vessel was received up again into heaven.

Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate, and called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there. While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them. Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come? And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee. Then called he them in, and lodged them. And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him. And the morrow after they entered into Cæsarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends. And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man. And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together."

At Jerusalem Peter was called in question by the Hebrew disciples, who were zealous observers of the law. "And the Apostles and brethren that were in Judæa heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them. But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them, saying, I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down

from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me: upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. And

I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat. But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth. But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. And this was done three times: and all were drawn up again into heaven. And, behold, immediately there were three men already come unto the house where I was, sent from Cæsarea unto me. And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man's house: and he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter; who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved. And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, THEN HATH GOD ALSO TO THE GENTILES GRANTED REPENTANCE UNTO LIFE." (Acts xi. 1—18.)

While St. Paul was at Tarsus, founding churches in his native Cilicia, and preparing his mind still more for the work that was before him, "tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch. Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. For he was a good man,

and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith and much people was added unto the Lord." Thus Christianity advanced among the heathens, and spread through Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Syria. Barnabas needed assistance; and he felt that, Antioch being at this time the third city of the Roman empire, of dense population, and swarming with Jews, his school-fellow, Saul of Tarsus, was the very man he needed. "Then* departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul and when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch;" and from Tarsus, never more to return to it.

As Antioch now became a new centre of activity, more important in the future history of our Church than Jerusalem itself, as St. Paul and Barnabas resided there at this time a whole twelvemonth, assembling themselves with the church, and teaching much people; and as the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch, something minute must be said of its locality.

We felt somewhat disappointed when we first saw the size of the Orontes, the Ahssy, or El Aasi of the Arabs. We remembered that Ovid talks of it as one of the largest rivers in the world; and we were told that El Aasi is, by interpretation, a swift-running stream." It looks less than the Tiber, and seems to be not more than fifty yards broad where it is crossed by an old decayed bridge of four arches, and it appears only to flow at the rate of about three miles an hour. It is impeded by a bar now, at the mouth of it, and by a variety of fish-weirs, traversing the river in several places, and especially up near Antioch. It is much wooded on the banks, and these are richly cultivated, and dotted with tall, slender poplar, dwarf oak, and English sycamore. All the vegetation of the East is produced here spontaneously, in the richest profusion: the pomegranate, the acacia, the vine and fig-tree, the myrtle, the bay, the ilex, the arbutus, the mulberry, the apricot and peach, and the orange. Colonel Chesney says the river is deep and rapid. • This is said to have happened in spring, A.D. 43, by those who are exact.