MITTING the names of Peter and John, the friends of Paul were men of far higher ability and culture than the rest of the Twelve. As far as the New Testament records permit us to judge, their lives and labors were more closely interwoven with the great worldstream of early Christian achievement and triumphs. By this is meant that movement of Christianity in Apostolic times whereby, instead of continuing a mere Jewish sect of Judea and Galilee, it swept first northward to Antioch where it became Gentile and Missionary; then westward through Asia Minor, everywhere establishing churches and planting garrisons; then crossed the Hellespont and overran Macedonia and Greece, and about the same time reached Rome where it became the religion of all civilized nations and races-cosmopolitan, imperial, universal. In this victorious march of Christianity from the gates of Antioch to the gates of the Imperial City, St. Paul was the Commander-in-Chief, his friends the Field Marshals and Corps Commanders. While it would not be at all fair or defensible to assume that the work of the lesser nine of the Apostles of our Lord was of small moment, yet very little is definitely known about their labors and achievements. Here, then, is a strange anomaly. We are perfectly familiar with the names of the Twelve, and yet have only the vaguest information concerning their services to Christianity. On the other hand the New Testament furnishes us many references to the services of Paul's friends, but still the names of the great majority of these fall strangely on our We deeply regret our scanty knowledge of the after lives of the Twelve; but we ourselves are wholly to blame if we know nothing about the names and labors of the friends of St. Paul. Shall we not, then, be introduced to them one by one? If so, we shall meet men well worth knowing; and also at the same time get a new insight into the deeper things of Paul's own heart, which we can gain in no other way. Likewise we shall acquire new outlooks and vantage points whereby to contemplate and measure his transcendent genius. It but remains for me gratefully to acknowledge my deep indebtedness to my former instructor in New Testament, Prof. James S. Riggs, D. D., of Auburn Theological Seminary, and to my classmate of the same institution, Rev. Harry Lathrop Reed, D. D., Professor of New Testament Language and Criticism, both of whom carefully read the manuscript of this work and gave me invaluable suggestions and criticisms by which I was guided in the final revision. CARL HERMON DUDLEY. CONTENTS BARNABAS-THE DISCOVERER OF ST. PAUL 23 JOHN MARK - THE MAN WHO FORFEITED AND AFTERWARDS REGAINED THE CON- V TIMOTHY-PAUL'S BEST LOVED FRIEND... 87 VI LUKE- THE BIOGRAPHER OF PAUL ......112 VII AQUILA AND PRISCILLA-PAUL'S FELLOW CRAFTSMEN AND FELLOW EVANGELISTS. 138 VIII APOLLOS- THE MAN WHOSE CAREER |