descended visibly upon them as upon the Apostles on the
Day of Pentecost. The Gift of Tongues accompanied what we may almost
call a second Foundation of the Church; and we may readily believe that
those Christianized Jews who had accompanied the Apostle from Joppa
were "astonished" at this indication of what was in store for the
Gentiles in the Kingdom of God.

[Sidenote: Holy Baptism not superseded.]

It is worthy of remark, that notwithstanding this direct and
extraordinary outpouring of the Holy Ghost--but once before, and never
since, vouchsafed to any child of Adam--yet it was not considered by
St. Peter to do away with the necessity for Holy Baptism. "He
commanded them to be baptized[2]."

{27}

Section 2. _The Apostolic church in Jerusalem._

[Sidenote: A.D. 41. Jerusalem still the centre of the Church.]

Up to this time, and for long afterwards, Jerusalem continued to be the
centre of the Church of Christ. Within her walls was the home of the
Apostles during the intervals between their missions to the Christian
converts in the neighbouring towns; and, as a natural consequence, it
was here that the first Councils or Synods of the Church were held.
[Sidenote: The Hebrews wish to impose circumcision.] Here, too, were
the head-quarters of those disciples who not only clung to the Mosaic
law themselves, but wished to impose circumcision and the other
precepts of the Old Dispensation on gentile converts. They yielded
indeed to St. Peter's plea of special and Divine direction, when
summoned to Jerusalem to answer for having eaten with men
uncircumcised; nay, they even rejoiced in the prospect of the gathering
in of the Gentiles; but they had yet to learn the temporary nature of
the Ceremonial Law, and to realize that in Christ circumcision and
uncircumcision were equally valueless.

[Sidenote: St. James the Less, Bishop of Jerusalem.]

The government of the Church in Jerusalem was conferred on St. James
the Less, perhaps on account of his being "the Lord's brother;" and he
remained in the Holy City as its Bishop, when, about twelve years after
the Day of Pentecost, the other Apostles were for the first time
dispersed beyond the borders of Palestine, over the face of the known
world. The immediate occasion of this dispersion was the persecution
by Herod Agrippa, which resulted in the martyrdom of St. James {28} the
Great[3] and the temporary imprisonment and miraculous deliverance of
St. Peter (A.D. 44