which declared him of God; " and one of those who were com- ticulars of his trial; and at last waited on panions in his solitude, most retired devo- him at his execution, owning him, as well as tions, and bitter agonies in the garden. being owned by him, in the midst of armed soldiers, and in the thickest crowds of his Here it was that our inveterate enemies. Great Redeemer committed to his care his sorrowful and disconsolate mother with his dying breath. And certainly our blessed Lord could not have given a more honorable testimony of his particular kindness and respect to John, than by leaving his own

"the beloved Son | followed our Lord through the several par

These instances of particular favor our apostle endeavored in some measure to answer, by returns of particular kindness and constancy; for though he at first deserted his Master on his apprehension, yet he soon discovered the impropriety of his conduct: he therefore went back to seek his Saviour; confidently entered the high-priest's hall;

mother to his trust and care, and substituting | gion of the empire. In consequence of this,

him to supply that duty he himself paid her while he resided in this vale of sorrow.

When the apostles made a division of the provinces among them after our Saviour's ascension into heaven, in order to circulate the doctrine of their Lord and Master, that of Asia fell to the share of St. John, though he did not immediately enter upon his charge, but continued at Jerusalem till the death of the blessed Virgin, which happened about fifteen years after our Lord's

ascension.

and in conformity to the orders of Domitian, the pro-consul of Ephesus sent him bound to Rome, where he met with that treatment which might have been expected from so barbarous a prince, being thrown into a caldron of boiling oil. But the Almighty, who reserved him for further service in the vineyard of his Son, restrained the heat, as he did in the fiery furnace of old, and delivered him from this seemingly unavoidable destruction. And surely one would have thought that so miraculous a deAfter being thus released from the trust liverance might have been sufficient to have committed to his care by his dying Master, persuaded any rational man that the religion he went into Asia, and industriously applied he had taught was from God, and that he himself to the propagation of Christianity, was protected from danger by the hand of preaching where the gospel had not then Omnipotence. But miracles themselves been known, and confirming it where it was already planted. Many churches of note emperor, or abate his fury. He ordered and eminence were founded by him, particularly those of Smyrna, Philadelphia, Laodicea, and others; but his chief place of residence was at Ephesus, where St. Paul had founded a church, and constituted Timothy its pastor.

*

After John had spent several years at Ephesus, an accusation was laid against him before the emperor Domitian (who had then begun a persecution against the Christians) as being an asserter of false doctrine and impiety, and a public subverter of the reli

* A city of Asia Minor, about forty miles south of Ephesus, famous for its having been thought the birthplace of Homer, but more so as having contained one of the seven churches of Asia specially addressed by Jesus Christ. (Rev. i. 11, ii. 8.) Polycarp is supposed by some to have been the angel or bishop of this Christian congregation addressed by John, as he sustained that office some years afterward, and was martyred here, A.D. 160, at the age of ninety-five. Smyrna is now the principal emporium of trade in the Levant; it is called by the Turks Ismir, and the population is estimated to include 80,000 Turks, 40,000 Greeks, 15,000 Armenians, 10,000 Jews, 5,000 Franks, &c.

This is a small island in the Icarian Sea, about thirty miles from the nearest point on the western coast of Asia Minor, being the Posidium promontory in Caria. The island does not exceed fifteen miles in circumference, and is nothing but a continued rock, very mountainous and very barren. The only spot in it which has now any cultivation, or is indeed worth any, is a small valley on the west, where the richer inhabitants have a few gardens. Its coast is high, and consists of a collection of capes, which form so many ports, some of which are excellent. The only one in use, however, is a deep gulf on the north-east of

were not sufficient to convince this cruel

St. John to be transported to a desolate island in the Archipelago, called Patmos,† where he continued several years, instructing the poor inhabitants in the knowledge of the Christian faith; and here, about the end of Domitian's reign, he wrote his book of Revelation, exhibiting, by visions and prophetical representations, the state and condition of Christianity that would take place in the future periods and ages of the church.

On the death of Domitian, and the sucthe island, sheltered by high mountains on every side but one, where it is protected by a projecting cape. The island produces almost nothing, being furnished from abroad with nearly every article of subsistence. The town is situated upon a high rocky mountain, rising immediately froin the sea. It contains about four hundred houses, which, with fifty more at the Scala, form all the habitations in the island. In the middle of the town, near the top of the mountain, is the large and strong monastery of St. John the Evangelist, built by Alexius Commenes. About half-way down the mountain from the town to the Scala, there is a natural grotto in the rock, in which it is believed by the natives that St. John abode and wrote the Apocalypse. They have built a small church over it, decked out in the usual tawdry style of the Greek churches.

The island is now called the Patino. On account of its stern and desolate character, the Roman emperors thought it a suitable spot to which criminals might be confined. To this island, accordingly, the apostle John was banished by the emperor Domitian, toward the end of his reign, or about the year 95 or 96. It is usually stated, after Tertullian, that his banishment took place after the apostle had been miraculously delivered, unhurt, from a vessel of flaming oil, into which he had been cast.

cession of Narva (who repealed all the travelling from one part to another, and odious acts of his predecessors, and by instructing the people in the principles of public edicts recalled those whom the fury that holy religion he was sent to propagate. of Domitian had banished), St. John re- In this manner did John continue to spend turned to Asia, and again fixed his residence his time, till death put a period to his at Ephesus, on account of Timothy, their labors, which happened in the beginning of pastor, having some time before been put to the reign of the emperor Trajan. death by the people of that city. Here, remains were deposited in the city of Ephwith the assistance of seven other bishops esus, where several of the fathers observe or pastors, he took upon himself the large that his tomb, in their time, was remaining diocese of Asia Minor, spending his time in in a church, which was built to his honor an indefatigable execution of his charge, and called by his name. He was the only

His

apostle who escaped a violent death; notwithstanding which he is deemed a martyr on account of his having undergone the mode of an execution, though it did not take effect. He lived the longest of any of the apostles, being nearly a hundred years of age at the time or his death.

St. John, having been brought up to the business of a fisherman, never received a liberal education; but what was wanting from human art was abundantly supplied by the excellent constitution of his mind, and that fulness of divine grace with which he

was adorned. His humility was admirable, always studiously concealing whatever tended to his own honor. In his epistles he never styles himself either apostle or evangelist; the title of "presbyter," or elder," is all he assumes, and probably as much in regard to his age as his office. In his Gospel, when he speaks of "the disciple whom Jesus loved," he conceals his own name, leaving the reader to discover whom he meant. practised charity to the utmost extent, and affectionately recommended it to all mankind. This, and the love of our neighbor, is the

He

great vein that runs through all his writings, was anciently addressed to the Parthians, more especially his epistles, wherein he urges because in all probability St. John preached it as the great and peculiar law of Christi- the gospel in Parthia. The other two epistles anity, and without which all pretensions to are but short, and directed to particular perour blessed Saviour are vain and frivolous, sons; the one to a woman of honorable useless and insignificant. When age and quality, encouraging her and her children to the infirmities of nature had rendered him charity, to perseverance in good works, and so weak that he was unable to preach to the to show no countenance to false teachers and people any longer, he was led, at every pub- deceivers. The other epistle is directed to Îic meeting, to the church at Ephesus, where the charitable and hospitable Gaius, the he generally addressed himself to the people kindest friend and the most courteous enterin these words: Little children, love one tainer of all indigent Christians. another." When his hearers, tired with the constant repetition of the same thing, asked him the reason of it, he told them that to love one another was the command of our blessed Saviour.

The greatest instance of our apostle's care for the souls of men is displayed in the inimitable writings he left to posterity; the first of which in point of time, though placed last in the sacred canon, is his Apocalypse, or book of Revelation, which he wrote during his banishment in the Island of Patmos.

Next to the Apocalypse, in crder of time, are his three epistles, the first of which is catholic, calculated for all times and places, containing the most excellent rules for the conduct of a Christian life, pressing to holiness and pureness of manners, and not to be satisfied with a naked and empty profession of religion—not to be led away with the crafty insinuation of seducers; and cautioning them against the poisonous principles and practices of the Gnostics. The apostle here, according to his usual modesty, conceals his name, it being of more consequence to a wise man what is said than who says it. It appears from St. Augustine that this epistle

* PHILIP THE APOSTLE. The Gospels contain comparatively scanty notices of this disciple. He is mentioned as being of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter (John i. 44), and apparently was among the Galilean peasants of that district who flocked to hear the preaching of the Baptist. The manner in which St. John speaks of him, the repetition by him of the self-same words with which Andrew had brought to Peter the good news that the Christ had at last appeared, all indicate a previous friendship with the sons of Jona and of Zebedee, and a consequent participation in their Messianic hopes. The close union of the two in John vi. and xii. suggests that he may have owed to Andrew the first tidings that the hope had been fulfilled. The statement that Jesus found him (John i. 43) implies a previous seeking. To him first in the whole circle of the disciples were spoken the words so full of meaning, "Follow me (ibid.). As soon as he

Before he undertook the task of writing his gospel, he caused a general fast to be kept in all the churches throughout Asia, to implore the blessing of Heaven on so great and momentous an undertaking.

In respect to the writings of this apostle, it may be said, "Among all the evangelical writers, none are like St. John for the sublimity of his speech, and the height of his discourses, which are beyond any man's capacity fully to reach and comprehend." This is corroborated by Epiphanius, who says,

St. John, by a loftiness and speech peculiar to himself, acquaints us, as it were out of the clouds and dark recesses of wisdom, with the divine doctrine of the Son of God."

Such is the character given of the writings of this great apostle and evangelist, who was honored with the endearing title of being the beloved disciple of the Son of God; a writer so profound as to deserve, by way of eminence, the character of St. John the Divine.

ST. PHILIP.*

In the distribution made by the apostles of the several regions of the world in which

has learnt to know his Master, he is eager to communicate his discovery to another who had also shared the same expectations. He speaks to Nathanael, probably on his arrival in Cana (comp. John xxi. 2), as though they had not seldom communed together, of the intimations of a better time, of a divine kingdom, which they found in their sacred books. We may well believe that he, like his friend, was an "Israelite indeed in whom there was no guile." In the lists of the twelve Apostles, in the Synoptic Gospels, his name is as uniformly at the head of the second group of four, as the name of Peter is at that of the first (Matt. x 3; Mark iii. 18; Luke vi. 14); and the facts recorded by St. John give the reason of this priority. Philip apparently was among the first company of disciples who were with the Lord at the commencement of his ministry, at the marriage of Cana, on his first appearance as a prophet in Jerusalem (John ii.). When John was

they were to preach the gospel after of the gospel. But the success attending our Lord's ascension, Upper Asia fell to Philip's endeavors proved fatal to him. Philip, where he labored with the most The magistrates were so incensed at his havindefatigable diligence to propagate the ing obtained such a number of converts, doctrine of his Master in those parts. From the constancy and power of his preaching, and the efficacy of his miracles, he gained numerous converts, whom he baptized in the Christian faith, curing at once their bodies of infirmities and distempers, and their souls of errors and idolatry. Here he continued a considerable time, and, before he left the place, settled the churches and appointed Christian pastors over those whom he had converted.

After Philip had for several years successfully exercised his apostolic office in Upper Asia, he went to Hierapolis in Phrygia, a city remarkably rich and populous, but at the same time overrun with the most enormous idolatry. Philip was greatly grieved to see the people so wretchedly enslaved by error and superstition; he therefore repeatedly offered up his prayers to Heaven in their behalf, till, by his prayers, and often calling on the name of Christ, he procured the death, or at least the vanishing, of a dragon to which they paid adoration.

Having thus demolished their deity, Philip clearly demonstrated to them how ridiculous and unjust it was to pay divine honors to such odious creatures: he told them that God alone was to be worshipped as the great Parent of all the world, who, in the beginning made men after his glorious image, and when fallen from that innocent and happy state, sent his own Son into the world to redeem them. That, in order to perform this glorious work, he died on the cross, and rose again from the dead, and at the end of the world would come again to raise all the sons of men from the chambers of the dust, and either sentence them to everlasting punishment, or reward them with everlasting felicity.

This discourse roused them from their lethargy, insomuch that great numbers, being ashamed of their idolatry, immediately forsook it, and embraced the doctrine

that they resolved to put an effectual stop to his proceedings. They accordingly ordered him to be seized, and thrown into prison, whence, after being severely scourged, he was led to execution, and put to death, the manner of which, according to some, was by being hanged against a pillar, and, according to others, by crucifixion.

As soon as he was dead, his body was taken down by Bartholomew, his fellowlaborer in the gospel, and Mariamne his sister, the constant companion of his travels, and decently interred in a private place near the city, both of whom, for performing this friendly office, barely escaped with their lives.

The martyrdom of St. Philip happened about eight years after that of St. James the Great.

ST. BARTHOLOMEW.

This apostle is mentioned among the immediate disciples of our Lord, under the appellation of Bartholomew, though it is evident, from divers passages in Scripture, that he was also called Nathanael.

After our Lord's ascension into heaven, Bartholomew visited different parts of the world, in order to propagate the gospel of his Master, and at length penetrated as far as the Hither India. Here he remained a considerable time, and then went to Hierapolis in Phrygia, where he labored (in conjunction with Philip) to plant Christianity in those parts; and to convince the blind idolaters of the evil of their ways, and direct them in the paths which lead to eternal salvation. This enraging the bigoted magistrates, they sentenced Bartholomew to death, and he was accordingly fastened to a cross; but their consciences staring them in their faces for the iniquity they were about to commit, they ordered him to be taken down and set at liberty.

In consequence of this our apostle left Hierapolis, and went to Lycaonia, where he

cast into prison, and the work of declaring the three Gospels tell us nothing more of him indiglad tidings of the kingdom required a new com-vidually. St. John, with his characteristic fulpany of preachers, we may believe that he, like ness of personal reminiscences, records a few sighis companions and friends, received a new call nificant utterances (John vi. 5-9, xii. 20–22, to a more constant discipleship (Matt. iv. 18-22). xiv. 8). No other fact connected with the name When the Twelve were specially set apart for their of Philip is recorded in the Gospels. — Bib. Dicoffice, he was numbered among them. The first |tionary. A. B.