Christ his only begotten son; the enmity and rage of both Jews and heathens, was soon aroused against them.

From the time of the crucifixion of our Saviour, to the day of Pentecost, which occurred fifty days after, it appears that the Apostles, together with the other disciples of Jesus, enjoyed a respite from persecution, and were suffered to assemble themselves together for worship unmolested; but when on that memorable day, they spoke boldly in the name of Jesus, and their converts began to be numbered by thousands, the envy and bigotry of their Jewish friends were at once awakened, and a regular system of persecution and opposition to the progress of the gospel was commenced.

This, however, was for a while carried on by gentle means, which proving ineffectual, the increasing enmity of the people at length broke out into open outrage, and more than two thousand Christians perished within the city of Jerusalem. St. Stephen.

This eminent saint, was the first who suffered death for embracing the religion of Jesus Christ, and therefore was crowned with the immortal honour of being the man who led the van of that glorious band of Christian martyrs that soon followed after.

He was one of the seventy disciples of Jesus, and was chosen, with six others, to officiate as deacon in the church at Jerusalem. Being a very zealous and faithful witness for his Lord and Master; several of the principal persons belonging to five of the Jewish synagogues, entered into an argument with him, on the principles of the religion that he professed, and being unable to withstand the soundness of his doctrines, were greatly irritated; and to gratify their revenge, they suborned false witnesses, who accused him of blaspheming God, and the law of Moses. He was accordingly brought before a council, when he made a noble defence, proving from the scripture of the Old Testament, that Jesus of Nazareth, whom they had crucified and slain, was no other than the true Messiah. At this they were very much enraged, and were about to pass sentence upon him, when he saw a vision from heaven, disclosing to his view, the Lord and Saviour in his glorified state. He exclaimed in rapture, "Behold I see the heavens open, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God." Still more enraged at this, they immediately passed sentence upon him, and dragged him out and stoned him to death. He died like his divine Master, imploring mercy for his murderers; saying, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." On the place where he was martyred, the Empress Eudocia afterward caused a magnificent church to be erected to his memory. Being put to death, on the 26th day of December, it is consequently observed in commemoration of this event.

St. James the Great.

This disciple was by birth a Galilean, and the son of Zebedee, a fisherman. He was also the elder brother of John, and related to the Lord himself; his mother, Selome, being cousin-german to the Virgin Mary. Being one day engaged with his father, fishing in the sea of Galilee, he was called by the Saviour, with his brother John, to become his disciple. They cheerfully obeyed the mandate, and leaving their father in the vessel, became the followers of Jesus.

It is to be observed, that their Divine Master, placed greater confidence in them together with the apostle Pe

ter, than in the rest of his disciples; as he always took them with him, to the exclusion of the rest, when he was about to make any peculiar disclosure of his power. He also surnamed these two brothers, Boanerges, which means, sons of thunder; by reason of their vigorous minds and impetuous temper.

When Herod Agrippa was made Governor of Judea, to ingratiate myself with his Jewish subjects, he raised a persecution against the christians. James was accordingly singled out as the first object of his vengeance, whom he condemned to be beheaded. But such was his constancy and serenity of mind, that his accuser was struck with admiration, and became a convert to Christianity. This transition so enraged the multitude who had assembled to witness the execution, that, with one voice they cried out, let him die also: and they were accordingly both beheaded together. This event took place, A. D. 44, and on the 25th day of July; which is observed in commemoration of this saint. About this time, Timon and Parmonas, two of the seven deacons, suffered martyrdom ; the former at Corinth, and the latter at Phillipi, in Ma cedonia.

St. Phillip.

This apostle was born at Bethsaida, in Galilee, and was the first called by the name of disciple. He was employed in several important missions by Jesus, and, after his resurrection, was deputed to preach the Gospel in Upper Asia. After labouring for some time in this place, he travelled into Phrygia, where he found the inhabitants so sunk in idolatry as to worship a large serpent. He, however, succeeded in converting many of them to Christianity, and procured the death of the serpent. This so enraged the heathen priests and magistrates, that they first committed him to prison, after which he was taken out and severely scourged, and finally crucified. His friend Bartholomew found an opportunity of taking down his body and burying it, for which he narrowly escaped the same fate. His crucifixion took place May 1, A. D. 52; which day, together with that of St. James the Less, is observed in commemoration of the event.

St. Matthew.

This apostle and evangelist was born in Nazareth of Galilee, but resided chiefly in Capernaum; where he was a collector of toll, or tribute, from such as had occasion to pass the sea of Galilee. On being called as a disciple, he immediately obeyed; leaving every thing beside, to become a follower of Christ. After the ascension of his master, he continued preaching the gospel in Judea, for nearly nine years. As he was about to leave them, for the purpose of preaching to the Gentiles, he wrote his gospel in Hebrew; which he left behind, for the use of his Jewish converts. He then travelled into Ethiopia; where he made many converts and established several churches. He afterwards visited Parthia, and met with the like success; but, on returning to Ethiopia, he was slain with a halbert, in the city of Madabar, A. D. 60. The 21st day of September is observed in commemoration of his death.

St. Mark.

This Evangelist and martyr was of the tribe of Levi, and is supposed to have been a convert of St. Peter, whom he served as an amanuensis. Being desired by the converts at Rome to commit to writing the admirable discourses they had heard from St. Peter and himself, he composed his gospel, which was first written in the Greek language. He then went to Egypt, and, after establishing the church at Alexandria, travelled into Lybia, where he also made many converts. On returning again to Alexandria, some of the Egyptians, exasperated at his success, determined to put him to death. They therefore tied his feet, and dragged him through the streets till he was nearly dead; when they cast his mangled body into prison, where he soon after expired. His body was taken out, on the following day, and burned. This occurred on the 25th day of April, which is dedicated to his memory. After the burning of his body, his bones were gathered up by the Christians, and afterward carried to Venice, of which city he is considered the patron saint.

St. Jumes the Less.

This Apostle was so denominated to distinguish him from the other James, who was called the Great. He was the son of Joseph, the reputed father of the Lord, by his first wife, and is therefore called the Lord's brother. After the resurrection and ascension of Christ, he was elected bishop of the church at Jerusalem; and afterwards wrote his general epistle, to counteract a dangerous doctrine that was propagating, viz.: "that Faith in Christ was alone sufficient for salvation without good works." After this the Jews, being greatly exasperated that St. Paul had escaped their fary, by appealing to Rome, determined to wreak their vengeance on James, who was now ninetyfour years old. They accordingly cast him down from a pinnacle of the temple, after which they beat out his brains with a fuller's club. His festival, together with that of St. Phillip, is kept on the first day of May.

St. Matthias.

This Apostle was called to that office, by the other Apostles, after the death of Christ to supply the place of Judas the apostate. He had been one of the seventy diseiples and his character was eminent for piety. He suf fered martyrdom at Jerusalem, being first stoned and then beheaded. The 24th day of February is dedicated to his memory.

St. Andrew.

This Apostle was the brother of St. Peter, and preached the gospel to several of the Asiatic nations. On arriving at Edessa the governor of the country named Egeas, threatened him for preaching against the idols then worshipped. St. Andrew, persisting in the propagation of his doctrines, was ordered to be crucified on a cross, two ends of which were placed transversely in the ground; he boldly told his persecutors that he would not have preached the glory of the cross had he have feared to die upon it. And again, when he came to be crucified, he said that he coveted the cross, and longed to die upon it. He was accord