The Detroit times., 1916-04-07
The international Sunday School
Lesson for April , Is "Aeneas and
Dorcas."-Acts 9:32.43.
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS


The antiquity OF the latest fash
ions Is Christening theme 20 con.
template our Wanted modernity IS
severely jolted when We discover
that our new ideas are centuries
and even millenniums old. Thus,
this weeks international Sunday
School lesson carries Us back 10 a
facing OF the fact that the present
day vogue of social service care
Tor mems bodies and estate as well
AS for their spirits--is as old as the
Christian church itself
Three distinct forms OF social min
istry are the outstanding points IN
the interesting old stories OF the
cure OF Aeneas and the raising from
the dead OF Dorcas First. we have
the healing OF the sick by the Apos
tie Peter. Second. We have the re-.
lief OF the poor a. represented by
the work OF Dorcas Third, We have
the driving away of sorrow by the
resurrection Of Dorcas
Already We have studied how the
Christian church OF the first genera,
tion had attained a state OF social
and economical interdepcndence
that was without precedent IN his'
tor, The most idea! example OF
communism rs that OF tho early
Christians. when no man counted his
possessions his own. but devoted
them 10 tho brotherhood The Rid
oNs and the poor were all cared for
out of The common funds Modern
social service has "A long va, 20 go
before II can catch up 30 The hrst
crop OF Christians
Wherein The church has departed
from tho practice az ministering TO
all phases q human need she has
departed from ne example and pre-
cepi Of the Apostolic church and OF
the great Head ~ the church Him
self \ delicate and important point
20 he observed TODAY. however. IS
thar All tho new swelling OF fhe
tides % hro,hcrlincss and ministry
shall not DO mislabeled hy merely
sociological terms but should be- un
derstood as simple Christianity The
lo~r Of Christ expressed hro1gh the
hearts OF Hts Disciple We must
not LEI a goddess lad steal me livery
~ The Christian church What We
have OF effective social service to-
day IL merely new expression OF
simple Christian ministry
What About the shut.,ns?
From the DAYS Of Eden untll now
tho problem OF pain has vexed the
world. Why doe God permit uffer
ing That is the oldest Of The puz
zles that has taxed the human brain
We are not ready 70 admit that ait
suffering i evil any more than our
intellectual integrity VIII permit Us
TO call Il an illusion. non existent
thing The world owes much 10 is
invalids Some ~ the sweetest
songs and most lie giving thoughts
have risen from beds ~ pain There
are g-sces indispensable 20 life IN
it, '1lness when seem 20 grow
only in the Sotnorsa NJ suffering
Tho metropolitan newspapers recent.
Is printed e0lurus about Brook
Ism woman Who had been Tor 90
Years a "ehu,a and who had min
isfcred greatly no world
she glorin,d God a. an invalid
Acares. he sar- ed IAN OF our
story glorise1 Hin oy -'raculons
recovery Thethor or Well
whether by e.Garng IN ~erovering
Wc arc a. .usu lifes chief end OF
clarifying God
Tho story ~ Aeueas ore OF mo
shor aud npl annam of pain
Luke tbe physician 81 ,hs"rlant 10
note hat se had for eight years
been bodmiden wth pusy What
a rIo ire ne ;ew words pfe-ent2 SO
person in 'hc ful tide ~ eath and
act'i les Gan understand vbai ~
noans a. o. a helpless invalid DO
pr Gen upon ne ministry 1f loved
oncs 'or ~cryfhag ror eight in
tcminabIe tnars Nettas ad lain
or his na'lc ~ 'ie Taffress or
to "aor ~ dtaEs oriental room
What hac SHen fs thong during
an 'tSs Urn. ehea here was nothing
lop COR nir1 tc DO 1ut thirk"
Tito ne darkness ~ -ha aufferer
~ there insa apr u ,oettaied
tbe radia7ee ~ fbt roUs rows The
implication g fl.e story Is that
Aeneas v0s chr'efan Sc should
like 20 krow voc Ference between
his life before ar after hearing the
tldines w9i-h ho scattered dscii
pies had carried
Where the New Railway Runs
one day here came 10 the home
OF Aeneas-I wonder who was lho
wage Garner there. go maintain the
home2-sthe heated simon
Potter This trcless apostle was p
Icripatctic preacher Ike Jesus. he
wen about doing good nc did not
wait fcr oppor uuiJies 10 come TO
hin Win tho conversion of Saul.
the Young cburrn raG 0eace Tor u
tine. md was spiritually built up
So from Jerusalem as center the
apostles .restlessly and reeistlesslv
carried thc "5fd
tydda. I'D, where Acneas liv
ed. is about % miies 10 Tho north.
veg. of Jerusalem. ON tho road tn