together unto them, in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering." This porch was, you must remember, a sort of colonnade or piazza, built over the same spot on which that built by Solomon in the first temple, had stood. When Peter saw such a number of people assembled, he spake to them, and said, "Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?" And then he told them, that this cripple was made whole, because he had faith in Jesus Christ, who was truly the Son of God the promised Messiah, though they had refused to believe in Him, and had forced Pilate to crucify Him. But that, although they had preferred a murderer, and had killed Him Who was the Prince of Life, God had raised Him from the dead; as all the Apostles could bear witness, and that in His name and by His power alone, was this miracle worked. Peter then went on to say, that they did not know what they were about when they persecuted Jesus even unto death; and that if now, they would repent, and believe all that the Apostles could tell them of Jesus Christ, their sins should be "blotted out." And he reminded them, that Moses, and all the prophets since his time, had spoken of the coming of Christ; and that to them, as the descendants of the Children of Israel with whom the first covenant was made, God had now sent His son Jesus Christ, to bless them, in turning away every one from his iniquities. Peter and John were not long left to preach undisturbed to the people: for "as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them, being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide." The captain of the temple was one of the Priests, who directed and looked after all the guards and watches of the Priests and Levites, who were appointed to keep the temple from being in any way profaned. Before the death of Jesus, the Scribes and Pharisees were His chief enemies; but now that His disciples declared and taught that He had risen from the dead, the Sadducees became the most violent opposers of the Apostles, who taught the doctrine of the Resurrection. Chapter III.--ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA. Although the Priests and the Sadducees did for the time put a stop to Peter's discourse, they could not undo the effect which it produced; for we read, "Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand."