regation, like every synagogue,
had its elders; and every city had its presbytery, consisting of the
spiritual rulers of the district. In the introductory chapters of the
book of the Acts we discover the germ of this ecclesiastical
constitution; for we there find the apostles ministering to thousands of
converts, and, as the presbytery of Jerusalem, ordaining deacons,
exercising discipline, and sending out missionaries. [253:3] The
prophets and teachers of Antioch obviously performed the same functions;
[253:4] Titus was instructed to have elders established, or a presbytery
constituted, in every city of Crete; [253:5] and Timothy was ordained by
such a judicatory. [253:6] For the first thirty years after the death of
our Lord a large proportion of the ministers of the gospel were Jews by
birth, and as they were in the habit of going up to Jerusalem to
celebrate the great festivals, they appear to have taken advantage of
the opportunity, and to have held meetings in the holy city for
consultation respecting the affairs of the Christian commonwealth.
Prudence and convenience conspired to dictate this course, as they could
then reckon upon finding there a considerable number of able and
experienced elders, and as their presence in the Jewish metropolis on
such occasions was fitted to awaken no suspicion. [253:7]

We may thus see that the transaction mentioned in the 15th chapter of
the Acts admits of a simple and satisfactory explanation. When the
question respecting the circumcision of the Gentile converts began to be
discussed at Antioch, there were individuals in that city quite as well
qualified as any in Jerusalem to pronounce upon its merits; for the
Church there enjoyed the ministry of prophets; and Paul, its most
distinguished teacher, was "not a whit behind the very chiefest
apostles." But the parties proceeded in the matter in much the same way
as Israelites were accustomed to act under similar circumstances. Had a
controversy relative to any Mosaic ceremony divided the Jewish
population of Antioch, they would have appealed for a decision to their
Great Sanhedrim; and now, when this dispute distracted the Christians of
the capital of Syria, they had recourse to another tribunal at Jerusalem
which they considered competent to pronounce a deliverance. [254:1] This
tribunal consisted virtually of the rulers of the universal Church; for
the apostles, who had a commission to all the world, and elders from
almost ever