On the day following Paul’s arrival, the elders of the church, with James at their head, assembled to receive him and his fellow-travelers as messengers from the Gentile churches. Paul’s first act was to present the contributions with which he had been intrusted. He had been careful to guard against the least occasion for suspicion in the administration of his trust, by causing delegates to be elected by the several churches to accompany him as joint trustees of the funds collected. These brethren were now called forward, and one by one they laid at the feet of James the offerings which the Gentile churches had freely given, although often from their deepest poverty. Here was tangible proof of the love and sympathy felt by these new disciples for the mother-church, and their desire to be in harmony with the Jewish brethren. Here was evidence also, that Paul had faithfully fulfilled the promise given, when at the council years before he had been urged to remember the poor. {LP 208.2}

Dagen efter at Paulus kom, samledes menighedens ældste med Jakob deres overhoved, for at få ham og hans medrejsende som budbringere fra hedningene-menighederne. Paulus første handling var at overbringe de bidrag som han var blevet betroet. Han var forsigtig med at ikke kunne være den mistanke om hans forvaltning af det han var betroet, ved at udvælge de delegerede fra flere menigheder til at gå sammen med ham om ansvaret for de indsamlede midler. Disse brødre blev nu kaldt frem, og en for en lagde de ofre for Jakobs fødder som hedninge-menighederne havde givet frit af, selvom de var fra deres dybeste armod. Der var håndgribelig bevis for den kærlighed og sympati disse nye disciple følte for moder-kirken, og deres ønske om at være i harmoni med de jødiske brødre. Her var der også bevis for at Paulus opfyldt sit løfte nøje, da rådet for år siden blev tilskyndet til at huske de fattige.