CHAPTER II: FIRST INTERNAL CONFLICT, AND FIRST EXTENSION OF THE CHURCH BEYOND
COMMENCEMENT OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
Character of the Church--Special character of the Apostolic
Church--Periods of its history
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§ I. Actual foundation of the Church on the Day of Pentecost--Its First Mission and First Persecution--Miracle of Pentecost--Character and Office of St. Peter--His reputed Primacy--Success of the First Mission--First Persecution 28
§ II. The Teaching and First Constitution of the Church at Jerusalem--Attacks made upon the young Church--First apology of Christianity--the Miracles--Scriptural evidence--Appeal to the conscience--Doctrine of the Primitive Church--Ecclesiastical organization--Nature of the Apostolate--Conditions of admission into the Church--Worship of the Primitive Church--General character of this period 42
FIRST INTERNAL CONFLICT, AND FIRST EXTENSION OF THE CHURCH BEYOND JERUSALEM.
§ I. The Seven Deacons of the Church at Jerusalem--Stephen--First Debate in the Church--The Primitive Diaconate--Stephen the precursor of St. Paul--Accusation brought against Stephen--His speech--His martyrdom--Saul of Tarsus, the witness of his noble death 54
§ II. The Dispersion of the Christians--The Gospel in Samaria--Simon Magus--Philip and the Eunuch--Philip at Samaria --Hatred of the Jews to the Samaritans--Dositheus--Simon Magus--His influence in Samaria--His doctrine, according to the "Philosophoumena"--Effect of Philip's preaching--The Apostles at Samaria--Simon desires to purchase the Holy Ghost--Consequences of the Mission in Samaria--Conversion of the Ethiopian Eunuch 64
III. Foundation of the Church at Antioch, and Conversion of the Centurion Cornelius--The Church of Antioch founded by simple Evangelists--Peter and Cornelius. 75
IV. The Church at Jerusalem at the time of the First Mission beyond Judæa--The Christians at Jerusalem still Judaizing --Discussion between them and Peter--Creation of the office of Elders--The Elders of the Synagogue--Their equality--The Elders of the Church are also equal among themselves--Martyrdom of James, the son of Zebedee--Imprisonment of Peter--Death of Herod--Part taken by James, the Lord's brother--Importance of the Church at Jerusalem 82