Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-07-30
SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON
For July 81. Acts 11:19-30. 1925
BY DR.. MARION M'H. HULL

Golden Text: For whole year
the church, and taught much peo-
pie" Acts, 1925.
1t would appear from Acts, 9:31,
that the conversion of Saul was the
cause of the rest which the churches
had during which time they were SO
reflection will show that this is not
true. His conversion had taken
place three years before this, and
had only aggravated their condl-
ton, for we have just read how he
himself was now the object of per-
secution. What was really true is
dered an image of himself to be
made and placed in the temple, and
the Jews were so concerned about
that that they turned from every
other activity to prevent that des-
ecration and the menace to their re-
ligion which it meant.
The persecution which had fol-
lowed the death of Stephen had
scattered the Nazarenes, as they
were contemptuously called, all
throughout Judea, Samaria and Gal
lice; and some had gone as far as
syria. With their Jewish exclusive
ness, inherited from many genera
tions, they had confined their preach
ings (Which was primarily testi-
mon) to the Jews in these places;
Churches had been formed, and
when the rest" spoken of in Acts,
visit these churches; particularly
those in Palestine proper. Out of
this grew his visit to Cornelius and
the admission into the assembly of
the first Gentle convert. When
the brethren at Jerusalem heard OF
it they were quite disturbed, and
Peter had to make it very plain to
ing, but by Gods leading. Then they
accepted the situation gracefully,
and glorified God that, the heather
might also have eternal life on the
same terms with themselves-the
gift of Gods grace through faith in
evidence of this growth in grace,
for it is difficult for us to conceive
of their narrowness which was the
development of many centuries be-
hind them.
The First GENTLE Church
Communication between two Ro-
man cities like Antioch and Gaze
sarea was constant, and the news
of the conversion of so notable a
character as Cornelius would have
travelled fast. In the church at An
tioch were some who had been men
boldened by the news of the Ro-
man officers conversion, they went
out telling the glad story of the
Christ to Greeks as we'll as to Jews.
The hand of the Lord was with
them. and great number Of these
Gentiles believed and turned to the
Lord. The work was so prosper
Gus, and the church grew so rap
idly that news of it reached Je-
rusalem. The fact aid not arouse
tile matter had already been set
tied; but they thought it we'll to
send some one to see how things
was a man of Cyprus, he was a
good man. and he was full of the
Holy Spirit and of faith. He had
no powers delegated to him, and
when he got there he did not try
to exercise any. He was so glad
when he saw such evidences of the
marvellous grace of God that he
job and cleave to the Lord. I should
like to have heard some of his ex-
hortations, too. Thus was formed
the first Gentle church.
1t is well to note the absence of
all officialism in this new venture
of Christianity. The names of the
men who first went to the heather
with their testimony is not known.
They were just plain, simple fol-
lowers Of the Lord Jesus, whose
hearts burned with a desire to have
all men share the blessings which
they had found in Him. God was
acting through instruments of His
Barnabas came, He still was not
allowing any interference by human
agencies that would limit the work
He was beginning to do for the
whole world God was not in any
haste, but in the homallest ways
redemption of the lost world. We
ought to be inspired to nobler eff
fort by this. Too often we have
been thinking that some reverend"
had to do any important work and
have been acting as we thought.
and doing nothing ourselves: Now
we would in no wise minimize the
work of the minister of the gos-
pei; he is one of Gods gifts, and
has his most important place. But
God is not limited in His instru-
ments. 1t was William Carey, and
shoemaker, that He used to arouse
the church to undertake again the
evangelization of tie world; it was
D. L. Moody, shoe clerk, He used
the salvation of individual souls by
individuals; it was Robert Raikes,
a school teacher. He used to start
the modern Sunday school move
ment; and John B. Selman, a lay
man, of Washington, to release The
day. He has something for you to
do if you will let Him use you.
A Choice Character
Very little is said of Barnabas'
work, but a great deal about his
character. "He was good man,