The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-06-15
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BILE suspicion, got together and sent
him a letter of love and encourage
ment, and stood together by him until
the court had acquitted him of the
charge. That is the apostolic way
of doing things. While Peter was in
prison the church united all it's spirit
ual forces, and continued in earnest
prayer for his relief. That is the
sort of prayer which God hears while
We are yet s~peaking,' for the prayer
meeting had not broken up before
Peter, released by an angel. stood
knocking without at the door.
The mysterious spiritual forces
which it seems that the mind Of men
can affect in this material realm. and
the profound spiritual forces which
prayer unleashes in Gods universe,
should ever be employed in offices Of
Gods people are in need because of
Gods name. thither shou;d hasten he
prayers and loving fellowship of all
who bear the Name. The missionaries
on trial in the Congo for bearing Wit
ness to the truth the disciples in
Asia Minor persectu"d for their faith,
the native Christians in many heather
lands who must DAY 4 price for their
discipleship-an hou,i be the chject
of the tendereSt solicitude of the en-
tire Church in the world.
A HistOry-Making Man..
Good times are ushered in by good
men. When God wants to do big
things in the world he brings on the
scene of action some great-spirited
men. Thus we find the Apostle Paul
appearing in the history of the apos-
tolic Church. 1t has been OF tonic
effect for the Sunday-schools to be
brought into association with Paul
and with Peter and their fellow
workers.. All of US are inclined 70
boast of the distinguished men we
know, and to claim relationship With
even n remotest ancestors who have
any reason for celebrity. BY the
, same token we should cultivate this
good society Of the men and women
of sacred history.
Why should we not be SedulOuS t.
take some time apart from the news
paper every day, where we come int1
association with the lowest and the
meaneSt and the emDtieSt people of
our time, in order that we may Guilt
Vate Peter and Paul and Barnabas and
stephen and Doctor Luke and young
Timothy? There is an old lady who
moves constantly in this good society
and she told me a few days ago thai
when she gets to heaven there are a
great many things she wants to ask
the disciples and Abraham and Isaa,
and David.
The new Christian Church needed a
Paul. AS the risen Jesus looked doNn
upon this choice young man, with
all his misdirected energies, he yearn-
ed to have him in his service. anH
even went in person TO enlist him IT
discipleship. That IS the way Pau
was transformed from his career as q
chief prosecutor Of Christians to tn,
chief apostle of Jesus. PauTS own life
and work is a more powerful apollo
getic for his doctrine than any of ths
theological that came from
his pen. A great life lived in the
name and the power of Jesus is the
unansWerable Christian argument.
"A Once Famous, Now Smitten City.
The cables have been burdened with
same city of Antioch of which the
Sunday schools have been learning
through these recent lessons. For
Antioch has been drenched with the
blood of those who still bear the
name Of Christian. which was first
that ancient city. So also Tarsus, the
birthplace of Paul. has r~esounded
with the shrieks of the dying and per-
secuted Christians as they fell before
the rifles n swords of the Moslem
fanatics. From many points Of Asia
and Asa Minor the same tale is re-
peated. Why does not the present
day Christian Chuch feel it's Old-time
unity? Ancient Antioch heard the
plea of suffering Jerusalem. Should
not Christian Europe and Christian
America hear the plea Of Antioch?
Our various religious declarations
are getting together to stress their
orthodoxy or their liberality, but
where are they getting together te
make claimant the voice Of an out
ragged and sympathetic twentieth cen
fury C~hristendom? The cry Of the
East should be met by a returning
hail Of brotherhood and OF succor
Nav it not be true that Christianity
after twenty centuries. is less Chris
tan than it was when Antioch sent
of its choicest and best to the service
of the world. and poured out lavishly
Of it's substance for the succor OF the
needy mother Church?
The Church That Swarmed.
This Antioch Christian church pos