Mexico Missouri message., 1909-04-29
PAUL AT
CY p II " s
susdsy Sehssl Lssssu fss Nay z, 1909
Specially Arranged for This Papsr

PLAcE.-Antioeh In Syria. and the Ia
land Of Cyprus.
RULERB.--ClRudius Caeaar, emperor OF
Rome. u-H. Cuspius Fadus. governor OF
Judea. The Romans are in Britain. seek
ing 10 subJugate the country.
Suggestion and Practical Thought.
The church at Antioch, from
which Pau's missionary journey
started. Jerusalem had before been
the center Of influence. its heat and
light radiating to Samaria, Joppa,
Ethiopia, Cyrene, Damascus, Tarsus.
Antioch. The ray that reached Anti.
och kindied. a. IL were. n new sun,
which became q center Of radiation
for Asia Minor and Europe.
II was n small and struggling church.
Paul and Barnabas were the strongest
men in II, the leaders. How could
they be spared? Our modern
churches and Christians need to learn
that II IL not keeping, but giving
away, that enriches and strengthens.
Missionaries Are Your Representa-.
tives.-Those whom you have commits
stoned. the ofiiclal heads OF the church.
have sent the missionaries forth for
you. They are your proxies. When
you Joined the church. you made It's
enterprises yours. and assumed re-
sponsibility for them. You became a
partner in a business, the greatest
business In the world. II the missions
OF your denomination fail or grow
weak through your neglect, II Is as
great a disgrace as for you to become
bankrupt in any other business to
which you have made yourself part.
ner.
Lessons for Our work.. Paul
and Barnabas went first to Cyprus,
where they would ind a beginning
easiest. Wise workers always work
along lines OF least resistance.
2. They worked In the center OF in.
fiuence, a large city. where they could
reach the most people. The church
must never neglect the city.
3. They based their work upon the
word of God. We shall fail II we do
not do the same.
4. They did not try to do their
work alone, but utilized John Mark.
and doubtless all the other helpers
they could find. The most useful
workers are those that know how to
set others 70 work.
5. They were ignorant, as yet,
that their great work was TO be for
the Gentiles. but they followed along
the line OF providence. "a flower will
often remain furled for days till n sun.
beam touches II. when instantly II will
expand. "-Baring-Gould. Their mis-.
sion was preparing for a full unfold.
ing.
V. 8. "Elymas.' not necessarily a
| proper name, being merely Aramaic
for magician. He was a Jew: a false
prophet. an impostor pretending 10 a
knowledge of the future and teaching
untrue doctrines; and he was a "sor.
cerer," magician or sage, the name
given to the wise men from the East,
the Magi OF Matt. 2: /, 7, l6. In those
days superstition and science were
commingled. and the scholar did not
consider beneath him the arts OF the
fortune.teller and the magician.
There stood before the proconsul
the apostle OF truth and the emissary
OF falsehood, like Moses and the magi
clans before Pharaoh. Dean Waugh
an. Victory over the opposition OF the
sorcerer was a specimen of all the
missionary victories that have been
won since. In countless numbers, al
over the world. Il was won by three
means:
l. BY the power OF the spirit "
81. saul. (who also Is called Paul.
and henceforth. TO mark his change Of
labors. the history drops his Jewish
name, Saul. and uses the Gentle name
solely was filled with the Holy Ghost
The tense OF the Greek participls
implies a sudden access OF spiritua
power. showing itself at once in I'm
sight into character. righteous indig
nation, and provision OF the divine
chastisement" -Ellicott.
2. BY bold speech ". lo). Pau
never minced matters. He spoke gu
his full heart. Thoughts were mad,
for words. with him! With a sterI
face, his eyes fixed intently upon thu
sneering sOrcerer ". 81. he burst on
with stern words: 20 full of all sub
tility" Or. v. guile" receltD and al
mischief (the Greek word implies tn
easy doing OF villainy). thou chill
of the devil" Though named, alaI
BaroJesus. child OF Jesusll tho
enemy OF all Righteousness" flor tn
Greek word devil. means slanderel
false aecuser. and therefore enemy O
the truth and right. wilt thou no
cease 20 pervert," (''distort. tur
aslde) "the right Cstraightl ways O
the LordG" IL was frankness an
truth rebuking craftiness and lies. an
doubtless every one within hearing
and perhaps the wreteh's own cor
sclence-reeogniIed the justice Of III
go. Len. Han