This is a collection of narratives about early Christians, with special attention to the apostle Paul.
Preface [v-vi]
The favour with which “The Life of Jesus for Young People” was received, has induced me in this volume to treat “The Acts of the Apostles” in the same manner as I did the Gospels in that. Bearing in mind that I was writing for the young, I have endeavoured to tell the story of the apostles’ lives as recorded in ‘The Acts,’ in such a manner as to suggest some of the many lessons which they teach. I have not intended to include the epistles except so far as referring to them for throwing light on certain portions of ‘The Acts.’ I would strongly recommend, however, that Paul’s epistles should be read in connection with his residence at those places from which he wrote, or at those where the Churches existed which he addressed. It will thus be seen how completely the practice of the apostle agreed with his precepts; and many passages in ‘The Acts’ and in the Epistles will help to explain one another. I trust the work may prove interesting and instructive to young students of the Bible, especially to those of them who may have commenced instructing others. For more advanced minds and hearts I have not [vi] written: but I can commend such, as well as my readers generally, to study carefully when they have the opportunity, that truly valuable and trustworthy work, “The Life and Epistles of St. Paul,” By Conybeare and Howson; to which I have been greatly indebted in the preparation of these pages, and in company with which I have spent very many delightful hours. I have called the apostles the “First Heroes of the Cross.” Since them there have been many Christian heroes, and the days of heroism have not yet passed. The heroism of the apostles was not the performance of gallant acts by daring impulse, but the quiet performance of daily duty, in meek dependence on their Lord and Master, to whose service they had devoted themselves. To such heroism the same Master calls us, and with His promised help our lives cannot fail of being heroic. The circumstances of our lives are not under our control, but the spirit in which we shall discharge the duty devolving on us, is. May we, stimulated by the heroism of the early apostles, seek to do our Lord’s will; so shall our actions be inspired by the same Spirit that made their lives sublime, and thus shall we too become in very truth “Heroes of the Cross.”
Benjamin Clarke