Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1897-02-09

ton Is. And laid
their hands on the apostles, and put them
in the common prison. 49, But the angel
OF the Lord by night opened the prison
doors and brought them forth and said.
~ Go, stand and speak in the temple to
'ie people all the words of this life. z.
ana , when they heard that. they entered
INTO the temple early in the morning and
'auSht But the high priest came, and
'iey mat We're with him. and called the
.puhcl together. and all the senate of the
ciildren OF lsreal and sent TO the prison
70 nave them brought. % But when the
oiilcers came and found them not I'm the
PRISON. they returned, and told. 25 Say
ing The prison truly found we shut with
All safety. and the keepers standing with
OUT before the doors; but when we had
opened. we found no man within. "a. Now
When the high priest and the captain of
the temple and the chief priests heard
'hese things, they doubted OF them where
unto this would grow. %. Then came one
ana told them, saying Behold. the men
"hom We put in prison are standing in
the temple. and teaching the people. 70.
Ihen went the captain with the officers.
ana brought them without violence: for
they feared the people lest they should
nave been stoned. %. And when they had
brought them, they set them before the
council: and the high priest asked them.
q. saying. Did not we straitly command
You that We should not teach in this
name? and behold. We have filed Jeru-
salem with your doctrine, and intend to
prlng this mans blood upon US. %. Then
Peter and the other apostles answered
and said, We ought to obey God rather
Than men. 80. The God of our fathers
raised up Jesus. whom we slew and
hanged on tree, 81. Him hath God ex-
alted with his right hand TO be a Prince
ana a Saviour, for to give repentance to
israel. and forgiveness of sins. 80. And
we are his witnesses of these things; and
so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God
hath given to them that obey him.
HINTS TO TEACHERS.
I. God sends his angels to the help OF
the believing soul. To what extent each
or us Is attended by a guardian angel we
may not know. but we do know that all
natural and heavenly forces are alike
ministering spirits sent forth to minister
TO the heirs of salvation Prison bars
may not be shot back for us: miracles
may no longer be within our reach; but
II we are true believers sickness and
sorrow pain and death" are all heavenly
attendants angels sent, not only to beck
on us nearer to God, but to enhance our
comfort OH earth and our felicity in
heaven. 2. The Holy Ghost indorses the
testimony of the believer Never yet has
there been written defense OF any
Christian doctrine that may not be clev-
erly replied to by some skeptic; but there
is no answer to holy life. There Is pro-
round comfort for every worker for
Jesus in the assurance of verse 81. 3. The
believer is comforted by his conscience.
obedience to the sense of duty without
regard to consequences brings delight
TO the dutiful; and no one can constantly
OBEY who does not constantly believe. 4.
The believer is comforted by an audience.
Perfunctory preachers lin private and
public alikel are avoided by 1.-THE people,"
But the faithful. whoe-souled witness. if
ne gather not an audience which loves
him. shall gather an audience of perse-
cutors. g. The believer is comforted by
the thought that he is suffering for Christ
lnexpressibly dear TO the heart is this
conviction. q. The believer is comforted by
the knowledge that the Prince is on his
side. The little powers of earth may be
against him. but the King of kings,
| whose throne is exalted forever by God.
| lovingly watches him here, and hereafter
| will say to him. We'll done; enter into
| the joys of thy Lord"
Notice the spirit of the persecutors the
! same in every age. L. They showed unbe-
| lief. Verse Il. This was characteristic
| of the Sadducces, who were the agnostics
of their time, aud hence were bitter
| against this new faith. =. They showed
| hate. Verse II. They were filled with
| indignat ton" and what aroused it?
| Simply the good deeds done by the apos-
| ties. The contrast of the apostles with
| themselves excited their enmity. 8. They
showed cruelty. Verses Is. 80. 40. They
thrust these good men into the company
OF the vilest criminals: they planned to
| them.
| not go 10 such extremes they gratified
| their hate by cruelly beating Ihem