were much grieved to find the youth lying dead upon the ground. But Paul stretched himself over the body, and held it in his arms, and said to the weeping friends, 'Do not be grieved, for his life is in him.' The young man was indeed alive, and his friends were comforted. They all went up again with Paul. It was now past midnight, so it was Sunday morning. During the dark hours of the morning the happy Christians broke bread, in remembrance of their crucified Lord; and they talked about Him a long while. When the beams of the rising sun shone upon them, Paul and his eight companions took leave of their fellow-Christians, and left Troas. The eight companions went down to the ship and set sail, but Paul preferred walking alone. 'God, which raiseth the dead.' -2 Cor. i. 9. XLV. PAUL'S FAREWELL TO THE EPHESIANS. Acts, xx. 13 to end. PAUL'S companions got into a ship, while Paul himself walked across the land about twenty miles. The way was through groves of oak-trees, which shaded the apostle from the sun, while the little birds on this spring day filled the air with their warblings. Why did Paul wish to go this day's journey all alone? How gladly would Luke, or Timothy, or any of the brethren, have walked with him! No doubt he wished to speak as he went along to his Father in heaven. Had not his God that very night enabled him to revive the dead? That place He found the ship at the place he had fixed upon. He got into the away in it. That place was Assos. ship, and he sailed As the ship did not belong to Paul he could not make it stop, where he pleased. He would have liked the ship to stop at Ephesus, but it sailed past that great city, and stopped at Miletus. When Paul heard that the ship would stay some time at that place, he sent a message to Ephesus to ask the chief ministers or elders to come and see him. The messengers had thirty miles to go. But these Ephesians loved Paul so much that they quickly came to him. They saw again their beloved apostle, and they saw also two of their own countrymen who had travelled with him by sea and land, named Tychicus and Trophimus. Paul spoke to them in a most affectionate manner. He told them he was going to Jerusalem, and that he knew that he should be put in prison. 'But,' said he, 'I am ready to give up my life for Jesus.' Then he said, 'I know that you shall see my face no more.' He reminded them how he had taught them night and day for three years, and how with his own hands he had earned his bread. Then he kneeled down and prayed with them all. They all wept very bitterly, and fell on Paul's neck and kissed him. What grieved them most was Paul's saying that they should see his face no Their love to him was very great. They would not leave him, till they saw him get into the ship and sail away. They had a long journey home, and they must have shed many tears by the way. more. "Neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy.'-Acts, xx. 24. |