The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1909-02-06
Sabbath School
NOTES BY r. 6. HOLMES.
Lesson VI. February 2, 1909
TRUE AND FALSE BROTHER
llnnA
(Ac,s 4: 32-s: III

Lying lips are an abomination to
men, too. Falsehood is at the bottom
OF almost every crime.
President Roosevelt has said con
siderable about "a square deal. This
Golden Text talks about "a truly deal
Let us keep out OF the way that
makes "abominaiion. Let us he God S
delight
When Peter and John had been re-
leased by the Sanhcdrin they returned
10 their own company and declared all
that they had said and done. Then
there was a great prayer-mecting and
a strong rejoicing. Those first Jerusa-
lem disciples were courageous. There
has never been a more marked exhibit
ton OF faith in Jesus than was shown
in tina, first year.
oh God. give us such faith and
give il now.
II was simple faith.
Jesus was Christ.
1t was n faith for rich and poor.
learned and ignorant alike. There was
no theology about it.
Its creed was easy. Il believe in
God the Father. etc" will express it.
The lesson is called True and False
Brotherhood. The true part Is found
in Acts q 32-27.
The false brother is Ia be found in
Acts s: III.
vs.. A. ui Chapter 4 shows the very
highest form OF brothcrly love. One
heart. one soul" in the whole multitude.
That was ideal But such a condition
could not last forever II is a picture
Of what the true Kingdom ni God will
be when God has become all IN all to
the Church,
vs.. 80 There are two greats" in
this verse Great power. great
grace"
Nncn one has great thing To- say,
he almost always has great power
The one thing these apostles said
was, God has raised Jesus from the
dead
The great grace was the divine gilt
vs.. a. No one was lacking anything
There was plenty ui money. Each
person who had property sold 1t and
put the money into one common treas
ury.
The Church could not i've SO now,
II is too large But suppose il could.
Suppose IN any town, the results OF
business and al the money that was
made by Christian, could be in one
treasury. and everyone drew from II
for individual wants. what world this
would be II that could be honestly
done and universally done, the world
would be converted To- God IN de
eadc
That Was the first Commune at the
Christian era There have been many
experiments nj communism since. but
each fail, because it gets away from
Christ,
God did not allow this first one to
continue very hong. Jerusalem was a
dish into which Christians settled God
turned the ssh bottom upwards after
4 time and spilled them out into all the
world
vs., IS This shows the position OF
the apostles in the company. They
we're the center. They received the
money They controlled its cxpcndi-
lures they were the directors 81 the
affairs at the Commune That wa,
natural and proper l'ut there have
been uo successors to them III this
mini>tra,iuu God very soon pu, a
stop to 1t ALL There Was too much
danger IN it,
NsS. 56-E rh, introduces not
able man from the isle 81 Cyprus His
name We all know A. BarnabaS. lie
was 4 good man. one 81 the best 81 his
age. lie was rich man. and he gave
all his money to the apostles OF
course. everyone kucw il. and he was
probably marked man at once. lie
is doubles, introduced rs a contrast
"a the man III Chapter 5
Barnaba>. son ri consolation
He believed III Jesus.
Ile jgyS9uk his home aud gave his
lie to Jesus.
He had fortune and gave It all to
Jesus
No man can do more Any man can
do as much. God does not ask such
conservation 81 every man, but he does
expcc, such spirit,
The picture ri the true brother given
in these six verses is very complete.
/. He loves God with all his heart
> Tie loves ,rod's children rs II they
were his own
4. He recognizes tina, he has what
he has only because God gave il to him.
4 He feels that every child oi God
is his own brother and is entitled to all
the love he can show.
s. he is true IN all his acts.
4. He does not pretend 10 he one
thing when he is beng another.
:. lie never tries To cheat anyone.
& He is not hall inr God and hall
for himself
o. True brotherhood gets right into
the other mans place. and helps.
Chapter s pictures the false brother.
The world has laughed a great deal
about AnaniaS and Sapphira. We will
not join the laugh.
Every child knows the story. Anan.
las and his wife owned property. The
preaching ni some OF the apostles
caused them tn accept Jesus. They
saw wlia, all the disciples were. freely
doing. There was no law to compel
them to sell their property. But Others
were doing it. They did not want 10
leave the band They wanted 10 do
their mart but they also wanted Ia