The Tupelo journal., 1909-02-19
Stephen the First
Christian Martyr
Sunday School Lesson for Feb. Il, 1909
Specially arranged for This Paper

Jesus, receive NY spirit. -ACtS 100.
TIME.-About A. d. IS, &c. Ramsay and
Harnack place 1t earlier, 80 and 80. Ac-
cording to Prof. Riddle there was an in
terregnum of the Roman governors about
A.. D.. 36 when Pflate was deposed, which
made 1t easier for the Jewish rulers to
put Stephen to death contrary TO Roman
law.
PLACE.-Jerusalem. The city. the syn
agogue of the Libertines, the council
chamber. and outside of st. Stephens
gate opposite Gethsemane.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
I'VE now enter upon a new epoch
of continuous development which will
lead us without pause to Acts 1925,
l. e., from Hebrew disciples at Jerusa-
lem to Greek Christians at Antioch
Rackam.
There were two classes of Jews at
Jerusalem. THE Grecians" (v. u,
R. ", "Grecian Jews" Hellenists,
those Jews who had settled in Greek
speaking countries, who spoke the
common Greek dialect in place of the
ve%rnacular Aramaic current in Pales-
tine, and who would be more or less
Influenced by Greek thought and GUS
toms, and broadened to accept of
the necessary new development Of
Christianity. Against the Hebrews
(v. y, the Jews of Palestine, who COM
posed by far the larger part of the
church of Jerusalem.
Between these two classes there
arose a complaint and murmuring be-
cause the widows of the foreign Jews
did not receive their natural share of
the support given to the home Jews.
And yet they needed it even more than
the widows who were among acquain-
tances and friends.
The Difficulty Settled by the Or
ganization of Laymen for the Work
tend to this and similar duties, leav-
ing the apostles free to give their
whole time to preaching, prayer, and
training the disciples.
The qualities required in these Off
GERS of the church were % of good re-
port, (2) full of the Holy Spirit, co
of wise judgment, (4) full of faith.
Character Sketch of Stephen,
GA young man of such original genius
and special grace that there was moth
ing he might not have attained to had
he been allowed to live. His wonder
full openness of mind; his perfect free
dom from all the prepossessions, pre-
JUDGES, and superstitions of his day;
his courage, his %eloquence, his spot
less character; with a certain sweet,
and at the same time majestic man
ner, all combined to set Stephen in
the very front rank both of service
and of risk. He was already all but
the foremost nan of his day."-Alex-
ander Whyte, Bible Characters.
2. He was a man of power, the
power of faith and character aflame
with the Holy Spirit. His e%loquence
vas logic on fire."
3. He was full of grace, and of
grace and the beauty of holiness.
Grace and power do not always go to-
gether. Some things are beautiful, but
not strong. Some things are strong
and not beautiful. How seldom is a
Boanerges (son of thunder) at the
same time a Barnabas "a son of cor
solation). But the highest characters
combine both. They that wait upon
the Lord shall renew their strength
and the beauty of the Lord
God shall be upon hem.'"-Pres.
Mark Hopkins, Strength and Beauty.
4. The source of his power was that
he was filled with the Holy Spirit (v.
81. Prof. Bruce said of Phillips
Brooks: The man is just a great
Waterman attached to the everlasting
reservoir of Gods truth and grace and
love, and streams of life, as by a
heavenly gravitation, pour through
him to refresh weary souls.'-Prof.
A. v. G. Aliens Life of Phillips Brooks.
5. The fruits of his power were
deeds of healing and love, wonderful
miracles, signs" which were Gods
Endorsement of his teachings. 1t is
almost impossible to prove that ones
teachings are from God, except by
deeds that only God can do-miracles
of transformed character, or miracles
of healing and help.
Stephens Argument of Defense Be-
fore the Sanhedrim.-Acts 7:1-53.
1. Stephens address is not a direct
but a real answer to the charges
against him.
2. His very use of the Scriptures is
a proof that he received them and did
not blaspheme by r%epudiating them.
3. He defends what the Christians
thought of the temple by the history
in the Bible they accepted.
4. He shows that the Jesus he
preached was the one foretold by
Moses.
5. He shows that they who pretend
ed to uphold the law were themselves
breaking it as did their fathers, whom
the prophets condemned.
Stephen suffered like a saint,
praying, forgiving his enemies, while
he fell asleep. The very expression
is an argument for immortality; for
the one who sleeps is alive and
awakes the same person that lay down
to sleep. Say not Good night but
in a brighter cline bid me Good morn.
ing" Our very word cemetery"
means sleeping place."
Saul standing by and deeply i'm
pressed by the scene, and not long aft
esrward changed into a disciple OF
Jesus, shows how the blood of mar
tyrs became the seed of the church,
and reminds us of the monument to
Charles and John Wesley in Westmin-
ster Abbey.