them moved the crowd, idle or busy, chattering, chaffing, good-humoured, and

bandying witticisms. Now they give way respectfully before a Pharisee; or their

conversation is hushed by the weird appearance of an Essene or of some sectary --

political or religious,--while low, muttered curses attend the stealthy steps of the

publican, whose restless eyes wander around to watch that nothing escape the close

meshes of the tax-gatherer's net. These streets are all named, mostly after the trades or

guilds which have there their bazaars. For a guild always keeps together, whether in

street or synagogue. In Alexandria the different trades sat in the synagogue arranged

into guilds; and St. Paul could have no difficulty in meeting in the bazaar of his trade

with the like -minded Aquila and Priscilla (Acts 18:2,3), with whom to find a lodging. In

these bazaars many of the workmen sat outside their shops, and, in the interval of

labour, exchanged greetings or banter with the passers -by. For all Israel are brethren,

and there is a sort of freemasonry even in the Jewish mode of salutation, which always

embodied either an acknowledgment of the God of Israel, or a brotherly wish of peace.

Excitable, impulsive, quick, sharp -witted, imaginative; fond of parable, pithy sayings,

acute distinctions, or pungent wit; reverent towards God and man, respectful in the

presence of age, enthusiastic of learning and of superior mental endowments, most

delicately sensitive in regard to the feelings of others; zealous, with intensely warm

Eastern natures, ready to have each prejudice aroused, hasty and violent in passion, but

quickly assuaged--such is the motley throng around. And now, perhaps, the voice of a

Rabbi, teaching in some shady retreat--although latterly Jewish pride of learning

forbade the profanation of lore by popularising it for the "unlearned"--or, better far, at

one time the presence of the Master, gathers and keeps them spell-bound, forgetful alike

of the cravings of hunger and of the lapse of time, till, the short Eastern day ended, the

stars shining out on the deep blue sky must have reminded many among them of the

promise to their father Abraham, now fulfilled in One greater than Abraham.

Back to the town in the cool of even to listen to the delicious murmur of well or fountain,

as those crowd around it who have not cisterns in their own houses. The watchman is

on the top of the tower above the gateway; presently, night-watchers will patrol the

streets. Nor is there absolute darkness, for it is customary to keep a light burning all

night in the house, and the windows (unlike those of modern Eastern dwellings) open

chiefly on street and road. Those large windows are called Tyrian, the smaller ones

Egyptian. They are not filled in with glass, but contain gratings or lattices. In the houses

of the rich the window-frames are elaborately carved, and richly inlaid. Generally the

woodwork is of the common sycamore, sometimes of olive or cedar, and in palaces even

of Indian sandal-wood. The entablature is more or less curiously carved and

ornamented. Only there must be no representation of anything in heaven or on earth. So

deep was the feeling on this point, that even the attempt of Pilate to introduce by night

into Jerusalem the effigies of Caesar on the top of the Roman standards led to scenes in

which the Jews showed themselves willing to die for their convictions (Josephus, Ant,

xviii, 59); while the palace of Herod Antipas at Tiberias was burned by the mob because

it was decorated with figures of animals (Josephus, Life, 62-67). These extreme views,

however, gave way, first, before the tolerant example of Gamaliel, the teacher of Paul,

who made use of a public bath, although adorned by a statue of Venus, since, as he put

it, the statue was intended for the embellishment of the bath, and not the bath for the

sake of the statue. If this argument reminds us that Gamaliel was not a stranger to

Christianity, the statement of his grandson, that an idol was nothing if its worship had

been disclaimed by the heathen (Ab. Sar. 52), recalls still more strongly the teaching of

St. Paul. And so we gradually come down to the modern orthodox doctrine, which

allows the representation of plants, animals, etc., but prohibits that of sun, moon, and

stars, except for purposes of study, while, though doubtfully, it admits those of men and

even angels, provided they be in sunken, not in raised workmanship.

The rule of these towns and villages was exceedingly strict. The representatives of

Rome were chiefly either military men, or else fiscal or political agents. We have, indeed,

a notice that the Roman general Gabinius, about half a century before Christ, divided

Palestine for juridical purposes into five districts, each presided over by a council