Christian Church! Three Apostles, besides S. Paul and S. Barnabas, we know were present at it, as well as many prophets and elders, such as Judas, and Silas, and Titus whom S. Paul had brought with him from Antioch. was much 'disputing' or questioning, for the Judaising party would naturally find their warmest supporters in Jerusalem.

There

When the subject had been fully discussed, S. Peter rose to speak (v. 7). He reminded the assembly how, ten years before, God Himself had decided this question, by accepting the Gentile Cornelius and his household, bestowing upon uncircumcised Gentiles the same gifts of the Holy Ghost as to those who were circumcised. They must not then regard as unclean those whose hearts God had purified by faith. And if they were to require from the Gentiles a fulfilment of that law, which neither they nor their fathers had been able to bear, it would be a tempting of Gop, a distrust of His guidance, an act of disobedience to His revealed will. Neither the ceremonial law, nor the traditions of the elders were necessary to salvation; the free grace of CHRIST alone was able to save both Jew and Gentile.

3. The Question Decided (v. 12-21).

Then, amid general silence, S. Paul and S. Barnabas gave an account of their mission, relating the wonders and miracles God had wrought among the Gentiles by their means, thus giving abundant proof of His divine approval.

When they sat down, S. James, surnamed 'the Just,' Bishop of Jerusalem, and President of the Council, addressed the assembly. Every one present must have felt how much depended upon his words. Held in highest honour by the Christians as the near kinsman of the LORD, he was so zealous for the law, and led so holy and ascetic a life that even unconverted Jews looked up to him with reverence.

Tradition represents him as a Nazarite, clothed in fine white linen from head to foot, and wearing on his forehead a

golden mitre, similar to that worn by the Jewish HighPriest. He lived a life of prayer, spending long hours in the Temple, till his knees became hard as those of a camel.

His opinion was certain to be adopted by the multitude, and even the most uncompromising Pharisee could hardly refuse to accept the judgment of one so loyal to Jewish traditions. Great was probably the astonishment of the Judaizing party to hear him whom they looked upon as their leader declaring his entire agreement with all that S. Peter had put forward, and showing how the prophecies of old found their true fulfilment in the conversion of the Gentiles (Amos ix. 11, 12). For this reason, the Gentiles ought not to be troubled with any Jewish obligations, except such as were plainly essential, as safeguards against idolatry, and for the promoting of peace and unity between the Jewish and Gentile sections of the Church.

4. The Apostolic Decree (v. 22-35).

The debate was at an end, for all the leaders had spoken. The objectors had been silenced, the voice of the chief Elder had declared the solemn decision of the Church (v.19). Immediate steps were taken to make known this decision.

The Decree, which was framed in accordance with the sentence of S. James, was the voice of the whole Church— Apostles, Elders, and brethren-under the direct inspiration of the Holy Ghost (v. 28). It was addressed to the Gentile brethren of Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia, earnestly commending to them their beloved 'Barnabas and Paul' (v. 25), utterly condemning those who had troubled them and 'subverted their souls' (v.24), and decreeing that no Jewish obligation need bind them, except these four necessary things: they were to abstain from meats offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from fornication-that is, they were to keep apart from idol-temples and feasts, and all the wickedness that was carried on there, and they must also give up certain kinds of food, otherwise brotherly intercourse would be impossible with Jewish Christians, who still considered themselves bound by the strict letter of the Law of Moses,

'Blood' was forbidden to the Jews by the Levitical Law (Lev. iii. 17; xvii. 10-14), and 'things strangled' were not used as food by the Jews, because the blood was still in them. By 'meats offered to idols' is meant the flesh of animals offered in sacrifice, a portion of which was eaten at sacrificial feasts, and other parts were sold in the market. Abstinence from such food was enjoined, because the partaking of it was regarded as in a sense uniting the eater and the deity to whom it was offered (1 Cor. x. 6-21). It is true that an idol was nothing (1 Cor. viii. 4), and there could be no union with a god that had no existence; true also that all kinds of meat were God's gift (1 Cor. x. 25, 26; 1 Tim. iv. 4); but, considering the popular belief, it was necessary to abstain from the appearance of evil (1 Cor. viii. 9-11; x. 28; Rom. xiv. 14).

Great was the joy of the Christians at Antioch when the Decree was made known to them. Two men gifted with prophecy, Judas and Silas, returned with the deputation, and continued for some time at Antioch with Barnabas and Paul, 'teaching and preaching the word of the LORD' (v. 35).

Lessons to be drawn from the Narrative :

1. We are bound to obey the Church, for she is the living Voice of the Holy Ghost, who speaks through her. and guides her into all truth (S. John xvi. 13). Our Blessed LORD tells us that to obey the Church is the same thing as to obey Himself, and that to disobey the Church is to be guilty of grievous sin (S. Luke x. 16; S. John xiii. 20; S. Matt. xviii. 17).

2. The duty of fasting and abstinence is very plainly set before us in the Holy Scriptures. The first command given to Adam and Eve in Paradise was one of abstinence (Gen. ii. 17). Noah also received a command of abstinence (Gen. ix. 4). The Israelites were commanded to abstain from using certain animals for food (Lev. xi. 8, 11, 43). And the first command which the Church put forth to her Gentile

converts was one of abstinence. The days of fasting and abstinence appointed by the Church are the forty days of Lent, certain Vigils, the Ember days, the Rogation days, and all Fridays in the year. We should observe such days and seasons by some kind of self-denial, not only in regard to food, but we may also cut off some pleasures and enjoyments lawful at other times. All such practices should spring from the inner spirit of self-discipline, which should lead us to put a check, not only on our appetites, but on our senses, our passions, our thoughts, words, and actions.

LESSON XXVII.

Painful Scenes in Antioch.

Read Acts xv. 36-41.

Learn Prov. xvii. 14; 2 Cor. iv. 7

1. Fear of Man (Gal. ii. 11-14).

For some time nothing disturbed the peace and harmony of the Church at Antioch. Jewish and Gentile converts mixed freely together, the Gentiles respecting and observing the customs of their Jewish brethren with regard to food, the Jews freely acknowledging the liberty of the Gentiles as regarded circumcision. All were beginning to feel that in the Christian Church there was neither Greek nor Jew, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision,' but all were 6 one in CHRIST JESUS' (Gal. iii. 28; Col. iii. 11).

S. Peter appears to have come to Antioch some time after the Council at Jerusalem. Whether or not he was Bishop of Antioch at this time is uncertain, but he had great influence in the city. At first he lived on friendly terms with the Gentile converts (Gal. ii. 12), but after a time some visitors arrived from Jerusalem, who, though Christians, were zealous for the law, retaining their old Jewish prejudices, and consequently holding aloof from their Gentile brethren.

A false shame, a fear of giving these men offence, led S. Peter into an act of dissimulation and hypocrisy. Without a word of explanation, he suddenly withdrew from the society of the Gentile Christians, and would eat with them no longer. This example was quickly followed by the stricter Jews. To the grief and shame of S. Paul, even