The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1916-04-08
INTERNATIONAL
SUNDNYSTOOL
LESSON
(By e. O. SELLERS, Acting Director Of
Sunday School Course Of the Moody
Bible Institute, Chicago)
Copyright, 1916, Western Newspaper Union.)
LESSON FOR APRIL 9
AsNEAs AND DoRcAs.

Step by step the Gospel can be
traced, spreading itself, but begin
ming at Jerusalem" Paul's CONVEX
sion is one of the greatest evidences
of Christianity. The two miracles OF
today's lesson are additional evidence
that it is of God.
l. At LYDIA Tvs. 32-35). Caligula,
emperor of Rome in A. d. SO, ordered
his statue to be erected in Jerusalem
that he might be worshiped as a god
there as elsewhere. The excitement
and conflict which arose in opposition
to this sacrilege lasted for two years,
during which time Christian persecu-
lions ceased. Following Saul's visit
at Jerusalem. and during this time of
quiet, Peter made this tour of vista
ton. Lydia (moderr Ludd) is about
twenty-five miles northwest of Jeru-
salem. Here dwelt certain saints ".
32) literally holy ones" converted
disciples of Christ, not ones of spe-
cial honor, for all who are members
VI lhG bOug VI SAlloNg alO oAAN
(Phil. I'D. Here also dwelt Aeneas,
"a certain man." possibly not a believ-
er, but having great need ", 26:3:2;
1911, 1873; 9:10), and of years stand
ing ". 33). Notice Luke, the physi-
clans careful record. Peter must have
seen many such, yet this man is one
Peter found; he was evidently look
ing for him. Peters pity was not SEN
timental but practical and his words
powerful. for back of them was the
Living and Powerful Christ. He
knew who could work a cure. The
long WEAKNESS is to be relieved. Yet
those days of illness gave time for
meditation and probably prepared the
mans heart to respond in faith to
Peters words. Peter does not attract
attention to himself. but rather to
Jesus. His was but to be the instru-
ment of the cure. The healing was a
means to an end, for when those who
dwelt in LYDIA and Sharon ". $50
heard of the miracle, or saw this
healed man, it was to them a demon
stratlon of the power of the risen
Christ, and they turned to the Lord"
". 35). There is TO comparing Peter
with modern "healers." Peters words
and actions were a living demonstra-
ton, not for profit, of the power Of
Jesus in his life and testimony. Il
we of this day would show more Of
that same nearness to the same
source of power there would be more
turning of men and women, boys and
girls, to Jesus, and more healing of
broken hearts. Our power is in in
verse ratio to our nearness to Jesus.
II. At Joppa Tvs. Sc: 49,. Joppa
was the only seaport the Jews ever
possessed for themselves. It was and
is still a rather insignificant town,
and now marks the beginning of the
railroad leading to Jerusalem, 35
miles distant. No name is recorded
of any of it's rich or prominent citi-
zens, only that Of an humble woman.
The record of her life, however, is
inspiring ". 36), and her name is a
common one adopted by organizations
of women. Like her master her life
was full of good deeds; like him
she was not ministered unto, but
ministered. This is real greatness
and it is open to all of us. Her name
+"Tabitha" (Hebrew), Dorcas Greek
means gazelle, which in the East is a
favorite type of beauty. This certain
disciple" was beautiful in life as we'll.
for she was first a believer, then a
doer. We believe in order to do, not
do in order to believe. This woman
L. oror,DIn 80 fbn u-fca ond 90 noh1
woman mentioned in Prov. 31:10-31,
a picture we'll worth studying in these
days of the feminist movement" She
is a good type to be followed by
church women, and by us all in the
fact that her reputation rested upon
deeds which she did" ". 36), not
ones she was about to do, nor did she
wait for some great opportunity Of
service. The life of Dorcas reveals
one of the causes of the triumph Of
Christianity in the Roman empire. II
was a source of wonder that those
early Christians should so love eacf
other. The reason why Dorcas wa!
allowed to die lies in the providence
of God. He loved his work and thii
recorded incident has served to rais'
up multitudes of other Decreases. He
death also reveals that being full o
good works and aims deeds" does no
exempt his servants from sickness ant
death, and that God evidently has 9th
er purposes in sickness than to chas
tise our sin or to humble our prid,
John 9:3, II Kings 1910. The friend
of Dorcas were folks of faith, for a.
yet there was no case of apostoli,
power to raise the dead so far as W,
know, and it was now about ten year
after the resurrection OF Christ
Doubtless they had heard OF the cur
ing of Aeneas, and hence dared to ap
peal to Peter on behalf of the one the!
loved so dearly. Dorcas had built
monument with a needle, and in tina
upper room ~. 39) it was shown Il
Peter as a visible evidence of her lf,
work. Post norton benefaetions d,
not count much with God."-Torrey
Peter followed the example of hi
Lord (Lhke S:2. 54), dismissed al
spectators and prayed" ". 400. TIL
way 70 revive a dead pastor, church
school. personal experience, or pei
son dead in trespasses and SINS" 1