Jasper County Democrat, Volume 18, Number 93, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 February 1916 — CHRISTIAN COMMUNISM [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

CHRISTIAN COMMUNISM

•' Acts t:92—s:ls—February 20. Christ’s Sympathetic, Loving Spirit Illustrated In the Church—Love “Seeketh Not Her Own’’ Interests Only. Communism Tried—Why It Failed. “Lore one another from the heart fervently.— t Peter 1:22. CHE Record tells us that the number of believers was more than five, thousand in a little while. The spirit of love began to burn in their hearts—thankfulness to God, appreciation of His favor, a desire to serve Him and sympathy and love for the brotherhood. Some were poorer than others; and, controlled, by the spirit of love, they felt that they would wish all the poorer brethren to have just as good as themselves. First they gave privately one to another, as they realized the needs. Then the matter went further, and they organized a little community. Many of the wealthier sold their possessions, and turned in the money to the Lord's treasury, desiring that a certain amount

be supplied to themselves and all other members of the community—share and share alike. This manifested a very beautiful spirit, and under perfect conditions would have been the wise and proper course. As it was, however, the

community proved a failure. Appar-. ently the Lord permitted that test and failure to show us that no such community amongst His people is possible at the present time. As soon as Messiah’s Kingdom is established, the community principle will prosper wonderfully. But it is impracticable now, as it was in the days of the Apostles. This lesson introduces us to Barnabas, a godly man and wise, a mighty power in the Church. His proper name was Joses; and he must have been a very fine character when the Apostles named him Barnabas—implying that he had a beautiful spirit, and in his daily life was a “son of consolation” to all with whom he had contact Barnabas had a property or estate. This he sold, and brought the proceeds to the Apostles’ feet. He was not an Apostle: for of them there were only twelve, and at this time only eleven, because of the loss of Judas. St. Paul, the twelfth Apostle, the Lord’s chosen vessel, had not yet had his eyes opened to the truth of the Gospel. Ananias and his wife Sapphira also sold their property, and kept back a portion of the price, bringing the remainder to the Apostles as though it were the entire sum. Indeed, in conspiring between themselves, they had agreed to declare that the money which they turned in to the treasury was all that they had received from the property. Our lesson tells how St Peter treated the matter, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, He point ed out to Ananias that the property Was his own, that he was neither compelled nor urged to donate it to this community, that it was his own voluntary gift, and that he had lied to God, not merely to the community. Hearing these words, Ananias fell deadsmitten of the Lord. A little later, his wife Sapphira suffered similarly. Why Repentance Was Not Preached. We query. Why did not St. Peter point-put to Ananias and Sapphira wherein they had erred, urge them to repentance, and join with them in prayer rather than pronounce upon them tin* death penalty? Our thought is that these two culprits were not really God's children—that they had never received the begetting of the Holy Spirit; and that the Lord took this opportunity to give the .Church a greitt lesson—to remind them that they were dealing, not with flesh and blood, but with Jehovah God. From this viewpoint, it was worth while to sacrifice these two persons under Divine judgment with a view to teaching the C’hurch how displeasing in God’s sight is hypocrisy—especially in respect to religious things. If these two were spirit-begotten, their destruction would be the Second Death; and we would have no Scriptural ground for expecting them to have any resurrec-

tion or future consideration from the Lord. But if they were merely children of this world, not fully appreciative of spiritual things, their future interests are not destroyed. They still belong to the great world of mankind, for

whom Christ died, and who have not yet received in full the blessings of reconciliation with God through the Lord Jesus. Such glorious favor may lie expected for the world in general during the Millennium, when “all the of the earth shall -be blessed.’ ’ ami brought to a knowledge of the Truth and to an opportunity of accepting unto salvation. Our charitable thought for Ananias and Sapphira is that, not having received the Holy Spirit, they but imper fectly appreciated what;they were doing; that they have not sinned unto death; and that in the resurrection time they will have opportunity to show their loyalty or disloyalty to God.

St. Peter and Ananias.

Private Giving.