Life Scenes From the Four Gospels

o matter where they were. The time for this was at earliest dawn, and in the evenings some time before the first watch. Our Saviour condemns the width of the phylacteries, made for ostentation and vanity. The modern Jews, it is said, wear them at morning and evening prayers. j This deputation approached, not over-confident of a favorable reception, knowing as they did the Baptist's address to their Pharisee brethren on the former occasion : and now there was a striking scene;?that gaunt, sunburnt man, in his coarse dress of camel's hair bound by a leathern girdle; his unabashed manner before the officers, and his fiery eyes seeming to pierce ihem through ;?their own stateliness and effort at ease and assurance, while their pretension to sanctity and the autlioritativeness of office were impressing the 1 Liglufoot. Ib. crowd;?the multitudes glancing from the new, admired favorite to their old, feared masters; and back again to the fearless John. " Who art thou ?" the rulers asked. The words were authoritative and abrupt. He answered, not to their question, but to what he knew was in every person's mind. "I am not the Christ." " What then ? art thou Elias ?" "I am not." "Art thou that prophet?"1 "No." " Who art thou ??that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What saycst thou of thyself?" "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias:" (the reply having allusion...