The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1897-03-31
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
international Lesson for April &,
1897 Peter Working Miracles
Acts O;32-43.


with a glance backward at the word OF
Peter In the first year OF the church.
TIME.-Probably about A. d. 40. The date
IL confirmed by the fact that during A ID.
80 and 40. Petrorius, the governor OF Syria.
was causing great CONSERVATION among
the Jews by attempting TO set up the statue
of Emperor Caligula in the temple at
Jerusalem. The Jews had thus so much To
attend TO themselves that they had no time
TO engage In prosecuting Christians Hence
the rest from persecution referred to in
verse 81.
PLACE.-Lydda. a city in northwestern
Judea. % miles slightly northwest OF
Jerusalem, and Joppa, ten miles northwest
OF LYDIA.
LESSON NOTES.
IAN Evangelizing Tour. Eneas the
Paralytic Cured.-Vs. 1926. LAS Peter
passed throughout all quarters:" To
confirm the churches founded by those
who were scattered abroad by perse-
cution (s:D, as he had done at Samaria.
THE saints which dwelt at Lydda:"
All Christians were called saints, that
is, sanctifed, holy, because that was
their aim and the characteristic of their
lives. LYDIA was the Lud of the Old
Testament, in the rich plain of Sharon
in northwest Judea.
SO. There he found a certain mani"
He found this man. Hewas led, that is by
Divine Providence to this lame man, not
by chance. (Which had kept his bed
eight years." There could, therefore,
be no doubt cast upon the miraculous
nature of his cure. The word bed"
used commonly of the touches of the
lower class (see Mark 2:4), suggests the
thought that poverty also was added to
his sufferings. And was sick of the
palsy" Palsy is a contraction of the
word paralysis" The term is used by
the ancient physicians in a much wider
sense than by our modern men of
science. 1t included not only what we
call paralysis, which is rarely very pain
full, but also catalepsy and tetanus; i.e.,
cramps and lockjaw.
"a. "Jesus Christ maketh thee
whole:" Or, literally, Jesus, the
Messiah, healeth thee. Observe the
care with which Peter guards against
the miraculous power being attributed
TO himself. "Maketh thee whole:"
This is very expressive term for COM
plete health, where every part of the
body is present and in perfect condition.
1t is the type of a holy soul. "Arise,
and make thy bed:" Spread it, as the
proof that he was cured and could take
are of himself.
35. And all that dwell at LYDIA and
Sharon:" Sharon, the fertile and beauti-
full plain, the district of which LYDIA
was the chief city. Saw him." The
man who had been we'll known as a
paralyzed person, now walking about
the streets as well as anyone. Turned
to the Lord" Believed that Jesus, who
wrought this miracle, was the expected
Messiah. 1t does not necessarily mean
that every one became a true Christian.
III. The Work in Joppa. Dorcas Re-
stored.-Vs. 3643. SO. There was at
Joppa:" Beauty, the modern Jaffa,
the seaport of Jerusalem, 30 miles to the
northwest, with which it is now con-
nected by railway. "a certain disciple
named Tabitha:" Meaning Gazelle in
Aramaic, the language of the common
people. Called Dorcas: It's equivalent
in Greek, the language of the officials
and cultured class. The gazelle is the
type of timidity, beauty and grace. 1t
is called Dorcas by the Greeks on ac-
count of its bright, flashing eyes. We
do not know whether this expresses her
outward appearance as a lovely and
beautiful woman, full of alertness and
grace; or her spiritual loneliness and
grace, which all can have, and which
h,.;r "a I,t
ward grace alone can produce. "Was
full of good works and almsdeeds:"
Especially in making coats and gar
ments for widows, who in that country
were q most unfortunate class ". 39).
81. "She was sick, and died." For
some mysterious reason the Lord per-
mits sickness and death, even to the
best and the most useful. Laid her in
an upper chamber" Instead of inn
mediate burial, as was usual in the east.
The delay was to see if Peter could
help them. He had just been doing
mighty works in the vicinity.
3s. LYDIA was nigh to Joppa:" Nine
or ten miles away, or about two hours
journey. Not delay" lest delay should
set in before his arrival.
30. when he was come = the
widows stood by him weeping" The
poor widows for whom Dorcas had made
coats, inner garments, land garments"
the outer, or mantles, (which Greek,
what n quantity, how many, Dorcas
made" was accustomed TO make.
shelving" by pointing to the garments
they had on $50 the Creek.
40. Peter put them all forth" as
Christ did from the room of Jairusr
daughter. This would keep him from in
terruption he could concentrate his
mind on the Lords will as to Tabitha.
Al. presented her alive" She could
now make n new start in life, and the
whole life beyond would be purer and
better for this glimpse of the other
world.
40. ''It was known" IL called at
iention TO the Gospel. MANY believe in
the Lord" as in LYDIA. The restora-
ton of Dorcas led many 20 receive the
Gospel. In each story we have phys
ical cure, followed by spiritual re-