The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1904-02-19
E PMoRTEt League.


FEB. rs, ssPrineels Wen IN the Hesv-
emily KtnRdom."--Acts Aiii. IL.
The world is vastly changed by some
men, and they not always the ones
most prominent and best known among
those of their own times. Some cities
come to stand for certain facts also. so
that the mention of their names is
equivalent to the statement of princi-
pie. Such city is Antioch. Such
men were Barnabas of Cyprus, Simon
and Lucius of Cyrene and Saul of Tar
sus. They were of great stature III
soul, whatever they may have been in
body.
Was this Simon Niger, the one on
whom the cross was laid as Jesus sunk
under its weight OH the way to Cal
vary? If so, and it seems likely 10
have been so. then he had good cause
to remember Christ and TO become IL
prophet as well as cross bearer. Bar
nabas was princely spirit among the
early disciples. Only less influential
than the very apostles themselves. he
was leader in all generous enterprises
and the first to find out how to relieve
the poor disciples in Jerusalem by sale
of his own private property. He was
the discoverer of st. Paul in Saul of
TalSus. He alone of all in Jerusalem
had confide uce in his integrity and in
the genuineness of his conversion WHEN
he returned from Damascus to Jernsa-
lem. And when the work in Antioch
became extended and the interest Of
the gentiles required Il master mind 10
aid then Barnabas went to Tarsus aft
er Saul. This same Barnabas is also
leader in the first missionary tour ever
voluntarily undertaken and deliberate
~ planned. What a large souled man
he is in all his doingsi Even when John
Mark deserted in the midst of dangers
he did not judge the young fellow
harshly, but on the very next trip insists
that he shall go again with them. When
the more rigid Paul cannot endure
such cowardice and will in no way con-
sent Barnabas goes straight ahead and
takes Mark with him to Cyprus and
let's Paul go his own way And Bar
nabas was right. He saved valuable
helper whom Paul was glad to welcome
in after years as beloved companion i'll
toll
With all his peculiarities and angu-
larities where will you find more
princely soul than that same Paul?
More scholarly than any other man in,
the early church, saturated with the
learning of the Jewish rabbits, but over
mastered by the logic of Stephen. re-
ceiving at Damascus an experience pro
foundly affecting all his nature and
completely shifting his viewpoint and
altering all the current of his life. he
came to be the great evangelist to the
gentiles. His influence changed the
face of the world His writings have
determined the teaching of the Chris
tian church in all subsequent ages. His
views and opinions have become the
doctrines of the church to such an eX-
tent that lately it has been suspected
that some interpretations put upon
them have led to a misunderstanding
of the truth as taught by Christ HIM
self.
No man of whom the world has pre-
served memory was ever more COM
pletely devoted to another than was
Paul to Jesus Christ. Whatever 9TH
ers may think of Jesus, it is clear that
Paul gave Him the place of God.
Whatever others may think of the res
direction of Jesus and His power to
save Paul believed He had risen and
was alive and would in the fullness of
time raise all His true followers in His
own blessed likeness and bring to con-
summation this world age in the king
dom of God the Father
Other missionary heroes the church
has had and still has of whom it is
well that we should learn, but these
first missionaries of Antioch lead the
van of princely men.