People's Pilot, Volume 6, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 February 1897 — THE SUNDAY SCHOOL. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.

LESSON VI2I, FEB. 21—ACTS 6: 8-15; 7: 64-80, Golden Text; “Be Thoa Faithful Unto Death and I Will Give Thee a Crown of Life” —Rev. 2: lO —The First Christtan Martyr.’

VENTS told of in today’s lesson probably occurred In the year 27 A. D. Place, in and around Jerusalem. The text of the lesson follows: 9. Then there arose -~ertain of the synagogue, which Is called the synagogue of the Libertines,

and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. 10. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake. 11. Then they suborned men, which said. We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. 12. And they stirred up the people, and the-elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, 13. And set up false witnesses, which said. This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law: 14. For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us. 15. And all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel. 54. When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. 55. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly Into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, 56. And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. 57. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, 58. And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul. 59. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 60. 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. HINTS TO TEACHERS. Stephen occupies a unique place In the history of the early Church. He flashed across the sky In a brief, brilliant career, throwing even the apostles into shadow. He aroused an opposition which no other of the disciples had excited, and precipitated a question which threatened to rend asunder the Church, but in the result made It world-wide. He delivered one discourse, which, though a fragment, is recorded at greater length than any other in the New Testament except the Sermon on the Mount. He died In the very opening of what promised to be a splendid life, and, meteor-like, left a glorious trail of light. This influence lasts even until the present time, and shall be felt to the end of time. His character. Verses 3, 5. When men of ability, of reputation, and of force were needed for a new emergency, all eyes turned to Stephen, and he was the first chosen for office in “the deaconship.” Here is an intimation of his character. The work was secular, but the man chosen was “full of the Holy Ghost and of faith.” His energy. Verses S-10. Though chosen for a lay office, he at once began to preach, to urge the claims of the Gospel, and to work miracles. The brief hint as to his ministry indicates its irresistible power. His breadth of views. Verses 11-14. We notice that the preaching of Stephen excited opposition, not merely from the rulers, but also from the people, and of the fiercest kind. We study the charges made against him, his answer in chapter 7, and the results following his ministry: and we are convinced that Stephen was the first in the Church to see that the Gospel was for all men, and not for Jews only; that in spirit and breadth he was the true forerunner of St. Paul. This was the fact which called down such hate, opposition, and Intense persecution, and caused his death. His courage. See him as he stands in presence of the council with shining face! (Verse 15 is undoubtedly a personal memory of Paul.) Notice with what calmness, what readiness, what splendid self-pos-session, what infinite tact, what utter boldness, he met his accusers, in the dlscourse of which only the opening was delivered. His heavenly communion. Chapter 7, 54-56. It was given to his dying eyes, as to many of God’s dying saints, to look within the veil and see the King upon His throne. He saw what he had the faith to see. His Christlike spirit. He who sees Christ becomes like Christ. Stephen breathes his Master’s spirit in his dying prayer for his enemies; a prayer that lingered in the mind of one persecutor, and in time led him to follow Stephen’s faith and to carry forward evep more gloriously Stephen’s work.