::R1581 : page 282::

REVIEW

III. QUAR., LESSON XIII., SEPT. 24, ACTS—CHAPTERS 16-28

Golden Text—”So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”—Rom. 10:17

A careful review of the instructive lessons of this quarter is earnestly commended to all, that they may bring before the mind again, and connectedly, the noble self-denial, the unwavering confidence in God, the implicit obedience, the loyalty and faithfulness and untiring zeal of the Lord’s chosen Apostle to the Gentiles, affording a most noble example for study and imitation.

In the divine direction of his course and supervision of his work, we see manifested the Lord’s wonderful providence over his Church; and we rejoice to realize that though the apostles long since fell asleep in Jesus, the work which the Lord accomplished through them is as potent at this end of the age as at the beginning; and that his promise—”Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age,” is verified to us as manifestly as to the early Church.

The book entitled, “The Acts of the Apostles,” might be more properly captioned, The

::R1581 : page 283::

beginning and early history of the Christian Church: it is a volume well worthy of study and meditation. As we pursue the divinely guided course and mark the inspiration, zeal and faithfulness of the apostles in accomplishing their mission, as set forth in the The Acts of the Apostles, we come with deeper interest and with the profoundest reverence to the study of their inspired Epistles, prescribed for the next quarter.

The Golden Text of this lesson is very suggestive—”So then faith cometh by hearing [we must hear “this gospel of the Kingdom” before we can have faith in it: it must enter into our ears and commend itself to our judgment; and only on its reasonable testimony can true faith be predicated], and hearing by the Word of God [the testimony of these good tidings originates with God only: it is, as the Apostle here states, “the Word of God,” no matter if modern critics do affirm that it is not the Word of God. This gospel could never have originated with men: it bears the unmistakable stamp of divinity].

====================

— September 1&15, 1893 —