Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1909-04-08
PETER DELIVERED
FROM PRISON
LESSON TExT.-Acts i2:i.ii. Memory

LESSON TENT.--Acts lz:i-u. memory
GOLDEN TExT.-"rhs nngeI Of the
Lord encampeth round about them that
fear him, n delivereth thsm."-Psalm
TIME.-The Passover feast C'ths days
% u~nieavcned bread" verse 81. April is.
A. ID. ~ Herod had left his capital.
Caesarsa. and was In Jerusalem for this
feast.
PLACE.-Jsrusalem-the fortress Of An
tonia. and the home Of Mary. the mother
pr John Mark.
RULERS.-Herod Agrippa l.. king OF
all Palestine, the realm OF Herod the
Great, his grandfather. He was u years
old. CIaudius. Roman emperor. A. ID.
li-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 VI Barnabas
from Jerusalem and Paul from Tarsus.
The famine. and the famine relief sent
to Jerusalem from Antioch.
v. HE "vexed" the church. The
Greek means to torment. Cypress.
which Ia the meaning "vex" bore In
old English. As a climax. he killed
James tho brother OF John with the
sword" by %beheading. - mode Of
death regarded az very disgraceful
among the Neutrality-suspicious. Greek
Testament.
v. 4-"When ne had apprehended
him." There had been some delay and
difficulty I'm Hrresting Peter. "Proba-
bly, Peter had concealed himself after
the execution Of James, but ventured
forth TO the feast relying on the "a
%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,
either In time or intensity-elther
ceaselessly or earnestly as the X. 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 tho gospel. and went on Paul's
first missionary Journey with his cou.
sin Barnabas. "He may appear, name.
less. In Mark 14:51."-Prof. II. p.
Forbes. There the Christians. going
In relays during the Passover. kept up
q 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.
IntercessOry prayer-"HOw happy
that In all extrenities. and when every
other expedient Ia precluded or un-
availing, the greatest Of all still re.
mains!"-John Foster. We do not use
this power half enough. or believe In
II half as strongly al we should.
Petor was In prison TIL near the
close Of tho Passover. when Herod
would have brought him forth"
Peter was not released earlier ny the
angel for the same reason that often
csAises a delay in the answer to our
Drayers--to test our faith and
strengthen our characters by the en-.
durance OF afiiction. This waiting.
and the bearing Of trouble. teach us
patience. courage. h~opefulness, cheer.
fulness and faith. What school has .
nobler curriculum?
Peter was sleeping quietly. like
David (Psa. 1850 when Absalom and
all his foes pursued him. "FoT 10 he
yiveth his beloved Sleep" OF I'm their
sleep" (Psa. 127:2.) II was In the
last watch Of tho 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 II Just before the dawn" an
''angel Of the Lord came upon him
(stOod by him)-a brilliant presence
Tadiating light which filed the cell.
Peter was sleeping 30 soundly that the
light did not wake him. and the angel
''smots 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 vas his summons
To It. What q blessed change! Proba-
bly, the same stroke served also to
strike OF tho chains that bound Peter
to the soldiers. who were head In q
profound slumber.
v. 6-He was hidden: "Gird thy.
SELF" that II. bind his tunic (i0ng un.
dergarment) with the girdle; for orr.
entails do not change their dress when
they 20 to rest, but merely loosen II.
Over this tunic he was to throw hia
garment" the odter cloak or mantle.
He was to bind on his Sandals" or
wooden soles. the shoes OF the poor"
Then he followed the angel. but twist
(thousht, from the same root - wiss)
II was all q dream. "Peter's incre.
dulity a. to the occurrence Witnesses
a. .nallAss - annann