April 8

1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.

2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

3 And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. Then were the days of unleavened bread.

4 And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quartermots of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.

5 Peter therefore was kept in prison; but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

6 And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains; and the keepers before the door kept the prison.

7 And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he wrote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.

8 And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals: and so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.

9 And he went out and followed him; and was not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.

10 When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.

11 And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.

12 And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.

13 And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to bearken, named Rhoda.

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14 And when she knew Peter's voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate.

15 And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel.

16 But Peter continued knocking; and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished.

17 But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the

prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place.

18 Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter.

19 And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Cesarea, and there abode.

"This chapter enshrines one of the gems of apostolic history."

"The picture opened before us in the dungeon at Jerusalem is one of the sublimest in all history. The weather-beaten fisherman of Galilee, suddenly arrested in the impetuous current of his apostolical labors, lies chained on either side to a Roman soldier, sleeping. Around him are all the symbols of terror. There are the cold, damp walls of the cell, the cheerless bed of straw, the barred and bolted door, the manacles upon his wrists; but he sleeps! The prospect is such as to unnerve the stoutest heart. The fury of the mob as he passes to the court of Herod in the morning, the malignant accusations of the priesthood, the mockery of the guards, the cold and selfish sentence of the king, the dense mob again, the scaffold in the marketplace or the cross on the hill—all these seem to rise up in the immediate future; but he sleeps! Thoughts of early life might have broken on his rest—memories of the days when he was wont to fish in the quiet lake; and he might have longed that the interval had been but a dream; but it was not so. There he lay, heavily chained, but sleeping! Outside the prison-walls was the Jewish world; many were thinking of the prisoner; some plotting accusations and longing for his blood, thrilled with the anticipation of the tragedy of the morrow; but there lay the designated victim in all the calm and quiet of infancy. 'And when Herod was about to bring him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping.' And 'so He giveth His beloved sleep.'"—R. R. Meredith, D. D.

"But" there was a power at work of which the King had not dreamed; there was a prayer-meeting of the church that night in Jerusalem. God heard that prayer, and sent an angel to execute his will. At the command of the heavenly visitant, bar after bar loosens, door after door turns on its hinges, and Peter is free. Then all need of miracle was over, and the angel departed, leaving Peter in a state of bewilderment. But, recovering from his astonishment, and devoutly recognizing the hand of God in his deliverance, Peter proceeded at once "to the house of Mary."

Here we left the church in earnest prayer. When the portress reported Peter's presence at the gate, they declared she was mad. They had prayed for his deliverance; and now that it had been effected, they could not believe it! Alas! it has been often so since. Our faith is so feeble that when an answer to our supplication comes, it takes us by surprise; whereas, if we were really believing, the wonder would be that an answer should not come.

Closet Promise.—Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. —John xvi. 24.

Ask and receive. —'tis sweetly said; Yet what to plead for know I not, For wish is worsted, hope of respect, And aye to thanks returns my thought. If I would pray,

I've naught to say But this, that God may be God still; For Him to live Is still to give, And sweeter than my wish His will. —David A. Wasson.