CHAPTER Ⅳ　THE TWILIGHT OF THE GODS

The early church was a very simple organization. As soon as it became apparent that the end of the world was not at hand, that the death of Jesus was not to be followed immediately by the last judgment and that the Christians might expect to dwell in this vale of tears for a good long time, the need was felt for a more or less definite form of government.

Originally the Christians（since all of them were Jews）had come together in the synagogue. When the rift had occurred between the Jews and the Gentiles, the latter had betaken themselves to a room in some one's house and if none could be found big enough to hold all the faithful（and the curious）they had met out in the open or in a deserted stone quarry.

At first these gatherings had taken place on the Sabbath, but when bad feeling between the Jewish Christians and the Gentile Christians increased, the latter began to drop the habit of keeping the Sabbathday and preferred to meet on Sunday, the day on which the resurrection had taken place.

These solemn celebrations, however, had borne witness to the popular as well as to the emotional character of the entire movement. There were no set speeches or sermons.There were no preachers.Both men and women, whenever they felt themselves inspired by the Holy Fire, had risen up in meeting to give evidence of the faith that was in them.Sometimes, if we are to trust the letters of Paul, these devout brethren “speaking with tongues,” had filled the heart of the great apostle with apprehension for the future. For most of them were simple folk without much education.No one doubted the sincerity of their impromptu exhortations but very often they got so excited that they raved like