CHAPTER XV

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ST. STEPHEN'S DEFENCE AND THE DOCTRINE OF INSPIRATION.

ACTS vi. 12-14; vii. 1, 2.

Derivation and Meaning of Name "Stephen"--Libertine Assailants of St. Stephen--United with Cilicians--St. Paul and the Sanhedrin--Selden on Sanhedrin--Use of Shorthand among the Ancients--The _Acts_ of the Martyrs and Investigations of M. le Blant--Effective Character of Stephen's _Apology_--Analysis of it--Naturally Irritating to Jewish Officialism--Charity towards Persecutors--Reverence towards the Past--A Good Thing, but may be Pressed too far--Lessons for our Age--Science and Religion--Mistakes in the Martyr's Speech--Natural--Useful, too, as Testifying to Honesty of Report--And Teaching True Doctrine of Inspiration--Dr. Vaughan on St. Stephen's Mistakes--St. Stephen and Freedom of Church Worship--Christian Universalism not Inconsistent with Sacred and Consecrated Buildings 293-321

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