The Mississippi enterprise. (Jackson, Miss.) 1938-current, 1959-11-14

saw MS lace as IL had been the
face of an angel" - But the
mind of the enemy was so dis
torted with evil, that truth
and innocence and angelic ap-
pearance did not have much
bearing in changing the course
of things.
STEPHENS VISION:
"When they heard these
things, they were cut to the
heart and they CRASHED on him
with their teeth" - The ac-
tual corruption of the law and
religion began when the faith
ers began to concentrate not
upon principles of the law but
upon the temple structure and
upon structure bound legalism.
These were bitter and provoca-
tive words, far more piercing
and cutting than anything the
apostles had uttered in their
appearance before the council.
"Bue he, being full of the Holy
Ghost, looked up Stedfastly
into heaven and saw the glory
of God, and Jesus standing on
the right hand of God" :.
This vision was seen while
Stephen was yet in normal
state, that is, he had not yet
been struck and made semi
conscious.
The visitor was brought a.
bout by inspiration rather
than than by any physical con-
dition presumed to have occur
red at that time. and said,
Behold, l see the heavens
opened, and the Son of man
standing on the right hand of
God" Jesus whom the
enemy had tried to destroy
was still alive and was now
elevated to the supreme posi-
ton of being on the right hand
Of God.
STEPHENS DEATH:
"Then they cried out with a
loud voice, and stopped their
ears, and ran upon him with
one accord" 1t appears
from what is stated in this
verse that the members of the
council as we'll as the accusers
and false witnesses were in
Guided. or involved, in the at
tack upon Stephen.
"And cast him out of the
city, and stoned him: and the
witnesses laid down their
clothes at a young mans feet,
whose name was Saul :.
It was no accident that Luke
included in this verse the
statement that the clothes of
the witnesses were laid at the
feet of a Young man by the
name of Saul. "And they ston-
ed Stephen, calling upon God,
and saying, Lord Jesus, receive
my spirit" The Jewish
method of executive was ston-
ing, set up in the law of Moses
as the legitimate means of exc
cutting the death penalty. In
this denied him a legal trial,
but took the law into their
own hands, ignored the Roman
law, and slew Stephen with
out his being convicted of any
crime.
"And he kneeled down, and
cried with a loud voice, Lord
lay not this sin to their
charge. And when he had
said this he fell asleep" ).
Stephen died with the same
spirit of forgiveness which
Jesus had. The first Christian
martyr was a layman, and by
his death Christianity was
abroad.
PRACTICAL POINTS ON
THE LESSON: AS the Chris
tan Church took in more
members 1t also created more
enemies. Christ Jesus had
predicted Gin this world We
shall have tribulation." Some
trouble and hardship are the
common lot of all mankind.
We should emphasize these
points: Christian witnesses
are people of conviction. Life
will demand that we pay the
price of loyalty to Christ. Men
of Christian character are al
ways a blessing to the church.
Forgiveness as well as cour-
age and sacrifice is expected
of all Christian believers. Faith
and a forgiving spirit keep us
faithful unto death.
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