In that epoch the persecutors of Christianity were not Romans; they were
orthodox Jews. The Romans preserved in the midst of this fanaticism a
principle of tolerance and of reason. If we can reproach the imperial
authority with anything it is with being too lenient, and with not
having cut short with a stroke the civil consequences of a sanguinary
law which visited with death religious derelictions. But as yet the
Roman domination was not so complete as it became later.

As Stephen's death may have taken place at any time during the years 36,
37, 38, we cannot, therefore, affirm whether Caiaphas ought to be held
responsible for it. Caiaphas was deposed by Lucius Vitellius, in the
year 36, shortly after the time of Pilate; but the change was
inconsiderable. He had for a successor his brother-in-law, Jonathan, son
of Hanan. The latter, in turn, was succeeded by his brother Theophilus,
son of Hanan, who continued the pontificate in the house of Hanan till
the year 42. Hanan was still alive, and, possessed of the real power,
maintained in his family the principles of pride, severity, hatred
against innovators, which were, so to speak, hereditary.

The death of Stephen produced a great impression. The proselytes
solemnized his funeral with tears and groanings. The separation of the
new sectaries from Judaism was not yet absolute. The proselytes and the
Hellenists, less strict in regard to orthodoxy than the pure Jews,
considered that they ought to render public homage to a man who
respected their constitution, and whose peculiar beliefs did not put him
without the pale of the law. Thus began the era of Christian martyrs.

The murder of Stephen was not an isolated event. Taking advantage of the
weakness of the Roman functionaries, the Jews brought to bear upon the
Church a real persecution. It seems that the vexations pressed chiefly
on the Hellenists and the proselytes, whose free behavior exasperated
the orthodox. The Church of Jerusalem, though already strongly
organized, was compelled to disperse. The apostles, according to a
principle which seems to have seized strong hold of their minds, did not
quit the city. It was probably so, too, with the whole purely Jewish
group, those who were denominated the "Hebrews." But the great community
with its common table, its diaconal services, its varied exercises,
ceased from that time, and was never reformed upon its first model. It
had endured for three or four years. It was