The Washington herald., 1909-02-13

tsched charge I'VE must obey God
rather than men, The God OF our an
cestors has raised Jesus from the grave.
whom you yourselves put TO death BY
hanging Him on a cross. II was a grim
fashion Of the prosecuted apostles 10
throw repeatedly into the teeth Of their
accusers the charge that they were the
murders of the Messiah. That was not
an seton Of tinorous men. II was pos
sibie, Of course. for the authorities 10
put the Christians into jail: but in jail or
out, the latter had in their hearts peace
aud a liberty 10 which these ecclesiasti-
cal potentates were utterly strangers.
NEWS TOO GOOD To KEEP.
Sometimes news just bubbles out Of a
persons lips. He Is so full that he can
not restrain himself from speech. Barrie,
in one OF his stories. tells how the Scotch
peasant Corp had at last been accepted
by his sweetheart, Gavinia- In his ex-
uberance he hailed everybody he met and
told them the good news. He climbed
hill 10 an old woman's cottage and said:
odd woman. I don't know who you are,
but I Just want to tell you that Gavinia
viii have ne"
That is a lover 70 whom everybody s
heart warns. And the same type OF re-
ligiOn which cannot be repressed or con
ceaied, but Overfiows so that in the case
OF the disciples. it flied all Jerusalem,
is the religion that the world respects and
studies. The one supreme business in
life Of these early Christian men and
women was telling over and over the
story OF the crucifed Christ Whether
they were in prison or at labor. or before
s~Ea 49,
populace, there spTang 10 their lips the
good news OF the Crucifed, which is the
heart Of the Gospel Of Acts
Peter made a significant point in his
answer 10 the SanhedTin on this occa-
sion: We are witnesses TO the truth Of
this, and so Is the Holy Spirit With
quiet confidence he postulated the ire
mendous assumption that the Christians
were fellow-partners with the Spirit OF
God in bearing testimony 10 Jesus Some
one has said that every Christian who
undertakes 10 tell the good news is CO
worker with God. a cO-sufferer with
Christ. and a cO-witness with the Spirit
That should be dignity and reward and
work enough for any mortal, since the
very angels in heaven may not lay claim
10 so high privilege. SO permeated by
the spirit Of Jesus has the world become
that in the entire realm Of Intellectual
life to-day il is admitted that every man
owes the Hottest truth he knows q the
fsrthest man who needs Il and whom he
can reach.
SOME ANGRY JUDGES.
Sometimes truth breaks hearts or soft
ems them: but sometimes II only hardens
the hearts of the hateful The Sanhedrin
grew furious upon hearing the words OF
Peter. They wanted 70 put him 10 death.
as illegally as they had a few years be-
fore put 10 death his Master
Among them was a wise man, Or. Gam
aliel. who applied a test and uttered
warning that are universally true. He
said: Let them alone, for II these de-
signs and these proceedings are only OF
human origin they viii come 20 an end
but II they are OF divine origin you VIII
he pOweriess 10 end them That test
Christianity has stood The Ssnhedrin
was powerless to arrest the growth Of
the little church. SO was mighty Rome
So was all heathendom So was all inf
del learning. SO were the powers Of
darkness themselves
The warning which Gam4liel added
babe them to beware lest they find them
selves ngnting GOO 20 long as IN any
cause OF under any banner a man fights
on Gods side he can be happy. peaceful.
and successful The minute he finds him
self, in his heart or in open conflict, ar
rayed against God, then misery and fail
IRE are certain 10 ensue
ATrOgantly and Unwarrantably fogging
the disciples, the council grudgingly dis
charged them. because they were afraid
to do otherwise. The apostles left the
council chamber, sore but satisfied. heed
less Of the 1Ogging and rejoicing that
they had had the honor to be disgraeed
in support OF the cause. Without regard
10 the imp0tent commands Of the rulers
they continued to fulfill their great life
ambition. as the narrative runs Never
for single DAY. either in the temple or
in private houses, did they discontinue
teaching or telling the good news of Je-
sus the Christ