ich the
Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that
the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both
in Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part
of the earth.

And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up:
and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked
steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in
white apparel.--Acts i, 1-10

THE MARTYRDOM OF ST. STEPHEN.

And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles
among the people.

Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue
of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of
Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to
resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake. Then they suborned
men, which 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 caught him, and brought him to the
council. And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to
speak blasphemous 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 us.

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

Then said the high priest, Are these things so?

And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken: [Stephen here makes his
defense, concluding with a terrible, denunciation of the Jews as being
stiffnecked and persecutors of their prophets, and as betrayers and
murderers of Jesus Christ.]

When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they,
gnashed on him with their teeth.

But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven,
and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing
on the right hand of God.

Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran
upon him with one accord, and cast him out of, the city, and stoned him:
and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose
name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying,
Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

And