Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-28

world"
Christianity is a missionary faith.
In His great commission, which is our
golden text for this weeks lesson, our
risen Lord outlined His program OF
world conquest by commanding His fol-
lowers to evangelize. enlist and educate
their converts among all nations. Every
Christian Is indebted to the work OF
missions for his knowledge of the saw
ing power of the Lord Jesus. Loyalty
tn Christ demands that every church
and believer should be obedient to the
commands of the Savior. History
proves that churches lacking In the
missionary spirit become missing. The
nrofessed follower who fails to share In
the Lords program for winning all ma
tions does not enjoy his religion to the
extent that he ought. When men real
lie the mission of the church and their
relation to it's fulfillment, they will do
all in their power to advance the king
dom of God among the men OF every
nation.
Probably one reason for the disap--
nearance from the living churcheS OF
the mother church in Jerusalem was
due to their tendency to confine their
work TO their Jewish fellow country
men. It was In the Antioch cnurch,
with a membership made up almost eX-
clisivelv of Gentiles, that the obliga-
ton to send forth foreign mission
aries was first realized The Holy Spirit
had made both Barnabas and Saul re-
ali2e that they had been called To carry
the gospel 10 the regions beyond. Inese
two were HellenistiC Jews. TWO other
leaders. Simeon Niger and LuciuS Oh
Cyrene, were also Hellenistic Hebrews.
Possibly Manaen. who had been roster
brother or comrade OF Herod Antipas
NAV have been Jew. While these five
we're engaged In the work OF serving the
Antioch church, they had seasons OF
PRAYER and fasting. It was during such
an hour that the Holy Spirit revealed
unto them the fact that God had called
Barnabas and Saul for foreign mission
work and that the Antioch church
ought to send them forth as mission
aries. Under the leadership OF the
Holy Spirit, the Antioch church start
ed a missionary movement which over
turned the then heather world, planted
the standard of the cross in every chief
city of the Roman Empire and over
threw the paganism OF centuries.
Beginning Of Foreign Missions.
When the Christians OF Antioch
started the foreign missionary move
ment by ordainIng Barnabas and Saul
for that work, they opened chapter
in the history of Christianity by that
s'event which ranks in importance with
the discoveries of continents. the found
ing OF empires or the historical epochs
which have been hinges on which the
doors of civilization have turned" When
the Antioch Church commenced Its
missionary work three great national
events had prepared for its Inaugural
ton. Rome, through her military con-
quests and colonization, had broken
down the walls OF separation, which
tribal and racial ties had formed. Her
dominion of all nations compelled them
to live in peace and insured favor
able hearing for the gospel. The wide
diffusion of the Greek language and
literature provided the medium OF
preaching the gospel to all nations. The
influence of the Hellenistic Jews. who
carried into all quarters their devotion
to Jehovah and love for Him by the
erection of synagogues. had created q
favorable attitude toward the new faith
which had been Graded In Judaism
Saul. who henceforth In the Acts VIII
be called Paul which was probably his
Greek or Roman name, combined ali
the three national elements in his own
personality
Foreign missions were started In q
foreign city by a church whose mem
bers were largely foreigners. Paul was
converted In foreign land and knew
from the commencement Of his Chris
ton career that he had been called OF
God to enter that field of endeavor. Ht
never considered that his ordination
for missionary service made him ar
apostle but he believed that he was one
through his divine call--he and MS
| co-worker, Barnabas. who had vouchet
for him to the other members OF th'
apostolic college and sought him as
pastor in connection with the AntiocI
Church His nephew. John Mark, wen
along with them as helper and as
sistant when they started upon Their
| first missionary journey. sailing from
| Seleucia, the seaport OF Antioch. u
Cyprus. In that island. noted for III
fertility and mineral wealth, they wen
from place to place preaching In the
synagogues the gospel. The message
of God had previously been proclaimed
on the island by some of the Pente'
costal converts, which may have beer
the reason for their going to Cyprus
No record of any success is found In
the Acts until they reach PaphoS, Wneft
Sergius paulos, ruler OF the province
took a personal interest In their mes
sage.
The proconsul who governed Cyprus
under the direction of the Roman Sen
ate has been identified by the discovery
of a monument built by one Apolloniu;
to his father. who refers to the Pro-
consul Pauliis" on the monument This
discovery, made In recent years, helps
| to confirm the accuracy OF Luke as
| historian. The ruler. hearing OF the
| success of the missionaries among the
| people, demonstrated his reputation fol-
| prudence by requesting conference
with the two apostles. One OF his court
attaches feared the result of that con-
| ference upon his own standing and in
| come. Eiymas tried To turn the mine
of the ruler away from the gospel, but
Paul under the inspiration OF the HOLY
| Spirit, tore the hypocritical mask from
| the sorcerer, denounced the wickednes'
| of the renegade Jews and pronounced Z
| penalty of temporary blindness. Thu
| fulfllment OF that prophecy gave Pau
a standing and created favorable i'm
preston, resulting in the rulers CONVEX
| sion. Some hold that Paul took hi
name In his honor.
When Paul. who took the leadership
| of the mission. proposed that they trA
| to win Asia Minor. going over the rough