afterwards, in the course of this very progress, he is represented as
"making many disciples" at Derbe, a principal city in the same district.
Three years (Benson's History of Christ, book iii. p. 50.) after this,
which brings us to sixteen after the ascension, the apostles wrote a
public letter from Jerusalem to the Gentile converts in Antioch, Syria,
and Cilicia, with which letter Paul travelled through these countries,
and found the churches "established in the faith, and increasing in
number daily." (Acts xvi. 5.) From Asia the apostle proceeded into
Greece, where, soon after his arrival in Macedonia, we find him at
Thessalonica: in which city, "some of the Jews believed, and of the
devout Greeks a great multitude." (Acts xvii. 4.) We meet also here with
an accidental hint of the general progress of the Christian mission, in
the exclamation of the tumultuous Jews of Thessalonica, "that they who
had turned the world upside down were come thither also." (Acts xvii.
6.) At Berea, the next city at which Saint Paul arrives, the historian,
who was present, inform us that "many of the Jews believed." (Acts xvii.
12.) The next year and a half of Saint Paul's ministry was spent at
Corinth. Of his success in that city we receive the following
intimations; "that many of the Corinthians believed and were baptized;"
and "that it was revealed to the Apostle by Christ, that be had much
people in that city." (Acts xviii, 8--10.) Within less than a year after
his departure from Corinth, and twenty-five (Benson, book iii. p, 160.)
years after the ascension, Saint Paul fixed his station at Ephesus for
the space of two years (Acts xix. 10.) and something more. The effect of
his ministry in that city and neighbourhood drew from the historian a
reflection how "mightily grew the word of God and prevailed." (Acts xix.
20.) And at the conclusion of this period we find Demetrius at the head
of a party, who were alarmed by the progress of the religion,
complaining, that "not only at Ephesus, but also throughout all Asia
(i. e. the province of Lydia, and the country adjoining to Ephesus), this
Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people." (Acts xix. 26.) Beside
these accounts, there occurs, incidentally, mention of converts at Rome,
Alexandria, Athens, Cyprus, Cyrene, Macedonia, Philippi.

This is the third period in the propagation of Christianity, setting off
in the seventh year after the ascension, and ending at the
twenty-eighth. Now,