"And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul": united together in perfect love and harmony; believing the same truths, and having the same object in all they did; namely, that of bringing all men to serve and obey the Lord. Even as to worldly matters, as we have said, the same unity or oneness of feeling prevailed, "neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the Apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need." At this time the Church of Christ, that is, the company of believers, was joined by a man who afterwards took a great share in the work of the Apostles: we read, "And Joses, who by the Apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the Apostles' feet." This Joses had either been born in the isle of Cyprus, which lies in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea, or he had lived there so long, that it was quite like his native country. As a Levite, he could never at any time have had any inheritance of land in Judæa; but of course a Levite might _buy_ land in foreign countries, or even in Judæa itself, particularly now, when the distinction into tribes was almost lost. Joses had land probably in Cyprus, and being convinced that Jesus was the Messiah, he determined to join the company of believers, and devote his future life to the service of God and man, by preaching the Gospel to others. He therefore gave up all that he possessed, and was henceforth content to receive merely what was necessary for his food and raiment, like the poorest disciple. His joining them, was a great comfort and encouragement to the Apostles in their work, and they therefore surnamed him Barnabas, which means the Son of Consolation. By the name of Barnabas, he is always spoken of in Scripture.