File:The early days of Christianity (1922) (14765635022).jpg

Identifier: earlydaysofchrist00gran (find matches)
Title: The early days of Christianity
Year: 1922 (1920s)
Authors: Grant, Frederick C. (Frederick Clifton), 1891-1974
Subjects: Church history -- Primitive and early church, ca. 30-600
Publisher: New York, Cincinnati, The Abingdon press
Contributing Library: New York Public Library
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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Saint Paul, who calledhimself Apostle to the Gentiles. He was the strongestadvocate of religious freedom in all the early church^but he was not the first. Already, tendencies wereoperative which were leading inevitably in this direction.It would not be long until the church irresistiblybroke over the barriers. Luke has indicated thisvery clearly in his account of the church in Antioch(Acts II: 19-26). The Gospel preached in Antioch.—^Antioch was thethird largest city in the empire. It was formed of fourunwalled cities which had grown up side by side atdifferent times on the banks of the Orontes River, eightmiles from its mouth at Seleucia, and were later inclosedwithin one large wall with towers. Its streets andpublic buildings were among the finest in the world. Alarge part of its population was Jewish, and in additionthere was a large body of proselytes. Although a centerof learning, its fame was due, rather, to its luxury andlax ways of living. It was a wealthy city and busy, but
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fOBLiC LIBRARY AMTOn, LJ5NOItILDKN FOUNDATIONS CHRISTIANITY REACHES ANTIOCH 105 corrupt. It was the queen of the Levant, and wasdestined to become a key-city in the expansion of earlyChristianity. And at the same time its own need ofthe gospel was immense. How Christianity spread.—On account of the largeJewish colony it was quite natural that when the churchin Jerusalem was scattered at the time of Stephensmartyrdom, some of the disciples should take refuge inAntioch. And so Luke records: They traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus andAntioch, speaking the word to none save only toJews. But there were some of them, men fromCyprus and Cyrene, who when they were come toAntioch spake unto the Greeks also, preaching theLord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was withthem, and a great number of them believed andturned unto the Lord. The report concerning them came to the ears ofthe church in Jerusalem, and they sent forth Barna-bas as far as Antioch; who, when he came and sawthe grace of G

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