CHAPTER II: MISSIONS AND PERSECUTIONS OF THE CHURCH FROM THE CAPTIVITY OF ST. PAUL
MISSIONS OF THE CHURCH UP TO THE CAPTIVITY OF ST. PAUL.
§ I. Second Missionary Journey of St. Paul--Paul the type of the Missionary--He separates from Barnabas and takes Timothy--Epaphras founds the Church at Ephesus--The Gospel carried to the Galatians--He passes from the East to the West--Foundation of the Philippian Church--Paul and Silas in Prison--Conversion of the Jailer--Paul at Thessalonica--Success and Persecutions--Paul at Athens--The Altar of the Unknown God--Discourse of the Apostle on the Areopagus--Paul at Corinth--Corruption of that City--A Church founded there--Paul there writes the Two Epistles to the Thessalonians--His vow --He goes to Ephesus--Conversion of Apollos 143
§ II. Third Missionary Journey of St. Paul--Sojourn of Paul at Ephesus, then the focus of the Religions of the East--He there writes the Epistle to the Galatians--There he meets with Disciples of John the Baptist, and Jewish exorcists--Effects of his preaching--Voyage of Paul to Crete and Corinth--The Epistle to Titus, and the first Epistle to Timothy, written during this journey--Return to Ephesus--First Epistle to the Corinthians--Tumult raised against Paul--Second Journey into Macedonia--Second Epistle to the Corinthians--Presentiments of Captivity and Death--Return Journey to Jerusalem--Paul at Troas--His farewell at Miletus to the Elders from Ephesus--Paul at Cæsarea Prophecy of Agabus--Arrival at Jerusalem--Paul is arrested in the Temple--His Speech and Imprisonment 169
MISSIONS AND PERSECUTIONS OF THE CHURCH FROM THE CAPTIVITY OF ST. PAUL TO HIS DEATH AND THAT OF ST. PETER.
§ I. Various phases of the Captivity of Paul--Paul before the Sanhedrim--He is transferred to Cæsarea--He appears before Felix --Mildness of his Captivity--He writes the Epistles to the Ephesians, Colossians, and to Philemon--Festus takes the place of Felix--Paul appears to the Emperor--He appears before Festus and Agrippa--Arrival of Paul at Rome--He enjoys a measure of freedom --He preaches the Gospel to the Jews, and to his Jailers --He writes the Epistle to the Philippians--He appears before Nero--The Second Epistle to Timothy is Paul's Testament--General character of the Apostle's Missions to the Gentiles 189
§ II. Missions of the other Apostles during this period--James continues to reside at Jerusalem--Jude in Phrygia--Missions of Andrew, Philip, Matthew, Bartholomew, Matthias, Simon, Zelotes, Judas Thaddeus, and Thomas--Peter at Babylon--His letter to the Christians in Asia Minor--He goes to Rome--Was never a Bishop--Mark founds the Church of Alexandria 204
§ III. Method of Primitive Evangelization--Origin of the First Three Gospels--The Primitive Church not concerned with the writing of Books--The Living Word preferred to the Written--No Primitive Official Gospel--The memory of Christ living in the Church--The part of Christian experience in memorizing the great facts of Salvation--Written records--Apocryphal and Synoptical Gospels--Superiority of the latter--Their origin--They bear the seal of Inspiration--Living character of this Inspiration 216
§ IV. The First Roman Persecution of Christianity--Persecution in Judæa--Death of James, the brother of the Lord--The Religious Constitution of Society in the Ancient World conducive to Persecution--Ancient Religions, State Religions--Special circumstances which render Persecution inevitable--Foreign Religions regarded with suspicion by the Cæsars--The Church confounded with the Synagogue--The holiness of Christians hateful to the Pagans--Calumnies against Christianity--Rapid growth of the Church of Rome--Persecution popular--Part of Nero in this Persecution--Martyrdom of St. Paul and St. Peter--Martyrdom of James, the brother of the Lord, at Jerusalem 220