Excerpt from The Gospel of the Rev. B. Fay Mills Tested by Scripture

Do you think that this was a pleasant thing for Paul to do It must have been a very severe trial, especially to oppose Bar nabas, for up to that time Barnabas had been his dearest friend. What a true, kind friend Barnabas had been to Paul-that friend in need who is a friend indeed! It was Barnabas who first held out the hand of cordial brotherhood to Paul, and he did so when all the rest of the Church looked with suspicion on him and gave him the cold shoulder. It was Barnabas who introduced him to public Christian work. Some young people, whenever they are converted, seem to think they are fit for any kind of Christian work. If they have the baptism of the Holy Ghost, What need have they for special training Thus they think in their ignorance, and some older Christians who ought to know better, encourage them in their folly. Paul, the grandest Chris tian worker that ever lived, after his thorough training under Gamaliel, after his marvellous conversion, passed seven or eight years in obscurity - seemingly laid on the shelf, -but all the time preparing for the grandest work that has ever been done in this dispensation, When Barnabas came to Antioch and found such a revival there, by a divine inspiration, he felt that Paul was just the man for the work, and so he hastened to Tarsus, got Paul, and brought him to Antioch. And how they did work together in that city l - like very brothers. A monu ment of their successful labours we carry to this day, for it was there that we were first called Christians. Then the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them, and so they went forth together on that glorious first missionary journey from Antioch. Then afterwards they went as co-delegates to plead the cause of Chris tian liberty at the Council of Jerusalem.

Such was the previous connection between Paul and Barna bas it must, therefore, have been a most painful trial for Paul to oppose Barnabas. Why did he oppose him? For the same reason that he Opposed the false brethren at Jerusalem, that thetruth of the 'gospel might be maintained. Christian brother hood is sweet, Christian harmony is precious, but the truth of the Gospel is more precious and more sweet than anything else to the soul that truly knows and loves the Lord Jesus.

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