August 8

Acts xv. — 5. But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees, which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.

6. And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.

7. And, when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how, that, a good while ago, God made choice among us, that the Gentiles, by my mouth, should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.

8. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us:

9. And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

10. Now, therefore, why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

11. But we believe, that, through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall be saved, even as they.

12. Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.

The spirit of sect broke out in the Church at the very beginning; and, as is apt to be the case, it magnified secondary points of belief and practice as essential to the Christian name. The Church at Antioch was composed almost entirely of converts from paganism: it had shown its faith by its missionary zeal, its practical benevolence, and its love for all disciples of Christ. But Jewish converts, not yet emancipated from their old ideas of the divine obligation and excessiveness of Jewish rites, had gone to Antioch, and insisted, that, "except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved." That is always the tone of bigotry, — "Conform to our way, or you cannot be saved." Paul and

13. And, after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:

14. Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.

15. And to this agree the words of the prophets: as it is written,

16. After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up;

17. That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.

18. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.

19. Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them which from among the Gentiles are turned to God;

20. But that we write unto them that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

21. For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

Barnabas carried the question up to Jerusalem, where a council of the Church was convened to deliberate upon it. There were some who insisted on the Jewish view; but good sense and Christian liberality happily prevailed. The council took the evidence of faith, as given in character and works, to be sufficient, and refused to enjoin or to sanction any test of mere forms. This decision was the emancipation of Christianity from legalism, formalism, and traditions; and he is no true successor of the apostles who would attempt to restrain the freedom of the Church in the spirit and faith of Christ, and to put a yoke of ceremony on the neck of the disciples.

APPROPRIATE HYMN.]

Prayer.

[Nos. 76, 89, 96.

Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning, grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that, by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. May we receive the truth in the love of it! and, walking in its light, may we ourselves shine as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life! Preserve us, we pray thee, from pride, prejudice, and unbelief; from a worldly and covetous spirit; from self-righteousness, and from uncharitableness toward others; from all false hopes, and from all unholy desires. Give unto us that wisdom from above which shall purify our hearts and minds, and shall make us gentle and considerate in dealing with our fellow-men.

[We entreat thee, O Lord! so to feed the children of this household with the words of Jesus their Saviour, that they shall grow up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Cause them to shun the ways of sin, and to walk in the narrow way which leadeth unto life.] Be very gracious to our friends, our kindred, our neighbors; and bring them all into thy kingdom. Oh! let thy gospel go forth to enlighten and save the whole world.

Heavenly Father, we thank thee for rest in the night; for the light of the morning; for health, comfort, and hope. Give unto us that which thou seest to be good for us. Defend us, O Lord! from all evil; be thou our rock, our refuge, our strong tower; and, when heart and flesh shall fail us, be thou, O God! the strength of our heart, and our portion forever, through Jesus Christ. Amen.