The Jackson herald., 1902-05-15
PLEASANT FIELDS
o F II OILY w RIT0

|OF HOLY w RIT
Save for my daily range
Among the pleasant fields OF Holy wr.s.
might despair. --Tcnnyson
International Sunday School
Lesson.
Second Quarter. Lesson VII. May 1s
I Acts XITT, l4s.
THE EARLY CHRISTIAN MIS-
| SIoNARIES.
4, The Church az Antioch flour.
ished. To use a platitude, il
reached the masses. Much peo :
pie was taught and added" The
Church was rich in pastors and
prophets, Conscious OF such pho
nomenal resources, the congre.
CATION seemed aware that it
should accomplish still greater
things. A day is set apart In
which special inquiry shall be
made of the Lord, There is ab-
stinence ana prayer. and that not
in vain. The Divine mind is in
dubitably learned. The first and
last named in the pastoral roster
are designated for missionary
enterprise.
Hitherto the diffusion of the
gospel beyond the bounds of
Palestine had been the accident
of persecution. Now of set pur-
pose, in answer to prayer, under
direction Of the Holy Ghost, the
publishing of glad tidings In
foreign parts is deliberately un-
dertakeu. This event is epochal
in gospel history. 1t is exemplary
as we'll. After this manner the
Church is still to seek the tokens
of Providence. Our missionaries
are still to be ordained with fast
ing and prayer, and considered as
especially ''sent forth by the
Holy Ghost" Might not larger
fruits attend a stricter adherence
to the biblical patternl
The high mountain SUBMITS of
Cyprus could be deserted above
the water.liEe horizon of the
Mediterranean. 1t was q natural
objective point.
"Ovcr the ocean wave, far, far away,
There the poor heather 1.-Two, wait
ing for day."
They thoroughly evangelize the
island, not its seaport only, but
its rustic hamlets. At the west
ern terminus and capital they
fight the devil in his last trench.
THE prince OF this world offers
resistance in the person of the
sorcerer, and reproaches and de-
fes, saying; 4 was here before
you. '"-Rieger.
Sergius Paulus had perhaps
tolerated Elymas because in the
esotcrlc mixture which he peddIed
there were elements of truth
which he could not obtain from
other sources. Back of all his
perversions, and lr spite Of them.
the prudent mind OF the procon-
sui caught glimpses OF the right
ways OF the Lord. When he heard
of the arrival OF sincere teachers,
he instantly discarded the one
who taught with daring clever
ness" and ''revenue only"
The winning of such a glorious
trophy, the very highest rcpre-
sentative of the empire, and in
spite of such odds against them
IN the contest. Injured the hearts
of these first missionaries as they
turned their faces toward Asia
Minor. 1t helped compensate for
tho untimely desertlon Of John
Mark, who seemed indispensable
as an agent to attend to the semi
secular affairs of the mission, and
to baptize the converts.
Paul's simultaneous change OF
name and advance in rank was
perfectly natural. Paul was the
Roman equivalent for Saul. The
new folks among whom he min
gled would instinctively address
him by the equivalent, He was
too astute to protest or correct.
Why handicap himself with o
Jewish name as he approached
Gent.les! His taking the leader.
ship was simply the logic of the
situation. Paul's was the master
mind.
THE TEACHERS LANTERN.