Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-05-06

! 01Ax0 Ali, ana That through Him they
were ehecting the great wonders that
accompanied their words They did not
claim any personal power. They were
only witnesses -humble instruments OF
power from on high. In other words
| it was only religious movement. and
Gamaliel saw it. and hence he told these
men to beware. Refrain from these
men. he said. after the Apostles were
commended to withdraw from their
presence for q brief space, land let
them alone. for II this counsel or this
work be OF men, it will come to naught;
but if it be God, We cannot overthrow
/ it, lest happily We be found to light
against God.''
He counselled for time as a test Of
the truth and sincerity of this move
ment. The good sense of men will not
stick to the foolish efforts of men who
do not know what they do. Such men
make themselves and their cause redic-
ulous after while. They run them
selves out and fall after a while by
their own weight. He meant also that
if it be the work of polite and design
ing men. who under color of religion
were trying to set up a secular interest,
trying to make capital for themselves
or their party out of so-ealled relig-
ious organization, let them alone for
awhile and they will thrown off the
mask and show themselves in their
true light-they will make themselves
and their movement odious to the good
sense of mankind. And hence he held
that the Sanhedine would bring great
er odium upon themselves by killing
these men than by leaving the move
ment to die of itself as it certainly
would if it were only the effort of fool
ish and designing men. But such it
was not proved to De and never has
been from. that day to this. Inaugu
rated 10y the loving Christ Himself,
carried on by the Apostles, this same
movement which is none other than the
Church, is still going forward under the
control of the best hearts and bright
est inltellects who live on earth.
Here and there a traitor has left his
mark, and blotted the lists of those
engaged in the most sacred of causes,
the cause itself has not been invalidat-
oil Nr1<x = y Al
tons of some of its members and the
presence at times of even traitors and
towards in the gold Christianity, even
from worldly point of view, is the
best, noblest and grandest, and most
helpful Institution that has ever yet
been offered to mankind. 1t has done
and is doing to-day for suffering hui
mainly what the world has never been
able to do and would not If it could.
Such a movement cannot, therefore be
from man and must have its origin from
book, and its genuineness could only
be tested by time.
III. Gamalielasaw the possibility of
this side of theaquestion and this was
another reason he advised caution. He
recognized that if these preachers had
their commission and instruction from
| God, they were just as truly messen-
gers to the world as the Old Testament
prophets had been. To prosecute and
kill them would therefore be fighting
against God and could not stop the
movement itself. Men die, but institu-
| tons live The death of men, or the
failure of men. cannot stay the onward
march of truth; for truth is mighty
and will prevail, as has been most con-
clusively exemplified by the Church
of the Living God, which is the pillar
and ground of the truth" What Gam
aliel thought might be possibility has
turned out to be an actuality.
Christianity has proven itself over
and over again to be not from men, but
from God. 1t can be accounted for on
no other ground and to even attempt to
do SO would necessitate the denial or
ignoring of the teachings of history, OF
our own better sense, and of the plain
teachings OF Jesus Christ. To oppose or
neglect the claims of Christianity is
worse than foolish 1t is fatal; for
in either case you array yourself against
God, who says, "Nhosoever is not with
me is against me" If you had no 9TH
er motive, self-preservation ought to
prompt you not to do this thing. We
cannot afford to be enemies of God, or
| oppose him in any way. nor can we
afford to stop where Gamaliel seems to
have stopped. He was a man of good
! reputation and wise advice, but this was
all he was and all he seemed to have
done. Judging from the record. we do
not read he ever became Christian. A
good reputation and moderation, an
open mind and calm judgment are
useful qualities needed, and they may
rise into great virtues. But we dare not
say that any one Of them, or all OF
them together. will suffice to damn a
soul. There is something else neces-
I