Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-02-04
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
rnouours WORTHY OF CALM
REFLECTION.

A Pleasant, Interesting anu
49,. r....on. and where IL May be
Found-A Learned and Conc'se
view of the Same.
Lesson for February =.
Golden Text.-"Man looketh on the OUT
ward appearance, but the Lord iooke'n
on the hearth. Sam, 10: z.
True and False Giving ID the subject Oh
this lesson; Acts A: 81 to 8; H.. -
The rapid growth of the Christian com
munity In Jerusalem between fentecost
and the arrest of Peter and John was GER
tainly not checked by the release OF the
two apostles and their continued preacn-
ing. Soon organization became neces-
sary. and the name church (ecciesial DE-
gan to be applied to 1t. The sacrednesS
of the church was all the more reai' per-
haps In those early days because not ye'
associated with permanent buildings en-
pecially erected for ii. The .sacredness
belonged to the gathering of believers Tor
Worship. not to graceful arches, stained
glass or stately music. Worship meant
action to them, as well as contemplation.
| 1t meant giving, as well as receiving. ms
lesson shows us phase of the churcn NE
which was not an incidental and subordi-
nate one, as in our day, but equal in I'M
portance to prayer and praise. just at
that time, gifts were wholly for the sup
| port OF the poor, not for the spread OF the
gospel to other cities or for the material
] support Of the preachers. This fact, how
ever. does not affect the value of the story
as an example for our own Cnristiah
benefcence.
| Explanatory.
"Neither said any of them that aught OF
the things which he possessed was MS
own: Sitter says, ITO abandon the IN
diyidual title to possessions is an act con-
trary to nature. The love of property,
coyetousness, the sense of need, make men
cling to what they have. There Is no wick
| edness in honest possessions BY what
power did these men triumph over their
natural instincts, 80 that they gave mp
their property and made themselves, their
wives and children, penniless? Men new
er did so before and they have never done
lso since, except a feeble imitation OF
lthese. "-''They had all things common:
n state of things applicable only to So
/ ciety moved by such a spirit as is describ-
ed in the following verse, great grace
was upon them ALL" with great power
gave the apostles witness: A united
church means successful ministry; the
pews make the preacher.
Gas many as were possessors of lands
or houses sold them: 1t seems to have
been a general custom for the time being;
and the following narrative would indi-
cate that when the proceeds of the sales
were brought in to the apostles at the pub
lie meetings Of the church, no special ex-
plantations were made. A person deposit
ing with the apostles bag or purse con-
tanning a considerable sum of money was
understood to have disposed of all his
real estate, retaining only personal prop
erty necessary for his support.
"Kept back part of the price: 1t is OF
course understood that by their silence
they allowed it to be thought that they
were following the usual custom and CIV
ing all they possessed to the church. Inc
cause leading to this attempted deceit
was probably desire for applause. The
gift was public; not improbably its
amount was announced, as in modern
days when church debts are being paid
off by general subscription! If the con-
tribution had been private, there would
have been no need for the deceit. 1t is re-
lated that at Scotch missionary meeting,
an old lady was heard saying, as she saw
the elder approaching to receive the Of
ferings of the people, Jean, Jean, it's no
q plate, it's bag. Pit by ye're saxpence.
a penny ill dae." If there is nothing to
rattle, and no chance for others to see,
your Ananias contents himself with a
penny.
"But Peter said: how Peter learned of
the intended deception we are not inform
ed. Perhaps through indirect information
from the purchaser of the land, who may
have remarked sneeringly on the charac-
ter of Ananias; perhaps Peter saw in the
very face of Ananias the proof of HIS
guilt: perhaps II was directly revealed to
him by the Spirit. AT any rate, his words
must have astonished Ananias beyond
measure; the plan prepared with so much
cunning had failed.-"Why hath Satan
filed thine heart to lie to the Holy
Ghost: Satan's arch enemy is the Holy
Spirit Both strive for mastery of the
hearts Of men, and Satan's shrewdest
schemes are devised to deceive man as
to his relation to the Spirit. But to put
this in the form of Lying to the Holy
Ghost" brings out with startling distinct
ness the Nervousness of such sins.
The death of Ananias was a shocking
but necessary example, for the enforce
ment Of the sacredness of divine things
and promises made to God. This was the
first obvious act of stern retributive jus
tice from God of which we have record in
the New Testament; for Judas death
was self-inHicted. No wonder that "grea,
fear came on all them that heard"
wound him. up: Better, as in re
vised version, wrapped him round thai
is, they unfastened his girdle, aud then
taking the loose undergarment and the
wide cloak which was worn above it, used
them as winding sheet in which to cover
! the corpse from head to foot."-Tristram
THE space of three hours after: jus,
about time enough had elapsed for tho
, young men to carry the body of Ananias
. to some cemetery outside the city, ar
range the tomb for the burial, and return
"Peter answered.: Sapphire entered
with surprise and anxiety on her face, MOI
knowing why her husband had not re
turned. Peter replied to her outspoker
inquiry: 'Tell me whether We sold the lant
for so much;" indicating the amount Of
the gift. Here was Sapphira's bes
. chance, and she threw it away.
agreed together: there was n DELHI
crate plan. This should be remembers,
when we are inclined to object to the Sc
verify of the Punishment
TeschSux Hints. tis .-~
II Is not merely lesson against lying
though our ordinary use of the name,
Ananias and Sapphire Is simply to indi
: cate untruthful people. The sin of thes,
two persons was a sin against the Holy