XLVIII.

THE UPROAR IN THE TEMPLE.

Acts, xxi. 18-33.

The

THE day after Paul's arrival a great meeting was held in Jerusalem. apostle James was chief over the assembly many elders were there. Christians brought large sums of money, collected in distant countries, for the poor saints in Jerusalem.

When they had presented these gifts, Paul began to address the assembly.

He told them the history of his travels, and of the conversions the Lord had wrought among the Gentiles. What praises flowed from the lips of the believers, when Paul had finished his speech!

Then some elders arose and began to give the apostle their advice. What, did they think that Paul needed their advice? Yes, they did. They had

met with Jews who bore false witness of Paul, and who said he set people against the law of Moses. Was this true?

Then they gave this advice. 'Brother, show that you honour the law of Moses by doing what we desire. We have here four men who have made a vow (probably the vow of the Nazarite); see that they shave their heads, and let them purify themselves with you, and do you pay the expenses. Thus you will show thousands of Jews that you keep the law, and teach the Jews to keep it.'

Paul followed this advice. He took the men into the Temple, for they were Jews.

Did this satisfy the fierce Jews? No, it only made Paul's accusers more violent.

The men were purified during seven days. When the seven days were almost over, some Jews from Asia (probably from the city of Ephesus), seeing Paul

in the Temple, stirred up the people against him, and seized him, saying, This Paul is the man who goes about speaking against the Temple; and he has now taken Gentiles into the Temple.' Paul had never done this.

These wicked Jews had seen him walking in the streets with Trophimus the Ephesian; but Paul had never taken him into the Temple.

But most people believed what the Jews from Asia said; and they all ran together into the Temple. They found Paul in the court of Israel, near the altar (where he had a right to be). They seized hold of him, and dragged him out of the court, down the steps. The Levites shut the great brass doors behind him. His enemies hurried him into the streets, and would soon have stoned him, as they had stoned Stephen more than twenty years before,-had they not been suddenly stopped in their wickedness.

There was a great tower just above the Temple, where a thousand Roman soldiers lodged. The captain heard that there was an uproar in the city, and he ran down in haste, with many soldiers, to the place where Paul was. He found the Jews beating him, but when these men saw the captain they left off beating Paul; for they knew they had no right to do so.

The chief captain came near, and desired his soldiers to bind Paul between two, with two chains (as Peter had once been bound).

Now the prophecies about Paul began to come true. Here is Paul in chains. Will he not soon be in prison? May he not soon be led forth to die?

"The Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.'-Acts, xx. 23.

XLIX.

THE UPROAR ON THE CASTLE STAIRS.

Acts, xxi. 33 to end; xxii. 1–23.

WHEN the captain had bound Paul, he inquired what he had done to make the people so angry with him.

The people gave so many answers to this question that the captain did not know what to believe. Some cried out one thing and some another, and there was such confusion that the captain desired the soldiers to take him into the tower, or castle.

The soldiers led him along till they came to the stairs up to the castle. As they went up those stairs the people pushed the soldiers so much that Paul was lifted off his feet and carried up the stairs in the soldiers' arms. All the time the people, who were pressing up the stairs kept on crying out,' Away with him!' These people were ferocious