The Republican., 1925-07-02

och through the first missionary jour-
ney in the provinces of Asia Minor
and far enough in the second to cover
all the relations with Berea and Thes-
salonica. 1t is study of adventur-
Gus journeyings, of surprising sue
cesses, of spiritual guidance, Of tri-
umphant conquests. 1t is part Of the
Paul and the Antioch sections of the
Book of Acts and registers the ad-
vancing church growing geographic
cally, spiritually, numerically and in
its consciousness of its united life.
Barnabas and Saul finish their work
of distribution in Jerusalem and ap-
parrently with no token of apprecia-
ton for the relief, return to those
who had so generously shared their
possessions with these folks who felt
themselves so much better than the
senders. They probably accepted it
as one Of the rights of superiors just
as the slave owner felt on obligation
for thanking his slave for his service.
1t was a great company in that Gen
tile fellowship. Black Simon was
there and have wondered if this may
not have been the same Simon who
bore the cross for Jesus. The next
name is listed from Cyrene, and both
may have been from that place. What
ever truth there may be in this fact
remains that there is no color line in
the fellowship. Nor were class lines
visible, for Manaen was from the pal
ace of Herod and was an aristocratic
Jew. Saul, also a Jew, was a univer-
sity man, while others were Gentiles
and commoners. On the common
ground of fellowship in Christ there
were no distinctions of race, color,
class, or culture, and it was largely
due to such acceptance of the impli-
cations of the new life in Jesus that
the missionary movement was born
here. Their Lord was King of the
whole earth and they were determined
that His rule should cover all its in
habitants. 1t was a worshipPing
group, devout and desirous of doing
their Lords will, so that the din Of
selfish interests was so stilled that
Gods message could get through to
them all. That there was audible
voice is quite unlikely unless it was
the speech of some member who first
caught Gods whisper and told the
rest who assented, recognizing it as
from their Lord. Barnabas and Saul
had already heard the call and, as is
always true, the voice of the Spirit
in the soul and the voice of the Spirit
in the Church are confrmatory one of
the other. The experiences of Tho
burn and Mcintyre and Goucher and
many more only confirm the process
of Gods setting men apart for special
service And Antioch had no power
to call but it had the passion of self
sacrifice that would surrender its
best for whatever their Lord might
choose.
THE ITINERANTS
1t must have been a great day in
Antioch when the whole Church had
tasted and prayed and ordained them
by the laying on of hands-laymen's
ordination at the hands of laymen in
the conservation of leadership to new
tasks. Barnabas was from Cyprus
and many of the members were from
the same island to which the whole
Church was bound by ties of gratitude
for that first summons into the king
dom when men from Cyprus had told
these Gentiles of Jesus. Gratitude is
gracious virtue and Antioch pos
sessed it in full measure. 1t had in
spired the gifts to Jerusalem and now
determined the direction that their
! first missionaries should take. So
they sailed for the island and landed
in the eastern harbor. AS itinerant
Jews they were welcomed to the sym
agogues and spoke across the place
wherever a stop seemed convenient
Nor would they neglect the followers
of their Lord who must have been
here and there and whose hospitality
would be the warmest. Finally they
reached Paphos, the capital and the
residence of the Roman pro-consul
who occupied the governors palace.
Most of these men were a fine type of
ruler and Serguis Paulus was one of
this character. Like Cornelius he was
dissatisfied with the materialistic re-
| ligions that was the atmosphere of
the empire and was eager to learn if
there was any satisfaction for the
heart hunger he knew so well. 1t was
for this reason that a Jew who had
leared the truth of a spiritual God
and folly of idolatry entered as a
counselor. But he was not satisfied
with directing the mind of the ruler
to the truth he knew and enlisting his
heart in the search of further truth,
his head was turned by the position
opened to him and he was determined
that all possible gains should come to
| himself. He cared nothing for Sergius