Paul Mercury, because he was the chief speaker. The priest of their idol Jupiter too, actually came into the city, bringing oxen wreathed with flowers to sacrifice to them.

You may easily imagine the horror of Paul and Barnabas, when they heard of this. They rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, "Sirs, why do ye these things? we also are men like you, and preach unto you, that you should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein :" and Paul added, that although God had, in times past, suffered all nations to walk in their own ways, yet that He had not

left Himself without a witness, that He was both a powerful and merciful Being," since He did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness." Yet with all this, they scarcely prevented the people from sacrificing to them.

But this was not the only trouble they met with at Lystra. The Jews, (some of their old enemies from Antioch and Iconia,) had followed them here, and persuaded the people against them, so that after having been honoured as gods, they were now treated like criminals, and Paul was so severely stoned, that he was left as dead. When he revived, he got up and fled with Barnabas to Derbe.

I

After preaching the Gospel at Derbe, they ventured to return and visit again Lystra, Iconia, and Antioch in Pisidia, regardless of the persecution they had already suffered, or might again endure in the service of Christ. Passing on through Pisidia to Pamphylia, they arrived at the town of Perga, and from thence to Attalia on the sea coast, at both of which towns they preached the Gospel. Wherever they made converts, they formed Christian churches, and chose for them elders or governors out of the most worthy among the Christian believers.

And now the first Apostolical journey as it is called, drew to a close; Paul and Barnabas returned

to Antioch in Syria, from whence they first set forth. They were received, you may be sure, with joy, after all their troubles and dangers; and the Christians of Antioch assembled to hear what they had done among the Gentiles.

CHAPTER XVI.

Paul and Barnabas go to Jerusalem.— Set out on their Second Journey.

PAUL and Barnabas remained for some time at Antioch, the church there, you know, had been formed under their directions. During this period, some persons who came from Judea, caused great uneasiness among the Gentile disciples at Antioch, by telling them that they ought to keep the whole law of Moses. Now Paul had taught them that the law of