be found even to fight against God."[1420] Gamaliel's advice prevailed
for the time being, to the extent of causing the apostles' lives to be
spared; but the council, in contravention of justice and propriety, had
the prisoners beaten. Then the brethren were discharged with the renewed
injunction that they speak not in the name of Jesus. They went out
rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer stripes and
humiliation in defense of the Lord's name; and daily, both in the
temple, and by house to house visitation, they valiantly taught and
preached Jesus the Christ. Converts to the Church were not confined to
the laity; a great company of the priests swelled the number of the
disciples, who multiplied greatly in Jerusalem.[1421]

STEPHEN THE MARTYR; HIS VISION OF THE LORD.[1422]

First among the "seven men of honest report" who were set apart under
the hands of the apostles to administer the common store of the Church
community, was Stephen, a man eminent in faith and good works, through
whom the Lord wrought many miracles. He was zealous in service,
aggressive in doctrine, and fearless as a minister of Christ. Some of
the foreign Jews, who maintained a synagog in Jerusalem, engaged Stephen
in disputation, and being unable "to resist the wisdom and the spirit by
which he spake," conspired to have him charged with heresy and
blasphemy. He was brought before the council on the word of men suborned
to witness against him; and these averred that they had "heard him speak
blasphemous words against Moses, and against God." The perjured accusers
further testified that he had repeatedly spoken blasphemously against
the temple, and the law, and had even declared that Jesus of Nazareth
would some day destroy the temple, and change the Mosaic ceremonies. The
charge was utterly false in spirit and fact, though possibly in a sense
partly true in form; for, judging by what we have of record concerning
Stephen's character and works, he was a zealous preacher of the word as
a world religion, through which the exclusiveness and alleged sanctity
of Jerusalem as the holy city and of the now desecrated temple as the
earthly abiding-place of Jehovah, would be abrogated; furthermore he
seems to have realized that the law of Moses had been fulfilled in the
mission of the Messiah.

When the Sanhedrists looked upon him, his face was illumined, and they
saw it "as it had been the face of an angel." In answer to the charge,
he delivered