The Tupelo journal., 1909-04-02
PETER AND
CORNELIUS
Sunday School Lesson for April 4, 1908
Specially Arranged for This Paper

LESSON TExT.-Acts 1O1-2O Memory
verses 1915
GOLDEN TExT.-"Tn every nation he
that feareth him, and worketh righteous
ness. is accepted with him. Acts. 1875
TIME.-38-40 A. d.
PLACES.-Joppa and Caesarea. Ine
traditional house Of Simon the tanner
Is typical eastern dwelling, with heavy
barred gateways and a forbidding, WIN
dowless exterior. The waves of the Medi-
terranean beat against the low outer
wall, while in the courtyard Is spring
of pure water which tradition tells US
was used by Simon.'-Rev. FRANCIS
e. Clark, ID. d.
RULERS. -Herod Agrippa. king of Jul
dea and Samaria. Caligula, emperor OF
Rome.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
'The main purpose Of the book Oh
the Acts Is to untold the broadening
spirit and form of the church OF Cod
Theodore T. Munger, d. ID. This
chapter (Acts 1O) is parallel In i'm
portance with that which depicted the
scenes of Penticost." o. Mears,
D. D.
Cornelius was a centurion, CORE
spending to our captain, the head OF
company of soldiers numbering lou
when full. This company was part OF
the cohort called the Italian baud"
because made up of Romans born In
Italy.
~ He was "a devout man. and one
that feared God" The words have a
technical sense" says McGiffert, and
indicate that Cornelius worshiped the
God of the Jews, but was not formally
a proselyte. (2) He was good nus
band and father, and led "all his
house" in his own righteous ways. 90
He was liberal, and gave much aims
to the people" (4) He was not only
outwardly devout, but inwardly pious,
and prayed to God always In these
secret prayers we may be sure, from
the sequel, that he sought TO- better
knowledge of God and Of Gods will,
for that is what was given him ". ~.
| (5)Moreover (Acts 10: 22). Cornelius
carried his religion into practical at.
fairs, where he was just and fair deal
ing; and co as the result Of it all. he
was held in high honor by the Jews
themselves (Acts 10: 22), as well az
by the Gentiles. 1t would nave been
impossible to find better man for
Gods purpose, or one who would have
appealed more strongly to Peter.
1.-THE sixth hour" (noon) was "a set
| time of devotion with pious Jews. -
Geikie. Peter had retired from his
comrades in toll, for perhaps he helped
| Simon in his tannery, and nowhere
better than upon the housetop" could
| he find privacy and quiet fer prayer.
| The roofs of eastern houses are fiat
and often surrounded with parapet
three or four feet high, which would
screen Peter from observation as he
| knelt. He was very hungry" for he
probably had not yet broken his fast.
| -Rackham. They were preparing
| food below, and perhaps the SAVIOR oil
! it rose to the housetop, hut before
it was ready Peter fell into trance"
! The Greek word for trance is different
from the word for Cornelius vision.
| A vision is something seen outside
ones self; trance is the condition oil
ones mind, that sees inner visions.
One is not asleep, and it is not
dream, but peculiar exaitation oil
| the spirit. In this trance Peter saw,
let down from the sky, a great sheet,
like "the wind-stretched canvas of the
craft on the Lake of Galilee. '-Lumby.
1t was full of animals, many of them
the wild beasts and reptiles which the
Jews considered unclean. Three times
a mysterious voice babe Peter rise
from his knees and slay and eat the
| shocking food, three times he refused
in horror. three times he was hidden
to make nothing unclean that God
| had cleansed by bidding him partake
of it. and then the great sheet was
lifted and disappeared In the sky.
The messengers from Cornelius
"had made inquiry for Simon's house"
(the Greek word implies a careful
search through the Streets, and while
Peter was meditating on his vision.
they were even then at the gate, and
calling for him. Before word of his
visitor could reach him, the Holy
Shirt in some way made Peter con-
scious of their coming, and babe him
GO with them.
The outstretched sheet which Peter
saw in his vision signified the whole
world. and the four corners symbol
lied the directions, north, south, east
and west. in which the gospel was to
| .oa Tho coutantc 0f tha sheet
showed that all men were to be
reached. the lowest races as well as
the highest, savage and civilized, poor
| and rich, ignorant and wise. 1t was a
perfect symbol of foreign missions.
From every nation on earth immi
| grants are pouring into the United
| States at the rate of more than mill
ion a year. America is the modern
| eouivalent of the sheet OF Peters
vision. full of clean and unclean, men
| of all languages, beliefs, customs, help
/ ful and hurtful, blessings and
/ scourges. The work of homo missions
;s to believe in all these, love them all.
and win them all for Jesus Christ.
Peter obeyed promptly and gladly
taxing one step toward fellowship
/ with the Gentiles by entertaining the
three messengers over night in ST.
mons house. The cause of this obedi.
ence: "a The influence of his own
vision. (2) coupled with that of Cor.
nelius matching it'with evident super
natural design, go together with the
| influence of the Holy Spirit upon his