The St. Louis Republic., 1902-01-25

there were for whom medical science Of
fered nothing. to whom the cold hand of
charity extended but . few pennies that
prolonged a miserable existence. And those
gifts were bestowed only because the law
REQUIRED it Oeut. XIV. . and the keeping of
its letter was regarded a virtue By hard
hearted people. Matt. xix, 2J.)
THE APOSTLES-(Verse and 81 The
incident raised an important question-how
will the ministers of Christ treat beSsar:
VIII they satisfy their conscience by toss
ing a few small coins? Will they pass by,
refusing all assistance? The answer TO
these questions is in three parts, tlrst.
there was mutual recognition. They wEo
carried the lame man paused Peter ana
John paused. The cripple by direction
turned his eyes upon the apo apostles. ties; ofsarp VINO
was to awaken expectation in the mind OF
the needy, but that soon passed away.
Usa- xiv. 22J There followed It what was
of priceless value. The unfortunate. saw
two men, followers of Jesus. commissioned
to preach, whose faces must have d d.sclosed
hearts, and that look would do him good
But Peter and John saw the face OF a man.
40 years old. in which appeared the soTTow
and hopelessness of lifetime. ana tnat
signt would awaken their pity. Matt. TX,
363
of want and sorrow had met the, eyes OF
strength and comparison. A Jerusalem pau
per and two Gaiiiieean fishermen had come
together, to be transformed by their SYM
pathetic spiritual touch. 1t was the saIle
change that has been effected in multitudes
of cases through the power OF the gospe, p-fd Gi
Christ that sends benefactors into Worio
OF trouble And Peter, still exercising
primacy whether by divine appointmenS
or self-assertion matters noo, addrsssed
the beggar. There was first a dfsclaimer-
he had neither gold nor silver. that whicn
had been asked One thing he had.a
power recently impaired. better tnan siiVer
or gold: and vet not power resident In
him. but power which he might invoke;
Then came the. command. Rise up and
walk" delivered in the name OF Jesus
Christ. To many that might have seemed
blasphemoIs or at least presumptuous VINO
gave him such authority. over diseased bod
les? All. Peter remembered his masters
words. John xiv. 12-14)
THE CURE-Verses and s., It wass
necessary that still closer relation should
had been the arrested attention, the respon-
sive look, the refused aims. the positive in
junction. The unfortunate man Is not ready
II is too much to expect that in such brief
time his faith can be awakened to seize the
possibilities: Peters hand was extended to
grasp the hand of the helpless. Strength.
impaired first by the human touch, came
afterwards by the divine touch. the visible
preceding the invisible Gradually the lie
current pursued its course, carrying visor
to every part. The feet and ankle bones.
long unused, came into service. The man
stood up. leaped Gsa. XIV. o., walked. He
praised God. realizing that he had been
under divine power, and with the two apos-
ties he entered into the temple. The first
STEPS VI HIS lie were iutO tAIS SANCTUARY
THE WoNDER-Nerses 9. 10 and ~ The
cripple can walk. The man who has been
daily laid at the gate of the temple for
years past. indeed, for a generation. whom
all have seen as an object of charity. whose
familiar and PROSTATE form has been looked
their devotions-ttis man can walk. An
hour ago borne by friends. now leaping
with Joy This remarkable event was soon
amazed. 1t was an occurrence something
like that in the lifetime of Jesus Gohn TX,
s. :, a reproduetion 5rG therefore Of those
but short time ago. To increase the won
der. after entering the temple. the cured
and John in his firm and affectionate grasp.
thereby indicating that they were in some
sense benefactors. Many. gathered about
tisa three. witnesses of this demonstration,
but unable 20 explain what they saw.
THE DISCLiIMER-(verse u, There
we're two dangers to which the people were
Gus resuts-thev might regard the cure of
the crinnle as mysterious. inexplcable: and
they might sG assign it to purely human
the ether of these courses was adopted by !
ignorant men in ancient times whenever |
way. Hence came superstition or servile |
subiection to those supposed to be possessed |
of supernatural powers. Peter sought to !
why m marve pp We at Fo this "''f he e9as.0 asked
was not solitary event in the history of
ms people Miracles mac Deen performed
from the davs of the exodus The annals |
Of the nation were full of such things. |
Further. they ought not to regard the two |
men before them as the authors of the |
cure. There was power or holiness in |
them to make a man to walk. The people /
must lock back to some higher being to |
find the cause.
THE PHYsICIAN-(Verses 1s. Il. Is. 1s)
These words of denial prepared for as
sertions. Peter had an excellent opportuni-
" which he promptly improved to testify
Jesus as the one who had |
wrought the cure. This he did in historical
references. not unlike those used in his
sermon at Pentecost Acts ii. 31-36). so ar
-arged a-s to form a. convincing argument.
Jesus. denied by the Jews in the presence
IF PLATE. and then nut to death had been
'aised to life. as the apostles knew. and