The Dolores star., 1909-04-02
Sunday School Lesson for April 4

LESSON TEXT.-Acts 1O;1-2O. Memory
verses 1918.
GOLDEN TEXT.-"In every nation he
that feareth him. and worketh righteous
ness is accepted with him. Acts. 1875.
TIME.-3S-4O a. ID.
PLACES.-Joppa and Caesarea. The
traditional house of Simon the tanner
Is a typical eastern dwelling, with heavy
barred gateways and "A forbiddnS, win
dowless exterior. The waves of the Medi-
terranean beat against the low outet
wall. while in the courtyard is spring
Of pure water which tradition tells us
was used by Simon."-Rev. Francis
Il. Clark. d. d.
RULERS.-Herod Agrippa, king of Ju-
dea and Samaria. Caligula, emperor OF
Rome.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
"The main purpose of the book OF
the Acts is to untold the broadening
spirit and form of the church OF God"
Theodore T. Munger, d. ID. This
chapter (Acts 100 is parallel in i'm
portance with that which depicted the
scenes of Penticost. David o. Mears,
d. d.
Cornelius was a centurion, corre-
spending to our captain, the head OF
a company Of soldiers numoering 1Oc
when full This company was part OF
the cohort .called the Italian band"
because made up of Romans born in
Italy.
"a He was "a devout man, and one
that feared God" The words have a
technical sense" says McGffert. and
indicate that Cornelius worshiped the
God of the Jews, but was not formally
a proselyte. (2) He was a good hus
band and father. and led all his
house" in his own righteous ways. (3)
He was liberal, and gave much aims
to the people," (4) He was not only
outwardly devout, but inwardly pions
and prayed to God always In these
secret prayers we may be sure, from
the sequel, that he sought for better
knowledge of God and Of Gods will,
for that is what was given him ". ~.
(5lMoreover (Acts 10: 22) Cornelius
carried his religion into practical af-
fairs, where he was just and fair deal
ing; and CO. as the result )f it all, he
was held in high honor by the Jews
themselves (Acts 10: 22), as well as
by the Gentiles. 1t would nave been
impossible to find a better man for
Gods purpose, or one who would have
appealed more strongly to Peter.
"The sixth hour" (noon) was "a set
time OF devotion with pious Jews
Geikie. Peter had retired from his
comrades in toll, for perhaps he helped
Simon in his tannery, and nowhere
better than upon the housetop" could
he find privacy and quiet fer prayer.
The roofs of eastern houses are fiat.
and often surrounded with parapet
three or four feet high, which would
screen Peter from observation as he
knelt. He was very hungry" for he
probably had not yet broken his fast"
-Rackham. They were preparing
food below, and perhaps the SAVIOR of
it rose to the housetop, hut before
it was ready Peter fell into trance"
The Greek word for trance is different
from the word for Cornelius vision.
A vision is something seen outside
ones mind, that sees inner visions.
One is not asleep. and It is not a
dream. but peculiar exaitation of
the spirit. In this trance Peter saw,
let down from the sky. a great sheet,
like 1.-The wind-stretched canvas Of the
craft on the Lake Of Galilee. ."-Lumby
1t was full of animals. many Of them
the wild beasts and reptiles which the
Jews considered unclean. Three times
a mysterious seice bade Peter rise
from his knees and slay and eat the
shocking food. three times he refused
in horror, three times he was bidden
to make nothing unciean that God
had cleansed by bidding him partake
Of it, and then the great sheet was
lirted and disappeared in the sky.
The messengers from Cornelius