midnight to Cæsarea with a guard of horse and foot and the following letter for the governor:

"Claudius Lysius to the most excellent governor, Felix, greeting. This man being seized by the Jews and ready to be killed by them, I rescued, coming in with the soldiers, having understood that he is a Roman. And wishing to know the cause which they objected to him I brought him forth into the council, whom I found to be accused of questions of their law; but having nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of chains. But when it was told me that they had prepared an ambush for him I sent him to thee signifying also to his accusers to plead before thee. Farewell."*

Five days after Paul's arrival in Cæsarea he was followed by Annanias, the high priest, and an informer, Tertullus. The antipathy and rage of the authorities are clearly manifested by this, when even a high priest would condescend to associate with an informer, a creature even held in merited contempt by all honorable men. There was also in this instance another antipathy to be overcome, that of holding correspondence with or demanding justice from the Gentiles. The proud indomitable spirit of the Jews, who for centuries enjoyed the singular privilege of being the chosen people of the Lord, was wounded and humiliated when necessity demanded them to hold communication with these whom they doubly detested as invaders and pagans, and whom they constantly despised and regarded as inferiors. At any and every cost, however, the Apostle had to be convicted and got out of the way. Hence, the lamentable spectacle of a high priest hastening in company with a public informer to Cæsarea to testify against the Apostle. Tertullus began his address very artfully by attributing to the governor, Acts, chap. xxiii., v. 26-30.

*

in order to conciliate him in his favor, that peace and tranquillity which reigned in the country. Then, coming directly to his case, he inveighed against the Apostle as a public disturber, a pestilent fellow and chief of a sect called Nazarenes. These, which at best were vague and indefinite charges, were, however, the worst he could make. The Apostle being called upon for his defense admitted being of the religion his accuser denominated a heresy, but as regarded the allegation of his being a disturber of the public tranquillity, he emphatically denied the allegation. "Neither in the temple" said he, "did they find me disputing with any man or causing any concourse of the people, neither in the synagogue, nor in the city. Neither can they prove to me the things of which they now accuse me." In the latter part of his address, he stated the object of his coming to Jerusalem, which was to assist his indigent brethren with the alms of the faithful. The governor convinced of his innocence, but unwilling to give offense to the Jews, had the unpardonable weakness to remand the Apostle, instead of declaring him innocent and setting him at liberty as he should. Avarice had something to do with his action, for by detaining the Apostle he hoped to obtain for his release some of the alms that had been collected for the poor. In this, however, he was doomed to disappointment, for all that the Apostle had brought with him for that purpose was already distributed.

For the next two years Paul remained a close prisoner at Cæsarea. At the expiration of that period Felix was succeeded in the office of governor by Festus. On arriving in Jerusalem, in order to take possession of the government of the country he was earnestly solicited by the Jewish authorities to have Paul brought to that city for trial, their object being not the furtherance of the ends. Acts, chap. xxiv., v. 5. t Ibid, xxiv., v. 12-13.

of justice, but in order to have an opportunity of slaying him on the way. To their urgent demands the

governor replied that the trial should be conducted at Cæsarea, and that whoever had anything to charge against the Apostle should go there. Ten days later when Festus arrived, Paul was brought up for examination. Many and grievous crimes were laid to his charge, but without any satisfactory proof. Festus, however, like his predecessor, was a weak-minded man, and unwilling to give offense to the Jews, he considered the best way of extricating himself from the difficulty would be by sending the Apostle to Jerusalem for trial. But to this Paul, with his usual firmness and independence of character, firmly demurred, claiming his rights as a Roman citizen, and appealing to Cæsar: "If I have injured them or committed any thing that deserveth death I refuse not to die: but if there be nothing in those things whereof they accuse me, no man can deliver me to them. I appeal to Cæsar." Noble and dignified protest, and in every way worthy of the Apostle! It necessitated a different course to be taken with him and it was accordingly determined to send him to Rome.

CHAPTER IX.

ST. PAUL IS SENT A PRISONER TO ROME-THE JEWS AGAIN PERSECUTE AT JERUSALEM-MARTYRDOM OF JAMES, BISHOP OF JERUSALEM-BURNING

OF ROME-NERO PERSECUTES THE CHRISTIANS-ST. PAUL LEAVES ROME-MARTYRDOM OF SS. PETER AND PAUL-PUNISHMENT OF THE PERSECUTORS-HEROD-PILATE-CAIPHAS-HEROD AGRIPPA.

Before the governor's resolution, as narrated in the preceding chapter, of despatching Paul to Rome, was carried into effect, Agrippa II, king of Judea, happened to come on a visit to Festus. Being informed of the proceedings. taken against the Apostle, he expressed a desire of seeing so remarkable a man. Paul was accordingly brought into his presence and spoke to such effect as almost to make. him a convert: "In a little thou persuadest me to become a Christian."* Agrippa and Festus understanding the falsehoods of the charges made against the Apostle, were willing to grant him his liberty; but as he had appealed to Cæsar, the original resolution was adhered to, and Paul was despatched to Rome. He was given in charge, with others, to a centurion named Julius. The voyage, which was painful and tedious, occupied about five months, three of which were passed at Malta, where the Apostle perform. ed several miracles, but notably that of healing Publius' father of a fever, and bloody flux: "And it happened that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux. To whom Paul entered in, and when he had prayed and laid his hands on him he healed him."t

*

Acts, chap. xxvi, v. 28.

Acts, chap. xxviii., v. 8.

Paul arrived in Rome, A. D. 61. He was not cast into prison immediately, but was permitted to occupy an apartment of his own, under a guard detailed for that purpose. How far this interfered with his personal liberty, it would be difficult to say, but that it was galling and restrictive is clear, from the fact that he was bound by a chain.* The freedom he enjoyed, such as it was, is attributed by some to the admiration in which his character was held by the Romans, but more probably to the moderation of the prefect of the prætorium, Africanus Burrus, whose influence over the mind of the emperor was considerable. During a period of two years, the Apostle remained a prisoner in this manner, but always at liberty to preach the divine word to all who repaired to him, and, as may be gathered from the Acts and from his epistles, with much effect. How he gained his liberty, and whither he repaired on obtaining it, is unknown; but that he left the capital and preached for sometime elsewhere, is readily acknowledged.

While Paul was a prisoner in Rome, the Jews were at their old work in Jerusalem, persecuting the Christians. Enraged at finding their victim withdrawn from their hands, and not likely to be punished with death, they were ready to give expression to their hatred of Christianity in a manner equally practical; but circumstances necessitated them to dissimulate for a time. An opportunity, however, shortly occurred. Festus the governor dying, before the arrival of a successor in office, Annanias, the high priest, availed himself of the opportunity, which this absence of restraint from superior authority granted him, to persecute the religion, and if possible to extinguish it in the blood of its members. To this end James, the bishop of Jerusalem, became the object of his solicitude; but as that venerable man was highly esteemed for his virtues, being surnamed

*Acts, chap. xxxiii., v. 20.