Who all things now behold more fresh and green,
After a night of storm so ruinous,

Clear'd up their choicest notes in bush and spray,

To gratulate the sweet return of morn."

Satan, now in the guise of a gentleman, his favorite and most dangerous mask, approaches Jesus leaning for support on a rock, almost lifeless from enforced fast, vigil, and exposure. He feigns great surprise, expresses gentle sympathy, and offers to relieve his pain and destitution. Come with me, says he, and I will do thee good. Jesus feeble as he was, found himself constrained to go, and was led up onto a supernatural mountain, exceeding high. Together they stand upon the lofty summit and look abroad. Satan waves his wand, and the convex world gradually turns to concave, slowly lifting its expanding horizon to a level with their eyes. With a princely air he shows Jesus all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, in a moment of time. In the far benighted East, lies the eastern Babylon, the seat of the three great Empires, now in ruin, but replaced by the unconquered Parthian power at Ctesiphon. Behold it issuing from the city gates for war against the Scythian.

"He looked and saw what numbers numberless

The city gates outpour'd, light-armed troops,

In coats of mail and military pride;

In mail their horses clad, yet fleet and strong.

He saw them in their form of battle ranged,

How quick they wheel'd, and flying behind them shot

Sharp sleet of arrowy showers against the face

Of their pursuers, and overcame by flight.
Such and so numerous was their chivalry."

He turned, his gaze sweeping over Antioch and Athens, to the enlightened West. Behold the city of

the seven hills, the western Babylon, whose radiating roads stretch to the watery confines of earth, whence fleets extend her sway.

"The city, which thou seest, no other deem

Than great and glorious Rome, queen of the earth.

All nations now to Rome obedience pay,

To Rome's great emperor, whose wide domain,
In ample territory, wealth and power,

And long renown, thou justly may prefer

Before the Parthian. These two thrones except,
The rest are barbarous, and scarce worth the sight.
These having shown thee, I have shown thee all
The Kingdoms of the world and all their glory."

Jesus gazed upon the magic panorama with longing eyes. Satan was seeking to stir in him that last infirmity of noble minds, ambition. Believing that every man has his price, he hoped to purchase him with the pride of life. He now calls attention to himself. Lo, a change!

"High on a throne of royal state, which far
Outshone the wealth of Ormus and of Ind,
Satan exalted sat. His haughty head
The likeness of a kingly crown had on,
His hand a sceptre swayed."

He sits some moments in quiet majesty, hoping to impress the dazed man at his footstool; then descends from the aerial throne, takes off his crown, and offering them to Jesus, says:

"To thee will I give the authority over all those kingdoms, and the glory of them; for it hath been delivered unto me, and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt bend thy knee to me, all shall be thine."

But Jesus, then for the first time recognizing the Adversary, instantly commanded:

"Begone, Satan. It stands written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve."

The sword of the Spirit was still in his hand, and with this final, fatal stroke he conquered. The whole phantasmagoria vanished, sudden darkness engulfed the world, and Satan fell like lightning from heaven afar to his own place.

Instantly eager angels, no longer restrained, found Jesus lying in the midst of the wilderness unconscious. With loving hands and softly waving wings, they bear him aloft and away to a pleasant grove surrounding a luxuriant garden, where was a spacious royal tent of blue fabric borrowed from the sky, upheld by golden shafts of light. Laid gently on a richly cushioned couch, they anxiously bend over him, bedew his temples with their tears, and fan him with their perfumed wings. Revived, they offer him on bended knee, from platters of translucent gold, bread and wine. When strength returns and the pulse of life beats free, a luxurious banquet is spread of nectar and ambrosia, garnished with rare fruits of the celestial Paradise. Now while he feasts a choir of seraphim, with harps attuning, chaunt a triumphal anthem of praise.

"True image of the Father; whether throned
In the bosom of bliss, and light of light
Conceiving; or, remote from heaven, enshrined
In fleshly tabernacle; thou hast avenged

Supplanted Adam, and, by vanquishing
Temptation, hast regained lost Paradise.

Hail, Son of the Most High, heir of both worlds,
Queller of Satan! On thy glorious work

Now enter, and begin to save mankind."

Ended the feast and pean, then dusky Evening and

balmy Slumber came, hand in hand, to offer rest. The curtains of the tent are closed, four ardent cherubim with flaming swords stand sentinel, and Jesus sleeps.

Paradise lost in the garden; Paradise regained in the wilderness.

With a sharp reminiscence of the humiliation and struggle which he was led into and then delivered from by the Spirit, Jesus afterwards taught his followers to pray, Lead us not into temptation; but, if it must be, deliver us from the Tempter.

He himself throughout life was beset by many further trials. The Adversary had been cast down, but not destroyed. He departed only for a season. Soon he re

newed the affliction and the smiting, which culminated at Gethsemane and Calvary. Then he entered on a fierce and truceless war, lasting now through two millenniums, and still prolonged by the sullen and slowly retreating foe; while the ascended Christ waits at the right hand of the God of Hosts until he makes his enemy his footstool.

A

VII

THE ATTESTATION

T some time during the forty days, John the baptizer moved up the river Jordan to Bethabara,

or house of passage. This was an upper ford midway between the lakes, where, in the days of the judges, Gideon intercepted the fleeing Midianites. Near by was a village called Bethany of Peræa or beyond Jordan, to distinguish it from the Bethany near Jerusalem. Here John pursued his vocation. Multitudes attended, many hearers were baptized, and all held him. for a prophet. Shortly after the forty days, Jesus returning from the wilderness came to Bethabara, and mingled in the crowd of the people.

The religious revival awakened by John had made such a stir throughout the country, and even in Jerusalem, that it attracted the attention of the Sanhedrin, auvéôptov, an assembly sitting together in council. This was the high ecclesiastical court of the Jews, consisting of the high priests and selected elders and scribes and lawyers, to the number of seventy members, and having authoritative oversight especially of all matters relating to the religion of the Jewish state. It was legitimate, therefore, that this court should inquire into the preaching and baptism of John. Accordingly, it commissioned a deputation of priests and Levites, among whom were certain Pharisees, all probably members of the council, to visit Bethabara seeking information."