The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1935-08-24
A consecraied Man of Means

Acts q: SO, 81; IL: 1890.
Golden Textile was a good
man, and full of the Holy Ghost
and of faith. Acts IL: "a.
The generosity at Jerusalem
showed Barnabas to be conse-
Grated and liberal church mem
Der. He bore the good name of
Joseph. He was of the tribe of
Levi, and must have had the
best training. He was a native
of Cyprus with it's strict ortho-
doxy and religious tolerance. He
was a good speaker with special
hortatory gifts. He was popular
with the Apostles who gave him
the happy surname of Barnabas.
AS the owner of a farm he was
evidently well-to-do if not veal
thy. He was generous, for he
sold a field and placed the pro-
ceeds in the hands of the Apos-
ties for the pressing benevolent
work of the church.
A CONSECRATED
MISSIONARY
The ministry at Antioch show,
ed Barnabas to be a consecrated
and efficient missionary. The
persecution at Jerusalem cul-
minating in the marthyrdom of
Stenhen, far from putting out
the fires of Christian faith, only
spread them into distant lands
Thus a great missionary move
ment was started. The persecut-
cd believers did not stop in the
outlying districts of Judea, Sama-
ria and Galilee, but went to
Phenicia, the rich and influential
maritime country skirting the
Mediterranean Sea north of Pal.
estine and including the cities OF
Tyre and Sidon, where probably
churches were now founded; to
Cyprus, the great island in the
eastern Mediterranean, SO me
sixty miles from the mainland;
and to Antioch in Syria, which,
with its population of half a mil
lion, was the third city in the
world, standing next to Rome
and Alexandria. These first mis-
sionaries confined their minis
trv to the Jews only; they prob
ABLY thought no others were pre-
pared to receive the gospel mes
sage, or perhaps they themselves
were not qualified or inclined to
nreach tn the Gentiles. But the
work was soon to widen. To An
tioch came some disciples from
the island of Cyprus and the re-
pion of Cyrene in North Africa,
their sympathies doubtless being
broader than those of the Jer-
usalem saints. Under impulse
of the Spirit, they now directly
addressed the Greeks with the
gospel message. 1t was a turn
inp point in Christian missions.
But thew were manifestly bless
ed in the undertaking, for the
hand of the Lord was with them.
And thus the church at Antioch
was founded with a mixed popu-
Iation of Jews and Gentiles. OF
course tidings from Antioch
reached the mother church at
Jerusalem. 1t was good news;
but at the same time there was
doubtless a feeling of fear, II
not of criticism, concerning the
admission of Gentiles into the
church. Hence a fraternal mes
senger from the church at Jeru-
salem was. sent to the church at
Antioch. The very best man to
90 on this mission was a man
named Joseph, a Levite, who was
so earnest, sympathetic. and eff
ficient that he was called Barn.
abas, which means "SOn of ex-
hortation." He seems to have
been wealthy and was certainly
liberal. He stood for Saul of
Tarsus when he came to Jeru-
salem. He was a native of
Cyprus, which would insure
breadth of view in dealing with
knotty questions. 1t was express
| ly stated that he was a good
man, full of the Holy Spirit and
of faith. When he reached An
tioch and came into the atmos-
phere of the church, he instantly
recognized that great work of
grace was going on, whereupon
he was glad and "exhorted them
all, that with purpose of heart
they could cleave unto the LORD"
He continued his special minis
try among them with such zeal
and power that "much people
was added unto the Lord" Soon
the work at Antioch assumed
such proportions that an extra
helper was needed. Barnabas
knew that the man of all men
to aid in the work was Saul of
, Tarsus, just now engaged in an
unrecorded ministry in his native
district of Cilicia. Unwilling to
risk sending a messenger to Saul,
Barnabas went himself, found
the object of his search, and with
loving compulsion brought him
to Antioch, where he did a great
work which had en- important
bearing on his future career.
Under the leadership of Barn
Soloist, Mrs. C. M. Ogle
Responsible Lord is in His