The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-04-20
h Folk Are Thinking About and
Religious News From
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Christians Little cOulO tHe HloSl
! m imaginative citizen OF Antioch dream
that the day would have come in hui
man history when Antioch would be
known chiefly to civilization because
the disciples We're called Christians
first in Antioch
was applied in derision. it arose from
the fact that the disciples suggested
Christ. The center Of their faith and
preaching and practice was the Cali
lean. When their neighbors saw
them they thought of Jesus. In the
city of Antioch read. as in living eplS-
tles, the Gospel of the Crucified. 1t
was what the t~heolOgians call a
Christo-centric religion that the eXlles
lived in Antioch: to them Christ was
all in all. and they could each say
with Paul: For to me to live is
Christ
Men Who Lead.
There would seem to be warrant for
special evangelic missions in the send
ing of Barnabas from the church in
Jerusalem to Antioch. The prosperity
Of the Gospel in this great city. and
the Importance Of impressing the city
with the Message. appealed to the
leaders of the church. SO bearing their
greetings, this evangelist ~journeyed to
Antioch, Strengthening the hearts OF
the disciples, and adding to their num-
Der. For as the words of the narra-
tive record-wOrds which have signifi-
cantly found their way upon many a
tombstone-'he was a good man, and
full Of the Holy Spirit and of faith"
In Antioch began the close and long
continued association of BarnabaS with
Saul. The former did his best by An
tioch, and it was much. Yet he saw
possibilities in his great city to which
he was not equal. With the wisdom
and self-abnegation of the truly de-
voted he went forth tn T3 rSlG 70 seek
for Saul. whose measure he had taken
as a great statesman. a man for emer-
gencies. He knew that only the best
could suffice for the conflict with the
great cities. The early Church thus
set al example to modern churches in
the way it manned strategic points
with its most efficient forces. For an
entire year Barnabas and Saul labOred
together in Antioch, M it is worth re-
marking that it is after a narrative Of
their labors that the point is made by
the historian that the disciples were
called Christians first in Antioch"
In this connection also we find our
selves introduced for the first time to
the young man. John Mark, whom
Barnabas and Sau! oOk with them
from Antioch on their return to Jeru-
salem. Mark, in spite of serious de-
fects of character, was to be one of
the historians of Christianity. and one
of the leaders in the new Church.
Ao"oNto oi'o o3pSo1c oo q HIOpilC(,
foretelling the famine that was to
come upon the
A Famine and a Brotherhood.
railroads and steamships are rapid
ly making famineS an impOSsibility.
With the swift increase of intercom-
municatiOn it has become less and less
possible for any part of the world
neighbOrhOOd to suffer from hunger
while other sections have abundance.
TWO years ago there was a terrible
famine in remote interior China.
which normally would have harvested
hundreds Of thousands OF lives. Be-
cause, however, the spirit of Christian
lty had sent its missionaries into even
these remote regions. these men were
able to make appeal to civilization,
largely because of American eff
fort, this famine was broken.
The Christians at Antioch. and in
deed throughout the entire dispersion.
decided to send relief to the brethren
Of Jerusalem. That is the first ex-
preston of the communal spirit: a
man must stand by his own. This spirit
did not come into the world with
Christianity. The old Jews had prac-
tlced it. The Christian contribution |
mems thinking in his particular is
they should not only care for their !
own, but. like the, Lord himself. be
kind to the evil and the unthankful
The famine at Jerusalem is not
recorded at length. 1t was a familiar
tale to all these early readers. The
narrative is that relief was sent
by the hands Of Barnabas and Saul to |
the elder at Jerusalem. In taking into
their fellowship the Gentle brethren
the Jewish Christians at Jerusalem. all
unWittingly provided relief for them
selves in extremity. 1t was bread upon
the waters. AS l heard an old sage in
Chinese famine village say, as he
stood with wdtery eyes, leaning upon
his staff: If you foreigners help us
in some future incarnation perl
haps we shall be able to help you."-