The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1935-06-20

widens before their eyes: First in
Jerusalem, the city of their pres
ent residence; next, in all Judea,
the outlying district around their
city; then in Samaria, the neigh
boring province with its semi
foreign population; and further
still, into the uttermost parts of
the earth with it's admivture of
all races and peoples. In short,
not an inch of earth must be left
without it's witness for Christ.
2. ACTIVITY IN
CHRISTIAN MISSIONS
(Acts l3:l-12)
The Missionary Church Must
Carry on Christian Missions. We
have before us a model for the
most progressive and forward
looking churches in our modern
world.
Cd The missionary call came
to the two leaders in the church
at Antioch which was center OF
evangelism, a school of Bible
study and seat of philanthropy.
Of the seers and instructors in
it's membership five great names
from perhaps as many different
countries are given, Barnabas
heading the list, and Saul, prob
ably last to join the company and
the youngest of the group, closed
it. Could the church spare these
men from its work? Yet the Spir-
it called them to be missionaries
as truly and as distinctly as he
had called them to their special
ministry in Antioch. The church,
accepting the Spirits suggestion,
designated Barnabas and Saul for
the foreign field and held an i'm
pressive ordination service which
included fasting and prayer, the
laying on of hands, and the bene-
dictory farewell.
(2) The missionary success
crowned their labors in the island
of Cyprus, the native country OF
Barnabas, the residence of per-
haps a number of Pauls acquaint-
ances from nearby Cilicia, the
home of many Jews and some
Grecians who had been convert
ed at Pentecost. Beginning their
work in the city of Salamis, they
made a thorough canvass of the
country, zig-zagging across its
length of $50 miles until they
reached Paphos, the seat of gov
eminent on the western shore.
Here was won the first convert
under PauPs ministry whose name
is given, the Roman pro-consul,
Sergius Paulus, who was govern
or of the province. When he de-
sired to hear the Word of God,
the suggestion was opposed by
the professed Magian and pre-
tended prophet Elymas who was
an influential hanger-on at court.
PauPs anathema upon the pre-
tender was instant and deserved,
the temporary blindness of the
sorcerer exposing his falsity and
authenticating the missionaries.
The conversion of the proconsul
must have been heralded through
out the island and exerted great
influence toward the upbuilding
of Christianity there.
MAGNIFYING MISSIONS
% Missionary A m. "Dost
thou at this time restore" He
will indeed restore the world but
he will do it by pure religion and
not by scheming politics and
ruthless power.
(2) Missionary Dynamic. eye
shall receive power" We must
have power. The power we need
is available. 1t is the power of
the Holy Spirit.
(3) Missionary Duty. "Ye shall
be my witnesses" Simple is the
command a child can obey it.
Sublime is the duty; the greatest
can do nothing to surpass it. It. is
the pivot of Christ's program for
saving the world.
(4 Missionary Agency. 1.-THE
church." Here is the missionary
atmosphere. The church is the
center of mission activity. Out of
it should issue streams of bless
ing.