CHAPTER XI.

Peter's Visit to the Churches; his healing Eneas, and raising up Dorcas.

FROM the descent of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost, to the time I have been speaking of, which was about two years, the Christians had endured almost incessant persecution. But now the Christian Church had an interval of peace, during which its numbers greatly increased, and "they walked in the fear of the Lord," and under the guidance of his Holy Spirit.

The history now makes mention again of the Apostle Peter, and tells us some interesting circumstances which took place in the course of his journeyings to visit the different Churches, or societies of Christians, scattered through the country.

At Lydda, one of the places which he visited, he healed a man named Eneas, who had kept his bed for eight years, sick of the palsy; and this miracle appears to have been the means of making many people "turn unto the Lord."

Near Lydda was the town of Joppa, where there lived a disciple named Dorcas, beloved for her good works, and charities to the poor. While Peter was at Lydda, Dorcas

fell sick and died, and some of her Christian friends sent to him, entreating that he would come without delay. He arrived, and they brought him into her chamber, where were numbers of poor widows and others weeping over their benefactress. Peter having sent them out of the room, knelt down and prayed; and then turning to the body, said,

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Tabitha, arise." She opened her eyes; and when she saw Peter she sat up, and he, calling in the widows, presented her to them alive.

But a much more important event happened while Peter was at Joppa: hitherto the Gospel had been preached to Jews only; now it was to be preached to those among the Gen

tiles who had cast off idolatry. I shall reserve this part of my history for another chapter.

CHAPTER XII.

Conversion of the devout Gentiles.-History of Cornelius, the first Gentile Convert.

AMONG the Gentile nations who had intercourse with the Jews, there were many persons who had been converted to the knowledge of the true God, and had, in consequence, renounced idolatry, though they did not follow the whole law of Moses, and become Jews, as that Ethiopian I have mentioned did. These persons were permitted to worship in