Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1897-04-22
TIE SUNDAY SCHOOL
international Lesson for april -.
Is0T-Pcter Delivered from Prison
Acts f2.5-I7
fArrange1 from Peloube1

1t2l~41@--s < ~ - ne angel Of the Lord
encampeth around about them that fear
Him, and deiiyereth them.-Psa 24.7
The section. Acts 12I-24 Herod's perse-
cutlon, death Of James, Imprisonment and
release Of Peter. and a5-.ln Of Herod
IlAIE-A- j.. a. III tbs spring The
Passover that year was April Is The
mart yrdorn of James took place JUST be-
fore, ana the release q Peter Just afeer.
LESSON COMMENT.
j. The H0ur Of Need. Persecution
james and Peter--Ns. IL. More peace
ful times having come 10 the Jews, they
could now attend to the rapidly in
creasing Christian church doubtless.
spGrred on by the rulers Of the jews.
llerod the king, under the I3oEau En-
peror Claudius, murdered james, one
Of the leading apostles. TINS pleased
the people as well as the rulers; and he
next aimed at higher game, even Peter
the chiefest of the apostles. whose treat
Eent If the Gentiles had doubtless
made him especially obnoxious to the
strieter Jews. But before his execution
WAS carried oat the seven days Of the
Passover INTERVIEWED. and it would be
contrary to their strongest religious
traditions to have him executed during
the festival Hence there was respite
Of few days.
2. The Great Prayermeeting for
Peter.-ys. 5, 6. 5. Peter therefore
was kept in prison." Guarded by four
quaternions of soldiers, a quaternion,
or band of four soldiers being on guard
at a time, two at the door of the cell,
and two within. one on each side of
Peter, bound one TO each of his arms
with chains.
But prayer was made without ceas-
ing" Better earnestly, fervently,"
which would also naturally be without
ceasing. 1t is the same word used by
Luke in describing the prayer of Christ
in Gethsemane, being in an agony, He
prayed the more earnestly" "Of the
church," The members of the church
were so numerous that they must have
net in different companies. The cen
raj point Of meeting was the we'll
known ''house of Mary, the mother of
John, which is called Mark" ". 12e
The position of this verse plainly indi-
Gates that the release which followed
was in answer TO this united prayer
Ill The Strange Deiiverance TO Peter
VS.. I'll. The deliverance did not
come tin the last moment. just before
themorning setfor hisexecution
Z. And, behold" Peter was not
missed by the guards till sunrise-about
SIX o'clock (see y. ISl. 1t was then in
the fourth watch. some time between
three and Sly o'clock, that the angel
presence entered the prison chambers.
for the loss would have been discovered
at the change of guards at three clock,
had Peter then been missing. THE
(au) angel Of the Lord came upon HIM"
y believe that angels wait on us as
truly as ever they waited on Abraham,
or Jacob, or Moses, or Elijah, or Mary,
or Jesus himself. The medieval paint
ers We're fond of filling in the back
ground Of the Infancy with countless
angels; the representation, though lit
orally false, was morally true. | be-
heve that angels are encamping around
them that fear the Lord George Dana
Boardman, D. y. And light shined:"
The natural effiuence Of angelic pres
ence In the prison" (R. V, in the celD,
where Peter was, different word ia the
original from prison in the last verses.
And he smote Peter on the side, and
raised him up" Rather reused him
up. The verb indicates that he ayoke
him from his sleep, but not that he
helped him to arise. Ills chains fell
Off" That bound him o the sleeping
soldiers, one hand to each
40. First and second ward" Guard,
sentinels. or guardrooms, where
guard would be. The guards were prob
ably sleeping. THE iron gate" heavy,
locked and barred. Peter could not
have opened it. "Leadeth INTO the
city" This may have formed the term
ination of court or avenue which con-
neeted the prison with the town. The
aneel Departed" Having done his
work. Peter could now find his own
way.
II. Peter Suddenly Appears at the
Prayeimeeting.-- 12-l7 1t must
have been. as we have-seen, near morn
ing, and the people had been praying all
night.
Is. knocked at the door Of the gate:"
The small. low door 1t the ent nice TO
the courtyard, which WAS always kept
fastened. ~ damsel Rhoda:'
Rose. She seems 10 have been the sery-
ant OF Mary. Come u hearllen:' As
was the custom before opening the gate.
r. "N aen She kBe~ Peters voice.
An indication that Peter had before
been frequent visitor 81 The house.
She opened mel the gate fer glaaness:
Sfe Vas S. eager 9 make heothers as
semhlcd There lies MIS- II partalse of the
greet ioS size .elt ia knowing thar Peter
4yae alive and free that Sire rHn hael