Stephen his home had fixed in Bethany-- Sequestered hamlet on the slope behind The Mount of Olives from Jerusalem. Mary and Martha, here, and Lazarus, He knew and loved; and with them oft, their guest, Held converse sweet of what He said and did, And was, the Friend Who wept when Lazarus died, The Lord of life through Whom he lived again: But Ruth, self-sundered from this fellowship, Abode apart, or only with them bound In bonds of kindly common neighborhood. These marked when Stephen, marking not, passed by, That day, steps toward the holy city bent, And to each other said: 'He goes once more Bound in the spirit to Jerusalem To preach the gospel of the grace of God. Behold the lit look on the forward face! Behold the gait half-buoyed as if with wings! It is like Jesus hastening to His cross! Lo, let us follow!' and they followed him. But he went ever onward, slacking not His steps, nor heeding when the brow he reached Of Olivet and thence, across the deep Ravine of Kedron worn with rushing floods, Before him and beneath him saw outspread The city of David with its palaces. BOOK VIII. STEPHEN MARTYR. As Stephen approaches the temple, he is suddenly arrested and brought before the Sanhedrim. There making his defence, he is interrupted with hostile demonstrations, instigated by Shimei. On this, he bursts out with noble indignation, which furnishes the desired occasion for a cry against him of "Blasphemy!" from all, and for a violent hurrying forth of the prisoner without the walls to be stoned. A file of Roman soldiers confronts and stays the tumultuous crowd; but, after parley conducted by Shimei with the centurion, their leader, the rout is suffered to proceed. Meantime, however, a little company of sympathizing Christians, including Rachel with the three from Bethany, have gathered round Stephen and listened to cheerful, tranquillizing words from him. After the stoning, these friends carry the body of Stephen for laving to the pool of Siloam, whence by moonlight up Olivet to Bethany. Here they lay it in a room of Martha and Mary's house until morning. STEPHEN MARTYR.