world; and in that historic and brilliant city St. John exercised his ministry to the end of his long life, which lasted until the reign of Trajan (Α.Ρ. 98-117).}
It was an active and gracious ministry. It had Ephesus for its headquarters, but it comprehended a wide area. St. John took over- sight of all the Christian communities in the surrounding country— such as the churches of Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, them by letters and visitations. ‘He would go away when invited,” says Clement of Alexandria,? “to the neighbouring districts of the Sentiles, here to appoint bishops, there to form new churches, and there to put into the office of the ministry some one of those that were indicated by the Spirit.” And Clement proceeds to relate an interesting story, μῦθον οὗ μῦθον. The Apostle once visited a neigh- bouring city—Smyrna, according to the Alexandrian Chronicle—and saw there a lad of stalwart form, charming face, and ardent spirit. «1 deposit this lad in thy keeping,” he said to the bishop, “ with all earnestness, taking the Church and Christ to witness.” The bishop accepted the trust and, when St. John returned to Ephesus, took the lad home, nurtured him, and finally baptised him. Then, thinking he had done enough, he let him alone, and the lad fell into evil company, committed a crime, and, fleeing to the mountains, became the captain of a band of brigands. By and by St. John revisited that city, and after settling the business which had brought him, he said: “‘ Now then, bishop, restore us the deposit which the Saviour and | entrusted to thee”. The bishop was thunderstruck, supposing that
he was being accused of some pecuniary intromission. “It is the lad that I am requiring,” explained St. John, ‘and the soul of the brother.” The bishop groaned and wept: “He is dead!” “How?
When? And whatdeath?” “Πε is dead to God,” said the bishop, and told the story. The Apostle rent his robe and with a loud cry smote his head. ‘A fine guardian of the brother’s soul did | leave in thee! Let me have a horse forthwith and some one to show me the way.” And he rode off and found the lost youth, and by tender entreaties won him to penitence and brought him back to the Church.
Such was the ministry of St. John at Ephesus, and it was far on in the course of it that he wrote his Gospel, ‘‘ having employed all the time an unwritten message’’. He wrote it, says the Muratorian Canon, “at the exhortation of his fellow-disciples and bishops,” {.ε., his own congregation at Ephesus and his colleagues in the neigh-
αἹτεη. ILI. iii. 4. 2 De Div. Serv. 42. 8 Eus. H. Ε. iii. 24.