The life and work of St. Paul

THE CONSULTATION AT JERUSALEM. 289
obviously be to the Gentiles not burdensome only, but a positive stumblingblock.
The weight of Peter's dignity had produced silence in the assembly. The
excitement was now so far calmed that Paul and Barnabas were at least
listened to without interruptions. Barnabas who, in the Jewish Church,
still retained his precedence, and who was as acceptable to the audience from
his past liberality as Paul was unacceptable from his former persecutions
spoke first ; but both he and Paul seem to have abstained from arguing the
question. All the arguments had been urged at private conferences when
words could be deliberately considered. They were not there to impress
their own views, but to hear those of the Apostles and of the Church they
governed. Barnabas never seems to have been prominent in debate, and Paul
was too wise to discuss theological differences before a promiscuous audience.
They confined themselves, therefore, to a simple history of their mission,
dwelling especially on those " signs and wonders " wrought by their hands
among the Gentiles, which were a convincing proof that, though they might
not win the approval of man, they had all along enjoyed the blessing of
God.
Then rose James. Every one present must have felt that the practical
decision of the Church Paul must have felt that, humanly speaking, the
future of Christianity depended on his words. A sense of awe clung about
him and all he said and did. Clothed with a mysterious and indefinable
dignity as " the brother of the Lord," that dignity and mystery were enhanced
by his bearing, dress, manner of life, and entire appearance. Tradition, as
embodied in an Ebionite romance, and derived from thence by Hegesippus, 1
represents him as wearing no wool, but clothed in fine white linen from head to
foot, and either from some priestly element in his genealogy, or to symbolise
his " episcopate " at Jerusalem as wearing on his forehead the petalon, or
golden plate of High-priesthood. 2 It is said that he was so holy, and so highly
esteemed by the whole Jewish people, that he alone was allowed, like the
High Priest, to enter the Holy Place ; that he lived a celibate 3 and ascetic
life ; that he spent long hours alone in the Temple praying for the people,
till his knees became hard and callous as those of the camel ; that he had the
power of working miracles that the rain fell in accordance with his ;
prayers ;
that it was owing to his merits that God's impending wrath was averted from
the Jewish nation; that he received the title of "the Just" and Obliam, or
"
Rampart of the People and that he was shadowed forth in the
; images of ^
1 "The Ascent of James." The narrative of Hegesippus Is quoted at length by
Eusebius, H. E, ii. 23. Other passages which relate to him are Epiphan. Haer.
bocviii. 7, 13, 14 ; Jor. De Ftrr. Ittustr. 2 ; Comm. in Gal. i. 19.
2
Epiphan. Haer. xxix. 4. The same story Is told of St. John, on the authority of
Polycrates, Bishop of Ephesus (Euseb. H. E. iii. 31 ; v. 24). Either Polycrates haa
taken literally some metaphorical allusion, or John really did sometimes adopt a symbol
of Christian High-priesthood. The former seems the more probable supposition.
8 This is rendered doubtful by 1 Cor. ix. 5, unless he was an exception to the other
Desposyni,