The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-02-27
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON TX, FIRST QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, FEB. 20.
TEXT of the Lesson, Acts will, 1-17-Memory
Verses, 5-s-Golden Text, Acts WILL
Commentary by the Rev. ID. M.
stearns.

l. Satan was very angry and stirred up
the religious Pharisees, who thought that
Jesus Christ was a blasphemer and an I'M
postor and therefore justly put to death,
to do all they could to stamp out this sect |
of apostles from Judaism, but this was
overruled by God to scatter the truth OF
His great redemption. The command had
been given, $50 We into all the world"
and the assurance also that they should be
His witnesses unit the ends of the earth
MARK xvi, Is; Acts /, 81 but, being slow
to obey, they had to be scattered by perse-
cution We would think that the apostles
would be the first to go forth, but the rec
ord is that all were scattered except the
apostles
2 With great sorrow they laid away the
Door broken body of Stephen till the resur-
rection. While they knew that he was
certainly with the Lord in glory, they /
would greatly miss him, and for the BODY
and for the bereaved friends and relatives,
the work of the great enemy, DEATH Is al
ways sorrowful work. Even Jesus wept |
at the grave of Lazarus, though He knew
that he would in few moments give him
back to his sisters.
3. Saul seems to have been the leader In
the persecution of the Christians. His own
testimony in after years was beyond
measure l prosecuted the church OF God
and wasted it, ;" a blasphemer and per-
secutor and injurious" (Gal. 1, ID; l Tim.
4. 49, See also his more full testimony
in Acts XVI Oil.
4 Those who were scattered abroad Weho
everywhere preaching the WORD. Men,
women and children could tell OF Him VINO
was crucified. who rose from the dead, who
appeared to hundreds of His followers ana
afterward yisibly assembled to heaven, ana
who was surely coming back from heaven
I'm due time to restore all things OF which
the prophets had spoken (Acts !, 3, II;
Ill 20, ell and that all who would receiVe
Him now by faith would have In him the
forgiveness of all their sins duke XIV
AZ; Acts xiii, 3S, 39), and come with Hin'
in glory Il Thess iv, 14).
: 6. This is Philip of the committee OF
seven of chapter vi, 8, not Philip of John
|, xiv. 8, one of the apostles. Stephen, the
leader of the seven, being promoted, Phll-
= In. the next named in order, seems called 10
special service by the Holy Spirit Ho
> preached Christ in His humiliation ana
u exaltatiop. in His life and death and res
a direction, His ascension, intercession ana
!. return. and that through Him all who 40
o cent Him have redemption in Him, even
It the forgiveness of sins
q The word which Philip spake was
9 followed by miracles which God did by
:. him. God thus working with him by the
~ Holy Spirit MARK xvi, 20). Philip sought
=, : only honor and glory OF COD through
l. Christ, and the power OF the Loru "'.'
re manifested in the people giving heed VIII
one accord to what was spoken.
a rs. There was great JOY in that city az
T. thoy saw the lame and the palsled heale'
and evil spirits cast out, and receiving
!, Christ as Israol's Messiah, and their owl
Ne nersonal Saviour had the assurance OF eter
u ! ma, life as a present possession. 1t is til
IL will of God that His people bo full OF 10
s. (.John XIV, IL; xvi, "a; xvii, l3). But ther
Is no way to be full of Joy except by beiie'
lie ing CRom XIV, I'D ,, a.
o One who had bcforctime deceived IN
people by wonderful works which
wrought in the power of the evil one-ie
- the devil has in the past wrought miraci'
hc and will again before the Lord comes
ie- His glory eek. vii, IL, IL; Rev. KILL ll-l'
lat is now introduced to us as being anon
I'll the believers. He had exalted himself
on fore the people as being some great on
he | but he saw in Philip the work OF grea'
nv than he had ever heard or
nd 10, IL. Before Philip came oil gave hex
:. to Simon, looking upon him as the gre
~ mower of God He was q sample, like maj
on especially of one who Is to come hev. III
the 2. A. of a satan filed man clarifying hill
ule self and doing his will that he hiins'
ton may prosper. See Dan. Ii, 30. How shi
we know whether we are to give heed 10
beware of one who doeth wondrous WORE
12. The words and works of God throu
ar Philip the name of Jesus Christ ana I
on, things concerning the kingdom OF "
took such hold of the people In the po"
1oP ~ the Shirt that many believed In
OF Lord. both men and women, and public
ave confessed their faith by baptism. I'M
did not seek, like Simon, to draw peol
iris to himself; but hiding himself, he exai'
.ate Christ that people might be drawn TO III
cti- If Christ is magnifed, He will to this
,eet draw people unto Him.
!, A.. 13. 1t must have been wonder 10
people when the great sorcerer himse1
'pi" lieved and was baptized. de cohtih'
ipa- with Philip, wondering ut the signs
,bor oreat miracles (margin) which he 81
iga- Whatever of sleight of hand or of the
nese mower of the devil there had been In
and sorceries with which he had bewitched
= 20 people-and doubtless there Is much
- each in the spiritisms Of today-here W
works such as Simon had never seen, M
en- less done. Hero was indeed the power
'no God.
Jap IA. The apostles continued at Jer'
San lem. They heard that the word was
ing, ing preached and received IN Samaria
N of sent Peter and John to see. These !
nese who had been appointed to serve tai
s;1l were being nightly used OF God.
''-N had been honored to be the first marty
the early church. and one was being
orod to win many souls In Sanaria' W
from Jerusalem nothing special Is he
wen about this time, though doubtless m
osen were still being added to the LORD (cl
First ter v, l4. Let us be willing to serve
In Lord in any capacity and He Will lea.
s,lod INTO all He has for us Oh Sam. XIV, 10.
lays CO. 10, ~ oh y one Il trulv saved (Joh
Mrs. IL; iii, 16, 80; V, "a; vii, 81, az, @
titu- Baptism is the public co;iession
y di- Christ has been accepted, although mel
O for baptism nor the Lords supper nor
~ an ing tine church adds whit ~ our s'''
CON but are acts Of obedience, bringing incre
| foIto,veL;, x-yith God 10 the ODCGlcIt