Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/825

 death publicly. But prayer  was  made  unceasingly  by  the  infant Church for  Peter.

Now, on  the  night  preceding  the  day  on  which  he  was  to  be put  to  death,  Peter,  being  bound  with  two  chains,  slept  between two soldiers. The other  soldiers  kept  watch  at  the  door  of  the prison. And behold,  an  angel  of  the  Lord  appeared  to  Peter, and a bright  light  shone  all  around. The angel  struck  Peter  on the  side  and  awakened  him,  saying:  “Arise  quickly!”  He  did so, and  the  chains  fell  from  off  his  hands. Then the  angel  spoke to him:  “Gird  thyself,  and  put  on  thy  sandals  and  follow  me!” Peter obeyed,  not  knowing,  however,  whether  it  were  a dream or a reality.

Going out,  they  passed  through  the  first  and  second  ward or watch,  and  came  to  the  iron  gate  leading  to  the  city,  which opened of  itself  before  them. But when  they  came  out  of the  prison  yard,  and  had  passed  along  one  street,  the  angel  disappeared.

Then Peter,  coming  to  himself,  found  it  was  not  a dream, and exclaimed: “Now  I know  in  very  deed  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.”

He then  went  to  the  house  of  Mark,  where  many  Christians were assembled  in  prayer. When Peter  knocked  at  the  door, a young girl  named  Rhode  came  to  listen. On hearing  and recognising Peter’s  voice  the  girl  was  so  delighted  that  she  forgot to open  the  door,  and  ran  in  haste  to  tell  the  others. But they supposed  that  she  had  lost  her  mind. Yet she  insisted  that