The Tupelo journal., 1909-04-09
PETER DELIVERED
FROM PRISON

Specially Arrsnged for This Paper

LESSON TExT.-Acts Pill. Memory
| verse z.
GOLDEN TExT.-'The angel Of the
| Lord encampeth round about them that
fear him, and delivereth them.'-Psalm
34.7.
TIME.-The Passover feast (''the lays
| OF u~nleavened bread" verse -, April l-S.
A. D.. a. Herod had left his capital.
| Caesarea, and was in Jerusalem for the
feast.
PLACE.-Jerusalem-the fortress Of An
tonia, and the home OF Mary. the mother
OF John Mark.
RULERS.-Herod Agrippa l., king OF
all Palestine, the realm OF Herod the
| Great, his grandfather. He was 81 years
old. Claudius. Roman emperor. A. y.
| 41-54.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
During our last lesson and this from
| four to six years have elapsed. During
that time have occurred the founding
Of the great Gentle church at Antioch
and the calling thither Of Barnabas
from Jerusalem and Paul from Tarsus.
The famine, and the famine relief SEM
to Jerusalem from Antioch.
v. He "vexed' the church. The
Greek means to torment. Cypress,
which is the meaning "vexs bore in
old English. AS a climax, The killed
James the brother Of John with the
sword" by beheading, "a mode OF
death regarded as very d~isgraceful
among the neutrality-suspicious. Greek
Testament.
v. 4-"When he had apprehended
him." There had been some delay and
difficulty in arresting Peter. "Proba-
bly, Peter had concealed himself after
the execution of James, but ventured
forth to the feast relying on the sa-
credness of the season, and SO gave
Herod's Officers opportunity to arrest
him."-Rendall.
The power Of prayer, that was
made without ceasing (stretched out.
c~easelessly or earnestly as the r. V.
translates it, of the church unto God
for him." The central meeting place
". 12) was the house of Mary, the
mother of John Mark-that Mary who
wrote the gospel, and went on PauPs
first missionary journey with his cou-
sin Barnabas. HE may appear, name
less, in Mark 14:51."-Prof. H. P.
Forbes. There the Christians, going
in relays during the Passover, kept up
a continual supplication for the release
of their beloved leader, and, doubtless,
that he might be upheld in his suffer
ings, and the cause of Christ prospered
whatever might be the outcome.
microscopy prayer-"How happy
that in all extremities, and when every
other e~xpedient is precluded or un-
availing, the greatest of all still re-
mains!"-John Foster. We do not use
this power half enough, or believe in
it half as strongly as we should.
Peter was in prison till near the
close Of the Passover, when Herod
would have brought him forth"
Peter was not released earlier by the
angel for the same reason that often
causes a delay in the answer to our
prayers-to test our faith and
strengthen our characters by the en-
durance Of affection. This waiting,
and the bearing of trouble, teach us
patience, courage, hopefulness, cheer
fitness and faith. What school has q
nobler curriculum?
Peter was sleeping quietly, like
David (Psa. $3.50 when Absalom and
all his foes pursued him. For so he
giveth his beloved Sleep" or 'in their
sleep" (Psa. 127:2.) 1t was in the
last watch of the night. between three
and six o'clock, for Peter was not
missed at three, when the guards were
changed again. In this darkest hour
which is just before the dawn" an
angel of the Lord came upon him
(stood by him)-a brilliant presence
radiating light which filled the cell.
Peter was sleeping SO soundly that the
light did not wake him, and the angel
"smote Peter on the side" Keble, in
his poem on the subject, suggests that
Peter may have been dreaming of his
coming execution, and may have
thought this stroke was his summons
to it. What a blessed change! Proba.
bly, the same stroke served also ia
strike off the chains that bound Peter
to the soldiers. who were held in q
profound slumber.
v. She was hidden: "Gird thy
SELF" that is, bind his tunic (long un-
dergarment) with the girdle; for orr
entails do not change their dress when
they go to rest, but merely loosen it
Over this tunic he was to throw his
garment" the outer cloak or mantle,
He was to bind on his Sandals" OF
wooden soles, "the shoes of the poor
Then he followed the angel, but "wist'
Thought, from the same root as wise)
it was all a dream. "Peter's incre
dulity as to the occurrence witnesses
to its reality."-Burrell.
Note that Peter was hidden to dc
what he could; 1t was not all done fol
him. Thus it was human muscles
that rolled the stone from the grave
of Lazarus. "In the heart of every
miracle we find these human powers
employed. That is the spiritual side
of the old proverb. that God helps
those who help themselves .'-Rev. G
H. Morrison.
The guards (wards) were asleep, OF
were kept by supernatural e from
preventing them. The first guard may
have been placed outside the cell door
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