Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-02-04
(By William 7. Erlts)

This is a story for all spineless. cau-
tious. calculating, prudent and safe"
folks. 1t portrays two fishermen,
called to account for a deed of mercy,
the healing Of a lame beggar, sue
cessfully withstanding the powerful
and adroit and sophisticated leaders
of their time. When the issue was
Joined, it was not the two unlettered
Galileans who were put to rout, but
the timorous custodians of self inter
est. The incident was momentous in
Christian history, for 1t was the first
proof to the world, and to the old
order of religion, that the leaders of
the new church were men with spines.
1t hall-marked the Christians with
the word "boldness."
Power, of the physical, legal sort,
Is usually with the old order: the
innovator, the reformer, the prophet,
is commonly looked upon at first as
a law-breaker. After the sensational
healing of the lame man by the beau
tiful gate, and the uproar and
preaching that followed it, the tenn
pie police clapped Peter and John
into Jail. Then they were hailed be-
fore the sanhedrin, the high court of
the Jews, in the morning. These &c
clesiastics, who had but lately done
Jesus to death, We're minded to try
the same methods with His followers,
for the conversion of five thousand
men to the new Way troubled them
sorely. They were ready for sum-
mary measures as they set the two
apostles in the midst of the stately
array of dignitaries and challenged
them, What do you mean by all
this ?"
Less than two months before, at
the same place, and during a sitting
of the same august tribunal, Simon
Peter had been so badly scared that
he had denied with curses that he
ever knew Jesus. Now, with un-
abashed fearlessless, and with a suav-
ity and deftneSs and power that more
than matched the cunning of these
doctors of the law, he confronts them
with an address that is a defense of
himself The story is best told by
DR.. Luke, the historian:
Then Peter, filled with Holy Spirit,
said unto them, Ye rulers of the peo-
pie, and elders. if we this day are
examined concerning a good deed
done to an impotent man, by what
means this man is made whole be
it known until you all, and to all the
people of Israel, that in the name of
Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye
cruciied whom God raised from the
dead, even in Him doth this man
stand here before you whole. He is
the stone which was set at naught of
you the builders, which was made the
head of the corner. And in none
other is there salvation; for neither is
there any other name under heaven.
that is given among men, wherein we
must be saved.
Now when they beheld the bold
ness of Peter and John, and had per-
ceived that they were unlearned and
ignorant men, they marveled; and
they took knowledge of them, that
they had been with Jesus And see
ing the man that was healed stand
ing with them, they could say moth
ing against it. But when they had
commanded them to go aside out of
the council, they conferred among
themselves, saying, What shall we do
to these men? for that indeed a not
able miracle hath been wrought
through them, is manifest to all who
dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot
deny it. But that 1t spread no fur
ther among the people, let us threaten
them, that they speak henceforth to
no man in this name. And they called
them, and charged them not to speak
at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.
But Peter and John answered and
said unto them, Whether it is right
in the sight of God to hearken unto
you rather than unto God, judge ye;
for we cannot but speak the things
which we saw and heard. And they,
when they had further threatened
them, let them go, finding nothing
how they might punish them, because
of the people: for all men glorifed
God for that which was done"
The Preacher and the Prelates
Reckless" conservatism cries of
Peter, and all who inherit his quail
ity. Alas, the same charge of reck-
1gr. H. r i
not lie at the door of most of us.
This dauntless daring is just the
quality which the church to-day lacks.
We are conventionalized into flu
tile commonplaceness A new bap-
tism of the Holy Spirit of boldness,
with a passion for right "in scorn of
consequence" is what. Christianity to-
day needs. For we are more prone
to take counsel of our prudent
prelates than of our prophets
Like the elders of the sanhedrin,
the leaders of church affairs are
prone to follow the worldly fashion
of getting aside in secret and sophis-
ticated counsels, where they discuss
what is safe to do. It is an open
scandal that some high ecclesiastical
assemblies contain more politics and
scheming and trading and chicanery
than many an avowedly political
convention. So ingrained has this
InorouBnly worldly practice become
that many ecclesiastics seem unable
to comprehend any other way of do
irg the Lords business. They are
enmeshed in their own net of policy
and prudence. Often they seek by
subtitle means to silence the Peters
who dare speak forth for the present.
day doings of a God who is contem-
poraneous because eternal.
Worldly wisdom is what the
church needs least of ALL An eminent
layman of one of the great denomina-
tions told me recently that the church
board of which he is a member re-
ceived two hundred thousand a year
from one wealthy giver This vast
sum seemed all important to the body.
Yet it was the only board in the coun
try that failed to secure enough money
for its work. and was obliged to re-
trench sinfully. Other boards. with
more faith in the loyalty of Christian
people, We're making advances in their
work while this one was going back
ward. Caution, rather than courage
marked its actions. Simple trust and
simple fearlessness carry the church
farther than worldly sophistication
Those two lone fishermen. Peter and