The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1916-05-23
The international Sunday School
Lesson for May % 10 "The coun-
ell at Jerusalem" Acts IS: t-S5.
BY WILLIAM r. ELLIS


words are read most OF them will be
in full swing or already adjourned.
/ Among ministers and church work
ers these gatherings are principal
subject OF present interest. A strik-
ing parallel may be found between
most OF them and the FIRST council OF
the Christian church. which was
held in Jerusalem about the year so,
and which is the theme OF the pres.
ent International lesson.
II was the first OF the great church
councils an Illuminating
I line OF study to pursue, In this con
necuon. II would be interesting TO
compare the greatness OF the topics
debated In the early church councils
with the littleness OF some of the
themes that have engrossed the meet
/ ings this month. A broad, sweeping
and serious indictment TO be brought
| against the ecclesiastical assemblies
OF May OF the present year is that
/ there has been apparent in their de
( liberations less Of the spiritual crisis
/ created by the world cataclysm,
/ than there has been OF ecclesiastical
politics and minor matters OF admin
( stration.
In larger aspect, there is the same
struggle under way this month as
was witnessed in the first church
council-the needless strife between
| Journalism. tradition, prescription
and prescription on the one hand,
and on the other the growing. ex'
panding life OF the church. The
literalists are still with US. caring
more for a precedent than for prin-
ciple. The struggle for adherence 10
formal practices is perhaps best il
Illustrated by the debate over amuse-
ments. The world is used TO a dis
cussion OF whether Christians may
in utomobiles-which was actually
| the subject OF legislation at a re-
cent convention OF one OF the minor
denominations-or wear hooks and
street cars on Sunday. or belong to
social organizations which do not
conform 10 the usages and convic-
tions OF certain bodies OF Christians.
Here we have the temperance of
the Judaizing Christians OF the apos-
tolic church. who insisted that all
believers should conform 10 the
practices which they themselves IA
vored.
IL is not generally known that one
OF the great problems of foreign mis-
sions is the frequent appearance on
| the field OF emissaries who want to
win the converts TO their special
views OF Christian practice. Many
a missionary could tell OF his heart
! burning experiences with these "ho-
Illness" and other representatives
who shun the work of winning con-
verts TO Christ 10 converting native
! Christians TO their particular tenets.
The struggle between Christian
liberty and church restrictions Is old
and continuous. What is the liberty
of today may be the restraint OF to-
morrow. Probably il Is inevitable
that the issue first joined in the Je-
rusalem council should continue
through all other ecclesiastical gath
erings 10 the end OF time At least.
II is steadying 10 read the reports OF
present-day ecclesiastical meetings
in the light OF st Luke's narrative
Of this first church council, and
Pauls own comment upon IL. as
found in the second chapter OF Gala
tians. Some OF us extract comfort
from the observation that even in
the apostolic church the Christians
were not angels.
Observation-Disclosures In Antioch
Some Christians from Judea-the
historian does not think them worth
Identifying by name-had gone down
to Antioch and had troubled the new
church there by trying TO correct
its procedure. They accused the An
tioch Christians OF not being thor
oughly orthodox. Imagine II, These
nobodys, who had themselves not
been on the firing line OF missionary
work. were taking to task that great
throbbing. outreaching. vital church
at Antioch! The capacity OF petty
persons for making trouble in a con-
gregation has been noted by all OBJ
servers OF church life. Men and
women who carry not straw's
weight In business, or social or COM
munity life, are capable OF disturb
Ing the peace OF an entire church.
Most OF us have seen the harmony
OF congregations married by some
poor little mischief.makers who in
all other spheres are entirely incon-
siderable. Still. they give the
church a chance TO prove It's relig-
ion.
Such wore the meddlesome saints
who went down 10 Antioch, and
troubled the serenity and unity or
that Great company OF disciples: for
these Antioch Christians wanted to
| do right. The most conscientious