tide, as the sun drops behind Carmel and dissolves in the sea, turning Kishon and its affluents into burning threads, turning the vapors of the Mediterranean into new "chariots of fire and horses of fire" for other ascending Elijahs, and thence diffusing over the broad panorama of the Galilean hills and valleys a purpling softness like the more tender and brooding mercy of the Lord.

And why do we open these beautiful pages? Because it is certain they were the study of Jesus for thirty years; because the infinite Word that was already dawning through his higher consciousness was here to find its language. This vast treasury of type and imagery was to be drawn up into discourse and parable, as the embodiment of truths for which no language of books could furnish an appropriate setting. Not only nature in all her lights and shadows, but human life in all its busy ongoings, was outspread within the horizon of Nazareth. The keepers of vineyards pruning their vines; the shepherds leading their flocks a-field; the husbandmen sowing their grain; the plains over which the breezes as they swept made waves in the fields of wheat and tare; the reapers at their work over the vast surfaces of Esdraelon and El Battauf; the prognostics of storm coming up from the sea, or of fair weather when the sky at evening reddens over the ridges of Carmel; the Light of the World coming out of the east to enlighten every man ;- all these and much

more were daily in sight over that "brow of the hill" whereon the city of Nazareth was built. Two processes were going on in preparing the Christ for his work, one of Spirit and one of sense. Higher truth than men had received or known was coming down through the heaven of his mind; better and more universal types were drawn up from earth through the senses to meet it and body it forth. The Son of God was also the son of Mary; the Word was made flesh to find a dwelling-place in the midst of men.1

1 Renan's description of the scenery of Palestine is picturesque, though distinctness of feature is often sacrificed for brilliancy. Robinson is both picturesque and exact as line and compass. After an excellent description of the horizon of Nazareth he thus indicates the associations of the place, looking from the plateau above the town: "Seating myself in the shade of the Wely, I remained for some hours upon this spot, lost in the contemplation of the wide prospect, and of the events connected with the scenes around. In the village below the Saviour of the world had passed his childhood; and although we have few particulars of his life during those early years, yet there are certain features of nature that meet our eyes now, just as they once met his. He must often have visited the fountain near which we had pitched our tent; his feet must frequently have wandered over the adjacent hills, and his eyes doubtless gazed upon the splendid prospect from this very spot. Here the Prince of Peace looked down upon the great plain, where the din of battles so often had rolled, and the garments of the warrior been dyed in blood; and He looked out, too, upon that sea over which the swift ships were to bear the tidings of his salvation to nations and to continents then unknown. How has the moral aspect of things been changed! Battles and bloodshed have indeed not ceased to desolate this unhappy country, and

gross darkness now covers the people; but from this region a light went forth which has enlightened the world and unveiled new climes; and now the rays of that light begin to be reflected back from distant isles and continents, to illuminate anew the darkened land, where it first sprung up."- Researches, vol. iii. pp. 190, 191.

CHAPTER V.

THE FORERUNNER.

'HERE was nothing in the established ceremo

ΤΗ

nies of the Jewish national religion which was worthy of the name of preaching. That religion was administered mainly in the temple, the synagogues, and the theological schools. The synagogues were the parochial churches. They existed in every town in Judæa. The most elevated sites which could be obtained were chosen for them, and it violated all sense of Jewish propriety and sacredness to see any other building overlook the synagogue. Ten men were considered a sufficient but indispensable number to organize a synagogue, which word, like our word "church" came at length to signify either the ecclesiastical organism, or the building in which they assembled for worship.

In any principal town or large city these buildings were multiplied indefinitely, all of them constructed after the same pattern. We may form some idea of their number when we consider that there were twelve in Tiberias; and since the erecting of synagogues was a mark of piety and passport to heaven, we need not be surprised that there were no fewer

than four hundred and sixty in Jerusalem alone. They were long rectangular structures, and always consisted of two parts. The ICEL, or sanctuary, by way of eminence, was in the most westerly part, corresponding to the most holy place in the temple, and in it was placed the ark or chest which contained the Book of the Law and the Sections of the Prophets. The other part was the body of the church, where the congregation assembled. At one extremity of this department was an elevated platform, on which sat the officers of the synagogue, facing the congregation, and on which was a desk or pulpit for the readers and the minister. The congregation sat facing the officers. They did not sit promiscuously, but the men were separated from the women by a screen which divided the body of the church lengthwise as far as the elevated platform.

The chief officers of the synagogue were three rulers, the readers, and the minister. The rulers had a general care and direction, told the leaders when to begin and the people when to say amen. The readers were seven in number, and took turns in reading the lesson of the day. Any one in the congregation, however, could be called to this service. How important and laborious it was may be judged from the fact that the Law and the Prophets, comprising the bulk of our Old Testament Canon, were required to be read through once a year in the public ritual, and for this purpose were divided into