He perhaps did not know when the Passover ended, his time passed so quickly and so pleasantly with those kind teachers in the temple. If he had known, and also that his parents were leaving Jerusalem to go home, delightful as his present occupation was, we cannot suppose that he would have caused them so much anxiety and trouble, for he was a most dutiful and affectionate son. When his mother found him, she could not help reproaching him tenderly for not watching their movements better: 'Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? Behold thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. It was, perhaps, the first reproach that she had ever uttered toward him; and in this her love is the strongest feeling shown. He was surprised that his mother should have had any difficulty in finding him; he thought that she knew enough of him to have felt assured that if he was not with her he must be in the temple, his heavenly Father's house, among the sacred priests and learned Rabbis, receiving deeper impressions of piety, and adding to those stores of religious knowledge which he so dearly loved. Joseph and Mary, however, did not understand him.

Already, at that tender age, he was beginning to see far more clearly than they the immeasurable worth of spiritual things. He could not blame himself, however sorry he might be for his mother's anxiety: he had not willfully disobeyed any command, or carelessly wounded her feelings. And his true filial piety was shown in the readiness with which he immediately left the temple and all its holy attractions, went back with his parents to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. Because light and truth were fast pouring into his mind he did not despise those to whom he owed reverence and love; but submitted to their directions while he was yet dependent on them. As he grew in age, he grew in wisdom: he was a great favorite with all around him; and the peacefulness of his mind, the joy of his pure heart, the still increasing brightness of his whole spirit, showed that the blessing of God was upon him.

We hear nothing further of him until he was openly shown as the long-predicted Messiah, the Savior of the world.

CHAPTER IV.

1

THE BAPTISM AND TEMPTATION.

WHILE John was baptizing those who came to him in the Jordan, a river that runs through the whole length of Galilee, Samaria, and Judea, Jesus also, being now about thirty years of age, came to be baptized. John at first refused. You will recollect that John's baptism was called the baptism of repentance,' that is, his outward use of water was an emblem of that putting away of sin which is meant by the word repentance. It is not certain, when Jesus went to be baptized, whether John knew him to be the Messiah; but he knew him to be raised up for some extraordinary purpose, to be pure and holy, and to have no sins of which to repent; so that, with deep humility, he said, 'I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?' Jesus, however, would not listen to any objection; but prayed him to perform the same office for him which he had done for so many others; intimating that whatever he was, or whatever he might become, it was

proper for him to acknowledge, by this act, the

divine mission of John. John then baptized him, and, as he went up out of the water, a fluttering light, like a dove settling down, came upon him, and a voice was heard out of heaven, which said, 'Thou art my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.' This was the first open declaration of his being about to fulfill the prophecies of the Old Testament, to establish the kingdom of heaven, to work out the merciful purposes of God.

We have seen that Jesus was remarkable as a child, that he soon began to show extraordinary goodness and understanding; that, as a youth, he was an eager secker after religious knowledge, full of piety, most affectionate and obedient towards his parents; and that for his good and amiable qualities he was much beloved and esteemed by all who knew him. This early goodness he kept up to the time of his baptism, as is shown by John's hesitation about baptizing him, and still more by the voice from heaven. He was now, however, about to enter on a difficult work, in which many powerful trials and temptations awaited him. He had need, therefore, to see clearly what he had

to do, what he had to suffer, what he had to resist, and what strength was given him for this purpose. We all know that if once we can convince ourselves that we have power to do any thing, the doing of it is afterward comparatively easy: a feeling of power to do a thing, and a firm will to do it, make it positively easy: there is no more difficulty in making a great than a little exertion if we are fully determined upon it; the difficulty is in forming the will.

Immediately after his baptism, therefore, Jesus went, by the direction of God, into the desert of Judea, and was there for many days, most probably receiving communications from God respecting his mission, both as to his teachings and his own conduct. When he was fully instructed, and had received that power by which he was enabled to work miracles, the strongest temptations to which he would ever be exposed were presented to his mind. He had long fasted and was hungry. Should he not change some of the stones of the desert into bread? He had been commanded not to use his supernatural powers for his own advantage, for one means by which he was to teach