151. A Prayer Of The Apostles.

A Prayer Of The Apostles. The Prayer as recorded.—Acts 1:24-25 The Lord’s Answer.—Acts 1:26.

It was the custom of the followers of our Savior, while he was yet on earth, to meet for conference and prayer. On an occasion of this kind Peter stood up to address the meeting on the subject of appointing some one of their number to fill the place of Judas, the betrayer of our Lord, who had taken his own life, and died a horrible death.

Peter proposes that he shall be chosen from among those who had attended upon the Savior’s teachings from the very beginning of his ministry, so that he might teach the truths taught him, and be with the rest a witness of the resurrection. Two are selected, and the matter is made a subject of prayer. To God, their great guide and counselor, the choice is left, and when the lots are drawn, Matthias is the chosen one. There is no special power or authority granted to one more than the other, not even to Peter, as some have claimed; for Paul, in Galatians 2:11, withstood Peter because he was to be blamed; he therefore was not infallible, although he was honored by being the first to preach the gospel to Jew and Gentile.

God’s chosen ministers have a high commission, and should be selected for their holy office with prayer for guidance in the choice—we are taught this lesson by the prayer of the apostles; but the only apostolic mark God requires them to bear is that which is stamped by the Holy Spirit in their hearts; they should be men of prayer, men following closely the footsteps of the Savior, and like Enoch of old, walking with God; such have a passport from on high to the baptismal font, the marriage altar, to the house of God, and the gate of heaven.