The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-01-25
Exposition of the
Sabbath School Lesson
FOR FEBRUARY 2, 1902
CnnYrightad. 1902.

The First PersecutiOn-ActsI Nv. 1-22.
Golden Text-There is none other name un-
der heaven given among men, whereby we
must be saved.-Acts w., IL.
When the lame man at 'the beautiful gate"
of the temple was healed 1t was no unimpor-
tant event in Jerusalem, although ne was put
For now God had dealt with him. He had
become a changed Outwardly and in
wardly Now all the city was interested in
Even the rulers and elders, and scrlbes and
Annas, the high priest, and Caiaphas, and
John, and Alexander, and las many as We're
of the kindred of the high priest were gath
sred together to consider his case. (vv.5-5).
On the surface, this spiritual change in the
lame man appears to have been something
very startling, sudden and peculiar, not at al
deeper we will seen that it was the way in
which the Holy Ghost usually manifests his
which HE s% Ra ame man OF haa kWn for
many years John xiv, rs; xvi, 14) and
showed them to him, Just as he did Il It. to the
M 8pos' able on an through his name
'to rise and walk" He revealed no new
truths to him, but he illuminated the Old
once all was light within and around him.
Then he could do with great gladness what
he had never before even desired to do. And
probably this individualcase is recorded thus
early in the history and in this brief and
simple way, for the express purpose Of maxi
! ing known to us the effect upon every one
Holy Ghost. This was very beautifully illus
| trated by our Lord in his Sermon the
Mount when he + said to his dlgep LES ~ ye
however, say that any one of them was a
sun, or a star. which shines by its own in
herent light but he sid each tve41
! light unto all that are in the house" Matt.
V, 80. This is the purpose to be accom-
# needs light, ana men obtain it in this
a GAMBLER" " -
They simply apply something som having light
dat tlS to the the Hs is ed With ght
There is no slow, gradual change, but the
the power TOUCHES che , the
feeble but it is there, and perfect Of its kind.
q according to the quality OF the candle ],
stands may be Of the choicest gold and en-
graved with the most consummate skill and
beauty; the candle itself may be of the purest
I wax and of the most perfect mold, and the
wick may be of the finest linen, carefully
woven; but none of these. however costly,
are of any value to dispel the darkness. The
power, having light in itself and entirely in
dependent of candlestick, candle and wick,
There may be. in fact, no candlestick at all
. at hand; the candle may be of poor material
and poorer shape and the wick of the thin
nest and coarsest fabric; and yet if the lighted
torch touch the wick the candle will at once
give out it's full measure OF light, and that
without in the least diminishing the light
giving power of the torch which touched it.
So it is with the sinner. He may stand for
long years in the midst of most gracious priv
ileges, just as this lame man lay at 1.-THE
, beautiful gate'' Of the temple. He may have
a full and perfect knowledge Of Jesus Christ
and of his gospel. He may even give a
, hearty intellectual assent to all Of his claims
, and admit that he is the Savior of the world:
And vet all may be darkness in his soul and
life. But when the Holy Ghost, like the light:
!; giving torch, quickens his knowledge and
edge and faith may be, at once there is light
! in that soul. And as long as faith feeds
:. upon Christ as he is revealed in his word
= as the wick feeds upon the substance of the
i candle--so long. our Lord says, .the whole
y body shall be full of light s Luke XII, So
Recognizing this dependence upon divine
power the royal Psalmist wrote Thou ui11