'And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some one to lead him by the hand.'

his hands, looking for some one to lead him by the hand.

The governor, when he saw this miracle, believed in the Lord.

What a just punishment this sorcerer had! He tried to keep the governor in darkness of heart that he should not see the Light of the world.

How this punishment must have reminded Saul of the time when he was made blind.

Saul hoped that this sorcerer might have his sight restored one day, for he said to him, 'Thou shalt not see the sun for a season.' He did not say he should never see it again; but no one knows whether Bar-jesus ever repented, or whether he died a blind sinner.

"The God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not.'-2 Cor. iv. 4.

XXIV.

THE UNFAITHFUL COMPANION.

Acts, xiii. 13-16, 38-50.

AFTER this visit to Cyprus you will never hear Saul spoken of any more. From this time his name is Paul. No one knows why his name was changed; perhaps it was because Paul was a Roman name, and suited him, now he preached to the Romans and other Gentiles. Saul was only a Jewish

name.

Paul and Barnabas soon left the island of Cyprus. They wanted to go from land to land to preach the Gospel.

They set sail from Paphos, crossed the sea in a ship, and came to the great country called Asia. They landed near a town called Perga on the banks of a river, under high and steep rocks.

Beyond-they saw great mountains with tops covered with snow.

It was at Perga that John Mark gave great sorrow to his uncle and to Paul. He said he would go back to Jerusalem, where his mother Mary

lived.

ill.

What was his reason?

He was not

Then--he would have had a good

reason for going away.

It is most likely he was afraid to go on. Perhaps he did not like the thought of climbing up those snowy mountains, nor creeping along dark rocky paths, where robbers lay hid in the caves, ready to burst out upon travellers. Perhaps he was afraid lest other men as wicked as Bar-jesus should scoff at him, and put him in prison or kill him. We cannot tell what were the feelings of John Mark, but of this we are sure, he had not courage to bear the troubles of the way.

He found a ship going from Perga to the coast near Jerusalem, and he sailed in it. Did not his heart reproach

H