The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1909-01-27

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Secretary and Treasurer. Chas. X. Meyers
Denison
Department secretaries are as follows: Home
department. Mrs. E. w. Pierce. De. ison Nor
NAL depart nent, Prof. E. w. Follows Denson
House to house. Mrs. Helen Cassaday Denison
Primary, Mrs. c. L. Voss. Denison. Temperance
Lyon. of Denison.
Jan. 81. Trial of Peter and John.
Acts 1920.
10 obtain full picture of the les
son of this date we will devote q
little space to explanation. We are
now studying the early days of
christianity, in the first months after
Jesus left the earth in bodily form.
and of what Peter and John did to
spread the new religion. They were
yet at Jerusalem. They taught where
ever they could obtain hearers. Our
last lesson told how Peter at the door
of the temple commanded lame man
to walk, in the name of Jesus, and
that he was made we'll. This drew
to Peter and John great crowd of
people to whom Peter declared that
the lame man had been cured in the
name of Jesus of Nazareth and called
on his hearers to believe on His
name. Such was the excitement
caused by the miracle and the earnest
talk of Peter that the temple author
tiles came forward and put Peter and
John under arrest and held them in
Jail over night. On the following
day there was gathering of the high
Jewish authorities. presided over by
the high priest, and the lowly fisher
man were brought forth for trial and
questioning. This trial and the words
of Peter make up the verses of the
lesson of this date.
Peter was bold in his declarations
that Jesus. whom many of his hearers
had helped put to death. had risen
from the dead and assembled into heav-
en-; that he was the stone which the
builders lad set at naught which hi d
become the head of the corner. This
was quotation from the declaration
of David in the 11S Psalm. This
familiarity of the supposed ignorant
Peter with the sayings of the great
man David profoundly impressed the
learned Jews and the record says they
marvelled at the intelligence of their
prisoners. It was clear that nothing
could be done with them by examina-
tion and the bystanders were out hear
ing more about Jesus, so it was de-
cided to warn them not to talk any
more about Christ. The answer of
Peter to this command brings to the
front two great verses Of the lesson.
I" Whether it be right in the sight of
God to ,harken unto you more than to
God, judge ye.' "For we can not
but speak the things which we have
seen and heard
Here we come in contact with one
of the great, towering, firm rock. de-
clarations of the world. On this
rock have stood all the great religious
teachers of the past. Beginning with
Jesus himself and down, Peter. Steph-
en-, James. Paul, the founders of the
early christian church. those who
planted the Roman Catholic church
through Europe and throughout the
world. Martin Luther. John Knox,
the Wesleys. those who have gone out
to tell the gospel story wherever
opposition confronted them. BIT this
comes closer home than the people
named. Every reader of this column
is called upon to make the decision of
Peter and John. 1t is this. "Will
do what God wants me to do and my
conscience says is right. or will l dc
what man wants me to do. what will
make my life easy. will make me en-.
counter no opposition, make me popu-
lar with companions, make me rich anc
comfortable in the estimation of peo-
pie about me" If the consequences
were not counted every one would say
II will harken to God and do Hi.
Will" 1t is only when one faces
the results of this stand, that the,
weaken and make excuses. There il
a call this very day for all who call
themselves Christians. and thus know
that what God wants them to do. t,
stand for the right. and determine
they will serve God rather than man