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LECTURE XIII.

SAPPHIRA, THE LYING WOMAN.

OTHING could better illustrate the piety and

consecration of the early Christians than the sacrifices they made to further the cause of their Master. They understood Christ literally when He said: "Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath cannot be my disciple," and in compliance, fishermen left their nets, tent-makers their tents, carpenters their shops, farmers their lands, and followed their revered leader. They went further than this. Luke tells us that "all that believed were together, and had all things common; and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men as every man had need." The greatest dread of modern times has been communism, the clamor of the ignorant masses for an equal distribution of property. To put it down the streets of Paris have been deluged with blood. Nihilists have been slain by the thousand in Russia, and the Anarchists hung in Chicago. I have no sort of sympathy with modern communism. The rights of property are recognized by all laws, human and divine. "Meum et Tuum" are words found in every language. "The rich and poor meet together, the Lord is the Maker of them all;" but a voluntary communism

for the good of the cause of Christ is the noblest ever entered into by any people, and the inspired record tells us that such was the devotion of primitive disciples that they "had all things common."

This surrender of property, this voluntary forsaking of all for the sake of the cause of Christ, was particularly characteristic of the members of the church at Jerusalem, which, after the descent of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost, so greatly increased that it became a large and influential community, whose devotion called forth expressions of praise from even heathen writers. The members of that church entered into a compact, to sell all their possessions and put the proceeds into a common fund for the benefit of the needy. Thus we read in Acts iv. 34-37: "Neither was there any among them that lacked; for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles' feet, and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.” Great God! what a commentary on the benevolence of to-day. Think of a Christian man now selling his house, or his land, or his cotton, and bringing not a part, but all the money, and laying it at the feet of God's ministers saying, "Take this, it is all I have, give it to the poor." Do we not often appeal to such in vain for a few paltry dollars, to relieve the most distressing cases of want and suffering? If a man should sell all that he has now, and give it to the poor, he would be put down as a madman, sent to the asylum, while on a plea of insanity shrewd lawyers would

recover the whole, and turn it over, excepting the large share kept for themselves, to the heirs of the poor unfortunate. And yet to the young man seeking heaven our Saviour said: “One thing thou lackest. Sell whatsoever thou hast and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven."

But this bright picture of the benevolence of the early disciples is not without its dark background. There were professing Christians, who loved money then just as they do now, and this love of money, as developed in two of the members of the church at Jerusalem, has blackened forever the otherwise brilliant page of their history. The sad story is told in the 5th chapter of the book of Acts:

1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possesion,

2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.

3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

4 While it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost and great fear came on all them that heard these things.

6 And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.

7 And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.

8 And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.