h was inflamed with it at length resolved to send
out propagandists to visit the Gentile churches one by one and, in
contradiction to the official apostolic rescript, warn them that they
were imperilling their souls by omitting circumcision, and could not
enjoy the privileges of true Christianity unless they kept the Jewish
law.

155. For years and years these emissaries of a narrow-minded
fanaticism, which believed itself to be the only genuine Christianity,
diffused themselves over all the churches founded by Paul throughout
the Gentile world. Their work was not to found churches of their own;
they had none of the original pioneer ability of their great rival.
Their business was to steal into the Christian communities he had
founded and win them to their own narrow views. They haunted Paul's
footsteps wherever he went, and for many years were a cause to him of
unspeakable pain. They whispered to his converts that his version of
the gospel was not the true one, and that his authority was not to be
trusted. Was he one of the twelve apostles? Had he kept company with
Christ? They represented themselves as having brought the true form of
Christianity from Jerusalem, the sacred headquarters; and they did not
scruple to profess that they had been sent from the apostles there.
They distorted the very noblest parts of Paul's conduct to their
purpose. For instance, his refusal to accept money for his services
they imputed to a sense of his own lack of authority: the real apostles
always received pay. In the same way they misconstrued his abstinence
from marriage. They were men not without ability for the work they had
undertaken: they had smooth, insinuating tongues, they could assume an
air of dignity, and they did not stick at trifles.

156. Unfortunately they were by no means without success. They
alarmed the consciences of Paul's converts and poisoned their minds
against him. The Galatian church especially fell a prey to them; and
the Corinthian church allowed its mind to be turned against its
founder. But, indeed, the defection was more or less pronounced
everywhere. It seemed as if the whole structure which Paul had reared
with years of labor was to be thrown to the ground. For this was what
he believed to be happening. Though these men called themselves
Christians, Paul utterly denied their Christianity. Theirs was not
another gospel; if his converts believed it, he assured them they were
fallen