The Holy Innocents ...... ..S. W. SKEFFINGTON Conversion of S. Paul ......THE EDITOR 56 ......... 71 SS. Simon and Fude.......F. C. BLYTH 221 HE THAT WINNETH SOULS IS WISE. (S. ANDREW.) BY REV. J. E. VERNON, M.A., Vicar of Bicknoller, Taunton. S. JOHN I. 40, 41, 42. "One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, we have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. And he brought him to JESUS." AMONG those who were attracted by the preaching of S. John the Baptist, was one Andrew, a fisherman, of Bethsaida, on the lake of Galilee. From him Andrew learned that he had a soul to be saved; from him he learned that repentance and confession of sin were the first steps in the way of salvation; and by him he was led to look for one mightier than he, Who should take away the sin of the world. Standing one day with the Baptist and another, they saw JESUS passing by, and S. John at once pointed Him out to them as "the Lamb of God." Andrew and the other at these words, followed No. 1. A JESUS, and by His permission went home with Him and abode with Him that night. What passed we are not told; but Andrew saw and heard enough to convince him beyond all doubt that this was indeed the Christ, the prophesied Messiah, for the next day he sought out his brother Simon and told him the joyful news"We have found the Messias," "and he brought him to Jesus." After a while Andrew and Simon seem to have returned to their trade, for we find them afterwards casting their nets into the Sea of Galilee, when JESUS passing by called them to follow Him, promising to make them fishers of men. They appear henceforth as His constant companions and were shortly after numbered amongst His chosen Apostles. S. Andrew is mentioned as introducing to our Lord the lad with whose little store of five barley loaves and two fishes our Lord fed the five thousand, and also as introducing to our Lord the Greeks who desired" to see JESUS." We hear little further of S. Andrew by name in the holy Scriptures; but from early Christian writers we learn that after the descent of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pen· tecost he preached the Gospel in Scythia, and was at last crucified at Patræ in Achaia. His cross |