The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1936-08-29
WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
BEGINNING OFWORLD MISSIONS
By HIGHT c. MOORE

singular that in this great church
there should have arisen mum
Der of prophets, speaking authorl-
tatively and perhaps foretelllng
events. and also teachers VINO
carefully instructed the peopl1 m
the ways of truth and righteous
ness.
The names Of several of these
prophets and teachers are preserV-
.ed to US. Barnabas heads the list,
and naturally, for he had wor the
n!acc of leadership in the church
by his faithful labOrs and great
success. Of Simon, whose sur
name was Black, 1%e only know
what is involved in his registration
here. Lucius from the North
African province of Cyrene was
possibly a kins'nSn Of Paul and
one Of the founC- IS Of the church
at Antioch. Manaen had the dis
tinction of having been brought
up at court as the playmate and
foster-brother of Herod AntIraS,
who disgraced his reign by mur-
dering John the Baptist. The list
closes with the name Of Saul, who,
though probably the last 20 ION
the company, soon rose to first
place in the missionary work OF
the church.
While these leaders and doubt
less their c0-workers were minis
tering unto the Lord in prayer,
and in the spiritual exercise Of
physical fasting they received d
distinct revelation from the Holy
Spirit. And the revelation was q
singing out for special work OF
the two most brilliant and below
ed men in the entire church: sep
arate me Barnabas and Saul for
the work whereunto I have called
them" Barnabas and Saul-could
the church spare them from Its
work? Yet the Spirit had now
called them to be missionaries as
truly and as distinctly as he had
called them to their special minis
tlv in Antioch. And the will OF
the Spirit must prevail. So the
church, acting affirmatively on
the Spirits suggestion, designat-
ed Barnabas and Saul for the for
eign field and held an impressive
ordination service which included
fasting and prayer, the laying on
of hands, and the benedictory
farewell. Never has there been
such a significant setting apart OF
chosen workers for chosen fields.
MISSION TO CYPRUS (Acts 49,
The Evangelization of Mission
Field was undertaken on the tour
of the Island of Cyprus, the ma
tive country of Barnabas, the resi-
dence of perhaps a number OF
Paul's acquaintances from nearby
Cilicia, the home of many Jews
and of some Christians, who had
been converted at Pentecost. The
Missionaries began work in the city
of Salamis. AS was wise at the
moment and customary afterward,
the point of contact was through
the Jews who were so numerous
In the ClIy d. W nav q
of synagogues. In these syna-
gogues the Word of God was
preached by Barnabas and Paul,
and possibly also by John Mark,
who was their attendant on the
tour How long they stayed and
what success they had are not
recorded: but on leaving they be-
gan a thorough canvass of the
Country, not proceeding directly
through the island its length OF
$50 miles, but zigzagging across
it, visiting many important points,
until they reached Paphos, the
seat of government on the west
ern shore. Here was won the first
convert under Pauls ministry
whose name is given. He was
none other than the Roman Pro-
consul Sergius Paulus who was
the governor of the province at
that time. 1t appears that a hang
er-on at court, and one who had
great power over the proconsul,