evil. God wal
with him; andtthis was the secret of hil
divine life. We are witnesses. says Pc
ter, of all things aUhich he did, both IN
the country of the Jeios and IN Jerusa
lem. The preacher testifies from hi
personal knowledge. He proceeds tt
tell the story of the crucifxion. Hi
says of the Jews that they slew Jesus
hanging him on tree. He does not. OBJ
serve, now speak of Jesus as crucified by
the Romans; he affirms instead tina
Jesus was slain by the Jews. after 1
method prescribed by the Jewish Law
for the worst of criminals. In this Petel
is adroit; he did not ALLEVIATE his hearers
by charging them with the crime which
they committed in ignorance; he charges
it rather against his own people, for thel
sinned against light. Peter further de
clares that God raised up Jesus the thirC
day, and gaze him to be made manifest
not to all the people, but unto 1oitneSSe
that acre chosen before of God. eUen tt
as, aoho did eat and drink l0ith him af
ter he rose from the dead. This testi
mony to the Risen Jesus, coming from
those who knew him most intimately
and could not be mistaken in their rec
IGNITION of their Lord.-this testimony
given by all the apostles. denied by none
and testified to also by transformed live
of the witnesses. was far more effective