The Mississippi enterprise. (Jackson, Miss.) 1938-current, 1959-10-31
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
NOVEMBER /, 1859
BY Rev. George A. Harper
511 Avenue G.,
Greenwood, Miss.

Greenwood, Miss.
THE FELLOWSHIP OF BE-
LEVERS.
Lesson Text Acts 4:32-5:16.
Print - Acts 4:32-37; 5:12-16.
MEMORY SELECTION -
The multitude of them that be-
lieved were of one heart and
of one soul: neither said any
of them ought of the things
which he possessed was his
own; but they had all things
common - (ActS 4:32). Behold,
how good and how pleasant it
was to see how the multitude
of those that believed were of
one heart, and of one soul and
there was no such thing as
diScord nor division among
them. There were multitudeS
that believed; even in Jerusa-
lem, where the malignant in
fluence of the chief priests was
most strong, there were three
thousand converted on one
day, and five thousand on an
other, and besides these; there
were added to the Church
daily and no doubt they were
all baptized, and made profess
sion of the faith; for the same
spirit that endued the apostles
with courage to preach the
faith of Christ endued them
with courage to confess it.
THE COMMUNITY OF
GOODS:
"And the multitude of them
that believed were of one heart
and of one soul; neither said
any of them that ought of the
things which he possessed was
his own; but they had all
things common" Natur-
ally with this kind of spirit
existing among them the Chris
tians were concerned not for
the welfare and concern of
fellow Christians. "And with
great power gave the apostles
witness of the resurrection of
the Lord Jesus: and great
grace was upon them ALP
The first apostles were men
who had seen the Lord face
to face after he rose from the
dead. 1t was this kind of con-
vincing evidence which was
behind the powerful witness
ing which the apostles bore
to the cause of Christ. The
grace which was upon these
people is the kind of power we
refer to when we speak of the
unmerited love of God be-
slowed upon men, or the bene-
violence and friendship which
men have toward each other.
Neither was there any among
them that lacked: for as many
as were posseSsors of lands or
houses sold them, and brought
the prices of the things that
were sold" The people
as we have seen, were of one
mind or heart, and did not
claim individual ownership,
but subscribed to a common
ownership policy of commu-
nifty life. ''And laid them down
at the apostles feet: and dis
tribution was made unto every
man according as he had
need" This is the system
that was established, the in
dividual owner of houses or
land sold such property and
brought the price of it to the
apostles who had the respon-
sibility of making equal dis
tribution to every member of
the community according to
the individuals needs.
THE LIBERALITY OF BAR
NABAS:
Sand Joses, who by the a.
postles was surnamed Barna-
has, (Which is, being interpre-
ted, the son OF cOnSOlatlOn), a
Levite, and of the country of
Cyrus" - By race Joses was
a Jew of the tribe of Levi, but
his environment was Greek.
His disposition was one of lib,
erality for he brought comfort
and consolation unto the dis
ciples. Having land, sold it
and brought the money and
laid it at the apostles feet"
BarnabaS was a wealthy man.
as is indicated in this verse. II
was believed that Christ was
expected to appear at most
any time and the disciples OF
the Lord were obligated to be
y - = L L