Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.
The sheet let down before Peter held a mixed gathering of every sort of living land animal and bird. He was told to kill and eat, he refused as one who had never eaten anything common or unclean, he was answered that what God had cleansed must not be called common, and this was repeated three times before the vessel was taken up again. The creatures were not about food but about people, reproving and teaching him not to call any man common or unclean or to treat Gentiles as inferior and excluded. The showing did not make flesh declared unclean fit to eat, and it did not set aside the Ten Commandments, whose later yoke in question was the ceremonial law ended at the cross. Through Christ the dividing wall is broken down so that Gentiles who fear God and believe are cleansed, receive the Spirit without distinction, and become fellow-heirs with Israel in the blessings of the gospel, for God is no respecter of persons.
Vision Seen by Peter
Peter was praying on the housetop at Joppa about the sixth hour, hungry and fallen into a trance, immediately after the angel had spoken to Cornelius and while the men sent by Cornelius were on their journey and drawing near the city. He was weary from journeying as well as hungry, and at that hour he hungered also for the salvation of his countrymen. What belongs to Acts 10:12 was what he then saw in that trance upon the housetop.
Heaven was opened and a vessel like a great sheet knit at the four corners was let down from heaven to earth and opened before him. The sheet held all manner of four-footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. It was a mixed collection of every kind of live creature, all kinds of four-footed and wild animals with creeping things and birds presented together before him.
A voice commanded him to rise, kill and eat, and he refused because he had never eaten anything common or unclean. The voice answered that what God had cleansed he must not call common or unclean. This was done three times, the vessel being shown thrice, before it was received up again into heaven. While Peter doubted what the vision meant, the men sent from Cornelius arrived at the gate, and the Spirit told him three men sought him. Directed at every step, he was to arise and go with the messengers doubting nothing to Cornelius at Caesarea, and the display in symbols thus prepared and educated him to go with them and obey.
What the Creatures Mean
The mixed gathering of four-footed beasts and wild beasts and creeping things and fowls was not instruction about diet but a symbol about people, given to reprove Peter and to teach him that he must not call any person common or unclean. Its meaning was that he must not treat Gentiles as unclean or inferior, or measure another by a human standard, because God accepts those who fear Him and work righteousness in every nation and cleanses Gentiles through faith in Christ. The sheet was shown to get him ready to go with the messengers to the house of Cornelius and speak the words of God there, and to call workers to give the gospel freely to Jews as well as Gentiles without erecting barriers of nation or prejudice.
The command to rise, kill, and eat, with the assurance that what God had cleansed must not be called common, did not remove the prohibition against eating animals pronounced unclean and did not make swine's flesh fit for food. To read it as permission to eat formerly unclean flesh is a narrow and altogether erroneous interpretation, contradicted by the account of the vision and by its consequences. The vision concerned the inclusion of the Gentiles, not a change in which creatures are fit for food.
Nor did it abolish the Ten Commandments, for the yoke afterward discussed was the ceremonial law made void by Christ's crucifixion.
The living creatures illustrate the true position of the Gentiles, that through Christ and by His death the middle wall of partition is broken down and the heathen nations are made fellow-heirs with Israel. By that death they are made partakers equally with the Jews in the blessings and privileges of the gospel and of salvation, so that Jew and Gentile are alike precious in God's sight and the work is no longer to be confined to the Jews but is world-wide in extent. The showing therefore carried both reproof and instruction, leading Peter from labor confined to the Jews to grasp the world-wide extent of God's plan.
It was given to strip Peter of settled prejudice held from all his Jewish training, reproving him for confining his labors entirely to the Jews and for looking upon the Gentiles as an unclean race excluded from God's promises. Though Christ's death had broken down the middle wall, it still stood in the minds of the apostles and shut Gentiles out from the privileges of the gospel, and God's reply that what He had cleansed must not be called common showed that barrier removed. In this way the vision divested him of prejudice, corrected his view that any person is unclean or excluded on account of being Gentile, and prepared him to preach to Cornelius as the first work of importance among the Gentiles.
Gentiles Made Fellow Heirs
God is no respecter of persons, but in every nation the one who fears Him and works righteousness is accepted with Him, so Jew and Gentile are alike precious in His sight. The sheet of living creatures was given to overcome settled prejudice from Jewish training and to convert Peter from belittling those who had no opportunity to hear the truth, teaching him not to call any man common or unclean and not to regard Gentiles as inferior or excluded. When Cornelius related his experience and the words of the angel, Peter perceived this impartial acceptance, undertook the commanded duty with reluctance at every step as an exception by divine revelation, and was surprised by the result.
Gentiles are cleansed through faith in Christ and His blood, and God gave them the Holy Spirit just as He had given to the Jews, making no distinction between them. The equal outpouring of the Spirit upon Cornelius and his company clarified the vision and confirmed that those who fear God and believe are accepted and their hearts cleansed through faith in Jesus. This cleansing did not abolish the Ten Commandments, for the yoke later discussed was the ceremonial law made void by Christ's crucifixion.
Gentile believers who accept the gospel are to be received as equal to Jewish disciples without having circumcision or the rites of the ceremonial law forced upon them. The vision ends the ceremonial distinction of circumcision and uncircumcision, admonishing Peter no longer to treat Gentiles as ceremonially unclean and no longer to maintain exclusiveness. It therefore justified going into a Gentile house, preaching there, and eating with the uncircumcised, proving that prejudice and exclusiveness are to be utterly destroyed by the gospel.
The work was no longer to be confined to the Jews but is world-wide in extent, for by the death of Christ the middle wall of partition is broken down. Through Christ the heathen nations are made fellow-heirs with Israel and partakers equally with the Jews in the blessings and privileges of the gospel. The gospel was to go to the Gentiles beginning with Cornelius and his kinsmen and friends, who received the Holy Ghost and baptism. Peter's labors had been confined entirely to the Jews while he looked upon Gentiles as an unclean race excluded from the promises, and now his mind was led to grasp the world-wide extent of God's plan.
The conversion of Cornelius and his household was only the first of importance among the Gentiles and the firstfruits of a harvest to be gathered from the world. From that home in a heathen city a widespread work of grace was carried on. The vision thus set in motion the spread of the gospel to the Gentiles by stripping Peter of prejudice, reproving his confinement to the Jews, and preparing him to preach to Cornelius.
Peter's divinely guided opening of the gospel to Cornelius the God-fearing centurion of Caesarea took place after the seventy weeks allotted to the Jews ended in A.D. 34, when the nation sealed its rejection by the martyrdom of Stephen and persecution of Christ's followers. From that time the message of salvation was no longer restricted to the chosen people but was given to the world, as shown also by the scattered disciples going everywhere preaching the Word, Philip preaching Christ in Samaria, and Paul commissioned to carry the glad tidings far hence unto the Gentiles. The vision at Joppa helped convince the apostles and leaders in Jerusalem that God had granted the Gentiles repentance unto life and prepared the way for Paul's mission.
How God Brought Gospel
Acts 10 stands as an example of God giving instruction through visions, showing clearly what should be spoken and repeating the showing again and again. Visions are not given to make a new rule of faith, but to comfort His people and to correct those who stray from Bible truth. The written Word remains the rule of faith and practice by which all are to be judged. God gave Peter such a vision just before sending him to preach to the Gentiles, to correct him as he was about to carry out that mission.
Heaven is much nearer to the Christian engaged in soul-saving work than is supposed. Heavenly intelligences are constantly communicating with the inhabitants of earth, and ministering angels pass through the churches noting faithfulness in individual duty. God knows each person by name and every action of life, just where lodging, the spirit possessed, and every act. He knew Cornelius as He knew Abraham, and knew just where Peter was lodging with Simon the tanner. Each person should therefore be treated as one of the Lord's instrumentalities for accomplishing His work in the earth.
God set in operation a train of circumstances by angel ministration to bring Peter into connection with Cornelius so Cornelius might learn the truth. He told Cornelius in every particular where to find Peter, because He wanted to bring the two together. An angel could have preached the message directly, but God does not work that way. The light given to Peter was to be imparted by Peter to Cornelius and his family and all his house through person-to-person connection and cooperation of heaven and earth. Through angel ministration Peter was thus brought into cooperation with inquiring souls who had all things in readiness to hear the truth and receive advanced light.
Although Cornelius was accepted in devout piety with acceptable prayers and alms, he needed an advance in faith to receive the fulfilment of the promise of the Messiah. Many Gentiles were living in closer accordance with the principles of the Old Testament Scriptures than the Jewish leaders, and by His own methods God would bring them to belief in His Son. Peter was appointed to become the human instrument in the hands of heavenly agencies, putting honor upon the gospel with heaven and earth united in the work. More than one man was converted in the transaction, for Jews and Gentiles are by faith to be joined to Jesus Christ, in whom alone all is made complete, and Cornelius must send men to Joppa and receive the gospel not from an angel but through becoming acquainted with Peter in gospel missionary work. By bringing Peter into connection with Cornelius, God brought the gospel to those who had been strangers and foreigners, making them fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God.
The sheet of all manner of beasts taught Peter that Gentiles who have not received the whole truth but are serving God with sincere, earnest purpose, walking in all the light they have received, are serving Him as acceptably as the Jew. There are many in the world like Cornelius, and souls in the churches who are much nearer the kingdom of heaven than is supposed. Angels of God cooperate with His servants to guide them to these precious jewels in this dark world of sin, which should give courage. Servants of God should therefore place themselves in readiness to make personal efforts for them to bring them to the full light of truth.
In every age God brings honest hearts seeking light into connection with those of His people who can best reach their individual needs. Different workers are adapted by special knowledge and training to help different classes of inquirers, some trained to help one class and others trained differently to help another. God works to bring the gospel to people in every social class, including those with influence and responsibility, and converted people can become workers who share the light with others. The same will happen in the last days, when many will prize the wisdom of God above any earthly advantage and obey the Word of God as the supreme standard, will be led to great light and come to the knowledge of the truth, will seek to get that light before acquaintances who like themselves are anxious for the truth, will become conscientious lightbearers to the world, and, themselves constrained by the love of God, will constrain others and improve every opportunity to invite and urge others to come and see the beauty of the truth and to give their abilities to advance the work of God. Patient, loving efforts are to reach people who do not yet understand the truth, since Cornelius is an example of an honest soul seeking light.
Peter undertook the duty laid upon him by divine command with reluctance at every step. Afterward he defended his action not on general principles but as an exception done because of divine revelation. The result was a great surprise to him when he perceived God's purpose upon hearing Cornelius relate his experience and the words of the angel.
Call to Work and Living
The instruction in Acts 10 is to be read and prayed over until understanding is opened, and then followed by earnest work for souls in the home field. The gospel is to be given freely to Jews as well as Gentiles, without erecting barriers of nation or prejudice. Failure in home missions leaves workers wanting in the day of God. The working shown here breaks the power of oppression and tyranny and dispels ignorance and superstition by the way God works on human minds.
The sheet of living creatures was given to get Peter ready for the arrival of the messengers from Cornelius. Directed at every step, he was to arise and go with them doubting nothing to Caesarea. He went with them without hesitation to the Gentile household and spoke the words of God there.
No one is to measure another by a human standard or pass judgment on him for not taking part in religious services. Such judgment discourages a brother and imperils his soul, for those who are called common and unclean are those for whom God cares. God is watching over some who today are not actively engaged in His work but who will take up what He calls them to and become faithful, reliable workers. Their voices may not be heard in religious meetings, yet their good example in faithful daily duty, honesty, integrity, and unselfish life will be recognized by God in the great day when rewards are given to the faithful, and crowns of glory will be placed upon their brow. No man can live such a life without the keeping power of God.
Work is called for for the conversion of men like Cornelius, who are to act a prominent part in God's cause. The same earnest, devoted, determined efforts made for Cornelius are to be made for souls as honest as he in associations such as the W.C.T.U. Then light will shine forth and those seeking light will be gathered out from those bitterly opposed to the message given to the world.
Each is to treat his fellow man with regard as one of the Lord's instrumentalities for accomplishing His work in the earth. Believers must unify and love one another, and deal gently and honestly and justly and righteously with one another. They are not to exalt self and tear others down, but to put away hatred and give room for God among them. Working on Christ's principles and the principles of heaven, the salvation of God will be revealed.
Servants of God should place themselves in readiness to make personal efforts for those who do not yet understand the full light of truth. Those efforts are to be patient and loving, for many in the world like Cornelius, and souls in the churches nearer the kingdom than is supposed, are serving God with sincere purpose and walking in all the light received as acceptably as others. Angels of God cooperate with His servants to guide them to these precious jewels in this dark world of sin, which should give courage.
The sheet let down before Peter held a mixed gathering of every sort of living land animal and bird. He was told to kill and eat, he refused as one who had never eaten anything common or unclean, he was answered that what God had cleansed must not be called common, and this was repeated three times before the vessel was taken up again. The creatures were not about food but about people, reproving and teaching him not to call any man common or unclean or to treat Gentiles as inferior and excluded. The showing did not make flesh declared unclean fit to eat, and it did not set aside the Ten Commandments, whose later yoke in question was the ceremonial law ended at the cross. Through Christ the dividing wall is broken down so that Gentiles who fear God and believe are cleansed, receive the Spirit without distinction, and become fellow-heirs with Israel in the blessings of the gospel, for God is no respecter of persons.
Vision Seen by Peter
Peter was praying on the housetop at Joppa about the sixth hour, hungry and fallen into a trance, immediately after the angel had spoken to Cornelius and while the men sent by Cornelius were on their journey and drawing near the city. He was weary from journeying as well as hungry, and at that hour he hungered also for the salvation of his countrymen. What belongs to Acts 10:12 was what he then saw in that trance upon the housetop.
Heaven was opened and a vessel like a great sheet knit at the four corners was let down from heaven to earth and opened before him. The sheet held all manner of four-footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. It was a mixed collection of every kind of live creature, all kinds of four-footed and wild animals with creeping things and birds presented together before him.
A voice commanded him to rise, kill and eat, and he refused because he had never eaten anything common or unclean. The voice answered that what God had cleansed he must not call common or unclean. This was done three times, the vessel being shown thrice, before it was received up again into heaven. While Peter doubted what the vision meant, the men sent from Cornelius arrived at the gate, and the Spirit told him three men sought him. Directed at every step, he was to arise and go with the messengers doubting nothing to Cornelius at Caesarea, and the display in symbols thus prepared and educated him to go with them and obey.
What the Creatures Mean
The mixed gathering of four-footed beasts and wild beasts and creeping things and fowls was not instruction about diet but a symbol about people, given to reprove Peter and to teach him that he must not call any person common or unclean. Its meaning was that he must not treat Gentiles as unclean or inferior, or measure another by a human standard, because God accepts those who fear Him and work righteousness in every nation and cleanses Gentiles through faith in Christ. The sheet was shown to get him ready to go with the messengers to the house of Cornelius and speak the words of God there, and to call workers to give the gospel freely to Jews as well as Gentiles without erecting barriers of nation or prejudice.
The command to rise, kill, and eat, with the assurance that what God had cleansed must not be called common, did not remove the prohibition against eating animals pronounced unclean and did not make swine's flesh fit for food. To read it as permission to eat formerly unclean flesh is a narrow and altogether erroneous interpretation, contradicted by the account of the vision and by its consequences. The vision concerned the inclusion of the Gentiles, not a change in which creatures are fit for food.
Nor did it abolish the Ten Commandments, for the yoke afterward discussed was the ceremonial law made void by Christ's crucifixion.
The living creatures illustrate the true position of the Gentiles, that through Christ and by His death the middle wall of partition is broken down and the heathen nations are made fellow-heirs with Israel. By that death they are made partakers equally with the Jews in the blessings and privileges of the gospel and of salvation, so that Jew and Gentile are alike precious in God's sight and the work is no longer to be confined to the Jews but is world-wide in extent. The showing therefore carried both reproof and instruction, leading Peter from labor confined to the Jews to grasp the world-wide extent of God's plan.
It was given to strip Peter of settled prejudice held from all his Jewish training, reproving him for confining his labors entirely to the Jews and for looking upon the Gentiles as an unclean race excluded from God's promises. Though Christ's death had broken down the middle wall, it still stood in the minds of the apostles and shut Gentiles out from the privileges of the gospel, and God's reply that what He had cleansed must not be called common showed that barrier removed. In this way the vision divested him of prejudice, corrected his view that any person is unclean or excluded on account of being Gentile, and prepared him to preach to Cornelius as the first work of importance among the Gentiles.
Gentiles Made Fellow Heirs
God is no respecter of persons, but in every nation the one who fears Him and works righteousness is accepted with Him, so Jew and Gentile are alike precious in His sight. The sheet of living creatures was given to overcome settled prejudice from Jewish training and to convert Peter from belittling those who had no opportunity to hear the truth, teaching him not to call any man common or unclean and not to regard Gentiles as inferior or excluded. When Cornelius related his experience and the words of the angel, Peter perceived this impartial acceptance, undertook the commanded duty with reluctance at every step as an exception by divine revelation, and was surprised by the result.
Gentiles are cleansed through faith in Christ and His blood, and God gave them the Holy Spirit just as He had given to the Jews, making no distinction between them. The equal outpouring of the Spirit upon Cornelius and his company clarified the vision and confirmed that those who fear God and believe are accepted and their hearts cleansed through faith in Jesus. This cleansing did not abolish the Ten Commandments, for the yoke later discussed was the ceremonial law made void by Christ's crucifixion.
Gentile believers who accept the gospel are to be received as equal to Jewish disciples without having circumcision or the rites of the ceremonial law forced upon them. The vision ends the ceremonial distinction of circumcision and uncircumcision, admonishing Peter no longer to treat Gentiles as ceremonially unclean and no longer to maintain exclusiveness. It therefore justified going into a Gentile house, preaching there, and eating with the uncircumcised, proving that prejudice and exclusiveness are to be utterly destroyed by the gospel.
The work was no longer to be confined to the Jews but is world-wide in extent, for by the death of Christ the middle wall of partition is broken down. Through Christ the heathen nations are made fellow-heirs with Israel and partakers equally with the Jews in the blessings and privileges of the gospel. The gospel was to go to the Gentiles beginning with Cornelius and his kinsmen and friends, who received the Holy Ghost and baptism. Peter's labors had been confined entirely to the Jews while he looked upon Gentiles as an unclean race excluded from the promises, and now his mind was led to grasp the world-wide extent of God's plan.
The conversion of Cornelius and his household was only the first of importance among the Gentiles and the firstfruits of a harvest to be gathered from the world. From that home in a heathen city a widespread work of grace was carried on. The vision thus set in motion the spread of the gospel to the Gentiles by stripping Peter of prejudice, reproving his confinement to the Jews, and preparing him to preach to Cornelius.
Peter's divinely guided opening of the gospel to Cornelius the God-fearing centurion of Caesarea took place after the seventy weeks allotted to the Jews ended in A.D. 34, when the nation sealed its rejection by the martyrdom of Stephen and persecution of Christ's followers. From that time the message of salvation was no longer restricted to the chosen people but was given to the world, as shown also by the scattered disciples going everywhere preaching the Word, Philip preaching Christ in Samaria, and Paul commissioned to carry the glad tidings far hence unto the Gentiles. The vision at Joppa helped convince the apostles and leaders in Jerusalem that God had granted the Gentiles repentance unto life and prepared the way for Paul's mission.
How God Brought Gospel
Acts 10 stands as an example of God giving instruction through visions, showing clearly what should be spoken and repeating the showing again and again. Visions are not given to make a new rule of faith, but to comfort His people and to correct those who stray from Bible truth. The written Word remains the rule of faith and practice by which all are to be judged. God gave Peter such a vision just before sending him to preach to the Gentiles, to correct him as he was about to carry out that mission.
Heaven is much nearer to the Christian engaged in soul-saving work than is supposed. Heavenly intelligences are constantly communicating with the inhabitants of earth, and ministering angels pass through the churches noting faithfulness in individual duty. God knows each person by name and every action of life, just where lodging, the spirit possessed, and every act. He knew Cornelius as He knew Abraham, and knew just where Peter was lodging with Simon the tanner. Each person should therefore be treated as one of the Lord's instrumentalities for accomplishing His work in the earth.
God set in operation a train of circumstances by angel ministration to bring Peter into connection with Cornelius so Cornelius might learn the truth. He told Cornelius in every particular where to find Peter, because He wanted to bring the two together. An angel could have preached the message directly, but God does not work that way. The light given to Peter was to be imparted by Peter to Cornelius and his family and all his house through person-to-person connection and cooperation of heaven and earth. Through angel ministration Peter was thus brought into cooperation with inquiring souls who had all things in readiness to hear the truth and receive advanced light.
Although Cornelius was accepted in devout piety with acceptable prayers and alms, he needed an advance in faith to receive the fulfilment of the promise of the Messiah. Many Gentiles were living in closer accordance with the principles of the Old Testament Scriptures than the Jewish leaders, and by His own methods God would bring them to belief in His Son. Peter was appointed to become the human instrument in the hands of heavenly agencies, putting honor upon the gospel with heaven and earth united in the work. More than one man was converted in the transaction, for Jews and Gentiles are by faith to be joined to Jesus Christ, in whom alone all is made complete, and Cornelius must send men to Joppa and receive the gospel not from an angel but through becoming acquainted with Peter in gospel missionary work. By bringing Peter into connection with Cornelius, God brought the gospel to those who had been strangers and foreigners, making them fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God.
The sheet of all manner of beasts taught Peter that Gentiles who have not received the whole truth but are serving God with sincere, earnest purpose, walking in all the light they have received, are serving Him as acceptably as the Jew. There are many in the world like Cornelius, and souls in the churches who are much nearer the kingdom of heaven than is supposed. Angels of God cooperate with His servants to guide them to these precious jewels in this dark world of sin, which should give courage. Servants of God should therefore place themselves in readiness to make personal efforts for them to bring them to the full light of truth.
In every age God brings honest hearts seeking light into connection with those of His people who can best reach their individual needs. Different workers are adapted by special knowledge and training to help different classes of inquirers, some trained to help one class and others trained differently to help another. God works to bring the gospel to people in every social class, including those with influence and responsibility, and converted people can become workers who share the light with others. The same will happen in the last days, when many will prize the wisdom of God above any earthly advantage and obey the Word of God as the supreme standard, will be led to great light and come to the knowledge of the truth, will seek to get that light before acquaintances who like themselves are anxious for the truth, will become conscientious lightbearers to the world, and, themselves constrained by the love of God, will constrain others and improve every opportunity to invite and urge others to come and see the beauty of the truth and to give their abilities to advance the work of God. Patient, loving efforts are to reach people who do not yet understand the truth, since Cornelius is an example of an honest soul seeking light.
Peter undertook the duty laid upon him by divine command with reluctance at every step. Afterward he defended his action not on general principles but as an exception done because of divine revelation. The result was a great surprise to him when he perceived God's purpose upon hearing Cornelius relate his experience and the words of the angel.
Call to Work and Living
The instruction in Acts 10 is to be read and prayed over until understanding is opened, and then followed by earnest work for souls in the home field. The gospel is to be given freely to Jews as well as Gentiles, without erecting barriers of nation or prejudice. Failure in home missions leaves workers wanting in the day of God. The working shown here breaks the power of oppression and tyranny and dispels ignorance and superstition by the way God works on human minds.
The sheet of living creatures was given to get Peter ready for the arrival of the messengers from Cornelius. Directed at every step, he was to arise and go with them doubting nothing to Caesarea. He went with them without hesitation to the Gentile household and spoke the words of God there.
No one is to measure another by a human standard or pass judgment on him for not taking part in religious services. Such judgment discourages a brother and imperils his soul, for those who are called common and unclean are those for whom God cares. God is watching over some who today are not actively engaged in His work but who will take up what He calls them to and become faithful, reliable workers. Their voices may not be heard in religious meetings, yet their good example in faithful daily duty, honesty, integrity, and unselfish life will be recognized by God in the great day when rewards are given to the faithful, and crowns of glory will be placed upon their brow. No man can live such a life without the keeping power of God.
Work is called for for the conversion of men like Cornelius, who are to act a prominent part in God's cause. The same earnest, devoted, determined efforts made for Cornelius are to be made for souls as honest as he in associations such as the W.C.T.U. Then light will shine forth and those seeking light will be gathered out from those bitterly opposed to the message given to the world.
Each is to treat his fellow man with regard as one of the Lord's instrumentalities for accomplishing His work in the earth. Believers must unify and love one another, and deal gently and honestly and justly and righteously with one another. They are not to exalt self and tear others down, but to put away hatred and give room for God among them. Working on Christ's principles and the principles of heaven, the salvation of God will be revealed.
Servants of God should place themselves in readiness to make personal efforts for those who do not yet understand the full light of truth. Those efforts are to be patient and loving, for many in the world like Cornelius, and souls in the churches nearer the kingdom than is supposed, are serving God with sincere purpose and walking in all the light received as acceptably as others. Angels of God cooperate with His servants to guide them to these precious jewels in this dark world of sin, which should give courage.