whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.

"Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell.

"He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.

"And the Seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Be

hold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven." Luke 10: 1-20.

Persecutions.

FROM the time Jesus began to preach and to heal the sick, he was persecuted almost wherever he went. When the devil found he could not persuade Jesus to worship him, then he rallied his forces to persecute the Savior and if possible, to overthrow his work. Many Jews were filled with the spirit of the evil one, and they followed him from place to place, picking, finding fault with him and his work, and seeking for something for which they could have him arrested or put to death. They complained because he healed the sick on the sabbath-day and because he told them of their sins,

His first sermon at Nazareth so stirred them against him that they took him to the brow of the hill and were about to cast him over the precipice and thus put an end to his life; bu he suddenly made his escape out from among them. And the unbelief of the people of that place was so great that he could do no mighty works there save heal a few sick folks.

Throughout the remainder of his life he met great opposition; but with. patience and meekness he endured it all, even unto his death. He was mocked and spit upon and reviled, yet he reviled not again.

In his sermon on the mount he said: "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you." Mat. 5: 10-12.

Again he said: "Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than

his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my sayings, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me." John 15: 20, 21.

"Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." 2 Tim. 3: 12.

At his death the persecution did not stop; but his words were fulfilled wherein he had told his disciples that if he was persecuted they would be also.

Soon after the day of Pentecost Stephen was stoned to death because he told the people of their sins and preached Christ unto them.

"When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

"But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

"Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, and cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

"And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

"And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judæa and Samaria, except the apostles. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

"As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.

"Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word." Acts 7:54-60; 8: 1-4.

The apostles were put into prison, but the