the work of God。
To the Jew this form was a significant one。 When a Jewish father blessed his
children； he laid his hands reverently upon their heads。 When an animal was
devoted to sacrifice； the hand of the one invested with priestly authority
was laid upon the head of the victim。 And when the ministers of the church
of believers in Antioch laid their hands upon Paul and Barnabas； they； by
that action； asked God to bestow His blessing upon the chosen apostles in
their devotion to the specific work to which they had been appointed。
At a later date the rite of ordination by the laying on of hands was greatly
abused； unwarrantable importance was attached to the act； as if a power came
at once upon those who received such ordination； which immediately qualified
them for any and all ministerial work。 But in the setting apart of these two
apostles； there is no record indicating that any virtue was imparted by the
mere act of laying on of hands。 There is only the simple record of their
ordination and of the bearing that it had on their future work。
The circumstances connected with the separation of Paul and Barnabas by the
Holy Spirit to a definite line of service show clearly that the Lord works
through appointed agencies in His organized church。 Years before； when the
divine purpose concerning Paul was first revealed to him by the Saviour
Himself； Paul was immediately afterward brought
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into contact with members of the newly organized church at Damascus。
Furthermore； the church at that place was not long left in darkness as to
the personal experience of the converted Pharisee。 And now； when the divine
commission given at that time was to be more fully carried out； the Holy
Spirit； again bearing witness concerning Paul as a chosen vessel to bear the
gospel to the Gentiles； laid upon the church the work of ordaining him and
his fellow laborer。 As the leaders of the church in Antioch 〃ministered to
the Lord； and fasted； the Holy Ghost said； Separate Me Barnabas and Saul for
the work whereunto I have called them。〃
God has made His church on the earth a channel of light； and through it He
communicates His purposes and His will。 He does not give to one of His
servants an experience independent of and contrary to the experience of the
church itself。 Neither does He give one man a knowledge of His will for the
entire church while the churchChrist's body is left in darkness。 In His
providence He places His servants in close connection with His church in
order that they may have less confidence in themselves and greater
confidence in others whom He is leading out to advance His work。
There have ever been in the church those who are constantly inclined toward
individual independence。 They seem unable to realize that independence of
spirit is liable to lead the human agent to have too much confidence in
himself and to trust in his own judgment rather than to respect the counsel
and highly esteem the judgment of his brethren；
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especially of those in the offices that God has appointed for the leadership
of His people。 God has invested His church with special authority and power
which no one can be justified in disregarding and despising； for he who does
this despises the voice of God。
Those who are inclined to regard their individual judgment as supreme are in
grave peril。 It is Satan's studied effort to separate such ones from those
who are channels of light； through whom God has wrought to build up and
extend His work in the earth。 To neglect or despise those whom God has
appointed to bear the responsibilities of leadership in connection with the
advancement of the truth； is to reject the means that He has ordained for
the help； encouragement； and strength of His people。 For any worker in the
Lord's cause to pass these by； and to think that his light must come through
no other channel than directly from God； is to place himself in a position
where he is liable to be deceived by the enemy and overthrown。 The Lord in
His wisdom has arranged that by means of the close relationship that should
be maintained by all believers； Christian shall be united to Christian and
church to church。 Thus the human instrumentality will be enabled to
co…operate with the divine。 Every agency will be subordinate to the Holy
Spirit； and all the believers will be united in an organized and
well…directed effort to give to the world the glad tidings of the grace of
God。
Paul regarded the occasion of his formal ordination as marking the beginning
of a new and important epoch in his lifework。 It was from this time that he
afterward
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dated the beginning of his apostleship in the Christian church。
While the light of the gospel was shining brightly at Antioch； an important
work was continued by the apostles who had remained in Jerusalem。 Every
year； at the time of the festivals； many Jews from all lands came to
Jerusalem to worship at the temple。 Some of these pilgrims were men of
fervent piety and earnest students of the prophecies。 They were looking and
longing for the advent of the promised Messiah； the hope of Israel。 While
Jerusalem was filled with these strangers； the apostles preached Christ with
unflinching courage； though they knew that in so doing they were placing
their lives in constant jeopardy。 The Spirit of God set its seal upon their
labors； many converts to the faith were made； and these； returning to their
homes in different parts of the world； scattered the seeds of truth through
all nations and among all classes of society。
Prominent among the apostles who engaged in this work were Peter； James； and
John； who felt confident that God had appointed them to preach Christ among
their countrymen at home。 Faithfully and wisely they labored； testifying of
the things they had seen and heard； and appealing to 〃a more sure word of
prophecy〃 （2 Peter 1：19）； in an effort to persuade 〃the house of Israel。 。 。
that God hath made that same Jesus； whom〃 the Jews 〃crucified； both Lord and
Christ〃 （Acts 2：36）。
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Chapter 17
Heralds of the Gospel
〃Sent forth by the Holy Ghost；〃 Paul and Barnabas； after their ordination by
the brethren in Antioch； 〃departed unto Seleucia； and from thence they
sailed to Cyprus。〃 Thus the apostles began their first missionary journey。
Cyprus was one of the places to which the believers had fled from Jerusalem
because of the persecution following the death of Stephen。 It was from
Cyprus that certain men had journeyed to Antioch； 〃preaching the Lord
Jesus。〃 Acts 11：20。 Barnabas himself was 〃of the country of Cyprus〃 （Acts
4：36）； and now he and Paul； accompanied by John Mark； a kinsman of Barnabas；
visited this island field。
Mark's mother was a convert to the Christian religion； and her home at
Jerusalem was an asylum for the disciples。 There they were always sure of a
welcome and a season of rest。 It was during one of these visits of the
apostles to his
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mother's home； that Mark proposed to Paul and Barnabas that he should
accompany them on their missionary tour。 He felt the favor of God in his
heart and longed to devote himself entirely to the work of the gospel
ministry。
Arriving at Salamis； the apostles 〃preached the word of God in the
synagogues of the Jews。 。 。 。 And when they had gone through the isle unto
Paphos； they found a certain sorcerer； a false prophet； a Jew； whose name
was Bar…Jesus： which was with the deputy of the country； Sergius Paulus； a
prudent man； who called for Barnabas and Saul； and desired to hear the word
of God。 But Elymas the sorcerer （for so is his name by interpretation）
withstood them； seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith。〃
Not without a struggle does Satan allow the kingdom of God to be built up in
the earth。 The forces of evil are engaged in unceasing warfare against the
agencies appointed for the spread of the gospel； and these powers of
darkness are especially active when the truth is proclaimed before men of
repute and sterling integrity。 Thus it was when Sergius Paulus； the deputy
of Cyprus； was listening to the gospel message。 The deputy had sent for the
apostles； that he might be instructed in the message they had come to bear；
and now the forces of evil； working through the sorcerer Elymas； sought with
their baleful suggestions to turn him from the faith and so thwart the
purpose of God。
Thus the fallen foe ever works to keep in his ranks men of influence who； if
converted； might render effective service in God's cause。 But the faithful
gospel worker need not
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fear defeat at the hand of the enemy； for it is his privilege to be endued
with power from above to withstand every satanic influence。
Although sorely beset by Satan； Paul had the courage to rebuke the one
through whom the enemy was working。 〃Filled with the Holy Ghost；〃 the
apostle 〃set his eyes on him； and said； O full of all subtlety and all
mischief； thou child of the devil； thou enemy of all righteousness； wilt
thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord？ And now； behold； the
hand of the Lord is upon thee； and thou shalt be blind； not seeing the sun
for a season。 And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness； and
he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand。 Then the deputy； when he
saw what was done； believed； being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord。〃
The sorcerer had closed his eyes to the evidences of gospel truth； and the
Lord； in righteous anger； caused his natural eyes to be closed； shutting out
from him the light of day。 This blindness was not permanent； but only for a
season； that he might be warned to repent and seek pardon of the God whom he
had so grievously offended。 The confusion into which he was thus brought
made of no effect his subtle arts against the doctrine of Christ。 The fact
that he was obliged to grope about in blindness proved to all that the
miracles which the apostles had performed； and which Elyma