The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-01-25
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON.
Acts iii, 1-1G-Jan. 20, 1908 The
Lame Man Healed.


That beautiful and awe-inspiring phenomenon
Familiarity called the falling stars" is pro-
duced by the earth. in its orbit. passing through
meteoric belts. So at times the Hebrew nation
in its historic circuit seemed to pass through a
belt of miracles. The founding. the exit from
Egypt, occupation of Canaan. exile and restora-
tion, and finally the evolution Of Christianity
the epochs brilliant with miracles. There are
miracles outside OF these epochs, Of course, as
there are meteors outside Of the belts. Both
exceptional a perfect shower of won
ders, numerous brilliant and benencent, oc-
Cured at the unfolding of Christianity. They
were the credentials of the apostles. They at
tested the supernatural origin and character OF
the new faith. A meteoric miracle. large ano
lustrous, flashes upon in this instance.
A physician Of Hebrew extraction said TO me-
facetiously, yesterday: DO MT say sabbath:
CT had inadvertently used the term.) Ihst Is
Jewish" 1 answered: Everything Jewish De-
longs to US Christians All things are ours
Peter and John were acting on that principl
when they went into the temple. The tempt"
its furniture. its ritual, was theirs as chris
tians. in a sense in which it had never been
theirs as Hebrews. They saw more In IL IMAM
any Jew possibly could 1t was all an eloquent
type of Jesus and the atonement The
very beautiful gate, itself towering above them,
and broad enough to admit a multitude at once,
and shining resplendept as precious ore molten
in a furnace, seemed to, speak of Him who SAID
II am the door" The abject cripple
with his congenial and remediless innrmity-
forever barred, because OF its symbolical mean
ing from entrance to the temple. was type to
them of humanity impotent through sin
The apostles quickly, consciously or unconscious
ly, perform their part in the significant acted
parable They yield themselves instruments
- ~ Of
Yet they were not altogether passive. Their
hearts were touched TO pity. Their sympathies
were active their faith strong. The re
stored cripple is the sinner converted. The en-
tireness of the cure is beyond question he
stands walks, and leaps. he enters the temple.
He would have been inhibited on ceremonial
grounds, from doing had he not been entirely
emancipated from his malady. So, in a sense in
which he never could have done so before, the
convert enters the church and has communion
with God and his fellow believers. The spiritual
nature, impotent before. now receives strength.
And this miracle of grace is the sufficient,
irrefutable evidence of divinity of Christian
ity No picture which the artist-evan-
gelist has drawn abounds in
finer lines and tints of meaning. The congenial
and helpful comradeship of the apostles Peter
and John-each the complement OF the other.
The tardy secession Of the Christians
from the temple, the general practice Of all the
believers continuing in the temple, referred 10
previously, here illustrated by a specific instance:
thought not improbable by some, that the dis
ciples continued in the sacrifices. SO nat
ural and slow was the shaking of Of the husk Of
Judaism . The lame asked aims.
The root of ideal charity is in the very word.
Aims: literally, pitifulness An immaterial some
thing must first go out to the unfortunate. Pity
must precede. genuine humanness there must
be which recognizes the suffering the suffer
ing of a brother That meaning
full look which Peter gave the cripple. He spoke
with his eye before he spoke with his tongue.
There was a helpful accent in Peters first words,
an uplifting infection designed 10 stimulate the
best that in the man. pause followed in
which he had time to collect his thoughts. He
gave heed. True, he could not control his feet,
but he could fix his eyes He did what he could.
This was the first step in cooperative cure.
The small coin which the apostles could easily
have dropped into the unfOrtunate's hand was
nothing. They the point of really
riching him. Peter took him by the
right hand. THE seeking soul must be
tanned not only by word, but by act" .
He entered into the temple. Many restored.
all are not thankful" In describing the
effect Of the miracle upon the people. the Rhem-
ish New Testament says quantity that they were
exceedingly aSlOnlSneu anu dBndSl. Inc
thorough cooperation of the two parties is vivid
ly portrayed. and is evidently indicated as an
essential condition of the happy outcome. Peter
looked intenty the lame and asked him
to return the gaze. He did so. When in answer
TO the injunction TO rise. he made effort, the
apostle took him by the hand to afford him sup
port until his ankles should fully receive
strength. The healing apostles and the healed
man went into the temple. cooperating in praise
as they had previously in cure Cooperation is
a key-word to cure-moral mental. physical
to-day in apostles days.
TEACHERS LANTERN.
The beautiful gate is a most striking type OF
Jesus. It exceedingly broad as well as
lofty. II measured sixty feet across. So
there's a Wilderness in Gods mercy. The gate
the cripple. Jesus is near. Not in
heaven. not in the deep; but nigh thee. Near the
temple gate the threatening inscription:
Let stranger pass beyond this on pain Of
death" But arching the living way is the
gracious invitation, ''WhOsoever will .
Christianity a system is saturated with the
spirit OF benevolence Jesus parallels and mir
acles all breathe it. Disciples Of the merciful
Nazarene could not fail TO see the cripple /.
practical philanthropy. Peter and John did more
for that impecunious creature than II they had
they told me they thought our plan Of or
ganiZatiOn was the best of any State