Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-05-05
Acts II:le-3o; I2:25-13:l2.
Golden Tezt-"Go We therefore, and
make disciples of all the nations" Mat.
2S:19.

Acts II:le-3o; 12:25-13;12.
Golden Text-"Go We therefore, and
make disciples of all the nations" Mat.
25;l9.
one of the biggest mistakes the devil
ever made was when he tried to wipe
out the church by persecution. In
stead of accomplishing his desire ne
only scattered it, so that instead OF
being concentrated at Jerusalem, CEN
tiers of light and influence We're es-
tablished from Cyprus on the north TO
Cyrene and Ethiopia on the south.
THE CENTER SHIFTS.
Some of those who had heard the
message and given their lives to ii
went as far as Antioch and Syria.
Among them were some disciples from
Cyprus and others from Cyrene, i'm the
north Of Africa; widely separated geo.
graphically, but one in their devotion
to common Master and a common
purpose to obey His command.
Up to this time the message had
been given to none but Jews, but
these who came to Antioch, being OF
foreign birth, naturally associated with
Greeks who had not become proselytes
of the Jewish church. To these nat
urally they told the story of Christ
and when they accepted it they in turn
told it to other Greeks, until a great
work began.
1t was remarkabl that such a work
should have been accomplished in An
tioch. L was the third city in the
Roman Empire. Only Rome and Alex
andia exceeded it in Importance and
size. 1t had a half million inhabitants,
and WAS so gay and corrupt that Rome
itself spoke of being corrupted by An
tioch And yet the message took such
hold there that it became a new confer
of Christianity. and in the third CEN
fury not less than half of its popula-
tion We're Christians
When the news of this great work
reached the ears of the church at
Jerusalem they did not discount it. nor
did they accept it-they were con-
structively conservative. They sent one
or their most honored members, a man
of supreme judgment and tact and
love, good man, fun Of the Holy
Ghost, and of faith, even Barnabas. to
Antioch to see what had been accom-
plished. Their attitude was the right
one. They did not condemn IL until
they saw what it was. They were
ready TO accept it if it was good
hen Barnahas reached Antioch and
saw tue evidences of the working of
the grace of God his heart swelled up
with joy and he spoke words of ex
hortation.
STICK TO CHRIST"
This was his word which he gave
them. He realized the temptations that
were to come upon these Christians
and his one remedy for the dancers
that would befall them was this. stick
70 Jesus. our modern way Of expres-
sing 1t would he Abide in Christ but
ms WORD was even more impressive,
Tor the literal translation of the Greek
Of Christ"
Barhabas recognized very shortly thar
the work was too big for him o1ora
In city of the character of Antioch
with it's culture he needed one WIN US
learned IN all of its arts and vet who
was hlled with the spirit of God He
remembered Saul whom he had not seen
TOT ABOUT ten years. and calculated that
ne was Just the kind of a man needed
Tor this work. Leaving Antioch he trav-
eIed - miles to Tarsus and found Saul
persuaded him to come back with him
ana for whole year one of the most
remarkable revivals the world has ever
known took place in Antioch. DAY Oy
day there gathered crowds of people TO
listen To these men as they taught the
things of Jesus
The cosmopolitan character of the
church at Antioch is shown by the
teachers. In the order of their i'm
portance they arc named: Rarnabas.
representative Of the church at Jerusa-
lem; simon. the dark skin enc. there
fore probably Simon of Cyrcne. who bore
the cross Of Jesus: Lucius also from
CNrene possibly n kinsman of PauPs
Manaen who had been nourished By the
mother of Herod. CHow differently the
two boys turned out who had been fed
at the same breast, Manaen reared
amongst the corrupt influences 90 the
court, and vet now a teacher i'm this
remarkable church at Antioch: and
Herod Antipas, who has risen TO the
position to tetrarch, and Vet who had
murdered John the Baptist and had
Knocked Jesus. and who was now on
the banks Of the Rhone, dethroned ard
in exile, and last of all, saul of Tdrsus
SEND THEM OFT.
one day while they We're praying
they had a definite answer to their pray
ers. Barnabas and Saul had been called
by the spirit to do a definite work. Now
the church was instructed to send them
out. How they were called we do not
know, and Yet | think we can fairly
judge. Il was the most natural thing,
and yet the most unnatural and vet
supernatural Saul was from TarsUs.
Barnabas was from cyprus. What more
natural than that the expUlsive power
Of the love OF Christ should fill them
with the desire to give the gospel TO