Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-04

Our lesson concludes our studies In
| the first missionary journey OF Barna-
has and Paul. In Importance 1t has
| right to take rank with the two other
tours, although 1t did not cover the
extent of territory of those Journeys
Missionary methods were adopted and
the message delivered to the people by
the apostles that missionaries IN all
the subsequent centuries have followed
in their effort to obey the Masters
command to evangeli2e all nations.
The success that attended these TWO
men, who blazed the path that others
were destined to follow. has been
ascribed to "the revulsion of the moral
sense of the people against the pre-
dominant religion and IN the .gospel
providing their ancient inrooted con-
viction of an after life with new
security" Missions had been lncar-
mated in the passion of Paul to win the
world for Christ Jesus. In his per-
sonality the pagans witnessed a demon
stration of Gods grace, for he was a
living testimony of the love OF Jehovah
manifested In His gift of His only be-
gotten Son to save the world, The
| fact that Gods grace included the
geutiles had gripped Paul, so that he
preached boldly to all men the gospel
Of grace and glory. His tender. per-
suasive and courageous presentation OF
his message overcame his physical
handicaps to that extent that many
were won by his eloquence and spiritual
power.
Persecution did not weaken his pas
sion or turn him from his purpose.
He influenced Barnabas. who, under
the leadership of the Holy Spirit, had
tried to win Asia Minor for Christ.
When the use of the synagogues was
refused them. they turned to the
gentiles, who were more receptive to
their message. so that many we're won
for Christ and strong churches were
established In important centers of
Galatia When, after several months
successful work in Iconium, they were
threatened with being stoned, the
apostles proceeded to Lystra, where
Luke records the first miracle of heal
ing was performed by Paul.
Cripple MiraculousIy Healed.
When the apostles commenced their
work in Lystra, which with the exception
Of Derbe brought to an end their first
missionary journey. Paul detected in the
audience a well known cripple who
probably had evidently occupied the site
selected by Paul as the best place to
preach because of its popularity with
the people, because 1t gave him an OPP
portunity to appeal to the tender
hearted multitude for aims. He had
been lame in both feet from birth
While the apostle was preaching Paul
evidently detected either In the cripple's
face or eye the evidence of his faith in
Christ, so that he publicly asked the
humanely hopeless mendicant If he
wished to be made whole. While not
recorded in the account. we have every
right to presume that he replied In the
affirmative and Paul gave him the COM
mand to Stand upright on thy feet"
in the Masters name. The man gave
evidence of his faith by leaptng up and
the bones must have given evidence of
new life power, for he was able to stand.
Campbell Morgan has pointed out that
"the men of Lystra looked upon 1t as
great material miracle. but the
deeper fact was the spiritual miracle
that lay behind 1t; the cripples appre-
hension of the truth and the applica-
ton of 1t to his own case: the preach
ers knowledge of it and his keenness
of sight In the mans operation of faith
in the living Lord"
their heather mythology of the visit of
the gods, Immediately commenced to
proclaim In their native dialect, which
Paul and Barnabas did not understand,
! that "the gods are come down to us
in the likeness of men" They had
understood Paul preaching In Greek. but
they, using their native dialect that
the apostles did not understand, re-
vealed that they had false views con-
corning the visitors. They were partially
right. God had appeared among men
In the form OF a man In the birth and
life of Jesus Christ, whom the apostles
had preached to them. They had the
blindness of modern heather, for In In
native faiths of that land, there exist
about 3.000,0 900 gods
A crafty priest. who presided at a
local temple. determined to use the
old legend OF the visit of Jupiter and
Mercury to that city, by turning the
healing of the cripple to his good He
planned to honor the missionaries as
gods, Barnabas, the older, being con-
sidered as Zeus, the father of all other
gods and men. Paul, the younger and
the preacher. the multitude looked
upon as Hermes, the interpreter of god
and revealer OF his will He planned
TO sacrifice the OK and decorate both
the missionaries In manner worthy.
according to their faith that they we're
gods Miracles. especially any affecting
the healing of the body. have a ten
dency to develop fanaticism. Ii they
are not rightly understood.
Declining Divine Honors.
The attempts of the Lyaconians to
honor Barnabas and Paul as gods sur
prised and shocked the apostles, who,
when they learned the program of the
priest and people, went among the null
titude declaring that they were only
men. Some OF our medical mission
aries have an equally difficult task of
nersuading the people who have been
helped by their ministry of healing
to see in their work that of men. who
| represent and practice the principles
OF the Lord Jesus. Paul was more
| successful as preacher than as a ply
stefan. The tickle multitude, who
| sought TO bestow divine honors upon
them, IN short time stoned Paul,
whom they left stunned and appar-
emily dead, He reaped what he had
sown In the retributive justice When
he was restored. possibly In the home
OF Timothy. the apostel recalled the
time when he had stoned Stephen for
his faith.
Driven by persecution from Lystra
| and Derbe. the apostles brought their
first missionary journey to an end by
retractng their steps, visiting the va
rious places where they had preached
and been DefSecutad in an effort In