Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1909-01-28
The Trial of
Peter and John
Sundsy SehOol Lessen for Jan. 81, 1909
Specially Arranged for This Paper

LESSON TExT,--Acts I:5-so Memory
verses II, ~.
GOLDEN TEXT-They were oil nlied
with the Holy Ghost, and they spako the
word Of God with boldnesB.
TtME.-The same afternoon ns the last
lesson, and the following morning. few
weeks or months. possibly year OF more
after Pentecost.
PLACEs.-soiomon' porch in the tenn
pie court: n prison; the hall of tho san
hedrlm near the temple: a private room
| In the city.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
The miracle OF healing the we'll
known lame beggar; Peters sermon
proclaiming Jesus rs the expected
Messiah. and charging the Jews, espe-
cially their rulers. with the crime of
numbering him, but calling on them
10 repent and be saved; and the fact
that thousands became the disciples of
Jesus and Joined the new, enthusiastic
community, all this aroused the lead.
ers to put stop to this religion which
was turning tho world upside down"
"a The Jewish authorities found
| that the new religious movement was
the installation OF new station for
the distribution OF currents OF infiu.
entail opinion" and they determined
TO cut the wires, and stop the flow OF
the current; but the only results were
a shock TO themselves. and more pow.
or and more lights. (2) "Foolsl they
thought II they could but wiring the
neck Of the Growing cock It would
| never be day ID
While these 5000 were all Jews,
they were something more; new
stamp was on them (Stiher), a new
perfume, a new atmosphere was
around them. new light shone in
their characters. They became new
forces in the world. There was some
such change in them as transformed
Peter and John, the fishermen, into
apostles who changed the face Of the
world.
The Comfort OF the Imprisoned
Apostles.-'The speakers went to pris-
on; their words took wings. and few
to the uttermost parts Iof the earth.
Hero is a beautiful mar6el. What vi.
tality is in spoken word! No won
der that men like Joubert and Elmer.
son toll like slaves to put a thought
into perfect language! Who would
not DO content TO go to prison, or TO
death, II he could leave something like
tho Twenty-third Psalm or the Beati.
tudes, or the thirteenth chapter OF /
Corinthians, as his legacy to the
world? Behind those prison bars the
apostles comforted themselves by re.
Wondering that they had uttered
words which would not return TO Jesus
Christ void, but would accomplish the
work whereunto he had sent them."--
Charles Frederic Goss.
The hall OF the sanhedrim, accord
Ing to both the latest great cyclope
dlas. was within the temple court. The
the president in the center while op,
posite were three benches for the
scholars OF the sanhedrists, who thus
practically learned law.
| " S. Then Peter, filled with the
Holy Ghost" In fulhllment Of
Christs promise Matt. 1919. 2O).
Thus Peter was given courage TO
speak the truth, and guided to the
choice OF the right things to say. and
N'tN hN"A way VI aas lhk Hio
was his first experience in speaking
before this august assembly, and he.
an unlearned fisherman, may well have
quailed before such a tribunal with
such power over his fortunes, even
while he rejoiced at the opportunity
to preach the Gospel to them. Peter.
filled with the Holy Ghost is n thou.
sand Peters: Peter multiplied by the
very Deity. Peter--a straw blown
away by the mocking wind, by himself
But Peter filled with the Holy Ghost
was n man OF war, a mighty captain. n
soldier not to be put down; clothed
with heavenly panoply, eloquent with
heavens thunder, gracious with heav.
ems love" "Ye rulers and
elders" Peter is respectful, but these
very titles imply that they should be
leaders In every good work, and favor
all that would help the people.
v. II. This is the stone which waI
set at nought OF you builders
Peter applies to the sanhedrim the
Psalm (11S:22), which he had heard
the Master use to a deputation from
this same sanhedrim. This symbolic
imagery seems to have been drawn
from one Of the stones. Quarried. hewn
and marked, away from the site OF the
temple. which the builders, ignorant OF
the head architects plans. or finding
on II no mark, had put ON one side AZ
having no place in the building, but
which was found afterward TO DO thai
on which the completeness OF the
structure depended. the head OF the
corner"---on which. as the chief cor
ner stone. the two walls met and were
bonded Observation-Disclosures.
v. %. On their return ito their own
company" they. all joined In a hymn
OF praise, quoting Pisa. 1866 and Pisa
AL, 2. perhaps singing che whole OF
these psalms. Past deliverances oi
Gods people gave assurance OF tri
umph now.