How, on an occasion, on which the proposed subject of determination was a question of such cardinal importance to the religion of Jesus;--how it should have come to pass, that the Apostles, to whom alone, and by whom alone, the whole tenor of the acts and sayings of Jesus had been made known--made known by an uninterrupted habit of exclusive intimacy, and especially during the short but momentous interval between his resurrection and ascension;--how it should have happened, that, to the Apostles, any other persons not possessed of these first of all titles to credence and influence, should have come to be associated,--is not mentioned. Upon no other authority than that of this author, are we to believe it to be true? On the supposition of its being true,--there seems to be, humanly speaking, but one way to account for it. That which the Apostles, and they alone, _could_ contribute to the cause, was--the authority and the evidence resulting from that peculiar intimacy: what they could _not_ contribute was--money and influence derived from ordinary and external sources: to the exclusive possession of these latter titles to regard, will, therefore, it should seem, be to be ascribed, supposing it credited, the circumstance of an incorporation otherwise so incongruous. "Received," say the Acts 15:4, they were.--But by whom received?--By the Church, by the Apostles, by the Elders, says that same history in that same place. By _the_ Apostles: to wit--so as any one would conclude--by _all_ the Apostles--by the whole fellowship of Apostles. * * * * * Whether in any, and, if so, in what degree that conclusion is correct, we have no determinate means of knowing. * * * * * If, however, it was so to the utmost,--nothing appears in favor of the notion, that between Paul on the one part, and the Apostles and their disciples on the other, there existed at this time any real harmony. For, in what character was it that he made his appearance? In that of a commissioned envoy, from the whole body of the Church, established in that station, which was next in importance to Jerusalem, to which he was sent. And who was it that, at that time, as on both the former times, he, Paul, had in his company? Still his constant patron and associate Barnabas--the munificent friend and patron of that church which he was visiting--the indefatigable Barnabas.