St. Peter had the strong Jewish regard for the distinctions of the law concerning the clean and the unclean, therefore when a voice directed him to kill and eat of these animals, he answered, "Far be it from me, for I never did eat anything that is common or unclean." A second time the voice spoke to him. "That which God hath cleansed do not thou call common," it said; and when this mysterious vision had been three times repeated, the sheet was drawn up to heaven again. In the same manner that the Jews avoided eating such food as the old ceremonial law of Moses deemed unclean, so they shunned all intercourse with the Gentiles as an unclean nation. {31} This remarkable vision was God's way of teaching St. Peter that the prejudices of his life must be laid aside, and as fully as grace was poured out upon the Gentile world, so he must also admit them to all the blessings of the Christian Church. While St. Peter pondered over this wondrous revelation of God's Will, two servants and a soldier came to the tanner's house, and asked if one Simon, surnamed Peter, was lodging there. They came from Cornelius, an officer in the Roman army, who dwelt in Cæsarea, a fine city and seaport some thirty-five miles from Joppa. We read in Scripture that Cornelius was a devout man, and that he gave alms to the people, and spent much time in prayer. {32} He must, therefore, have been conscientiously following the light he had, and praying to know God's Will; and such humble constant prayer can never be disregarded by Heaven. So it happened that one evening as Cornelius prayed, a heavenly visitor appeared to him, speaking in gentle tones of love, and yet he was alarmed, and exclaimed, "What is it, Lord?" Then he heard that his prayers and his alms had gone up as a memorial before the throne of God, and he was bidden to send men to Joppa, who should bring to him Peter, then lodging with a tanner in his humble dwelling upon the sea-shore. We have already seen these messengers reaching the dwelling of the Apostle; and while they asked for him, the Holy Spirit made their arrival known to St. Peter, and inspired him to go with them, for it was God Who sent them. {33} Immediately leaving the housetop, the Apostle went to the door, and heard how the messengers had come from Cornelius, and also that he had been directed by an angel to send to Joppa. Strong though his Jewish prejudices had been, love of his Master's will and his Master's work were still stronger, and St. Peter made the Gentile visitors welcome for the night, and departed with them next day for Cæsarea, taking with him some of his Christian brethren. When they reached the house of Cornelius, they found him with his friends, assembled to receive the much-desired visitor; and meeting St. Peter at the portico of his house, he prostrated himself with the greatest reverence and humility, recognising the Apostle as the visible head of the Christian Church, and the representative of Jesus Christ. {34}