The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-04-10
PETER DELIVERED
FROM PRISON

Specially Arranged for This Paper

LESSON TEXT.-Acts 12:1-l1. Memory
verse 7.
GOLDEN TExT-"The angel of the
Lord encampeth round about them that
fear him. and deiivereth them.'-Psaim
A:7
TIME.-The Passover feast c.the days
Of unleavened bread" verse 81. April Is.
A. ID. A. Herod had left his capital.
Caesarea, and was in Jerusalem for the
feast
PLACE.-Jerusalem-t fortress Of An
tonfa, 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. ID.
l-5A
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 sent
to Jerusalem from Antioch.
v. He ''vexed" the church. The
which is the meaning "vex" bore in
old English. AS climax. he killed
James the brother of John with the
sword" by beheading. "a mode of
death regarded as very disgraceful
among the Jews"-Expositor's 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.
either in time or intensity-either
ceaselessly or earnestly as the r. ".
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 Paurs
first missionary journey with his cou-
sin Barnabas. He may appear, name
less. in Mark 14:5l."-Prof. H. p.
Forbes. There the Christians, going
in relays during the Passover, kept up
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 expedient is precluded or sun-
awaiting, 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 delay in the answer to our |
prayers--to test our faith and |
our characters by the en-
durance Of afiiction. This waiting.
and the bearing of trouble. teach us
patience. courage, hopefulness, cheer
fulness 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
gfveth his beloved Sleep" or I'm 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
'adiating light which filed the cell.
Peter was sleeping so soundly that the
light did not wake him. and the angel
'smote Peter on the SIDE" Keble, in
lis poem on the subject, suggests that
Peter may have been dreaming of his
coming execution, and may have
bought this stroke was his summons
o 1t. What blessed change! Proba-
,ly the same stroke served also to
trike of the chains that bound Peter
o the soldlers, VINO were held in a
profound slumber.
v. She was hidden: "Gird thy
elf, that is, bind his tunic (long I'M
ergarmenD with the girdle; for orr
ntals do not change their dress when
hey go to rest, but merely loosen it.
)ver this tunic he was to throw his
garment" the outer cloak or mantle.
lie was to bind on his sandals" or
wooden soles, the shoes of the poor
hen he followed the angel, but "wist''
thought, from the same root as wise)
was all dream. Peters incre-
ulity as to the occurrence witnesses
D its reality."-Burrell
Note that Peter was hidden to do
that he could: it was not all done for