The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-02-18

n Hypocrite and His Wife.
Who is the banner hypocrite in
the history of the Christian church?
There have been, and are, many; but
the most famous of all is the man VINO
fell dead at the very moment of the
contamination of his hypocrisy
anias. of Jerusalem. His wife, who
shared his duplicity, also shared his
fate; for it is seldom that a man can
90 up or down without taking his
family with him What are the ear
marks of a hypocrite we shall see as
we study this lesson, which tells his
story.
The background of the episode is an
idyllic picture of Christian socialism.
Under the pressure of great passion
and purpose, the believers in Christ
had been drawn into a community OF
fellowship that had no precedent. The
simplicity and sanctity of the supreme
faith had caused all petty selfishness
and conventions to slough off and the
disciples lived only for the brother
hood and for the Lord, and for the ex-
tension of the cause. Property bulked
smaller in their eyes than principles
They shared the glorious new Life in
common: why should they not also
share such lesser possessions as lands
and houses and money and food?
When the Church Tried Socialism.
Many pathetic attempts have been
made to explain away the soctalistic
implications of this great community
experience of the Christian brother
hood. Perhaps we are afraid some lit
eral preacher will come along and ask
us to DO likewise. The fact cannot
be escaped. Here is the unmistakable
story, as a modern translation of the
Greek text gives it:
THE whole body of those who
had become believers in Christ
were animated by one spirit. Not
one of them claimed any of his
belongings as his own, but every
thing was held for the common
use The Apostles continued with
great power to bear their testi-
mony to the resurrection of Jesus,
their Master, and divine help was
given to them all abundantly. In
deed, there was no poverty among
them, for all who were owners of
| land or houses sold them, and
! brought the proceeds of the sales
and laid them at the Apostles
feet; when every one received a
/ share in proportion to his needs.
Our own day is witnessing a SINH
lar phenomenon. Under the impulse
of patriotism, people in all the war
ring countries are offering up their
possessions to the common cause The
1 gifts range from ancestral palaces of
/ princes to the copper pots of the
/ peasants. Petty self-interest has been
! consumed in the bright flame of ma
/ tional loyalty. One great spirit has
swept over the warning nations, in
/ spring sacrifices that would have
/ seemed impossible two years ago. Pa
triotic ardor has effected a marvellous
! degree of specialization in certain Eu-
ropean countries-a phase of the war
to which the general public has shown
strange indifference.
Nobody knows how long the Chris
tan community in Jerusalem retained
its early form. Perhaps simple fra
ternity and faith faded with the first
glow of ardor of devotion We know
that within a generation the Jerusa-
lem church was in need of gifts from
the newer mission churches. For a
time, at least, the ideal conditions
pictured in the lesson persisted. Even
| one hour of glorious life is a memory
to be treasured. Count your highest
moments your truest," cried Phillip
Brooks and this glimpse of the pos
sibility of a common life of brother
hood points toward the day when the
kingdom shall come: and all Christ s
servants shall serve Him, and not
| themselves.
The Fly in the Ointment.
Every good thing is initiated.
! whether it be , w. '-f-T- food, an
ltomobile, a style of architecture. or
a system of ph4Io-Oi IL inevitably,
there have always been bogus Chris
tians. Judas was the first, Ananias
was the most complete and typical
Into the sweet serenity of the simple
ity of the Christian brotherhood at
Jerusalem, his crafty duplicity was
projected; and the experience ap-
palled the church. Let us read the
story itself, which follows the quota
ton already made:
"A Levite of Cyprian birth.
named Joseph, (who had re-
ceived from the Apostles the ad-
ditional name of 'Barnabas'-
which means THE Preacher
sold a farm that belonged to him
and brought the money and laid
it at the Apostles feet.
There was, however, a man
named Hananiah. who with his
wife, Sapphire, sold some prop
erty, but, with her connivance,
kept back some of the proceeds.
He brought only a part and laid
it at the Apostles feet.
'Hananiah,' Peter said, how
is it that Satan has so taken pos
session of your heart, that you
have defrauded the Holy Spirit
money paid for the land? While
it was unsold, was it not your
own? and after it was sold, was
not the money at your disposal?
How did you come to think of
: such a thing? You have not de-
frauded men, but Cod As Hama
) niah heard these words he fell
: down and expired; and everyone
who was listening was appalled,.
But the younger men got up and
: after winding the body in a sheet,
carried it out and buried it
After an interval of about
3 three hours Hananiah's wife
? came in, in ignorance of what
2 had happened
g" is it true Peter asked, ad-
/ dressing her that you sold your
] land for such and such a sum-
Yes she answered, we did
How was it, Peter replied,
that you both agreed to provoke
the Spirit of the Lord? Listen!
The footsteps of those who have