I. =Philip's Journey.= (Acts 8:5-40.) Philip, one of the "seven" (Acts 6:3-5), was compelled to leave Jerusalem in the persecution that arose on account of Stephen. He went first to Samaria, the city known by the Greeks as Sebaste, now _Sebastiyeh_, 6 miles northwest of Shechem, or Sychar, and there began to preach the gospel. This was a step outside of narrow Judaism, as the Samaritans were considered at least semi-Gentile by the Jews. After planting a church here, he was sent by the Spirit southward "unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert" (Acts 8:26); that is, by the less frequented road. There he met a nobleman from Ethiopia (the kingdom of Meroë, in Nubia), whom he instructed in the gospel, and baptized as a believer. Suddenly caught away by the Spirit, Philip next appeared at Azotus, the ancient Ashdod, now _Asdud_. He followed the line of the coast northward, preaching in the cities of the maritime plain. These cities were mostly inhabited by heathen, though in all of them there were many Jews. We find in the after-history the results of his preaching, in churches at Joppa, at Lydda, and at Cæsarea, where he made his home for 20 years, and was met by the apostle Paul, who, long before, as Saul the persecutor, had driven him from Jerusalem. Philip's journey is indicated by a line of red color on the small map. II. =Saul's Journey.= (Acts 9:1-30.) The destroyer of the Jerusalem church now began a journey for persecution, which was ended in his own flight, as a Christian, from persecutors. 1. He went to Damascus, expecting to bind others, but was himself bound by the cords of the gospel, and preached the truth he had sought to destroy. 2. From Damascus, as a disciple, he went into Arabia, a name which may refer to almost any region from the Euphrates to the Indian Ocean, but probably here indicating the desert lands on the border of Syria, and not necessarily distant from Damascus, to which he returned after a stay of from one to three years. (Gal. 1:17.) 3. Escaping from Damascus by being let down over the wall in a basket, he returned to Jerusalem, where he was introduced to the church by Barnabas, and received by the apostles Peter and James. 4. After a fortnight's visit at Jerusalem, he left the city by divine direction in a vision (Acts 22:17-21), and, aided by the disciples, descended to the seaport of Cæsarea, where in after years he was destined to spend two years in imprisonment. 5. From Cæsarea he sailed to his birthplace, Tarsus, in Cilicia, where he spent several years in retirement, preparing for the great work which was to open before him. This journey is shown by a red line on the large map. [Illustration: DAMASCUS AND VICINITY.]