Page:Philochristus, Abbott, 1878.djvu/167

Rh mind the words of the sailor, that "If Barachiah the son of Zadok had a heart of flesh as well as a heart of stone, it would need Solomon's ring to find out where the heart of flesh was hid;" so I told the words to Nathaniel. Straightway Nathaniel looked toward the place where Barachiah was sitting at table; and then he turned to me and said, "And hath not our Master the ring of Solomon?" Then I also looked at Barachiah; and I marvelled to see what a gentleness there was in his countenance. But Jesus was at that instant beginning a discourse; so we ceased conversing that we might hearken unto it.

The discourse told of a certain son of a kind father, who, taking his patrimony, wandered into a distant city, where he squandered his substance in riotous living, so that he was forced to keep swine like an hireling; but returning to his father he was welcomed. Other like parables he spake; and all the people were marvellously attentive to hear him. Notwithstanding, Jesus would not always discourse himself alone: for he gladly heard others, and by questions led many to speak, questioning them with courtesy in no way akin to condescension (even as a brother meeting brothers after long absence); the merchants concerning foreign countries; the officers of the customs concerning the commerce and wares of the place; the mariners and soldiers concerning the ships and currents and strong places and fortresses whereof they severally had knowledge. With all these common people did Jesus converse, and to each, methought, he added somewhat of his own nature. And so it was that amid all that concourse of vulgar and unlearned people and boors (as the Scribes would have called them), not one did or said any thing unworthy of the presence of our Master. Thus did Jesus give to others, and lo, they gave back to him good measure into his bosom, pressed down and running over, according to his own saying.