i OF- flRlS ^i.-rL'.'^^a-'v-.ar-/ _!: -^'v. _._-x'i- -^ L:::i3*Ai'x: -♦■■ ;C'rf»>'u3:j,i -j n. •g^.j^— - ■ j^ -js-i? iJt /. ff-. z'.i" ^ PRINCETON, N. J. ^i^f Presented by~Hs^. c3y-<2<>\ CA , C/\'CA'r\ cX c\ \\ BR 145 .A2 1872a Abbott, John S. C. 1805- 1877. . . ^ The history of Christianity / ' * IS^.3"^.. -,^^>f oi/y/Kj\.^-£/\j\s^^ e/^ ^/ THE JAN 8 1915 M OF CHRISTilTY: CONSISTING OF THE LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF JESDS OF NAZARETH ; ADVENTURES OF PAUL AND THE APOSTLES; The Most Interesting Events in the Progress of Christianity, FROM THE EARLIEST PERIOD TO THE PRESENT TIME. JOHN S. C. ABBOTT, D. D. AUTHOR OF "the MOTHER AT HOME," "LIFE OF NAPOLEON," "LIFE OF FREDERIC THE GREAT," ETC., ETC. WITH ADDITIONS BY ^JV. F. MALLALIEU, D. D. CLEVELAND, OHIO: THE AMERICAN PUBLISHING CO. ^ f American Pub. Co. Copyright. I g^^^^^ Stinson & Co. 'i^SfS&J'^^^ -- /■^//L. ^/^^^y PREFACE. THE author of this volume has for manj vcars, at inters vals, been engaged in its preparation. It has long seemed to him very desirable that a brief, comprehensive, and readable narrative of the origin of Christianity, and of its struggles and triumphs, should be prepared, adapted to the masses of the people. There are many ecclesiastical histories written by men of genius and erudition. They are, however, read by few, excepting professional theologians. The writer is not aware that there is any popular history of the extraor- dinary events involved in the progress of Christianity which can lure the attention of men, even of Christians, whose minds are engrossed by the agitations of busy life. And yet there is no theme more full of sublime, exciting, and instructive interest. All the heroism which the annals of chivalry record pale into insignificance in presence of the heroism with which the battles of the cross have been fought, and with which Christians, in devotion to the interests of humanity, have met, undaunted, the most terrible doom. The task is so difficult wisely to select and to compress within a few hundred pages the momentous events connected with Christianity during nearly nineteen centuries, that mere than once the writer has been tempted to lay aside his pen in 8 PREFACE. despair. Should this book fail to accomplish the purpose which he prayerfully seeks to attain, he hopes that some one else may be incited to make the attempt who will be more •uccessful. In writing the life of Jesus, the author has accepted the aarratives of the evangelists as authentic and reliable, and haa endeavored to give a faithful, and, so far as possible, a chronological account of what Jesus said and did, as he would write of any other distinguished personage. The same prin- ciple has guided him in tracing out the career of Paul and th© apostles. It has not been the object of the writer to urge any new views, or to discuss controverted questions of church polity or the- ology. This is a history of facts, not a philosophical or theo- logical discussion of the principles which these facts may involve. No one, however, can read this narrative without the conviction that the religion of Jesus, notwithstanding the occasional perversions of human depravity or credulity, has re- mained essentially one and the same during all the centuries. We need no additional revelation. The gospel of Christ is " the power of God and the wisdom of God." In its propaga- tion lies the only hope of the world. Its universal acceptance will usher in such a day of glory as this world haa never witnessed since the flowers of Eden wilted. JOHN S. C. ABBOTT CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. THE BIRTH, CHILDHOOD, AND EARLY MINISTRY, OF JESUS. The Roman Empire. — Moral Influence of Jesus. — John. — The Annuncia- tion.—The Birth of Jesus. — Visit of the Magi. — AYrath of Herod.— Fliglit to Egypt. — Return to Nazareth. — Jesus in the Temple. — John the Baptist. — The Temptation. — The First Disciples. — The First Miracle. — Visit to Jerusalem. — Nicodemus. — The Woman of Samaria. — Healing of tlie Nobleman's Son. — Visit to Capernaum. — Peter and Andrew called. — J ames and John called. — The Demoniac healed. — Tour through Galilee li CHAPTER II. TOUB THROUGH GALILEE. The Horns of Hattin. — Tlie Sermon on the Mount. — Jesus goes to Caperna- um.— The Miraculous Draught of Fishes. — Healing the Leper; the Par- alytic.— Associates witli Publicans and Sinners. — Tlie Feast of the Pass- over.— The Cripple at the Pool. — Tlie Equality of the Son with the Father. — Healing the Withered Hand. — Anger of the Pharisees. — The Twelve Apostles chosen. — Inquiry of John the Baptise. — Jesus dines witli a Pharisee. — The Anointment. —Journey through Galilee. — Stilling the Tempest. — The Demoniacs and the Swine. — The Daughter of Jairus. — Restores Sight to the Blind. — Address to his Disciples . . , , U CHAPTER III. THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS, AND MIRACLES OF HEALING. Infamy of Herod. — Jesus in the Desert. — Feeds the Five Thousand. — VTalks on the Sea. — Preaches to the People. — Visits Tyre and Sidon. — The Syro-Phoenician Woman. — Cures all Manner of Diseases. — Feeds the Four Thousand. — Restores Sight to a Blind Man. — Conversation with Peter. — The Transfiguration. — Cure of the Lunatic. — Dispute of the Apostles. — Law of Forgiveness. — Visits Jerusalem. — Plot to seize Jesus. — The Adulteress. — Jesus the Son of God. — The Blind Man. — Parabls of the Good Shepherd. — Raising of Lazarus T\ CHAPTER IV. LAST LABORS, AND FAREWELL TO HIS DISCIPLES, Journey to Jerusalem. — Mission of the Seventy. — Jesus teaches his Dis- ciples to pray. — Lament over Jerusalem. — Return to Galilee. — The Second Coming of Clirist. — Dangers of the Rich. — Promise to his Dis- ciples.— Foretells his Death.- Zacchaius. — Mary anoints Jesus. — En- ters Jerusalem. — Drives the Traffickers from the Temple. — The Phari- sees try to entrap him. — The Destruction of Jerusalem, and the Second Coming. — Judas agrees to betray Jesus. — The Last Supper. — The Prayer of Jesus M CHAPTER V. ARREST, TRIAL, AND CRUCIFIXION. Anguish of Jesus.- His Prayers in the Garden. — Tlie Arrest. — Peter's Recklessness. — Flight of the Apostles. — Jesus led to Annas; to (jaia- phas. — Jesus affirms that he is the Messiah. — Frivolous Accusations. — Peter denies his Lord. — Jesus is conducted to Pilate. — The Examination. — Scourging the Innocent. — Insults and Mockery. — Rage of the Chief Priests and Scribes. — Embarrassment of Pilate. — He surrenders Jesus to his Enemies. — The Crucifixion. — The Resurrection. — Repeated Ap- pearance to his Disciples 121 7 8 CONTENTS. CHAPTER VI. THE COXTERSION* AND MINISTRY OF SAUL OF TARSUS. The Baptism of the Holy Ghost.— BoUluess of the Apostles.— Anger of the Rulers.— Martyrdom of Stephen.— Baptism of tlie Eunuch.— Saul's Journey to Damascus.- His Conversion.— The Disciples fear him.— His Escape from tlie citv.— Saul in Jerusalem.— His Commission to the Gen- tiles.-The C u version of Cornelius.— The Vision of Peter.— Persecution oftheDisciples.— Imprisonment of Peter.— Saul and Barnabas in Antioch ^ —Punishment of Elymas.— Missionary Tour.— Incidents and Results. . 143 CHAPTER VII. MISSIONARY ADVENTURES. The First Controversy.— Views of the Two Parties.— Council at Jerusalem. —Results of C'>uncil.— The Letter.— Vacillation of Peter.— Rebuked by Paid —The Missionary f:xcursion of Paul and Barnabas.— They traverse the Island of Cyprus.— Land on the Coast of Asia ]Minor.— Mark returns to Syria.— Results of this Tour.— Paul and Silas set out on a Second Tour through Asia Minor.— Cross the Hellespont.— Introduction of Christianity to Europe.— Heroism of Paul at Philippi.— Tour t4irough Macedonia and Greece.— Character of Paul's Preaching.— Peter's De- scription of the Final Conllagratiou.— False Charges.— Paul in Athens; in Corinth.— Return to Jerusalem 167 CHAPTER VIII. THE CAPTIVE IN CHAINS. The Third Missionary Tour.— Paul at Ephesus.— The Great Tumult— The Voyage to Greece. — Return to Asia Minor and to Jerusalem.— His Re- cep"tion at Jerusalem.— His Arrest, and the Riot.— Speech to the Mob.— Paul imprisoned.— Dang" of Assassination.— Transferred to Cwsarea. —His Defence before Festus and Agrippa.— The Appeal to Casar.— The Voyage to Rome.— The Shipwreck.— Continued Cai)tivity. . . 1S5 CHAPTER IX. THE FIRST PERSECUTION. The Poi)ulation of Rome.— The Reign of Tiberius Ciesar.— His Character and Death.— The Proposal to deify Jesus.— Caligula.— His Crimes, and the Earthly Retribution.— Nero ancl his Career.— His Crimes and Death. —The Spirit of the Gospel.— Sufl'erings of the Christians.— Testimony of Tacitus.— Testimony of Chrysostom.— Panic in Rome.— The Sins and Sorrows of weary Centuries.— Noble Sentiments of the Bishop of Kome 213 CHAPTER X. ROMAN EMPERORS, GOOD AND BAD. Character of the Roman Army.— Conspiracy of Otho. — Death of Galba.— Vitellius Emperor.— Revolt of the Jews, and Destruction of Jerusalem.— Reign of Vesi)asian. — Character of Titus; of Domitian.— Religion of Pagan Rome.— Nerva.— Anecdotes of St. John.— Exi)loits of Trajan.— Letter of Pliny.— Letter of Trajan 231 CHAPTER XI. MARTYRDOM. The Martyrdom of Ignatius. — Death of Trajan.— Succession of Adrian.— Inliilel Assaults.— Celcus.— The Apology of Quadrat.— The Martyrdom of Symphorose and her Sous. — Character and Death of Adrian. — An- toninus.—Con%'ersion of Justin Martyr.— His Apology. — Marcus Aure- lius. — Hostility of the Populace.— The jMartyrdom of Polycarp. . . 249 CHAPTER XII. PAGAN HOME. Infamy of Conuuodus.— His Death.- The Reign of Pertinax.— The Mob of Soldiers.— Death of Pertinax.- Julian purchases the Crown. — Rival Claimants.— Severus. — Persecutions.- Martyrdom of Perpetua and Fe- Ucitas.— The Reign of Caracalla. — Fiendlike Atrocities. — Elagal)alu8, Priest of the Sun. — Death by the Slob.- Alexander and his Mother. — Contrast between Paganism and Christianity.— The Sin of Unbelief. . 263 CONTENTS. CHAPTER XIII. SIN AND MISERY. Haxlmin the Goth. — Brutal Assassination of Alexander. — Merciless Pro- scription.— Revolt of the Army on the Danube. — Rage of Maxirain.— His March upon Rome. — Consternation in the Capital. — Assassination of Maximin. — Successors to the Throne. — Popular Suffrage unavailing. — Persecution under Decius. — Individual Cases. — Extent of the Roman Empire. — Extent of the Persecution. — Heroism of the Christians . . 2*« CHAPTER XIV. INVASION, CIVIL WAK, AND UNRELENTING PERSECUTION. ^SmllianuB and Valerian. — Barbaric Hordes. — Slavery and its Retributlun. — A tvful Fate of V^alerian. — Ruin of the Roman Empire. — Zenobia and her Captivity. — The Slave Diocleti'an becomes Emperor. — His Reign, Abdication, Death. — Division of the Empire. — Terrible Persecution. — The Glory of Christianity. — Characteristics of the First Three Centuries. — Abasement of Rome . . 2*1 CHAPTER XV. CONSTANTINE. — THE BANNER OF THE CROSS UNFURLED. Helena, the Christian Empress. — Constantine, her Son, favors the Chris- tians. — Crumbling of the Empire. — Constantine the Christian, and Maxentius the Pagan. — Vision of Constantine. — The Unfurled Cross. — Christianity favored by the Court. — Liciiilus defends the Christiana. — Writings of Eusebius. — Apostasy of Licinius. — Cruel Persecution . . 3W. CHAPTER XVI. THE CONVERSION OF CONSTANTINE. The Arian Controversy. — Sanguinary Conflict between Paganism and Chrl»~ tianity. — Founding of Constantinople. — The Council of Nice. — Its De- cision.— Duplicity of some of the Arians. — Tlie Nicene Creed. — Tragic Scene in the Life of Constantine. — His Penitence and true Conversion. — His Baptism, and Reception into the Church. — Charles V. — The Emperor Napoleon 1 314' CHAPTER XVII. JULIAN THE APOSTATE. The Devotion of Constantine to Christianity. — Constantlus and the Barba- rians.— Conspiracy of Magnentius. — The Decisive Battle. — Decay of Rome. — Fearful Retribution. — Noble Sentiments of the Bishop of Alex- andria,— Death of Constantius. — Gullus and .Julian. — Julian enthroned. — His Apostasy. — His Warfare against Christianity. — Unavailing At- tempt to rebuild .Jerusalem. — Persecution.. - - His Expedition to the East, and Painful Death S2> CHAPTER XVIII. THE I.M.MEDIATE SUCCESSORS OK JULIAN. A.necdote. — Accession of Jovian. — His Cliaracter. — Christianity rein- stated. — Death of Jovian. — Recall of Athaiiaslus. — Wide Condemnation of Arianism. — Heroism of Jovian. — Valentinian and Valens. — Valen- tinian enthroned. — Valens in the East. — Barbarian Irruptions. — Reign of Theodosius. — Aspect of the Barbarians. — Rome captured by Alaric. — Character of Alaric. — His Deatli and Burial. — Remarkable Statement of Adolphus. — Attila the Hun. — Valentinian III. — Acadius. — Eloquence of Chrysostom. — His Banishment and Death. — Rise of Mouasticism , KJ CHAPTER XIX. THE FIFTH CENTURY. Christianity the only Possibl-^ Religion. — Adventures of Placidia. — Her Marriage with Adolphus the (iotli. — Scenes of Violence and Crime. — Attila the Hun. — Nuptials of IJalio. — Eudoxia and her Fate. — Triumph of Odoacer the Gotli. — Cliaracter of the Koiiian Nobles. — Conquests of Theodoric. — John Chrysostoin. — The Origin of llonasticism. — Augus- tine.— Uia Dissipation, Conversion, and Christian Career .... 9M CO CONTENTS. CHAPTER XX. CBNTBRIES OF WAR AND WOE. 0««Tttl8lon8 of the Sixth Century.— Corruption of the Church. —The Rise of Monasteries. — Rivalry between Rome and Constantinople. — Moham- med and his Career. — His Personal Appearance.— His System of Reli- <5ion. — His Death. — Military Expeditions of the Moslems. — The Threat- ened Conquest of Europe. — Capture of Alexandria. — Burning of the Library. — Rise of the Feudal System. — Charlemagne, — Barbarian An- Cagonism to Christianity ,..•.■ IM CHAPTER XXI. THE DARK AGES. tfc« Anticipated Second Coming of Christ. — State of the TVorld in the Tenth Century. — Enduring Architecture. — Power of the Papacy. — "Vitality of the Christian Religion. — The Pope and the Patriarch. — Intolerance of Hildebrand. — Humiliation of the Empejor Henry IV". — Farewell Letter of Monomaque. — The Crusades. — Vladimir of Russia. — His Introduc- tion of Christianity to his Realms. — Marriage with the Christian Princess Anne. — Extirpation of Paganism. — The Baptism. — The Spiritual Con- version of Vladimir MS CHAPTER XXII. THE REFORMATION. rwo Aspects of Catholicism. — Jubilee at Rome. — Infamy of Philip of France. — Banditti Bishops. — Sale of Indulgences. — Tetzel the Peddler, — The Rise of Protestantism. — Luther and tbe Diet at Worms. — Intoler- «oce of Charles V. — Civil War and its Reverses. — Pertidy of Charles V. — Ooalition against the Protestants. — Abdication and Death . . . 411 CHAPTER XXIII. THE MASSACRE OF ST. BARTHOLOMEW, Mceiples of the two Parties. — Ferdinand's Appeal to the Pope. — The Celi- bacy of the Clergy. — Maximilian. — His Protection of the Protestants. — The Reformation in France. — Jeanne d'Albret, Queen of Navarre. — Pro- posed Marriage of Henry of Navarre and Marguerite of France. — Perfidy of Catharine de*Medici. — The Nuptials. — The Massacre of St. Bartholo- mew.—Details of its Horrors. — Indignation of Protestant Europe. — {Jeath of Charles IX 44t CHAPTER XXIV, THE CHURCH IN MODERN TIMES. Cbaracter of Henry III. — Assassination of the Duke of Guise.- Cruel Edicts of Louis XIV. — Revocation of the Edict of Nantes. — Sufferings of Protestants. — Important Question. — Thomas Chalmers. — Experiment at St. John. — His Labors and Death. — Jonathan Edwards. — His Resolu- tions. — His Marriage.— His Trials. — His Death. — John Wesley. — His Conversion. — George Wliitelield.— First Jlethodist Conference. —Death «f Wesley. — Robert Hall .— His Character and Death. — William Paley. — His Works and Death. — The Sabbath. — Power of the Gospel.— Socrates, — Scene on the Prairie — The Bible 4 Luke 1.5-38. CHILDHOOD AND EARLY MINISTRY OF JESUS. 17 "hill-country" of Judsea, several miles south of Jerusalem. Mary was in Galilee, the extreme northern part of Palestine. " And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill-coun- try with haste, into a city of Juda; and entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb ; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost ; and she spake out with a loud voice, and said, " Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me ? for, lo ! as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed ; for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. "And Mary said. My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden ; for, behold, from hence- forth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things ; and holy is his name. Ano his mercy is on them that fear him from generation tc generation. He hath showed strength with his arms ; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy ; as he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed forever." " Now, the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise : "When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a piiblic example, was minded to put her away privily. But, while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife ; for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she 18 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesu? ; for ho shall save his people from their sins. " Now, all this was done that it might he fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying. Behold, a \irgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel ; which, being interpreted, 'i& God with us} " Then Joseph, being raised from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife ; and knew her not till she had brought forth her first-born son." Mary, upon her visit to Elisabeth, remained with her about three months, and then returned to Nazareth. Upon the birth of John, he was taken on the eighth day to be circumcised. His father, who still remained dumb, wrote that he should be called John. To the surprise of his friends, speech was then restored to him. These remarkable events were extensively noised abroad. " And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying. What manner of child shall this be?" In the year of Rome 450, the Emperor Caesar Augustus ordered a general census of the population of Palestine to be taken, that he might, with exactitude, know the resources of the province. The Jewish custom had long been, that a man should be registered in his birthplace instead of that of his residence. During the months of January and February of that year, all the narrow pathways of Judaea were crowded by cavalcades of those who were seeking their native places to be registered according to this decree. Among these lowly pilgrims there were two, Joseph and Mary, from the obscure village of Nazareth. Toiling along through the ravines of Galilee, over the plains of Samaria, and across the hill-country of Judaea, they continued their journey, until, at the end of the fourth day, they entered the little vil- lage of Bethlehem, about five miles south of Jerusalem. So many travellers had entered the village before them, that there was no room left in the inn. Perhaps even the stable • Isa. vii. 14. CHILDHOOD AND EARLY MINISTRY OF JESUS. 19 might have been refused, had not the woman's condition ap- pealed to the heart of the inn-keeper. But there she and hei husband found a place to rest. Outside of the village stretched the plains, where, hundreds of years before, David watched his father's flocks. On the same hill-slopes shepherds tended their sheep still. It was appar- ently a serene and cloudless night. Suddenly there appeared in the heavens, descending from amidst the stars, the form of an angel. The simple-minded shepherds gazed upon the won- derful spectacle with alarm. The angel, radiant with heaven's light, addressed them, saying, — " Fear not ; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you : Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling-clothes, lying in a manger." As these words were uttered, the babe was born ; and imme- diately there appeared a va^^t multitude of the heavenly host, — the retinue which had accompanied the celestial visitant from heaven to earth. Such a band never before met mortal eyes. With simultaneous voice they sang, while the melody floated over the silent hills, " Glory to God in the highest ; and on earth peace, good-will toward men." The voice of prophecy had announced, ages before, that the long-expected Messiah should be born in Bethlehem. Seven hundred years had passed since the prophet Micah wrote, — ''And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda; for out of thee shall come a Governor that shall rule my people Israel." ^ The angels disappeared, and the heavenly depths resumed their accustomed calm. But the scene and the words sank deep into the hearts of the shepherds, who believed without questioning this wonderful announcement. The time foretold by the prophets — had it truly come ? Was the long watch- ing of the true-hearted Jew really at an end ? Making haste in the eagerness of their hope, the shepherds 20 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. went to Bethlehem, and found Mary, Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger. Having this corroboration of the angels' words, they told to all whom they met the marvellous scene which they had witnessed. All wondered; for it was not thus that they had expected the Messiah to come. But Mary, the mother, kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. Although the birth of Jesus was thus heralded by a choir of angels, it seems not to have been universally recognized that the Messiah had come. The evidence is abundant, from passages taken from both Boman and Jewish writers, that there was a general expectation at the time, throughout the East, that some one was soon to be born in Judaea who would rule the world. The ideas prevailing respecting the nature of his reign were extremely vague. Tacitus, Suetonius, Zoroaster, all allude to this coming man, whose advent had been so mi- nutely foretold in the sacred writings of the Jews. The Persian priests, or Magi, were among the most learned men of those times. Whatever of science then was known was inseparably blended with religion. Astrology and astronomy were kindred studies. The Persian Magi were surprised by the appearance of a star, or meteor, of wonderful brilliancy. They interpreted it as a sign that the long-expected Messiah was born. As they approached the meteor, it moved before them. A deputation of their number was appointed to follow it. It led them to Judtea. They then began eagerly to inquire where the child was born. Herod the king heard these strange tidings. He trembled from fear that this prophetically-an- nounced ^Messiah would assume kingly poAver, and eject him from his throne. In great anxiety he sent for the most ap- proved interpreters of the Bible, and inquired of them if the prophets had announced the place in which the Messiah should be born. They replied that the place was Bethlehem, citing in proof the prediction of the prophet Micah. Herod, having determined to take the life of the child, called the Magi before him, and directed them to go immediately to Bethlehem, and, as soon as they had found the young child, to report to him, saying that he wished to worship him also. CHILDHOOD AND EARLY MINISTRY OF JESUS. 21 The meteor, which had led them from the phiins of Persia, and which had perhaps, for a time, vanished, re-appeared, and went before them till it came and stood over where the young child was. After paying the divine babe the tribute of their homage and adoration, instead of returning to Herod with the information, admonished by God, they departed by an unfrequented route to their own country. The infamous king, thus baffled, in his rage sent officers to put to death all the children in the city of Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years of age and under. He sup- posed that in that number the infant Jesus would surely be included. But Joseph, warned by God in a dream, escaped by night with Mary and the babe into Egypt, about forty miles south of Bethlehem. There the holy family remained for several months, until the wretched Herod died, devoured by a terrible disease. But, as his son Archelaus ascended the throne vacated by Herod, Joseph did not deem it safe to return to Judaea, but, by a circuitous route, found his way back to the obscure hamlet of Nazareth, buried among the mountains of Galilee. Here, we are informed, " the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom ; and the grace of God was upon him." Before the flight into Egypt, all the ceremonies enjoined by the Mosaic law upon the birth of a child of Jewish parents were strictly observed. At the presentation of the babe in the temple, the aged Simeon, then the officiating priest, recognized him as the long-looked-for Messiah. Anna too, the prophetess, gave thanks to the Lord for him. After these scenes, a veil is dropped over the child-life of Jesus. It is lifted but once, when, at the age of twelve, the child attended his parents to Jerusalem. Being separated from Joseph and Mary in the crowd, they sought anxiously for him, and found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, hearing them, and asking them questions. All who heard the questions and the answers of the child were amazed at his wisdom. To the tender reproof of his mother, he answered as though the meaning of his life were just begin- 22 HIS'^ORY OF CHRISTIANITY ning to dawn upon him : " How is it that ye sought me ? Wis* ye not that I must be about my Father's business ? " His parents div? not understand him ; but he returned with them to Nazareth. Here among the hills of Galilee, in a village so obscure that its name is not mentioned in the Old Testament, the youthful years of Jesus passed unnoticed away until he had attained the age of thirty. According to the Jewish law, a man could not take upon himself priestly duties until he was thirty years old. Not until then was he consid- ered to have obtained that maturity of character which would warrant him in assuming the office of a teacher, or which would enable him to realize the sacredness of the priestly call- ing. No record of these years is given us, save that contained in the declaration, "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man." John the Baptist, forerunner of Jesus, seems to have paseed through very different youthful discipline from that of Him whom he was to herald. Jesus spent his childhood and early manhood, so far as we are informed, in the seclusion of that domestic life which is common to man. Nurtured in its sweet simplicity, he learned from experience the trials and cares of humanity in its lowliest condition. John, forsaking these tranquil scenes of domestic life, fled into the desert, and, in the most dreary solitudes, prepared for his momentous ministry. The last of the prophets " greater was not born of women than he." The place hp chose for his preparation was one of desolate grandeur. The borders of the desert reached the barren, verdureless banks of the Dead Sea. All signs of life were lost in a region appar- ently cursed by the frown of God. The heavy waters of the lake lay motionless, and the mountains of Moab rose beyond aa their severe and rugged sublimity. ' Yet here John dwelt, that he miglit ponder the meaning of .he Scripture prophecies, so as to be able to expound them with power when the time should come for him to address the peo- ple. Here he was impressed with the enormity of sin against God, and the hopelessness of the sinner, unless a higher power CHILDHOOD AND EARLY MINISTRY OF JESUS. 23 came to his rescue. Here God revealed to his soul the doc- trine of repeBtance and remission of sins through faith in an atoning Saviour, — " the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world," — the Lamb so often slain in symbolic sacrifice, but now to appear and sufier in his own sacred person. When the time of preparation was completed, the word of God came to John, summoning him to his work. Emerging from his life of solitude, he traversed all the country round about Jordan, crying out in trumpet-tones, which collected thousands to listen to him, " Repent ye ; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.'*' The new prophet, humble in his own soul, as the truly great always are, disclaimed all title to the Messiahship, de- claring that One was coming mightier than he, the latchet of whose shoes he was unworthy to unloose. When the multi- tude, impressed by his figure, his character, and his words, in- quired of him, "Art thou the Christ?" he replied emphati- cally, " I am not." — "Art thou Elias, then ?" was the continued query. The reply was equally emphatic, " No." — " Who art thou, then ? " they further inquired. Pie replied, " I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness. Prepare ye the way of the Lord ; make his paths straight." A leathern girdle encircled the loins of this wonderful man. His frugal fare consisted of locusts and wild honey. John stood by the River Jordan, baptizing those who presented them- selves for the rite. Jesus, then about thirty years of age, ap- peared among them. Since his twelfth year, no act of his had been recorded. But now, according to the Jewish idea of maturity, he was prepared to enter upon his ministry. John doubtless had not seen him for many years. Probably he had never known that he was the Christ. But, when that pure and holy One came to be baptized, the eyes of the prophet were opened, and he hesitated, saying, "I have need to b« baptized of tliee ; and comest thou to me ? " But Jesus com- mands, and John performs the rite. Then the faithful prf>- phet is rewarded by seeing the heavens opened, and the Spi'.-it of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon the brow of Jesus. A voice at the same time was heard from the seiene 24 BISTORT OF CHRISTIANITY skies, exclaiming in clear utterance, "This is my belovea Son, in whom I am well pleased." Then John was filled with fulness of assured joy, as he says, "I knew him not ;" meaning, of course, that, before the per- formance of the rite, he had not known Jesus as the Messiah The following day, John pointed out Jesus to two of his dis- ciples as the " Lamb ot ^f»d, which taketh away the sin of the world." Soon after this came the period of our Lord's temptation, over which our hearts are moved with wonder and tender com- passion. Son of God as he was in his spiritual nature, in the humiliation of his earthly mission he had also become Son of man. Sinless from his birth, the taint of evil had never touched his pure soul. Yet a higher nature than even this was necessary before he could redeem the people from their sins. There was needed in his human nature a knowledge of the power of evil, which could only be obtained through suf- fering its temptations. How else could he truly sympathize with and succor those who are tempted ? Oh holy mystery of the temptation of the Son of God ! — a mystery so sacred and unfathomable, that we can only bow our hearts in adoration, knowing that we have now a high, priest who can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, — one who " was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." It is impossible to ascertain with certainty the chronology of our Saviour's movements. But, following that which is generally most approved, we infer that Jesus returned from the temptation in the wilderness to Nazareth, where he sojourned for a short time. John had publicly announced Jesus to be the Messiah, in the words, " Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world ! " Jesus was thus declared to be the atoning Lamb, which for so many centuries had been represented by the sacrifices offered under the law. Among the crowd who had flocked to the wilderness to hear the impassioned preaching of John there were two fishermen, who became convinced that Jesus was the long-promised 26 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. ** Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig-tree, believest thou ? Thou shalt see greater things than these. Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of Grod ascending and descending upon the Son of man." Jesus, strengthened, not exhausted, by his temptation in the wilderness, returned to Nazareth. In the mystery of his double nature as Son of God and Son of man, the mission of his life seems now to have been fully revealed to him. H© then commenced preaching his gospel of penitence for sin, faith in him as a Saviour, and a holy life. Not with words of denunciation did he open his ministry. Tenderly he bore with the doubts and questionings, which led many to hesitate to acknowledge him as the long-looked-for Messiah. Sympathy and healing for body and soul were the first messages of our Lord. The hard, stern outlines of the Jewish law were softened, yes, glorified, by the spiritual mean- ing infused into them by Jesus. Sent to preach the gospel to the poor, and to bind up the broken-hearted, he addressed the desponding in words of encouragement and cheer, while he did not abate one iota of the integrity and authority of the law. A few miles north of Nazareth, slumbering among the hilla of GaUlee, was the little village of Cana. A marriage was celebrated there on the third day after the return of Jesus from the wilderness. He was invited to the wedding, with his mother and the disciples who had accompanied him to Naza- reth. The fame of Jesus was rapidly extending, and the knowledge of his expected presence probably drew an unex- pected number to the wedding. Consequently, the wine, sim- ple juice of the grape, usually provided on such occasions, was found to be insufficient. The mother of Jesus informed him with some solicitude that the wine was falling short. It would appear that he had anticipated this ; for his reply, " What have I to do with thee ? mine hour is not yet come," may be inter- preted, " It is not necessary for you, mother, to be anxious about this : the time for me to interpose is not yet come." That time soon came, — probably when the wine was entirely ex- hausted. The anxious, care-takingj mother understocd this to CHILDHOOD AND EARLY MINISTRY OF JESUS. 27 mean that he would, at the proper time, provide for the emer- gency ; for she went to the servants, and requested them to do whatever Jesus should ask of them. In the court-yard there were six stone firkins, or jars, about two-thirds the size of an ordinary barrel, containing about thirty gallons each. Jesus ordered the servants to fill them with water. Surprised, but unhesitatingly they obeyed. He then directed them to draw from those firkins, and present first to the governor of the feast. To their amazement, pure wine filled their goblets, — wine which the governor of the feast de- clared to be of remarkable excellence. This was the first mirar- cle which is recorded of our Saviour. There is no evidence that there was the slightest intoxicating quality in this pure beverage thus prepared for the wedding-guests. Soon after this, Jesus went to Capernaum, a thriving sea- port town upon the western shores of the Lake of Galilee, about twelve miles north-east of Nazareth. His mother, his brothers, — who did not accept his Messiahship, — and his disci- ples, — we know not how many in number, — accompanied him. We have no record of his doings during the few days that he remained there. As the feast of the Passover was at hand, Jesus went up to Jerusalem, there to inaugurate his ministry in the midst of the thousands whom the sacred festival would summon to the metropolis. A few of his disciples accom- panied him. Their journey was undoubtedly made on foot, a distance of about a hundred miles. Upon their arrival, Jesus directed his steps immediately to the temple, probably then the most imposing structure in the world. The sight which met his view as he entered the outer court-yard of the temple with his humble Galilean followers excited his indignation. The sacred edifice had been perverted to the most shameful purposes of trafiic. The booths of the traders lined its walls. The bleating of sheep and the lowing of oxen resounded through its enclosures. The litter of the stable covered its tessellated floors, and the tables of money- '■^hangers stood by the side of the magnificent marble pillars. The din of traffic filled that edifice which was erected for the worship of God 28 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. Jesus, in the simple garb of a Gralilean peasant, and with- out any badge of authority, enters this tumultuous throng. Picking up from the floor a few of the twigs, or rushes, he bound them together ; and, with voice and gesture of authority whose supernatural power no man could resist, " he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep and the oxen ; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables ; and said unto them that sold doves. Take these things hence : make not my Father's house a house of merchandise." No one ventured any resistance. The temple was cleared of its abominations. There must have been a more than human presence in the eye and voice of this Galilean peasant, to enable him thus, in the proud metropolis of Judaea, to drive the traffickers from all nations in a panic before him, while invested with no governmental power, and his only weapon consisting of a handful of rushes ; for this seems to be the proper meaning of the words translated "a whip of small cords." The temple being thus cleared, some of the people ventured to ask of him by what authority he performed such an act. His extraordinary reply was, " Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." There is no evidence that there was any thing in the voice or gesture of Jesus upon this occasion which implied that he did not refer to the material temple whose massive grandeur rose around them. It is certain that his interrogators so understood him : for they replied, " Forty and six years was this temple in building ; and wilt thou rear it up in three days ? " The evangelist John adds, " But he spake of the temple of his body." We have no intimation that Jesus attempted to rectiiy the error into which they had fallen. And it is difti^ cult to assign any satisfactory reason why he should have left them to ponder his dark saying. Human frailty is often be- wildered in the attempt to explicate infinite wisdom. Probably the fame of Jesus had already reached Jerusa^ lem. His wonderful achievement, in thus cleansing the tem- ple, must have excited universal astonishment. Many wei-e CHILDHOOD AND EARLY MINISTRY OF JESUS. 29 inclined to attach themselves to him as a great prophet. There was at that time residing in Jerusalem a man of much moral worth, by the name of Nicodemus. He was rich, was in the highest circles of society, a teacher of the Jewish law, and a member of the Sanhedrim, the supreme council of the nation. He sought an interview with Jesus at night, that he might enjoy uninterrupted conversation, or, as is more probable, because he had not sufficient moral courage to go to him openly. In the following words he announced to Jesus his full conviction of his prophetic character : " Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God ; for no man can do these miracles that thou doest except God be with him." Jesus did not wait for any questions to be asked. With apparent abruptness, and without any exchange of salutations, he said solemnly, as if rebuking the assumption that he, the Lamb of God, had come to the world merely as a teacher, " Verily, verily, I say unto thee. Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus ought to have understood this language. The " new birth " was no new term, framed now for the first time. The proselytes from heathenism, having been received into the Jewish fold by circumcision and baptism, in token of the renewal of their hearts, were said to be " born again." Jesus, adopting this perfectly intelligible language, informed Nicode- mus that it was not by intellectual conviction merely that one became a member of the Messiah's kingdom, but by such a ren ovation of soul, that one might be said to be born again, — old things having passed away, and all things having become new. Nicodemus, who perhaps, in pharisaic pride, imagined that he had attained the highest stage of the religious life, was proba- bly a little irritated in being told that he needed this change of heart to gain admission to the kingdom of God ; and, in his irritation, allowed himself in a very stupid cavil. " How can a man," said he, " be born when he is old ? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and bo born ? " Jesus, ever calm, did not heed the cavil, but simply reiter- 30 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. ated his declaration, that no man could become a member of the kingdom of God, unless, renewed in tlie spirit of his mind, he thus became a partaker of the divine nature. Nicodemus probably assumed that he, as a Jew, would be entitled by right of birth to membership in the kingdom of the Messiah. When a Gentile became a proselyte to the Jewish religion, by the rite of baptism he promised to renounce idolatry, to wor- ship the true God, and to live in conformity with the divine law. The external rite gradually began to assume undue im- portance. Our Saviour, in announcing to Nicodemus the doctrine that a spiritual regeneration was needful, of which the application of water in baptism was merely the emblem, said, " Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh," — is corrupt : " that which is born of the Spirit is spirit," — is pure. " Marvel not that I said unto thee. Ye must be born again." And then, in reply to queries which he foresaw were rising in the mind of Nicodemus, he continued : " The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth : so is every one that is born of the Spirit." This sublime truth is thus enunciated without any attempt at explanation. Why is one man led by the Holy Spirit to the Saviour, while another, cer- tainly no less deserving, is not? This question has been asked through all the ages, but never answered. Where la the Christian who has not often said, — " Why was I made to hear thy voice, And enter while there's room, When thousands make a wretched choice, And rather starve than come ? " Infinitely momentous as are these truths, they are the most eimple truths in nature. Nothing can be more obvious to an observing and reflective man than that a thorough renovation of spirit is essential to prepare mankind for the society of spotless angels and for the worship of heaven. This is one CHILDHOOD AND EARLY MINISTRY OF JESUS. 31 of the most simple and rudimental of moral truths. And when Nicodemus, with the spirit of cavil still lingering in his mind, allowed himself to say, "How can these things be?" Jesus gently rebuked him, saying, "Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? If I have told yon earthly things," — the simplest truths of religion, obvious to every thoughtful man, — "and ye believe not, how shall ye be- lieve if I tell you of heavenly things ? " — the sublime truths which can only be known by direct revelation. Jesus then proceeds from the simple doctrine of regeneration to the sublimer theme of an atoning Saviour, — a theme the most wonderful wnich the mind of man or angel can contem- plate. There cannot be found in all the volumes of earth a passage so fall of meaning, in import so stupendous, as the few words which then came from the Saviour's lips. It was the distinct and emphatic announcement of the plan of salvation devised by a loving Father in giving his Son to die upon the cross, in making atonement for the sins of the world. "No man hath ascended up to heaven but he that came down from heaven ; even the Sou of man, which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God 30 loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have ever- lasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned ; but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth tbe light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved ; but he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God." It does not appear that even this enunciation from the lips 32 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY of Jesus, of the sublime doctrines of regeneration and atone ment, produced any immediate result upon the heart of Nicode- mus. That they produced a deep impression upon his mind cannot be doubted. Not long after, when there was intense commotion in Jerusalem in consequence of the teachings of Jesus, Nicodemus summoned sufficient moral courage to speak one word in his defence, " Doth our law," said he, "judge any man before it hear him and know what he doeth ? " But he fleems to have been effectually silenced by the stern rebuff, " Art thou also of Galilee ? " We hear no more of this timid man, until after the lapse of three years, when Jesus had perished upon the cross, Nicodemus brought to Joseph of Arimathea some spices to embalm the body. This, also, he probably did secretly and by night. How contemptible does such a char- acter appear — one too cowardly to live according to its own convictions of duty — when contrasted with such men as Abraliam, Noah, Daniel, and Paul ! And yet there is many a Nicodemus in almost every village in our land. Soon after this, Jesus left Jerusalem, and went into the rural districts of Judaea, where he preached his gospel, and his disci- ples baptized, and by this rite received to the general Church such as became converts. John the Baptist was then preaching to large assemblies in Samaria, in a place called ^non, about twenty miles west of the River Jordan, and about sixty mUes north from Jerusalem. This place, though among the hills, was well watered with springs and streams, and thus well adapted for the vast numbers who gathered to hear this re- nowned preacher. Jesus and his disciples weie in Judaea, in the vicinity of Jerusalem, probably about forty miles south of John. Some of the zealous disciples of John became annoyed in hearing that larger crowds were flocking to Jesus than to him ; that Jesui was making many converts, and that his disciples were actually baptizing more than were the disciples of John. But the illustrious prophet did not share in their feelings of envy. In words worthy of his noble character he replied, — "Ye yourselves bear me witness that f said I am not the CHILDHOOD AND EARLY MINISTRY OF JESU&. 33 Christ, but that I am sent before him. He must increase ; Dut I must decrease. He tliat cometh from above is above all; for he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God. The Father loveth the Sou, and hath given all things into his hand. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life ; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him." Jesus, being informed of the spirit of rivalry which exii^ted on the part of John's disciples, decided to withdraw from that region, and return to Galilee. His direct route led through the central district of Samaria. There was a bitter feud be- tween the inhabitants of Judaea and Samaria, so that there was but little social intercourse or traffic between them. The road led first over barren plains as far as Bethel ; then traversed a region of undulating hills smiling with verdure, till it be- came lost in a winding mountain-pass quite densely wooded. On the third day of the journey, Jesus, toiling on foot beneath the scorching sun of Syria, reached Sychar, in the heart of Samaria. About a mile and a half from the village, at the foot of Mount Gerizim, there was a celebrated well, which the patriarch Jacob had dug several centuries before. Jesus sat down by the well to rest, while his disciples, who accom- panied him, went into the village to purchase some food. While seated there alone, a Samaritan woman came to draw water. Jesus said to her, " Give me to drink." His dress and language indicated that he was a Jew. The woman replied, " How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest dr'nk of me, which am a woman of Samaria ? " " If thou knewest," said Jesus, "the gift of. God, and who 't is that saith to thee. Give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water." To this enigmatical reply, which evidently aroused the at- tention of the woman, she rejoined, " Thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. From whence, then, hast thou that living water ? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and hia children and his cattle ? " 54 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. Again Jesus replied in enigmatical language, " Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again : hut whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst ; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." The woman, bewildered, and with excited curiosity, said, " Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw." " Go, call thy husband," said Jesus, " and come hither." The woman, conscience-smitten, and somewhat alarmed by the mysterious nature of the conversation, answered, " I hare no husband." The startling response of Jesus was, " Thou hast well said, I have no husband : for thou hast had five husbands ; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband. In that saidst thou truly." The woman, alarmed, and anxious to withdraw the conver- sation from her own sins and personal duty, sought, as half-, awakened sinners have ever endeavored to do from that day to this, to change the theme into a theological discussion. " Sir," she said, " I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." This question was a standing controversy between the Jews and the Samaritans. " Believe me," Jesus replied, " the hour Cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what : we know wha,t we worship ; for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shaU worship the Father in spirit and in truth ; for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit ; and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.'" The Samaritans rejected the prophets, and received only the five books of Moses. Jesus therefore announced that the Jew- ish, not the Samaritan faith, was the true religion ; while at the same time he declared that external forms were important only as they promoted and indicated holiness of heart. CHILDHOOD AND EARLY MINISTRY OF JESU& 35 The woman replied, " I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ. When he is come, he will tell us all things." Her astonishment must have been great when Jesus re- joined, " I that speak unto thee am he." The conversation was here, interrupted by the return of the disciples who had gone into the village. Though surprised in seeing Jesus engaged in earnest conversation with the Samar- itan woman, they asked him no questions upon the subject ; but the woman, so agitated that she forgot to take her water- pot with her, hurried back to the village, saying to her friends m language somewhat exaggerated, " Come see a man which told me all things that ever I did. Is not this the Christ ? " Quite a crowd of Samaritans were soon gathered around the weU. In the mean time, the disciples besought Jesus to par- take of the refreshments which they had brought from the village. His remarkable reply was, — " I have meat to eat that ye know not of. My meat " (the great object of my life) " is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish his work. Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest ? Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields ; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal, that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. And herein is that say- ing true. One soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labor : other men labored, and ye have entered into their labors." It is probable that Jesus went from the well into the village or city of Sychar ; for he continued in that region for two days, preaching the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. The re- sult was, that many more believed, and said unto the woman, "Now we believe, not because of thy saying; for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world." Continuing his journey, Jesus proceeded still northward to Galilee. The fame of his words and of his works was spreading far and wide. As he travelled, he entered the syna- 36 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. gogues of the villages, ar/l preached his gospel probably to large crowds. Popularity accompanied his steps ; for. we are informed by the sacred historian, "he taught in their syna- gogues, being glorified of all." Upon reaching the province of Galilee, he repaired to Cana, where his first miracle was performed. His name was now upon all lips ; and, wherever he appeared, crowds were attracted. About twelve miles north-east from Cana, upon the shores of the Lake of Galilee, was the city of Capernaum. A noble- man there, of high official rank, had a son dangerously sick. Hearing of the arrival of Jesus in Cana, and fully con- vinced of his miraculous powers, he hastened to him, and en- treated him to come down and heal his son. Immediately upon the application of the nobleman, appreciating the faith he thus exhibited, he said, " Go thy way : thy son liveth." Apparent- ly untroubled with any incredulity, the nobleman set out C2 his return. Meeting servants by the way, they informed him that his son was recovering. Upon inquiry, he learned that his convalescence commenced apparently at the very moment in which Jesus assured him of his safety. In consequence of this second miracle in Galilee, the nobleman and aU his family became disciples of Jesus. From Cana, Jesus went to the home of his childhood and youth, in Nazareth, which was but a few miles south of Cana. It is probable that his reputed father, Joseph, was dead, as we have no subsequent allusion to him ; and that there was no home in Nazareth to welcome the wanderer. Upon the sabbath day, according to his custom, he repaired to the synagogue. Taking the Bible, he opened to the sixty-first chapter of Isaiah, and read those prophetic words of the promised Messiah which had been written nearly seven hundred years before : — " The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek : he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound ; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." He closed the book, returned it to the officiating ministei, CHILDHOOD AND EARLY MINISTRY OF JESUS. 37 and sat down upon the raised seat from which it was custom- ary for the Jewish speakers to address the audience. The eyes of all were fastened upon him. " This day," said Jesus, " is this scripture fulfilled in youi ears." It was universally understood that this passage from the prophet referred to the Messiah. Thus he solemnly an- nounced to hia astonished fellow-citizens of Nazareth that he was the Son of God, whose coming the pious Jews had, through so many centuries, been expecting It is evident that the tidings of bis career were already creating great excitement in Nazareth. " All bare witness," writes the inspired historian, " and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of hi? mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son ? " And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country. And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country. But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land ; but unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon " (a Gentile city), " unto a woman that was a widow" (a Gentile woman). "And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet ; and none of them was cleansed saving Naaman the Syrian." This declaration, that God regarded Gentiles as well as Jews with his parental favor, roused their indignation. The inspired historian records, "And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong; but he, passing through the midst of them, went his way." It is not known whether a miracle was performed at this time to disarm the mob, or whether the infuriated populace were overawed by the natural dignity of his demeanor, and by the 38 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. flacredness which began to be attached to his person as the reputed Messiah. It was a case similar to that which occurred when he cleansed the temple. Jesus, upon this occasion, took his text from the Bible, and commented upon it. The text and a few of his remarks have been alone transmitted to us. There is a rocky cliff which extends for some distance along the hill on which Nazareth is built, which is still thirty or forty feet high, notwithstanding the accumulated debris of eighteen centuries, which was undoubt- edly the scene of this transaction. John the Baptist was now cast into prison. His work as the forerunner of Christ was accomplished. Eight months of our Lord's ministry had passed away. On the eastern shore of the Dead Sea there was an immense fortress called Ma- chaerus. Built on a crag, surrounded by gloomy ravines, and strengthened by the most formidable works of military engine- ry then knovni, it was deemed impregnable. Here the des- pot Herod had shut up John the Baptist as a prisoner. Weary months rolled away as the impetuous spirit of the prophet beat unavailingly against the bars of his prison. Though a prophet, the whole mystery of the Messiah's king- dom had not been revealed to him. With great solicitude, apparently with many doubts and fears, he watched the career of Jesus, so inexplicable to human wisdom. Jesus, rejected with insult and outrage by the people of Naz ».reth, repaired to Capernaum, on the shores of the lake. This body of water, so renowned in the life of Jesus, is the only sea referred to in the gospel history. It is alike called the " Sea of Galilee," the " Sea of Tiberias," and " Lake Gennes- aret." In Capernaum he took up his residence for a time, " preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God ; " that is, preach- ing the glad tidings of full and free remission of sins through faith in him as the Messiah, and his coming kingdom. " The time," said he, predicted by the prophets, " is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent ye, and believe the gos- pel." ^ » Mark i 15 CHILDHOOD AND EARLY MINISTRT OF JESUS. 39 Walking one day on the shores of the lake, he met Simon Peter and his brother Andrew, engaged in their occupation as fishermen. It will be remembered that they had met Jesus before, at the time of his baptism by John, and haxi become convinced that he was the Messiah. On some of his journey- ings they had accompanied him. But they had not, as yet, permanently attached themselves to his person. He said to them, " Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Their unwavering faith in him is manifest from the fact, that leaving their boat and their net, and their earthly all, in their humblB garb of fishermen they followed him. Continuing the walk along the water's edge, they met two other young fishermen, also brothers, James and John. They were sitting upon the shore with their father Zebedee, mendicg their net. Jesus called them also to follow him; which they promptly did, leaving their father behind them. Jesus had selected them to be preachers of his gospel; and they were to be with him, that, listening to his addresses, they might learn the doctrines which they were to preach. Accompanied by these four disciples, Jesus returned into the city of Capernaum ; and probably the next day, it being the sabbath, he entered the synagogue, and addressed the people. We have no record of his address. Mark simply informs us that he " taught; and they were astonished at his doctrine ; for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes." ^ Luke says, " His word was with power." ^ Among the crowd assembled there was a man possessed of a devil. He startled the whole assembly by shouting out, " Let us alone ! What have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth ? Art thou come to destroy us ? I know thee whom thou art, the Holy One of God." " Accepting, with whatever mystery the whole subject of demoniac possession is clothed, the simple account of the evangelists, it does appear most wonderful, — the quick intel- ligence, the wild alarm, the terror-stricken faith, that then per- vaded the demon world, as if all the spirits of hell who had » Mark i. 22. « Luke Iv. 32. 40 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. been suffered to make human bodies their habitation gre\f pale at the very presence of Jesus, and could not but cry out in the extremity of their despair." ^ Jesus turned his mild, commanding eye upon the demoniac, and calmly said, " Hold thy peace, and come out of him." The foul spirit threw the man to the ground, tore him with coutuI- sions, and, uttering a loud, inarticulate, fiendlike cry, departed. The man rose to his feet, serene and happy, conversing with his friends in his right mind. All were seized with amazement. The strange tidings ran through the streets of the city. The fame of such marvels spread rapidly far and wide. " What new thing is this ? " was the general exclamation ; " for with author- ity he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they do obey him." The mother of Simon Peter's wife was taken sick with a violent fever. Jesus, being informed of it, visited her bedside, took her gently by the hand, and rebuked the fever. The dis- ease, as obedient to his command as was the foul spirit, imme- diately left the sufferer. The cure was instantaneous and complete. She arose from her couch, and returned at once to her household duties. It is difficult to imagine the excitement which these events must have produced. Upon the evening of that memorable day, the region around the house was thronged with the mul- titude, bringing unto him aU that were sick with divers dis- eases. "And he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them. And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ, the Son of God, And he, re- buking them, suffered them not to speak; for they knew that he was Christ." ^ It is impossible for us to comprehend the nature of the union of God and man in the person of Jesus. The sacred historian, in announcing that God "was made flesh and dwelt among us," makes no attempt to solve this mystery. But it seems that Jesus, though possessed of these miraculous pow- ers, was so exhausted by the labors and excitements of the > Life of Clirist by William Hanna, D.D., p. 198. « Luke iv. 40 CHILDHOOD AND EARLY MINISTRY OF JEHUS. 41 day, that, long before the dawn of the morning, he rose from his bed, and, leaving the slumbering city behind him, retired to a solitary place, where, fanned by the cool breeze of tha mountain and of the lake, he spent long hours in prayer. Peter and his companions, when they rose in the morning, missed Jesus. It was not until after a considerable search that he was found in his retreat. They informed him of the great excitement which pervaded the city, and that the people were looking for him in all directions. But Jesus, instead of returning to Capernaum to receive the adulation which await- ed him there, said, " Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also. I must preach the kingdom of God to ether cities ; for therefore came I forth." In the mean time, some of the people had found him ; fflid they began to gather around him in large numbers. They entreated him to return to the city, and take up his residence with them ; but he declined, and at once entered upon a labo- rious tour through the cities and villages of Galilee, " teach- ing in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sicknesses and all manner of diseases among the people." Though these deeds were done in Galilee, the extreme northern province of Syria, still the fame of them spread rapidly through the whole country. "And they brought unto him aU sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy ; and he healed them. And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from beyond Jordan." Galilee was at that time very densely inhabited by an ener- getic and bustling population of about three millions. It was about sixty miles in length, and forty in breadth ; containing, according to Josephus, two hundred and four towns and vil- lages, whose average population was fifteen thousand. Through this region, Jesus, accompanied by a few of his disciples, entered upon a pedestrian tour. The lake was thirteen miles 42 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. long, and six broad. Its shores were dotted with villages lux- uriant in culture, and the waters of the lake were covered with the boats of fishermen. Now all is silent there, lonely and most desolate. Till last year, but a single boat floated upon its waters. On its shores, Tiberias in ruins, and Magdala, composed of a few wretched hovels, are all that remain. You may ride round and round the empty beach, and, these excepted, never meet a human being, nor pass a human habitation. Capernaum, Chorazin, Bethsaida, are gone. Here and there you stumble over ruins ; but none can teU you exactly what they were. They knew not, those cities of the lake, the day of their visitation. Their names and their memory have perished. The number of sick people whom Jesus healed on this cir- cuit must have been immense; for he traversed a wide and populous region, and patients were brought to him from great distances ; and he healed them aU. One cannot but regret that we have no minute record of the events which transpired and of the addresses which Jesus made on this missionary excursion, which commenced, it is supposed, in June, and was closed early in October. chaptp:r II. TOUR THROUGH GAT.ILEE. The Horns of Ilattln. — The Sermon on the Mount.— Jesus goes to Capernaum. —The Miraculous Draught of Fishes.- Kealing the Leper, the Paralytic- Associates with Publicaus and Sinners. — The Feast of the Passover.— The Cripple at the Pool.— The Equality of the Son with the Father.— Healing the Withered Hand.— Anger of the Pharisees.— The Twelve Apostles choEcn.- Inquiry of John the Baptist.— Jesus dines with a Pharisee.— The Anoint- ment.—Journey through Galilee.— Stilling the Tempest.— The Demoniacs and the Swine.— The Daughter of Jairus — Restores Sight to the Blind. — Address to his Disciples. (iBOUT seven miles south of Capernaum there was a double-peaked eminence, fift^' or sixtj' feet high, which commanded a charming view of the Valley ^of Gennesaret. These peaks were called the .Horns of Ilattin, from the village of Ilattin, j'situated at the base of the hill. As Jesus, upon his return from his first circuit through Galilee, approached Capernaum, when the throng which accompanied him, or flocked out of the city to meet him, had become im- mense, he probably ascended this hill, from which he could easily address them. For ages it has been called, on that supposition, the "Hill of the Beatitudes." It must have presented a charming scene. The smooth and grass}^ hill rose from a landscape luxuriant with verdure, draped with vineyards, and rich in the autumnal hues of harvest. The waters of the lake sparkled in the sunlight, and the distant horizon was fringed with towering mountains. Jesus sat upon the summit of the hill: Ms avowed disciples 43 44 mSTOKT OF CHRI8TIANITT. gathered affectionatelj'' around : the multitude, presenting a sea of upturned faces, thronged the grassy slopes. It was then and there that Jesus delivered that Sermon ou the Mount, which, by universal admission, is the most memo- rable discourse ever uttered by human lips. Probably in a voice which penetrated the remotest ear, he enunciated those sublime truths, which, for eighteen centuries, have echoed through human hearts, and which will continue thus to echo, with, ever-increasing power, until the flames of the last con- flagration shall envelop our globe. He first announced the conditions of entrance into the new kingdom of God. Its gates were to be open to the lowly in heart ; to those weeping over their own unworthiness, and hungering and thirsting for righteousness. Those qualities which were most despised by Jewish pride and pharisaic self- righteousness were the ones upon which God looked with love and a blessing. He then declared the law of the kingdom of God, showing that, instead of abrogating the old covenant, it did but re- establish its principles, and supplement its imperfections, by carr3-ing moral obligations be3'ond all external observances, into the inner regions of the heart. With amazement this motley assemblage must have listened to announcements so contrary to the whole spirit of the age ; as, — "Love 3'our enemies. Bless them that curse you. Whoso- ever shall smite thee on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. Blessed are ^-e when men shall revile j'ou and jDersecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you, for my sake. Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect, that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven ; for he maketh his sun to shine upon the evil and the good, and sendeth his rain upon the just and upon the unjust." The parade of alms-giving, ostentatious devotion, and the display of fastings and pra3'ers, are severely denounced. And, in this connection, Jesus gave that sublime formula of prayer TOUR THROUGH GALILEE. 46 which has compelled the admiration even of his foes, and which for beauty and comprehensiveness can find no parallel in the literature of the world : — " Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Give us, this day, our daily bread. And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen." In this wonderful discourse each statement is but an annun- ciation of truth, bearing with it its own evidence. There is no labored argument, no attempt to prove his doctrine. The assumption seemed to be, that no honest mind could refuse its assent to these truths. With such divine majesty he gave utterance to these sublime principles, that it is recorded, " The people were astonished at his doctrine ; for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes." From the mount, Jesus directed his steps towards Caper- naum, followed by a great multitude still eager to hear the word of God. When he reached the shore of the lake, the crowd became so dense as to impede his steps. There were two boats by the shore, their owners being at a little distance washing their nets. One of these belonged to Simon Peter. To avoid the pressure, Jesus entered the boat, and requested Peter to push out a little from the land. From the boat, sur- veying the vast throng upon the shore, he again addressed them ; but we have no record of the words he spoke. It is uncertain whether Peter accompanied Jesus on this his first tour through Galilee. At the close of the discourse, Jesus re- quested Peter to launch out a little farther into the deep, and let down his net. Peter slightly remonstrated, saying, "Master, we have toiled all night, and have taken nothing : neverthe- less, at thy word, I will let down the net." He did so, and a miraculous draught of fishes was enclosed, so that the net brol e, and it was necessary to call for assistance from another boat. Two boats were so filled with the fishes, that they began to aink. Simon Peter was so impressed by this miracle, that he 46 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. fell upon his knees at the feet of Jesus, exclaiming, " Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, 0 Lord ! " " If Peter," writes R. Mimpriss, " had returned to his worldly occupation through the fear of heing in want, as fol- lowing One who had not where to lay his head, he must have felt confounded at this reproof of his own unfaithfulness in being so plentifully supplied by his Lord when unable to pro- vide any thing for himself in his own way. Peter seems to have been powerfully impressed, not only with the miracle, but al90 with his own unworthiness as a disciple." Jesus compassionates the weakness of his impulsive disci- ple, and replies, " Fear not : henceforth thou shalt catch men." James and John were with Peter, and witnessed this transac- tion. They all were convinced that it was folly to doubt that Jesus bad divine power to make suitable provision for all who were in his service. This faith brought forth immediate fruit in corresponding works. " They forsook all, and followed him." Approaching the city, Jesus encountered a leper. The scene which ensued cannot be more forcibly described than in the graphic language of Mr. Lyman Abbott : — " In its worst forms, leprosy is alike awful in its character, and hideous in its appearance. For years it lurks concealed in the interior organs. Gradually it develops itself: spots of red appear upon the skin, chiefly the face ; the hair of the brows and lids and beard begins to fall off; the eyes become fierce and staring ; the voice grows hoarse and husky, and is finally quite lost ; the joints grow stiff, refuse to fulfil their ofl&ce, and drop off one by one ; the eyes are eaten from their sockets. The patient, strangely insensible to his awful condi- tion, suffers an apathy of mind that is scarcely less dreadful than the condition of his body. " Universally regarded as suffering a disease as virulent m its contagion as in its immediate effects, the leper was shunned as one whose fetid breath bore pestilential poison in it. Uni- versally regarded as bearing in his body the special marks of divine displeasure for intolerable sin, his sufferings awoke TOUR THROUGH GALILEE. 47 no sympathy, but only liorrop. From the moment of the first clearly-defined symptoms, the wretched man was deliberately given over to death : he was an outcast from society. No home could receive him. Wife and children might not minister to him. Wherever he went, he heralded his loathsome presence by the cry, ' Unclean, unclean ! ' " Men drew one side to let him pass. Mothers snatched their children from before his path. To touch him — the horror- stricken Jew would sooner suffer the kiss of an envenomed serpent. No one ever thought to proffer succor to a leper ; no physician ever offered him hope of health ; no amulets could exorcise this dread visitation. A special token of the wrath of God, only God could cure it : only repentance of sin and the propitiation of divine wrath could afford a remedy. No hand ever bathed the leper's burning brow, or brought the cooling draught for his parched lips. None ever spoke a word of sym- pathy to his oppressed heart. Society had built no hospitals for the sick, no lazarettos even for its own protection ; and the leper, driven from the towns, dwelt in dismantled dwellings, or in caves and clefts of the rock, solitary, or in the wretched companionship of victims as wretched as himself. " One of these unhappy sufferers had heard of the fame of Jesus. He believed, with the hope sometimes born of despera- tion, in the divine power of this new prophet ; and nought but divine power could give him relief. He disregarded alike the law which excluded him from the city and the horror he must face to enter it, and broke through all restraints to implore the word of healing from this inheritor of the power of Elijah. The crowd heard his cry, 'Unclean, unclean!' and opened in superstitious dread to give him passage through. He cast himself at the feet of Jesus with the outcry of de- spairing imploration, * Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.' The people had looked on him only with horror. Jesus was moved with compassion. They had drawn back that they might not receive the contagion of his garments. Jesus put forth his hand to touch him. They had echoed hia cry, ' Unclean ! ' Jesus said, * I will : be thou clean.' And, in 48 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. the instant of that speaking, the leper felt the burning fevei depart, and a new fresh blood, healed at its fount, course through his veins." ^ Jesus directed the man to go directly to the priest, in ac- cordance with the provisions of the Mosaic law, and to obtain from him the official testimony that he was cured, and relief from the ban which was laid upon him as a leper. This he was to do immediately, before the priest could learn that it was Jesus who had healed him ; otherwise the priest might refuse thro-ugh prejudice to testify to the reality of the cure. A miracle so wonderful increased the excitement which had already attained almost the highest pitch. Such crowds flocked after Jesus, that he found it necessary to withdraw from the city, and seek a retreat in " desert places." Still the multitude flocked to him from every quarter. Luke, speaking of this hia retirement, says, " He withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed." It is worthy of special observation how much time Jesus spent in prayer. After devoting several days in this retreat to solitude and devotion, Jesus, in whose character the serious, thoughtful, pen- sive temperament so wonderfully predominated, returned to Capernaum. The tidings spread rapidly throughout the city. An immense concourse soon thronged the street on which the house was situated which he had entered. Jesus addressed the vast concourse, — the door-sill, perhaps, his pulpit, the over- arching skies his temple, and his audience a motley assemblage crowding the pavements. Proud Pharisees and self-conceited doctors of the law had come, drawn from the surrounding cities to the spot by the fame of Jesus. While Jesus was speaking, some men brought a paralytic patient on a couch to be healed. But the concourse was so dense, that they could not force their way through to his feet. The roof of the house was flat, surrounded by a battlement, to prevent any one from falling oiBf. By a back way they entered the house, ascended to the roof, broke away a portion of the battlement, and with cords lowered the man on his couch down before Jesus. Palsy is often the result of an intemperate life, 1 Jesus of Nazareth, p, 178 TOUli TUIWUGU GALILEE. 49 of sinful habits : it is not improbable that it was so in this case. In healing the leper, Jesus had merely said, in the ex- ercise of his own divine power, "I will: be thou clean." Now, in the exercise of that same divine power, he assumed the prerogative of forgiving sin. "When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsj', Son, thy sins be forgiven thee." The Pharisees and the doctors of the law, offended at this assumption, said one to another, "Who is this who speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God only? "Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said. Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts ? For whether is easier to sa}-, Thj' sins be forgiven thee ? or to sa^-. Arise and walk ? But that ye ma}- know that the Son of man hath power on earth to f)rgive sins (then saith he to the sick of the pais}-), Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. Immediatel}^ he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all." The amazed people exclaimed, "We have seen strange things to-day !" Leaving the thronged cit}', Jesus, who seems ever to have cherished a great fondness for the country, went out to some fa- vorite spot upon the shore of the lake ; but the excited multi- tude followed him. As they were leaving the city, Jesus saw a man named Matthew, also called Levi, the son of Alpheus, sitting at the door of a custom-house, where he was collecting the taxes which were levied by the Roman government. The tax-gatherer was exceedingly unpopular with the Jews. No intimation is given us respecting the character of Matthew, or whether he had previously manifested any interest in Jesus. But, for some reason, Jesus deemed him worthy of being called as one of his apostles. The fact is announced in the brief words, "And he saith unto him, Follow me ; and he left all, rose up, and followed him." Matthew took Jesus to his house, and invited some of his old friends, several of whom were tax-gatherers, and others not of religious repute, to meet him at a feast. It would seem that there was a prcttj' large party ; for it is recorded, — 50 EISTOliY OF CRRISTIANITT. "Mam' publiciins and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples ; for there were many." The scribes and Pharisees were very indignant that Jesus should associate with persons of such character. Jesus, hearing of their fault-finding, replied, — "The}' that are whole need not a ph3-sician, but thej- that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." He then, by the forcible illustrations of the "new cloth on an old garment" and "new wine in old bottles," showed that the rigorous observances of the old dispensation were not adapted to the freedom and privileges of the new. The time for the feast of the Passover had come ; and Jesus, with his disciples, took a second journey to Jerusalem. There was a pool at Jerusalem called Bethesda, which, in the popular estimation, had at a certain season of the j'ear great medicinal virtues. At such times, large numbers, suffering from every variety of disease, were brought to the pool. Jesus saw a man there who had been utterl}' helpless, from paralysis probabl}', for thirty-eight years. He was poor and friendless. Sympa- thetically Jesus addressed him, inquiring, "Do you wish to be made whole?" The despairing cripple replied, "Sir, I have no one, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool ; but, while I am coming, another steppeth down before me." Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up tlay bed, and walk." Imme- dialel}^ the man was made whole. It was the sabbath. The sanctimonious Pharisees, watch- ing for some accusation of Jesus, when they saw the rejoicing man in perfect health, carrying the light mattress upon which he had reclined, in an absurd spirit of cavilling accused him of violating the holy day b}' carrying a burden. He replied, that the one who had cured him had directed him to do so. Upon their inquiring who it was who had given him such di- rections, he could only reply that he did not know. It appears that Jesus, immediatel}' after performing the miracle, had Avithdrawn. Soon after this, Jesus met the man in the temple. It is TOUR THROUGH GALILEE. 61 probable that his disorder had been brought on by intemper- ance and vice ; for Jesus, addressing him, said, " Behold, thou art made whole : sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee." The news of this miracle rapidly spread. The Phari- sees denounced Jesus severely, assuming that he was breaking the sabbath. Jesus had performed this miracle in his own name, as by his own power. His remarkable reply to their accusation was, " My Father worketh hitherto, and I work." This astounding assertion implied his equality with God the Father. " As my Father," he says, " carries on the works of providence on the sabbath, so I, his Son, have an equal right to prosecute my labors." The Jews were so indignant at this assumption, that they formed a plot to slay him, " because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God." Jesus did not deny the accuracy of their inference, but re-en- forced it by declaring in still stronger terms his unity with the Father : " Verily I say unto you. The Son can do nothing of himself but what he seeth the Father do ; for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth him all things that himself doeth. And he will show him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quick- eneth them [gives them life], even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed aU judgment unto the Son ; that all men should honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son, honoreth not the Father which hath sent him. " Verily, verily, I say unto you. He that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you. The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself ; and hath given him authority to execute judgment aIso, because he is the Son of man. Marvel not at this ; for 52 BISTORT OF CHRISTIANITY. the hour is comiDg in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth ; they that have done good nnto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation. I can of mine own self do nothing. As I hear, I judge ; and my judgment is just ; because I seek not mine own wUl, but the will of the Father which hath sent me." The remainder of this remarkable discourse we must here omit for want of space. We are not informed what impression it produced upon his auditors. Soon after this, Jesus, accom- panied by some of his disciples, in the vicinity of Jerusalem, was passing, on the sabbath, through a field of grain. By an express statute, any one could pluck a handful of the standing wheat as he passed. His disciples, being hungry, plucked the ears, rubbed out the kernels in their hands, and ate them. The cavilling Pharisees, ever watching for some offence, again com- plained that Jesus was encouraging the violation of the sab- bath. Jesus improved the opportunity to show that the laws of God were intended for the benefit of man ; that David and his followers, when hungry, ate of the show-bread, and were blameless ; that the priests in the temple did not violate the sabbath in performing a large amount of labor required by their services. They might reply, " You are no priest, and your work is not for the benefit of the temple." This objec- tion was met by the very remarkable statement, that Jesus was Lord of the temple : — " But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. But, if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day." These were astounding declarations for even the most exalted prophet to make, — that he was the Son of God ; that he came forth from the Father; that whatever the Father could do, he could do ; that all men were bound to honor him even as they honored the Father. Hetuming to the city, Jesus entered the synagogue. It TOUR THROUGH GALILEE. 53 was the sabbath da}', and the building was doubtless thronged, as, whei-ever Jesus now appeared, the multitude followed. It is manifest that the masses of the people were in s^'mpathy with him, though the self-righteous Pharisees and the doctors of the law sought for anopportunityof bringing forward such accusations as should turn the tide against him. In the sj'nagogue there was a man with a withered hand, who had doubtless come hoping to find Jesus and to be cured. The Pharisees watched him, to see if he would, as they deemed it, or pretended to deem it, violate the sabbath by doing a work of healing upon that da}-. Jesus, knowing their thoughts, called upon the man to rise up and stand forth in a conspicu- ous place in the presence of the whole congregation. Then, turning to the Pharisees, he said, — "I will ask 3-ou one thing: Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?" Apparent!}', without waiting for an answer, he added, — "What man shall there be among 3'oa that shall have one sheep, and, if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it and lift it out? How much, then, is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days." This unanswerable argument, of course, carried with it the convictions of the masses of the people. The Pharisees were exasperated. . Jesus, instead of assuming an air of triumph, or even feeling it, in his inmost soul was saddened by the malignant spirit displa3ed by his adversaries. "Being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man. Stretch forth Ihine hand ; and he stretched it out, and his hand was restored whole as the other." The Pharisees were so enraged in being thus baffled, that they went out and entered into a conspiracy with the parti- sans of the infamous Herod to put hini to death. Jesus, who "knew their thoughts," quietly withdrew, and, leaving •Judaea, returned to Galilee. As he travelled invariably on foot, it was a journc}-, through the whole breadth of Samaria, of several days. It is remarkable that no record of this jour- 54 BISTORT OF CRBISTIANITY. ney is given us, though Jesus was unquestionabl}* healing the sick and preaching the gospel all the waj'. "We are sim- ply informed by Mark, — "A great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judaea, and from Jerusalem, and from Idumsea, and from beyond Jordan ; and the3' about Tyi-e and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things he did, came unto him." When they reached the shores of the Sea of G-alilee, the throng became so great, that Jesus, to avoid the pressure of the crowd, entered "a small ship," or boat, and pushed out a little from the shore; "for he had healed man\-, insomuch that they pressed upon him for to touch him, as many as had plagues. And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, sa3ing. Thou art the Sou of God !" From the tumult of these exciting and exhausting scenes, Jesus escaped to the solitude of a mountain near hy, where, alone, he "continued all night in praj-er to G-od."' In the morning he called his disciples to him, and, after these long hours of iDrayer, "of them he chose twelve, whom he named apostles. And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast ont devils. Now, the names ofthese twelve apostles are those : Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother ; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother ; Philip and Bartholomew ; Thomas, and Matthew the publican ; James the 8on of Alphoeus, and LebbjBus, whose surname was Thaddrens ; Simon the Canaan- ite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him."^ Accompanied by these twelve as a select and sacred band of missionaries, and followed by the remaining band of the disciples, Josus descended from the mountain into one of the plains which fringed the shores of the Galilean lake. Imme- diately he was surrounded with "a great multitude of people which came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases, and they that were vexed with unclean spirits ; and they were »Lukc vl. 12. ' 2Matt. x. 2-4. TOUR THROUGH GALILEE. 56 healed. And the whole multitude sought to touch him ; for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all." In the presence of this vast assemblage, and in a voice which probably every one could hear, Jesus again gave full utterance to the moral principles upon which his kingdom was to be reared. In this extraordinary address, the same principles are enunciated which he proclaimed in his Sermon on the Mount, which Matthew has recorded. Luke has prob- ably given us but an epitome of this second address. It was as follows : — " And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said. Blessed are ye poor ; for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are ye that hunger now ; for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now ; for ye shall laugh. Blessed are ye when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their com- pany, and reproach you, and shall cast out your name as evU, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy ; for, behold, your reward is great in heaven ; for in like manner did their fathers unto the propbets. " But woe unto you that are rich ! for you have received your consolation. Woe unto you that are full ! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now 1 for ye shall mourn and weep. Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you ! for so did their fathers to the false prophets. " But I say unto you which hear. Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other ; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also. Give to every man that asketh of thee ; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye ? for sin- ners also love those that love them. And if ya do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye ? for sinners also do even the same. And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye ? for sinners also lend to sinners, to rp.o.eive as much agair 66 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. " But love ye your enemies, and lend, hoping for nuthing again, and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest ; for he is kind unto the unthankful and the evil. Be ye therefore merciful as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged : condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned : forgive, and ye shall be forgiven : give, and it shaU be given unto you ; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. ^ " Can the blind lead the blind ? Shall they not both fall into the ditch ? The disciple is not above his master ; but every one that is perfect shall be as his master. And why beh oldest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but per- ceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye ? Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye ? Thou hypocrite ! cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye. " For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit ; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble-bush gather they grapes. A good man, out of the good treasure of his heart, bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man, out of the evil treasure of his heart, bringeth forth that which is evil : for of the abun- dance of the heart his mouth speaketh. " And why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I wiU show you to whom he is like. He is like a man which built a house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock. And, when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it ; for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man, that, without a foundation, built a house upon the earth ; against which the stream did beat TOUR THROUGH GALILEE. 67 vehemently, and immediately it fell ; and the ruin of that house was great." At the close of this address, Jesus entered into Capernaum. There was residing in the city a centurion, or captain of a band of a hundred Roman soldiers. He had a servant who was aick, " grievously tormented, and ready to die " of a palsy. It is probable that this centurion, though a pagan by birth, had become a worshipper of the God of the Jews, and was highly esteemed by the Jewish people. Immediately upon the return of Jesus to Capernaum, the centurion repaired to the elders of the Jews, and besought them that they would intercede with Jesus in his behalf that he would heal his servant. They went in a body, the centurion accompanying them. " And, when they came to Jesus, they besought hioi instant- ly, saying. That he was worthy for whom he should do this ; for he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue." Jesus, addressing the centurion, said unto him, " I will come and heal him." The centurion replied, " Lord, I am not wor- thy that thou shouldest come under my roof; but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me : and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another. Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it." When Jesus saw that this Roman soldier, this Gentile, had such implicit confidence in him as to believe that diseases were as obedient to the command of Jesus as his own men were to his authority, he turned to his disciples, and said unto them, " Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping, and gnashing of teeth." Then, addressing the centurion, he said, "Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee." The centu- rion and his friends, returning to the house, found the servant restored to perfect health 58 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. The next day, Jesus, accompanied by hi? disciples and a large concourse of the people, went to Nain, a small city among the mountains of Galilee, about twelve miles south-west of Capernaum. " Now, when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow ; and much people of the city was with her. And, when the Lord saw her, he had compas- sion on her, and said unto her. Weep not. And he came and touched the bier ; and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee. Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak ; and he delivered him to his mother. And there came a fear [awe and amaze- ment] on all : and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us ; and, That God hath visited his people." ^ John the Baptist was now a prisoner in the castle of Ma- chsBrus. He had testified to the Messiahship of Jesus. The months were gliding away, and yet Jesus was not accomplish- ing any thing of that which the Jews had expected of their Messiah. He had filled Palestine with his fame as a great prophet, performing the most astounding miracles, and preach- ing with wisdom and power, which excited the admiration of his friends, and baffled his foes. But there were no indications whatever of any movement in the direction of driving out the Romans, and restoring the Jews to independence in a re-estab- lished kingdom which should be the wonder of the world. As John, from the glooms of his prison, watched the footsteps of Jesus, he was probably disappointed and bewildered. He began, perhaps, to doubt whether Jesus were the Messiah. He therefore sent two of his disciples to ask of Jesus distinctly the question, " Art thou he that should come ? or look we for another ? " Instead of replying to this question, Jesus performed, in the presence of the two disciples, a large number of very extraor- dinary miracles. "He cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits ; and unto many that were blind he gave sight." > Luke Tli. 12-16. TOUR THROUOH GALILEE. 59 Then, addressing the messengers from John, he said, " Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard, — how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me." Then, apparently apprehensive that his disciples might form an unfavorable opinion respecting John, as though he were fickle-minded, having once declared him to be the Messiah, and then in doubt sending to inquire if he were the Messiah, he assured them that John was not a " a reed shaken by the wind ; " that he was not a luxurious man " clothed in soft rai- ment," who could be conquered by imprisonment ; but that he was one of the most heroic and inflexible of prophets : " among them that are bom of women there hath not risen a greater." Continuing his remarks, he said that the scribes and lawyers were like capricious children invited by their playmates to join them in their amusements, but who would play neither at weddings nor funerals. Thus they rejected John because he was too austere, and Jesus because he was not austere enough. " And from the days of John the Baptist until now the king- dom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force." — "I had read this passage a hundred times," said John Randolph, " before I perceived its real meaning, — that no luke- warm seeker can become a true Christian." There were two cities, Chorazin and Bethsaida, in which Jesus had preached his gospel and performed many miracles, and they had not accepted his doctrine. Having enjoyed and rejected such privileges, Jesus declared that it would be more tolerable in the day of judgment for the heathen inhabitants of Tyre and Sidon than for them. Capernaum also received the severest denunciation. These cities have utterly perished : not even their ruins remain. And yet Jesus closed this im- pressive discourse with the soothing words, " Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me ; for I am meek, and 60 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. lowly in heart : and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." ^ Notwithstanding the severity with which Jesus denctmced the Pharisees, one of them, by the name of Simon, probably somewhat convicted of sin, invited him to dine. Jesus promptly accepted the invitation. While reclining upon a couch at the table, in the Oriental custom, one of the unhappy women of the city, of notoriously bad character, overwhelmed with remorse, came in with a box of precious ointment, and wept so bitterly, that her tears fell upon the feet of Jesus where she knelt. Che wiped the tears off with her flowing hair, and anointed his feet with the fragrant ointment. Jesus did not rebuke her. The proud, self-righteous Pharisee was offended. Though he did not venture to utter any words of reproof, he said to him- self, " This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him." Jesus knew his thoughts, and said, in those calm tones of authority which marked all his utterances, — " Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. There was a certain creditor which had two debtors : the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And, when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me, therefore, which of them will love him most ? " Simon replied, " I suppose that he to whom he forgave most.''^ Jesus said unto him, " Thou hast rightly judged." Then, turning to the weeping penitent at his feet, he said, " Simon, seest thou this woman ? I entered into thy house : thou gavest me no water for my feet ; but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss ; but this woman, since the time I came in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint ; but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Her sins, which are many, are forgiven ; for she loved much : but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little." 1 Matt. xl. 20-30. TOUR THROUGH GALILEE. 61 Then, turning to the woman, he said, " Thy sins are forgiven. And they that sat at meat with him began to say within them- selves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also ? And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee : go in peace." From the city of Nain, Jesus set out upon a new tour through the cities and villages of Galilee, accompanied by his twelve apostles. Several devoted women also accompanied them, to minister to their wants. Mary, called Magdalene (from Mag- dala, the place of her residence), and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, are specially mentioned. It was truly a missionary tour, as Jesus "went throughout every city and village, preaching and showing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God." It must have occupied several months ; and yet we have scarcely the slightest record of its events. Upon reaching Capernaum, the throng was so great, that Jesus had no time even to partake of food. A man, both blind and dumb, and possessed with a devil, was brought to him ; and he healed him. This led many to inquire, " Is not this the Messiah ? " It is interesting to observe how the feel- ings of the people vacillated. The astounding miracles which Jesus performed led them to believe that he must be the Messiah ; and yet he was making no movement whatever toward the establishment of that temporal kingdom which they supposed to be the principal object of the Messiah's com- ing. The Pharisees, as a body, were growing more and more malignant in their hostility. It was impossible for them to deny that evil spirits were compelled to obey the bidding of Jesus. They therefore absurdly affirmed that the devils obeyed him because he was " Beelzebub, the prince of the devils." It was in this connection, when the Pharisees, wilfully withstand- ing the evidence of truth, maliciously, and against the convic- tion of their own consciences, accused Jesus of being the prince of devils, that he uttered the remarkable declaration, — "Whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him ; but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come." 62 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. The serenity with which Jesus ever alluded to the grandeui of his own character and mission is worthy of special notice. There is no apparent want of modesty in his speaking of him- self in terms which, from the lips of any other man, would be deemed intolerable boasting. In the very impressive discourse uttered upon this occasion, he said, referring to himself, — "The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonas ; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it : for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon ; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here." While he was thus speaking, he was informed thjit his mother, and his brothers, James, Joses, Simon, and Judas, were standing without, and wished to speak to him. He replied, " Who is my mother ? and who are my brethren ? " Then, waving his hand towards his disciples, he added, " Behold my mother and my brethren ! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother and sister and mother." The same day on which the above transactions took place, Jesus left the city of Capernaum, and repaired to a secluded spot upon the shores of the lake. As usual, an immense con- course followed him. Here, addressing listening thousands, he resumed his preaching, standing upon a boat, while the mul- titude thronged the shore. It was on this occasion that he introduced the beautiful parable of the sower. At the close, hig disciples inquired why he addressed the people in parables. His reply was, that he did so, because that, by so speaking, hon- est inquirers for the truth could easily receive it, and be bene- fited by it ; while cavillers, who hated the truth, and were seek- ing only for opportunities to revile, had also an opportunity presented to them to develop their own wicked natures. He then introduced the parables of the wheat and the tares, of the grain of mustard-seed, of the leaven. Return- ing to the city, he entered a house with his twelve apostles, TOUR THROUGH GALILEE. 63 and there privately explained more fully to them the signifi- cance of the parables, and added three more, — the parable of the hidden treasure, of the one pearl, of the net. As the evening of this busy day approached, Jesus again sought solitude, and requested his disciples to take him in a boat across the lake to the eastern shore. The lake here was about six miles broad. Slowly moving over the calm waters, it was midnight ere they reached the middle of the lake. Suddenly a terrible tempest came sweeping down upon them from the snowy cliffs of Mount Hermon on the north. Jesus slept serenely amidst the surging waves, though the apparent danger was very great. His terrified companions awoke him, saying, rather petulantly, " Lord, save us ! Carest thou not that we perish ? " Jesus, as he looked around upon the darkness and the raging waves, rebuked the wind and the sea, and there was immediately a perfect calm. Then, turning to his disciples, he gently chided them for their unbelief. " Why are ye so fear- ful ? How is it that ye have no faith ? " Notwithstanding all they had witnessed before, the disciples were greatly im- pressed by this signal display of power, and said one to another, " What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him ? " The eastern shore of the lake was a wUd, rocky, cavernous district, which, in olden time, had been much used as catacombs for the dpad. They had scarcely landed amidst the solitude of this inhospitable region when two demoniacs came rushing out of the tombs to meet him. Of one it is said, he was exceeding fierce, so that " no man could bind him ; no, not with chains ; because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces : neither could any man tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones." From his lair this madman rushed upon Jesus to avenge this invasion of his domains. But suddenly he stopped, «eemed bewildered, terrified, and, falling upon his knees, gazed 64 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. upon the approaching stranger with speechless astonishment. Calmly Jesus addrsssed him, saying, " Come out of the man^ thou unclean spirit ! " Then ensued the following very singular colloquy : — The demoniac, with a loud voice, cried out, " What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high ? I beseech thee, torment me not." Jesus replied, "What is thy name ? " " My name is Legion," answered the demoniac ; " for we are many." The devils then besought Jesus that they might not be sent out of the country, so congenial to them, of desola- tion, rocks, and deserted tombs. Upon one of the cliffs which bordered the lake there was a herd of swine, nearly two thou- sand in number : " So the devils besought him, saying. If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine." Jesus said unto them, " Go. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine ; and the whole herd ran vio- lently down a steep place into the sea, and were choked in the sea." It is, perhaps, not strange that these demons should, under the circumstances, have conducted in a manner to us utterly inexplicable. Certainly no attempts, thus far, to show the rea- sonableness of their course, have proved successful. The keepers of the swine fled, reporting throughout the region the disaster which had befallen them, doubtless much more impressed by the loss of the swine than by the restora- tion of their brother-man from the possession of demons. The desolate country on this side of the lake was inhabited by a mixture of Jews and Gentiles. As the Jews were for- bidden by their own laws to keep swine, the keepers were either engaged in illegal business, or were Gentiles. Not far from the scene of this miracle was the small city of Gergasa. The report soon reached its streets. An immense multitude, " the whole city," flocked out " to see what was done." They found the man, whose maniacal fury had been the terror of the whole community, sitting calm and peace- ful, " in his right mind," conversing with Jesus. But they TOUR THROUGH GALILEE 66 mourned the loss of the swine. Still they stood in such fear of the power of Jesus, that they did not dare to molest him, but, with one accord, entreated him to depart out of their coasts. Jesus responded to their wishes by re-entering the ship, and returning to the other side of the lake. The grate- ful man, who had been thus miraculously delivered from the most awful doom, begged for permission to accompany him ; but Jesus withheld his consent, saying, — " Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great tilings the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee."» Upon the return of Jesus to Capernaum, he was received rery cordially by the people ; for they had missed him, and mourned even his short absence. The busy life of Jesus, in preaching his gospel, and in enforcing his authority by miraculous deeds of beneficence, seems to have engrossed every moment of his time. Immediately upon his return to Capernaum, we find him surrounded by an immense concourse of people, drawn together by the novelty and the charm of his teachings. While he was addressing them, Jairus, one of the rulers of the syna- gogue, came, and, falling upon his knees at the feet of Jesus, earnestly entreated him to save his little daughter, who was lying at the point of death. " Come, I pray thee," said he, " and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed ; and she shall live." Jesus accompanied him to his house : his disciples and the crowd followed. While on his way through the streets, a woman, afflicted by a distressing disease, which, according to the law, was pronounced unclean, and was deemed incurable, stealthily pressed her way through the crowd, and, striving to avoid observation, touched the hem of his garment ; for she said within herself, " If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole." The result cannot be more impressively told than in the words of the evangelist • " And straightway the fountain of >■ Mark y. 18-20. 66 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. her biood was dried up ; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes ? And his dis- ciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou. Who touched me ? And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. And, when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort : thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour." While this scene was transpiring, a messenger came from the house of Jairus to inform him that his daughter was dead, and that, consequently, all hope was at an end. But Jesus spoke words of encouragement to the grief-stricken father, say- ing, " Be not afraid : only believe." They repaired to the house. The members of the bereaved family were giving utterance to their grief by loud weeping and wailing. Jesus gently reproved them, intimating that he would awake her from the sleep of death, by saying, " The maid is not dead, but sleepeth." This assertion only excited the derision of the unbelieving group who had gathered around the corpse. He ordered all eo leave the death-chamber. Then, entering with the father and mother of the child, he took the lifeless hand in his own, and said, " Damsel, arise ! " Immediatf'ly the glowing blood of health rushed through her veins ; and the daughter of twelve years rose from her couch, to be encircled in the arms of her amazed and grateful parents. Thus wonder after wonder greeted the ears of the aston- ished citizens of Capernaum. Returning from the house of Jairus to the dwelling, probably the house of Peter, which he made his temporary home while in Capernaum, he was fol- lowed by two blind men, who incessantly exclaimed, " Thou eon of David, have mercy on us ! " For some unexplained rea- son, Jesus paid no apparent heed to their cry. But, when he entered the house, the blind were permitted bv the multitude TOUR THROUOR GALILEE. 67 to crowd their way in also. Jesus then, turning to tliem, said, " Believe ye that I am able to do this ? " They replied, " Yea, Lord." Then he touched their eyes, and said, " According to your faith be it unto you." We know not why Jesus shoidd have enjoined it upon these blind men, as he did upon the parents of the maiden restored to life, not to proclaim the mir- acle abroad. It seems impossible that such astounding events, occurring in a crowded city, in broad day, could be concealed, or that any advantage could be derived from their conceal- ment. Jesus returned to Nazareth ; but his reception by his fellow- townsmen was not cordial. Though he performed some mira- cles, and taught in their synagogue with such wisdom and authority as astonished them, still they rather sneeringly remarked, — " Is not this the carpenter's son ? Is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James and Joses and Simon and Judas ? And his sisters, are they not all with us ? Whence, then, hath this man all these things ? " Jesus seems to have been discouraged by this unbelieving spirit on their part ; for he soon left them, after healing a few of their sick, saying in a proverbial phrase, " A. prophet is not without honor save in his own country and in his own house." Leaving Nazareth, he again set out upon a tour through the cities and villages of Galilee, "teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people." * The material and the spiritual wants of the people deeply oppressed his spirit. " He was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad as sheep having no shepherd." In view of this moral desolation, he called his twelve chosen apostles around him, and said to them, — " The harvest truly is plenteous ; but the laborers are few. Pray ye, therefore, the Lord of the harvest, thai he wiU send forth laborers into his harvest." He then, having endowed them with miraculous powers - M'U. iz. 35. 68 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. ^hat they might cast out devils and cure diseases, sent them forth two and two " to preach the kingdom of God." In preparation for the privations and toils before them, he addressed them in the following memorable words : — " Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not ; but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And, as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils. Freely have ye received ; freely give. Provide neither gold nor silver nor brass in your purses, nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves ; for the workman is worthy of his meat. " And, into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy ; and there abide till ye go thence. And, when ye enter into a house, salute it. And, if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it; but, if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto you. It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city. " Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves : be ye, therefore, wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men : for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues ; and ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testi- mony against them and the Gentiles. But, when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak ; for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. " And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child ; and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake ; but he that endur- eth to the end shall be saved. But, when they persecute you TOUR THROUGH GALILEE. 69 in this city, flee ye into another ; for verily I say unto you, Te shall not have gone over the cities of Israel till the 3on of man he come.^ " The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord It is enough for the disciple that he be as his'master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall tbcy call them of his household ! Fear them not, therefore ; for there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed, and hid that shall not be known. What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in the light ; and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the Louse-tops. And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul ; but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. " Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing ? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. i>ut the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not, therefore : ye are of more value than many sparrows. Whtjso- ever, therefore, shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven ; but whosoevei shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. " Think not that I am come to send peace on earth : I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me ; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and fol- ioweth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. " He that receiveth you receiveth me; and he that rtrf ?- eth me receiveth Him that sent me. He that receiveth a 1 No commentator has given a satisfactory explanation of the meaning;. In tbli oonuectloD, of these l^st words. 70 EIHTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward ; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones ^ a cup of cold water only, in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, He shall in no wise lose his reward." Thus commissioned to an enterprise of toil, poverty, depriva- tion, and suffering, these apostles of Jesus went forth to preach the gospel of Christ throughout the land. Jesus also "departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities." 1 So called from their want of -wealth, rank, learning, and whatever the world ealls great. CHi^PTER III. THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS, AND MIRACLES OF HEAIjINO. . Infamy of Herod. — Jesus in the Desert. — Feeds the Five Thousand. — Walks oi the Sea. — Preaclies to the People. — Visits Tyre and Sidon. — The Syro-Phoeni clan Woman. — Cures all Manner of Diseases. — Feeds the Four Thousand. — Restores Sight to a Blind Man. — Conversation with Peter. — The Transfigura- tion. — Cure of the Lunatic. — Dispute of the Apostles. — Law of Forgiveness, — Visits Jerusalem. — Plot to seize Jesus. — The Adulteress, — Jesus the Son of God. — The Blind Man . — Parable of the Good Shepherd. — Raising of Lazarus, ^^ [E fame of Jesus had reached the ears of King Herod, the son of Herod called the Great. This wretched man had already ordered the death of his prisoner, John the Baptist, to gratify a woman who had deserted her own hus- band, and had induced him to abandon his own wife, that they might be united in guilty bonds. Agitated by remorse, he feared that his beheaded victim had risen from the grave. It would seem to be a matter deeply to be regretted that we have no record of the adventures of the apostles upon their first missionary excursion. At its close they returned to Jesus, who was at Capernaum, " and told him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught. " And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while ; for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat." Upon the northern shore of the lake, there was the city of Beth- eaida, just east of the entrance of the Jordan into the Sea of 71 72 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. Galilee. Near that place there was a desert region of silencie and solitude. Embarking in one of the fishermen's boats, called a ship, Jesus and his apostles sought this retreat ; but the excited multitude followed upon the shore on foot. There was no seclusion for Jesus. An immense crowd soon again surrounded him. They were in the desert, and, without food, were in danger of perishing. Jesus, " moved with compassion towards them, received them, and spake unto them of the king- dom of God, and healed them that had need of healing." Ascending a small eminence, Jesus looked with tender sym- pathy over the vast and hungry throng, amounting to five thousand men, besides women and children. His disciples ventured to suggest, that as night was coming on, and they had nothing to eat, he should send them all away, that in the villages around they might obtain food. Jesus requested them to ascertain how much food there was at their disposal. Hav- ing made inquiries, they reported to him that there were but five barley-loaves and two small fishes. He then requested the multitude to sit down upon the ground m companies of fifty. Taking the loaves and the fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and brake. The disci- ples then distributed to the multitude ; " and they did all eat, and were filled. And they took up of the fragments which remained twelve baskets full." Having thus fed them, Jesus requested them all to retire to their homes. At the same time, he directed his disciples to get into the ship, and return to the western side of the lake. He himself, entirely alone, went up into a mountain apart to nray. The gloom of night soon enveloped the whole region. A. violent head wind arose, tossing the little ship which contained the disciples upon a boisterous sea. It was the darkest hour of the night, just before the dawn of the morning, when the disciples, toiling at the oars against the contrary wind, were afirighted by seeing some one approach them, walking over the waves. All saw the apparition, and were so greatly alarmed, that they cried out for fear. But soon they were re-assured by hearing the well-known TEACHINGS, AND MIRACLES OF HEALING. 3 voice of Jesus saying unto them, "Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid." The impulsive Peter immediately exclaimed, " Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And, when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But, when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid ; and, beginning to sink, he cried, saying. Lord, save me ! And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, 0 thou of little faith ! wherefore didst thou doubt ? " As Jesus entered the ship, the wind ceased, and they found themselves entering their destined port near Capernaum. The crowd still thronged Jesus in ever-increasing numbers wher- ever he appeared. They came swarming over the lake in boats, and by all paths on the land, "and ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was. And whither- soever he entered, into villages or cities or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might- touch if it were but the border of his garment ; and as many as touched him were made whole." The miracles Jesus performed seemed to be but the inci- dental part of his mission, intended to draw attention to Lis preaching, and to enforce its authority. Surrounded by the turmoil, of which we can form but a feeble conception, we have the record of the following remarkable sayings. Alluding to the miracle by which he fed the five thousand, he said, — " Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you : for him hath God the Fatl icr sealed ; " that is, accredited as an ambassador. When some one alluded to the miracle which Moses per- formed in the gift of manna in the desert, Jesus replied, " Verily I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. I am the bread of life : he that cometh to me shall never hunger ; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. All that the Father giveth 74 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. me shall come to me ; and liim that cometh to me I will in nc wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, — that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of Him that sent me, — that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life ; and I wiD raise him up at the last day." It is not strange that reflective men should have been pro- foundly moved by such extraordinary utterances, sustained as they were by the most astounding miracles. Here was a man bom in their own neighborhood, in the most humble ranks of life, saying, " I am the bread of life ; " " He that cometh to me ehall never hunger ; " "I came down from heaven ; " "I will raise him up at the last day." " The Jews then murmured at him " because he said, " I am the bread which came down from heaven." But Jesus said unto them, " Murmur not among yourselves. No man can come to me, except the Father, which hath sent me, draw him ; and I wiU raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets. And they shall be all taught of God. Every man, therefore, that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. Verily I say unto you,. He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever ; and the bread that I wiU give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." Well might those who listened to such extraordinary teach- ings as these say, " Never man spake like this man." '' How can this man give us his flesh to eat ? " Jesus replied in still more extraordinary and apparently in- explicable declarations : " Verily, verily, I say unto you. Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth niv flpsh and drinketh my blood TEACHINGS, AND MIRACLES OF HEALING. 76 hath eternal life ; and I will raise him up at the last day For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father ; so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me." It was in the synagogue at Capernaum that Jesus made these remarks. Even his disciples were perplexed, and said, " This is a hard saying : who can hear it ? " Jesus, knowing their thoughts, instead of explaining his meaning, added, — " Doth this offend you ? What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before ? It is the spirit that quickeneth : the flesh profiteth nothing. The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you that believe not." ^ John, who records these words, adds, " For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away ? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go ? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe, and are sure, that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus answered, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil ? He spake of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon ; for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve." The Jewish doctors at Jerusalem, hearing of the fame of Jesus, and of the vast influence which he was acquiring, sent several of their most influential men to Galilee as spies upon his conduct, and, if possible, to entrap him. After a time, they accused the disciples of Jesus of not conforming to the ceremonial observances which their rules enjoined, — particu- larly in the matter of not performing sufficiently minute and numerous ablutions before eating, or after returning from mar- ket. Jesus silenced them by showing that they, by their unwarranted traditions, had established burdensome ceremo- ' ,)ohn vi. '25-71. 76 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. nies which the law did not enjoin, and that they had wickedly substituted these external rites for obedience, and holiness of heart. " Ye reject," said he, " the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. Ye hypocrites ! well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying. This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips ; but their heart is far from me." Soon after this, Jesus took another excursion through the whole length of Galilee, in a north-west direction, to Tyre and Sidon, in the province of Syro-Phoenicia, on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea, then cities of great commercial importance. Sidon was at the distance of about sixty miles from Caper- naum. Both of these cities were inhabited mainly by idola- ters. Entering a house in that distant region, a woman of the country, who had doubtless heard of his miraculous powers, came to him, and, in very imploring terms, cried out, — " Have mercy on me, 0 Lord, thou son of David ! my daugh- ter is grievously vexed with a devil." Jesus, for some unexplained reason, for a time paid no heetf to her cry. At length, with great seeming severity, he said to her, " It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs." She replied, " Truth, Lord ; yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table." Jesus answered, " 0 woman ! great is thy faith. Be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that hour." This is aU the record we have of this long journey. It is the general assumption that Jesus retreated to the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, not to extend his ministry there, but to obtain transient rest from its exhausting toils. Returning, he crossed the Jordan several miles above its entrance into the lake, and approached Gennesaret on its eastern shore. But his footsteps coiJd not be concealed, " Great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and 1 CACHINGS, AND MIRACLES OF HEALING. 77 cast them down at Jesus' feet ; and he healed them, insomuch that the multitude wondered when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see ; and they glorified the God of Israel." One man was brought to him here who was deaf, blind, and nearly dumb. His friends implored Jesus to interpose in his behalf Jesus moistened his own finger with spittle, and then touched his ears and his tongue. Looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said, " Be opened ! and straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain." ^ It is worthy of notice, that Jesus, in performing these won- derful miracles, manifested no spirit of exultation. In this case, looking up to heaven, " he sighed." This same pensive mood of mind seemed to accompany all his teachings and all his actions. Jesus was here again in the comparatively desolate region on the east side of the lake. Four thousand men, besides women and children, had gathered around him. " I have compassion on the multitude," said Jesus, " because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat ; and, if I send them away to their own houses fasting, they will faint by the way." There were but seven loaves and a few little fishes at hand. Jesus, as before, directed all the multitude to sit down upon the ground. He then took the seven loaves and the fishes, gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples to dis- tribute to the multitude. When all had been abundantly sat- isfied, seven baskets of the fragments were gathered up. Dismissing the well-fed multitude, all whose sick he had also healed, Jesus took ship and crossed the lake to Dalma- nutha, a small town on the western shore of the lake, about twenty miles south of Capernaum. Some scribes and Phari- sees came to him in a cavilling spirit, demanding that he should perform some miracle for their special entertainment or satisfaction." Saddened by the unbelieving, captious disposi- > Mark vil. 35. 78 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. tion they manifested, " lie sighed deeply in spirit ; " and, refus- ing to minister to their entertainment, he left them, and returned to the other side of the lake, warning his disciples to beware of the doctrine of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The ship landed them again at Bethsaida, on the north-eastern shore of the lake, near the spot where he had performed the miracle of feeding the multitude with the loaves and the tishes. A blind man was brought to him, whom he healed by applying spittle to his sightless eyes. He then, we cannot tell why, sent him away to his house, saying, "Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town." ^ About fifteen miles north of Bethsaida, near the source of the Jordan, was the somewhat important town of Csesarea Phil- ippi. There were a few scattered villages in the sparsely-set- tled region between. Sauntering along on foot in one of the lonely roads of this secluded and romantic region, ascending the eastern banks of the Jordan, he withdrew for a little time from his disciples to a solitary place for prayer. Then, return- ing to them, he inquired, — " Whom do men say that I the Son of man am ? " And they said, Some say, John the Baptist ; some, Elias ; and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets." "But whom say ye that I am?" he added. Simon Peter replied, " Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." It seems from this conversation that the people generally did not recognize Jesus as the long-expected Messiah. They supposed that he was to appear in great pomp and power, drive the Roman invaders out of Palestine, and restore the kingdom again to Israel. But, when Peter announced so emphatically his conviction that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, Jesus replied, — " Blessed art thou, Simon, son of Jonas ; for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church ; and the gates of hell 1 Mark viii. 'ifS. TEACHINGS, AND MIRACLES OF HEALING. 79 shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven ; and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Upon this remarkable declaration has been reared the stU' pendous fabric of the Papal Churcii, with the assumption that Peter was here appointed the vicegerent of Christ, with power to forgive sin, and condemn to eternal death ; and this su- premacy was to be extended to his successors. For the follow- ing reasons, Protestants reject this interpretation: — 1. " Upon this rock " means. Upon this declaration that Jesus is the Christ ; in accordance with the reiterated assertion, that " other foundation can no man lay than is laid, which is Jesus Christ." 2. Whatever may be meant by the expression, " I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom ; and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and what- soever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven," can- not be intended to confer any special supremacy upon Peter, since the same authority was immediately (Matt, xviii. 18) extended to all the apostles. It is very evident that Jesus did not regard Peter as infalli- ble ; since he soon administered to him the terrible rebuke, " Get thee behind me, Satan ! " It is equally plain that the other apostles did not so regard him ; since it is recorded (Gal. ii. 11) that Paul withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed. To bind and to loose, in Jewish phrase, was to prohibit and to permit. By this phrase, Jesus announced that his apostles were to be divinely guided in the organization of the Church. Such rites and ceremonies as they should establish were to have the force of divine authority. It was but gradually that Jesus revealed the great mystery of his kingdom to his disciples. He now, for the first time, began to unfold to them the truth, — that he was to go to Jeru- salem, there to suffer and to be killed, and to rise again from the dead on the third day. The impetuous Peter, perhaps unduly elated by the commendation he had just received, with the grossest impropriety took it upon himself to rebuke liis 80 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. Lord and Master, whom he had just confessed to be the Mes- siah. Jesus turned upon him, and, with terrible severity, said, — " Get thee behind me, Satan ! thou art an offence unto me ; for thou savorest not [dost not understand] the things that be of God, but those that be of men." Peter needed this rebuke ; and it certainly must have satis- fied him that he could set up no claim to infalhbility. Jesus, continuing his address to his apostles, said, in words which will ever vibrate throughout the whole Christian world, — " If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it ; and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's shall find it. For what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul ? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul ? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his angels ; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. Verily I say unto you. That there be some of them that stand here which shall not taste of death till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power." ^ This conversation took place far away amidst the wild and mountainous solitudes of the north, in the vicinity of Caesarea Philippi. Just north of them swept the magnificent moun- tain-range of Great Hermon. Rugged peaks were rising from the plain all around. Jesus, who ever loved the stillness of the night and the solitude of the mountain, took with him three of his disciples, Peter, James, and John, and ascended one of these eminences " to pi ay." " And, as he prayed, he was transfigured before them ; and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the 1 Matthew expresses the same idea by the words, " Till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." This wonderful expansion of the kingdom of Christ wai Vndeed witnessed on the day of Pentecost, and in many subsequent scenes. TEACHINGS, AND MIRACLES OF HEALING. 81 light. And tliere appeared unto them Moses and Elias talk- ing with him ; and they spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. " But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with aleep ; and, when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him. And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles, — one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias, — not knowing what he said. "While he yet spake, behold a bright cloud overshad- owed them. And there came a voice out of the cloud, which said. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased : hear ye him. " And, when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces, and were sore afraid. And Jesus came and toucihed them, and said. Arise, and be not afraid ; and, when chey had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man save Jesus only." Thus there were three witnesses to the divine attestation that Jesus was the Messiah. Still, when they were descend- ing the mountain, Jesus requested them to " tell the vision to no man until the Son of man be risen again from the dead." It was difficult for the disciples to accept the doctrine of a Messiah who should be put to death : it caused an utter be- wilderment of all their preconceived conceptions of a Messiah triumphant over all his foes. As they walked along, " they questioned one with another what the rising from the dead should mean." It seems that they were thrown into a state of great perplexity, and began again to doubt whether Josus were really the Messiah ; for the next day they cautiously inquired of him how it was that "the scribes say that Elias must first come." Jesus informed them that Elias had already come, in the person of John the Baptist ; and that, as the scribes had done to him whatever they chose, " so likewise shall the Son of man suft'er of them." As soon as Jesus appeared, descending from the mountain, a multitude rapidly gathered around him. A father, who had 82 HISTORY OF CIIRISTIANITT. heard of the fame of Jesus, had brought his son to be healed who was suffering terribly from a foul spirit. He had arrived while Jesus was upon the mountain, and had applied to his disciples for aid. As soon as Jesus appeared, the father hast- ened to him, and, falling upon his knees before him, said, — " Lord, have mercy on my son ; for he is lunatic, and sore vexed : for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. " Then Jesus answered and said, 0 faithless and perverse generation ! how long shall I be with you ? how long shall I sufier you ? Bring him hither to me." The child was brought to Jesus, and was immediately seized with terrible convulsions. To the inquiry of Jesus, "How long is it ago since this came unto him ? " the father replied, " Of a child ; and ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him. But, if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. " Jesus said unto him. If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. " And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears. Lord, I believe : help thou mine unbelief. " When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. "And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him. And he was as one dead ; insomuch that many said. He is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up, and delivered him again to his father." The disciples soon after came to Jesus, and inquired of him, privately, why they could not cast out that evil spirit. To this Jesus made the remarkable reply, not easily to be fully com- prehended by our weak faith, — " Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you. If ye have faith as a grain of mustard-seed, ye shall say unto this mountain [probably pointing to the Mount of Transfiguration], llemove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove ; arc^ TEACHINGS, AND MIRACLES OF HEALING. 83 nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit, this kind goeth not out but by- prayer and fasting." ^ Jesus now commenced another tour through the cities and villages of Galilee, preaching the gospel and healing the sick, everywhere creating amazement "at the mighty power of God." WhiJe on this tour, he again informed his disciples, in most emphatic terms, of his approaching death at Jerusalem. " The Son of man," said he, " is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him ; and, after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day." ^ But the apostles could not understand how the Messiah could be put to death. " They were exceeding sorry," and " under- stood not that saying," and " were afraid to ask him." As the apostles journeyed along, following the footsteps of Jesus, a discussion rose among them as to who would be pre-eminent in the kingdom of the Messiah. " Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, asked them. What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way ? But they held their peace ; for by the way they had disputed among themselves who should be the greatest. And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them. If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of aU. And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them ; fl,nd, when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them. Verily I say unto you. Except ye be converted, and become as \ittle children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever, therefore, shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso ?hall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me ; and whoso shall receive me, receiveth, not me, but Him that sent me." When they had returned to Capernaum, the question rose respecting paying tribute-money, which Jesus paid by sending Peter to the lake to catch a fish, in whose mouth a piece of money was found. Jesus also made some very striking remarks, recorded by both Matthew and Mark, respecting the fearful consequence of tempting others to sin.^ » Matt. xvU. 20, 21. = Matt, xviii. 2-4; Mark ii. 31, 33-36. » Mntt. xviii. 6-y ; Mark ix. +4-50. 84 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. He also introduced the parable of the lost sheep, gave them instructions respecting their dealings with a Christian brother who should fall into sin, and conferred upon them all the same authority to establish rules for the government of the Church which before he had apparently conferred upon Peter. " Whatso- ever ye shall bind on earth shall be boimd in heaven, and what- soever shall be loosed on earth shall be loosed in heaven." He then assured them, that, in the organization of the Church, if any two should agree about the arrangement of afifairs, it should be ratified by God. " If two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shal. ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven ; for where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." When Peter asked Jesus if he should forgive a brother who had sinned against him seven times, he replied, " I say not unto thee, Until seven times ; but. Until seventy times seven." He then introduced the parable of the king and his debtors. The Jews' feast of tabernacles was at hand. Jesus had thus far performed his miracles and proclaimed his teachings almost entirely in the remote province of Galilee. His breth- ren urged him to go up to Jerusalem, the thronged metropolis, that he might " show himself to the world." They said this sarcastically ; for, notwithstanding all his mighty works, it is recorded that " his brethren " did not believe in him. Jesus, however, said that the time had not yet come for him to go to Jerusalem ; adding, " The world cannot hate you ; but me it hateth, because I testify of it that the works thereof are evil." Jesus remained in Galilee until after his brethren had gone up to Jerusalem. At the feast, there was a very general inquiry where Jesus was. It was supposed, that, being a Jew, he cer- tainly would not abstain from being present. There was also great diversity of opinion expressed respecting his character; some saying that he was a good man, while others said that he was deceiving the people. About the middle of the feast, Jesus made his appearance, and, entering the temple, taught the people. His words and TEACHINGS, AND MIRACLES OF HEALING. 85 manner excited the surprise of all who heard him, leading them to say, "How knoweth this man letters, having never learned ? " Jesus replied, — " My doctrine is not mine, but His that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, wi' ether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory ; but he that seeketh His glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. Did not Moses give you the law ? and yet none of you keepeth the law. Why go ye about to kill me ? " The people replied in words which showed their rising hatred, " Thou hast a devil. Who goeth about to kill thee ? " Jesus, referring to the healing of the man at the Pool of Bethesda, said, " I have done one work, and ye all marvel." Then, to show them the unreasonableness of their hostility to him because he thus healed a man on the sabbath day, he said, " Moses gave unto you circumcision ; and ye, on the sabbath day, circumcise a man. If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken, are ye angry at me because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day ? " The appearance of Jesus and his teaching excited great commotion in Jerusalem ; and there was much discussion among the people, whether he were the Messiah. The rulers were bewildered. They wished to arrest him and silence him ; but there was nothing in what he said or did which could war- rant them in any acts of violence. Many of the people in Jerusalem expressed the belief that Jesus was the Messiah, saying, " When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than this man hath done ? " The Pharisees and chief priests, alarmed by these indications of increasing popular favor, secretly sent officers to take him ; but, though Jesus continued teaching the people without adopting any measures of conceal- ment or defence, for some unexplained reason the officers did not arrest him. He, however, made an announcement to the people, which, at the time, they did not fully comprehend, — that, when his appointed time came, he should return to hia 86 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITT. Father in heaven, and that then they would seek him in vain. " Yet a little while," said he, " am I with you ; and then I go unto Him that sent me. Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me ; and where I am, thither ye cannot come." ^ Thus he continued boldly teaching until the last great day of the feast, when, in an emphatic voice, he uttered in the tem- ple the memorable words, so assuming if he were but a man, so suitable if he were divine, " If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink ; " adding, in phrase still figurative, that those who thus partook of the fountain of living waters should bestow liberal and constant blessings on their fellow-men. When the ofl&cers who had been sent to arrest Jesus returned without him, they replied to the inquiry why they had done so, "Never man spake like this man." The Pharisees scornfully retorted, alluding to the undoubted fact that it was the common people who generally accepted Jesus, "Are ye also deceived ? Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him ? But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed." Here Nicodemus, who was a member of the council, and who, several months before, had visited Jesus by night, ventured timidly to interpose. "Doth our law," he inquired, "judge any man before it hear him and know what he doeth ? " He was silenced by the contemptuous and somewhat menacing reply) " Art thou also of Galilee ? Search and look ; for out of G-alilee ariseth no prophet." While the rulers were thus seeking to entrap Jesus, he left the city, and ascended the greensward of the Mount of Olives, about a mile east of the walls. Here it seems that he spent the night beneath the stars of that serene and genial clime. Early the next morning, he returned to the temple. A multi- tude, as usual, gathered around him. The following remarkable scene which then ensued cannot be better described than in the language of the inspired writers : — " And the scribes and Pharisees brought vinto him a woman taken in adultery ; and, when they had set her in the midst, they say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in i John vii. 34. TEACHINGS, AND MIRACLES OF HEALING. 87 the very act. Now, Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned; but what sayest thou ? This they said tempting him, that they might accuse him. " But Jesus stooped do\vn, and with his finger wrote on the ground. So, when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them. He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last ; and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her. Woman, where are those thine accusers ? hath no man condemned thee ? She said, No man. Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee : go, and sin no more." ^ Then, turning to the people assembled in the temple, he said, in phrases which will cause every thoughtful mind to pause and ponder, " I am the light of the world. He that foUoweth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." These were, indeed, very extraordinary assertions upon any other assumption than that he was truly the " brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of his person." The Pharisees accused him of boasting, saying, "Thou bearest rec- ord of thyself : thy record is not true." Jesus re-aflfirmed his declaration, saying, "Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true : for I know whence I came, and whither I go ; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go. Ye judge after the flesh : I judge no man. And yet, if I judge, my judgment is true ; for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me. It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. I am one that bear witness of myself; and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me." ^ To this they replied with the question, " Where is thy Fa- ther ? " They had before sought to kill him because he said that God was his Father. > John vili. 2-7. ' John viii. 13-18. 88 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. Jesus answered, " Ye neither know me, nor my Father : if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also. I go my way ; and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins : whither I go ye cannot come. Ye are from beneath ; I am from above : ye are of this world ; I am not of this world. 1 said, therefore, unto you, that ye shall die in your sins ; for, if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins." They responded, " Who art thou ? " Jesus, evading an explicit answer, replied, " Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning. I have many things to say and to judge of you : but He that sent me is true ; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him. When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but, as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And He that sent me is with me : the Father hath not left me alone ; for I do always those things that please him." We are informed that many were convinced by these words that Jesus was the Messiah. Addressing them, he said, " If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed ; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." But his opponents rejoined, "We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man. How sayest thou. Ye shall be made free ? " Jesus replied, *' Verily, verily, I say unto you. Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house forever; but the Son abideth ever. If the Son, therefore, shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. I know that ye are Abraham's seed ; but ye seek to kiU me be- cause my word hath no place in you. I speak that which I have seen with my Father ; and ye do that which ye have seen with your father." "Abraham," said they, "is our father." Jesus rephed, " If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God : this did not Abraham. Ye do the deeds of your father." TEACHINGS, AND MIRACLES OF HEALING. 89 Then said they unto him, " We be not bom of fornication. We have one Father, even God," " If God were your Father," Jesus rejoined, *' ye would love me ; for I proceeded forth and came from God. Neither came I of myself; but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech ? because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own ; for he is a liar, and the father of it. And, because I tell you the truth, ye believe not. Which of you convinceth me of sin ? And, if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me ? He that is of God heareth God's word. Ye, therefore, hear them not, because ye are not of God." The rulers, growing more and more exasperated by this plainness of speech, replied, " Say we not well that thou art a. Samaritan, and hast a devil ? " Jesus answered, "I have not a devil; but I honor my Father, and ye do dishonor me. And I seek not mine own glory : there is one that seeketh and judgeth. Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death." His opponents replied, "Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets ; and thou sayest. If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead ? and the prophets are dead. Whom makest thou thyself ? " Jesus answered, " If I honor myself, my honor is nothing. It is my Father that honoreth me, of whom ye say that he is your God. Yet ye have not known him. But I know him ; and, if I should say I know him no.t, I shall be a liar like unto you : but I know him, and keep his saying. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day ; and he saw it, and was glad." Then said the Jews, " Thou art not yet fifty years old ; and hast thou seen Abraham ? " 90 'history of CRRISTIAmTY. Jesus replied, " Before Abraham was, I am." The exasperation of his foes now exceeded all hounds, and they began to pick up stones to stone him ; but Jesus, exer- ciaiug that marvellous power by which he had before extricated himself from the violence of his enemies, quietly retired from the temple, passing through the midst of them. Entering the streets of the city, he met a man blind from his birth. His disciples asked the question which has been re- echoed -by ail thoughtful minds from that day to this : " Mas- ter, who did pin, this man, or his parents, that he was born bliiid?" Jesus replied, that his calamity was not to be attributed to any paxticular sin of himself or his parents. " Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents ; but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of Him that sent me while it is day : the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." He then anointed the eyes of the blind man with clay moistened with spittle, and directed him to wash in the Pool of Siloam. He did so, and his sight was restored. It was the sabbath day^ The Pharisees, enraged, said, " This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day." Others, however, replied, "How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles ? " And thus all Jerusalem was agitated by diversity of opinion. The rulers, in their madness, had passed a decree, that, if any one should confess that he believed that Christ was the Messiah, he should be put out of the synagogue ; that is, he should be exposed to the terrible doom of excommuni- cation, which was attended with awful maledictions, exclu- sion from all intercourse with society, and which prohibited every one from ministering in any way whatever to his wants. Still the excitement in the city was every hour rising higher and higher. The blind man was universally known. His miraculous cure no one could deny. Neither the blind man nor his parents dared to avow their belief that Jesus was the Messiah. When the parents were questioned, they referred TEACHINGS, AND MIRACLES OF HEALING. 91 the questioner to their son, saying, " He is of age : ask him." When the son was questioned, he was equally cautious in his responses. The Pharisees who approached him said. " Give God the praise : we know that this man is a sinner." He replied, " Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not. One thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see." To their reiterated inquiry, " How opened he thine eyes ? " he replied, somewhat provoked, "I have told you already, and ye did not hear. Wherefore would ye hear it again ? Will ye, also, be his di.^ciples ? " This taunt increased their exasperation : and they retorted, " Thou art his disciple ; but we are Moses' disciples. We know that God spake unto Moses : as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is." With unexpected boldness, the man rejoined, " Why, herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not whence he is ; and yet he hath opened mine eyes. Now, we know that God heareth not sinners ; but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. If this man were not of God, he could do nothing." For this speech, cautious as it was, the rulers excommuni- cated the man. Jesus heard of it, and went in search of him. Having found him, he inquired, " Dost thou believe on the Son of God ? " The man replied, " Who 's he, Lord, that I might believe on him ? " Jesus said, " Thoi hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee." To this emphatic declaration, that Tesus was the Messiah, the man replied, "Lord, 1 believe." The inspired historian adds, "And he worshipped him;" thai is, paid homage to him as the Messiah. Jesus then delivered to those who hai gathered around him the parable of the good shepherd, and explained it, saying, — "lam the good shepherd, and kno'v my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold. Them also I must 92 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITr. bring, and they shall hear my voice ; and there shall be one fold and one shepherd. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me ; but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father." Such remarks as these increased the excitement and the diversity of opinion which prevailed respecting Jesus. Many of them said, "He hath a devil, and is mad: why hear ye him?" Others said, "These are not the words of him that hath a devil : can a devil open the eyes of the blind ? " It is probable, that, after this, -Jesus returned to Capernaum in Galilee. Two months passed, during which he was un- doubtedly active in his mission ; but we have no record what- ever of any thing which he said or did. The feast of the dedication commenced on the fifteenth day of December, and continued eight days. We find Jesus again at Jerusalem. The record of John is as follows : — " And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon's porch. Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him. How long dost thou make us to doubt ? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly." Jesus replied, " I told you, and ye believed not. The works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me : and I give unto them eternal life ; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. I and my Father are one." ^ This assertion of the oneness of Jesus with the Father so exasperated the unbelieving Jews, that they took up stones to stone him. Jesus said to them, "Many good works have I showed you from my Father : for which of those works do ye stone me ? " They replied, " For a good work we stone thee not, but for 1 John X. 25-31. TEACHINGS, AND MIRACLES OF HEALING. 93 blasphemy, and because that thou, being a man, makest thy- self God," Jesus replied in words which the Jews understood to be re- affirming his statement, " Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods ? If he called them gods unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken, say ye of him whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the world. Thou blasphemest, because I said I am the Son of God ? If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not ; but if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works ; that ye may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in him." This renewed assertion of his equality with God induced the Jews again to take up stones to stone him ; " but he es- caped out of their hands." Leaving Jerusalem, he crossed the River Jordan, and entered that wilderness region which had been rendered memorable by the preaching and the baptism of John. There, at a distance of about a hundred miles from his implacable foes, beneath the shadows of Mount Gilead, he resumed preaching the gospel to the multitudes of the common people who resorted to hear him. It is written that " many believed on him there." A few miles east from Jerusalem there was the little village of Bethany, where a man by the name of Lazarus resided with his two sisters, Martha and Mary. They were the warm friends of Jesus, and their dwelling had been one of his favorite resorts. Lazarus was taken sick. His sisters imme- diately sent word to Jesus, who, in the wilderness, was one or two days' journey from Bethany. Jesus, instead of hurrying to his afflicted friends, said calmly to the messenger, " This sick- ness IS not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby." Two days passed by ; and then he said to his disciples, " Let us go into Judaea again." They endeavored to dissuade him, saying, " Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee ; and goest thou thither again ? " He, however, informed his disciples that Lazarus was dead, and intimated to them that he must go to raise him from the grave. Accompanied by his disciples, he reached Bethany. Martha 94 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. hastened to meet him before he entered the town, and gently reproached him, yet in terms expressive of her unbounded confidence. "Lord, if thou hadst been here," she said, "my brother had not died; but I know that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee." " Thy brother," said Jesus, "shall rise again." " I know," Martha rejoined, " that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day." Jesus replied, "I am the resurrection and the life.^ He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live ; and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?" " Yea, Lord," Martha replied : " I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world." Mary soon joined her sister, and, falling at the feet of Jesus, exclaimed, " Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. When Jesus, therefore, saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, and said. Where have ye laid him ? " Together they went to the tomb, where the body was already mouldering to corruption. When they reached the tomb, Jesus wept. He directed the stone which was the door of the tomb to be moved. Then, lifting his eyes to heaven, he said, — " Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always; but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me." Then in a loud voice, addressing the dead, he exclaimed, " Lazarus, come forth ! " Immediately Lazarus, embarrassed by the wrappings of the grave-clothes, rose, and came out from the tomb, and returned to his home with his friends. This miracle led many of the Jews to accept Jesus as the ^lessiah. But it only exasperated the Pharisees, and they met together to devise some plan by which they could secure his destruction. We are informed, that, consequently, "Jesus walked no more openly among the Jews, but went thence 1 The Author of the resurrection, and the Giver of eternal life. TEACHINGS, AND MIRACLES OF HEALING. 93 unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephra- im." This was probably a small town several miles north-east from Jerusalem. We know not how long Jesus remained here with his disciples, and we have no record either of his sayings or doings while in this place. The inspired penman informs us, " When the time was come that he should be received up, he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem." ^ > Lake ix. 61. CHAPTER IV. LAST LABORS, AND FAREWELL TO HIS DISCIPLES. Journey to Jerusalem. — Mission of the Seventy. — Jesus teaches his Disciples to pray. — Lament over Jerusalem. — Return to Galilee. — The Second Coming of Christ. — Dangers of the Rich. — Promise to his Disciples. — Foretells his Death. — Zacchaeus. — Mary anoints Jesus. —Enters Jerusalem. — Drives the Traffickers from the Temple. — The Pharisees try to entrap him. — The De- struction of Jerusalem, and the Second Coming. —Judas agrees to betray Jesus. — The Last Supper. — The Prayer of Jesus. S Jesus was journeying back from Ephraim to Jerusalem with his disciples, he entered a town of the Samaritans, where the inhabitants, learn- ing that he was on his way to Jerusalem, did not give him a hospitable reception. Two of his disciples, James and John, were so indignant at their ..conduct, that they asked for authority to command fire from heaven to consume them. Jesus mildly rebuked them, saying, "Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of ; for the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them." And he passed on to another village. Ae they were toiling along over the shadowless plains, an enthusiastic convert came to him, saying, " Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest." Jesus replied, " Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests ; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head." ^ Though he thus gently repelled this man, — who, perhaps, expected to derive some considerable worldly advantage from following him, — to another whom he met he said, " Follow 1 Luke ix. 58. 96 LAST LABORS, AND FAREWELL. 97 me." But this man made an excuse, — apparently a ve)?y sufficient one, — saying, " I ord, suffer me first to go and bury my father." Jesus repliea, *' Let the dead bury their dead ; but go thou and preach the kingdom of God." There were doubtless circumstances in this case, with which we are not familiar, which justified this seemingly harsh reply. The meaning was quite obvious, — " Let those who are dead in sin take care of the dead ; " and Jesus doubtless meant to teach by this that nothing whatever is to be allowed to divert the mind from religion. When another said, " Lord, I will follow thee ; but let me first go bid them farewell which are at home at my house," he replied, " No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of Gcd." "After these things," it is written, "the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place whither he himself would come." He g&.T3 them the same directions, and almost in the same words, which he had previously given to the twelve apostles. As these disciples returned from their short but important mis- sion to preach the gospel, they said joyfully, " Lord, even the devils are subject unto us throug^i thy name." Jesus made the memorable reply, — " I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy ; and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding, in this rejoice not that the spirits are subject unto you ; but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven." A lawyer, one whose profession was to study the Jewish law, feigning a desire to be instructed, and yet probably seek- ing to entrap him, asked, " Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life ? " Jesus replied, " What is written in the law ? How readest ttiou?" The lawyer replied, " Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength ; and thy neighbor as thyself." 98 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. Jesus responded, " Thou hast answered right. This do, and thou shalt live." But the lawyer was by no means satisfied by this sin:T)le announcement of duty, and in a cavilling spirit inquired, " And who is my neighbor ? " Jesus replied in the beautiful parable of the Good Samari- tan.i On his way to Jerusalem, he visited Bethany, the home of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. As he drew near to Jerusalem, which was to be the scene of his fearful sufferings, he was much engaged in prayer. It is recorded, "And it came to pass, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, — " Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy wiU be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins ; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation ; but deliver us from evil." ' This prayer is precisely the same in spirit, and almost the same in words, with that which Jesus gave in the Sermon on the Mount, and was followed with very similar instructions, urging importunity in prayer. In this discourse he introduced the parables of the rich man, the wise steward, the unfaithful servant, and the barren fig-tree. While engaged in these various works of instruction and healing, he, on his tour of mercy, again visited Galilee. Some of the Jews came to him, and urged him to leave the dominions of Herod, as Herod was seeking to kiU him. Jesus replied, — " Go ye and teU that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to-day and to-morrow, and the third day I shall be per- fected." It is supposed that Herod had cunningly sent these men, hoping thus to frighten Jesus out of his realms. The reply, which was somewhat proverbial, was simply, " TeU » Luke X. 30-37 • Ltike xl. 2-4. LAST LABORS, AND FAREWELL. 99 Herod not to be troubled. I am not violating the laws : I am engaged in works of mercy. For two or three days more I shall remain in his domains, and shall then go to Jerusalem • there my course will be ended." Jesus added, — " Nevertheless, I must walk to-day and to-morrow and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem. 0 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee ! how often would I have gathered thy children together as a hen doth gai'/her her brood under her wings, and ye would not ! Be- hold, your house is left unto you desolate ; and verily I say rnto you, Ye shall not see me until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the L:rd." Unremittingly Jesus continued in his walks of usefulness, preaching the gospel, healing the sick, comforting the afflicted, and silencing the cavils of his foes. The record we have of these tireless labors is very brief, and apparently without re- gard to chronology. It was probably at this time that he uttered the parables of the wedding and of the great supper.^ Multitudes continually thronged around him. To them he said, " If any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother, and wife and children, and brethren and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." In Scripture phrase, " to hate " often signifies to love less. This was a decla- ration that Christ was to be loved supremely. No one could be his disciple who was not willing to forsake all earthly pos- sessions and friends, if need be, for his cause.* The self-righteous Pharisees complained that "this man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them." Jesus replied in the beautiful parables of the lost sheep, the lost piece of money, and that most impressive, perhaps, of aH his parables, the prodigal son; assuring poor sinners that not only God, with parental love, welcomed their return to him, but that there was joy in the presence of the angels of God over one repentant sinner. » Luke xiv. 9-25. ' Luke xiv. 1-24. 100 niSTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. Each parable seems to have been a reply to some inquiry, remark, or opposition, on the part of those who listened to him. Thus he introduced the parable of the unjust steward, and of the rich man and Lazarus.^ In this latter parable, it is clearly taught that the soul, im- mediately upon death, proceeds to a state of reward or of pun- ishment ; and as flame causes the most direful material anguish, 80 sin causes the acutest suffering of which the immaterial nature is susceptible, Jesus was now on his route to Jerusalem through the vil- lages and cities of Galilee and Samaria. He crossed the Jordan, and preached in the rural districts beyond. Large multitudes followed him It is impossible now to ascer<"am the route he took in these journeyings. The Pharisees acked when the kingdom of God — that is, the reign of the Messiah — should commence. He made the memorable reply, which is still read with awe, as indicative of scenes of unspeakable sub- limity and terror yet to come : — " As the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part imder heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven ; so shall also the Son of man be in his day. But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation. And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man : they did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. " Likewise, also, as it was in the days of Lot : they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed." ^ In these revelations of awful scenes to come, there is an ap- parent blending of the terrible suffering which was soon to befall Jerusalem in its utter overthrow and of the final com- ing of Christ at the day of judgment. 1 Luke xvl. 1-31. " Luke xvii. 24-30. LAST LABORS, AND FAREWELL. 101 Again he urged persevering prayer by the parable of the importunate widow/ and enjoined humility by the parable of the Pharisee and the publican.'* The question of divorce was presented to him, with the statement that Moses had allowed it for very trivial causes. Jesus replied, that, in the eyes of God, divorce and subsequent marriage could only be justified upon the ground of a violation of the marriage oath.^ Some children were brought to him to be blessed. He laid his hands upon their heads, and prayed ; and then said, " Who- soever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein." A young man of wealth, and, as a ruler, occupying posts of honor, came to Jesus, and, rather boastfully asserting that he had kept all the commandments from his youth up, inquired what more he must do that he might enter the kingdom of God. It is said that Jesus, looking upon the ingenuous young man of unblemished morals, ''loved him, and said unto him. One thing thou lackest : go thy way ; sell whatso- ever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven ; and come, take up the cross, and follow me." This was merely reiterating the declaration, that every one who w( uld be a disciple of Jesus must be willing, at his com- mand, to make any sacrifice whatever. The test proved that the young man loved wealth more than Christ. " He went away sorrowful ; for he had great possessions." It is recorded, when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, "How hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God ! " Then, using an expression proverbial for denoting any thing remarkably diflScult, he added, ''It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." Peter, who, since the severe rebuke administered to him by Jesus, seems to have been very retiring, said, " Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. What shall we have, there- fore ? " Jesus replied, — 1 Luke xii. 5-8. » Luke xviu. 11-14, » Matt. xix. 3-12. 102 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. "Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive a hun- dred-fold, and shall inherit everlasting life." ^ It is supposed that Jesus was at this time on the eastern side of Jordan, nearly opposite Jericho. The reply to Peter was followed by the parable of the householder and his labor- ers. Jesus crossed the ford, and, entering Judaea, directed his steps towards Jerusalem. His disciples, conscious of the peril to which he would expose himself in the metropolis, were amazed and afraid. Jesus called the twelve around him, and said to them, — "Behold, we go up to Jerusalem ; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes ; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles ; and they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him ; and the third day he shall rise again." ^ The idea that the Messiah could be put to death — He who had power to bring the dead to life — was so incomprehensible to the apostles, that they could not receive the meaning of his words. They, however, walked along, conversing as they went ; and both Matthew and Mark record several of the memorable sayings of Jesus by the way.' As they drew near to Jericho, a blind man, waiting for him by the wayside, earnestly implored relief. Jesus restored hia lost vision, simply saying, " Receive thy sight : thy faith hath saved thee." From Jericho, which was about twenty miles north-east from Jerusalem, they continued their journey, followed by an im- mense multitude. Two-blind men, as Jesus approached, loudly > Matt. xix. 49. « Mark x. 33, 34. 3 Matt. XX. 26-28: Mark x. 43-45. LAST LABORS, AND FAREWELL. 103 implored his aid. He touclied their eyes, and immediately their eyes received sight. A rich man, named Zacchseus, a chief publican, being of short stature, climbed a tree that he might see Jesus as he passed. Jesus called him down, saying, "To-day I must' abide at thy house." Zacchaeus hastened down, and received Jesus with great ocrdiality. Again there was murmuring because Jesus was ' guest with a man that is a sinner." It seems that Zacchaeus was in heart a better man than he was in repute : for Jesus said, " This day is salvation come to this house ; for- asmuch as he also is a son of Abraham." Then, in allusion to the charge that he associated with sinners, he said, " For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." Notwithstanding what Jesus had said respecting his ap- proaching sufferings and death at Jerusalem, his disciples still expected that there would be some signal displays of his power there in the establishment of a glorious reign. Jesus, there- fore, addressed them in the parable of the nobleman and his servants. Six days before the passover, Jesus reached Bethany. A very careful computation has led to the opinion that this was on the 30th of March, the year of our Lord 30. A supper was provided for him at the house of Lazarus, Martha, and Mary. Lazarus sat at the table. The grateful Mary, taking an "alabaster box of ointment very precious," anointed the head and the feet of Jesus. The house was filled with the fragrant odor. The estimated value of this was about fifty dollars, — a much larger sum in those days than now. Several who were present considered it an act of great ex- travagance. That sum, distributed among the poor, would have relieved much distress. Judas Iscariot, who was the treasurer of the little band, murmured loudly, saying, " Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor ? " " This he said," John adds, " not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein." But Jesus coicn:cuded the deed in the remarkable words, 104 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. *' She hatli wrought a good work on me : for ye have the poor always with you, and, whenever ye will, ye may do them good ; but me ye have not always She hath done what she could. She has come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shah be preached in the whole world, there shall also thib, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her." ^ Curiosity to see Lazarus, as well as to see Jesus, asseml .ed an immense crowd around the house. The raising of Lazarus from the dead, and his daily appearance, were evidence of the miraculous powers of Jesus which no argument could refute. The chief priests were so malignant that they consulted io put Lazarus to death, "because that by reason of him many of the Jews believed on Jesus." Leaving Bethany, — which, it will be remembered, was but about two miles east of Jerusalem, on the eastern declivity of the Mount of Olives, — Jesus advanced toward Jerusalem, As the rumor of his approach was circulated through the streets, a vast throng poured out at the gates to meet him. They bore branches of palm-trees in their hands, and shouted, as they escorted him in triumph, " Hosanna ! Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord ! " "^ Near a ham- let at the Mount of Olives, Jesus procured a young ass which had never been mounted. His disciples spread some of their garments on the ass, and Jesus took his seat thereon. A con- queror would have wished to enter the city on a spirited war- horse gayly caparisoned. Jesus studiously avoided aU such parade. The overjoyed multitude, however, " spread their gar- ments in the way ; others cut down branches from the trees, and strewed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before and that followed cried, saying, Plosauna to the Son of David ! Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord ! Hosanna in the highest ! " ' As Jesus, thus accompanied, commenced the western descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole city lay spread out as a panorama before him. "And, when he was come near, he 1 Matt. xxvl. 10-13. » John xii. 12, 1.3. « Matt. xxl. 8, 9. LAST LABORS, AND FAREWELL. 105 belield the city, and wept over it, saying, If tliou hadst known, even tliou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace ! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, and shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee ; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another ; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation." ^ The whole city of Jerusalem was agitated by the coming of Jesus, the now widely-renowned prophet of Galilee. Jesus proceeded at once to the temple. The blind and the lame were brought in throngs to him. He healed them all. The city resounded with his acclaim. Even the children in the streets shouted, " Hosanna to the Son of David ! " The chief priests and the scribes were sorely annoyed, saying, "The world has gone after him." Some Gieeks who were in Jerusalem came to the disciples, and expressed a wish to see Jesus. They were brought to him. Jesus, probably addressing them, said, — " The nour is come that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily I say unto you. Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground, and die, it abideth alone; but, if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it ; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me ; and where I am, there shall also my servant be. If any man serve me, him will my Father honor. Now is my soul troubled ; and what shall I say ? Father, save me from this hour ; but for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name." It .-s added, "Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again." All who stood by heard the supernatural noise, and some the distinctly-articulated voice, and said, " An angel spake to him." Jesus answered, — " This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes. Now » Lukexix. 41-43. 106 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. is the judgment of this world; now shall the prince of thij world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." " This," adds the inspired writer, " he said, signifying what death he sbould die." The people, bewildered by such assertions, replied, "We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth forever ; and how say est thou. The Son of man must be lifted up ? "Who is this Son of man ? " Jesus answered, " Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you ; for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have the light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light." Jesus, after these words, withdrew secretly with his disciples from the city (for it was night), and returned to Bethany. In the morning, he came back to Jerusalem. Being hungry, and seeing a fig-tree by the way, he went to it, and found leaves only. We know not now what lesson Jesus intended to teach us : he said, " Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward forever." The tree withered away. Again, finding the temple sacri- legiously perverted to purposes of traffic, he, by his authori- tative person and voice, drove the traffickers out, saying, " It is written. My house shall be called the house of prayer j but ye have made it a den of thieves." The scribes and chief priests were becoming more and more exasperated by these reproofs. But they feared to lay violent hands upon Jesus, he was so popular with the masses of the people. He continued through the day teaching the crowds ever thronging the temple to listen to his calm, impressive words. At the approach of evening, he returned to the quietude of Bethany, and in the morning re-entered the city. As he was teaching in the temple, the chief priests and scribes came and inquired of him by what authority he did these things. Jesus baffled their malignity by asking them what they thought of the prophet John. They were greatly annoyed. If they should say he was a prophet, Jesus would inquire why they did not believe in him. If, on the other hand, they should say LAST LABORS, AND FAREWELL. 107 that he was but a common man, the indignation of the people would be aroused ; for they all regarded John as a prophet. They therefore said, " We cannot tell." Jesus replied, " Nei- ther do I tell you by what authority I do these things." Hav- ing thus silenced them^ and put them to shame, Jesus addressed them in the parable of the father and his two sons, and then in the parable of the vineyard let out to husbandmen.^ He made such personal application of these parables as to leave no doubt yn the minds of the scribes and Pharisees that he referred to them. " But, when they sought to lay hands upon him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet." Another parable he added, that of the marriage- feast, illustrative of the same truth, that the Gentiles would enter the kingdom of God, which the Jews refused to enter. The Pharisees endeavored to entrap him by inducing him to say something which would render him unpopular with the people. After much deliberation, they sent some spies to him to inquire whether it were lawful to pay tribute to Caesar, who had conquered and enslaved them. If he should say " No," it would be treason : if he should say " Yes," it would exasperate the people. Jesus, " knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me ? Bring me a penny. And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and super- scription ? They said unto him, Caesar's. Jesus, answering, said, Eender to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." It is added, "They mar- velled, and left him, and went their way." Again : the Sadducees, who denied the doctrine of the resur- rection, inquired of him whose wife a woman in the resurrec- tion would be, who had married, one after another, seven hus- bands. Their cavilling spirit was silenced by the reply, that, in the future world, those who should *' rise from the dead " would not marry, but would be as the angels of God in heaven.* He then re-affirmed the doctrine of a future life, saying — » Matt. xxi. 28-12. • Matt. xxi. 24-30; Mark xii. 18-25; Luke xx. 27-36. 108 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. "Now, that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob ; for he is not the God of the dead, but of the living." ^ The Pharisees were quite pleased in finding the Sadducees thus confounded. StiU they sought ;;he destruction of Jesus. After taking counsel together, they commissioned one of their lawyers to ask which was the chiei commandment of the law. Among these ritualists, there was quite a diversity of opinion upon this subject. Some said, " Sacrifices ; " others, "Circum- cision ; " others, " The law of the sabbath," &c. Jesus re- plied, — "The first of all the commandments is. Hear, 0 Israeli The Lord our God is one Lord. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with aU thy mind: this is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it : Thou sh»»Jt love thy neighbor as thy- self. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." ^ It is recorded, "No man, after this, durst ask him any question." Jesus now, in his turn, asked the Pharisees a question, to show them the divine character of the Messiah, and how far their views of his dignity fell short of the truth. " What think ye of Christ ? whose son is he ? " They re- plied, "' The son of David." Jesus rejoined, " How, then, doth David, by the Holy Ghost, call him Lord, saying, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand till I make chine enemies thy footstool ? If David, then, call him Lord, how is he his son ? " They agaiji being thus bafiled, it is recorded, "And no man was able to answer him a word." Jesus then warned his disciples to beware of the pride, am- bition, and ostentation of the scribes; of their ceremonial display, and of their moral corruption. In the temple were placed several money-boxes to receive the voluntary contribu- tions of the people for the service of the temple. Jesus no- 1 Luke XX. 37. 38. » Matt. xxii. 32. LAST LAPORS, AND FAREWELL. 109 ticed the people as they came with their contributions, — many of the rich casting in large sums, not at all unwilling that the amount should be known by the lookers-on. "And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all : for all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God ; but she, of her penury, hath cast in all the living that she hath." ^ Notwithstanding the abounding evidence of the divine mis- sion of Jesus, there were many who hardened their hearts, and who refused to believe in him. Others there were, then as now, who, though they were convinced of his Messiah- ship, had not sufficient moral courage to confess him before men. It is recorded, "Nevertheless, among the chief rulers, also, many believed on him : but, because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue ; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God." ^ In reference to all who thus rejected him, Jesus exclaimed, " He that believeth on me, believeth, not on me, but on Him tbar sent me; and he that seeth me seeth Him that sent me. I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not ; for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejectetla me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him : the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father rhich sent me, he gave me a commandment what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that his command- ment is life everlasting : whatsoever I speak, therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak." ^ He then, addressing the multitude, warned them in the most solemn manner to avoid the hypocrisy and haughty display of these proud and pompous ceremonialists. His denunciations » Luke xxi. 3, 4. ' Luke xii. 42, 43. « Johu xil. 44-60, 110 BISTORT OF CHRISTIANITY. of them were terrible, and must have roused them to the highest pitch of rage. " Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites !" he said, "for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men ; for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are enter- ing to go in. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypo- crites ! for ye devour widows' houses, and, for a pretence^ make long prayer : therefore ye shall receive the greater dam- nation. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites ! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte ; and, when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves," &c.^ A more terrible, and at the same time calm and truthful, de- nunciation cannot be found in any language. As Jesus Ipft the temple, his disciples called his attention to the massive stones of which it was reared. Jesus assured them ttat the temple was to be so utterly destroyed, that not one stone should be left upon another. Departing from the city, he went with his disciples to the Mount of Olives. As he sat upon that eminence, which overlooked the city, he gave them an api-fll- ing account of the scenes wh.ch were to ensue at the time of its destruction. In reference to the persecutions which they were to encounter, he said, "For they shall deliver you up to councils, and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten ; and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them. But when they shall lead, you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate : but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye ; for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost. Now, the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son ; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake ; but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." ^ In continuation of this wonderful discourse, and in reply to » See Matt, xxiii. J»-37. » Mark xiii 9-13. LAST LABORS, AND FAREWELL. Ill an inquiry what should be the sign of his coming and cf the end of the world, Jesus added, — "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn ; and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet ; and they shall gather to- gether his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled." ^ He then adds, "But of that day and hour knoweth no man; no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father." There is no portion of Scripture which has occasioned more perplexity than these predictions of Jesus, contained in the twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth chapters of Matthew ; and it may also be said that there is no portion of the New Testa- ment which is read with more interest, or which inspires more profound and religious emotion. Jesus was speaking to his disciples of the overthrow of Jerusalem, and of the utter de- struction of the temple. They said, " Tell us, when shall these things be ? and what shall be the sign of thy coming and of the end of the world ? " Here were two distinct questions, but which were probably erroneously associated in the minds of the disciples as one. They probably supposed that Christ's second coming, the de- struction of Jerusalem, and the end of the world, were to be the same event. In the reply of Jesus, these events are so blended, that occurrences are apparently brought together which are actually separated by many centuries. Many suppose that the destruction of Jerusalem is foretold from the beginning of the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew to the twenty-ninth verse ; that, from the twenty-ninth verse of the twenty-fourth chapter to the thirtieth verse of the twenty-fifth chapter, the second advent of Christ is foretold ; and that, from the thirty- iirst verse to the end of the chapter, Christ speaks of the final judgment. » Matt. xxiv. 30-34. 112 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. There are not a few careful students of the Bible who sup- pose that there are here indicated three distinct comings of Christ, — first, for the destruction of Jerusalem ; second, to es- tablish a millennial reign upon earth ; and, thirdly, his coming in the day of judgment at the end of the world. Upon this general subject, the following judicious remarks by Rev. Wil- liam Hanna will recommend themselves to the reader : — "It so happens, that, among those who have made the prov- ince of unfulfilled prophecy their peculiar study, the most various and the most discordant opinions prevail. They differ, not only in their interpretation of individual prophecies, but in the sys- tems or methods of interpretation which they employ. For some this region of biblical study has had a strange fascina- tion ; and, once drawn into it, there appears to be a great diffi- culty in getting out again. Perhaps the very dimness and doubtfulness that belong to it constitute one of its attractions. The lights are but few, and struggling and obscure ; yet each new entrant fancies he has found the clew that leads through the labyrinth, and, with a confidence proportioned to the diffi- culties he imagines he has overcome, would persuade us to accompany him. Instead of inclining us the more to enter, the very number and force of these conflicting invitations serve rather to repel." ^ At the conclusion of these announcements respecting the future, Jesus gives a very sublime description of the day of final judgment, in which he represents himself as seated upon the throne to pronounce the irreversible verdicts. " When the Son of man," he said, " shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory : and before him shall be gathered all nations ; and he shall separate them one from another as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats ; and he shall sei. the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Then shall he say also unto 1 The Life of Christ, by Rev. William B. Hanna, D.D., LL.D., p. 667. I 1 # . ^ * LAST LABORS, AND FAREWELL. US grief. " The disciples looked oue on another, doubting of whom he spake ; and they were exceeding sorrowful, and began, every one of them, to say unto him, Lord, is it I? " He replied, "It is one of the twelve that dippeth with me in the dish." John, who is represented as the favorite disciple of Jesus, was sitting next to him, and reclining upon his bosom. Peter beckoned to him to ask whom he meant. " Lord, who is it?" said John. Jesus replied, " lie it is to whom I shall give a sop when I have dipped it." And, when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot ; and, after the sop, Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, "That thou doest, do quickly.'" Judas immediately rose, and went out ; " and it was night." As soon as he had left, Jesus said to the remaining eleven, " Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified iu him. If Grod be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in him- self, and shall straightway glorify him. Little children, yet a little while I am with 3-ou. Ye shall seek me ; and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go ye cannot come, so now I say to 3'ou. A new commandment I give unto you. That ye love oue another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." Peter said unto him, "Lord, whither goest thou?" Jesus replied, "Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now ; but thou shalt follow me afterwards." Peter rejoined, " Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake. Jesus answered, "Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake ? Verily, verily, I say unto thee. The cock shall not crow till thou hast denied me thrice. Simon, Simon, behold Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift 3'ou as wheat ; but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not ; and, when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." " Peter rejoined, " Lord, I am ready to go with thee both into 1 John xill. 28, 29. 2 Converted,— Avhen thou art turned to me, after having forsaken me. 116 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. prison and to death." But Jesus reiterated his assertion, '- 1 tell tliee, Peter, the cock shall no^- crow this day before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me." After this and some other conversation, Jesus '■ took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it ; for this is my hlood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show forth the Lord's death till he come. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." Then, to comfort them in view of the terrible disappoint- ment thoy would encounter in his death, he said, " Let not your heart be troubled : ye believe in God ; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions : if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And, if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know." Thomas, one of the twelve, inquired, " Lord, we know not whither thou goest ; and how can we know the waj' ? " Jesus replied, " I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also ; and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him." Philip, another of the twelve, said, " Lord, show us the Fv ther, and it sufficeth us." Jesus replied, " Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip ? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou, then. Show us the Father ? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me ? The words that I speak unto you, I speak not of myself ; but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me ; or else believe me for the very works' sake. Verily I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works LAST LABORS, AND FAREWELL. 117 that I do shall he do also ; and greater works than these shall he do, because I go unto the Father.^ "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. 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 forever; even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot re- ceive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him : but ye know him ; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. " I will not leave you comfortless : I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more ; but ye see me.^ Because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me ; and he that loveth me shaU be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him." Judas, the brother of James, and who subsequently wrote the Spistle of Jude, inquired, " Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world ? " Jesus replied, " If a man love me, he will keep my words ; and ii.y Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings ; and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the father's which sent me. These thipgs have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you; but the Comforter, which is t;tie Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you aU things, and bring all things to jDur remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. " Peace I leave with you ; my peace I give unto you : not as the world giveth give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neitner let it be afraid. Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved -ne, ye wculd rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father; for * By " wo'-ks " is h .re probably meant all that the apostles did to moke an tKpressiou upon mankind. * " r shall continue to see me by faith." 118 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. my Father is greater than I. And now I have told you be- fore it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe. Hereafter I wiU not talk much with you ; for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. But that the world may know that I love the Father ; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence." It was now probably about midnight. Jesus and his apostles sang a hymn, rose from the paschal supper, and went to the Mount of Olives. Jesus was going to be betrayed, and to die, with the whole scene of suffering open to his mind. His apostles, bewildered, and overwhelmed with grief, knew that something awful was about to take place ; but they scaisely comprehended what. As they walked sadly along, Jesus con- tinued his discourse, saying, " I am the true vine, and my Fa- ther is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away; and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. ISTow ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself except it abide in tha vine, no more can ye except ye abide in me. I am the vine : ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit ; for without me ye can do nothing. " If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into tha fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my woids abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear mach fruit : so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you : continue ye in my love. These things have I spoken unto you that my joy migh^^ remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my command- ment. That ye love one another as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants ; for tha LAST LABORS, AND FAREWELL. 119 servant knowetli not what his lord doeth : but I have called you friends ; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me ; but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. " These things I command you, that ye love one another. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own ; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. If they have persecuted rue, they will also persecute you ; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, be- cause they know not Him that sent me. If I had not come %nd spoken unto them, they had not had sin ; but now they have no cloak for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Fathe" also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin; but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written 'n their law. They hated me without a cause. But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Fa- ther, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me ; and ye also shall bear wit- ness, because ye have been with me from the beginning." Jesus then again warned the apostles of the sufferings to which they would be exposed ; entreated them to persevere ; assured them that he would send the Comforter to sustain them in every trial, who should guide them to all truth ; and reiterated the assertion, " I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world : again I leave the world, and go to the Father." * Having thus finished his farewell discourse to his apostles, standing with them at midnight upon the greensward outside ' John xvi. 1-23. 120 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. of the walls of the city, with darkness and silence around, and the stars above, he raised his eyes to heaven, and breathed the most solemn, comprehensive, and impressive prayer that was ever uttered by mortal lips. " Father," said he, " the hour is come : glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee : as thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the earth : I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, 0 Father ! glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. I have mani- fested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me oat of the world : thine they were, and thou gavest them me ; and they have kept thy word. Now, they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me ; and I;hey hava received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. " I pray for them : I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me ; for they are thine. And aU mine are thine, and thine are mine ; and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world ; and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one as we are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name. Those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost but the son of perdition ; that the scripture might be fulfilled. And now come I to thee ; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. " I have given them thy word ; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They »re not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify LAST LABORS, AND FAREWELL. 121 them through thy truth : thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into th« world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. " Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shah believe on me through their word ; that they all may be one ; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be Dne in us ; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them, that they may be one even as we are one : I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one ; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them as thou hast loved me. " Father, I wUl that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me ; for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. 0 righteous Father ! the World hath not known thee ; but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them thy name, and «vili declare it ; that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them." ' ^ John xtU. CHAPTER V. AKREST, TRIAL, AND CRUCIFIXION. Asguish of Jesus. — His Prayers in the Garden. — The Arrest. — Peter's Reck lessnesit. — Flight of the Apostles. — Jesus led to Annas; to Caiaphas. — Jesui affirms that he is the Messiah. — Frivolous Accusations. — Peter denies his Lord. — Jesus Is conducted to Pilate. — The Examination. — Scourging the Innocent. — Insults and Mockery. — Rage of the Chief Priests and Scribes.— Embarrassment of Pilate. — He surrenders Jesus to his Enemies. — The Cruci- fixion. — The Resurrection. — Repeated Appearance to his Disciples. ICSUS having finished this prayer, the little band descended into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, a deep and dark ravine, and, crossing the Brook Kedron, entered the Garden of Gethsemane, a secluded spot, which Christ often visited for retirement and prayer. Here Jesus seems to have been over- whelmed in contemplating the mysterious suffer- ings he was about to experience. The language used by the inspired writers indicates the highest possible degree of men- tal agony. He " began to be sore amazed and very heavy." These words, in the original, express the most excruciating anguish, — a torture which threatens to separate soul from body, and which utterly overwhelms the sufferer. As though he could not bear to be alone in that dreadful hour, he took with him Peter, James, and John, and withdrew from the rest of the apostles, for a little distance, into the silence and midnight gloom of the garden. He then said to his three compan- ions, — 122 THE PRAYER IN THE GARDEN. ARREST, TRIAL, AND CRUCIFIXION. 123 "My -soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. Tarry ye here, and watch with me." He then withdrew a little farther — " about a stone's cast " — from them, and fell upon his face, on the ground, and prayed, Baying, — " 0 my Father ! if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt." In answer to his prayer, an angel appeared unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And yet, notwithstanding the support thus furnished, the anguish of this dreadful hour in which he was about to bear the mysterious burden of the woild's atonement was so terrible, that, "being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly ; and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." ^ After this scene of anguish and prayer, which probably occu- pied an hour, he returned to his three disciples, and found them asleep. He gently reproached them, saying to Peter, " Could ye not watch with me one hour ? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing; but the flash is weak." Again he retired the second time, and the same scene of inexpressible and unimaginable mental suffering was re-enacted. Jesus recoiled not from the physical pain of the cross ; never were buffeting, scourging, crucifixion, borne more meekly, more uncomplainingly : but this agony seems to have surpassed aU mortal comprehension. It is recorded, — " He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, 0 my Father ! if this cup may not pass away except I drink it, thy will be done." Returning, he found his friends once more asleep. It was late in the night ; and, worn out with anxiety and exhaustion, we are told that " their eyes were heavy." It is evident that Jesus, engaged in his agonizing prayer, had been for some time absent from them. He did not reproach them, and they had no excuse to offer. " And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the 1 Luke xxii. 43. 44. 124 HISTORY OF CHRISTIAI^ITY. third time, saying the same words." Then, returning, and find- ing them stUl asleep, he said, perhaps a little reproachfully, — " Sleep on now, and take your rest. Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going. Behold, he is at hand that doth betray me." While he was speaking these words, the light of torches was seen approaching. Judas knew well where to find Jesus ; for he had often accompanied him to this retreat. He took with him a band of Roman soldiers, and of&cers of the Sanhedrim, "with lanterns, torches, and weapons." As it was night, and Jesus, in the shades of the garden, was accompanied by his twelve disciples, there was danger that he might escape, and in the ruorning rally the people to his rescue. Also, in the darkness, it would be difficult for the soldiers to discriminate persons so as to know which of them to arrest. Judas, there- fore, gave them a sign, saying, — "Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he. Take him, and hold him fast." The kiss was then the ordinary mode of salutation, like shak- ing of hands now. Judas, followed by the band, approacned his well-known Lord, and said, "Hail, Master; and kissed him." Jesus calmly replied, — " Friend, wherefore art thou come ? Betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss ? " Advancing towards the soldiers, he said to them, " Whom aeek ye ? " They said, " Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus replied, " I am he." There was something in his address and bearing which so overawed them, that for a moment they were power- less ; and " they went backward, and fell to the ground." " Then asked he them again. Whom seek ye ? And they eaid, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he. If, therefore, ye seek me, let these go the'r way." Judas slunk away into the darkness, and the soldiers seized Jesus. The impetuous Peter "drew a sword," probably snatch- ing it from one of the soldiers, and " smote a servant of the ARREST, TRIAL, AND CRUCIFIXION. 125 high priest, and cut off his ear." Jesus reproved him, Baying, — " Put up again thy sword into his place ; for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he sh?,ll presently give me more than twelve legions of angels ? But how, then, shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be ? '' Turning to the wounded servant, he said to him, " Suifer ye thus far ; " and, touching his ear, he healed him. Then, ad- dressing the soldiers, he said, — "Are ye come out as against a thief, with swords and staves, to take me ? I was daily with you in the temple, and ye took me not ; but the scriptures must be fulfilled. This is your hour and the power of darkness." It seems incomprehensible, that, under these circumstances, the apostles could have been so terror-stricken, as, with one accord, to have abandoned Jesus, and fled ; but they all did it, — the valiant Peter with the rest. Jesus, thus utterly for- saken, was left alone with his enemies. The soldiers bound Jesus, and conducted him back into the city, and led him to the house of Annas. He had formerly b'^en high priest. His son-in-law Caiaphas now occupied that oflGce. Annas was a man of great influence, and it was impor- tant to obtain his sanction in the lawless enterprise in which the Jewish rulers were now engaged. It seems that Annas was not disposed to incur the responsibility of these deeds of violence ; and Jesus was led to the house of Caiaphas. Of the dispersed apostles, two of them (Peter, and probably John) fol- lowed the guard at a distance, furtively creeping beneath the shadows of the trees and the houses. Though it was still night, a meeting of the Sanhedrim, but an illegal one, had been convened in the palace of Caiaphas. Twenty-three mem- bers constituted a court. Caiaphas presided. Jesus was led into the hall before them for a preliminary examination. By this time there was probably some considerable tumult, and the gradual gathering of a crowd. Peter and the other apostle cautiously approached the palace, and obtained admis- 126 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. sion to watch the proceedings, without making themselves known as the followers of Jesus. Peter sat with the servants, who had gathered around the fire which had heen kindled in the great hall. The high priest inquired of Jesus respecting the number of his followers, and the sentiments he had inculcated. Jesus replied, — '' I spake openly to the world. I ever taught in the syna- gogue and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort. In secret have I said nothing. Why askest thou me ? Ask them which heard me : behold, they know what I said." This reply, though perfectly respectful, so exasperated one of the attending officers, that he struck Jesus in the face with the palm of his hand. To this Jesus meekly replied, " If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil ; but if well, why smitest thou me ? " False witnesses had been bribed to testify against Jesus ; but they contradicted each other, and could bring forward no charge against him worthy of serious consideration. At last they brought forth the silly accusation, ^' We heard him say, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days." Jesus did not condescend any reply to such frivolous charges, but maintained perfect silence. Caiaphas said to him, "Answerest thou nothing? What is it which these witness against theo ? " Still Jesus was silent. The charges brought against him were sufficiently preposterous, without any defence on his part. Caiaphas was not a little perplexed, and in hif> perplexity said, — " I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell u? whethei thou be the Christ, the Son of God." Jesus replied, " I am ; and hereafter ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in th" clouds of heaven." Caiaphas affected to be shocked. He rent his dotnes, -say- ing, " What need we any further witnesses ? Ye have heard the blasphemy. What think ye ? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death." ARREST, TRIAL, AND CRUCIFIXION. 127 While this cruel farce was being enacted, Peter sat warming himself by the fire, not far from Jesus, conversing occasionally with the servants. One of the maid-servants looked upon him, and said, " Thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth." Peter replied, "Woman, I know him not." Soon after, a man-ser^'ant reiterated the charge, saying, " Thou art also of them." Peter again replied, " Man, I am not." About an hour after, several who ^tood by said, " Surely thou art one of them ; for thou art a Galilean, and thy speech bewrayeth thee. But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak." Just at that moment, the clear crowing of a cock was heard once and again. Jesus, who had overheard all this conversa- tion, turned round, and simply looked at Peter. That sad and sorrowing plance pierced like a two-edged sword. The pro- phetic words of Jesus rang in his ears : " Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice." The wretched man " went out and wept bitterly." A scene of awful insult and suffering now ensued, such as perhaps never before or since has been witnessed in a nominal court of justice. They spat in his face ; they beat him with their clinched fists and with the palms of their hands ; they mocked him, sayin?^, "Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee ?" Even the servants joined in the gen- eral outrage of derision and violence. The morning had now dawned. The chief priests and elders took counsel how they might put Jesus to death. This could not be done without the consent of the Roman governor. They therefore bound him again, and led him to Pontius Pilate, a cruel despot, who was then Roman governor of Judaea. Early as it was,. quite a crowd followed as Jesus was led from the hall of Caiaphas to the judgment-seat of Pilate. In the mean time, the miserable Judas Iscariot, overwhelmed with remorse, threw away his thirty pieces of silver, and went and hanged himself Pilate met the Jews with their vic- tim as they approached the judgment-hall, and inquired, '* What accusation bring ye against this man ? " They replied, 128 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. ''If he were iiot a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee." Pilate replied, ''Take him and judge him according to your law." They, thirsting for his blood, an- swered, " It is not lawful for us to put any man to death." Pilate then addressed himself to Jesus, and inquired, " Art thou King of the Jews ? " Jesus replied by asking the ques- tion, — "Sayest thou this of thyself? or did others tell it thee of me 'f '' Pilate answered, " Am I a Jew ? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me. What hast thou done?" Jesus replied, " My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants tight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews ; but now is my king- dom not from hence." Pilate rejoined, " Art thou a king, then ? " Jesus said, "Thou sayest " (i.e., it is so) " I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice." Pilate, having carelessly inquired " What is truth ? " with- out waiting for any answer, turned to the Jews, and said, " I find in him no fault at all. But ye have a custom that I should release unto you one at the passover : will ye, therefore^ that I release unto you the King of the Jews ?" There was then in prison a noted robber and murderer by the name of Barabbas. With one accord these Jewish rulers cried out, " Not this man, but Barabbas ! " Then Pilate, though he had already declared Jesus to be innocent, infamously ordered him to be scourged, that he misrht conciliate the favor of the Jews. It pales one's cheek to think jvhat it was to be scourged by the sinewy arms of the Roman soldiery.^ After Jesus had undergone this terrible * "Cruel hands disrobed the still uncomplaining sufferer. Brawny arms wielded upon his naked back the fearful scourge, whose thongs of leather, loaded with sharp metal, cut at every stroke their bloody furrow in the quivering desh. This torture, beneath which many a strong man had given up his life, could not extort from the steadfast heart of Jesus a single groan." — Life of Jesus o/Naza- k'tf'vt by Lyman Abbott, p. 469 ARREST, TRT.AL, AND CRUCIFIXION. 129 inflicticn without the utterance of a word, while fainting with aifgnish and the loss of blood, the ribald soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and forced it upon his brow, piercing the flesh with its sharp points, and crimsoning his cheeks with blood. A purple robe they threw over his shoulders, and placed a reed, in mockery of a sceptre, in his hand : derisively they shouted, " Hail, King of the Jews ! " while they smote him with their hands. The infamous Pilate led Jesus forth thus, exhausted, bleed- ing, and held up co derision, to the Jews, saying at the same time, " Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him." But the rulers, clamorous for his blood, not satisfied with even this aspect of misery, cried out, " Crucify him, crucify him ! " Pilate, wicked as he was, recoiled from the thought of putting one so entirely innocent to death. He therefore said impa- tiently and sarcastically, " TaK3 ye him, and crucify him ; for I find no fault in him." This he said, knowing that the Jews had no legal power to da this. But they replied, "We have a law ; and by our law he ought to die, because he made him- self the Son of God." Pilate was greatly troubled. The bearing of Jesus had deeply impressed him. He was fearful that there might be Bomething divine in his character and mission. Turning to Jesus, he said, "Whence art thou ? " (i.e., "What is thy origin and parentage ? ") Jesus made no reply. Pilate then added, — " Speakest thou not unto me ? Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and power to release thee ? " Jesus replied, " Thou couldst have no power at all except it were given thee from above. Therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin." ^ Pilate was now really desirous of liberatiug Jesus ; but being a weak and wavering man, totally deficient in moral courage, he knew not how to resist the clamors of the Jews. They endeavored to goad him to gratify them by the menace, * This probably refers to Caiaphas, the higli priest, as representing the Jewish authorities. 9 130 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. " If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend. Who- soever maketh himself a king speaketh against Csesar." Pilate was not on very good terms with the imperial gov- ernment. He knew that any report that he was unfaithful to Caesar might cost him his ofl&ce. Pilate still persisted, "I find no fault "'n this man. And they were more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place." Pilate caught at this allusion to Galilee, and hoped that there was a new chance to extricate himself from his diffi- culties. As a Galilean, Jesus belonged to Herod's jurisdiction ; and it so chanced that Herod was at that time in J erusalem. He therefore sent him under a guard to Herod. A band of chief priests and scribes accompanied the prisoner to this jxqw tribunal, and "vehemently accused him. Herod, with his men at war, set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate. It was now about twelve o'clock at noon. Pilate presented Jesus to the Jews, saying scornfully, " Behold your King ! " A scene of tumult and clamor ensued, the rulers crying out, " Crucify him, crucify him ! " Then Pilate said, " Ye have brought this man unto me as one that perverteth the people ; and behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him : no, nor yet Herod ; for I sent you to him ; and, lo, noth- ing worthy of death is done unto him. I will therefore chas- tise him and release him." ^ Still the clamor rose, " Crucify him, crucify him ! " Pilata was seriously troubled. While these scenes had been trans- piring, his wife had sent a messenger to him, saying, — " Have thou nothing to do with that just man ; for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him." But Pilate had force of character only in wickedness. In violation of every dictate of his judgment, he surrendered Jesus to his foes. " When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, > Luke xxiii. 13-16. ARREST, TRIAL, AND CRUCIFIXION. 131 and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person. See ye to it." The Jews replied, " His blood be on us and on our chil- dren." Pilate then, having released Barabbas, again ordered Jesus to be scourged, and delivered him to the Jews to be cru- cified. The soldiers led Jesus into the common hall of the palace, and summoned all their comrades to take part in the aw- ful tragedy in which they were engaged. First they stripped Jesus, then put on him a scarlet robe, placed a crown of thorns upon his head, put a reed in his hand, and bowed the knee before him, and derisively exclaimed, "Hai;. King of the Jews!" At length, weary of the mockery, they took off his impe- ;ial robes, clothed him again in his own garments, spat upon him, smote him on the head with the reed, and led him away to crucify Lim. A heavy wooden cross was placed upon the shoulders of Jesus, which he was to bear outside of the watls of the city, where it was to be planted, and he was to be nailed to it. Exhausted by the sufferings which he had already endured, he soon sank fainting beneath the load. The soldiers met a stranger from Cyrene, and compelled him to bear the cross. Thus they proceeded, followed by an im- mense crowd of people, men and women, many of the women weeping bitterly. Jesus turned to them, and said, — "Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yoarselves and for your children. For, behold, the days are coming in which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains. Fall on us ; and to the hills. Cover us. For, if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry." ^ They came to a small eminence, a short distance from the city, and beyond its walls, which was called Mount Calvary, sometimes Golgotha. The place of the execution of Jesus is not now known. He was nailed by his hands and his feet to 1 This last phrase was a proverbial expression. A " green tree " represented the righteous ; the " dry tree " the wiclied, fit only to be burned. 132 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. the cross, and the cross was planted in the ground. By his side two thieves suflFered the same punishment. Jesus, as in thia hour of terrible agony he looked down from the cross upon his foes, was heard to breathe the prayer, "Father, forgive them ; for they know not what they do." Pilate wrote the inscription, " Jesus of Nazareth, the KiiiTG OF THE Jews." This, in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, was nailed over the cross. The Jews wished to have it changed to ^^ He said I am the King of the Jews;" but Pilate refused to make the alteration. Of the two thieves who were crucified with Jesus, one was obdurate. Even in that houi of suffering and death he could revile Jesus, saying, " If thotr be the Christ, save thyself and us." The other, in the spirit of true penitence, rebuked the companion of his crimes, say- iiig,— "Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art m the same condemnation ? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds ; but this man hath done nothing amiss." Then, turning his eyes to Jesus, he said, " Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." Jesus replied, " Verily I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise." As Jesus hung upon the cross, his sufferings excited no pity on the part of his foes. They reviled him, saying, " If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. H« saved others : himself he cannot save. He trusted in God : let him deliver him now, if he will have him ; for he said, I am the Son of God." The mother of Jesus, and two other women who had been his devoted friends, and the apostle John, stood by the side of the cross. Jesus, addressing his mother, and then turning his eyes to John, said, " Woman, behold thy son ! " To John he said, " Behold thy mother ! " From that hour John took Mary to his home. There now came supernatural darkness over the whole land, which continued until about three o'clock. Jesus, being then in his dying agonies, exclaimed with a loud voice, " My God; ARREST, TRIAL, AND CRUCIFIXION. 133 my God, why hast thou forsaken me ? " and then he added, " I thirst." Some one, probably kindly disposed, ran, and, fill- ing a sponge with vinegar, raised it upon a reed to the lips of the sufferer. Jesus, simply tasting of it, said, " It is fin- ished I " and with a loud voice exclaimed, " Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit ! " and died. At that moment, the massive veil of the temple in Jerusa- lem, which concealed the holy of holies, was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. There was an earthquake rend- ing the solid rocks. Many graves were burst open, and the bodies of the saints which slumbered in them came forth to life, " and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many." These startling phenomena greatly alarmed the crowd which was gathered around the cross. "Truly," many of them ex- claimed, "this was the Son of God." It was Friday after- noon. At the going-down of the sun, the Jewish sabbath would commence. Being the sabbath of the commencement of the paschal feast, it was a day of unusual solemnity. The Jews, unwilling that the bodies should remain upon the cross over the sabbath, applied to Pilate to hasten the lingering death of the crucified by breaking their legs. The brutal Roman soldiers did this brutally to the two men who were crucified with Jesus. But when they came to Jesus, and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers, to make it certain that life was extinct, thrust his spear deeply into his side. The outflow of blood and water indicated that the spear had pierced both the pericardium and the heart. It is recorded that these thiugs were done that the scrip- ture might be fulfilled, " A bone of him shall not be broken ; " and, " They shall look on him whom they pierced." Thus, also, the executioners of Jesus divided his garments among them- selves, and drew lots for his seamless coat ; " that the scrip- ture might be fulfilled which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots." The evening drew nigh. One of the disciples of Jesus, a wealthy man by the name of Joseph, from Arimathea, being 134 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. a man of high position,, went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Pilate, maryelling that he was so soon dead, granted his request. Nicodemus aJso, the timid man who visited Jesus by night, and once during his career ventured to speak a cautious word in his favor, now came by night, with a hun- dred-pound weight of myrrh and aloes, to embalm the dead body of one whom he had not the moral courage to confess when that living one was struggling against his foes. Joseph took the body of Jesus from the cross, wrapped it in a linen robe, and deposited it in a newly-constructed tomb of his own which he had hewn out of a solid rock. The door of the tomb was closed by a heavy stone. Several women, the friends of Jesus, followed his remains to the sepulchre. This was Friday, called the "preparation-day," because, on that day, the Jews prepared for the solemn rest of the sabbath. The next morning, the morning of the sabbath, the chief priests and Pharisees, remembering that Jesus had declared that he would rise again on the third day, held a council, and called upon Pilate, requesting him to appoint a sure guard at the tomb until after the third day, " lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people. He is risen from the dead." ^ Pilate authorized them to make the watch as sure as they could, employing a guard of Roman soldiers which had been placed at the command of the Jewish rulers. A detachment of these soldiers was marched to the tomb to guard it, and in some way sealing the stone at the door with the public signet of the Sanhedrim. Thus every thing was done which caution could suggest to prevent any deceit ; and these precautions established beyond all possibility of doubt the reality of the ••resurrection. The night of Friday, the sabbath, and the night succeed- ing the sabbath, passed in quiet. Early in the morning of the third day (which was the first day of the week), " at the rising of the sun," Mary Magdalene, and another Mary, the mother of James, came to the sepulchre. As they approached 1 Matt, xxvil. 64 ARREST, TRIAL, AND CRUCIFIXION. 135 the closed door, there was a violent earthquake, which rolled back the stone which had closed the entrance. An angel, ra- diant with exceeding beauty and clothed in celestial robes, sat upon the stone. The guard fainted in excessive terror. The angel addressed the women, saying, — " Fear not ye ; for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here ; for he is risen, as he said. Come see the place where the Lord lay."^ Entering the sepulchre, they saw an angel, in the form of a young man, sitting on the right side, also clothed in the white robe which is the emblematic garment of heaven. The angel repeated the declaration which had just been made by hia companion, and added, — " Go your way ; tell his disciples and Peter ^ that he is risen from the dead. And, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee : there shall ye see him. Lo, I have told you." Greatly agitated and overjoyed, they ran to communicate the glad tidings to the disciples. On their way, Jesus met them, and greeted them with the words, "All hail!" "And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid : go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me." Some of the guard also, as they recovered from their swoon, hastened into the city to report to the chief priests what had transpired. Alarmed by these tidings, they held a council, and bribed the soldiers to say that they aU fell asleep in the night ; and, while they slept, the disciples of Jesvis came and stole the body. This was the best story they could fabricate; though it was obvious, that, if they were asleep, they could not know that the disciples had stolen the body. Moreover, it was death for a Roman soldier to be found sleeping at his post. The rulers, however, promised that they would intercede with Pilate, and secure them from harm. The women hastened to the residence of John, who had taken ' Matt, xxviii. 6, 6. > This was a kind rnessage to Peter, who had so recently denied his Lord. II ksdared him of his forgiveness. 136 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. home with him the mother of Jesus. There they met him and Peter, and informed them of what had happened. The two disciples immediately started upon the run for the sepulchre. John reached the sepulchre first, and, looking in, saw the tomb to be empty, and the grave-clothes of Jesus lying in a comer. He, however, did not venture in. The impetuous Peter soon arrived, and immediately entered the tomb. John followed after him. The body of Jesus was gone : the grave-clothes alone remained. Thoughtfully they returned to their home. Mary Magdalene had probably accompanied John and Peter to the tomb ; and, after they had left, she remained near the door, weeping. As she wept, she looked into the sepulchre, and saw " two angels in white, sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain." One of the angels said to her, " Woman, why weepest thou ? '^ She replied, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him." It seems that she still thought that the enemies of Jesus had taken away his remains. As she said this, she turned around, and saw a man standing at her side. It was Jesus ; but she knew him not. JesuB said to her, " Woman, why weepest thou ? whom seekest thou ? " She, supposing him to be the gardener, replied, " Sir, if thou hast borne him hence, teU me where thou hast laid him, and I wiU take him away." Jesus said to her (probably then assuming his well-known voice), " Mary ! " Instantly she recognized him, and, astonished and overjoyed, could only exclaim, " Master ! " Jesus added, — " Touch me not ; for I am not yet ascended to my Father : but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God." Then probably he disappeared. Mary went into the city, and informed the bewildered and weeping disciples of what she had seen ; " and they, when they had heard that he was alive and had been seen of her, believed not." At a later hour of that same day, two of the disciples went to the village of Emmaus, about six or seven miles west from Jerusalem. As they walked along, they were converging ARREST, TRIAL, AND CRUCIFIXION- 137 about the wonderful events which were transpiring. While thus engaged in conversation, Jesus joined them, but in a form which they did not recognize. " What manner of communications are these," said he, " that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad ? " One of the disciples, whose name was Cleopas, re- plied, " Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in thes« days ? " " What things ? " inquired Jesus. " Concerning Jesus of Nazareth," was the answer, *' which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people ; and how the chief priests and our rulers deliv- ered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel. And, besides all this, to-day is the third day since these things were done. Tea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepul- chre ; and, when they found not his body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said ; but him they saw not." Jesus replied, " 0 fools,' and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken ! Ought not Christ to have suf- fered these things, and to enter into his glory ? "And, beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning him- self. And they drew nigh unto the village whither they went ; and he made as though he would have gone farther : but they constrained him, saying. Abide with us ; for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he want in to tarry with them. And it came to pass, as Le sat at meat with them, *e took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. * The word translated "fools " does not imply reproach, as the word does with us. It means that they were thoughtless, not attending to the evidence that Jesus VM to die and rise again. 138 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him ; and he van- ished out of their sight." ^ Greatly excited by this event, the two disciples hastened back that same evening to Jerusalem, where they found the eleven apostles assembled together. In the mean time, Jesus had appeared to Peter ; but when, and under what circum- stances, this happened, is not recorded.^ The brethren from Emmaus told the eleven apostles how Jesus had revealed himself to them in the breaking of bread. The apostles were in a room, with the door closed, from fear of the Jews. As the disciples were giving their narrative, suddenly "Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and af- frighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled ? and why do thoughts • arise in your hearts ? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. "And, when he had thus spoken, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them. Have ye any meat ? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of a honeycomb ; and he took it, and did eat before them. Then Jesus said to them again, — " Peace be unto you : as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And, when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said. Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them ; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained."* After Jesus had retired, Thomas, who had been absent for the few moments when Jesus was present, came in, and upon being told by the apostles, " We have seen the Lord," replied in despondency and grief, — 1 Luke xxiv. 17-31. » See Luke xxiv. 34, and 1 Cor. XT. 5. * Doubts, Buspiciona. * The meaning of this passage is supposed to be, that, In founding the Church, the apostles should be taught by the Holy Ghost on what terms and to what characters God would extend forgiveness of sin. ARREST, TRIAL, AND CRUCIFIXION. 139 " Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe." The week passed away, and the first day of another week came. The eleven apostles were again assembled together. Thomas was with them. As they sat at meat, the doors being shut, Jesus came, and said, " Peace be unto you." Then, turning to Thomas, he said, "Eeach hither thy finger, and behold my hands ; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side ; and be not faithless, but believing." Thomas replied, " My Lord and my God ! " Jesus rejoined, " Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed : blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." Again Jesus disappeared, John writes, " Many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book." ^ The apostles now, in a body, " went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them." This was prob- ably the Mount of Transfiguration. Very brief is the record of what ensued, which is given by Matthew alone : " And, when they saw him, they worshipped him ; but some doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, — " All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost ; teach- ing them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." 2 Soon after this, Jesus revealed himself to several of his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, under the following circum- stances : — " There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples. Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a-fishing. They say unto him, We also go 1 John XX. 30. s Matt, xxviii. 17-20. 140 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship imme- diately ; and that night they caught nothing. " But, when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore ; hut the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. And he saith unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast, there- fore ; and now they were not ahle to draw it for the multitude of fishes. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. " Now, when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, and did cast himself into the sea. And the other disciples came in a little ship (for they were not far from land, but, as it were, two hundred cubits^). As soon, then, as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. Jesus saith unto them. Bring of the fish which ye have now caught. Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, — a hundred and fifty and three ; and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken. Jesus saith to them. Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus tlien cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise. This is now the third time ^ that Jesus showed himself to his disci- ples after he was risen from the dead. "So, when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these ? * He saith unto him. Yea, Lord: thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me ? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord: thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, 1 About a hundred and thirty-two yards. • The third time to the disciples collectively. • More than these other apostles. Peter had profegsed, before his fall, superior •ttachment. ARREST, TRIAL, AND CRUCIFIXION. 141 Lovest thou me ; and lie said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things : thou knowest that I lorve thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep." Jesus then added, " Verily, rerily, I say unto thee. When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walked whither thou wouldest ; but, when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not." " This," says John, " spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And, when he had spoken this, he saith unto him. Follow me. Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved [John] following ; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said. Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee ? Peter, seeing him, saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him. If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee ? Follow thou me." John adds, " Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die : yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but. If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee ? " ^ At the conclusion of this interview, of which we have so brief a recital, Jesus said, "These are the words which I spake unto you while I was yet with you, that aU things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then," writes Luke, " opened he their understanding that they might understand the scriptures, and said unto them. Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day ; and that repentance and remis- sion of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you ; but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high." ^ Paul testifies, that, after this, Jesds " was seen of above five 1 John xxi. 2-23. » Luke xxiv. 44-49. 142 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY hundred brethren at once." But we have no record of that interview, or of one which he mentions with James alone. We have but a brief account of the last and most sublime of all these interviews. Jesus met the eleven in Jerusalem. Their prejudices so tenaciously clung to them, that they again asked, " Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" Jesus replied, "It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power ; but ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you ; and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in Judaea and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Going out from Jerusalem, they walked together over the Mount of Olives on the road to Bethany. When near the summit of that sublime swell of land which had ever been one of his favorite places of resort, Jesus stopped on the green- sward, at a point where one could obtain an almost unbroken view of the horizon and of the overarching skies, and, raising his hands, pronounced a final earthly blessing upon his apos- tles. Then he began slowly to ascend into the air. As he rose higher and higher, they all gazed upward upon him in silent amazement. At length, far away in the distance, a dim cloud appeared, perhaps a cloud of clustering angels, which received him out of their sight. As the apostles stood lost in wonder, still gazing into the skies, two angels, clothed in heaven's " white apparel," stood by them. One of them said, — " Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven ? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." The apostles returned to Jerusalem, there to await " the baptism of the Holy Ghost." CHAPTER VI. THE CONVERSION AND MINISTRY OF SAUL OF TARSUS. rh« Baptism of the Holy Ghost. — Boldness of the Apostles. — Anger of the Ru- lers. — Martyrdom of Stephen. — Baptism of the Eunuch. — Saul's Journey to Damascus. — His Conversion. — The Disciples fear him. — His Escape from the City. — Saul in Jerusalem. — His Commission to the Gentiles. — The Conver- sion of Cornelius. — The Vision of Peter. — Persecution and Scattering of the Disciples. — Imprisonment and Escape of Peter. — Saul and Barnabas in Anti- och. — Punishment of Elymas. — Missionary Tour to Cyprus and Asia Minor. — Incidents and Results. ^HE apostles, after the ascension of Jesus, obedient to the command of their Lord, remained in Je- rusalem, waiting for the fulfilment of the mys- terious promise of the gift of the Holy Ghost. To make their number complete, they chose Matthias to take the place of Judas. He was a disciple who had been a witness of the resur- rection of Jesus. Two were selected ; and then the choice between them was decided by lot, the apostles praying to their Lord, saying, — " Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, show whether of these two thou hast chosen." Upon the day appointed for the feast; of Pentecost, about fifty days after the crucifixion, all the disciples in Jerusalem were assembled for prayer. They numbered then but about a hundred and twenty. " Suddenly," writes the sacred his- torian, " there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sit- ting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as 143 144 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. of fire, and it sat upon each of them ; and they began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance." This was the baptism of the Holy Ghost. The disciples, though unlearned men, were now able to preach fluently in the languages of all the many nations represented at Jerusa- lem. Peter, endowed with new power, so showed the Jews the terrible guilt they had incurred in crucifying the Messiah, that thousands cried out, " Men and brethren, what shall we do ? " The response which has echoed through all the ages, from that day to this, was, " Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." ^ About three thousand converts were that day added to the church. The days passed rapidly on, while the disciples were earnestly engaged in prayer, and in preaching in the temple and in the streets, occasionally performing miracles of healing in the name of Jesus. Wonderful and hitherto unexperienced success attended their labors. Every day, converts were added to the church. In a few days after the commencement of their ministry, the number of avowed disciples in Jerusalem was increased from a hundred and twenty to five thousand. The timidity of Peter seemed to vanish. He became truly heroic in his boldness. His eloquence, fearlessness, and zeal gave him prominence above the other disciples. Having healed a lame man at the gate of the temple in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the excitement in the city became so great, that the priests and the Sadducees, with the captain of the temple, came upon Peter and John, arrested them, and thrust them into prison, " being grieved," it is written, " that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the res- urrection of the dead." The next day a meeting of the Sanhedrim was convened, and the prisoners were assembled before that imposing court. To the question, " By what name, or by what power, have ye done this?" Peter replied to Annas and Caiaphas, and the other rulers who were responsible for the crucifijxion of Jesus, CONVERSION AND MINISTRY OF SAUL 145 "Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, be it knowii unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, eyen by him doth this man stand here before you whole." He then earnestly preached to his judges the gospel of Christ, saying, " There is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." ^ The rulers were astonished at this boldness, perceiving ** that they were unlearned and ignorant men ; " and, being alarmed by the supernatural events which they could not deny, they threatened them, commanding them " not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus," and let them go. But both Peter and John answered, " Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye ; for we cannot bu - sp^ak t^^s things which we have seen and heard." * Even in those early days, there was imperfection in the church. There were five thousand members in Jerusalem- Two of these members were found to be unworthy ; and the imperfections of those two have made more noise m the world than aU the silent virtues of the other five thousand. So it ever is. The calm, quiet devotion of myriads of Christians is not recorded. The report of the treachery of Judas, the fall of Peter, the perfidy o^. Ananias and Sapphira, resound through all the centuries. Jerusalem ^yas shaken by the " wonders wrought among the people " by the hands of the apostles, and by the efiect of their teaching. " Believers were the more added to the Lord, mul • titudes both of men and women." The miraculous powsrs conferred upon the apostles seemed to be fiiUy equal to those exercised by Jesus. " They brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at least th^ shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unt-o Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits ; and they were healed every one." * » Acts iv. 12. • Acts iv. 19, :iO. » Acts v. 15. t«. 10 146 HISTORY OF CHEISTIANITT. Caiaphas and the rulers " were filled with indigration." Again they seized the apostles, and imprisoned them ; hut the "angel of the Lord" opened their prison-doors, and the next morning they were found again teaching excited crowds in the temple. A general council of the Sanhedrim was con- vened. They ordered the officers again to arrest the apostles. They did so, " but without violence ; for they feared lest they should he stoned." The high priest, much exasperated, said to them, " Did we not straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name ? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with yoar doctrine, t-nd intend to bring this man's blood upon us." Peter replied in tha bola and stinging words, '' We ought to obey God rathei ',han jaan. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things ; and so is also the Holy Ghost, who^ God hath given to them that obey him."^ After muc'i debat;, the court ordered the apostlee to be scourged, and then discharged. They endured the terrible punishment, "rejoicing that they were permitted to suffer shame for his name." But there was no power in the blood- stained lash to silence them. " Daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ." The wants of the rapidly-increasing Christian community soon became so extended, that seven deacons were chosen to attend to the secular affairs of the church, that the apostles might give themselves " continually to prayer, and to the minis- try of the word." One of these seven, Stephen, " full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people." He was arrested, and false witnesses were bribed to accuse him. " We have heard him say," they testified, " that this Jesus of Naza- reth shall change the customs which Moses delivered us." > Acts V. 29-:^v CONVERSION AND MINISTRY OF SAUL. 147 Stephen was permitted to speak in his defence. He began with the call of Abraham, and gave a rapid sketch of the great events in their national existence, selecting those points which were most available in their bearing upon his cause. He showed how the faith of Abraham and the piety of Jo- seph secured God's blessing. He probably somewhat exas- perated them when he showed that the law of Moses did not restrain their fathers from, at times, lapsing into the grossest idolatry: and when, in continuation of his argument, that ex- ternal observances alone did not constitute piety, he said, "The Most Pligh d;velleth not in temples made with hands," he probably was assailed by some rude interruption ; for, em- boldened by inspiration, he suddenly exclaimed, — " Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost : as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted ? And they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One, of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers ; who have received the law by tlie disposition of angels, and have not kept it." ^ This plain speech so exasperated the rulers, that ** they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed upon him with their teeth." Stephen knew that death was his doom from those unjust and inexorable judges. "But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus stancling on the right hand of God; and said. Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God." There was no crime in all this, no violation of the law. To have pronounced any legal condemnation would have been absurd. The only resource left was mob violence. These proud and infamous men, the dignitaries of the Sanhedrim, " cried with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, and cast him out of the city, and stoned him; and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man'c feet whose name was Saul. Acts vii.51-5a. 148 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. " And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, ancJ cried with a loud voice. Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And Saul was consenting unto his death." ' Tliis is the first mention which is made of Saul, the most remarkable man whose name is recorded in sacred or profane annals. Saul was born in the city of Tarsus, in Asia Minor. It was " no mean city," the capital of the Roman province of Cilicia, and situated upon the River Cadmus, a few miles from its entrance into the Mediterranean Sea. The parents of Saul ^ere wealthy. It was a custom of the times, that every child, no matter hew opulent his parents, should be taught some trade. Saul learned that of a tent-maker. We know almost nothing of his childhood and early youth. His parents belonged to the sect of Pharisees, the most punctilious observers of the rites of the Jewish religion. His vernacular language was probably Greek, though he undoubtedly was thoroughly in- structed in Hebrew. As it is said that he was " brought up at the feet of Gamaliel," and as it was the custom of the Jews to send their children, between the ages of ten and fourteen, to be instructed in the law, it is supposed, that, at that early age, Saul was sent to Gamaliel, the distinguished teacher in Jerusalem. Saul, at the time of the martyrdom of Stephen, though a young man, had manifestly attained both maturity and iaflu- ence. Ee was probably a member of the Sanhedrim, as he states, that, when the Christians were put to death, he gave his vote against them.^ His commanding influence is also mani- fest from the declaration, " Many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests. And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme ; and, being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities." ^ After the martyrdom of Stephen, the persecution r^ged in Jerusalem with ever-increasing violence. It is recorded, " Aa * Acts Yii. 57-60. « Acts xxvi. 10. » Acts xxvl. IJ. CONVERSION AND MINISTRY OF SAUL. 149 'or Saul, ke made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and, haling men and women, committed them to prison." ^ This cruel persecution in Jerusalem scattered the Christians far and wide. Philip went to Samaria, and in one of thrf principal cities "preached Christ unto them." His preaching was attended with wonderful success. Many con- verts were made, " and there was great joy in that city." The tidings of the success attending the preaching of the gospel in Samaria reaching Jerusalem, Peter and John were commissioned hy those of the apostles who remained in the city to repair immediately to that province. The same mirac- ulous testimony accompanied their preaching ?s at the day of Pentecost. After a very successful tour, having " preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans," they returned to Jerusalem. A very interesting incident is here recorded respecting Philip. By divine direction he was journeying to Gaza, the extreme southern city of Palestine. Gaza was on the direct route to Egypt. An officer of high rank, connected with the household of Candace, queen of Egypt, had heen up to Jerusalem, and was returning to his native country in his chariot. He was a devout man, and, as he rode along, was reading the scriptures. It so chanced that he had opened to the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah, and was at that moment reading the seventh and eighth verses : — " He was led as a sheep to the slaughter ; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth. In his humiliation hia judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation ? for his life is taken from the earth." Just then, the eunuch, overtaking Philip, invited him to a seat in the chariot by his side. Then, reverting to the scrip- ture which he was reading, he inquired of Philip, "I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this ? of himself, or of some other man ? " "Then Philip began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus." The eunuch, convinced that Jesus was the 1 Acts vUl. 3. 150 HISTORY OF GHRISTIANITT. Messiah, accepted him as his Saviour, became his disciple, and received the ordinance of Christian baptism, not as a membei of any local church, but of the one universal Church of Jesus Christ. The scriptural account of this event is beautiful in its simplicity : — " And, as they went on uheir way, they came unto a certain water. And the eunuch said. See, here is water : what doth hinder me to be baptized ? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest ; and he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And h? commanded the chariot to stand still : and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch ; and he baptized him. And, when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more ; and he went on his way rejoicing." Philip continued his tour, preaching the gospel in all the principal cities of Judaea and Samaria, until he reached Caesa- rea, on the coast of the Mediterranean. We are not informed what success attended his preaching. Luke, to whom we are indebted for the account of the Acts of the Apostles, writes, — " And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, and desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem." ^ Damascus is supposed to be the oldest city in the world. Josephus says that it flourished before the days of Abraham. Surviving the ruins of Babylon and of Tyre, it was, in the days of Isaiah, called "the head of Syria." In the time of the apostles it was one of the most populous, opulent, and beauti- ful cities on the globe. It was situated amidst a paradise of luxuriance, and was abundantly watered by crystal streams flowing from the sides of Mount Lebanon. The distance between Jerusalem and Damascus was one hundred and thirty-six miles. In the slow mode of travelling I Acts ix. 1, 2. CONVERSION AND MINISTRY OF SAUL. 151 in those times by caravans, it occupied six days. Jesus never visited the city, it being farther north than he journeyed in any of his tours ; but his disciples, in their dispersion, had preached the gospel in the city, and many converts had been gathered there. It was mid-day as Saul and his fellow-travel- lers drew near the gates of Damascus. At noon, beneath the burning sun of the iCast, ah nature seemed in repose. The voices of the birds were hushed, the hum of industry ceased, and silence reigned. The event which ensued, certainly one of the most momentous in the history of the world, and fraught with consequences of greater magnitude than any human imagination can conceive, cannot be better narrated than in the language of Saul himself : — " And it came to pass, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus, about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. And I fell unto ths ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me ? And I answered, Who art thou, Lord .'' and he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thoa persecutest. And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid ; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me. And I said. What shall I do, Lord ? and the Lord said unto me, Arise, go into Damascus, and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do. And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus." ^ In the centre of Damascus there was a street, still existing, three miles long, called Straight. Saul, whose eyes were utter- ly blinded by the brilliancy of the vision, was led by the hand into this street, to the house of a man by the name of Judas. He remained for three days in darkness, surrendered to reflec- tion. The emotions which agitated him ii. view of his past persecution of the Chiistians, and of the conclusive evidence be now had of the Messiahship of Jesus, were so painful and * Acti xxii. 6-12. In the account which Luke gives of thiB ertut (Aot* it l-l), lome incid nts are recorded which Saul omits. 152 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. intense, that, during all this time, he could neither eac nor drink. There was in Damascus a disciple of Jesus by the name of Ananias, a devout man, of such irreproachable integrity of character, that all men were constrained to acknowledge his virtues. To him the Lord J^^euc appeared in a vision, and said, ** Arise, and go into the ctreet which is called Straight, and .nrjuire in the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus ; for, behold, he prayeth, and hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight." Ananias replied, " Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem ; and here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name/' Jesus replied, " Go thy way ; for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel : for I wiU show him how great things he must sulfer for my name's sake." Ananias repaired immediately to the house of Judas, and, placing his hands in divin3 benediction upon the head of Saul, said, " Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou earnest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost." ^ The scales fell from the eyes of Saul. His sight was restored. He arose refreshed and strengthened, and immediately received the rite of baptism. Saul, having thus become a disciple of Jesus, and, by baptism, a member of his visible Church, imme- diately made his faith conspicuous by his self-sacrificing and energetic works. In the modest account which he subse- quently gave of his conversion to King Agrippa, he said, — " Whereupon, 0 King Agrippa ! I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision ; but showed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout aU the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works jaset for repentance." ^ *■ Acts ix. 10. ' Acts xxvL 10. SO. CONVERSION AND MINISTRY OF SAUL. 153 As Saul was seen day after day, in the Jewish synagogue* cf Damascus, proclaiming with all his fervid powers of elo- q.i.?nce that the crucified Jesus of Nazareth was the true Mes- siah, all that heard him were amazed. They said one to an- other, — " Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name io Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might 1 ring them bound uuto the chief priests ? " But th& zeal of Saul daily increased in fervor ; and he " con- founded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ." ^ The Jews, not being able to reply to his arguments, resorted, as usual, to mob violence to oilence him. Jesus, in his parting coonsels to his disciples, had directed them, when persecuted in one city, to escape to another. The Jews entered into a conspiracy to kill Saul. They guarded tie gates that he might not escape from the city, and engaged assassins to put him 'o death. The thick and massive walls of Damascus, rising about thirty feet high, afforded a site for quite a number of small dwellings. From the windows of one of these houses, in a dark night, the disciples lowered Saul down, outside the walls, in a basket, by a rope. There this heroic young man stood alone at midnight, with a career of fearful suffering clearly unveiled before him ; and yet his love for Jesus, his Lord and Master, was such, that he counted it all joy that he was permitted to suffer shame in his name. From Damascus, Saul directed his steps eastward into Ara- bia. How far he went, and what success he enjoyed in preach- ing to the Jews scattered throughout those regions, are not recorded. It is not known how many weeks or months were occupied upon this missionary tour. Several years after, allud- ing to this event in a letter which he wrote to the Galatians, he says, " I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damas- cus. Then, after three years, I went up to Jerusalem." ^ During ' 11 these three years, the sacred writers are silent respecting th-^ adventures of Saul. At the end of this time, * Acta ix. 22. a Gal. i. 17, 18. 154 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. he weut up to Jerusalem. It is an interesting indication of the slight intercourse there was between distant cities at that time, when but few could write, and there were no postal facili- ties, that the disciples at Jerusalem had not even heard of to.e conversion of Saul. When he arrived in Jerusalem, and wished to throw himself into the arms of the friends of Jesus, it i." written, " They were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple." ^ But Barnabas, one of the disciples in Jerusalem, a man of wealth, and one who had already acquired reputation for his benevolence,^ had in some way become acquainted with the conversion of Saul, and his zeal in the service of Jesus. He took Saul by the hand ; led him to the apostles Peter and James, who still remained in Jerusalem,' and declared unto them how the Lord Jesus had appeared to Saul an the way, had spoken to him, and how Saul had preachea boldly in Damascus in the name of Jesus. They then received Saul cordially, ana he commenced preaching " in the name of the Lord Jesus " with all his wonted energy in the synagogues of Jerusalem. Those who had crucified Jesus, and who remembered that Saul had co- operated with them in their persecution of his disciples, were roused to intensity of rage. A conspiracy was formed, as in Damascus, to kill him. Saul had been in Jerusalem but fifteen days, taking lodg- ings in the house of Peter, when the brethren informed him that he must immediately escape from Jerusalem, or he would lose his life. A stranger to fear, at first he was unwilling to go. But the Lord Jesus appeared to Saul as he was praying in the temple, and said to him, — " Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem ; for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me." Saul replied, " Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee ; and, when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was stand- ing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him." ' Acts Ix. 2«. 2 Acta iv. 36. » Qal. i. 18, CONVERSION AND MINISTRY OF SAUL. 155 Jesus replied, " Depart ; for I will send thee far hence unto tile Gentiles." ^ Thus instructed, Saul, aided by the disciples, escaped from Jerusalem, and proceeding to Caesarea, on the sea-coast, a distance of about sixty miles, took ship for Tarsus, his native place. For a short time now, persecution ceased. The churches established in all the leading cities of Palestine had rest. The disciples preached the gospel far and wide with great suc- cess. In the language of the sacred annalist, the churches " were edified, and, walking in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied." At this time, Peter set out on a missionary tour towards the sea-coast, preaching in all the towns and villages through which he passed. Arriving at Lydda, a small town about five miles from Joppa, which was on the Mediterranean shore, he found a man, by the name of JEneas, who had been confined to his bed for eight years. Peter healed him, saying, " ^neas, Jesus Jhrist maketh thee whole." This miracle gave such force to the ardent preaching of Peter, that, in the language of the inspired penman, '' all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron turned to the Lord." =^ At Joppa there vas a disciple, whose name was Dorcas, greatly beloved for her charities. She was taken sick, and was laid out to be buried. It seems that the disciples there, hearing of the miraculous cure of ^neas, had faith that Peter could raise their sister from death's slumber. They sent two messengers to him to urge his hastening to Joppa. Upon his arrival, he was conducted immediately to the residence of Dorcas. The chamber in which the dead body lay was filled with mourners, many of them weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas liad bestowed upon them. Peter kneeled down by the bedside and prayed, and then called upon the dead to arise. Dorcas opened her eyes, and sat up. Peter gave her his hand, led her out of the chamber, and presented her alive and well to Jier friends. » Acts xxii. 18-21. * Saron waa the well-inhabited plain which extended from Lydda to Joppa . ActB ix. 36). 156 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. This miracle, so astounding, was reported througliout the city. Peter remained there several days, preaching the gos- pel, and residing with one Simon, a tanner. His success 'ji indicated in the declaration, that " many believed in the Lord." About thirty miles north of Joppa, upon the seashore, waa the important seaport of Caesarea. A Roman force of soldiers was established there ; and a man by the name of Cornelius was the captain of an Italian band of a hundred men, whi',Ii gave him the title of a centurion. He was a devout man, wHo had abandoned Eoman paganism, and had become a worship- per of the true God. His noble character is depicted in the words, " He gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway." One day, which, it seems, he had devoted to fasting and prayer, as he was upon his knees, at three o'clock in the after- noon, an angel of God appeared to him, and said, — " Cornelius, thy prayers and thine alms are come up for «& memorial before God. Now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter : he lodgeth with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the seaside. He shall teJi thee what thou oughtest to do." Immediately Cornelius despatched two men to Joppa upon this mission. As, about noon the next day, they were approach- ing the city, Peter was upon the flat roof of the house, the usual place of retirement, engaged in prayer. In a vision he saw a sheet let down from heaven by its four corners, contain- ing animals of all kinds, — those reputed clean, and those which the ceremonial law pronounced uncleaa. A voice came to him, saying, — " Rise, Peter ; kill and eat." But Peter replied, " Not so, Lord ; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean." The voice rejoined, " What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common." This vision was repeated three times in immediate succession, vVhile Peter was seated upon the house-top, pondering its sig nificance, the messengers commissioned by Cornelius arrived, CONVERSION AND MINISTRY OF SAUL. 157 and stood before the gate of the house, inquiring if Peter /'jdged thero. The spirit tht^n said to Peter, "Behold, three men seek thee. Arise, therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubt- ing nothing ; for I have sent them." ^ Peter immediately descended, met the messengers, and re- ceived from them the following communication : " Cornelius the centurion, s. just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by a holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee." Peter invited the men in, entertained them for the night, and the nezt day accompanied them to Joppa. The vision had taught him, that, in the eye of God, there was no distinction between the ciean %.nd the unclean in the human family ; that tne barrier between the Jew and the Gentile was now broken down ; and that the gospel of Jesus was now to be preached to aU rations, tribes, and families alike. The centurion received Peter with profound reverence, regarding him as a divinely- appointed ambassador to him. Several of the friends of Cor- nelius, probably all Greeks or Romans who had abandoned idolatry, were assembled in his house to meet Peter. The zealous and bold apostle, addressing them, said, — " Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or ccme unto one of another nation ; but God hath showed me that I should not call any man com- mon or unclean. Therefore came I, without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for. I ask, therefore, for what intent ye have sent for m3." Cornelius informed Peter of his vision, and of the direction given him by the angel to send for Peter, and receive instruc- tion from his lips. '*•' Now, therefore," said he in conclusion, "we are all here present before God to hear all things that ari commanded thee of God." We have but a brief abstract of what Peter said in reply, bat enough to show us, without any doubt, what was the gos- pel which he preached to them. • Acta X. 20 158 UISTORT OF CHRISTIANITY. " Of a truth," said he, " I perceive that God is no respecter of persons ; but, in every nation, he that feareth him, and work- eth righteousness, is accepted with him." After brief reference to Jesus Christ, " Lord of all," to his teachings, his miracles, his crucifixion, and his resurrection, he concluded by saying, " And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.^ To him give all the prophets witness, that, through his name, whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins." ^ Following these words of Peter, the miraculous influences of the Holy Spirit fell upon all alike, — upon Gentile as well as Jew. Several Jews had accompanied Petsr to the house of Cornelius ; and " they were astonished, because that on tne Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost ; for they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God." * Peter then said, " Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we ? " He accordingly baptized these believing Gen- tiles in the name of the Lord Jesus, and thus received them directly into the church without insisting upon their first becoming Jews. When the tidings reached Jerusalem and other parts of Judaea that Peter had received Gentiles to the Church of Jesus Christ, which the Jews had supposed was intended for them alone, it created great excitement. Peter, after remain- ing a few days in Joppa, returned to Jerusalem. Here he was met by the disaffected brethren, who charged him with what they considered the great ceremonial crime of associating with " men uncircumcised," and eating with them. But Peter narrated all the circumstances, and so convin cingly, that " they held their peace, and glorified God, saying Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance untc life." 1 All that have lived and died, or shall live when the archangel's trump shsi, •ound, will stand before the judgment-seat of Jesus Christ. • Acts X. 34, 43. » Acts x. ^5, 4«. CONVERSION AND MINISTRY OF SAUL. 159 The other disciples, who, by the persecution at Jerusalem, had been scattered abroad, travelled as far as Phoenice and the Island of Cyprus, and to Antioch, in the extreme north, which was then the capital of Syria, and one of the largest cities in the world. They, however, preached the gospel only to the Jews, not considering the Gentiles as entitled to its privileges. In Antioch, the disciples were eminently successful in preach- ing the religion of Jesus ; so much so, that it is recorded that " great numbers believed, and turned unto the Lord." ^ The apostles in Jerusalem, hearing of the great religious interest which was excited in the metropolitan city of Antioch, aont Barnabas to n,ssist the brethren there. He was " a good man, full of faith and the Holy Ghost." His heart was re- joiced by the scenes which he witnessed in Antioch, and elo- quently he urged the converts that with " purpose of heart they should cleave unto the Lord." His labors gave a new impulse to the conversions, and " much people was added to the Lord." ^ Saul was at this time preaching in Tarsus, his native city, about thirty miles north-west from Antioch. Barnabas went to Tarsus in search of Saul, and brought him back with him to the metropolitan city. For a year Saul and Barnabas con- tinued in Antioch, preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ ; and there first the disc'ttles of Jesus received the title of Christians. This was about the vear i-f our Lord 44. As so many Gentile converts were now J» >cking into the churches, the Christians ceased to be regardea as merely a sect of the Jews, and the rapidly-increasing disciples in their varied organizations as- sumed gradually a new 9.nd independent character. It so happened about this time that there was a severe ircught and famine in Judaea ; and Saul and Barnabas were sent by the Christians in Antioch with contributions for the suffering brethren there Herod Agrippa I., an unprincipled ruler, grandson of Herod the Great, was then king of all Pales- tine. He, without any apparent cause, drew the sword of [)er- secution. James, the brother of John, was put to death. Peter 1 Actsxi. ij. ' Acts xi. 24. 160 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. was arrested and thrown into prison, and so carefully guarded by sixteen soldiers — four for each watch in the night, two chained to the prisoner in his cell, and two stationed at the outside door — as to render his escape apparently impossible. The king had decided to gratify the malice of the Jews, imme- diately after the passover, by putting Peter to death. The night had arrived which was supposed to be the last that Peter was to spend upon earth. In the morning he was to be led to his execution. He was quietly sleepir g betweer.- the two soldiers, bound to them by chains. The inge^ o^T the Lord, whom neither granite walls nor iron doors could exclude, entered the prison in dazzling eflfulgence. As he awoke Peter, the chains dropped from the prisoner's hands. " Arise," said the angel, " gird thyself, bind o^ thy sandals, cast thy garment about thee, and follow me." The angel led him through the intricacies of the prison, ani by the guards who were paralyzed with fear, until ne came to the outer iron portal which opened into the city. The massive gate, of its own accord, swung open upon its hinges. The angel led Peter into one of the streets, and took leave of him. It was midnight. Peter found himself near the house of Mary, the mother of John. Several of the disciples, knowing that Peter was to be executed the next day, had met there to pass the night in prayer. Peter knocked at the gate. A young girl by the name of Rhoda went to the door ; and when shs heard the voice of Peter, instead of opening to him, she was BO overjoyed and bewildered, that she ran back with the tidings. The disciples, knowing how appareut:.y impossible it was £<,? Peter to escape from the guard set ovfr him, did not credit her assertion, but declared that she wat insane. Upon going to the gate, however, they found, to their t-stcnishment and delight, that Peter stood before them. He informed them of his miraculous deliverance, and the same night withdrew from the city.i The dawn of the morning, revealing the events of the night, Acts xii. 6-17. C01T7ERSION AND MINISTRY OF SAUL. 161 reated intense commotion in the city. Herod commar ded thtt gitard to be put to death, and inr-^it'ted a rigorous but un- availing search throughout the city for Peter. Soon after, Herod left Jerusalem for Caesarea, and took up his abod«» Caere. On the 1st of August,^ there was ■? magnificent festi- val in Caesarea in honor of the king. From all the region around, the population flocked into the spacious theatre, whose stone seats rose tier above tier in % vast semicircle, which wa£i thronged with those eager to do homage to the infamous yet powerful mona];ph. As Herod entered, the edifice rang with applause. Seated upon a gorgeous throne, he addressed the multitude. With one voice the sycophantic throng shouted, " It is the voice of a god, and not of a man 1 " In the midst of this scene of pride and blasphemy, the angel of death smote Herod with an invisible dart ; and the wretched man was taken fi'om the tneatre in convulsions, which soon consigned him to the tomb. Saul and Barnabas had returned to Antioch, and, with other brethren, were earnestly engaged in preaching the gospel there. A divine intimation influenced the brethren to set apart these two distinguished disciples for a missionary excursion to the bcniglited regions beyond them. After a season of fasting and prayer, they laid their hands upon them, ordaining them '^br this special work. Antioch was situated upon the River Orontes, about twenty miles from its entrance into the Medi- terranean. The two missionaries repaired to Seleucia, an im- portant seaport on the coast. Far oif in the west, the moun- tains of the majestic Island of Cyprus could be seen on a clear da,y, emerging from the horizon in shadowy glory. Cyprus was the native place of Barnauas. Taking ship, a sail of per- haps a hundred and fifty miles brought them to Salamis, a populous city upon the island, where there was a large colony of JewB. Here they preached the gospel of Jesus in the Jewish syna- gogc.e, but with what success we are not informed ; neither is t recorded how long they tarried in that city. They crossed > Josephus, Ant. xix.8-12. 162 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. til 3 island^ a distance of about a hundred miles, from Sala- misj on the eastern coast, o Paphos, the capital, on the wess. Here the governor of the island, Sergius Paulus, resided. He was a serious-minded, worthy man ; and he sent for Saul and Barnabas, wishing to hear from them the principles of the new religioi . But a virulent opposer arose, a pretended sorcerer, by the name of Elymas, who did every thing in his power to prevent the governor from listening to the words of the disciples. Saul, "filled with the Holy Ghost," fixed his e^'es upon the im- postor, and addressed him in the following terrible rebuke : — " 0 full of all subtlety and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness ! wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord ? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season." The guilty opposer of the religion of Jesus was instantly struck with blindness, and groped his way along, " seeking some one to lead him by the hand." The governor, already deeply impressed by the teachings of the disciples, and aston- ished by the miracle, became himself a follower of Jesus. Of his subsequent life we know nothing, but trust that he endured to the end, and that he is now rejoicing in the paradise of God. In connection with this miracle, we find the name of Saul changed to Paul. Until this time, he is invariably spoken of as Saul. The sacred writer, recording these scenes at Paphos, simply says, " Saul, who also is called Paul." Ever after this he is spoken of as Paul. Paul and Barnabas, with MarK, who had accompanied them as their attendant and assistant, sailing from Paphos, crossed the arm of the sea, and landed on the coast of Asia Mioor, at the little seaport town of Perga in Pamphylia. Plere, for some unexplained reason, Mark became dissatisfied, and ex- cited the displeasure of his companions by abandoning them, and returning to Jerusalem, which had been the home of hie earlier years. CONVERSION AND MINISTRY OF SAUL. 163 'Hie two intrepid disciples made but a short tarry at Perga. Entering the wild passes of the Pisidian mountains, they traversed a desert region, encountering every step of the way perils of robbers, until they reached the important city of Antioch in Pisidia, about a hundred miles from the sea- coast. This populous city was inhabited by Greeks, Jews, and a strong E,oman colony. The sabbath came. Paul and Barnabas, according to their custom, repaired to the Jewish synagogue. As strangers of distinction, they were invited to address the people. Luke, iu '■h.Q Acts of the Apostles, has given us quite a full abstract of the address of Paul upon this occasion.^ Here, as everywhere, " Christ and him cruci- fied " was the theme of the apostle's discourse. First he proved from the prophets that Jesus was the Messiah ; that, in accord- ance with the voice of prophecy, he had been put to death by wicked men, and on the third day had risen from the grave. He closed with the following words : — "And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us, their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again. Be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins ; and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. Beware, therefore, lest that come upon you which is spoken of in the prophets : Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish ; for I work a work in your days, — a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you." There were many Gentiles present. The Jews, as a body, did not favorably receive this address of Paul. The Gentiles, on the contrary, entreated him to preach to them again on the next sabbath. There were also many of the Jews who united vith them in this request. During the week, Paul and Barnabas were doubtless busy preaching the gospel as they could find op- portunity. The next sabbath, the synagogue was thronged. ** Almost the whole city came together to hear the word of 1 Acta xiii. 1&-41. 164 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. G-cmI ; but, when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were fille<3 with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming."^ It is of no avail to present the truth to those who are de- termined not to receive it. To these cavilling Jews Paul and Barnabas replied, "It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you ; but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting lifa, lo, we turn to the Gentiles : for so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth." * Luke adds the expressive words, "And, when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord ; and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed." The successful preaching of the gospel has almost invariably excited corresponding antagonism. Converts were multiplied ; and penetrating the region around, proclaiming the giad tid- ings of salvation through a suffering Messiah, they established flourishing churches in many places. Here, for the first time, we find female influence arrayed against the cause of Christ. The hostile Jews won to their side some ladies of high re- spectability, and, through them, influenced the political leaders. Thus so formidable an opposition was roused, that Paul and Barnabas were expelled from the city, and from its imme- diately surrounding region. They therefore pressed on their way to Iconium, nearly a hundred miles east from Antioch. Here, also, they found a mixed population of Greeks, Jews, and Eomans. They re- paired to the synagogue, and preached the gospel of Jesus with such success, that it is recorded, "A great multitude, both of the Jews and also of the Greeks, believed." As usual, op- position was excited ; but it was at first not sufficiently strong to drive them from the city. We are told that " long time abode they, speaking boldly in the Lord." At length, itie opposition assumed very formidable proportions. A riotous mob was roused by the unbelieving Jews, who threatened to ■tone Paul and Barnabas. » Acts x'j". 4i. • Im. tUx. t. CONVERSION AND MINISTRY OF SAUL. 165 They therefore withdrew from Iconium ; and, continuing their journey eastward (forty or fifty miles), they reached the small town of Lystra. Here they found a man who had heen a cripple from his birth, and who had never walked. Paul healed him. The rude, supers'titious people, accustomed to the idolatrous worship cf almost any number of gods, ex- claimed, ^' The gods are come to us in the likeness of men ! " Ab3uming that Paul and Barnabas were two of their favor- ite pj'ids; — Jupiter and Mercurius, — they summoned the priest xix ui the temple of Jupiter, which was reared before the principal, gate of the ci^'j', and, with garlands and sacrifices, were prepp.ring to offer idolatrous worship to the strangers. When Pf ol and Barnabas perceived what the Lystrians were about to do, they were horror-stricken, and, rushing in among the idolaters, remonstrated so vehemently, as to dissuade them, though with difficulty, from their purpose. Some jnalignant Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and roused the fickle-minded mob, so that they stoned Paul, and drew him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. The converts, who were not numerous enough to prevent this vio- lence, gathered around the bruised and gory body ; when Paxil revived, and, with characteristic bravery, went back again into the city. The next day, Paul, accompanied by Barnabas, proceeded to another city (Derbe), a few miles farther east. Here they preached the gospel for some time, gaining many disciples ; when ''they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium and Anti- och, confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribu- l^btion enter into the kingdom of God. And when they had iidained them elders in every church, and had prayed with 'asting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they fcolieved.'' ^ They then returned by the same route they had already ttdiversed, preaching as they went, till they reached Perga, whence they took ship for Antioch. It Is conjectured that 1 Acts xiv. 21-23. 166 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. this tour occupied about a year. Upon their arrival in An- tioch, they gathered all the disciples, and recounted to then the events of their excursion, dwelling particularly upon the fact that God " had opened the door of faith unto the Gen- tiles." They both continued in Antioch for a '' long time," preaching the gospeL CHAPTER Vn. MISSIONARY ADVENTUBES. The First Controversy. — Views of the Two Parties. — Council at Jerusalem. — R»- suits of Council. — The Letter. — Vacillation of Peter. — Rebuked by Paul. — The Missionary Excursion of Paul and Barnabas. — They traverse the Island of Cyprus. — Land on the Coast of Asia Minor. — Mark returns to iiyria. — Result* of this Tour. — Paul and Bilas set out on a Second Tour throu?'h Asia Minor. — Cross the Hellespont. — Introduction of Christianity to Europe. Heroism of Paul atPhillppl. — Tour through Macedonia and Greece.- -Chaiacterof Paul'* Preaching. — Peter's Description of the Final Conflagration. — Z'al&e Charges — Paul in Athens ; In Corinth. — Return to Jerusalem 'HE Jews had supposed that the Messiah was to come to the Jews alone, and that no one could become a member of his kingdom unless he first became a Jew. But Paul and Barnabas were preaching to the Gentiles, and establish- ing churches among them. Thus quite a se- rious dissension sprang up among the Chris- tians, who had previously been Jews, upon this question. While some of the brethren ardently advocated the doctrine, "Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved," Paul opposed this sentiment with all his energies. Several of these " Judaizing Christians," as they were termed, came down to Antioch from Judsea, and so troubled the Christians there with disputatious which seemed to threaten the very foundations of Christianity, that it was determined to summon a council of the most eminent Chris- tians at Jerusalem, the seat of the mother church, to settle the agitating question. lei 168 mSTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. Paul and Barnabas, witLi several other members of the Church at Antioch, were commissioned as delegates to attend 'ihis council. On their journey, as they passed through the cities of Samaria, preaching by the way, they announced the glad tidings that God was receiving the Gentiles, and confer- ring upon them the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the same as upon the Jews. It is estimated that fifteen years had now passed since Paul traversed that same road, from Jerusalem to Da- mascus, to persecute the Christians. Since that time, Paul had twice visited the Holy City, and Christianity had made extraordinary progress throughout Syria and Asia Minor. Upon arriTing at Jerusalem, the council was convened, over which James, pastor of the church there, presided. As soon as the councL was opened, several of the Judaizing Christians arose, and argued that all Gentile converts should be circum- cised, ano that tbay should punctiliously observe all the rites of the ceremonial law. Peter was the first one to reply on the other side. We have an abstract of his speech : — " Men and brethren," said he, " ye know how that a good while ago ^ God made choice among us, that the Gentiles, by my mouth, should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giv- ing them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us ; and put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now, therefore, why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear ? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they." ^ Then Barnabas and Paul gave an account of their mission- ary tour through Asia Minor, and of the wonderful success with which God had blessed the preaching of >;h3 gos-^el among the Gentiles. James then rose, whose opinion a p-e- siding officer, and pastor of the metropolitan church would have great weight with the council, and very earnestij' and convincingly sustained the views advocated by Peter, Paul, and Barnabas. The result recorded by LuKe was as folio rt's . — 1 About ten years before. ' Act xv. 7-11. 3IISSI0NARY ADVENTURES. 169 "Then pleased it tlie apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas ; namely, Judas sumamed 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 Grentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia : Forasmuch as we have heard that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, sub- verting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law (to whom we gave no such commandment), it seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send cho- sen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, — men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have sent, therefore, Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth : 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 stran- gled, and from fornication ; from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well." ^ The brethren returned to Antioch, and communicated to the assembled church there the result of the council. It gave great satisfaction ; and though, for a time, the all-important question continued here and there to trouble the churches, eventually there was universal acquiescence in the decision of the brethren at Jerusalem. After this, Paul and Barnabas continued some time in Antioch, "teaching and preaching the word of the Loid." In the mean time, Peter came to Antioch to assist the brethren ir. their labors there. Impetuous and versatile, and far from infallible, he at first lived in free intercourse witii the Gentile converts, eating with them, and meeting them in social friendship on terms of entire equality; but suddenly, "through fear of those who were of the circum- cision," we find him withdrawing from those whom he had 1 Acts XT. i23-28. 170 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. just been treating as equals, and giving his example in favoi of those who demanded that the Gentiles should become Jews. This vacillation and inconsistency on the part of Peter excited the indignation of Paul. The account which Paul gives of this transaction is as follows : — " But, when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. For, before that '- -^rtain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles ; but, ./hen they were come, he withdrew, and separated himself, fear'ng them which were of the circumcision. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him, insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. But, when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, — *'If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews ? We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, — even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be jus- tified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law ; for by the works of the law shall nc flesh be justified." ^ There is no evidence that this eveitt caused any permanent alienation between the two apostles. It is more probable that Peter, whose mind was susceptible of such rapio changes, im- mediately relented, and, with all the gushings of his generous and loving nature, returned to duty. It is pleasant to read in one of the subsequent epistles of Peter the words, "Even as our beloved brother Paul hath writter- unto you." ^ Soon after this, the enterprising spirit of Paul induced him to leave the comparative tranquillity of his home and labors in Antioch, and to revisit all the cities and villages in Asia Mi- nor, where he, with Barnabas, had established churches. He said to Barnabas, " Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do." ^ Gal. ii. 11-16, » 2 Pet. iii. 15. » Aots xv. 3fl MISSIONARY ADVENTURES. 171 Barnabas wislied to take Mark with them again as an attendant. This John Mark, the same one who wrote the Gospel under his name, was the nephew of Barnabas, being liis sister's son. Paul was unwilling to take him, being displeased with his conduct on their previous tour, when he " departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to their work." Barnabas was probably not a man of very much force of char- acter, as is indicated by his being carried away with the dis- simulation of Peter to which we have alluded. He had cer- tainly occupied a secondary position on the previous missionary tour, and Paul was perhaps not unwilling to exchange him for some other brother. There is no evidence that there was any angry controversy here, — any thing inconsistent with the Christian integrity and brotherly kindness of the two men. Barnabas took Mark with him, and, embarking at Seleucia, sailed for the Island of Cy- prus. Paul chose Silas as his companion, one of the delegates who had been sent from the council at Jerusalem to Antioch. Journeying by land, and probably on foot through Syria and Ci-icia^ they visitec. the churches in Asia Minor, in a route from e^st to west, instead of, as before, from west to east. Proceeding through Derbe, he came to Lystra, where, on the previous tour, he had been cruelly stoned. Here he found a young convert by the name of Timothy, for whom he formed the strongest of earthly attachments. Timothy's mother was a Jewess ; but his father was a Gentile, a Greek. His lineage was good, as Paul speaks of " the unfeigned faith which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois and thy mother Eunice." ^ Timothy attached himself to Paul, and ever after they were associated as father and sod. Paul repeatedly calls him " my son," "my own son in the aith," *^.nd writes, "Ye know, that, as a son with the fathe;:, je hath served with me in the gospel." ^ Timothy was the sou of a Jewess ; and his father, though a Greek, was unquestionably not an idolater, but a proselyte. While Paul was carrying " to all the churches " the decision of ihi, council in Jerusalem, — that Gentiles were not to be » S Tim. 1. 5. » Phil. U. 22. 172 HISTORY OT CHRISTIANITY. forced into Judaism upon becoming Christians, — still, out of regard to the strong prejudices of the Jews among whom he was going, he caused Timothy to be circumcised. Some have regarded this as inconsistent conduct on the part of Paul ; others have considered it but an indication of his far-sighted wisdom and caution. But for this, the hostile Jews would have had a new and formidable weapon of opposition to wield against him. As Timothy could not be regarded as a Gentile, the action of Paul could not be deemed inconsistent with the decision of the council at Jerusalem. Paul, Siias, and Timothy passed through the whole central region of Asia Minor, preaching the gospel in all its cities arid villages ; but we have no record of the incidents which attend- ed their labors, or of the adventures which they encountered. It was undoubtedly a successful excursion ; for the sacred his- torian writes, "And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in numbers daily." ^ Passing through the provinces of Phrygia and Mysia, they came to Troas, on the eastern coast of the ^gean Sea, not far from the mouth of the Hellespont. Here the vision of a min appeared to Paul in the night, saying, " Come over into Mace- donia and help us." They therefore took a vessel at Troaa, and sailed in a north-westerly direction, among the islands of the ^gean Sea, till they came to the important Island of Sam- othracia. Passing around this island on the north, they directed their course to Pliilippi, on the Macedonian coast. This was the chief city of that part of Macedonia. There was an important Roman colouy established here, and a synagogue of the Jews outside of the walls. Here they remained several days, probably, as was ever their custom, or. the week-days preaching the gospel in the streets of the city, and from house to house. On the sabbath, they went tc the Jewish syna- gogue by a river-side. The following incident is recorded as occurring at this time and place : — " A certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: .->^nDS» 1 Acts xvi. 5. MISSIONARY ADVENTURES. 173 heart tte Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful tc the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us." ^ Thus peacefully the gospel was first transplanted into Europe. But in this life, " after the calm, the storm " seems to be the rule. Some persons of influence owned a slave-girl, who was believed to be possessed " with a spirit of divination." How much of this was imposture cannot now be known. But the owners of this damsel derived much profit from the many cred- vdous people who flocked to her to have their fortunes told. Impelled by some unexplained influence, as she met Paul and Silas day after day, she exclaimed, in the hearing of all the people, — " These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation." At length, Paul, ''being grieved, turned and said, I com- mand thee, in the name of Jesus Christ, to come out of her." Her powers of divination, whatever they were, immediately left her. Her masters were enraged. All hope of future gain wa,s at an end. They seized Paul and Silas, and dragged them before the city authorities. It was not easy to bring any accu- sation -.gainst them ; for the law allowed no remedy for prop- erty dep:reciated by exorcism. They therefore framed a charge in which truth and falsehood were singularly blended. "These men," said they, "being Jews, do exceedingly trou- ble our city, and teach customs which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans." The Jews had recently, in consequence of some disturbance, been aU driven out of Rome.^ They were generally hated and despised. It was also a principle in Roman law, that any religious innovations which threatened to unsettle the minds of the people, or to create tumult, were to be rigorously sup- presped. Under these circumstances, it was not diflScult to roune the violence of the mob. > Acts xvi. 14, 15. » Acts xviU. 2. 174 BISTORT OF CHRISTIANITY. The magistrates, apparently without listening to any defence, ordered them to be led to the whipping-post and scourged The scourging upon the hare back by the brawny arms of &. Roman lictor was indeed a terrible ordeal for any one to pass through. Bruised with the lash, and fainting from pain and the loss of blood, they were thrust into a dark, pestilfcntiai dungeon in the inner prison ; and their feet were made fast in the stocks. The jailer had special charge to keep them safely. The scene which ensued cannot be better narrated than in the language of Luke : — " And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God ; and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken ; and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison-doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying. Do thyself no harm ; for we are all here. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved ? And they said, Be- lieve on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes ; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway." The morning dawned. The magistrates, probably some- what alarmed in view of the violent measures which they had pursued, sent officers to the jailer with the order, that he should "let those men go." Paul and Silas were both Roman citizens, and Paul was a lawyer. The Roman law did- not allow any one entitled to the dignity of Roman citi- senship to be exposed to the ignominy of scourging.^ 1 " How often," says Cicero, "has the exclamation, ' I am a Roman citigen!* brought aid and safety, even among barbarians in the remotest parts of th« •firth I " — Cicero, Verr. v. 57. MISSIONARY ADVENTURES. 175 These Roman citizens, without any form of trial, without any legal condemnation, had been openly scourged in the market- place. Paul therefore replied to the message from the magis- trates ordering them to be liberated, — " They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison ; and now do they thrust us out privily ? i^ay, verily ; but let them come themselves and fetch us out." The magistrates were greatly alarmed when they learned that their victims were Roman citizens. The report of the outrage at Rome would cost them their offices, if not their lives. They therefore hastened to the prisoners, and became suppliants before those whom tliey had so inhumanly perse- cuted, entreating them to depart out of their city. Paul made no appeal to the authorities at Rome ; he was too busy preaching the gospel to devote anj' time to personal redress : but the course he pursued throughout that scene of suffering placed Christianity on high vantage-ground in Philippi, and secured for its advocates the protection of law. These heroic men made no haste to leave the city. Return- ing to the house of Lydia, they met all the brethren who by their instrumentality had been led to embrace the religion of Jesus, and addressed them in farewell words of solace and rounsel. Thus far it appears, from the form of the narrative, that Luke, the historian of the Acts of the Apostles, had accompanied the brethren on this missionary excursion. It ia inferred that Luke and Timothy remained a little longer in philippi, and that Luke did not rejoin Paul for some time. Paul and Silas set out to cross the mountains to Amphipo- Is, a city about thirty miles south-west from Philippi : thence they pressed on twenty-five miles, to Apollonia; and thence thirty-two miles farther, to Thessalonica. We have no record how long they stopped at the two first places, or what success attended their preaching there. In this important seaport, the most populous city in Macedonia, Paul and Silas remained for some time. The following is the inspired record of the commencement of Paul's labors there : — 176 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. " They came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews : and Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of .he scriptures, opening and alleging that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead ; and that this Jesus, -Tv^hom I preach unto you, is Christ." The preachiug of Paul and Silas in Thessalonica resulted in the conversion of many, both of the Jews and the GentUes. It is recorded that among tie converts there were numbered " of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few." In Paiil's two Epistles to the Thessalonians, we find quite a minute account of the sentiments which he advanced in this city. The spiritual reign of Christ, his second coming in clouds of glory with his holy angeis, and the endless happiness which his disciples would then inherit, were the themes of infinite moment which inspired his fervid eloquence. The following extract from one of his letters, which he subsequently wrote to the Thessalonians from Cor- inth, will show the manner in which he treated such themes. Speaking of the second coming of Jesus in the day of his exaltation, he wrote, — " But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, con- cerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God , and the dead in Christ shall rise first : then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air ; and so shall we ever be with the Lord." ^ This graphic account of the sublime scenes to be witnessed at the second coming of our Lord Jesus agitated the church 1 I Thess. iv. 13-17. MISSIONARY ADVENTURES. 177 iQ Thessalonica, as the Christians there supposed that the coming of Jesus was to be hourly expected. This led Paul to write another letter, in which he corrected that error. In this he wrote, — "Now, we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering-together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means ; for that day shall not come except there come a falling-away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition ; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped ; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God." ^ Who the " man of sin " is remains an undecided question. The Protestants have generally applied the words to the Pope of Rome. It will be remembered, that when Jesus took his final departure from his disciples, ascending into the skies in bodily presence before them from Mount Olivet, two angels appeared to them, and said, — " Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven ? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." ^ The second coming of Christ, to reap the fruits of his humiliation and his atoning sacrifice in the establishment of his spiritual kingdom, was a prominent theme in the teach- ing both of Christ and his apostles. The language of Peter upon this subject unfolds, indeed, a scene of wonderful sub- limity : — " This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you, in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance ; that ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apos- tles of the Lord and Saviour : knowing this first, that there Bhall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their owx 1 2 Thess. ii. 1-4. s Acts i. U. .2 178 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for, since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they wre from the beginning of the creation. " For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water ; whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished ; but the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in Btore, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and per- dition of ungodly men. " But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that ore day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thcusand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning hia promise as some men count slackness, but is long-suffering to US-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night ; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat ; the earth also, and the works that are therein, shall be burned up. " Seeing, then, that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens, being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless, we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." '^ These emphatic announcements, that the Lord Jesus, who had risen from the grave and ascended to heaven, would come again in glory with an angelic retinue to establish an evei- lasting kingdom, were interpreted by hostile or careless hearers to intimate that the Christians had designs against the Roman government, which they intended by revolution to overthrow ; that they intended to establish the throne of Jesus upon the niins of the throne of Caesar. This charge was brought against Jesus, notwithstanding his reiterated declaration, " My kingdom is not of this world.* 1 2 Pet. ul. 1-13. MISSIONARY ADVENTURES. 179 The enemies of Paul and Silas took advantage of this mis- representation to accuse them of treason against the Roman government. The record is as follows : — " But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. And, Avhen they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also ; whom Jason hath received : and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus." ' The commotion in the city was so great, and the peril of mob violence so imminent, that the brethren sent Paul and Silas by night to Berea, an interior town, about sixty miles south-west of Thessalonica. In this small rural city, situated on the eastern slope of the Olympian mountains, Paul found an intelligent, unprejudiced people, who listened gladly to the tidings of salvation which he brought them. "They were more noble," writes Luke, "than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readi- ness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed ; also of honorable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few." * The malignant Jews in Thessalonica, hearing of Paul's suc- cess in Berea, sent some of their number to rouse the mob there against him. Paul, aware that he could hope to accom- plish but little amidst scenes of popular clamor and violence, quietly withdrew. He, however, left Silas and Timothy behind : they, being less i)rominent, would not so much attract the attention of the jjopulace. Aided by the bretliren of Berea, Paul repaired to the sea- coast, where he embarked for the city of Athens. Coasting along the western shore of the Island of Euboea, a distance of ninety miles, they came to Cape Colonna, the southern extrem- ity of Attica. Here, on Sunium's high promontory, stood the ' Acta xvii. 5-7. "^ Acts xvii. 11, 12. 180 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. temple of Minerva, a landmark to the Greek sailors. The eminence is still crowned with the ruins of its white columns. Rounding this cape, the navigator soon came in sight of the splendid city of Athens, "huilt nobly on the ^gean shore, the eye of Greece, the mother of arts and eloquence." ^ Idolatrous shrines crowned every height, and gorgeous temples for the worship of false gods were found in all the streets. Athens was probably by far the most renowned city Paul had yet en- tered ; and it embraced a large class of poets, philosophers, and men of literary leisure. "All the Athenians, and strangers which were there, spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing." The statues to the gods were so numerous, that Petronius, a Roman satirist, declared that it was easier to find a go), than a man in Athens. The spirit of Paul was roused as never before in seeing this great city so entirely surrendered to idolatry. In the synagogue of the Jews, and daily ,n the market-place, and from house to house, as he could find persons to listen to him, he proclaimed the religion of Jesus. His earnestness, and the power of his eloquent words, soon arrested general attention. Some of the proud philosophers turned contemptuously from him, calling him a " babbler : " others had their curiosity excited, and wished to hear more, saying, " He seemeth to be a setter-forth of strange gods, because," adds Luke, " he preached unto them Jesus and the resurrection." ^ There was at Athens a renowned eminence, called Mars' Hill, upon whose summit was reared one of the most majestic buildings of ancient or modern days, called the Acropolis. Here the court of the Areopagus, the most solemn of the Grecian courts, held its sessions. Here Paul was taken by the Athenians to expound to them his doctrine. Never had he addressed such an audience before. Apparently never before, since he became a disciple of Jesus, had he encountered an hour to be fraught with more momentous consequences. The sacred historian has given us his address, or an abstract * Faradise Regaine* Acts -^vii ^3 MISSIONARY ADVENTURES. 181 of it, upon this occasion. In its appropriateness to the cir- cumstances of the case, it is universally regarded as unsur- j)as8ed in the records of human eloquence : — " Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious ; ^ for as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription. To the Unknown God. Whom, therefore, ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. God that made the world and all things therein, seeing tha'- he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands ; neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any taing, seeing he giveth to all life and breath and all things ; and hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hati deter- mined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their- habitation ; that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him and £nd him, though he be not far from every one of us. *' For in him we li^e and move, and have our being ; as certain also of your own poets have said. For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch, then^ as we are the oflfepring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold or silver or stone, graven by art and man's device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at, but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent ; because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained ; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead." ^ The results of this address upon the minds of those who listened were various. Some of the philosophers, when they heard of tlie resurrection of the dead, " mocked." Many of the Jewa were probably irritated at the suggestion that Jews and Gentiles were to be placed on an equality. Others, more respectful, withdrew, simply saying, " We will hear thee again * Too superstitious. — The meaning of the words thus translated would be bett«J conveyed to us by the phrase, " More than others, ye reverence the deities." * Acts xvii. 22-31. 182 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. of this matter." This was probably merely a polite expres- sion of indifference. Paul did not feel sufficiently encouraged to prolong his labors among auditors so unpromising. In the synagogue, and in the streets, Paul had been preaching to the Athenians " Jesus and the resurrection." It was to this same theme, the burden of aU his teachings, that upon Mars' HiU he so skilfully drew the attention of his hearers. Paul did not encounter any tumult or violence in Athens How long he remained there cannot now be known. As to the results of his labors, we are informed that Dionysius, a member of the court of Areopagus, and a woman by the name of Damaris, with some others, became converts to Christianity. From Athens Paul proceeded to Corinth, the commercial metropolis of Greece, and a city renowned for its wealth, its luxury, and its wickedness. Corinth was about sixty miles from Athens, in a direction very nearly west. Two of the exiled Jews, Aquila and his wife Priscilla, whom a decree of tne Emperor Claudius had expelled from Rome, had taken refuge in Corinth. They cordially received Paul, and he abode with them. They were tent-makers by occupation ; making tents, then in great demand, of cloth woven from goat's-hair. Paul, who was unwilling to be burdensome to any one, met his expenses by his daily or rather nightly toU at this trade, which he had learned in his early youth. After preaching the gospel all day, we can see him in the evening diligently aiding Aquila and Priscilla m their manual labor. Soon Silas and Timothy, coming from Thessalonica, joined Paul in Corinth. As he witnessed the great wickedness of the city, his spirit was stirred within him to an unusual de- gree. Earnestly he testified to the degenerate Jews that Jesus is the Christ. But the Jews would not receive Jesus of Nazareth as their Messiah. They reviled the preacher and his gospel. Luke writes, — " And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blo'^d be upon your own heads : I am clean : from henceforth I will go unto th« Gentiles." MISSIONARY ADVENTURES. 183 He thus abandoned the synagogue ; and i** ^eems that it was necessary for him to leave the residence of his Jewish hosts, and to take up his abode with a Gentile by the name of Justus. This man lived near the synagogue, and, though a Greek, had renounced idolatry, and was a worshipper of the true God. Paul's labors among the Jews had not been entirely in vain : for " Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord, with all his house ; " and Paul in person baptized him.^ Among the Gentiles Paul's success was very great, and converts were rapidly multiplied. The rage of the Jews was such, that it was feared that Paul would encounter personal violence ; but the Lord appeared to Paul in the night in a vision, and said to him, — " Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace ; for I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee ; for I have much people in this city," For a year and six months Paul continued in Corinth, preach- ing the gospel. It was from that city that he wrote his two impressive and affectionate letters to the converts in Thessa- lonica. An easy, good-natured man, by the name of Gallio, wag at that time governor of the province of Achaia, which in- cluded the whole of Southern Greece. Probably the conversion and baptism of Crispus exasperated the Jews to the highest degree. They stirred up an insurrection in the streets ; seized Paul, and with clamor and tumult dragged him before the judgment-seat of Gallio. But the charges which they brought against Paul were so frivolous, that Gallio drove them from his presencfc, declaring that he would be no judge of such matters. The Greeks hated the Jews. And here, for the first time, we have the remarkable exhibition of the populace proceeding to acts of violence against the enemies of Paul. According to the narrative in the Acts of the Apostles, the Greek populace rushed upon Sosthenes, the ruler of the Jewish synagogue, and severely beat him. It was far more important to GaUio that he should be popular among the Greeks than among the Jews : he therefore, with characteristic indifference, left Sosthenes to » 1 Cor. 1. 14. 184 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY. his fate. After this, the Jews no longer attempted to molest Paul. He remained in Corinth "yet a good while;" but we hare no record of the amount or success of his labors. He then bade farewell to the numerous converts whom he had gathered in Corinth, and, accompanied by Aquila and Priscilla, embarked at Cenchrea, and, leaving the shores of Greece behind him, crossed the ^gean Sea, a distance of about two hundred miles, and landed at the renowned city of Ephesus, in Asia Minor. In the record of this event it is written, — " He then took leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila ; having shorn his head in Cenchrea : for he had a vow." ^ The structure of the sentence does not determine whether it was Paul or Aquila w^o had a' vow ; neither are we informed why the vow was taken. Paul apparently entered the syna- gogue at Ephesus but once, when he reasoned with the Jews, endeavoring to convince them that Jesus was the Messiah ; and, though entreated to tarry longer with them, he declined, saying, " I must by all means keep this feast ^ that cometh in Jerusa- lem ; but I wiU return again unto you." Sailing from Ephesus, leaving Aquila and Priscilla behind him, he landed at Csesarea in Syria, and immediately hastened up to Jerusalem to report to the church there his adventures in the long and momentous excursion he had made, — an excursion which occupied a little over two years. He then re- turned to Antioch. - * AotB zrili. 18. * Probably the Ft' teoost, CHAPTER VIII. THS CAPTIVE IN CHAINS. Tht. Third Missionary Tour. — Paul at Ephesus. — The Great Tumult. — Tl.« Voyage to Greece. — Return to Asia Minor and to Jerusalem. — His Reception at Jerusalem. — His Arrest, and the Riot. ~ Speech to the Mob. — Paul impris- oned.—Danger of Assassination. — Transferred to Caesarea. — His Defence before Festus and Agrippa. — The Appeal to Caesar. - The Voyage to Rome. — The SbiDwreck. — Continued Captivity iii now enter upon Paul's third missionary jour- ney through the interior of Asia Minor. How long he remained in Antioch before entering upon this tour, or what exact route he took through Phrygia and Galatia, we do not know. <^ Timothy probably accompanied him, as men- tion is made of his name in connection with Paul's stay at Ephesus. All the record we have of this jour- ney through the heart of Asia Minor, in which Paul visited the various churches which he had established, is contained in the words, " He departed, and went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples." ^ Just before Paul's arrival at Ephesus, — which city he had promised to visit again, — a Jew came there, by the name of Apollos, a devout man, very eloquent, who was a disciple of John the Baptist ; he not having yet received the fuller reve- lation of life and immortality made by Jesus Christ. Aquila and Priscilla, listening to his bold and fervid addresses in the synagogue, took him, and explained to him more fully the * Acts xviii. 23. 185 186 HISTORY OF CHRISIIANITT. ^50spel of Jesus as it had been expounded to them by Paul. Thus instructed in the " glad tidings," Apollos went to Cor- inth with letters of recommendation to the brethren there, where "he mightily convinced the Jews, and that pubhcly, showing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ." ^ While Apollos was preaching at Corinth, Paul, having traversed the mountainous districts of Asia Minor, came to Ephesus. There were but few in that great and wicked city who had any true conception of tJie religion of Jesus. There were several, who, under the preaching of Apollos, had be- corde disciples of John, walking in the comparatively dim light which that projjhet had revealed. Eagerly they received the fuller illumination which Paul brought to their minds. Twelve of these were baptized by Paul in the name of the Lord Jesus : then, upon his laying his hands upon them, they received the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost, '■' and spake with tongues^ and prophesied." For three months, Paul continued earnestly preaf hing in the synagogue "the things concerning the kingdom of God." Suc- cess did not attend his labors : on the contrary, many were hardened by them, " and believed not, but spake evil of that way." Paul, disheartened, withdrew entirely feom the syna- gogue, and, taking the few disciples with him, established an independent church. A man named Tyrannus, a school-teacher who was either a convert, or was favorably affected towards the new doctrine, opened his schoolroom for the preaching of Paul. In that room, and from house to house, the zealous and persevering apostle preached, for the space of two years, "repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ." A large church was organized. Paul himself, and other disciples, made many excursions into the surrounding region, " so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks." * Paul still continued to exer- cise miraculous powers, healing the sick, and casting out evil spirits. Some " vagabond Jews," witnessing the power which 1 Acts xviii. 28. Acts nix. .'0. THE CAPTIVE IN CHAINS. 187 the name of Jesus exerted, undertook to exorcise in that sacri'd name ; but the demoniac, exclaiming, " Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are ye ? leaped on them, and over- came them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked ana vounded." TrJs so alarmed the professional exorcists, that many of them relinquished their calling, and burned their books of sorcery, though they were valued at about eight thousand dollars. *' So mightily," adds Luke, " grew the word of the Lord, and prevailed." Paul now decided to visit the churches in Macedonia and Achaia, and then to return to Jerusalem, saying, " After that, I must see Rome also." Timothy, and another disciple by the name of Erastus, were sent before him to announce his coming to the churches in Macedonia and Achaia. Just before Paul left Ephesus, a very violent and not un- natural tumult arose in the city. Ephesus was renowned throughout the world for the worship of the goddess Diana. The temple, erecter at the head of the harbor for the idola- trous worship of this goddess, was deemed, in its magnifi- cence and dazzling beauty, one of the wonders of the world. It was a common saying, " The sun in its course sees nothing more magnificent than Diana's temple." This gorgeous mar- ble shrine of idolatry was 425 feet long, 220 broad, and was embellished by 127 columns, each 60 feet high. The Greek ladies throughout all Achaia and Asia lavished their treas- ures in almost incrusting the temple with precious stones. It was one of the principal sources of revenue to the city, and of employment for its workmen, to construct silver statues of the goddess, which were sold in immense numbers throughout all the pagan world. But the preaching of Paul was bring- ing idolatry into disrepute, and destroying the trade in idols. There was a large manufacturer of these silver shrines in the city, by the name of Demetrius. He called his numerous workmen together, and thus addressed them : — "Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth. Moreover, ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and 188 HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITT. turned away much people, saying that they be no gods which are made with hands : so that not only this our craft irf in danger to be set at nought, but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship- peth." 1 These inflammatory words roused the workmen : they were repeated through all the shops in the city. A gathering mob began to surge through the streets with clamor and threaten- iags. The one continuous cry of the mob was, " Great is Diana of the Ephesians ! " The infuriated populace coming across two of Paul's companions and friends, Gaius and Aris- tarchus, seized them, and dragged them into the theatre, an immense enclosure, without a roof, where tiers of stone seats rose one above another, affording room for an immense as sembly. As soon as the news reached Paul, the intrepid man wished immediately to rush into the theatre, in the endeavor to rescue his friends ; but even the officers of the city entreated him not thus to peril his life. With difficulty they dissuadea him from the rash and hopeless movement. The tumult in the theatre was fearful. " Some cried one thing, and some another : for the assembly was confused ; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together." At length the mayor of the city, an officer next in dignity and authority to the governor, entered the city, and endeavored tc allay the tumult. Having succeeded in obtaining silence, he addressed the mob as follows : — " Ye men of Ephesus, what man is oh ere that knoweth not that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?^ Seeing, then, that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly. For ye have brought hither these men, who are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess. Wherefore I Acts xix. 25-27. * The original image of Diana was supposea to be a gift from heaven. THE CAPTIVE IN CHAINS. 189 if Demetrius, auud ^liQ craftsmen wliicli are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are depu- ties : let them implead one another. But, if ye inquire any thing concerning other matters,^ it shall be determined in a lawful assembly. For we are in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse." ^ Soon after this Paul assembled the disciples, and took leave of them, in preparation for his journey into Greece. From Ephesus he had written his First Epistle to the Corinthians ; and he was greatly distressed by some disorders which had crept into the church there. We have no record of the events which occurred during this journey. Sailing across the ^gean Sea, he landed first in Macedonia. " And when he had gone over those parts, and given them much exhorta- tion, he came into Greece, and there abode three months." He tarried some time in Philippi, waiting the arrival of Titus : upon his arrival, he wrote his Second Epistle to the Corinthians. Accompanied by Titus, Paul went to Corinth, where he spent some time endeavoring to correct the abuses to which we have referred. While at Corinth, he wrote his Epistle to the Romans, — unquestionably the most important document which ever proceeded from a human mind. But the malignant Jews in those regions still thirsted for his blood. As they lay in wait for him to kill him as ho should embark for Syria, he changed his route, and returned through Macedonia to Philippi, where he took ship for Troas, on the Asiatic coast ; which port he reached after a sail of five days. There he remained a week. The first day of the week, as commemorating the resurrection of Jesus, had become, instead of the seventh, the customary day for the assembling of Christians.^ Paul, as he was the next day to leave the brethren at Troas, probably never in this world to meet them again, con- 1 Matters beyond the jurisdiction of the courts. 2 Acts xix. 35-40. » See John xx. 26, and 1 Cor. xvl. 2. 190 HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN ITT. fcinued the parting service until midnight. A young man named Eutychus, overcome by sleep, fell from a third-story window to the ground, and was taken up dead. Paul restored him to life. He then continued the social and religious ser- vices until the dawning of the day. The ship in which he was to embark sailed first for Assos, a small seaport about nine miles from Troas by land, and more than twice that distance by water. Paul went on foot to Assos. There he took ship, and, sailing by Chios, Mitylene, and Samos, passed by Ephesus, and landed at Miletus, an important commercial city, about thirty miles beyond Ephesus. He sent for the elders of the church at Ephesus, and there took leave of them in the following affecting address : — " Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons, serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations which befell me by the lying-in- wait of the Jewsj and how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have showed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house, testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesua Christ. "And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there ; save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which T have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. " And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Take heed, therefore, unto yourselves, and to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost THE CAPTIVE IN CHAINS. 191 hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them, Therefore watch, and remember, that, by the space of three years, I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. "And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. I have coveted no man's silver or gold or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. I have showed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive." Luke adds, " And, when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all. And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck, and kissed him ; sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they shotdd see his face n