Sketches from the Life of Paul (1883) — PDF Scan 215

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208 LIFE OF PAUL . jealousy,he alsofound heartsthat were open to receivethe gladtidingswhich he brought,and that loved him for the sake of Christ and the truth. Yet,cheeringaswas the kindlygreeting he received,it couldnot remove his anxietyas to the attitude of the church at Jerusalem toward himselfand his work . Their realfeelingswould be more fullyseeninthemeetingwiththeelders of the church,to take placeon the morrow . Paul longedto be fullyunited with these. He had done allin his power to remove the prejudiceand distrustsounjustlyexcitedbecause he presentedthe gospeltothe Gentileswithout the restrictions of the ceremonial law . Yet he fearedthat hiseffortsmight be in vain,and that even the liberalofferingsof which he was the bearermight failto softenthe heartsof the Jewish brethren . He knew that the men whom he was to encounter were persons of great firmness and decision,and he looked forward with considerableapprehensionto thismeetingwith them; yet he couldnot avoidthe ordeal,trying though itmight be. He had come toJerusalem forno otherpurposethan toremove the barriers of prejudiceand misunderstandingwhichhad separatedthem, and which had so greatlyobstructed his labors . On theday followingPaul'sarrival,theelders of the church, with James at their head, assembled to receive him and his fellow-travelers as messengersfrom the Gentilechurches. Paul's firstact was to presentthe contributionswith which he had been intrusted. He had been careful to guard against the leastoccasionfor suspicionin theadministrationof histrust, by causingdelegatesto be electedby the several