Page:Light and truth.djvu/94

92 directly opposite to Constantinople. The gospel was introduced into this province at an early period. (Comp. Acts ii. 9, and 1 Peter i. 1.) There is a remarkable testimony in ecclesiastical history, to the purity and firmness of the Christians of Bithynia, at the close of the first and the beginning of the second century

. (Acts xxi. 39.) A province in the south-eastern district of Asia Minor, lying on the northern coast, at the eastern extremity of the Mediterranean Sea. Its capital city was Tarsus, the birth-place of Paul. The synagogue of "them of Cilicia" (Acts vi. 9,) was a place of Jewish worship at Jerusalem, appropriated to the use of Jews who might be at Jerusalem, from the province of Cilicia. A similar custom in modern times is the fitting up of public houses to accommodate strangers from particular States or countries. Paul, being of this province, was probably a member of this synagogue, and perhaps one of the defeated opposers and controvertists of Stephen.—(Comp. Acts vi. 10, and vii. 58.)

. (Col. i. 2.) A city of Phrygia in Asia Minor, on the river Lycus, [now the Gorduk.] About a year after Paul's epistle was written to the church at this place, it was destroyed by an earthquake. The former site of Colosse is now occupied by the castle and village of Chonos.

. A province in the north-eastern part of Asia Minor, peopled by the descendants of Togarmah, and once forming part of the kingdom of Lydia. It was famous for horses, mules and flocks; and traded in these with the Tyrians.—(Ezek. xxvii. 14.) According to Herodotus, it submitted to the Medes, and then to the Persians, parts of whose worship the inhabitants incorporated with their own idolatry. It afterwards formed a part of the vast Roman empire. Christianity was introduced here in the days of the apostles, (Acts ii. 9,) and continues to this day. At the village of Dacora, in this province, was born Eunomius the Arian. Some of its early pastors were very distinguished for piety and learning.

. (Acts xiv. 6.) A town of Lycaonia, east of Iconium, whither Paul and Barnabas fled when expelled