Evening star., 1920-02-21

tering the young nation.
When the young church faced per-
secution from the civil power. caused
by Herod Asrippa's desire to culti-
vate the friendship of the Jewish
leaders through assailing the Chris
tians. they presented their case 10
the risen Lord in prayer. The joy
of the mother church over the pres
ence of Saul, the former prosecutor
of the faith. and Barnabas. the pas
tors of the Gentle Church at Antioch.
with gifts for the poor at Jerusalem
had made the Passover. which re-
called by its Easter MESSAGE the
resurrection of the Lord. was changed
into tears and petition for help in q
dark and troubled hour.
Neander thinks that it was elght
years between the religious percu-
ton. with Saul as it's leader. and the
civil one. which was political move
on the part of crafty political n
who desired to court popularity with
the conservative. orthodox or ma =
tionalistic party. Herod ASrippa the
First. who found that the death oil
James was acceptable to them. de-
termined to destroy Peter. the fore
most representative and leader of the
Christian forces. He placed him
guard and deferred the death until
after the Passover. which recalled to
the Jewish people their freedom from
Egyptian bondage. Facing the peru
of execution. Peter. who had wit
messed more than one miraculous de-
liverance from desperate danger. was
not disturbed by his perilous POSI-
ton. Imprisoned by gates. held by
chains fastened to guards. the morn :
ing promised no hope except death
Although it seemed absolutely GER
tain that he would face death the
peacefully, while the church engaged
in long and fervent prayer for his
deliverance.
Driven by the desperate danger OF
Peter the church prayed to the LORD
unitedly, earnestly and without ceas-
ing that He would send help. The
tyrant Herod never dreamed that his
plans would be changed by the church.
who upon their knees were pleading
for the God of hosts to intervene. or
that his own end would come before
Peter passed on to glory. Bancroft
has told how that after tracing any
great movement of history he has
been moved to say. God reigns.
Prayer has always been pathway
TO power in the history of the church.
In the dawn of Christianity they
depended more on prayer than
the modern Church. In emphasiZ-
ing the value of organization and
the spirit O f philanthropy men
have neglected in seeking to make
the expression of religion enec-
tive the necessity of prayer. "hicn
can remove all barriers to success ana
increase the efficiency of all VINO pray
with an unSelhsh desire that plaees
Gods kingdom first
The details of Peters deliverance
are quite meager. One would like TO
know how the divine messenger ac-
complished the same. Peter was SO
dazed with sleep that he believed that
he was dreaming until he was iett
alone out in the street. He then
recognized that without question the
Lord had again delivered him from
the clutches of enemies who had
planed to destroy his life. The apostle
turned instinctively to the nome OF
Mary. whose faith in Christ ana
Christian courage caused ner TO open
mn her home for the church prayer
meeting. Reaching the home of John
Mark. for Mary was his mother, the
apostle summoned the maid. VINO
guarded the entrance. to let MIN en-
ter She was so surprised py nearing =
his voice that instead OF lettinS MIN
in she hastened to inform the praying
hand of how God had answered their
prayer.
While there probably were many
other groups connected with the
church pleading for the apostles.
Peter sought the one where he knew
that a hearty welcome awaited him.
They were amazed beyond expression
when he stod among them and at the
request of James (who may have oeen
the author of the epistle that bears
his name, but who was the brotner
of Jesus, the first pastor of the Jeru-
salem Church) Peter told OF ms 9e-
liverance. He did .,ot oeserioe nis NE
escape with as great detail, put ne
gave praise to God for the triumph
aver his enemies. He knew that II
had come in answer to prayers, put
his departure to another pace ihui-
Gates that Peter recognized thal ne
must continue his missionary WORK:
prudence. which goes hand in hand
with divine help, called for MN 10
seek shelter or depart from Jerusalem
Cod had intervened to protect Fetei'
who saw in his escape from death
call to larger service.
Herods disappointment wnen ne
learned early the next day of has De
feat and the tragic death of the KING
closes the chapter. During the eight
davs of the Passover week the apos,
tie had been prisoner tnrealeheu
with death soon after the religious
festivities would END. Durlhs ntd,, M.
neriod the church had earnestly
nrayed for the apostle. The escape
OF Peter from prison meant not only
that the church had prevailed through
PRAYER. but also that 1t was stronger r
than the civil authorities. This niieo
them with a spirit of courage SO that
they were all ready to race the tor-
lures of civic persecution.
When the investigation was, maze
as to how Peter escaped, not one OF
the guards could give reasonable eH
PLANTATION for the vacant cell with us
unclasped chains. The mystery could
have been explained by the Christians
"a doors
for Peter through His messenger. II
the guards could have given any sat
isfactory explanation as to how his
escape was effected they might nave
gone free. They were convicted as
abettors and punished by the kings
orders who soon was to be punished
for being an abettor in crime
against God Herod, peeved over his
defeat, ijourneyed to Caesarea, so that
he could straighten out political
difficulty between Tyre and Sidon and
himself and also carry out the re-
quest of his benefactor. Claudius
Caesar. who upon his return from
Great Britain had commanded That
his return be celebrated by the pub
lie in an appropriate manner. Posi-.
bly, the funds secured in settlement or
Tyre and Sidon's trouble may have
paid the cost OF the great pupilc
show which Herod gave in the Ro-
man town nof Caesarea, the home of
Cornelius.
Herod entered clothed in silver and
spoke eloquently to the ENJOYS pres
ent. including the ambassadors from
Tyre and Sidon. His appearance had
pleased the profiteering Phoenicians,
the crafty Syrians and the paganized
so that the motley throng
Joined in the shouts that had been
started by Herod's followers. THE
voice of a God. and not a man." I'm
the proud tyrant, whose
vanity had been pleased by the popu-