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Then, if it is a question of a larger sphere, when it might necessitate the giving up of the means of livelihood, though not necessarily, the same principles apply. When Paul would go forth from Asia into Europe, his larger and proper field as apostle of the Gentiles, we see the local church acting with the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:1-4). It is worthy of note too that he went forth from Antioch instead of Jerusalem. This is not according to the claims of tradition and clerisy. There is no such thing as a metropolitan church or bishop in the New Testament. Officialism has no place here. This has always very largely abused and overlooked the presence of the Spirit of God in the Church-a truth of transcendent importance. Man, when in his place in the Church, acts only as the Spirit leads, and as His instrument.

According to the principles of clerisy, Paul should have been sent from Jerusalem by Peter and James, who were apostles before him. The Judaizing teachers reproached him because he was not thus sent, and said, for this reason, he was not an accredited apostle. But he tells them that what they reproached him with he gloried in. He was not from James, Peter, or any other man, but from Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead (Gal. i:i). In Gal. i; 2 and in Acts 13, clerisy and independency in ministry are both set aside.

The general notions of ministry abroad are chiefly derived from the teachings of the word of God about the Jewish priesthood. The very idea of a pope and his clergy came from the pattern of Aaron and his priestly family; but Aaron is the type of Christ as our Great High Priest, and Aaron's family represents the Christian family, for every Christian is a priest, (i Pet. 2:5). A man born a priest in Judaism could not act as a priest until he had gone through certain forms. This was all in the hands of the priesthood, and the nation had nothing to do with it. This is all repudiated in Gal. i; 2.

God allowed Judaism to enter into the Galatian churches at the beginning so that we would not only know what the truth is, but also what it is not. He let us see what was false and foreign to it. Instead of sending Paul up to Jerusalem, God sent him into the desert. He saw James the Lord's brother once, and was with Peter for fifteen days-too short a time to take a course in theology. Nearly all Christian bodies on earth have a Jerusalem to prepare their ministers; the early Church had no such custom.

Instead of Peter giving Paul his mission and authority, he tells us he had to resist him to the face because he was giving up the truth of the gospel; and for the lack of Peter's self-styled successors having some one to continue to resist them, they have long since lost it. Let us look now at Acts 13:1-4:First, we notice that there was gift, spirituality and devotedness in the church at Antioch. (The Lord's words to Peter in Matt. 16 did not make him the first pope, but they do teach us that He valued spirituality and devotedness.) They were ministering to the Lord, and fasting (vers. i, 2). They were before God, waiting on Him, with the Holy Spirit as power and intelligence in the Church. While the whole body is not directly spoken of, yet we know from Acts 15:4 that the church was present on such occasions. This is according to the principles of i Cor. 12 and 14. The Spirit here is the one who distributes to each man severally as He wills. His manifestations are all in the Church, and of the Church, even if through a Paul or a Peter. In fact, all gift is set in the Church, and is of the Church, as to its exercise. Yet individual responsibility to the Lord is ever maintained.

The Spirit is operating in Acts 13. This is more and more seen in the book of the Acts as the history progresses-"The Holy Spirit said." Who would say He could not give the mind of God now through the written Word as well as then without it? It was because the written Word was incomplete that it had to be supplemented by this direct speaking. On this occasion His word is, "Separate Me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them." Would any say that the Spirit could not indicate, and would not indicate, to an assembly of the Lord's people now that He had called to a certain path a certain man or men? "We have first the divine call, which must in some way be repeated wherever profitable labor is to be done after this fashion." (P. W. G.) A divine call will be known to the saints. Then the church is to separate such men to the work whereunto the Spirit has called them. But this is far from the principles of clerisy. Notice it was when they ministered to the Lord and fasted that they got the mind of God.

Through God's loving care we have everything still as at the beginning-"apostles and prophets" in the completed word of God; the Holy Spirit abiding to the end; and the gifts of evangelist, pastor,
and teacher. Besides, in the sense of giving the mind of God from the written Word of God, "all may prophesy," and thus be "unto edification, exhortation, and comfort." That is, they build up, stir up, and bind up.

This assembly at Antioch was devoted, and it is the devoted individuals and companies whom God uses yet. Gift depends largely on devotedness for development. Where there is little devotedness, little gift will be manifested. Where there are devoted individuals and devoted gatherings, the work of the Lord goes forward, and men and women are raised up to do His will and carry His blessing far and near.

In verse 3 we read of more fasting and prayer, and the laying on of hands, and of their letting them go. How suitable and significant! How much trouble we get into from a lack of what we see here! Then they "laid their hands on them." This is the fellowship and identification of the church at Antioch with these two men. We should see more now of what this signifies. But who among us is to do the laying on of hands ? There is no more need now of laying hands literally on the heads of such men in order to carry out the truth in the 13th of Acts, than there is of washing the feet literally in order to carry out the truth of the 13th of John. The thing symbolized is what we want to see carried out, not the symbol itself. The point in John 13 is the washing from defilement by the water of the Word; and in Acts 13 it is the Church's fellowship and identification with the Lord's work and workmen. It means that they identify themselves with the afflictions of the gospel, and with the necessities of those whom they own as sent by the Holy Spirit to preach it. What a call there is still for devoted, spiritual, gifted, God-sent men, both for home and abroad!

Are the gatherings of the Lord's people taking up faithfully the responsibilities which are theirs in this matter ? What blessed results came from prayer, fasting, and ministering to the saints, spoken of here! They will share in eternity the rewards bestowed by the Lord on His two devoted servants. May the Lord grant us more of this in the gatherings of His people, that we may see more God-sent and God-gifted men going forth from us into His harvest! The harvest is great, and the field is the world. Go with me to that little company of the disciples in the 4th of John, and hear the speaker say again, "Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields." Then hear Him again:"The harvest is great, but the laborers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that He will send forth laborers into His harvest."

Look on the multitude today, and see it in the same condition that it was when the disciples looked in the day of the 9th of Matthew, famished and fainting in the pursuit of that which does not satisfy because it is not true bread. It may be you will hear Him saying to you, " Go ye" (Mark 16:15). But it is one thing to see the need, and desire to help to meet it, and quite another thing to be called, fitted and sent forth in fellowship with the Lord and with the assembly to serve Him.

May the Lord bless the feeble effort to examine this subject, which is of such great importance!

Peter Van Winkle