Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1897-04-06

its splendor and prosperity 10 Herod the
Great, who named ii in honor OF Angus
tus Caesar. IL became the Roman capl-
tai and the pagan metropolis of Palestine
Synchtonistic Note.-While Peter was
abundant in labors for the Gospel in
Joppa ard Caesarea-l. Paul. now thirty
eight or thirty-nine years OF age, was
living, apparently in retirement, i'll Tar
sus his birthplace. 2 Certain member
of the Church of Jerusalem, fleeing from
the persecution that arose about Steph-
en-, had reached Antioch OF Syria, one
OF me three greatest cities OF the antique
world. and We're now preaching the Cos
pei TO Gentiies well as Jews-an un-
heard-of thing. g. The disciples were trst
called Christians lin Antiochl. L. Fer
maps httl" later than this tJanuary ".
y. ID. 40. the emperor CaliGula was as
saSsnated, and Claudius succeeded him
.. Herod Agrippa was made king of Jul
dea and Samaria.
Cornelius.--AH We know of this man is
tod IN Acts. His name suggests that ne
was Roman by birth and OF noble
blood. His army rank was equivalent to
mat OF captain in our modern armies
"a centurion OF the Italian band. He
was not u Jewish proseiyte (;,s Is maze
plain by Acts II. =, 81, but was neverthe-
less n deYout worshiper of the Hebrews
God. and regulated his household on re-
ligtous principles. lie was kind to the
poor. and his almsgiving contrasted
sharply with the practice of most Roman
officers. who plundered the provinces:
The fun text follows: 81 And said, Cor
nstius thy prayer is heard, ana thine
sight of God. SO Send therefore to Joppa
and call hither Simon. whose surname Is
Peter: he is lodged in the house OF one
Simon a tanner by the seaside: who.
when he cometh. shall speak unto thee
IS Immediately therefore | sent to thee;
and thou hast we'll done that thou art
come. Now therefore are we all mere
present before God TO hear all things that
are commanded thee of God. 81 Then
Peter opened his mouth. and said, OF
truth perceive that God Is no respecter
OF persons: 81 But In every nation ne
that feareth him, and worketh righteous
ness. is accepted with him. 80 The word
rael, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: ne
Is Lord of all: 81 That word. | say, ye
know. which was published throughout
all Judea, and began from Galilee, after
the baptism which John preached: ~
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Ghost and with power:
VINO went shout doing good, and healing
Ill that were oppressed OF the devil; for
God was with him. 50 And we are wit
nesses of all things which he did both in
the land of the Jews. and in Jerusalem,
whom they slew and hanged on a tree:
10 Him God raised up the third day, and
showed him openly: III Not to all the
people. hut unto witnesses chosen before
of God, even TO US, who did eat and drink
with him after he rose from the dead. T.
And he commanded us 10 preach unto the
people. and 10 testify that 1t is ne which
was ordained of God to he the Judge OF
quick and dead. "a To him give all the
prophets witness. that through his name
whatsoever belieVeth in him shall receive
remission of sins Al While Peter yet
spake these words. the Holy Ghost fell
on all them which heard the word.
HINTS TO THE TEACHER.
These words contain The outline OF Il
notable sermon. preached on an occa-
sion which marked an epoch i'm the his
tory OF Christianity. ON that day the
door was formally opened for the ad..
mission of Gentiles into the Church, and
a divine attestation was given to the
event by the renewed descent of the Holy
Spirit.
|. The preacher was Simon Peter. a
man, and not an angel: a man of min
Sled gold and dust not perfect but loyal
to Christ a man with an experience of
sin and salvation: a man of clear views
and warm heart; man living In com
munion with Christ. God can make great
use of such Il man as this.
III. The congregation was small, but
some of the greatest sermons in the New
Testament were preached 20 audiences
of one or two: for example, the Samari-
tan woman John ~, Nicodemus John
81. the Ethiopian treasurer Acts -. This
audience was little roomful Of Gentiles
just emerging from idoiatry. But among
them was Cornelius, a sincere seeker
after God. Note his traits as shown in
this chapter: /. God-fearing and right
eous. though a soldier in camp. 2. Gen
godiy influence. even the soldiers around
him are led to prayerfulness. 4. Living
in communion with God ). Obedient to
the divine command. Such seeker as
this will surely find the way to God
III. The theme or the discourse was
salvation through Christ. Notice how
much is told concerning Jesus in this ser
mon. There Is almost an epitome of his
life in Peters compact utteranceS: an
anonted Jesus: working Jesus: a cru
ci,ied Jesus; IA risen Jesus: Jesus the Re-
deemer, the forgiven of sins, the Judge OF
The world: but most of all the great truth
now stated boldly for the first time, that
all men. Of every nation, may find saliva
ton through Christ.
~. The appeal i'm this sermon was two
fold--to personal experience and to Holy
Scripture. Peter spoke out of his own
knowledge. I'VE are witnesses" and out
OF the word, ITO him give all the proph-
cts Witness These two sanctions are
united in every true Gospel sermon. The
teacher. we'll as the preacher, needs
10 have both an insight into Scripture
and the testimony of his own experience
V. The effect of the discourse was faith
OIL the part of those who heard it, fol-
lowed by the descent of the Holy Spirit
Pentecost was repeated with all it's di-
vine manifestations: When preacher
and hearers surrender their hearts to the
Influences of the Spirit the effect of the
Gospel is as immediate. direct and SUI
pernatural now az then.