The Detroit times., 1916-05-24
In the Religious World
tIssRALlsm's GREAT VICTORY

truth they knew. Nnetner the COS
TO themselves. are a noble spectacle
The world cannot do without thii
Ieayen of conscientious folk who arr
ready TO follow truth anywhere
Christians are often called narrow
minded. but IL is really the open
mindedness of the disciples OF Chris
which makes possible all the new
sects and schisms and cults. which
build on the established foundation
of Christian loyalty TO truth.
Down in Antioch the church hac
wise shepherds who were not will
ing 10 let their flock be continually
worried by the new issues raised
They decided 10 appeal TO the moth
er church at Jerusalem. They knew
the wisdom of getting a decision
Why wrangle and squabble forever
over a point that should be decided
once and for all. So Paul and Bar
ma bas were sent u Jerusalem 10 con-
fer with the apostles and the elders
and the home church.
A Journey Over the Land
There are few persons of any inn
agination who have not at some time
or other desired TO take this trip
which was made by Paul and Barna.
bias. Every newspaper correspondent
in the world would rather go over
their route today than go anywhere
else on the map. What light IL
would shed on the present world
war. in the strategic centers of Tur-
key. could one follow the Paul and
Barnabss route, down from Antioch
past the mountain where the four
thousand Christian Armenians sue
cessfully withstood the Turks: down
past Tripoli. in Syria: through Bel
rut. where an American warship
rides at anchor; and through ro-
mantle Old Sidon. with It's vaulted
streets: and 10 Haifa, at the upper
end of Mt Carmel. where the Ger
road strikes inland through Galifee.
There We could learn all about the
new railway system. and we could
even take train for Damascus and
Aleppo. there to gather war news
for which any newspaper in the land
would pay high prices. At Nablus
We would find the headquarters OF
the Turkish army. and new rail
way center; for now the very route
that Paul and Barnabas took we
may follow by rail to the city OF
Jerusalem The first man in after
Turkeys gates are open will write
a story that will have the ears OF
the whole world.
II was,no by.rail. bur aboard pa
tient donkey. or else afoot. that Paul
and Barnabas made their way down
through Phoenicia and Samaria.
preaching as they went. Catch that
point? The great missionaries had
not been diverted from their main
work by the church controversy.
when doctrinal or administrative
disagreements hinder the work of
the church. then may God pity US.
The denomination that turns aside
from it's first work in order to de-
bate and discuss. has been sorely
misled. Paul and Barnabas were
first OF all and last OF all preachers.
and only incidentally controversial
lists. A good plumbline, 10 apply to
every man who thinks himself con-
tender for the faith Is this: Is he
10 be found in the forefront of evan
gelism, and in the rescue missions.
and in the teaching work Of the
church?
The men from Antioch were well
coined by the church at Jerusalem.
The differences OF opinion did not
disturb their cordial relationships.
And those Jerusalem Christians
were more eager 10 hear OF the Cos
pers triumphs in Syria and in Asia
Minor than they were 10 talk about
the controversy that had brought
Paul and Barnabas 10 Jerusalem.
The Great Debate
talked the other day with a man
who had heard the famous Lincoln
Douglas debates. and do not won
der that this privilege had been with
him lifetime pride. Wise persons
90 far to attend the great debates in
congress and parliament and eccle-
siastical assemblies II is pathetic
when these lofty discussions are
married by petty partnership and
strife for political advantage. have
heard strong men struggling over
great principles at church meetings
and I thank God that there are still
mighty men TO contend for the truth
as they see II.
The last mention In the inspired
history that we have OF Peter occurs
in this discussion at the first church
council. when he stood up "a the
| champion OF Christian liberty. Three
! points he made. The first was tina,
the Spirit had borne witness 10 the
validity OF the Gentle converts. This
was the argument that had prevailed
when he himself was answering 10
the church for his experience with
the house Of Cornelius.