Evening star., 1921-07-30
BY REV. HUGH T. STEVENSON.

There is a disappointing brevity in
the intensely interesting account of
the establishing of the church in An
tioch. This mother church in heathen-
dom was founded by unknown pio-
neers, who were among the number
driven from Jerusalem by the perse-
cution that scattered the disciples
everywhere when the trouble arose
about Stephen. Every disciple be-
came as the result Of the dispersion
a missionary. They preached to the
Jews, wherever they went, the gospel
Of Jesus, confessin9 that He was their
Lord and proclaiming that He was the
Messiah, the promised hope and
longed-for salvation OF their country
men.
1t would take time for those driven
by persecution into Phoenicia, Cyprus
and Antioch to learn how Philip had
evangelical Samaria, and how, by his
baptism of the eunuch, he had ad-
whom Moses had excluded from the
congregation of Israel" The bap-
tism Of Cornelius, the pious Roman
soldier. was only approved by the
Jerusalem authorities because the
outpouring Of the Holy Spirit had
IT seemed, to the gentiles granted re-
pentance unto life" Unknown
Hellenistic Jews, evidently without
knowledge of the success Of Philip and
Peter among the gentiles, had started
an Independent movement among the
come on trading expedition from
their homes in Cyprus and Cyrene and
used the avenue of commerce to start
work among the Greeks that was
destined to transfer from Jerusalem
to Antioch, which at that time was
one OF the tree leading centers of civil
|lization, the leadership in Christianity.
Next to Rome, Antioch, "the Queen
Of the East" was the strongest, If not
the most populous, city of the world.
1t had population of 100000, which
was divided into four elements. The
native Syrians would be the leading
element. Then the Greeks would fol-
low in the number of residents. They
would be followed closely by the large
number Of Jews. who had been at
tracted thither by the offer of the
privilege Of equal citizenship" to that
foundation of the CITY. Pompey made
Antioch a free city, the capital of the
province of Syria and the seat of the
imperial legate; thus adding a Ro-
man element, made up mostly Of Off
cials, to the population. This .made
gentle world. Its grove of Daphne
was famous as a pleasure ground.
replete with all the delights of the
five senses of man. 1t was noted for
the splendor and voluptous pageantry
with which the worship of Apollo was
celebrated Juvenal in his satires has
told us how corruption flowed into
Rome from this Syrian capital.
The marked success of the gentle
Christian movement attracted the at
The daring step OF preaching the
gospel to the Greeks by these iaymen
had the sanction Of the Lord, whose
hand was with them as they used
the opportunity presented to them
through commercial transactions to
preach the gospel of the risen Christ.
The presence of the Holy Spirit with
believers to the church. This may
have caused them to appeal to the
church in Jerusalem for assistance,
so that the great number of converts
who had been attracted by the love
OF the Lord and had renouhced their
heather faith could be trained in the
way of the Master. whose gospel they
had accepted. The news OF the in
novation probably caused no little
questioning in jerusalem. where
Christianity had been considered as a
sect Of the Jewish faith. They re-
QuAFeu lHdL Ine pagan converts ADOPT
| the practices Of the Hebrew religious
ritual: Following their practice of
exercising a system of missionary
inspection over the new churches.
they delegated Barnabas to helm or.
ganize the gentle Christian fopces OF
Antioch and instruct them in the
Masters teachings.
Barnabas was a fortunate choice
He was "a good man and full of the
Holy Spirit and of faith" He was
probably the one man Of all the early
| leaders who would look with favor
upon the missionary work Of the Law.
men from his native home in Cyprns
He possessed large sympathy, great
discernment OF Gods purpose and lin