The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-04-03
THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL LESSON.
April A, IS97-Acts TX, 32-43.
BY DAVIS w. CLARK.


Had Dorcas not died prematurely, we should
never have heard of her. She might have con-
tinued the Madonna of the alley in Joppa, but
her name would not have gone into the New
Testament. Six Of the apostles and five of the
deacons are not referred to again after first men,
ton an their respective rosters. 1t all suggests
how much is being done by the comparatively
obscure. Victory still depends upon the unknown
nen in the ranks. The principle maintains in the
life Of the church. Dorcas was the first dea-
coness. Her eye was that of the gazelle. as her
name signifies: not oily b~enignant in pity for
the poor, but alert to detect at once their need,
and the means To relieve il. But just at the
moment when she seemed most Indispensable
to the success of her beneheent enterprises she
died. If death ends all: If there is no spirit TO
survive il: II With Moleschott we are to say.
Thought is a movement of matter and with
Karl Vogt, Thought stands in the same fela-
ton to the brain as gall to the liver, or urine
to the bladder" then untimely death is in
applicable: the CELEBRATION OF the thinking fac
ulty when it is at its best is a travesty upon the
Creator. But if there be a future life, then into
it the spirit enters with all the advantage of its
discipline ard experience in the present life, and
under conditions more favorable continues Its
activities. The untimely departure OF such a one
stimulates to imitation. The gap is filed. So
while heaven gains. earth does not lose. The
restoring OF the sentient spirit (s in the case
Of Dorcas) to the inanimate body is not in
credible if il be done by the Lord Of spirits. In
this instance. Peter was His confessed instru-
ment, and the purpose Of the miracle was its
justification.
MOSAIC FROM COMMENTARIES.
A certain Eneas: he appears as a character
less nan. quite in contrast with the noble
maiden whose story next f~ollows.-whedon.
Eight years sick of palsy: Inveterate and
hopeless through its long standing.-Clark.
Jesus Messiah healeth: This language estab-
fishes the presence and divine power Of Christ.
-Eengel.
Dorcas. generally associated in the East with
the perfection of female beauty, has become the
type of the greater loneliness of that charity
with which she clothed the poor by the labor
OF her own hands.-Smith.
She could not have merited the name of the
agile creature, which is one of the feetest den
liens of the desert, if she had not been as brisk
as she was
The coats ami garments: See the righteousness
of Dorcasrs self-appointed task. Making clothes
sewing. but weaving and dyeing also.-Hall.
Weeping: The best epitaph Is the tears of the
poor. She was .'tombed in true hearts that knew
Prayed; Just as a shoemaker makes a shoe.
Presented her alive: She was her own sur
vivor; still she did not go on exhibition, but
went to work once ore.-Robinson
In the manner OF performing the miracle, Peter
follows the example of Jesus in raising Jairus's
daughter.-Whedon.
THE TEACHERS CULVER.
1. Is anything similar to Peters healing of
Eneas possible in our day? There are alleged
cases of recovery without use Of ordinary re-
medal means. On examination, it is commonly
found that the patient was afflicted with a
nervous disorder, and that the secret of recovery
is that the strengthened will has regained its
normal ascendenoy over the nervous system in
a natural way. One strong will has a subtle
powe r TO infuse itself into a weaker one. as that
of the parents into the childs. This seems to
be the psychological basis of so-called cures.
No great fault can be found in the foundation.
hut the superstructure is manifestiy unsafe, be-
cause too large for its base.
,. A sick woman, asked IL she believed in heal
ing by faith or medicine. answered: Both faith
and medicine" IL would be wicked in extreme
cases to use medicine without prayer, folly To
pray without giving the medicine. Al well
might one pray, Give US our daily bread" and
then sit down in idleness to wait for il. IL
Christianity was intended as a panacea for phys