Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1909-01-23
THE LANE MAN
HEALED
Sunday School Lesson Cor Jan. "a, 1909
Specially Arranged for This Paper

A<t-s,t'CAN Ia A.--AClS o.l-lo. Memory
GOLDEN TEXT-"TIis name. through
faith In his name, hath made this man
strong. whom ye see and know."-Acts
3.ls
TIME.-The time is unknown within
one or more years. Possibly the event
or this lesson took place not long after
Bentecost In the summer Of A d. 80 But
since IL was connected with prosecutions
X may have been year or two later
FLACE--Jerusalem in the outer court
OF the temple near the beautiful gate
which led from the outer court the Court
or the Gentiles. TO the Court OF the Wom-
en-. /. e. the court ia which women were
allowed but beyond which they could not
go Peters sermon was preached in
solomon's porch on the east side OF the
Court OF the Gentiles
PLACE IN HISTORIAN example OF
the work OF Christianity, and the begin
ming OF persecution.
Comment and Suggestive Thouqht.
The Old and New Forms of Worship.
1t was the custom of the early Chris
uans TO worship in their old accus-
toned way as well as in the new ways
taught them by the Spirit. II they
broke the old bottles" before the
new bottles" were prepared. they
would lose the very spirit and power
Of worship. AS it was. they filled the
old forms full OF the spirit of worship.
and thus were prepared to use the
new alone.
V. 2. And a certain man lame" All
we know of him is CD that he was born
lame; CD his lameness was caused
by weakness of his feet and ankles
w. .; CD he was unable to walk:
Cd he was poor; 60 he had been
lame 40 years (Acts 4:22) WAS car
ried." Was being carried" possibly
at the same time that Peter and John
were entering. Whom they laid"
Were accustomed 70 lay" as the
tense shows. AT the gate" Zone OF
the several gates) "of the temple"
The woid includes not only the house
but the courts and their buildings.
Which is called Beautiful" Prob
ably the gateway between the Court
OF the Gentiles and the Court OF
the Women. where the Jews went
for worship. This gateway had mag
nificent doors of Corinthian brass IS
feet high, and adorned with plates OF
silver and gold.
The Gate Beauuful-There are
many beautiful gates in life to higher
and better things The Gate of Hope.
the Gate OF Love. the Gate OF Char
acter, the Gate OF Faithfulness. the
Gate Of Prayer. Jesus Christ is the
Beautiful Gate TO eternal life.
Such As Have Give / Thee.-Only
such as a person has can he give to
others. and only in so far as he really
possesses it. Pictures OF fire will not
warm. nor will semblances OF virtues
impart virtues II a man has money
he can give money. II he has truth
he can impart truth. II one has cour-
age, hope. love. goodness. he can in
fuse them into other souls. n he him
self is fun OF doubts. hate. ill-temper.
bad passions. IL is these he will i'm
part 60 those around him, and by no
means can such a one impart to 9th
ers the good he has not himself.
Hence IL is that the most important
element in teaching and in preaching
is the man behind them A cold
church cannot warm the impenitent 10
life We cannot kindle others unless
we ourselves are on fire.
The test OF true religion is its power
20 help men. TO relieve suffering. to
transform the lives Of men. The Cos
pei Of Christ lis the power Of God IN
10 salvation TO everyone that be-
lieves;' that is. 90 everyone who is
willing TO receive the salvation.
Christianity is nothing. according
20 the writer's OF the New Testament
1nless il moves in the realm OF pow
er."-C. f. Jefferson.
Does the church exert its whole
power Of healing disease and aIleviat.
ing suffering? There has been a sad
neglect Of the power Of prayer and
faith. and OF personal uplift for the
sick and suffering. Christian Science
is a reaction against this neglect
Professors of psychology are begin
ming TO advocate the power OF mind
over body. Doctors are using this
power more than hitherto. Many dis
eases can be shaken of by simply lift.
ing up the tone of the interior life
Elizabeth Barrett was a sick woman.
confined to her bed, and Robert
Browning called upon her. She fell
in love with him. and her love for
him lifted her out OF bed and gave
her health again. Anything that quick
ems the emotions. and fills the heart
with thoughts OF God. must have its
influence en- every organ of the body.
aud make il more difficult for disease
to work it's ravages there. &C. 4. JEFF
ferson.
Experience Of the Emmanuel Epis
copal Church In Boston.-Under Or
Worcester. the rector. and his assist
ant, Rev. Samuel McComb, ID. d., a
remarkable work was done In 1867,
for the cure of the i'll in body and
soul. especially for the victims OF neu-
rasthenia, or. as 1t is popularity called.
nervous prostration." Many have
been greatly benefited.
One OF the needs OF the church to
day is more emphasis on the power of
God, on the uplifting, encouraging
power OF the gospel TO triumph over
the ills OF man.
However. this Is only a lesser one
of the ways in which the gospel is re
lieving the sick and suffering.
Medicine Is a gift OF God as really