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16 THE PRESBYTERI
Sunday School
AENEAS AND DORCAS.
Acts 9: 31-43.
March 14, 1909.
GOLDEN TEXT.?"And Peter said unto him, Aeneas, Jesus
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arose immediately."?Acts 9: 34.
SHORTER CATECHISM.
Q. 46. What is required in the first commandment?
A. The first commandment requireth us to know and
fcknowledeo God to be the only true God, and our God, and
to worship and glorify him accordingly.
DAILY HOME READINGS.
AI.?Acts 9: 31-43. T.?Deut. 13: 7-11.
W.?Job 29: 1-13. Th?1 Tinv R- 9-19
l<\?MalL 25: 31-40. S.?Gal. 6:1-10.
S?2 Cor. 8: 1-9.
' TOPICAL OUTLINE.
The Lame Walk and the Dead Raised Up?
Peter at Lydda, Aeneas healed, vs. 31-35. ,
Peter at Joppa, Doreas brought to life, vs. 36-43.
Tne Localities.
Forty-five miles northwest of Jerusalem is the seaport of
/ Joppa, the modern Jaifa. On the road between these places,
nine miles from Joppa is Lydda. About forty miles north of
Joppa on the seacoast is Cesarea. The name Sharon belongs
to the wnole of the fertile plain which includes these places.
Lydda was a large village or town. It now contains about
two thousand inhabitants; it is remarkable for the splendid
church built there by Richard Coeur de Lion, (an early king
of England), in honor of St. George, who was born and died
at Lydda. The ruins of the,church still bear testimony to its
former grandeur.
Joppa is a crowded city of perhaps 15,000 inhabitants, the
seaport of Jerusalem. It was at Joppa that the cedar for both
the old temple and the new, was landed, to be carried up to
Mount Moriah.
The Cure of Eneas.
Eneas was a paralytic. Paralysis is generally caused by a
clot of blood pressing on the brain, or on the spinal marrow.
An ordinary recovery from paralysis is very slow, depending
upon the absorption into the veins, (little by little) of the clot
which has caused the mischief. The case of Pineao woo
which presented no probability of a cure; for when paralysis
does not begin to yield to treatment within a few weeks, it is
considered almost incurable. Eneas had been on the bed
eight yeais. But by Peter he was instantaneously cured, and
in the same instant his strength was restored to such an
extent that he could "spread up" his bed.
The effect of the miracle was two-fold. On the one
hand, the miracle waa directly and immediately by the power
ui jcsus. wt* ao not Know tnat Peter even touched the sufferer.
He said to him simply this: ''Eneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee
whole: arise, and make thy l?ed." Its effect was, to convince
the doubting ones that Jesus is Christ. On Ihe other
hand, all men would know that the miracle was through the
instrumentality of Peter, and the effect would be to give hitn
a new recognition as the apostle of Christ, and a wonderful de
AN OF THE SOUTH. March 3, 1909.
gree of influence in that part of Palestine. This reputation
would serve to encourage Cornelius when told to send for
Peter, and would make the common people recognize more
clearly his Divine authority in the innovation of preaching to
the Gentiles, and partaking of the Lord's Supper with them.
Dorcas.
Our attention is withdrawn awhile to consider Dorcas.
A noble woman she was; and a noble reward has God giveu
her. "The righteous shall bo held In everlasting remembrance,"
is God's promise, and It finds a beautiful illustration
in her case. Her name, (both Dorcas in Greek and Tabitha
in Aramaic: 1 means fin voile rier n r..n J -
, mu nuc lull Ul ?UUU IVU1H3
and almsdeeds. Especially was she kind toward widows. She
had furnished thorn with coats, or close fitting tunics extending
from the neck to the knees or ankles. And she had distributed
among them many ' garments," loose flowing robes of
purple or brown, (for such colors only were worn by widows)
to wear outside. Verse 39, implies that she had made these
garments herself. And her death was full of honor. Not hired
mourners, after the Jewish custom, were around her, but genuine
friends, sorrowing over her death, and telling of the
kindnesses received from her.
The sorrowing ones send for Peter. He was only nine
miles off. With what design, we know not; probably with a
hope that he would in some way relieve their sorrow. He
comes. There is uo doubt of her death, for those who prepared
her for burial are sure of that fact. He puts them all
out, thai he may pray uninterruptedly to the Father. Then
he calls htr back lo life. Imagine the joy of her friends when
she conies dowu stairs, strong and well, and resumes her
tormer duties of waiting on them.
The Miracle.
A great miracle, the greatest possible miracle, had been
wrought. None could doubt it. f Many of the people thereupon
became disciples of Jesus. They needed the presence of Peter
to Instruct them in Christian doctrine. Others were impressed,
almost ready to believe; they needed the preaching of Peter
to bring theni to true faith. Therefore, Peter abode many days
In Joppa wiih one Simon, a tanner.
As in the former case, this miracle secured for Peter now
authority and influence among the people, and thus again
were -t hey prepared to feel, when they heard of his breaking
through the wall of separation between Jew and Gentile, that he
did it by authority, and that he was right.
Practical Lessons.
1. When Peter bade Eneas rise, he arose, and found
that Gcd had given liira strength. So when Christ bids thee
repent, do so; and thou shalt find Christ's strength sufficient
for the duty. *
2. Christ's power could both heal the sick one, and ruiso
the dead. So the same power doth both heal those whn are
spiritually sick, and r.tise those who are spiritually dead:
Trust him.
3. The praise accorded to Dorcas is hot on account of
great works, but on account of ordinary deeds of kindness,
such as you and I can do every day. Let us be sure to do
them.
4. The occupation of a tanner was in'bad repute* among
the Jews. If a man tfok to that business after marriage
his wife might claim a divorce on that ground. Yet Peter
accepts ins hospitality in order to further the gospel. So
also must every Christian worker consent to that which is
not according to his taste, in order to prosecute Christ's work
vigorously.