postles, as well as
Barnabas and Paul, so that it contained the principal founders of the
Jewish and Gentile Churches: there were also present the elders of
Jerusalem, and deputies from Antioch, that is, the representatives of
the two most extensive and influential Christian societies in existence:
whilst commissioners from the Churches of Syria and Cilicia, and elders
from various districts of the holy land, were, perhaps, likewise in
attendance. The Universal Church was thus fairly represented in this
memorable Synod.

The meeting was held A.D. 51, and Paul, exactly fourteen years before,
[82:1] had visited Jerusalem for the first time after his conversion.
[82:2] So little was then known of his remarkable history, even in the
chief city of Judea, that when he "assayed to join himself to the
disciples, they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a
disciple;" [82:3] but now his position was completely changed, and he
was felt to be one of the most influential personages who took part in
the proceedings of this important convention. Some have maintained that
the whole multitude of believers in the Jewish capital deliberated and
voted on the question in dispute, but there is certainly nothing in the
statement of the evangelist to warrant such an inference. It is very
evident that the disciples in the holy city were not prepared to approve
_unanimously_ of the decision which was actually adopted, for we are
told that, long afterwards, they were "all zealous of the law," [83:1]
and that they looked with extreme suspicion on Paul himself, because of
the lax principles, in reference to its obligation, which he was
understood to patronise. [83:2] When he arrived in Jerusalem on this
mission he found there a party determined to insist on the circumcision
of the converts from heathenism; [83:3] he complains of the opposition
he now encountered from these "false brethren unawares brought in;"
[83:4] and, when he returned to Antioch, he was followed by emissaries
from the same bigoted and persevering faction. [83:5] It is quite clear,
then, that the finding of the meeting, mentioned in the fifteenth
chapter of the Acts, _did not please_ all the members of the church of
the metropolis. The apostle says expressly that he communicated
"privately" on the subject with "them which were of reputation," [83:6]
and in the present state of feeling, especially in the head-quarters of
Judaism, Paul would have recoiled from the