PETER DELIVERED FROM PRISON.
By J. O. Corliss
[See Acts 12 and Sunday School Lesson.] SHORTLY after the church was established at Antioch, persecution again opened at Jerusalem. King Herod became conspicuous in this movement, not because he cared particularly what the church believed or practised, but because he desired to please that portion of the Jewish community which had not previously given him full support in ruling the country. The Pharisees and Herodians were two prominent factors of the Jewish church, and were divided in sentiment, largely on political questions. The Herodians favored Greek customs, while the Pharisees adhered to ancient Jewish methods. But these Jewish factions were united in their dislike of Christianity; and inasmuch as this was the case, Herod saw an opportunity, by persecuting a common enemy, to appease those not favorable to him. His first move was to have James (then elder of the church at Jerusalem) put to death with the sword. Seeing that this was having the desired effect, he had Peter apprehended and put in prison, designing to hold him there until after the Jewish Passover; and then to deliver him to the fury of the people themselves. It was necessary to the success of the diabolical scheme in the king’s mind to hold Peter alive until the definite period named. The Passover was one of the most important feasts of the Jews, and on entering upon its services the people were required to practise certain restrictions in order to receive its benefits. This was well enough, too, when the people were sincere in their worship; but it was only an extended form of mockery to keep it up after having descended to the depth of iniquity in which the Jews were at this time. This, however, only shows how people will cling to a religious form after the life and power have been crushed out of it through union with the world. At the time of Peter’s arrest, the preparation for celebrating the Passover was in hand; and as the people were supposed not to defile themselves then with the dead, or to enter upon dissipation of any sort, it seemed necessary to hold Peter in prison until after the ceremonial season was past. Besides, it was as well known then as it is now that after a season of religious restraint men will go further in excesses than before. Indeed, it has sometimes happened that when extreme cruelty was to be practised upon an offender, those expected to engage in it have been called upon to participate in special religious exercises by which to strengthen their courage for the occasion. The ghost-dance of the American Indian, in preparation for open hostilities, is a case in point by way of illustration. “King Herod had probably studied all phases of the question as to how best to win over to his policy the support of that influential part of the Jewish church, the Pharisees, expecting to win success in the enterprise before him. So more than usual precaution was employed to hold Peter securely until the specified time. He was chained between two soldiers, his right hand to one soldier’s left at the wrist, and his left to another’s right hand. While sleeping, he must lie between his guards, so that the slightest movement of an arm would awaken the guard on that side of him. In this condition the apostle was held some days, while the church made constant intercession to God in his behalf. The situation seemed unchanged, however, until the night preceding the day set for the public demonstration. Peter was sleeping soundly in his chains, and the keepers at the prison door were5regularly pacing their beats. Suddenly a bright, strange gleam shone throughout the dungeon, lighting up its walls with a weird effect. Then the angel, whose glory had anticipated his presence, came to Peter, touched his side, and lifted him to a sitting posture, at the same time commanding him, “Arise up quickly.” It is evident that Peter was scarcely conscious; but at the word his shackles fell off, and by further command of the angel he bound on his sandals, girded on his outer garment, and followed his heavenly guide as if moving in a vision of the night. How could such an experience seem true, when the hitherto watchful guards lay quietly in their resting-place, unconscious of any movement near them? Why should his experience seem more than a dream, when the first, and even the second sentinel was passed without a challenge, and the great iron gate leading from the prison into open liberty swung voluntarily on its hinges, for the egress of the departing captive? Nothing of that wonderful night adventure could seem real to Peter until, after having passed through a street of the city toward one of the apostolic retreats, the heavenly guide vanished, leaving the apostle to make the last part of his journey apparently alone. It was at this juncture that Peter came fully to his senses, and realized that an angel had delivered him from the diabolical scheme of Herod and those with whom he was in league. The best of it all was that Peter did not hesitate to express, then and there, his faith in God’s power to save him from what had been an impending death of the most cruel nature. After having considered this part of the affair, the apostle went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, to tell the inmates of his wonderful delivery, when, behold, he found them still praying for him. What an example of devotion was this, and how different from present custom. Then Christians believed in the power of God to deliver, in spite of the cruel determination of civil government; but now, in too many cases, a profession of Christianity is mere formalism without even power to reform private habits that are contrary to the expressed will of heaven. But why is it so? Will not conditions sometime change, and the true spirit of Christianity revive? Let us pray that it may. J. O. CORLISS.