In other places and posterior times alone, could this supplemental vision, therefore, have been put into circulation: accordingly, not till a great many years after, was mention made of it by the author of the Acts:--mention made by him, either in his own person, or as having been related, or alluded to, by Paul himself. Even the author of the Acts,--though in this same chapter he has been relating the story of Ananias's vision,--yet, when he comes to speak, of the way, in which, according to him, Paul, by means of his protector and benefactor Barnabas, obtained an introduction to the Apostles, viz. all the Apostles, in which, however, he is so pointedly contradicted by Paul himself,--yet speaks not of Barnabas, as including, in the recommendatory account he gave them, of Paul--his vision, and his merits--any mention of this supplemental vision:--any mention of any Ananias. Acts 9:27. At Damascus, howsoever it might be in regard to the Christians--neither to Jews, nor to Gentiles, could the production, of any such letters as those in question, have availed him anything. Such as had embraced Christianity excepted, neither over Gentiles nor over Jews did those letters give him any power: and, as to Jews, the character in which--after any declaration made of his conversion--he would have presented himself, would have been no better than that of an apostate, and betrayer of a highly important public trust. To men of both these descriptions, a plea of some sort or other, such as, if believed, would be capable of accounting for so extraordinary a step, as that he should change, from the condition of a most cruel and inveterate persecutor of the new religion, to that of a most zealous supporter and leader,--could not, therefore, but be altogether necessary. No sooner was he arrived at Damascus, than, if the author of the Acts is to be believed, he began pleading, with all his energy, the cause of that religion, which, almost to that moment, he had with so much cruelty opposed. As to the story of his vision,--what is certain is--that, sooner or later, for the purpose of rendering to men of all descriptions a reason for a change so preëminently extraordinary, he employed this story. But, forasmuch as of no other account of it, as given by him, is any trace to be found;--nor can any reason be found, why that which was certainly employed afterwards might not as well be employed at and from the first;--hence comes the probability, that from the first it accordingly was employed. SECTION 3. ON DAMASCUS JOURNEY--COMPANIONS NONE.