The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1902-04-11
lesson in the international Series
for April 13, 19O2-Peter,
Aeneas and DOrcas.
Prepared by H. c. Lexington.
THE LESSON TEXT.


that she was sick, and died; whom when
they had washed, they laid her in an up
per chamber.
49, And forasmuch as LYDIA was nigh
to Joppa, and the disciples had heard
that Peter was there, they sent unto
49, Then Peter G,''s aro., and went with
them. When he was \ me, they brought
him into the upper chamber; and al
the widows stood by him weeping, and
showing the coats and garments which
Dorcas made, while she was with them.
49, But Peter put them all forth, and
him to the body said: Tabitha, arise.
And she opened her eyes; and when she
saw Peter, she sat UP.
Al; And he gave her his hand, and lift
ed her up, and when he had called the
saints and widows, presented her alive.
A. And it was known throughout all
Jo3ppa and many believed in the Lord.
49, And 1t came to pass, that ne tar
RED many days in Joppa with one simon
a tanner
GOLDEN TEXT. - Jesus Christ
mniSeth thee WHOLESALERS 9:34.
NOTES. AND COMMENTS.
Building Up of the Church.-Under
| this head we will notice briefly: O
| that the churches had a brief respite
from persecution; (2) that they (the
| membership were being edited; (3)
that they walked in the fear of the
Lord; (4) that they walked in the COM
fort of the Holy Ghost, and (5) that
they were multiplied. Prosecutions
can't hurt the church of Christ.
This is the unanimous voice of
| history. In fact, it has always
helped the church, by wedding
out the faint-hearted and those
who are not entirely loyal and
| leaving the true disciples to give to
| other strong men a notable object les
son in courage and loyalty to truth.
But the time of persecution is not the
time of greatest growth in the
church for the reason that the
prosecuted have not the same
opportunity for open preaching, nor
indeed the time for it, as in times of
peace. This first period of peace for
the early church probably lasted four
or five years. During this period the
church grew in knowledge and grace
"were edited" To "edify" is literally
| to build Thus the church was "built"
up not so much in the matter of size
or number of members, but built up
make up Christian character. This
was done through the preaching of the
apostles who told them of the life,
death and resurrection of Jesus The
church grew also in the fear of the
! Lord. This "fear" is not the painful
emotion excited by apprehension of
danger, or apprehension of Gods
| !, n Vol Int
reverence. 1t is the going about the
ordinary duties conscious of the per-
sonal presence of God. If our course
is right one there is pleasure and
comfort in the thought that God is
ever near. ''In the comfort of the
Holy Ghost" expresses a further
thought, Just before His crucifxion
Jesus had said (John 1916, ~: ST
will pray the Father, and He shall give
| You another Comforter, that He may
abide with you forever; even the spir-
it of truth" 1t is here that the Chris
tian man has the advantage of the
man who is not Christian but is try
ing to live an upright life. The Chris
tian possesses, or rather is possessed
by, that inward Spirit of God, aptly
named by Jesus "the Comforter" 1t
most naturally follows from the fore
going facts that this was growing
church. not only in the matter of
grace, but also in numbers. The
church multiplied in numbers, and it
is not improbable that the number of
churches, even, greatly increased.
Healing of Aeneas,-Of Aeneas we
know little besides the fact that he
was sick of the palsy (paralysis), and
had been confined to his bed for eight
long years. Peter did not heal this
man, it was the risen and assembled Je-
sus who healed him, for Peter said to
him: "Jesus Christ maketh thee
whole And the man arose from his
bed the first time in eight years. Pc
ter must have used this incident as
text for sermon, for we are told that
all the townsfolk turned to the
Lord"
Raising Of Dorcas.-Dorcas was
woman who had become a disciple of
Jesus, and she lived in Joppa. She
was well known for her good works
and aims giviry q are told that she
fell sick and died. Peter was sent for,
and he came, kneeled down and prayed.
1t was again the power of God made
manifest in the giving of life. "And
the Lord God formed man of the dust
of the ground, and breathed into his
nostrils the breath of life: and man
became a living soul" God gave life,
God takes life and God can restore
life. This incident, too, was for the
furtherance of the kingdom, for
''many believed in the Lord"
RAMS Horn Blasts.
They who love melancholy live in
misery.
Fleeing from responsibility is hid
ing from reward.
Suffering fails when it does not
teach us long-sufferir'g.
Heaven is the only place where there
are no hypocrites.
Common sense is often but common
sympathy with all.
When prosperity falls on the evil
heart it but nourishes its weeds.
He who publishes his sin cannot
claim the promise made to him who
confesses it..