TOPOGRAPHY.

MACEDONIA. This ancient kingdom is usually included within the limits of the Grecian States, and appears to have extended from the mouth of the Peneus to the river Nissus in Thrace, but its exact boundaries are uncertain. When Perseus, the last successor of Alexander the Great, was routed at Pydna, B.C. 168, Macedonia was reduced to a Roman province in four divisions. Beginning eastwards at the river Nestus, Macedonia Prima reached to the Strymon; Macedonia Secunda, to the Axius; Macedonia Tertia, to the Peneus; and Macedonia Quarta, to Illyricum and Epirus. The capitals of these divisions were Amphipolis, Thessalonica, Pella, and Pelagonia. Amphipolis, in the time of St. Paul, had sunk into comparative insignificance, and the colonial privileges of Philippi made it in reality the more important town. It was during the Second Missionary Journey of St. Paul that there appeared

to him in vision a man of Macedonia, beseeching him, and saying, "Come over and help us."*

PHILIPPI.—The first European city in which the Gospel was preached by the Apostle Paul: described in the Revised Version of the New Testament as "a city of Macedonia, the first of the district, a Roman colony."+ Philippi received its name from its founder, Philip of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great: it was situated on the banks of the Gangites, a deep and rapid stream, now called Angista, and was originally called Krenides, or the Place of Fountains, because of the numerous springs in which that river takes its source. The city stood on a wide plain, bounded by lofty mountains on the north-east. The ancient walls followed the course of the stream for some distance, and we are told that in one place, at about a hundred yards from it, there is still the site of a gate visible, with the ruins of a bridge opposite. This is probably the gate through which St. Paul went on that memorable Sabbath day, "out of the city by a river side where prayer was wont to be made;" or, according to a more literal rendering, "without the gate by the river side."

When Philip of Macedon wrested the district from the Thracians, he found there an obscure + Acts xvi. 12.

* Acts xvi. 9.

town; he there made a great frontier city, to protect Macedonia against the incursions of the wild mountaineers, and called it Philippi, after his own name. He found it a profitable conquest, for it was celebrated for gold mines, which in his own time yielded him an annual revenue of a -thousand talents. B.C. 357.

This ancient city is celebrated for another great historical event, the victory of Augustus over Brutus and Cassius, at the foot of the hill on which the city stands, and on the summit of which Cassius fell by his own hands. B.C. 42. In commemoration of his victory the Emperor elevated it to the rank of a colony, and otherwise enlarged it. As a colony, Philippi was governed by its own magistrates or Duumviri, who called themselves Prætors.

The city was thus governed when visited by St. Paul, A.D. 52, the full and proper name at that time being Colonia Augusta Julia Philippensis. It was a military and agricultural, not a mercantile city, and there being but few Jews, they did not possess a synagogue. There was, however, a Proseucha, or house of prayer, outside the gate, and on the Sabbath day Paul and Silas proceeded thither, where they found a few devout women assembled, among whom sat a Lydian proselytess, a native of the city of Thyatira. This woman was an earnest listener; her heart

was opened. She accepted the faith, and was baptized with her household, and the Apostle and his companions became her guests.

For a very brief period the Apostles laboured in the city, when their mission was suddenly interrupted. One day as they were on their way to the Proseucha, they were met by a slavegirl who was supposed to be possessed with the spirit of divination, and brought much gain to her owners by soothsaying. This poor afflicted girl had heard of Paul and his teaching, and immediately turned round and followed them towards the river, repeatedly calling out: "These persons are slaves of the Most High God, and they are announcing to us the way of salvation." This continued many days, till at length Paul, moved with pity and indignation, commanded the spirit to come out of her. This excited the vengeance of her masters-a clamour was raised, and Paul and Silas were brought before the magistrates in the market-place, who delivered them over to the military police; and then, having scourged them, thrust them into prison and put their feet in the stocks.

In the midst of suffering the Apostle and his companion rejoiced, for at midnight they were heard singing hymns to God. While they sung, and while their fellow-prisoners listened, the prison was shaken to its foundation by an earth

quake, every door was opened, and every fetter was loosed. Roused from sleep, the gaoler concluded that his prisoners had fled, and drawing his sword, was about to lay violent hands on himself, when the voice of the Apostle was heard calling loudly, "Do thyself no harm, for we are all here." The gaoler was deeply impressed by these events and the words of Paul, and having ministered to him and his companion, was immediately baptized with his whole house.*

Although St. Paul and his companion were constrained to quit the town at the entreaty of its principal authorities, the nucleus of the Philippian Church was left in the family of the baptized gaoler and in the household of Lydia, together, probably, with others.

St. Paul again visited Philippi in his Third Missionary Journey, where he was cheered by the zeal and warm affection of his converts.+

But very little more is known of the Philippian Church. Half a century later, Ignatius passed through Philippi, on his way to martyrdom; and Polycarp wrote to the Church a letter full of commendations.

At the present time there are but few traces of the existence of the city; its site is occupied by the miserable village of Filibidjek, but "the

*Acts xvi. † Acts xx. 6; 2 Cor. viii. 1, 2.