Moses was abolished, God having given them the Gospel, which laid upon them only the obligation to lead a godly life. It was permitted indeed, to the converted Jews to keep their law for the present, but it was not to be laid upon the converted Gentiles.

To satisfy the church at Antioch, however, Paul and Barnabas, and some others, went to Jerusalem, to consult the Apostles and Elders there, and they brought back a message from James, the head or bishop of that church, that they were not to be troubled with Jewish observances, except in a few unimportant matters, that they might not give unnecessary offence to the Jews.

Paul and Barnabas were accompanied back to Antioch by Judas and Silas, two eminent Christians. Silas remained there, and assisted Paul and Barnabas in their labours.

After awhile, Paul proposed to Barnabas to take a second journey, to visit their Christian brethren in every city where they had preached the Gospel, to encourage them and confirm their faith. It was a bold undertaking, for they must have been aware that even greater dangers than before, would be likely to beset them from their Jew and Gentile enemies.

Now Barnabas wished on this occasion to take Mark, who was a relation of his own, again with them: but Paul, remembering how he had

left them before, at the very beginning of their labours, did not think it advisable, so they separated. Barnabas sailed with Mark to Cyprus, and Paul, accompanied by Silas, went by way of Syria and Cilicia. But I shall tell you the events of this second journey of Paul's, in the next chapter.

CHAPTER XVII.

History of Paul's Second Journey.-His Arrival at Philippi, and Treatment there.

THE Apostle Paul chose, as I have said, on this his second journey, a different route. He passed through North Syria, into his own province Cilicia, visiting all his Christian brethren. He then went with Silas to the cities of Derbe and Lystra, where he had formerly met with so many trials. At one of these towns,

he became acquainted with a young Christian disciple named Timotheus, or Timothy, to whom he became much attached, and whom he took with him on his departure. Passing through Galatea and Phrygia, both provinces of Asia Minor, and afterwards through Mysia, they arrived at Troas, a town of Mysia on the Archipelago, then called the Egean Sea. At this place it is supposed, that Luke, who wrote the book called "the Acts of the Apostles," joined them. And here Paul had a vision, by which he understood that he was to go over into Macedonia.

From Troas then, they sailed across the Archipelago to Macedonia, stopping for a night at the