r
shame" (Acts v. 41) for their Lord's sake. Other instances may be seen
in Stephen praying for his murderers (Acts vii. 60); in the character
of Barnabas, "a good man full of the Holy Ghost and of faith" (Acts
xi. 24); in the Elders, who were ordained by S. Paul in the different
cities which he visited, and who handed on the knowledge they had
gained to their more ignorant fellow-countrymen, "feeding the Church
of God" (Acts xiv. 23, xx. 28); in the case of Aquila and Priscilla
instructing Apollos (Acts xviii. 26); in the Ephesian converts burning
their books (Acts xix. 19); in Lydia taking care of S. Paul at
Philippi (Acts xvi. 15); and in the love shown to him afterwards by
the Philippians in general, his "dearly beloved and longed for," his
"joy and crown" (Phil. i. 3-8, iv. 1-10). Other signs of the leaven
working in the hearts of the faithful may be gathered from a variety
of expressions in the different Epistles, pointing to the changed
lives of the members of the Church (1 Cor. vi. 11); whilst the
Apostles were continually urging their converts to let the leaven work
more freely upon them, and become more apparent in the holiness of
their lives, in the putting off "the old man," and in the putting on
"the new man" (Ephes. iv. 22, 24).

The Parables of "The Treasure" and "The Pearl," which set forth the
priceless value of salvation, and the different ways in which it
becomes known to men, may be illustrated by several instances in the
early history of the Church. One finds the truth, as it were, by
chance, like some hidden treasure. Such was the man of Ethiopia
finding, as he crossed the desert, an apparently chance traveller able
to expound to him the prophecies of Messiah (Acts viii. 27); and such
was the jailor at Philippi, stopped in the act of committing suicide
to be baptized by his prisoners (Acts xvi. 27, 30). Another finds
"The Pearl" worth all the world besides, only after long search. Such
was S. Paul, who sought for it in intense zeal for God, and found it
in the Voice which said, "Why persecutest thou Me?" (Gal. i. 14, Acts
ix. 4). And such was Cornelius, whose prayers and alms called down the
blessing from above which brought to him the knowledge of His Saviour
(Acts x. 30-48). Whilst the value which men set upon the discovery was
shown by the joy with which all things were given up for the sake of
Christ, when men "did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of
heart, praising God and having f