Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-12-04
Golden Text: eye shall be wit
nesses. unto Me in Jerusalem, and
ip all Judea, and in Samaria, and
untO the uttermost part of the
earth:"' Acts I:8.


nesses, unto Me in Jerusalem, ant
ip all Judea, and i'll Samaria, ant
uAtO the uttermOst part of thu
earth."- Acts 1:S.
We learned last week that the
power Of the early church consisted
in the presence of the Holy Spirit
resting upon them, and that He
dwelt sin'them when they obeyed the
command of the departing Christ
and looked for His return. He haG
told them they were to be witnesses
to Him in Jerusalem, in all Judea
in Samaria and unto the uttermost
part of the earth. The book of the
Acts is the record of their obedience
to His command, and of the deVel
opngent in widening circles of
the gospel proclamation.
1t was first only in Jerusalem that
the story of Jesus cruCified, risen,
assembled, returning, was told. Per
secution scattered the disciples,
leaving only the apostles in the city;
and these went everywhere, telling
the story. Philip was drawn to
Samaria and led a marvellous revival
in that city so hated by the Jews,
until he was caught up by the Spirit
o4lb 1OkIIlu at <ALOluS, lIleI Z " lGtbl
one man to Christ as he was return
ing to his home in Africa. Through
the eunuch, Africa was reached for
Christ and evidences of that seed
planting were found in Africa three
hundred years later. Returning,
Philips activities included the whole
coast of Palestine, as far north as
the city of Caesarea.
HOW far "a
the disciples is not known, but we
do know that the chief prosecutor,
Saul, Of Tarsus, had letters taking
him as far north as Damascus on his
bloody mission of determination. A
lew years later, some who had gone
then as far north as Antioch, in
Syria, were holder than any others
had been, for these told the story to
Gentiles as well as Jews. Peter, it
is true, had first opened the door of
the gospel to the Gentiles, when, by
Divine leading, he presented Jesus
Christ TO the Roman centurion in
Caesaria; but the others had con-
lined their activities to the Jews
and Jewish proselytes. So great a
work was done in Antioch that it
attracted the attention of the
authorities at Jerusalem, and Barna-
pas was sent as their representative
to see what was really being done.
recognizing it as of God and realiz-
ing his own limitations, he went to
Iarsus to seek Saul, the mental
giant, the man of indomitable cour-
age and tireless energy, and the re-
cent convert and invincible cham
pion of Christianity.
The New Center
Antioch thus became the new CEN
ter of Christianity From it. nv
Divine direction again, Barnabas
and Saul, the two leaders of the new
movement there, were sent out on
mission. Like Abraham of old
they. set out for lands unknown to
them, but only in obedience to the
Divine command.
Their first journey took in the
Island Of Cyprus, the old home Of
Barnahas, and then advanced to the
main land. Asia Minor was thus
first brought under the influence of
the truth. These well-matched
workers parted company at the be-
ginning of the next journey, and
Paul, accompanied by Siias, went
over the old ground in Asia Minor,
extending his work into GaIatia,
and then into Europe. They struck
strategic points-Philippi, Thessa-
lonica, Corinth, Athens.
On his next journey Paul extended
his operations further east into
southern Europe; and finally
through arrest on false charges and