The Washington herald., 1909-04-17

Tle International sunday School Lesson foi
Arl4 . is The Gospel IN Antioch Acts h;is-se
E.s
Everybody is somehow a provincial.
The standards which men involuntarily
apply 10 everything in heaven above and
on earth beneath. are the standards Of
their own time and place and training
1t $ natual TO try 70 measure all things
by cur own little twelve-inch rule. Only
the rare man who is a truly great man
ever becomes cosmopolite. recognizing
freely that there are other peoples other
staadalds other times While not quite
putting Il into words. the ordinary per
son who gives thought at all TO the civ
ilization Of what is somewhat snobbishly
called tie heather" world. conceives of
its being brought to the standards OF his
own particular church. 10 the use Of his
mother tongue and to the adoption of
his forms Of dress.
This spirit made trouble in the early
church. The first Christians thought Of
themselves as Jews. and Of Christ's mes
sage as being for Jews. But when by
persecution the infant church was flung
hither and thither into what the Jews
called barbarian" communities, they had
their eyes opened, even as to-day travel
broadens mems horizons Gradually, and
after much intense opposition, the truth
began 70 enter the minds of the early
church that the gospel was for Gentle
as well as for Jew, and that the former
could be as true a disciple of Jesus as
the latter.
While not saying so in church meet
ings. there are multitudes OF earnest
Christians to-day who. in their heart Of
hearts. question whether q man with
yellow face. and speaking a tongue TO
them incOmprehensible, can be as true a
type OF Christian as the white man.
Much work remains 10 be done with the
home churches as we'll as in foreign lands
before there can be a general leveling up
10 a realization that Christ Jesus is the
Saviour Of all men. and that he recBs
not OF tongue or color or race. Many
tratelers have wished that the fervOr and
fidelity and JOY Of some Christian com
munities newly out of paganism, as the
Korean converts. for instance, could be
found as q general characteristic Of the
all TOO complacent churches at home
SOME AIEANINGFUL NAMES.
The h-persecUtOr. Saul. was prob
ably responsible more than any other
one man for driving the Christians from
Jerusalem in every direction 1t is one
OF the dramatic contrasts Of history that
he himself should later follow them into
these remote places as minister Of the
once-despised Gospel, Now we find them
IN the present lesson in Phoenicia, and
Cyprus. and Antioch. and Cyrene-
The dispersion of the disciples TO these
points meant the direct vital contact
OF their faith with the most formidable
aspects OF entrenched paganism. 1t was
one thing for the teachings of Jesus to
subsist as an aspect Of Judaism in the
brooding religious atmosphere OF 5erusa-
lem: quite different was its life in these
active. busting. materialistic heather"
communities. And here the disciples,
who had begun by speaking the word
to none save only To Jews. found them
selves constrained TO preach the Lord
Jesus unto the Greeks also. New cOndi-
tions had so broadened their minds that
they perceived the impOssibility of re-
tanning their faith as a mere Jewish sect.
A NEW LABEL FROM THE CITY.
The city is the final test Of most men
and enterprises. Every boy or man of
parts. however celebrated locally. feels
himself bound 10 go UP against the city,
where lie knows his real success or fail
ure must be demonstrated. The new
teachings Of Jesus were soon called upon
TO face this test IN Antioch amid a
new and relatively hostile environment.
the disciples had TO prove the wOrkability
OF their faith Could it endure the cold
indifference Of this vast municipality?
Was it equal to impressing these hurry
ing hordes Of Greeks? The challenge of
the city. which is a present-day problem
for religion, was thus early a question
for the followers of Jesus.
i was his expedition 20 New York
City that marked the downfall Of John
Alexander Dowie. IN his own little COM
nunity on the shores Of Lake Michigan
he could thrive in growing power and
honor. Face 70 face with the metropolis
OF The continent he was proved 20 be un-
equal TO the big task ne had set him
self and the fundamental falsity OF his
pref ensions was uncovered. In Antioch.
however, the small community Of exiles
from Jerusalem made an entirely differ
ent impression. Antioch gave il a new
labal Having stood the test Of the city,
the friends OF Jesus were henceforth 10
be 6nOwn By the name they received
Christians. Little could the most mag
NATIVE citizen OF Antioch dream that the
day would have come in human history
when Antioch would be known chiefly
70 ci yiization because "the disciples were
called Christians first in Antioch"
Obviously. whether OF not the name
was applied in derision. 1t arose from the
fact that the disciples suggested Christ
The center of their faith and preaching
and practice was the Galllean. When
their neighbors saw them they thought
Of Jesus. In the conduct Of these lowiy
believers the city Of Antioch read. as I'm
living epistles, the Gospel OF the Crici-
fed. Il was what the theologians call a
ChristO-centric religion that the exiles
lived in Antioch: TO them Christ was all
in All. an they could each say with
Paul: For to me to live is Christ"
MEN WHO LEAD.
There would seem to be warrant 70,
special evangelistic missions in the send
ing Of Barnabas frcm 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 70 the leaders of
the church. So bearing their greetings.
this evangelist jouTneyed TO Antioch
strengthening the hearts of the disciples
and adding 70 their number. For as the
words Of the narrative record-words
which have significantly found their way
upon many Z 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 bv
Antioch. and it was much Yet he saw
possibilities in this great city to which
he was not equal. With the wisdom and
self-ahnegatiOn Of the truly devoted he