The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-01-30
LESSON STORY.

L. All Things in COmmOn,-Ve.
32-39.
The custom of goods-sharing which
began among the Christians in Jerusa'
lem at the Pentecostal Baptism, was FOL
several years continued. Intensified
fraternity, after Peter and Johns hrst
triumph over the Sahhedrim in the pow
or of THE NAME, enlarged the custom.
The multitude of them that believed
aUere of one heart and one soul. Fra
ternity was among them now an absorb
ing passion. The twelve apostles were
the distributors of general relief fund.
The rights of private property were still
recognized; each believer could do as he
chose with his own. But it became
fashion for those who had real estate to
sell it and lay the price at the feet or
the apostles as an offering to the broth
erhood. The strong thus bore the bur-
dens of the weak. The poorest Chris
tians shared in the means OF living
possessed by the richest. Equality, SO
far as unchangipg conditions allowed,
was realized, Mountains were brought
low; valleys we're filled up.
Mote how the church fell into this
custom of sharing all things in common
1t apas the voluntary continuance and
expansion fthe method of livimg adopt
ed by the tacelve lchile Jesus acas aoith
them.
The method. so far as we know,
worked we'll in the experience OF Jesus
and the apostles. Under like circum-
stances it may always work we'll. Where
all are honest and unselfish, and fratern-
ity is heroic and sustained, and where
no Ananias comes to disturb the volun-
tary unanimity. such a spontaneous
communism is possible. But Fourlerlsm,
Shakerism, the Milton Brook Farm. and
many other modern attempts to revive
the goods-sharing of the early church
have been confessed failures. Human
nature in the general average cannot yet
be kept in white heat of fraternity
The many descendants of Ananias still
conspire against every promising attempt
at literal goods-sharing.
Yet let US note that the early i'm
pulse of the church toward fraternity.
while it cannot yet be depended upon as
a permanent form of society, has been
largely reproduced in Christian civiliza-
ton, Since Christian frater nifty has
crystalized we have,-what the world
did not know before,-such things as
almshouses, hospitals, asylums, intirm-
aries, orphan homes, old mems homes,
old ladies' homes.
More completely still the strong
should bear the burdens of the weak;
yet we have reason for hope when we
behold how the equalizing spirit of the
Son of Man has already in some degree
pervaded Christian law and custom.
Among those who promoted the zeal
of fraternity in the first church in Jeru
salem. special mention is made of Joseph
surnamed by the apostles Barnabas. He
was a Jew, of the tribe of Levi; but he
was foreign born, his birthplace being
Cyprus, fertile island in the Mediter-
ranean. or his own accord he sold a
field, presumably in Cyprus, and brought
the full price to the apostles. He was
an extremely eloquent man; this is sig
nified in the name given to him, Barna-
has, that is. son of exhortation, or con
selling exhortation. He spoke with the
abandon of complete unseltshness. He
had vivid spiritual vision. HIS raptur-
GUS speech was consolation. His pres
ence was benediction. Both hlsgener-
GUS act and his graceful speech made
him the beloved of the church.
Naturally, he became an object OF
envy.
z. The Sin of Ananias, VS.. 1, 2.
Ananias, like Barnabas, was one Of the
richer brethren. He had been by the
Gospel partially converted, or turned
from his inbred parsimony; but partially
converted only; he still had strong and
selfish love of money. He for season
held resolutely to his own. But he had
an intense desire TO gain the approval Of