The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1894-10-02
ANoIEET AND MODERN LIARS.
ANaNiAs AND SOME OF HIS DIS.
CIPLES.

\ Strong Sermon by Dr. j. IL. Haw.
thornc-He Uses Congressman w. @.
\. breckenridge rs an Object Les
son.
Ifxt Barnabas, having land, sold
., and brought the money and laid it
ttSthe apostles feet.n-Acts iy, 81.
But q certain man named Ananias.
with Sapphira, his wife, sold a posses
sion, and kept back part OF the price,
his vile being pripy to it, and brought
certain part and laid it at the apos-
ties feet.-Acts ", 1,2.
The conduct of some of the early
disciples In selling their Individual
property and turning the proceeds into
u benevolent fund, to be used by the
apostles in providing for the necessi-
Tics OF poor Christians, has been cited
IN support OF modern communism. 1t
Is claimed that there was an abso-
lutte community Of goods among the
hrst Christiaps-that as soon as a man
was received into the church his indi.
yldual ownership of property ceased.
mat some OF the members of the Jeru-
salem church made this surrender of
their material possessions is not de-
med: but L do deny that the custom
was universal among them. 1t is very
clear hat no law had been issued, eth
eli by Christ Or His apostles, which re-
CURED Christians to hold ali things in
common. There is not one ord in the
ip'pired record to warrant the belief
that the church at Jerusalem required
each individual, as he entered its por-
tai, to denude himself of all earthly
possessions and surrender them to the
brotherhood. This was not a condi-
tim of nht1roh n,n,pl,,.1,> mn f..l
ure OF any member to make this sur
render of his property was not regard
ed as q violation of church obligation.
1t was purely q voluntary matter.
Every n was left free to determine
for himself whether he should give all
or a part OF his property to the relief
fund. We know that Mary, the moth
er OF John Mark, belonged to that
church. We know that She did not
surrender her property to the brother
hood. Long afterthe death of Ananias
she was living in Jerusalem in her w
house. 1t was in her house that some
OF the disciples held n prayer meeting
while Peter was in prison. 1t was in
her house that Peter found his breth
rem after his miraculous release from
.tpPffsonme-t.
THE modern communistic idea of
a~bolishing all distinctions among men
and reducing human society everv-
where to a dead level, is not only con
trary to the spirit and purpose Of the
gospel, built is an absurdity which de-
serves all the ridicule that can be
heaped upon it.
God made men to differ one from
another. He has conferred gifts and
aptitudes upon some which He has
withheld from others. In the develop
ment OF their gifts some will rise above
the others as naturally as the oaks of
the forest tower above the bramble
bushes which nestle at their feet. You
may as well go into the animal king
dom and say to the elephant, there
DO no distinction between you
and the mousse and to the whale,
there shall be no distinction between
you and the tadpolc,' as to GO into the
realm of humanity and say to a high
proved, strong-minded, ambitious. de-
termined Anglo-Saxon, you shall
have no more, and enjoy no more, and
be no more Than the Esquima, the
Guinearnegro and the pig-tail China
man.
vt is not the purpose of the gospel
to abolish classes in human society, but
to regulate the relations of classes to
each other. If Christ we're among us
to-day He would not condemn any man
for having wealth and living in a beau
tiful home provided with everything
needed to promote comfort and happi-
ness. But he would say to every rich
man among us, You must not despise
the poor: you must not Cypress them
you must respect them you must love
them; you must defend them you
must help them in every discreet and
IaWfnl IUnu RI i'm, nrnun fbni, nxl.A: -. =
He would not say to the Door and OBJ
scnre, Band together and destroy the
possessions of the rich until they are
as poor as yourselves but cultivate
peaceful and fraternal relations with
Them ; rejoice in their prosperity let
IT stimulate you to more diligent and
determined efforts or your own behalf:
seek their counsel and help to become
as prosperous as they. Above all, Law
up for yourselves treasure in heaven.
Be rich in faith, love, meekncss. pa
thence, hope, and when death comes
you shall have wealth and glory inef-
able and eternal
In the crisis that came upon the
church at Jerusalem Barnabas was de-
veloped and brought into prominence.
He saw that the needs of the cause
which he loved, and to which he had
hSooS w SolloC ttS hllIlScll, cOulu
not be provided for without great self
denial. Rejoicing in the opportunity
to make a sacrifice that would illus
trate his devotion to Christ, he sold
his lam and turned all the proceeds
into The treasury OF the church.
BARNABAS' GENEROSITY.
The noble generosity of Barnabas
secured for him the profoundest conf
dence and influence, so that lie. was
deemed worthy to be the companion of
the great apostles of the Gentiles in
labors. Seeing how Barna-
bas had risen among the disciples,
Ananias and his wife, who coveted
popularity and distinction, determined
they would sell a piece of proper
~ and put the proceeds into the church
mnd. The sale was made, and as they
sat counting the money the devil made
suggestion. He told them that by a
little deception they could get the APP
they coveted without giving away all
they had realized from the sale of
their property. The historian saws
Sapphira, the wife Of Ananias,
was 'privy to this transaction. | i'm
aglne that she had about the same con-
nection with it that our great-grand-
mother Eve had with u similar ~transac-
lion in the garden of Eden. Satan
talked to tho woman, and then she
to tho man. We can imagine
the aspiring, managing and en-
terprising Mrs. Ananias would view
The matter. She thought that distinc-
lion in the church would not be- very
enjoyable without good sum of money
keep up appearances. She did not
see much enjoyment and much glory in
being penniless and going To churcR in