him and you.’  Then the man in hell whimpered, ’Woe! woe! woe!  Let my five brothers who still dwell on earth know that they must be merciful to the poor, so that they may not be in my case.  And Abraham said:  ’They have the prophets on earth who tell them that every day.’  Then the man whined:  ’Oh, Father Abraham, they do not listen to the prophets.  If only you would make one of the dead live again, that he might tell them how the unmerciful are punished, then they would believe.  And Abraham:  ’If they do not believe the living, how should they believe the dead?”

During the Master’s recital, the host several times stretched forth his hand to his glass, but each time drew it back again.  He had not a word to say, and the desire to lay snares for the Prophet had gone.  He stole unnoticed from the hall, went down to his steward, and ordered him henceforth never to send a needy man from the door unrefreshed.

One of his friends who was at the banquet was immensely pleased that this betrayer of the people should have so exposed himself.  “You understood?  The story was nothing but an attack on the possessors of property.”

“Let that be,” said the host, and turned away.  Then he went and furnished the Prophet and His little band with provisions, gave Him directions for His journey, and pointed out how He could best avoid pursuers.  He looked after them for a long time.  “They have prophets on earth and do not heed them.”  He would like to accompany this prophet.  His little soul had been caught by Him he had wished to catch.

Things did not go so well with our fugitive in other places.  An evil slander about the Baptist was spread abroad—­that he was a glutton and a wine-bibber!  Jesus heard of it, and said:  “John the Baptist fasted.  They said of him that he was possessed by a demon.  It is neither eating nor fasting that they object to in the prophets; it is the truth which they speak.”

Then they came to villages and farms where they wished to rest, but none would give them shelter.  This angered the Master.  The dust on the ground was not worthy to remain sticking to the feet of those who came to bring the Kingdom of God.  The heartless would be thrust aside!  But anger was turned into pitiful love.  When a contrite man approached Him He raised him up with both arms, encouraged him, taught him to be kind, showed him the joy of life, and how to penetrate the sacred recesses of his own being—­self-examination.

Self-examination!  That is the everlasting guide Jesus gave to all who sought God.

CHAPTER XXIII

At last Jesus and His followers reached the sea.  When it lay before them in its immensity, and the white-winged ships flew over the blue surface; when they saw in the far distance the line drawn between sky and water, and the firmament rising behind so darkly mysterious, their courage was renewed, and Simon proposed that they should sail across to the cheerful Greeks and the strong Romans.