FOURTH READING BOOK.

SCRIPTURAL

AND

MISCELLANEOUS LESSONS.

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FOURTH READING BOOK.

PART I.

SCRIPTURAL LESSONS.

LESSON 1.

THE ADMISSION OF THE GENTILES.

THE BAPTISM OF CORNELIUS.-A.D. 40.

ST. PETER had been the first to preach Christ to the Jews upon the day of Pentecost. He was now commissioned to open the door of the Church to the Gentiles. For Christ had said unto him, "And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven : and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Matt. xvi. 19.

Cornelius was a Roman centurion, living at Cesarea, a man who acknowledged the true God, but did not bind himself to observe the law of Moses. But he was a devout man, and had shown his piety, by giving much alms to the poor, and by continually praying unto God.

One day, about the ninth hour, (that is, about three o'clock in the afternoon,) Cornelius was fasting and praying to God, when he saw an angel standing before him, and saying, 'Cornelius.' "And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said,