The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-04-19
Exposition of the
Sabbath School Lesson
APRIL 81, 1902
Copyright, 1902, by John R. Whitney.

APRIL 81, 1902
Copyright, 1902, by John R. Whitney.
Gent1les Received Into the Church
Acts XI. lis.
| Golden Text: Whosoever believeth in Him
| shall receive remission of sins-Acts, ", 43.
Concerning the affairs of this life, differ
ent men may hold with comparative safety,
very different opinions, and may often wisely
| change them as circumstances and conditions
vary. But concerning the affairs of eternal
! life men cannot safely hold different opinions.
The moment they begin to think and weigh
their thoughts they cannot, be satisfied I'M
less they are sure that whatever opinions
! they hold are satisfactory to the God with
whom they have to deal, and in harmony with
his will and plans. Hence, the one great,
| burning question which confronts every one is
What must l do to be saved?
Speaking on this subject in one of his adj
dresses, Mr.. Moody narrated an incident with
don in 1867. A young French nobeman had
come to that city not long before, to con-
suit q famous physician and bringing letters
from the French emperor. When the doctor
examined the young man he soon saw that
! he was suffering from something more than
a physical malady.
'Have you lost any property? What is
troubling you? You have something weighing
on your mind,'' said the doctor.
ooh, there is nothing particular
81 know better. Have you lost any rela-
tions?" i
mo; none within the last hree years.
4 Have you lost. ga ny reputation in your
co t..an y,
1 The doctor studied for few minutes and
then. said: II must know what is on your
mind. must know what is troubling you. .
To this the: young man replied: MY tatnel
was an nfide, my grandfather was an in
fdel, and was brought up an intidel. But
for the last three years these words have
haunted !. me: Eternity, and where shall 8 i
! An said the doctor, "you have come t.
is there no hope former cried the young
man. 81 walk about in the day time, !! liz
ally-eternity, and where shall spend it.
The doctor said: sit down and listen.
few years ago Twas an intidel.' did no
believe in God and wasin the same condition
: that YOU are in He then took down his
Bible and turning to the fty-third sh sd te
Of Isaiah he read: was W sed fer d 10
iniduities; the chastisement of our peace was
9 upon Him, and with His stripes we arr
When he had finished the chapter, the yount
!, man said: do you believe this, that f.
e voluntarily left heaven, came down to Thu
ca earth aar and g. suffered and died that we msn
3 Eyes. / believe it, said the doctor ,Th Ia
{: into light Then he preached Christ am am
i his salvation to him and closed the meetin'
= Mr.. Moody added that about the time of hi
y visit, the doctor received a letter from tn
young nobeman SAYING; The {; aue Is na.t,e
and troubling me no more. ne hac ,ou ~;
rest and peace in Jesus Christ ana nj
, atonement. -,
;. Now this question Of eternal life, is tn
: root of the matter brought before us in thl
: lesson, On the surface of the incident,
appears as if it was merely an lmport Ian
. matter of church polity which had 10 De Sc! Sc!
= tied. 1t was indeed that, and we may we
bless God that it was settled as 1t was. re
the reason that it needed to be settlea az a
was, because it involved the 1unaalnt me-
v question of what was necessary Tor saiValiU .;
:: The news of Peters visit to Cornelius. IN
Roman Centurion, probably was not long !
: travelling to Jerusalem. At once it awakene
not only great interest put steat th Sanpt tbs
were in Judes'' w. IL So when Peter r.
turned from his mission 10 .Joppa ana Caes
area and other places on the coast, ne we
at once taken to task for what he had don
For they said: Thou wentest IN TO men VI
circumcised, and didst eat with them so
acted as if an uncircumcised Gentle was e.
titled to as much favor from Goa as Gi
cumcised Jew and by accepting Cornel IL.
as disciple, you said that clrcoHc!shi we
not necessary to salvation. -,
This was SAID by them that Nv, were b od gl he ~
|
circumcised because they were porn Js"s =, :
had long been such as proselytes from ot1 ON
nations, or had recently become sven IN nlus
For r,et only did everv native born jew b,
lievc that the covenants of God belon geo
fhe Jews alone, but all other people belleve
it. SO that when any one VINO nc WAS nj bis nee
az the true God, he felt that 1t was absoiute
necessary to be c:rcumcised ana become
Jew in order to receive an ,,ed e ~ no 9th,
: way than ''by the deeds OF the law -py =
own obedience. ~,
If this conviction was so strong as 70 IN. ~,
lead earnest, thoughtful men OF other natiol
to become jews we may be sure that IT W
q vastly more intense; conviction in the m MI
Of every one born jew TO MN a11e ah .. ON
Dssplse E snes ln9fse d HsGn sps
tn n common with all ST the apostles and wi
every other disciple Of the LORD Jesus Chr as
Peter held this conyictlon f as n'm9y s. whl
h nh1 a nd was called in question, he frank
and gladly told how he had been t con [Va'n
Luke xii s2 or turned a.. apo orayinr o ear
q "a s sae vison; a certain vessel descend
it had been great sheet ve re-. az gown Il LIZ IS
hsassp 0y h s0u saw footed beasts
creeninR things, and fowls Of the air" (Ver
s.l But what surprised him m ,!,sioS Is
voice from h heaven ave e Verse = nl'n .
~ I'm In obedience to the law of Moses (Lev. <
E. IAN he had always looked upon the beast
D. and and 'e 81 aa things and fowls" which
IN now saw as ran abomination aev y, XII; 81
W and to even touch them Lev. XII, -
V. fellowship fellow i with his brethren "unclean. :
IS. when hidden to prepare for himself M
c. from the contents OF this sheet, ne COY ,eN
only expostulate with shrinking horror: =
So Lord; for, nothing common or uncle
NJ hath at; any time entired into my mou
But the voice answered again from heaye