The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-04-17
TEACHING POINTS.

INTRoDUCTIoN.-This wonder-story is to
be interpreted, we apprehend, as natural
occurrence. THAT the Christians should
have a friend among the Roman officials
who could effect Peters deliverance, CT
that some heroic plotter among themselves
should work upon the superstition of
the Roman guard, is not an improbability.
We find such instances of deliverance by
human agents in every age and in all civil
lized countries. The Hebrews ascribed
all occurrences directly to God; it was in
accordance with the Hebrew habit of
thought to ascribe such a marvellous de-
liverance as this to Divine interposition.
Our modern method is more scientific,
that is, we reason more from what we
know. We do not easily assume the pres
ence of immortals, where human beings
can quite as well fulfill the assigned tasks.
We believe that the world is sur
rounded and penetrated by intelligently-
directed spiritual forces; but we construe
all phenomena of history and experience,
so far as we may be able, by che light of
nature The miraculous is the unexplain-
able and (under our present limitations)
unexplained. We cannot, in our thought,
cesses of nature. Our lesson story appears
to us to have throughout some strong nat
ural or human traits.
O. V. SIS. PETER, SLEEPING IN PRISON,
IS AROUSED. Peter slept, Notwithstanding
death seemed near.-He was chained to
txxro 9Th .Io6
the door of his cell. Suddenly appeared
glimmering light. The guard, by mys-
FERROUS visitor, is paralyzed. The chains
on Peter are unlocked He is told by his
| strange visitor to rise quickly His chains
| fall away. He is told to clothe himself
| and put on his sandals and follow his con-
| ductor.
(2). V. 9-12 PETER LED FROM PRISON.
| AS the strange guide approaches the inner
| and outer guard, the guardsmen suffer him
| with his prisoner to pass without opposi-
tion. When he with Peter approaches the
| great iron door which opens from the pris-
| on into the outer world, the door, SEEM
| ingly of it's own accord, swings open for
! his passage. Peter is led one street away
| IrOm tne prlSuH ne HdS, uuIlHS al eiiio
| time, been in dazed state, scarcely awake
| but in the cool air he becomes fully awake,
and beholds that God has delivered him
| from the Romans and the Jews.
(3) V. 1917. PETER GOES TO HIS
FRIENDS. The Christians of the city have
| of course been alarmed for Peter; James
has been beheaded; Peter is now con-
demned to like fate and his execution is
appointed for the morrow. A company of
believers, not including the apostles, is
praying in the house of Barnabas' sister.
Peter, as by habit, goes to this place; he
is at first thought to be an apparation.
He tells the story of his deliverance. -
Peter instructs his hearers to inform
James, the Lords brother, and the apos-
ties, of his unexpected rescue. Then,
not trusting to miraculous interposition
further, he fees beyond the reach of the
Roman spies.
The deliverance of Peter, however
effected, was wrought against seeming i'm
possibilities.
1t is wise to trust in the unbounded
possibilities of Providence.
We may all hope, when need is, for
deliverances we cannot explain.