Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-29
Sunday School Lesson
BY
Rev. Hugh T. Stevenson.

it clear to the Antioch church that
they were to send Barnabas and Saul
upon missionary tour. This was the
commencement OF the. missionary en-
terprise that has girdled the globe In
the effort to- reach the last man with
the gospel. After a season of prayer
and fasting these two were formally
set apart for the greatest task ever
given to men.
They went forth in obedience to the
great command expressed by the Lord
Jesus in His great commission to the
church and in accordance with their
definite call to undertake missionary
work. The church or Christian that
neglects to do their part in evangeliz-
ing the world misses their greatest
opportunity for service. They felt the
presence, leadership and power Of the
Holy Spirit, Who in more recent years
called Xavier, Patrick, Luther, Martyr,
Judson. Livingstone, Morrison, Clough,
Hudson Taylor and Grenfell to enter
the mission field. Whenever any soul
realizes God is calling him to partici-
pate In helping to conquer the nations
of the earth for Christ and His church,
Just as Barnahas and Saul went forth,
so he should 90 forth in His name.
Missionaries in Cyprus.
Barnabas and John Mark were ma
tives of the Island of Cyprus, where
the daughter Of the sea foam, the
Paphian Venus, had thrown her lustful
spell over willing captives. The men
who preached the gospel to the Greeks
In Antioch were citizens OF the island
that was the tabled birthplace Of
Venus. The shamelessness Of the
brutally obscene worship of the Venus
of the PhoenicanS, who had Suhjugated
and colonized the island, had corrupted
the first inhabitants. The spiritual
darkness Of CyprioteS may have caused
the first missionary work to be opened
In Cyprus, where the gospel had al
ready been preached by. some OF the
pentecostal converts. The island,
which was "the largest III that part of
the Mediterranean, was about las miles
rich, beautiful and healthful in those
days" They probably crossed. preaching
the gospel from Salarnis to Paphos
along the southern coast, between the
mountains and the sea.
We have no record Of the results of
the first missionary tour until they
reached Paphos, at the other end OF
the island where they had commenced
their missionary work by preaching
''the word of God in the synagogue OF
the Jews at Salamis. Their work at
udCVcQ ttlc dbIClIlOu VI OCT gus GbuiuS,
the proconsul, who. disguised with the
for spiritual light In the religions of
the East. especially in Judaism. He
had come under the influence Of an
apoState Jew, who claimed 10 be a
magician. He recognized in the mes
sage of the missionaries that its accept
ance by the proconsul would be his I'M
doing. He tried to turn the attention
of the governmental official from the
faith taught by Barnabas and Saul.
II was this that caused Saul to take the
leadership. He, suddenly filled with the
power of the Molly Spirit. looked him
IN the eye, severely rebuked him and.
when he did not repent, announced
that he would be blind for a season.
The proconsul was converted. not so
much by the miracle of the blindness
as by the beauty Of the doctrines that
the missionaries had preached The
invitation extended to Barnabas and
Saul by Sergius Paulus indicates the
success Of their missionary endeavorS
in Cyprus. which were brought to a
climax by the Romans acceptance Of
faith in Christ Jesus. Saul not only
won 9 convert but q friend, who. ac-
cording to the traditions Of the Roman
Catholic Church. was ordained as a
bishop and became a martyr for his
faith. From now on we note the
change by the apostle to the gentiles'
name. for he adopted the name Of Paul
Perhaps he did this in honor Of the
distinguished convert. The efforts to
carry the gospel to Cyprus had demon
strated the success of missionary work
to such an extent that Paul and Bar
nabas returned to Antioch to report
their work, preaching en- route