Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1898-02-24

Barnabas, the Son of Consolation.
From the Christian Observer.
BY REV. A. A. WALLACE.

| BY REV. A. A. WALLACE.
Here is one of the strong, quiet char
acters OF the Bible. While his name
has not the prominence that is giver
to some other of the early workers il
the church, he is still a character great
in all the essentials of noble person.
ality. He is not often brought tc
notice either in press or pulpit; thit
may be due in part to his association
with Paul, the great missionary apos-
tie. The hill beside the mountain ID
often forgotten, but we should remem.
ber that while the hill may not be sc
lofty as the mountain, 1t commando
notice by its fertility. In the charac-
ter of Barnabas we find field rich in
helpful suggestion.
He was a Levite and from that fact
we may safely infer that he received
careful training In the home. In his
origin he was spiritually related to
Timothy, whose faith Paul traced back
through mother and grandmother. We
believe in his case the principle laid
down by Solomon had been observed,
and by him 1t had been verified:
"Traiu up child In the way he should
go and when he is old he will not
depart from it."
Whatever may be our views on the
matter of political aristocracy, we are
forced to admit that there is an aris-
tocracy of good birth and religious
training that is of untold value to
character. DIR. Cuyler observes that
the family is the primary training
school of character, and cites the
homes of John G. Patton and other
great missionary workers in proof.
Napoleon said that the greatest need
of France was mothers, and some one
has remarked that If man wishes to
be great he must select the right par
ents. These remarks are but differ
ent ways of emphasizing the necessity
of early family training.
The church is in need of great, gen.
erous, noble men; she needs them in
her pulpits, in her pews and in her
courts. To what other source must
she look for these men except that
noblest and best source-the Christian
home? If the church is to be blessed
with large numbers of Barnabas- like
''sons of consolation" she must see
that her children are not reared as
''sons Of Belial."
The good business Judgment of this
man is also worthy of notice. We are
told in Acts 4:37 that he possessed
land. Now, this man belonged to a
tribe without inheritance, and what
ever possession he had must have
been acquired by his own individual
energy and frugalIty. We infer, there
fore, that he had the two great essen
tials of q Christian business character
|-.trugaiity and generosity; frugal
toward self, generous toward God; a
saving hand to accumulate and lib
eral hand TO distribute Co tho nec-s-
slties or the poor saints.
His business sense is further empha-
sized when we recall the fact that bis
benefaetion was not of the sspost NOR
tenn" kind. He was the executor oi
his gift. We are firm in the convict
ion that it is not only Christian duty,
but verdict of sound business judg-
ment that men should serve God with
their wealth while they live rather
than will it to charities after death.
This man is also bright example in
spirital discernment.
The church should ever hold him in
grateful remembrance because, hu-
manly speaking, he was the agent by
which Paul was saved to the church
and introduced to his great work. We
are told in Acts that when Saul came
back to Jerusalem after his conversion
at Damascus he essayed to join him.
self to the disciples, but they held hin
under suspicion and were afraid oi
him. This treatment Saul, who had 6
high strung and sensitive nature, mus
have felt very keenly. Repulsed by
the disciples, he might have remained
long in obscurity had it not been fol
the discerning mind of Barnabas. HI
vouched for the genuine character o.
his profession and declared how hi
had preached boldly at Damascus
This espousal of Saurs cause at tha
critical moment by Barnabas is o
untold value to the Christian church
We are further reminded of thi
mans discernment when we study
the account of the planting Christian
| ity in Antioch. See Acts 11:22- 80
Barnabas had been sent there tt
preach, and his word was with powe
and marked success. But in the mids
of his successful ministry, he leave
Antioch. What for? Not to give ul
the work, but to seek Saul and briui
him there that his brilliant gifts ma.
be laid upon the altar of great service
He doubtless saw there work suite,
to the special gifts of Saul, and thu
by rare spiritual discernment he in
troduced Saul to a great work, and LEI
in the direction of his future mission
ary enterprise.
| Another example of the discerning
spirit OF Barnabas is seen in his liberia
attitude toward the Gentle converts
By training he would naturally b
narrow in his views OF Gentle cburcl
! membership; but, on the contrary, b
was, in fact, freer from narrow preJu
dices than some of the apostles. Pete
needed a vision from Heaven to ope
his eyes to correct view of God
purpose toward the heathen, Will
Barnabas throws of at once whateve
of prejudice he might have inherited
and when he sees Gods grace extend
ed to the Gentiles at Antioch, he
glad.-Acts 11:23.
Again, the spiritual enduement G
this early worker Is worthy Of atten
ton. It is said of him that he was
good man; that he was full Of theHol
Ghost; that he was full of faith; an
that through him many people wer
| hro,,utt In Hhrisf Thara In Oive