who gave their lives gladly for
the new faith. It was an army without weapons. The command of Jesus,
"resist not evil," was, in the first centuries, obeyed literally. It is
worthy of note that the new faith never spread more rapidly nor won
greater victories than during these years, when it never lifted sword
against its enemies, but conquered them by the power of service and
sacrifice.)

And Stephen, who had become prominent among the disciples, was full of
grace and power, and wrought great wonders and signs among the people.
But certain of the Jews disputed with Stephen. And they were not able to
withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. Then they bribed
men, who said, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses,
and against God."

And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and
came upon him, and seized him, and brought him into the council, and set
up false witnesses, who said, {340} "This man ceaseth not to speak words
against this holy place; and the law: for we have heard him say, that
this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the
customs which Moses delivered unto us."

And all that sat in the council, fastening their eyes on him, saw his
face as it had been the face of an angel.

_The Defense of Stephen_.

And the high priest said, "Are these things so?"

And he said, "Brethren and fathers, hearken. The God of glory appeared
unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in
Haran, and said unto him, 'Get thee out of thy land, and from thy
kindred, and come into the land which I shall show thee.' Then came he
out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Haran: and from thence,
when his father was dead, God removed him into this land, wherein ye now
dwell: and he gave him no inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set
his foot on: and he promised that he would give it to him in possession,
and to his family after him, when as yet he had no child. And God spoke
in this wise, that his family should sojourn in a strange land, and that
the people of that land should bring them into bondage, and ill treat
them four hundred years. 'And the nation to which they shall be in
bondage will I judge,' said God: 'and after that shall they come forth,
and serve me in this place.' And the patriarchs, moved with jealousy
against Joseph, sold him into Egypt: and God was with him, and delivered
him out of all his afflictions,