The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-02-01
Exposition of the
Sabbath School Lesson
FOR FEBRUARY 8, 1902
Copyright, 1902, by John R. Whitney.

The Sin of Lyins-Acts Nv. 1872
v. LII.
Golden Text-Wherefore putting awav living
SPEAK every man truth with his neighbour
The picture presented to us in this lesson
Is s, e SAD picture to look upon. It is very
week In both the attention is fixed upon
the attitude of the central figure to the Holy
an1st' IN one the poor crippled beggar, who
could not walk, received him and entered into
the temple walking and leaping and praisins
500 IN, 81, In the other the rich man, who
tba1 al earthly comforts resisted him. land
., r. W because he had committed the most
he1nous Of all sins-he had LIED unto God
When Peter and John stood before the
Sanhedrin-as saw them standing last
Week-that august assembly was greatly con
cerned because Of the change which had taken
place In the opinions OF the multitude. Only
! little while before, ''the chief priests and
elders and all the council Matt. XVI, so
had l.ad had no difficulty in persuading them to
xvii, 2O). But now no less than 5000 of
that same multitude had been convinced that
they mad committed the most horrible of
crimes in doing so. What the result of such
a. change might be, no one could tell No
wonder that they trembled to contemplate it.
SO they conferred among themselves" for
It ha was very important question which they
mad to put to one another, Saying, What
shall! we do to these men? For that a
notable miracle hath been done by them is
man lie to all them that dwell in Jerusalem
came to was that is spread no further among
the people; let us straitly threaten them, that
n 5ngy speak TX hens to no man in this
them not to speak at all or teach in the name
of Jesus Gv., 1918. So, like children on the
seashore, they built a wall of sand and ex-
pected that 1T would keep back the rising tide
OF Gods grace.
But Peter and John were governed by an
ointing of the Holy Ghost they had had such ttc.
q vision Of Gods wonderful love in Jesus
| Christ that they could not but speak of the
things they had seen and heard. Men who
have had such an amounting never can II
neither seen nor heard
AS soon as Peter and John were released,
they went directly to the place where the
disciples We're accustomed to meet for con-
sultaton and prayer. There they reported
all that the Chief priests and elders had said
prisonnent nor their report produced the least
fear or anxiety. With one impulse the whole
company laid the. matter before God in a
it was rather a song Of praise than a prayer.
And their prayer was answered. God was
as ready to hear them and to Fly upon the
was to hear his servant David, for David s
God was their God, as he is the God of all
his children. In my Distress" David said,
Cdlleu upon Inc Loru anu crleu unto my
God, and my cry came before him, even into
his ears. Then the earth shook and trem-
bled; the foundations also of the hills were
moven and were shaken; because he was
wroth." psalm xviii, 6-10)
So God manifested his indignation and pow
er when they prayed. For "the place was
shaken where they were assembled together;
| and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost;
and they spake the word of God with bold
ness" Gv., 81. They were 'f1lled' before
now they were filled" to overdowing. No
wonder that they could not of their own &C
cord keep silent. Still less is it wonderful
that there was power earth that was
able to keep them silent. They had seen
| their Redeemer, they had 'sheard' him speak,
and '.the love of Christ constrained them.
QI. Cor. ", 140
Such was the spirit that prevailed in this
growing company of believers through the
indWelling of the Holy Ghost It was very
attractive spirit. 1t always is. All were
united. There was no jar or dscord among
them. All were Of one heart and soul, and
he possessed was his own" Qv., 32). There
was selfishness or zself-seeking apparent
| among them, "but they had all things COM
| mon They were all filled with holy zeal
! truth known. And with great power gave
| the apostles their witness of the resurrection
| OF the Lord Jesus; and great grace was upon
| them all'' Gv, SO, r. W.
AS a very natural result many from all
classes of society joined themselves to the
apostles and their company Many of them
We're from the poor. Probably, also, many,
| by Joining themselves to the company of the
| believers, lost, on the one hand, their social
positions, and on the other, their occupations.
But there was no suffering or murmurlng.
Those who had means freely contributed to
the wants of those who had none. II neces-
sary, they sold their possessions In whole or
| in part, and placed the proceeds in COM