Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-06-25
The Council at jerusalem
Sermon by
REV. FLOYD W. TOMIIINS.

Text: Acts 1-35
There have been many important
councils in the history OF the church.
some OF them giving rise to great dis
cuSS!on regarding worship and faith:
nnt not one can approach this great
council. held at Jerusalem while tho
christian Church was yet young, for
Importance and Significance. In tho
Hrst place. II was the first time Chris
Nans were called together from tho
various countries whorc\ the Gospel
hhd been preached How interesting
~ must have been as they looked into
each others faces and met as the COM
mon children Of Christ! In the second
pace. ut was about a very important
matter that they were to confer. Tho
Jewish customs had been continued by
tne Jews who followed and loved Jesus
christ: and now the Gentiles were
coming to believe in Christ. and they
naturally knew little Of the old Gus
toms OF Israel. and cared less. How
vas reconciliation TO be accomplish
ed! And. in the third place. the cOun-
ell was significant because the great
leaders were all there. Paul and Peter
and James and Barnabas and many
others, men who had already suffered
for their Masters sake and who were
ready 10 die for Him How fitting IT
was TO meet In Jerusalem. where the
Lord had preached and where lie was
condemned by TIE Romans and put TO
death--Jerusalcsp, the center OF the
historic Jewish faith. the city Of David
and Solomon, the type OF the Heavenly
Jerusalem. the mother Of us all!'
Gal. ~. 25)
BROADER IDEAS or
CHRISTIAN DUTY
II was a crucial question for the
brethren TO decide. namely. how far the
Gentle Christians should observe all
the lax VS. and customs which the chill
dren OF Israel had been commanded to
observe. II seemed vital to the Jews
that such obedience should he demand
ed; but Peter and Paul, themselves de-
YOU, Jews had preached to the Cen
tiles and knew their needs and their
ideas. They had broader notions he
cause they had been called of God to
world wide work, and they could not
believe that Christianity was mean; by
the Master TO he confined to any small
territory or ruled by the customs Of
any one nation. i is so easy TO become
provincial and 10 think our way is the
only way. We need to-day the expert
ence which foreign missions have
brought us. An experience OF the emo
tons and habits and mind OF Gods pco-
pie everywh.r. We cannot make all
men see things or do things as We
see and do them 50 long az men love
and worship Christ as their Savior. tho
methods OF worship and tho form Of
ecclesiastical government are matters
for themselves to determine.
Our first lesson is found in tho wis
dom these men showed IN coming to-
Ecther for conference lie; us meet
together and talk II over they said
Many a bitterness OF life and belief
would be overcome II those concerned
would only meet together and look
into each Others faces II is the
isolated brooding and the Wild suspi-
a nd "a N "a lrir
divisions When men meet together
and pray together ghosts of imagined
wrong are speedily laid Nothing has
helped so much in our modern SOCIAL
life as I'll. "gct-toTcther' conference
between sincere men, who All want the
truth but who hav. varied ideas Of The
truth. The Young Mems Christian AS
ISOLATION and the Lsymor's Missionary
Movement have made christian unity
almost an established fact. because they
have brought Christians together to do
Gods work AND tina. is the blessing
which the Federation Of churches has
brought To us all Tn" same thing is
tru- in personal experience Go and
tel! him his faul, between thee and him
alone" ,S' Matt xviii. lip. DO not
brood over differences un',l they are
maEn!ficd into mountains Of wrong. but
talk together with open heart.
WANTED TO 30 WHAT
TIE LORD WANTED
20 do what the Lord would have them do.
In spite of their strong opinions they
were loyal TO their Master. All through
the conference rs reported. "" hear
ringing the cry. Loyalty 10 Christ
IT is the determined holding 10 an opiu-
ION without any desire 10 know and
follow Gods viii that lies AT the roo,
OF most OF our controversies. and for
that matter il lies IT tho root of many
unanswered prayers. We are too apt
70 tell God what we wan, Him TO do
for lis and what We think ought to lie
done, instead telling Him our desire 20
do His will. Preconccived IDEAS pre-
judice. loyalty 70 our opinions ,hiniy
disguised and Expressed as loyalty "a
the truth"--these defeat many modern
councils IS they would have defeated
this council at Jerusalem II they had
been allowed any place
AT least four men addressed the coun-
cil-Peter, Paul Earna has and James
II was the address Of James that seem
cd TO carry the day. ana doubt no,
that he also "rC;e the letter whic-
WAS sent {, the churches Every NAV
ought {, have an cpinIon and exoicss
4, The beauty OF conference ls ;n.i
all may speak In the mult:tu.i. 81
councillors there :" safety" says tho
wise man 'lrov. ri, 40. Zig cues.
tionS are not decided by a few rash
men. nor can one or two decide for all
The blessing Of our government in the
United SiaIes Is that all are freemer
and entitled 20 speak and vote We
are the government, fact too often
forgotten by those who criticize their
chosen rulers. In church and state
alike. God has called each man to take
part. We should never speak OF the
church as mfr. AS church" h.it as my
church" and its interests 'Hld he