CHAPTER VIII.

PAUL AND SILAS VISIT CHURCHES.

PAUL AT ATHENS. IN EPHESUS.

WHEN Paul left Antioch, after his separa- | in lawful and indifferent matters, to conform tion from Barnabas, he and his companion himself to the tempers and dispositions of Silas travelled over the provinces of Syria all, that he might thereby further succeed in and Cilicia, confirming the churches, and his ministry, and the sooner establish that leaving with each a copy of the decree, doctrine he was sent to propagate. which a short time before had been passed by the council at Jerusalem. From these parts they sailed to Crete,* where Paul propagated the gospel, and constituted Titus pastor of the island, leaving him to settle those affairs of the church, which time would not permit the apostle to do.

From Crete, Paul and Silas returned to Cilicia, and thence went to Lystra. Here they met with a young man named Timothy, whose father was a Greek, but his mother a Jewish convert, by whom he had been brought up under all the advantages of a pious and religious education, especially with regard to the holy Scriptures, which he had studied with the greatest assiduity and success. This person Paul designed as a companion of his travels, and a special instrument in the ministry of the gospel. But knowing that his being uncircumcised would prove a stumbling-block to the Jews, he caused him to be circumcised; being willing,

*This was one of the richest and best islands in the whole Mediterranean Sea. It is said at one time to have contained no less than a hundred considerable towns or cities, whence it had the name of Hecatompolis. From the goodness of the soil, and temperature of the air, it was likewise styled Macorios, or the Happy Island. At present it is commonly called Candia, from its principal town, which bears that name. It is situated opposite the mouth of the Ægean Sea, or Archipelago; and while it continued in the hands of the Venetians was an archbishop's see; great, rich, and populous; but since it came into the possession of the Turks (which was in the year 1669) it has lost all marks of its former grandeur.

† Phrygia is a province of Asia Minor, having Bithynia to the north, Galatia to the east, Lycia to the south, and Mysia to the west. The inhabitants of this country, who are said to have been the inventors of augury, and other kinds of divination, were anciently more superstitious than the other Asiatics, as appears from the rites which they used in the sacrifice of Cybele, and other heathen goddesses.

Galatia is a province of Asia Minor, bound

After staying a short time at Lystra, they passed through Phrygia † and Galatia, where the apostle Paul was entertained with the greatest kindness and veneration by the people, who looked upon him as an angel Hence he sent immediately from heaven intended to have continued his progress through the proconsular. Asia, but was prohibited from so doing by a particular revelation In consequence of this he went to Mysia,|| and after attempting in vain to go into Bithynia, § proceeded to Troas, T where, soon after his arrival, he had a vision, commanding him to direct his course for Macedonia.** Paul made immediate preparations for obeying these orders, being fully assured it was the Lord who had called him to preach the gospel in that country.

Paul and his companions, having embarked at Troas, sailed to the Island of Samothracia,†† and, the next day, landed at Neapolis, a port in Macedonia, whence they

ed on the west by Phrygia, on the east by the River Halys, on the north by Paphlagonia, and on the south by Lycaonia.

Mysia is another small province of Asia Minor, bounded on the east by Phrygia, on the west by Troas, on the north by Bithynia, and on the south by the River Hermus.

§ Bithynia is likewise a region of Asia Minor, and received its name from one of its kings, named Bythinus; but in what age he reigned we are not informed.

Troas was a small country belonging to Phrygia Minor, and situated to the west of Mysia, upon the Hellespont. It took its name from its principal city, which was a seaport, and situated about four miles from old Troy.

** This is a large province in Greece, and was anciently called Emmathia, but, from the king of Macedon, it was afterward called Macedonia, which name it has ever since retained.

†† Samothracia is a small island in the Ægean Sea, lying to the west of Troas, opposite the coast of Thrace, whence it received its name.

‡ Neapolis was a seaport, and stood very near to Thrace. At first it belonged to that province, but was afterward taken into Macedonia.

travelled to Philippi,* a Roman colony, where they continued some days.

At a small distance from Philippi the Jews had a proseuche, or place of devotion, which was much frequented by the devout women of their religion, who met there to pray and hear the law. In In this place Paul and his companions preached the glad tidings of the gospel, and, by the influence of the Holy Spirit, made many converts. Among these was a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple in Philippi, but a native of Thyatira, whom they baptized, with her household; in return for which she invited them to lodge in her house during their abode in that city.

not suffer the devil to acknowledge him, lest his false and lying tongue should prejudice the truth in the minds of men), commanded the spirit, in the name of Jesus, to come out of her. Accordingly the evil spirit obeyed, and at that instant left the damsel.

This miraculous cure proving a great loss to her masters, who had acquired large sums from her soothsaying, they were vehemently incensed against the apostles. They therefore caused Paul and Silas to be apprehended and carried before the magistrates of the city, to whom they accused them of introducing many innovations, which were prejudicial to the state, and unlawful for them to comply with, as being Romans.

As Paul and his companions were one The magistrates, being concerned for the day going, as usual, to the before-mentioned tranquillity of the state, and fearful of all place of devotion, they were met by a certain disturbances, were very forward to punish damsel, who was possessed with a spirit of the offenders, against whom the multitude divination, by means of which her masters testified; and therefore they commanded the acquired considerable advantage. This wo-officers to strip them, and scourge them man followed Paul and his companion, cry-severely as seditious persons. This was ing out, These men are the servants of the accordingly done, after which they were Most High God, which show us the way of committed to close custody, and the jailer, salvation. Paul, at first took no notice of having received a strict charge to keep them her, not being willing to multiply miracles in the utmost security, not only thrust them without necessity. But when he saw her into the inner prison, but likewise made their following them several days together, he feet fast to the stocks. began to be troubled; and therefore, in imitation of his great Master (who would

But neither the obscure dungeon, nor the pitchy mantle of the night, can intercept

* Philippi was one of the chief cities of Mace- cepting the motsellim's palace, there is scarcely donia, lying to the west of Neapolis. It was a decent house in the place. The streets are naroriginally called Dathos, but afterward took its row and dirty, and every thing indicates poverty name from Philip, the famous king of Macedon, and degradation. We had a letter of introducwho repaired and beautified it. In process of tion to Economo, the bishop's procurator, and a time it became a Roman colony, and the inhabit-principal man among the Greeks of this town. ants enjoyed the privileges of Roman citizens, and were governed by the Roman laws. These indulgences were conferred on them both by Julius and Augustus Cæsar, very probably, in memory of the two great battles that were fought in the plains adjacent, the first between Julius and Pompey the Great, and the second between Augustus and Mark Antony on the one side, and Cassius and Brutus on the other.

†This ancient city still survives as an inhabited site, under the Turkish name of Ark-hissar, or the White Castle. It cannot however compare with the two other inhabited sites, being greatly inferior to Pergamos, and immeasurably so to Smyrna. In ancient remains it is poorer than any of the seven. It is situated about twentyseven miles to the north of Sardis, and is thus noticed by Pliny Fisk, the American missionary: Thyatira is situated near a small river, a branch of the Caicus, in the centre of an extensive plain. At the distance of three or four miles it is almost completely surrounded by mountains. The houses are low; many of them of mud or earth. Ex

He says the Turks have destroyed all remnants of the ancient church; and even the place where it stood is now unknown. At present there are in the town one thousand houses for which taxes are paid to the government.' (Memoir of the Rev. P. Fisk. Boston, Mass. 1828.) It appears, from Hartley, that the Greeks occupy three hundred houses, the Armenians thirty. Each of them has a church. The town is embosomed in poplars and cypresses. The traveller last named observes, "The sacred writer of the Acts of the Apostles informs us that Lydia was a seller of purple in the city of Thyatira; and the discovery of an inscription here, which makes mention of the dyers,' has been considered important in connection with this passage. I know not if other travellers have remarked, that even at the present time, Thyatira is famous for dyeing. In answer to inquiries on the subject, I was informed that the cloths which are dyed scarlet here are considered superior to any others furnished by Asia Minor; and that large quantities are sent weekly to Smyrna for the purposes of commerce."

the beams of divine joy and comfort from the he saw, that all his prisoners were escaped, souls of pious men. Their minds were all he was going to put a period to his life, which serenity; and at midnight they prayed, and being observed by Paul, he hastily called sung praises to God so loud, that they were out, "Do thyself no harm, for we are all heard in every part of the prison. Nor were their prayers offered to the throne of grace in vain an earthquake shook the foundations of the prison, opened the doors, loosed the chains, and set the prisoners at liberty.

here." The keeper was as much surprised at this as he had been before terrified at the thoughts of their escape; and calling for a light, he went immediately into the presence of Paul and Silas, fell down at their feet, took them from the dungeon, brought them This convulsion of nature roused the jailer to his own house, washed their stripes, and from his sleep; and concluding, from what then besought them to instruct him in the

to save.

knowledge of that God who was so mighty | tyrannized over Paul and Silas with the most Paul readily granted his request, cruel usage, now treated them with the greatest respect, and showed them the highest marks of kindness.

telling him, that if he believed in Jesus Christ, he and his whole house might be saved. Accordingly, the jailer, with all his Early the next morning the magistrates family, were, after a competent instruction, (either having heard what had happened, or baptized, and received as members of the reflecting on what they had done as too harsh Christian church. How happy a change and unjustifiable) sent their sergeant to the does the doctrine of the gospel make in the jailer, with orders immediately to discharge minds of men ! How does it smooth the Paul and Silas. The jailer joyfully delivroughest tempers, and instil in their minds ered the message, and bade them depart in the sweetest principles of civility and good-peace; but Paul, in order to make the manature! He, who but a few moments before gistrates sensible what injury they had done

them, and how unjustly they had punished deliver him up to an incensed multitude. them without examination or trial, refused But in this they were disappointed, he with to accept of their discharge, alleging, "that his companions being removed thence by the they were not only innocent persons, but Christians, and concealed in some other part denizens of Rome; that, as they had been of the city. This disappointment increased illegally scourged and committed to prison, their rage, and they determined to be retheir delivery should be as public as was the venged on Jason, who had concealed them. injury, and attended with a solemn retraction Accordingly they seized him, with some others of what they had done.' of the brethren, and carried them before the The magistrates were greatly terrified at magistrates of the city, accused them with this message, well knowing how dangerous it disturbing the peace of the empire, and was to provoke the formidable power of the setting up Jesus as a king, in derogation of Romans, who never suffered any freeman to the emperor's dignity and authority. In be beaten uncondemned. They therefore consequence of this accusation, both the went to the prison, and very submissively people and magistrates became their enemies; entreated them to depart without any further and though Jason was only accused of hardisturbance. This small recompense for the boring Paul and his companions, yet the cruel usage they had received was accepted magistrates could not be prevailed on to disby the meek followers of the blessed Jesus: miss Jason and his brethren till they had they accordingly left the prison, and retired given security for their future appearance. to the house of Lydia, in which were a great number of converts. To those they related all that had passed, and after some conference with them, they took their leave and departed.

As soon as the tumult was over, those Thessalonians who had been converted sent away Paul and his companions, by night, to Beræa, a city about fifty miles to the south of Thessalonica. Here also Paul's great From Philippi, Paul and his companions love for his countrymen the Jews, and his travelled toward the west, till they arrived at earnest wishes for their salvation, excited him Thessalonica,* the metropolis of Macedonia. to preach to them in particular. Accordingly, Here Paul preached in the synagogues of he entered into their synagogue, and exthe Jews three sabbath days successively, plained the gospel to them, proving, from the proving, from the predictions of the Old Tes- scriptures of the Old Testament, the truth tament, that the Messiah was to suffer, and of the doctrine he advanced. The Jews to rise again; and that the blessed Jesus here were of a more ingenuous and candid was the Messiah spoken of by the prophets. temper than those of Thessalonica; and as Some of his hearers, among whom were they heard him, with great reverence and several women of rank and quality, believed, attention, expound the Scriptures, so they and were converted to the faith, but the searched diligently, whether his proofs were greater part of the Jews disapproved of his proper and pertinent, and consonant to the doctrine. sense of the text to which he referred. During their stay at Thessalonica, they Having done this, and found every thing lodged in the house of a certain Christian agreeable to what Paul had advanced, many named Jason, who entertained them very of them believed; and some Gentiles (among courteously. But the Jews, in general, whom were several women of quality) followwere so incensed against them, that they ing their example, became obedient to the would not suffer them to continue at rest. faith. The news of this remarkable success They refused to embrace the gospel them- being carried to Thessalonica, the Jews of selves, and therefore envied its success, and that place were so incensed, that great numdetermined to oppose its progress. Accord-bers of them went to Beræa, and raised ingly they gathered together a great number of lewd and wicked people, who beset the house of Jason, intending to take Paul, and

* Thessalonica was anciently called Thesma, from the sea to which it adjoins. It is the opinion of some that it received the latter name in memory of the victory which Philip King of Macedon obtained over the Thessalonians; but

tumults in that city; in consequence of which Paul, to avoid their fury, was obliged to leave the place, but Silas and Timothy, who,

others think it took its name from Thessalonica, the wife of Cassander, and daughter of Philip. It is at present called Salonichi, has a safe harbor for the benefit of commerce, and is an archbishop's see of the Grecian church.

them, that they had an altar inscribed, "to the unknown God."†

These superstitious practices greatly af flicted Paul, in consequence of which he lic places, without names on them, and others to unknown gods, is evident from the testimony of Laertius, who informs us that when a great plague raged at Athens, and several means had been attempted for the removal of it, they were advised by Epimedes, the philosopher, to build an altar, and dedicate it to the proper and peculiar god to whom sacrifices were due; and the other nations. Athenians, not knowing by what name to call †That the Athenians had altars in their pub-him, erected an altar with this inscription: "To

* Athens was once the most celebrated city for learning of any in the world. It was situated on a gulf of the Egean Sea, which comes up to the isthmus of the Peloponnese, or Morea, in that district of Greece called Attica, and was the parent of that dialect which was esteemed the purest and finest Greek. Cicero calls it the fountain whence civility, learning, and laws were derived to