Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1916-04-26
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson v.-Second Quarter, April
80, 1916.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text of the Lesson, Acts xii, LII
Memory Verse, 11-Golden Text, Ps
xxxiv, documentary Prepared by
Rev. D. NJ. Stsarns.

xxxIN, documentary prepared by
Rev. D. NJ. Stearns.
If the words about that time of
verse refer to the last four verses of
the previous chapter, then it was about
the time that Barnabas and Saul Were
In Jerusalem with the financial help
from the believers at Antioch for the
saints at Jerusalem. This would ap-
pear to be so from the last verse of our
lesson chapter. so that we may think
of Barnabas and Saul being at the
prayer meeting in the house of Mary,
who was sister to Barnabas verse u;
Col ", 10). How often the first words
OF Gen. iii. /, come to us as We read
the Bible story or the story Of the
world in the daily papers or our own
life story? Now the serpent" for we
are reminded by Peter that our adver-
sary, the devil, walketh about seeking
whom he may devour II Pet v, 81.
Satan himself confessed to the Lord
that it was his custom to go to and
fro In the earth and walk up and down
in it dob /. 4; ii, q. Paul tells us that
our conflic. is not so much with what
we see as with the invisible powers of
darkness. and therefore we need the
whole armor of God (Eph. vi, 1918.
Herod was a good servant Of the
devil and did quite a bit Of work fer
him when he killed James and put
Peter in prison oversees 1-39. On that
last night ere our Lord was crucitied,
He told His followers that they might
expect TO be ~ out of the synagogue
and even killed for His sake and would
surely have tribulation John xvi, /. 2.
33). From heaven He sent word. after
He had been some time there. that the
devil would east some of them into
prison, but being faithful, even If they
died for it, there would be a great re-
ward (Rev. ii, 1O). James, being killed.
had the gain, the far better, absent
from the body present with the Lord.
the rest from labor, while Peter. being
only imprisoned remained still where
the devil could reach him If the Lord
should permit Many, however. would
prefer the prison to being killed. As
far as soldiers were concerned, Peter
seemed to be well guarded. with no
possibility Of escape, but how often He
that stitch in the heavens laughs at
the schemes of men when they take
counsel against Him, Cps. ii. Ia
The believers prayed without ceas.
ing to God for Peter, but there seemed
to be no answer until the veEy night
before Peter was to be brought forth.
probably for execution. The Lord may
seem to delay, but when He purposes
to do a thing He is never too late.
Heaven heard. and the angel came
Peter was asleep chained to two sol
diers. and other two kept the door of
the prison. How perfectly fascinating
to see an angel work. Soldiers and
doors and prison walls are no hind
rance. The prison is entered: the an
gel awakens Peter; the chains fall
OF. Peter puts on some clothing by
the aid OF the light from the angel
and follows his guide, gates and doors
opening before them of their own &C
cord, until Peter is at least one street
away from the prison, thinking 1t all
a beautiful dream or vision.
The angel, having fulfilled his com
mission. went back to heaven. Blessed
ed ministry and, oh. how wonderful.
The Sod Of Israel doeth wondrously
Peter soon came to himself and knew
that he had been In very deed deliv-
cred by a messenger from heaven who
never waite,l to be even thanked for
his great kindness. They serve gen
orally unseen and always unthanked.
What allied the soldiers? Was 1t
sleep from tile Lord, as In Sam. XVI.
u. or a special blindness, as In II
Kings vi, II Well, 1t was a deliv
erance from the Lord. and nothing Is
too hard or wonderful for Him. Jer
xxxii, 10 When Peter realized that
he was really free and that it was
neither dream nor vision he went at
once to where he knew they would be
praying for him. But the damsel who
came to the door as he knocked. recog
nizing Peters voice. was so glad that
she ran In without opening the door
and said that Peter was at the gate
Instead of thanking God for answered
prayer they told her that she was
mad or beside herself. 1t looked as if
they were asking without expecting
as we so often do. She continued to
affirm that she was right, and Peter
continued knocking and when finally
they did open the door there he was
In very deed
What ful'bub they did make, How
they did talk. Did you ever hear any
thing like it after prfyer meeting?
When they got real social, even though
many of them could not speak in the
meeting-could not say word for
Him who died for them. When Peter
got them quiet he told what had hap
pened and babe them tell the breth-
rem while he went to Caesarea, perhaps
to abide with Philip or Cornelius and
to tell there of this wonderful deliv-