Anadarko daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 1908-191?, 1909-03-13
PETER DELIVERED
FROM PRISON
Sunday School Lesson for April IL, 1909
Specially Arranged for This Paper

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LESSON TEXT.-Acts i2i-it Memory
verse T.
GOLDEN TEXT. -"rhc angel of the
Lord enoampcth round about them that
fear him, and dolivercth them Psalm
Sl;7
TIME The Passover feast C'tho days
OF unlcovcncd bread" verse -, April rs.
a. d. a. Herod had LETT his capital,
Caesarea, and was in Jerusalem for the
feast.
PLACE -Jerusaicm-tho fortress OF An-
tonia, and the homo of Mary, the mother
II John Mark
RULERs.-IIerod Arrppa l.. king Of
all Palestine. tho realm of Uorod the
Great his grandfather. io was 90 years
old CEul.ua, Roman emperor. a. ID.
asa
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
During our last lcs Oh and this from
four TO six years have clap d. During
that time have occurred the founding
of the great Gentle church at Antioch
and the calling lb..tar ot Iauabas
from Jerusalem and Paul from Tarsus.
The famine, and .he nmme RELIEF sent
TO Jerusalem from Antioch
V. lilo "yeyod" the cruch. The
Greek means 90 torment. omross.
which is One meaning yoN bore fin
old English AS % climax che killed
James the brother OF John WIFI The
sword" by blhaadme. 90 mode of
death regarded as very diseraceful
among the Jows"-Ezposi, Greek
Testame.
" 4-"Whcn De had apprehcndcd
him." There had be.1 some delay aud
difficulty in arresting Peter "proba-
bly, Peter had conceded himself after
the execution OF James. but ventrcd
forth TO the feast relying on the sa-
credness OF the season. and so gave
Herod's officers opportunity 90 arrest
him. Kendall
The power or prayer that "was
made without ceasing stretched out,
either fin time or intensity either
ceaselessly or earnestly, as the r. V.
translates IT'D of the church unto God
for sim' The central meeting place
". 12) was the house of Mary the
mother of John Mark-that Mary who
wrote the gospel, and went on Pauls
first missionary journey with his cou-
sin Barnabas. He may appear, name
less, IN Mark 14:51."-Prof. H. p.
Forbes. There the Christians, going
in relays during the Passover, kept up
a continual supplication for the release
of their beloved leader, and, doubtless,
that he might be upheld in his suffer
ings, and the cause of Christ prospered
whatever might be the outcome.
Intercessory prayer-"How happy
that in all extremities, and when every
other expedient is precluded or un-
availing, the greatest of all still re-
mainsi"-John Foster. We do not use
this power half enough, or believe in
it half as strongly as we should
Peter was in prison till near the
close Of the Passover, when Herod
would have brought him forth"
Peter was not released earlier by the
angel for the same reason that often
causes delay in the answer to our
prayers-to test our faith and
strengthen our characters by the en-
durance of afiiction. This waiting,
and the bearing OF trouble, teach us
patience. courage, hopefulness, cheer
fulness and faith. What school has a
nobler curriculum?
Peter was sleeping quietly, like
David (Psa. $3.50 when Absalom and
all his foes pursued him. For so he
giveth his beloved Sleep" or "in their
sleep" (Psa. 127:2) 1t was in the
last watch of the night, between three
and six o'clock, for Peter was not
missed at three, when the guards were
changed again. In this darkest hour
which is Just before the dawn" an
"angel of the Lord came upon him"
(stood by him)-a brilliant presence
radiating light which filled the cell
Peter was sleeping so soundly that the
light did not wake him. and the angel
'smote Peter on the side" Keble, in
his poem on the subject. suggests that
Peter may have been dreaming OF his
coming execution, and may have
thought this stroke was his summons
TO It, What blessed changel Proba-
bly, the same stroke served also TO
strike of the chains that bound Peter
to the soldiers, who were held in a
profound slumber.
v. S-He was bidden: "Gird thy.
self" that is, bind his tunic Qong un-
dergarmenD with the girdle; for orr.
entails do not change their dress when
they go to rest. but merely loosen II.
Over this tunic he was to throw his
garment" the outer cloak or mantle
He was to bind on his Sandals" oP
wooden soles. "the shoes OF the poor"
Then he followed the angel, but twist"
(thought, from the same root as wise)
II was all a dream. Peters incre.
dulity as to the occurrence witnesses