Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1909-05-20
THE COUNCIL AT
JERUSALEM
Sunday seAssl Lssssa fer Nay ~. 1908
Specially Arranged fer This Pspsr

the grace OF the LORD we hhah
be saved. even az thsy."-Acts b;il
TIME.-About 70 A. D.. a. IL commonly
agreed. though various scholars place u
earlier.
PLAcE.-Antioch In Syria, and Jsrusa-
lem.
Suggestion and Practical Thought.
vi. Certain men," perhaps those
sent by James (0al. 2: l2) came
down from Judea-" The Bean text
says that these visitors we're Phari'
sees, members OF the strictest sect OF
the Jews. Perhaps they came TO In
yestlgata rumors Of laxity in the
church, at any rate, they taught the
brethren" (the verb is In the imper'
feet, implying continued action,-they
kept teaching), "and said, Except ye
be circumcised . ye cannot be
saved" "a very different doctrine
from st. Paurs' believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved
(Acts 16:3D."-Rackham.
The Importance OF the Question
The Christian church, during It's first
20 years, had spread over Palestine,
Phoenicia, Damascus, Antioch, Cyprus
and South GalatiR in Asia Minor. II
was rapidly growing. especially among
the Gentiles. The difference that had
arisen set OF against each other the
two great centers OF growth. Jerusa.
I'm and Antioch. II threatened to di.
vide the Christian churches into two
contending and irreconcilable fac.
lions. II that happened. II would
probably be the deathblow to the
young religion, the destruction OF the
hopes OF the world through Christ.
Could any matter be more momen.
tous?
Va. They ("the brethren" v. -
determined that Paul and Barnabas.
and certain other of them uncludlng
Titus. Gal. 2: l, afterward Pauls com.
panlon, a Greek. a man OF much abil-
ity, who would serve as a specimen
OF the GENTLE conveTts). should go up
to Jerusalem $500 miles away about
this question" Paul went by revela.
ton" (Gal. 2: p. which is entirely
consistent with the statement that the
church sent him.
After much debate, that everyone
might express his views, as is proper
in a democratic assembly such as all
Christian gatherings should be, Peter
spoke up. His nearness to Christ and
his strong character combined to
make him a leader. Moreover, In this
case he had had personal experience
which placed him on Paul's side-the
divine revelation bidding him 20 TO
the Gentle Cornelius, and the outpour.
ing of the Spirit upon that convert
and his household. Il was precisely
such witness to the right OF the Cen
tiles to enter the church without cir.
eumcision as Paul himself described
from his missionary experience. Peter
insisted upon Il with characteristic
vigor. closing with the pointed ques.
ton, why put a yoke upon
the neck Of the (Gentile) disciples.
which neither our fathers nor we
were able to bear ?"-ths yoke being
the minute oppressive rites OF Juda.
ism. with the Pharisaic additions, i'm,
posed Rs n condition OF salvation.
There il only one condition OF saliva
ton. said Peter in conclusion. the
grace 1.-THE free gift, unbought by any
deed Of ours) OF the Lord Jesus
Christ" AS Peter sat down, Paul
must have clapped his handsI
The decision embodied In q letter:
~ To clarity and unity judgment in
the preparation OF Il; (2) to guard
against slips OF memory on the part
Of the ENJOYS; (s) to prevent misun
derstandings; 90 to preserve for fu
ture occasions the results OF the con
ference. Capt Cuttle's advice. when
found. make 4 note on" applies TO all
weighty matters.
The reasons for the restrictions
/. The "pOllutions OF idols" ". 2Ol
explained as meats offered 10 idols
". 29). came 20 be a sore trouble In
the church. and liberty TO eat such
meat 1.-THE meat commonly sold had
nearly all formed part Of sacrihcesl
was at n later time claimed for Chris
tians very strenuously by Paul. But
until the Gentle churches we're con
firmed In their new separation from
idolatry, II was wise to require then
70 abstain from whatever might temp
them with memories OF the licentiouI
revels which heathenism celebrated
in tho name Of religion.
2. "Fornication." however, was tn,
great sin OF idolatry. which 'gloriiie<
sexual vice with the halo OF a sacret
sanction. "-Schafi. CourteEans wer'
the priestesses OF the temples OF We
nus. and crowds of abandoned womel
gathered around most OF these so
called holy shrines. To this day. sex
ual immortality Is the terrible sin o
idolatry. az the missionary annals o
Africa, India. China. Japan and thu
South seas most abundantiy show.
8. Things strangled." meant ''th'
flesh Of such animals a. were killed Il
snares. and whose blood was no
poured forth. "s-0loag. The Jews wer'
forbidden 20 eat these. a. coming un
der the larger restriction that follows
ssBloods was fofhiddeh fba law,