NOTE: - 57 -

...and in [such] circumstances the same Holy Spirit of truth acts within us through His all-pervading operations, according to the evangelical truth of our Lord Jesus Christ: “If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. ... But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. ... When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth” (John 14:15–17, 26; 16:13). Therefore, if it should be necessary to convene a spiritual council—whether ecumenical or national—from the ranks of the clergy, it is right and proper, with fervency of faith and relying upon the powers of the infallible truth and all-sufficient wisdom of the infused graces of the Holy Spirit, [and] having at the head of the council the same Spirit of truth invisibly presiding, to judge and examine equitably concerning the matter or question that has arisen. We see this clearly in several places in the Acts of the Apostles, of which I deem it worthy to recall one here: “There rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. ... Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men [among the brethren]: and they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia: Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment... For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; that ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from for[nication]...”

[NOTE:] 8