In his letter to Polycarp he says: “Let meetings be held more frequently.”[54] Barnabas (_circa_ A.D. 120-30): “Keep not apart by yourselves, as if you were already justified; but meet together, and confer upon the common weal.”[55] Justin Martyr--in his first _Apology_, written in the middle of the second century--describes these meetings of the brethren with some detail.[56] A very striking passage occurs in a writing of Theophilus, the sixth bishop of Antioch, addressed to his friend Autolycus. Its date is between A.D. 168 and A.D. 181. The power which these meetings of the brethren exercised over the life of Christians is described as follows: “As in the Sea there are Islands ... with havens and harbours in which the storm-tossed may find refuge, so God has given to the world, which is driven and tempest-tossed by sins, assemblies ... in which survive the doctrines of the truth, as in the island-harbours of good anchorage; and into these run those who desire to be saved ... and who wish to escape the wrath and judgment of God.”[57] III OF WHOM WERE THESE ASSEMBLIES OF BELIEVERS COMPOSED? From the very first days, it is certain that the assemblies or congregations of the Christians were made up of all classes and orders of the people. The lower classes, including slaves, freedmen, artisans, small traders, no doubt were in the majority; but from the beginning, persons of position, culture, and even of rank were certainly reckoned among them. In the days of the apostles we hear of many such. Among the earliest believers were reckoned a Nicodemus, a Joseph of Arimathea, a Barnabas, a Sergius Paulus. In Acts vi. 7 mention is made of a great company of the priests obedient to the faith. Chapter x. tells us of the centurion who sent for S. Peter. Paul himself and Stephen were men of high culture. Priscilla the wife of Aquila and the Phoebe of Rom. xvi. 1 were evidently persons of considerable means. Others might be named in these categories. S. James (ii. 14) in his picture of one of these meetings alludes to the presence of the rich among the worshippers. Tacitus speaks of a lady of distinguished birth (_insignis femina_) who evidently belonged to the Christian ranks; and very shortly after, some near connexions of the imperial house of Domitian were persecuted for their faith. Pliny, when he wrote to Trajan, tells him how many of all ranks in the province of Bithynia had joined the Christian sect. Ignatius in the early years of the second century, writing to the Roman Church, gives utterance to his fear lest influential members of the Church should intercede for him, and so hinder his being exposed to the beasts in the amphitheatre games. Roman Christians of wealth and position are clearly alluded to by Hermas in the _Shepherd_ (Comm. x. 1), and he assumes the presence of such in the Roman congregation (Simil. i. etc.)