The Detroit times., 1916-05-24
The International SUNDAY School
Lesson for May "a Is THE coun.
cal n Jerusaiem."-Acts IS: lbs.
~ WILLIAM I. ELLIS

words are read most OF them VIII %
In full swing or already adjourned
Among ministers and church work
ers these gatherings are prineipa
subject OF present interest. \ striK
ling parallel may be found between
most of them and the first council o.
the Christian church. which was
held in Jerusalem shout the year %
| and which is the theme OF the pres
ent international lesson.
II was the first of the great church
councils--themselve an Illuminating
! line OF study TO pursue, in this con
nection. II would be interesting 10
| compare the greatness OF the topics
debated in the early church councils
| with TIE bitterness 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-
alterations less Of the spiritual crisis
created by The world cataclysm,
than there has been Of ecclesiastical
politics and minor matters OF admin
istration.
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
moresfor a precedent than for prin-
ciples The struggle for adherence 10
formal practices is perhaps best IL
Illustrated by the debate over amuse-
ments. The world is used 10 a dis
cussion OF whether Christians may
smoke, or 60 10 the theater or ride
in which was actually
the subject Of legislation at re-
cent convention of ole OF the minor
denominations--or wear hooks ana
eyes instead OF buttons. or ride in
street cars on Sunday. or belong 10
socil organizations which do not
conform TO the usages and convic-
tons OF certain bodies of Christians.
Here we have the temperance OF
the Judaizing Christians OF the apps
tolics church. who insisted that all
believers should conforms ito the
practices which they themselves IA
vored.
II Is not generally known that one
OF the great problems of foreign mis-
sions Is the frequent appcarFnce on
the field Of emissariAss who want to
win the converts tor their special
views OF Christian practice Many
a missionary could tell Of his heart
burning experiences with these no
illness" and other representatives.
who shun the work OF winning con-
verts to Christ to converting native
Christians 10 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-
Probably IL In Inevitable
that the issue first joined in. the Je-
council should continue
all other ecclesiastical gath
erinss to the end of time At least,
II is steadying to read the reports of
ecclesiastical meetings
in the light OF st. Luke's narrative
Of this first church council, and
Paurs 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.
Mischief-Makers In Antioch
Some Christians from Judea-tne
historian does not think them worth
by name-had gone down
TO Antioch and had troubled the new
church there by trying to correct
Its procedure. They accused the An.
tfoch Christians OF not being thor
oughly orthodox. Imagine IL: 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 marred by some
poor little mischief-makers who in
all other spheres are entirely incon.
siderable. Still. they give the
church a chance to prove its relig.
lon.
Such were the meddlesome saints
who went down TO Antioch. and
troubled the serenity and unity o.
that great company OF disciples; foI
these Antioch Christians wanted q
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