Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-04-07
DIR. MARION MICH. HULL.

Acts 9;31 marks a division in Luke's
account of what Jesus continued to do
and teach through His disciples. Up to
| this time. which covers a period of about
eiSht years. preaching of the gospel had
been confined to Jews 1t was only
proper that they should have received
the gospel first, since theirs was the
covenant and Christ had come from
amongst them. The. majority had re-
jected it, but the message had been Fro
claimed, even though by persecution,
| throughout Jerusalem, all Judea ana
Samaria and in other places, as far
north as Antioch and as far south as
Ethiopia.
The time had come now when the
Gentiles should hear the message. God
had raised up servant for that pur-
pose. Paul. Peter had nearly finished
his work as the most prominent of the
apostles.
| The chief prosecutor having been con-
vcrted and also the attention OF the
Jews turned because of a decree OF the
emperor, the prosecutions ceased and the
church prospered.
PETERS PEREGRINATIoNS.
Peter went among all saints" In
five words the holy spirit expressed this
most tremendous work that Peter did.
Wherever there were Christians Peter
went In Judea, in Samaria, and in Cali
| lee-and later, we find evidences OF his
Having been also in Antioch and even
| In Corinth. The fact that James became
the head of the church in Jerusalem en-
phasizes the absence of Peter from that
lefty, probably on this work of visitation
At any rate during the early part of 1t,
we find that he came one day to the
Village of LYDIA, on the edge of the
Iplain of Sharon, southeast of Joppa, the
we'll known Palestinian seaport LYDIA
was an important village because it was
on the trade route between Egypt and
Assyria. While there, whether purpose
Ily or by accident, Peter learned of the
presence of a certain man named Aeneas
who had been paralyzed for eight years
He won Peters sympathy. There is no
detail given us to show that the man
gave evidence of faith, and yet we know
that he must have had faith or it would
have been impossible for him to please
| God. Looking at him steadfastly, Peter
said, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you.
Get up and spread your bed" In other
words, Peter said, Jesus Christ is able
| and willing to heal you of your weak
mess; show that you have faith in His
ability and willingness to do it by get
Itlng up and doing for yourself what
| is done for you by others" It was a
mara test, out the lie Oh SlTiSI III ESlei
inspired Aeneas with confidence, and he
obeyed. He could feel the strength surg
ling through his wasting muscles, and
once he recognized the JOY of physical
Health.
| There are not many details given
about this. When Paul and Luke passed
through LYDIA on their way from Joppa
to Jerusalem (Acts 21:16), some years
! Ia ter, and lodged with Mnason, he prob
ably gave Luke the account of this incl
ldent and was SO impressed with the
power which Peter had displayed that
\ he had forgotten the details.
PETERS POWER.
| But this evidence of Peters power
faded into insignihcance compared with
another Incident which occurred about
the same time. There was at Joppa,
q Christian colony among whom was a
woman, Dorcas. IF the name was sig
uif1cant OF her character, it was given
to depict the beauty and grace and gem
tleness Of a gazelle. At any rate, she
was one of those sanity souls who did
not have much to say, but who accom-
plished great deal.
She was full of good works and deeds
| of mercy. She did not spend her time
talking about what she was going to do