seem to have resorted to the place of prayer outside the walls
of the city, whilst at Thessalonica, where the one synagogue for the
whole district was situated, the accusation of the Jews against the
preachers of the Gospel was no longer of a religious, but of a political
nature. [Sidenote: Opposition to the Gospel political.] "These all do
contrary to the decrees of Caesar[19]." In same way the malice of the
rulers of the Jews against the Divine Head of the Church had found vent
in assertions of His plotting to destroy the Temple, or to make Himself a
King, according as the Jewish populace or the Roman governor was to be
stirred up against Him[20].

But if Jewish prejudices no longer offered the same formidable opposition
to the soldiers of the Cross, as before in Palestine and the neighbouring
countries, the Apostle and his fellow-labourers had now to encounter
fresh enemies not less deadly. [Sidenote: Vice and superstition mixed
with intellectual unbelief.] In the highly civilized cities of Greece
they encountered on the one hand the full tide of heathenism with all its
degrading vices and superstitions, and on the other, Pagan philosophy
with its hard sceptical temper and intellectual pride. Influences such
as these may account for the comparatively small results which seem to
have followed the preaching of St. Paul at Philippi, Thessalonica[21],
and Berea, and the prominence given to women as being more easily touched
by the good tidings of the Gospel. [Sidenote: Open conflict with Satan.]
At Philippi is noticeable the conflict between the visible power of Satan
and the Power of {39} One stronger than he, in the casting out by St.
Paul of the evil spirit of Python from the soothsaying woman. This was
an earnest of the final issue of that great contest between the kingdom
of Satan and the Kingdom of God, which was now beginning in the very
strongholds of darkness, and is to continue to the end of time.

We may also remark the first mention of the title and rights of a Roman
citizen claimed by St. Paul for himself and St. Silas after their illegal
imprisonment.

[Sidenote: A.D. 54. Athenians little inclined to believe.]

At Athens St. Paul came in contact with the most intellectual and
philosophical minds of heathendom; but heathen philosophy made the
Athenians very little inclined to accept the supernatural mysteries of
the Christian Faith. They listened indeed with eager curiosity to the
"new thing" whi