The Tupelo journal. (Tupelo, Miss.) 1876-1924, 1909-03-12
AeneaS and
DOrcaS
Sunday School Lesson for March IA, 1909
Specially Arranged for This Paper
,EssoN TExT.-Acts s:s1-43. Memory

1 verses 4U, Al. -
| GOLDEN TEXT-'.And Peter said UNI
to him. Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh
| thee whole; arise and make thy bed.
| And he arose Immediately. Acts 1884
| TIMES or 40 A. ID. Three years aft
err the last lesson. Intervening events.
| The conversion OF Saul of Tarsus. his
absence in Arabia three years (Gal. III,
| 49,. His return to Damascus. His VISIT
| to Jerusalem (Acts 22:17-2D, and depart
ure to Cilicia.
| PLACE.--D LYDIA. now Judd, 20 miles
northwest of Jerusalem in the Plain OF
| Sharon, the old Philistine country. ~
| Joppa. now Jaffa, the chief seaport OF
| Palestine, and especially of Jerusalem
now connected with it by railroad 81
miles long. Here Dorcas ana simon
| the tanner lived
| Comment and Suggestive Thought.
v. 81. The story of the conversion
of Paul is passed over at this time,
| to be taken up in the next quarter,
when we begin the second division OF
| the Acts, the work of ST. Paul. TO
dwell on that great event here would
interrupt the course of the history,
and is especially fitting in connection
with the beginning of his career.
Then had the churches rest Ok.
and r. V. peace throughout" the
whole province of Palestine, consist.
| ing of "Judea and Galilee and Sa-
maria" A bitter persecution followed
| the martyrdom of Stephen. 1t may
have lasted two or three years.
The Occasion of the Peace was the
trouble that fell upon the Jews in
conflict with the Roman authorities.
They were so occupied with their own
affairs that they had no time to perse.
cute the Christians.
Growth by Multiplication.-The re-
suit of this daily life showed itself in
their rapid increase; they were multi
| Piled" There are two ways to be
multiplied-in numbers, and in quail.
| ity and value. The disciples rapidly
increased in numbers, and the aggre.
gate of churches was greatly enlarged.
| Then each addition of zeal, of knowl-
edge, of wisdom, of virtue, of spirit
uality, multiplies the value of each
disciple and of the church. Every adj
ditional gift or virtue or talent in a
man is not merely so much added to
him. but is multiplier. for it in
creases the value of each and every
other gift. Add capital to labor, and
both are multiplied. Add common
sense to genius, and the man is multi
piled many fold. Add to these conse-
Grafton, zeal, grace, and love, and you
multiply him many fold more. One
note is a sound; add a score or two
| and anthem Ono
color, no matter how beautiful, is mo.
notonous; add other colors and you
have a cathedral window.
| V. so. Peter passed throughout all
quarters" Peters first home mission
airy work was in connection with John
in Samaria (Acts 81. They both re.
turned to Jerusalem preaching in the
village of Samaria ON the way. Now
we find Peter again on Gospel tour
throughout Palestine, preaching the
Gospel, and healing the sick, as his
credentials, and as illustrating the
spirit and nature of the Gospels; visit
ing and encouraging and teaching the
new churches formed by the perse-
cuted Christians, and keeping them in
touch with the apostolic church in
Jerusalem. The accounts which fol.
low may fairly be taken as specimens
of many such journeys Of progress, in
spection and helpfulness.
V. 80. He came down also to the
saints which dwelt at LYDIA" All
Christians were called saints, because
that was their aim and the character
istic of their lives.
| V. 33. Aeneas. Very nearly the
same name as Virgil's hero of Troy
Eight years" Showing that the cure
was miraculous. Sick of the palsy
paralysis
| V. 33. Jesus Christ" That is, the
Messiah Peter guards against being
thought the source of the healing. He
draws men not to himself, but to the
Saviour, and shows that Jesus is still
doing the same kinds of work he did
when he was living on eartn. So the
true preacher or teacher always draws
attention not to himself, but to his
Lord. "Maketh thee whole" The
translation ''maketh thee whole" is a
very expressive term for complete
health, where every part of the body
is present and in perfect condition.
VS.. 37-43. The disciples at Joppa
learning of Peters presence at LYDIA,
sent for him to come without delay
apparently with some hope that the
unseen Master would work through his
| disciple Peter q miracle of reStOra-
| ton such as he himself had wrought
| during his earthly life. Peter went
and like his master at Capernaum,
i (40) put them all forth" Then he
"kneeled down, and prayed" Then
| with assurance of an answer, he turn.
ing to the body, said, Ia.
/ bitha, arise" If he used the Aramaic
the common language, the expression
/ would be Tabitha cumi, differing but
one letter from the Talitha cumi OF
| Mark 5:41, which he heard the master
| speak in the sick chamber of Caper.
| naum.
v. Al. Gave her his hand" to help
her up after she was alive. Jesus took
Jairus' daughters hand.
The Teaching of This Sign.-1. 1t
called attention to the fact that Jesus
whom Peter preached. was alive in
| Heaven.
2. That he was the same Jesus
| whose story the apostles were contin-
ually telling, and was able to do the
same wonderful deeds of love he did