Evening star., 1927-05-28
Sunday School Lesson
the enthusiasm Of the champion of
a more modern noint of view.

the enthusiasm Of the champion of
a more modern point of view.
He justified their preaching by cit
ing "the charter of civil and religious
liberty, the true declaration of inde-
pendence for all men. 1t is the solid
principle that lies at the foundation
Of all true liberty, and, as wrought
out and applied to human affairs, 1t
has brought to us all the blessings
of free government which the world
today enjoys. Prompt and loving
obedience to God is true liberty for
men. Conscience must first be
amancipated before there can be free
dom for men,"
He then, in a simple, straight
forward statement, presented several
historical facts concerning Jesus.
whom they had crucified, without any
attempt to explain, vindicate or in
terpret them. He stated that the God
of our fathers" had raised and exalted
Him to give Israel repentance and for
giveness Of sin. His claims concerning
religious liberty and Jesus as Savior
impressed Gamaliel, an influential
Pharisee, who was a member of the
council. This distinguished Hebrew
was the grandson Of Hillel, the found
er of the more liberal school of Jewish
teaching, and was recognized liberal
and open-minded leader, who was the
first of the seven called by title
great" and student of Greek litera-
ture. He was a member of the Phari-
sees, who believed in the spiritual life
and the resurrection, both of which
religious views were not acceptable to
the Sadducees, who were materialists
and controlled the priesthood and the
,x.,% T11% III n
fense had filled the court with frenzy,
fury and hatred. He courageously
sought to overcome their rage, that
blinded them in reference to their duty
to act impartially as jurists because
they felt the sting of Peters defense
and were determined to give him
death sentence.
GamaliePs Plea for Caution.
Gamaliel raised his voice in diplo-
matte plea for caution in the part of the
council by requesting that the prison.
ers be sent from the court He knew
that their presence served to inflame
the court. If he had been a secret
friend of Christianity, as some hold
without any historical foundation. he
could not have plead the cause of the
apostles more skillfully. While the
could have entered a plea that the
apostles were being tried for an act
OF disobedience, which was not pun
ishable by death, they would have i'm
mediately brought them up on the
old charge, "By what power We have
done this" and nothing he could say
would have saved their lives.
Gameliel plead that public poicy
called for them to go slow. He cited
in favor of a non-intervention policy
two historical examples of movements
Of short duration. He contemptuously
referred to the. apostles as being like
these popular leaders, who filled the
public eye for moment by their
fanatic political program and whose
career was brief and end untimely.
He suggested the possibility of God
being in the movement. which could
only be demonstrated by time. 1t
won out, for 1t was a shrewd plea of a
wise politician, who shaped his argu-
ment to meet the needs of the hour.
1t saved the lives OF the apostles
Instead OF taking their lives, they
inflicted them with 80 stripes. The
apostles rejoiced in being called upon
to suffer for the glory Of the Lord
penalties for being followers OF Christ,
which marked the commencement OF
blood-shedding in His name, with
courage and thankfulness that they
were worthy to suffer for the glory OF
God. History. literature and expert
ence all testify to the value Of hard-
ship. Character develops best III trials,
trouble and tE5bNlatiQuA XAVIER rs