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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 hrlcf m h v*/ h n I? "irien n m rl ?v* A La w .w% w ??'.VIW f a. levy wuu Ilianc Hi/ UCU. /"HIU I1C 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.