Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-06

Christianity commenced its history as
q sect OF the Jewish faith. It's success
at Pentecost introduced the seeds Of dis
cord that during the early days failed to
manifest themselves because Of the unity
ing power OF their spiritual experience
Of being born again. The rapid develop
ment Of the mother church in Jerusalem
continued to add members won from
the Tanks-of the Hellenistics Jews. These
Greek-speakipg Hebrews had q broader
outlook upon the religious world than
the Palestinian believers. A prejudice
Eexistedf against the foreignsborn Jews.
The Pharisees had, under the guise Of
national pride, filled the fiative-born
Jew with the view that the Hellenistic
Jews were their interiors because they
had associated with Gentiles. This
prejudice found its way into the mother
church, It showed itself in connection
with the distribution Of the aims. It
was no accident that the widows of
native-born jews received aid and the
HeIentstic ones were left. to suffer. The
complaint Of the foreiEn- born jews
against this injustice threatened q
serious division within the church.
The apostles met this difficulty by
calling a congregational meeting. They
requested that they be permitted to give
themselves exclusively to the spiritual
work Of the church and that seven men
be selected to administer the aims.
They insisted that these men should be
"of honest report, full of the Holy
Ghost and Of wisdom" All of the
seven chosen appear to have been
Hellenists by their names Stephen,
whose name heads the list of first
deacons, was thrust forth into public
NE by his aggressive ministry. that was
q hxy he
ana enecttve evangelistic preaching
that became an entering wedge of mis-
sionary expansion. While Stephen was
faithful in niinistering to the widows in
their need, his success brought him in
CONNECT with persons whom he tried to
win for Christ.
The Powerful Preacher.
IT was natural that Stephen should
be drawn into controversies with meme
bers OF the foreign-speaking syna.
gogues. His ability to silence his OPP
ponents in these religious debates
aroused the Pharisees by the power of
MS messages. Not q line Of those
controversial addresses has come down
to US. We are forced to find In his ad.
dress before the Sanhedrin the, probable
lines OF his arguments with his ops
ponentS. In view of his Hellenistic
culture, Stephen in all probability
gave a philosophical Interpretation Of
Christianity that disturbed the Jewish
orthodoxy. He recognized that the evi-
dent progressive development in the
Jewish faith was preparatory for Chris
tianity. He saw in the Masters teach
ings that His mission and message were
a spiritual evolution of the Old Testa-
ment. The Christian faith could not
be limited by the Judaism of His day.
Jesus had pointed out the spirituality
Of worship, whether in Gerizim or Je.
rlsalen. He had predicted the tenn
pies destruction. Christ had prophe-
sled the passing of the Kingdom of
God to the Gentiles. In all probability
1t was along there lines that Stephen
had won his debates.
One Of the most brilliant young
Pharisees,. who had all the. benefit Of
the Greek training, was q student of
Gamaliel--Saul of Tarsus. This gifted
young rabbi had led all his classmates
in Judaism. In all probability he tried
to master Stephen in debate, but failed.
Public. humiliation Is hard for q
proud man to endure" From that
moment Stephens opponents dropped