The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-12
THE sUNDAY-sCHooL LESSON.
April 13, 1902. Peter, Eneas and Dor
cas-ActS tx. :s2-43.

The ninth chapter of Acts contains lovely
nbotocrapb Of the church in its ninth year after
Pentecost This likeness vies with that Of Acts
H. 4l-47. in beauty, and reveals the fact that
while the glories of Pentecost were recedihg
and persecution coming on apace, yet the
church was ever gaining in grace and useful
ness.
The charming lineameants of this portrait are
sueh as these: The church was sanity; Peter
came down also TO the saints which dWelt al
LYDIA: fifty-six times in the New Testament be-
uevers are called saints; the apostolic church
was made up of people set apart who leii
themselves called to be saints.
Another feature: Not the saints at LYDIA only.
hit all those in Judea, Galilee and Samarla,
were edited That word is borrowed from the
builders art. AS he lays the foundation rears
the superstructure and makes dwelling for
man, so these primitive Christians coming to
Christ as a foundation, build dwelling Tor the
spirit OF God.
,csin they walked in the fear Of the Lord.
CHRISTIANITY was not TO them abstract, i'm
nersonal system, unloved and ENJOYABLE. Back
OF all doctrine, precept and ordinance there
was the inefTable person, Jesus Christ In awe
Of Him, in loving reverence they lived with
the auestion constantly on their lips what
would He have me do?
t-inallv. they walked in the comfort OF the
ton. doctrine but divine and blessed pres
ancs They could say something better than
the creed Not Il believe in the Holy Ghost
hut Il have the Holy Ghost" DO you wonder
that a church with such characteristics was IL
resistibly attractive, and that ii multiplied?
But all these We're subjective traits; our les
son brings US to the objective life of the apos-
tolic church That church sought not only TO
he good but to do good. 1t sought TO irradiate
the dark places OF want and suffering with prac-
teal benefcenee. Peter healing the palsied Eneas.
and Dorcas with her good works and alms-deeds
coats and garments-well represent the church
in her aggressive mission Of mercy and helpful
ness.
Dorcas was probably unhampered by a do
nestle establishment of her We have
no mention of husband or children. She must
have had a competence. for she needed not to
toll for herself Possibly she had a fortune. She
felt called of God TO this ministry. With a ra-
tionaI abandon she threw her time. talent for
tune self into the loving service Of the unfor-
tunate Her very mind and heart were per
meated with the spirit of philanthropy. She
,Aas full of good works and alms-deeds which
she did She had an embryo deaconess society
about her. Her eye that of ''gazelle"
GAS her name signihes), not only bengnant in pity
for the poor but alert to detect at once their
need and the means relieve it, At the very
moment she seemed most indispensable TO the
success Of her charitable enterprises it came
to pass in those days she was sick and died
If death ends ALL then such untimey deaths
are inexpllcable. But If there is a future life.
then into it the spirit enters with all the advan-
tage Of its discipline and experience in the pres
emit life. and in nobler spheres, under conditions
more favorable. it continues its benehcent enter
nrises And looking TO the earthward side, the
premature departure Of such one as Dorcas
stimulates imitation among the survivors The
gan is recognized, deplored. Effort is made 10
All IL So in the ultimate analysis. though
heaven gains, earth is not really the loser.
THE TEACHERS LANTERN.
But for Dorcas's untimely death we should
never have heard her name. She would have
kent right on with her benehcent industries. No
doubt; bat she would have been unnamed in
the sacred annals. and only
..rombed in the true hearts that knew her we'll"
Naclaren has sermon the obscure spos-
ties - founded on the fact that six out Of the
twelve apostles are not 20 much as mentioned
after their names are given in the directory
of the apostolic college though no doubt they
tsied a. honestly and did their Lords command
as faithfully a. the others They are recon-
pensed by having their names as deep cut upon
the foundation Of the New Jerusalem as the
six aforementioned apostles.
obscure martyrs:
.sThey have no place in stored page.
No rest in marble shrine.
They are passed ana gone with persisted age,
They died and made no sign;
But work that shall nnc its wages yet.
And deeds that their God did not forget
Done for their love divine
These were their mourners. and these shall be
lhe crowns OF their Immortality"
The aggregated. continuous, conscientious in
dustry OF these unheralded tOilers il. after all.
the indispensable factor in the worlds progress
! and reclamation Are OF that number? Let US
assure our hearts with Schillers immortal col
loquy:
What shall do 10 be forever known?
Thy duty
/ This did fun many who sleep unknown,
9 never, neveri
Think'st thou, perchance that they remain UNI
known
Whom thou know 81 not?
4 By angel trumps in heaven their praise is blown
Divine their LOTT
our Lesson implnges upon the social problem OF
4 poverty and the case OF the wage-earner. Lowell
| makes somewhat harsh arraignment OF the