THE FIRST MARTYR,

495

CCCXXXVIITI.

JHE PIRST Martyr.

  
  

|X 7-¢|N those days, when the
Yz| number of the disciples
pi} was multiplied, the apos-
4) tles had much to do, not
only in preaching the
gospel, but in other things also. At
last they found all this work too
much for them; they had not time
and strength for it. So they called the
disciples, and told them to choose
from among themselves seven wise
and holy men, who might help them
in small things ; and then the apos-
tles said, “ We will give ourselves to
prayer, and the ministry of the
word.” This saying pleased all the
disciples; they were willing to help
the apostles, and thus to give them
more time for prayer and preaching ;
so they chose out seven faithful and
holy men. The names of these men
were Stephen, Philip, Prochorus,
Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and
Nicolas. Then they brought them
to the apostles, who prayed, and laid
their hands upon them, and set
them apart for the service of God.
These seven men were called dea-
cons. Their business was to attend
particularly to the poor widows; and
also to collect money, and distribute
it to those who were in need.

God still blessed His word more
and more; and a great number,
even of the priests, “became obe-
dient to the faith.” At last, some
other enemies began to trouble the
servants of God. Whenever God’s
people are busy in making known

the gospel, Satan is busy too among
his servants, stirring them up to re-
sist the truth, and fight against it ;
and so it was now.

These wicked men were very an-
gry with Stephen, one of the seven
deacons, for he was full of faith and
power, and did great wonders and
miracles among the people. So they
falsely accused him of speaking
against Moses and against God; and
then they caught him, and brought
him before the council, and said,
“We have heard him say, that Jesus
of Nazareth shall destroy this place,
and shall change the customs which
Moses delivered to us.” :

All this time Stephen stood calmly
before his enemies. He looked so
holy and so gentle, that those who
gazed at him saw his face “as it had
been the face of an angel.”

At last, the high priest spoke to
Stephen, and asked, “ Are these
things so?” Then Stephen began
to defend himself, but he did this
very wisely and gently. First, he
reminded his enemies of their own
past history. He told them of Abra-
ham,—of God’s command to him to
go into the land of Canaan, and of
Abraham’s faith and obedience.
Then he spoke of the sufferings of
the people of Israel in Egypt, for
400 years, as God had said, and of
their deliverance by. Moses. He re-
minded them of all the wonders
God did for His people in the Red
Sea, and in the wilderness, by the