all, Barnabas was a spiritual man. The inspired writer
says that he was full of the Holy Ghost. And that implied, of course,
that Barnabas was a man fully given up to God, There can be no deep
spirituality apart from that. Our surrender is the condition of our
being full of the Spirit. "For we are His witnesses of these things,
as is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey Him."

So you can readily see why Barnabas has a right to the fine compliment
that is paid him here by the writer of the Acts. Barnabas was generous
with his possessions. He had the Christian attitude toward money.
Barnabas was generous in his judgments. He had a brother's attitude
toward his fellows. He was thoroughly missionary. He made Christ's
program for world conquest his own. He was profoundly and genuinely
spiritual. And because of these fine qualities one who knew him well
said of him, "He was a good man."

Now, there are compliments more flashy than being called good. There
are encomiums that are much fuller of glitter, but in spite of that, I
am convinced that nothing greater or better could possibly be said
about any one of us living to-day or any one that ever has lived than
just this that is written about Barnabas: "He was a good man." I had
rather my boy would be able to say that about me when he stands by my
grave, sunken and grass-grown, than to say anything else in all the
world.

Brother, let us covet goodness. Let us seek that rare treasure. For
there is nothing better or finer or more beautiful or more useful.
"Goodness." It is the fairest flower that can ever bloom in your soul
garden. It is the sweetest music that even God's skilled fingers will
ever be able to win from your thousand stringed heart harp. It is the
virtue in those we love that grips us tightest and holds us longest.
And wonderful to say, it is within reach of every one of us.

There are certain fine things that you and I can never possess. We
know that. Genius, greatness,--they are high and forbidding mountain
peaks. Their sides are rugged and precipitous. They have pulled iron
hoods of snow and ice upon their brows. But goodness,--that is a peak
that may be scaled by the tender feet of little children and by the
tottering feet of old age. It may be scaled by the reluctant feet of
those in life's prosaic middle passage. Let us address ourselves then
to this high task. Let us matriculate this morning in God's schoo