Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1904-03-12

the Jew shrank from contact with the
tanner, whose presence In a home
brought ceremonial contamination. The
door of hospitality was always slam
med shut in the face Of the tanner.
The Despissd Tanner.
BY the old Jewish law, If husband
died without any children, his brother
was compelled to marry the widow.
But widow was not compelled TO
marry that brother II he was a tanner.
Not even the Jewish law would COM
pei woman to suffer such an igno-
miny. II a man married q woman
without telling her he was tanner,
she could have the matrimonial bonds
Instantly annulled, as soon as the de-
ception was found out. or course,
there had to be tanners among the
Jews, as there must be hangmen for
this present generation; yet, so BIT
terly were the tanners despised In
ancient times that by the eastern law
no tanner was allowed to build his
tannery nearer to the outskirts OF a
town than fifty cubits. 1t was to this
despised home that the heavenly vision
came, opening the gate Of the Chris
tian church to the gentle nations.
Your home, 0 man, o woman, may be
humble; it may be located in what the
aristocratic people call the slums; II
may even have been associated with
the vicious pollution Of society; but
even there the voice from the heavenly
mansions may be heard. Il came not, "
said the compassionate Saviour, ito
call the righteous, but sinners, to re-
pentance." You may be social out
cast. as much Stunned as Simon the
tanner, but in your house, too, you
may hear q voice saying, Come, now,
and let us reason together; though
your sins be as scarlet, they shall be
white as snow; though they be red
like crimson, they shall be as WOOL"
A Message of Salvation.
One more thought is suggested by
Peters experience. This vision OF the
sheet coming down from the heavens
filed with all manner Of four footed
beasts and creeping things and fowls Of
the air came to Peter when he was
comparatively a young man. 1t came
TO him not only as a message OF saliva
ton, but also as command, especially
for young men and women, to go t
work. The Apocalyptic visions OF st
John were entirely different Whei
John had his visions upon the island o
Patmos he was feeble, wornout pa
triarch of ninety. Most Of bis friend
were In heaven. He was dreaming 10
the most part Of the life beyond. HI
earthly work was practically finished
But the vision came to Peter while b
was in the stalwart prime OF manhood
He was then young man In the thif
ties. My young friends, note the I'm
portance Of this fact. 1t means tina
God is appealing to the young ana ID
physically stalwart to consecrate ou
energy and vigor to his service. Some
thing we may do for him before physi'
al and mental decadence manifests II
self; something we may DO before W
ourselves shall Join the great "siler
/ majority beyond. :, - =, :.
/ al never hear my pastor preach" sal
young girl, "but l am always nile
with the desire to say, Lord, what WI
thou have me to dor" So l never rea
an account Of the JOppa vision, Dut
always feel this is a message especia
" for me and for the young people
whom | speak to do something. U
young men and young women, Will yc
not be reused. as Peter was arouse'
with the thought that you may becon
gospel messengers to a sinful worl'
VIII you not catch an Inspiration Il
glorious Christian work by standiI
upon the house top Of Simon the Ia
ner?
rcopyright, 1904, by Louis Klopsch.]