Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-04-28

Trresistibly the question arises to-
day-and it runs far deeper than may
at first sight appear-how many
churches are praying for Armenia at
the present time? Are special prayer
meetings, being held anywhere in
America for these members of the
Church of Christ? In the daily pray
ers of churches and families is Arme-
MIA borne to the Throne of Grace?
How deeply are American Christians
anguished over the sufferings of the
victims of Moslem hate, and over the
plight of their fellow Christians in
Europe. Is the Body of Christ so
qui, and sensitive that it feels the
hurt in any member? If the Church
has forgotten how to pray for every
member of the Church, then we have
come upon serious days indeed.
Probably it was in the Tower OF
Antonio, the ruins of which are still
to be seen by the visitor to Jerusalem,
that Peter was incarcerated. Here
tradition says that Christ was tried.
We know not what memories and
musings filled the brain of Peter as he
lay handcuffed to his guards. but this
we are told, and the truth is n pre-
cious one, that Peter slept peacefully
in his prison cell. The Church in the
house of Mary might he awake in an
ance, but Peter slept in peace, sure
that the Power which had stilled the
waves of Galilee was equal to any
new need of his life.
While the prisoner slept the angel
same. Startled, he must have rubbed
his eyes, assuming that the summons
to death had arrived. Not always do
Gods angels come in this fashion to
deliver His people from their manifold
prisons. A few years ago, some Ko-
rean Christians were in prison for
their faith. missionary on furlough
in America told at dinner table how
those simple-minded Christians were
sure that God would send His angel
TO open their prison doors, and He
did, for partly as a result of that very
conversation there began an elaborate
and far-reaching propaganda on the
part of Christian Americans to free
the Korean Christians by the power OF
public sentiment, and this was done
We cannot always recognize the mes
sengers of heaven In the providences
of God.
When Peters chains fell and he
stood before the radiant angel, he
could not believe his eyes. He thought
he had been dreaming, and when the
prison gates opened he walked as in a
trance to the city, whose gates opened
before him. The marvellous deliver
ance seemed so amazing as to be in
credible. That is the unbroken his
tory of the Christian Church. God
has delivered His people from theiI
enemies in ways that always pass be-
lief 1t seems as if the Deliverer OF
Israel delighted in versatility and in
His surprises of grace.
The Disrupted Prayer Meeting
Once in the city Peter was left by
the angel The task of the heavenly
visitant was over. Peter could do the
rest himself. Gods help ends where
mans ability begins. There is no war.
rant for praying the Lord to do what
we should do for ourselves. Peter
could not get himself out of prison
but once. put safely in the city, he
could manage his own movements. Sc
after ponderin2 the situation he turned
toward the home of Mary, the mother
of Mark, where he knew the Christians
would be assembled.
The hour was late. Danger was
near. Herod's spies were In every
street. Nevertheless, the little com.
pany of Christians were meeting il