II. =Its Membership.= The members of the church consisted of two classes of people, widely apart by nature, but brought together by the gospel: 1. There were churches where all the members were =Jews=, as in Judea. These were all faithful to the regulations of the Jewish ceremonial law, and many of them almost bigoted in their opinions concerning it (Acts 15. 1, 5). 2. There were other churches, as in Lycaonia, where all or nearly all the members were =Gentiles= (Acts 14. 6-13). In these the Jewish rules were unrecognized, almost unknown. 3. Between these two extremes was the great body of churches of =both Jews and Gentiles=. The two classes worshiped together; Jews remaining Jews, and Gentiles remaining Gentiles; but probably received the Lord's Supper apart, as it was as yet a house-service, not held at the public meetings. 4. While in most churches there was harmony, on both sides there were some radical members; but especially among the Jews. These were the =Judaizers=; men who sought to compel all the disciples to receive circumcision, obey the ceremonial law and make the Christian church subordinate to Jewish ritualism. These were the enemies of Paul to the end of his ministry, perverting the Gentile churches and opposing the apostle's work. III. =Its Leaders.= Three names stand out prominently at this time: 1. =Paul=, as the leader of the church in its world-wide plans, the apostle to the Gentiles (Gal. 2. 7). 2. =James=, as leader of the Jewish but not Judaizing elements (Acts 13. 13, 19). This was not James the apostle, for he had been put to death some time before this (Acts 12. 2); but James "the brother of the Lord" (Gal. 1. 19). He was the head of the church in Jerusalem and author of the Epistle of James. 3. =Peter=, who stood in friendly relation to both parties in the church, although his conduct was not always perfectly consistent with regard to Jewish regulations (Acts 11. 2, 3; Gal. 2. 11-14). Between these three leaders there was a clear understanding and no strong division of spirit, although they might not agree in all points. 4. Other leaders in this period were =Philip= (Acts 8. 40; 21. 8). =Barnabas=, =Silas= of Jerusalem and Antioch (Acts 15. 22, 32, 40), and =Titus= (Gal. 2. 1-4). IV. =Its Government.= In our time the church is often a highly wrought organization, with articles of faith, orders, and officials of various grades. We are apt to assume such a condition in the early church. But at the time of which we speak there was very little organization or machinery; and there was little need of any, for a special reason: _Every member was under the direct guidance of the Holy Spirit_, living in fellowship with God, without mediation of priest or church. Yet we find certain officers named in the church: