At those times lodgings were at a premium, and food was dear, profiteers flourished, as they do now, It was just as it is at our seaside towns. In the season everybody is in funds, but the season is short. Then there is dire poverty. In such places I have known it; a couple of maiden ladies living in the kitchen, on a herving and a loaf of bread a week, praying for Easter to come, and a fine Easter, so that they may make a little money, poor things.
It was just the same at Jerusalem. Out of the season it was full of very poor people. And what happened was that the rich Christians, in a gush of love, for Christ's sake, sold their possessions, and gave to the poor. They had no idea of adopting theoretical socialism. No one dreamt of such a thing. The case of Ananias and Saphira proves it. Peter told them that they could have given anything, or nothing, just they liked; but they chose to lie over it, and were punished.
There is no encouragement here for any socialism. And it was a gigantic mistake. Poor Paul was worried all his life dunning the Greek and other churches to' subscribe to the "poor saints at Jerusalem." He can't have liked it. If we want an analogy we can have one now. Let all of us, who have any shares, sell them, and give the proceeds to the fund for Russian refugees. It is open to us to do so. Then we shall be like those first Christians.
Poke Bosyers axp CuristiaNiry.
Now we are free to look at. the question, whether Christianity is to be identified with any particular form of society. No, it is not. The unknown author of "The Epistle to Diognetus," in the second century puts the case very well. He says, "Christians are. not distinguished by country, language or customs, from other men. They neither inhabit cities of their own, nor practice any peculiar modes of life. They follow the customs of their country, in dress, and food, and in general mode of life."
The Conference at Peking might well digest that. It could not be
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.