St. Luke and Timothy then entreated their companion not to go to Jerusalem, but he would not listen to them. "What do you mean, weeping and afflicting my heart?" he said, "For I am ready not only to be bound, but to die also in Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus." {98} When the Apostle uttered these words, the others besought him no longer, but said, "The Will of the Lord be done," and thus--the one with heart filled with courage and even with desire to die for Christ, the others with sorrow mingled with their confidence in God--they went on to Jerusalem. Arriving in that city, St. Paul was received with the greatest joy by all the Christians, and next day the Apostle James, the Bishop of Jerusalem, convened a meeting of all who composed the Church. To them St. Paul gave a report of his work during his four years' absence. When he had concluded his address, he was told that great numbers of the Jews in that city believed the Gospel, yet were very strict in their observance of Mosaic law, and that they were hostile because they believed St. Paul taught the Jews of other places to neglect the customs of their people. {99} St. James advised that, to prove this belief unfounded, the Apostle should go to the temple upon the next day, which was the feast of Pentecost, and take part in a certain ceremony for four of the faithful. These four men had taken a vow. The Jews frequently did this for some special purpose, either that they might be delivered from some danger, or to show their gratitude for some special blessing. Vows were made for a certain time, during which the person considered himself specially consecrated to Almighty God, and he had to observe strict rules, such as to abstain from drinking wine, or from shaving his head. {100} When the time had come to an end, it was the duty of the person who had made the vow to appear in the temple, taking his offerings. Offerings on such an occasion were costly, and it was a customary thing for some richer and pious Jew to pay this amount for the man whose vow was at an end. It was for this purpose that St. James proposed St. Paul accompanying to the temple the four men who now accomplished the vow of the Nazarite, so that the Jews might observe his respect for their ancient law. Scarcely had the Apostle shown himself than some Jews, who had come up from Asia for the festival, saw him, and pointed him out to their fanatical companions as one who despised the law and profaned the temple. A terrible uproar followed, and seizing the Apostle, they cried, "Men of Israel, help: this is the man that teacheth all men everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place, and moreover hath brought in Gentiles into the temple, violating this holy place." {101}