. Saint Peter and the first years of Christianity . the Holy Ghost had justified,nay, consecrated, Peters act. The faithful of the HolyCity recognized all this, and they glorified God, saying: Thus hath God granted to the Gentiles also that giftof penitence which leadeth unto life ! However, though the majority of Christians bowed be-neath the hand of the Head Shepherd, nevertheless forlong years after there remained a certain number ofJudaizing converts to Christianity in Jerusalem, who felt 156 SAINT PETER. that by their brethrens actions they were wounded intheir dearest convictions; nor di
. Saint Peter and the first years of Christianity . the Holy Ghost had justified,nay, consecrated, Peters act. The faithful of the HolyCity recognized all this, and they glorified God, saying: Thus hath God granted to the Gentiles also that giftof penitence which leadeth unto life ! However, though the majority of Christians bowed be-neath the hand of the Head Shepherd, nevertheless forlong years after there remained a certain number ofJudaizing converts to Christianity in Jerusalem, who felt 156 SAINT PETER. that by their brethrens actions they were wounded intheir dearest convictions; nor did they take any greatpains to conceal their bitterness. For a time they ap-peared to acquiesce before the revelation at Csesarea; butwe shall soon hear them recriminating the new doctrineagain, fighting not only against Paul, but against Peterand the Apostolic College. These men of the Circum-cision, ^ as Scripture calls them, were to bring about thefirst schism which rent the Church. 1 Acts X. 45 ; xi. 2 ; Gal. ii. 12 ; Col. iv. 11 ; Tit. i. CHAPTER IX. ANTIOCH. While the Faith was thus waxing strong in Judea, theChurchs progress was not less rapid beyond the fron-tiers. The disciples from the Holy City, who were scat-tered by the storms which ensued upon Stephens death,had made their way northward little by little; fromGalilee they passed over into Phoenicia, some set sailthence to Cyprus, while others, following the courseof the Orontes, pushed on as far as Antioch.^ DidPeter act as guide for the latter, and did he as the year 37 establish that Church in the capital ofSyria of which he was the first Bishop ? So certain his-torians have held,^ but with little likelihood ; for we knowthat not one of the Apostles left Jerusalem at the begin-ning of the persecution.^ Consequently Peter did notgo to Antioch before the year 40; ^ only then did heestablish there his Apostolic seat, which he transferredto Rome ^ two years later. The Acts do not mention the 1 Acts xi. 1
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