The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-03-13
AcncaS and
DOrCaS
Sunday School Lesson for March IA, 1909
Specially Arranged for This Paper
Specially Arranged for This Paper


verses 40. Al
GOLDEN TEXT-"And Peter said un-
TO him. Aeneas. Jesus Christ maketh
thee whole; arise and make thy bed.
And he arose Immediately. Acts 1894.
TIME-39 or 40 A. ID. Three years aft
er the last lesson. Intervening events.
The conversion of Saul of Tarsus. HIS
absence I'm Arabia three years tGai- LII,
49, His return to Damascus. His VISIT
to Jerusalem (Acts 22:17-2D, and depart
ure to Cilicia.
PLACE.-D LYDIA. now Judd. 20 miles
northwest of Jerusalem in the Plain OF
Sharon, the old Philistine country. CD
Joppa. now Jaffa, the chief seaport of
Palestine. and especially of Jerusalem.
now connected with it by railroad 81
miles long Here Dorcas and simon
the tanner lived
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
V. 81 The story of the conversion
of Paul is passed over at this time,
to be taken up in the next quarter.
when we begin the second division OF
the Acts, the work of St. Paul. To
dwell on that great event here would
interrupt the course of the history,
and is especially fitting In connection
with the beginning of his career.
and r. V. peace throughout" the
whole province Of Palestine, consist
ing of "Judea and Galilee and Sa-
maria" A bitter persecution followed
the martyrdom of Stephen. 1t may
have lasted two or three years.
The Occasion of the Peace was the
trouble that fell upon the Jews in
conflict with the Roman authorities.
They were so occupied with their own
affairs that they had no time to perse-
cute the Christians.
Growth by NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. re-
their rapid increase; they were multi
Piled" There are two ways to be
multiplied-in numbers, and in quail
| ity and value. The disciples rapidly
| increased in numbers, and the aggre-
| gate of churches was greatly enlarged.
| Then each addition of zeal, of knowl-
edge, of wisdom, of virtue, of spirit
uality, multiplies the value of each
disciple and of the church. Every ad-
| ditional gift or virtue or talent in a
man is not merely so much added to
him, but is a multiplier, for it in
creases the value of each and every
other gift Add capital to labor, and
sense to genius. and the man is multi
| piled many fold. Add to these conse-
| Grafton, zeal, grace, and love, and you
multiply him many fold more. One
note Is a sound; add a score or two
more and you have an anthem. One
color, no matter how beautiful, is mo-
notonous; add other colors and you
have a cathedral window.
| v. 80. Peter passed throughout all
quarters" Peters first home mission
| airy work was in connection with John
in Samaria (Acts 81. They both re-
village of Samaria on the way. Now
We find Peter again on Gospel tour
throughout Palestine, preaching the
Gospel, and healing the sick. as his
credentials. and as illustrating the
spirit and nature of the GospelsA visit
ing and encouraging and teaching the
new churches formed by the perse
cuted Christians, and keeping them in
touch with the apostolic church in
Jerusalem. The accounts which fol
low may fairly be taken as specimens
of many such journeys of progress, In
spection and helpfulness.
| v. 80. He came down also to thu
saints which dwelt at LYDIA" AL
Christians were called saints, becaus,
that was their aim and the character
istic of. their lives.
". 80. Aeneas. Very nearly tn,
same name as virgils hero of Troy
Eight years." Showing that the cur,
was miraculous. sick of the palsy.
Palsy is a contraction of the wor,
paralysis"
V. SO. Jesus Christ" That is, tn
Messiah. Peter guards against beinl
thought the source of the healing. HI
draws men not to himself, but to tn
; Saviour, and shows that Jesus is still
: doing the same kinds of work he di
when he was living on earth. So tn
true preacher or teacher always draw
, | attention not TO himself, but to hi
Lord "Maketh thee whole" TIL
4 | translation ''maketh thee whole" is
Z very expressive term for complet
health, where every part of the bod
is present and in perfect condition.
VS.. 37-43. The disciples at Jopp
learning of Peters presence at Lydds
sent for him to come without della.
q apparently with some hope that tn
!. unseen Master would work through hi
q disciple Peter a miracle of restor'
:. ton such as he himself had wrougf
during his earthly life. Peter wen
o and like his master at Capernaun
v (40) put them all FORTH" Then b
\ "kneeled down, and prayed" The
with assurance of an answer, he "turl
- ing to the body, said, II
= bitha. arise" If he used the Aramai