The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1893-06-29
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
international Lesson for July 2, 1899
Paul Called TO Europe-Acts I6:o-I5.


Especially Arranged from Peloubet's Notes
GOLDEN TExr.-0o yc therefore, anl teacf
oil nations, bap.iziny tA..- In the narnc OF the
Father, and OF the Son, and OF the Holy Ghost
Matt l9:1o
CoNNECrioN.-Six months ago when We
closed our studies in the Acts for time, we
lcft Pau and Baruabas In Jerusalem, where
they had told the story of their tirst great i~is
s1onary tour TO the Geniilcs. with its marvel
Gus success, as proof Of the presence Of the
Hc!y SPIRIT and the Divine Endorsement OF tbei,
! lap2rs. The vital but perplexing question OF
! receiving the Gentiles into the church without
their becoming Jews had been wisely and fairly
se'ted This was great era in the history OF
inc cnurch. II took place some time in A. d.
/ o. We now take up the narrative from this
! point
PLACE IN THE HISTORY Is best to keer
In mind brief general view Of the history OF
the church from the crucifxion to the destruc.
uon OF Jerusalem, marked by the leading
/ events, and then pnt each lesson in its place
This outline should be frequently reviewed by
the teacher and by the class till IL is so familiar
that whenever hereafter the BooI of the Acts
Is read each event will fall naturally into its
place.
TIME-The second missionary journey was
pegun probably carly in A. d. 81; and Europe
was reached the following year, A. d. SO
PLAcE.-Philippi in Macedonia, now Euro
pean Turkey.
PAUL About fifty years old, sixteen years
after his conversion
CHRIsT's MISSIONARIES.
The Separation of Paul and Barna-
bas.-Chap. 10, vers. 36-4O. Paul and
Barnabas, with two delegates from the
Jerusalem church, returned to Antioch,
bearing with them the decree of the
council. They remained at Antioch
for time. Then Paul proposed to
Barnabas that they revisit the churches
which they had founded in Asia Minor
during their first missionary tour "a.
d. 4t-4s). He would visit his spiritual
children to see how they were growing
in grace. He would look at the tender
vines in the vineyard he had planted.
to see what further care was REQUIRED.
These churches, SO far separated from
others, having received but a small
portiop OF the truths of the Gospel, ex-
posed to temptations, to errors and to
dangers, had no small need of apostolic
care and training. go.
Barnabas agreed with Paul But
there arose practical question. Bar
nabas wished to take with them his
cousin John Mark, who started with
them on their former journey, but lett
them and returned home, when they
began to enter upon the dangerous and
difficult part of their tour. Paul re-
fused to take him with them: and the
difference of opinion was so sharp and
decided that She two friends separated.
and went different ways, never to meet
again on earth.
But while we freely acknowledge
the imperfection do not let us make it
greater than it really was, 1t was not
a quarrel, bitter and angry" 1t was
not case where neither put in prac-
tice the exquisite and humble Christian
lesson of putting up with less than his
due" They did not part in anger"
Nor is it true neither would yield to
the other; therefore both were wrong"
Let us look at certain facts. % Both
were remarkably good men, each
showing in different way the noblest
virtues, the fullest zeal, the deepest
piety, the largest conservation. (2)
But these good men were of very diff
ferent natures, just as a flower, fruit,
gold coin, watch, a steam-engine,
are all good, but in entirely
different ways. (S) Therefore it was
perfectly natural and perfectly right
that they should see things in different
lights, and desire different things for
their work. 1t is no imperfection in
watch that its wheels will not fit into
the cogs of steam engine; no proof
of wrong that the two cannot work to-
gether. / can conceive of two angels
as working best in different spheres.
This is the legitimate way in which
different denominations arise - one
wishes to shout in meeting, another to
be quiet; one loves to worship with a
liturgy, another with words born of
the occasion. All are right; but they
must separate. It is only when they
separate with wrong feelings that
there is sin. (l They separated as
friends Says Conybeare: ''It is very
likely that they made deliberate and
arrangement to divide the
region Of their first mission between
them" Paul mentions Barnabas with
honor in his writings Il Cor 9:6; Gal.
2: l, 81, and acknowledges Mark as his
fellow-laborer (Philem. 24), as profit
able to the ministry( 2 Tim. 4:11), and
a comfort (Col 4: 10, 1D. (5) God
overruled this event to the furtherance
Of the Gospel. There were two streams
of missionary influence instead of one,
and all the persons concerned did good
work for the cause.
The Second Missionary Tour.-Chap.
Is, vers. 40, Al; chap. IS, vers. 1-s. Bar
nabas took Mark with him, and thence
forth drops out of the narrative, but
not out of the work. Paul chose Silas.
one of the delegates from the Jeru-
salem church, and leaving Antioch
went northward through Syria, then
to the west through his native Cilicia,
thence reversing the order of his first
tour. (See 1899, fourth quarter, les
sons o, 10.) They confirmed the