The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1916-05-24
SUNDAY SCHOOL NOTES
Side Lights on Next Sundays
Lesson for Teachers and Pupils
Edited BY Charles K. Meyers.
CRAWFORD COU MY SON ID A r
2QKQQL ARTICULATION

CRAWFORD COUNTY, sUNDA,
SCHOOL AssocIATIoN
OFFICERS.
President -. Sears McHenry. Denise
Executive Committee
F. L. Hoffman, Denison; VIM. Lindbert
kiron; +. l.. VanSlyke, Manila: II. .
Cook, Denison; Frank WoOlston, DEM
son: T. G. Virgins, Dow City.
Superintendent.
e"en.ars or Miss Susie Graft peniso
Secondary Grade, T.. l.. Hoffman, Denise
Adult Department .................
....., -. Prof. B. J. Still, Manill
Home pepar' mrr q W. Pierce, : Denise mis-.
80. Rev. J. G. Tourteiilot. Deniao
Temperance 49,:
,...:.... Miss Manetta Jorgensen. Val
Missionary Department ........ -.
$4,000. Mrs. Anna Williams, Denisol
May 2s-The Council at Jerusalem
Acts Is; 1856.
We have for our thought today i
most remarka bic gathering of the earl,
christian leaders, and most able let
ter as the result of their deliberations
Since coming to years of understand
ing and appreciation of events ant
declaration of principles, l have had
the highest admiration for the letter
which the early church leaders issued
from Jerusalem setting forth the
things they deemed necessary to be
done by the non-Jcwish converts tc
hold fellowship with those of the old
Jewish faith who had become attach
ed to the religion of Jesus.
To understand the situation call
to mind that most important crisis
was upon the christian church just
after the return of Paul from his first
great missionary journey. Since all
known time to the Jews, God had
been their special protector They had
been taught in all those years to keer
themselves separate from non-Jews
that is the Gentiles. If any Gentiles
desired to become as Jews this could
be done. by observing the rite of cir.
cumcision and conforming to the re-
Cuiremcnts of the laws Of Moses and
the regulations built on them which
the Jewish authorities had decided
upon. TO have favor with God and
not live this peculiar life, did seem
possible to Jew. be he a christian
convert or scorner of the claims of
Jesus as the promised Messiah.
While Jesus said many things 10
show that His missions were to all
men and thus not to Jews alone. yet
He mainly spoke to the Jews. and
Peter, who was close to Him, began
his work as a preacher of the new
religion understanding that one must
be Jew first and keep the Jewish
laws to be an acceptable christian. II
Peter was of, this mind at the begin
ming, it is no wonder that the ordin
AIRY Jewish convert believed this in
every detail, and was most urgent in
demanding that this requirement be
continued. Thus when Paul came
back from his missionary trip and re
ported that nOn-Jews had been form.
ed into church and were not being re.
quired to keep the Jewish ceremonial
laws, there arose a mighty protest
from the Jewish converts about .Ic.
rusalem and Palestine generally. Moth
ing of course could have stopped Paul
from preaching to the Gentilcs after
they had shown him such love. rcadi
ness to hear and believe. and made
such sacrifices for the cause of Jesus
Both he and Peter knew that Gentle
converts had shown every evidence OF
true conversion, the Holy Spirit had
come upon them as on jewish Goa
verts. God had indeed made no dis
tinction between Jews and Gcntilcs
giving evidences of acceptance OF
their faith.
The great question thus came up
whether the early church was to be-
come split in two opposing factions
thus running the serious risk of de
to a proper conclusion as to what to
do the Council at Jerusalem" was
held
OF course Peter was there and was
the first speaker. He was now the
Peter with the experiences of JOppa
where God had taught him that what
God had made clean lie should not call
unclean. and with Cornelius. the Gen
tile who had become convert and
shown every evidence of true accept
ance. 1t was this Peter who spoke
SO clearly and with force, setting forth
that God had put no difference be-
tween Jews and Gentiles, purifying the
hearts of each when they showed faith
in Jesus and Willingness to obey His
will. Further that God who knoweth
the hearts of men bear the Gentle
converts witness, giving them the
Holy Ghost even as He had to the
Jews who believed on the name OF
Jesus. Paul then told his experiences
and then James. the head of tho
church, gave his counsels in the mat
ter.
We now come to The great letter
which was written and sent forth as
the basis on which both Jews and
Gentiles were to he united under the
banner of Jesus. One might have sup
posed that the requirements upon the
Gentiles would be long, and maybe
burdensome. Just here comes the re
markable showing of liberality, jus
tice, saneness, lack of narrowness
which was shown by these christian
leaders in council at Jerusalem. 1t
need not be said that they had prayed
for light and had been given it from
God who is ever ready to help His
believing children when they call. Now
the wonderful letter 1t would be
found so simple, so gentle, so free
from things irksome, as to stamp it
as divinely written. Speaking to tho
Gentle converts it said:
"Abstain from meat offered to idols