Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-23

neaft fuli or thanks. lie Htted up MS
voice with praise to God as he went. He
had been touched with the holy fire. The
spiritual blessing exceeded the physical.
causing him TO ascribe his new bodily
powers to the Almighty. And that was
proof that the work wrought was not OF
man, hut of God.
woNDERING.-At that hour of the
day many had repaired to the temple to
pray. They had all seen this man as he
sat asking for aims. and many had cast
a penny into his pleading hand. Recos
nizing him as the same person. they were
amazed Had he been a deceiver? Or
II; as he professed: he was a cripple
what had changed him? To increase the
bewilderment they noticed that the man
chung to Peter and John as his bene-
factors. His affectionate grasp attracted
attention. A crowd gathered in Solo
mons porch and sazed intently on tho
three. a man suddenly restored and two
plain Gallilean fishermen was all they
saw. Whence came the power? How
had it been used? What did it all sig
Nifty A similar occurrence in our day
would cause great commotion. and men
OF science would institute a searching in
vestigation. At that time. when less was
known OF nature. people were more cred
ulous MAT. xii:39) and in the presence
OF remarkable physical phenomena they
waited. anxious and expecting. Behind
1t all they believed something supernat-
ural resided. Of whc.e nature they de-
DISCLAIMING.-Tha was a. criti-
cal moment In the career of the apostles
and in the history of the church. People
are always disposed TO glorify one who
does great work. supposing that the
ability is lodged in him. 1t would have
1een easy on that occasion for Peter and
John to secure a large personal follow
ing. Later an attempt was made to
deify one of them Acts. xiv:Is) under
similar circumstances With great prompt.
ness Peter put in disclaimer AS he
saw the people looking on him ne de-
ciared that they had not by their own
power or holiness cured the lame man.
feelings of improper reverence that NAV
nave awakened in any mind, and turned
me thousht OF the assembly to new the
ories or the deed. In all this the apos-
n uispiaEed a true Christian spirit
Ihey did not desire any to think Of them
1.her IMAM as ordinary men (Acts, XVIII.
lneF were not willing to let down the
iolty doctrines of Christianity to the low
pIahe or the hero worship and begin an
other of those systems which amh;,io,
ana pride have imposed upon humanity.
nEH EA RSING.-One popularity ap-
pears IN all the apostolic history-they
basis of reality and made II rest on facts
;Nothlng In all their preaching was al
IoWeo that had for its only support senti-
,nent or theory Il Thess.. v:21) Hence,
having dlsciaimed any personal ability to
work miracle. Peter proceeded to make
ms hearers understand the great events
In the life of Jesus. by which He was
proven to be the Messiah oversees 13-15I.
ines; Inc God OF Abraham" he began. de-
sisnedly appealing to them as the pos
terity of that great patriarch, so gaining
FAVOR CActs, xiii:26. Then followed the
outlines of the old. Old story. concerning
;J IsSu up to death. denied.
k tahe raised up. glorifed. 1t does not
TAKE many minutes to tell the bare sub.
stance OF the wonderful life. the sacr-
ncsai oHering. the resurrection and the
lnnnite glory of the Christ. But in the
rev rev, words employed Peter breathed forth
MS whole SOUL and made his utterances
sharpened arrows to smite the guilty and
arouse the slumbering consciences Eye
denied. we desired Eye killed" were
SET over against God raised and God
s.orlned 1t was a faithful accuser who
duct. WIZ
ASCRIBING.-The opportunity was
now onered. and Peter improved it, to
oeggar had become a shouting. leaning.
wnole man. Jesus had done II. the cru
clned, g!orif1ed Jesus was at work. as in
the days OF His flesh duke, xix 80 But
portant part, indeed; the divine side of il.
Inc human side needed also to be heard.
Jesus did not work arbitrarily and indis-
criminately. His cure was conditioned
upon the faith OF the man (verse 16). We
are confirmed in the opinion expressed in
former paragraph that the spiritual ma
ture not less than the physical was in
vowed In that look toward the apostle
the beggar believed in the name OF Jesus
ara 1t was in response to that belief that
ne had received power to stand on his
feet. power to give thanks unto God The
apostles ascribed 1t all to the mans faith
ana TO Christs power. working together.
In this was set forth the cardinal doc
trine OF Christianity. What can our Lord
do without human confidence? Matt,
Xin:os) what can man do without d.
vine help? ACTS xvi:3D.
.CONCLUSION.-Of late years there
has been some criticism, not altogether
unjust. because the church did not paw
more attention to mans bodily needs An
awakened humanitarianism has measur-
ably turned away this reproach But our
lesson indicates the true spirit and atti-
tude Of Christians toward the unfortu-
blessing alone, but both together that
ought to be carried. The soul is indeed
of most value Mark, viii:36D, and should
therefore, receive more attention. 1t is
probable that deliverance from sin would
include the deliverance from more than
half of the physical ailments that aff1ict
mankind. 1t is better to offer the power
of new life than to bestow gold and
silver. but frequently the new life will
bring the gold and silver Christi--ity's
highest boast is that ii carries the gospel
to the poor Matt. xi:5,. and the trou-
bled (Matt.. M:2S). But that gospel is
the germ of all temporal good Matt
vi:33) The true minister will take the
inf1rm by the hand and new healing
power will attend that touch. Let all
the weary and the weak look up and be-
lieve. Christ received into any life trans
forms ii.