The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1902-04-10
THE SABBATH SCHOOL,,
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR April. 10.
Subject: reter. Eneas and Dorcas, Acts
tx, 32-A3-Golden Text: Acts tx, 3s--
Memosr Verses, 40-42-Commentaiy
on the Days esson.

on the DAYS lesson.
80 "P.ter" The history now turns
from Saul to Peter. All quarters" lie
did not confne his labors to Jerusalem,
but went to other places visiting and en-
couraging the churches as in chap. s; a.
Saints" The Jews VINO had been convert
ed to Christianity. The Gentiles were not
as yet visited by the apostles. This word
means pious, separated and holy persons.
1t is applied in the Scriptures not only to
some eminent individuals, as Saint Peter
and Saint John, but to every sincere
Christian believer. Psalm ll6; Is; Rom.
/: I; Is: 26. Lydia" A city of Judea,
called in the Old Testament Lod Ezra 2:
SO. 1t was located in the plain of Sharon,
twenty-five miles northwest from Jerusa-
lem, and ten miles from Joppa. 1t was
the seat of very famous school;
49, Found a certain man" The LORD
to the eunuch, This did not come BY
chance. eight years" There could
therefore be no doubt cast on the mlracu-
lous nature Of his cure. PALSY" This 10
a contraction Of the word paralysis. 1t
is disease which deprives the parts affect
ed of sensation, or the power OF notion or
both. The term was used by the ancient
physicians in a much wider sense than IN
our day, including cramps and lockJaw. =
"a. ''Maketh thee whole" The apostle
had used similar language in chapter 3: y
Peter did not heal him in his own Strength,
but by the power Of Jesus Christ He was
Gods chosen instrument, the healer was
Christ. He was restored to perfect health
Immediately. make thy bed" This
would show that he was paralytic, no
longer. He was at home, and therefore
was commanded not to take up his bed,
as in the case of the paralytic recorded IN
Luke 5: "a, but he was ordered to make
cd IN HOLY, himself
and to prove his faith, by his works.
"Arose immediately" This showed the
completeness and reality OF the miracle,
and the faith and strength of the man.
3& "Saron" Sharon. This probably
has reference to the district of which
Lydia was the chief city. The plan was
noted for its fertility and beauty. lisa 30;
2; Cant. 2: /. "Saw him." 1t must
have made a great impression upon the
Deople to see a man who had been IN bed
eight years with an incurable disease. sud
denly restored to health and walking about
the streets perfectly well. Turned to the
Lord" They believed that Jesus was the
Messiah. It can hardly be supposed that
all of these people became truly converted
at this time Especial attention should be
called to the fact that Peter kept himself
SO in the background that but little atten-
ton was paid to him. The glory was given
to God.
80. OODDd. "a pOlG VI toNAi VI. VIZ
coast of the Mediterranean Sea, thirty
miles from Jerusalem. "a certain dlscl-
pie" Dorcas is called disciple that it
may be seen that under the gospel there
is no distinction between male and female
Gal 8: %. "Tabitha-Dorcas." The Syro-
Chaldaic and Greel! names for an antelope
or gazelle, which from its loneliness was
frequently employed as proper name for
women. This disciple was an amiable, in
dustrious and beautiful Christian charac-
ter. As Luke was writing this book for the
Greeks he translates the Hebrew and Sy-
riac proper names into Greek. 1abltha
was her Hebrew name and D0rce;s her her
pecially in making coats and garments for
widows, who in that country were most
unfortunate class. Good worry ZONE from {
running stream, not frey saghSsntt
pool, and the only way to k ways full
{ hsjS se to BE- a sR fh no o oat
for the aims which she give, but for
"almsdeeds which she did" The emphasis
must be laid not upon what she purposed
doing, but what she did. The doors are
blessed in the deed. Jas. l; %.
81. "Was sick" Thus we see that good
comes to all alike. Sometimes the death
of Gods saints makes known their virtues
and they become a power and example for
good beyond what was possible while liv-
ing. 'Upper chamber" Instead of bury
ing her Immediately as was customary IN
the East.
away. "Sent unto him" They probably
sent unto Peter before she died. Up to
this time the apostles had not raised any
one to life, but they had healed some.
"Desiring him" 'Intreating him" R.
V. 1t is not said that they expected a
miracle. 1t was natural that they should
j oDJ Inv Of such
80. widows Whom she had clad or
fed. Shelving" etc They were not
ashamed to acknowledge that they were
indebted to Dorcas for the raiment they
wore. This praised not only her charity,
but also her industry. This brings out her
character as the excellent woman of Prov.
90. "Put them all forth" He did this
in order to ascertain the will of God in
this matter. He put, them forth that he
might not be disturbed or hindered by
their lamentations and unbelief. eta
doubtedly felt assured that she would be
raised when he should speak the word to
her lifeless form. He said these words in
Jesus name. She sat up" The graphic
minuteness Of detail here imparts to the
narrative an air of charming reality.
Al. Presented her alive" In the man.
ner of performing the miracle Peter follows
the example of Jesus in raising Jairus's
daughter, at which miracle he was one
one of the admitted spectators.
~. MANY believed" This miracle, as
well as the one at LYDIA, strengthened
the faith of the disciples, and added many
to the Lord. Thereby the church was
greatly edited and built up.
43. 'Many days" In evangehstic work.
There was great field in Joppa. Simon"
Eight persons of this name are mentioned
in the New Testament. "a tanner" A
trade regarded by the Jews as half-un-
clean and consequently disreputable, from
which was connected with it. For this
reason. even by other nations it is usually
carried on at some distance from towns;
accordingly, .Simon's house was 'by the
seaside Chap. 10: 9. Peters lodging
there shows him to have been already, to
some extent, above Jewish prejudice. 1t
would also show o. that there is no re.
spect Of persons with God, and (2) would