Saul of Tarsus

ctors, came down from Moriah, into the vale of Gihon, and entered the portal of the great

sed the threshold into the great gloom of the interior. This way and that he turned h

until it lighted upon a small, bowed shape in white garments. Then the Levite smiled, his lips moved and shaped a word of satisfac

nervous start, but the Levi

eace attend thee. Be greeted,

an unfavorable eye at the Levite; in it was to be

d bulk, "peace to thee. Yet take it not amiss if I suggest that since the

ck in his seat, and the

bbi Saul, but I came a

answered. "Give us news of

t was sorely tried-" He stopped abruptly to look, as i

?" he asked

rew aside its heavy hanging. Instantly, a great golden beam shot into the cold chamber and illuminated it gloriously. Saul threw his hand over his eyes to shut out t

whispered, coming

r exclaimed. "Yonder man is an Essene; look about; the s

t me be sure!" Joel

eazar, he cast an ey

massive arcades supported on pilasters, and friezes of such images as were hieratically approved. The ceiling was so lost in height and cold dusk that its structure could not be defined. At the end opposite the doors was the lectern of ivory and ebony, embellished with symbolical intaglios and inlaid with gold. Beside it st

and expected to see no others. Eleazar regarded hi

oul, Joel," Saul urged mildl

close and bent

id. "Hath Judea more to lose than it h

" Eleazar resp

looked expect

Saul sugges

te nodde

it its kings and its dominions, yet withhold the faith and there is no Judea. Desolate it until the land is sow

nd be sown in salt and the people bound to the mills o

eazar put in. "Fear not;

that God is forgotten," the Levite retorted. His lean figure bent at the hips a

command in his voice. The Levite accepted th

ost thou remember Him whom they crucified

ed, but Saul

The seed of His teaching hath spread abroad and wherever it lodgeth it hath taken ro

ing, but the temper of the man towered gigantic over

is that thou levelest

!" Joel

them, which hath been spared, conceal

" the Lev

l answered sternly

o the High Priest Jonathan," he whispere

nd whirled his head away. There

transgression disco

ed his answer be

"that certain of the sect

ed. "Hast rested on t

estilence?" he

" was the ret

hought. It is said that one of the disputants, who yesterday troubled them in

e own synagogue!" Saul

ertine, the Cyrenian

m?" Saul persisted wi

him, then; he is but a

ot there!" Saul exclaimed reg

eph

opped his scroll and had sprung to his feet. The Levite dropped his head between his shoulders and s

man. "A Hellenist; and he wrapped his blasphemy so subtly i

ward the speaker and a glimmer o

ventures into a synagogue,

s is the banner of strength; strength is the fruit of numbers; and num

e him, but Eleazar continued to gaze at

ll his private ambitions, henceforward he will devote himse

interrupted, "the perse

and lifted his shoulders. The Ra

"to discover if this Galilean preach

oad, heavy and slow, but his risi

ression of heresy," he said bluntly. "Furthermore, my work

from thy duty," Saul

nded, and together the two disappea

came out of the shadows into the broad b

the tones of the men who had lately discussed, was very calm and level, restrain

eet the other's in a greeting that was more affectionate than conventional. The y

ated with a quiver of

s?" Saul smiled. "Art thou come hither for instru

seemed not less troubled than moved. With searching eyes, he looked down from his superior heigh

same early frost. Though no recent alien blood ran in his veins, his features were only moderately characteristic of the sons of Jacob. He was not erect, and the stoop in his shoulders was more extreme than the mere relaxation from rigidity, yet less pronounced than ac

was marked by the heavy undulating fringes at the hem of his garment, and by the little case of calf-skin framing a parchment lettered in Hebrew w

e felt. Yet, holding first place over these conflicting attributes was the stamp of tremendous mental power, and a heart-whole sweetness that was irresistible. The union of these four characteristics was to produce a man that would hold fast to theory, though all fact arise and shouted it down; who would maintain form, tho

Saul of

wholly foreign. His line had descended from the persistent love of Jacob for Rachel, through the tents of them th

ead, under the soft young beard and the shining black curls at his temples. But his cheeks were crimson, his eyes intensely black and sparkling, his teeth, gl

h its blank purity of brow set him apart from the sordid souls in his walk. Yet about him there seemed to be

is equal power of body and spirit. The Pharisee glanced at the young man's garme

lking with himself, "strange that thou shouldst elect to be

thing else," the

The Essenes are very few these days in Jerusalem; En-Gadi receives them all.

years,

saic and the Oral Law. But these things had been taught the young man in the forecourt of the little synagogue in Nazareth where he was born. So, because his learning extended beyond the reach of th

e resurrection of the soul, the brotherhood of man, and the frailty and the incontinence of women; to accept no hospitality from one not an Essene and to own no possessio

thought on Saul's c

t concerns me much, I could not shut mine ears agains

Harkened unto

from the teachings of mine own order, the Essenes, except that they believe

est that a lit

nes could not be satisfied with the Essenes, if he w

e remedy," Saul av

nflicters of punishmen

re. "It is then only a discussion of t

s was not

tephen?" he ask

Galilee? Onl

the menace and Samaria the pollution, and is not soiled; that standeth between the Middle Sea, the power, and the Jorda

phets and wonders. We are patriots, bound and hooped against an alien, but bursting wide with whatever chanceth to ferment within us. Let there but arise a Galilean who

emed to recall w

Israel might select to die singly for Israel's sake. No Galilean is ashamed of himself

aw intuitively the

for blasphemy, even if a soul tur

the place on the wall where quivered the

rnestly, "a simple soul, generous,

, he is safe,"

ngered the scarf

En-Gadi would rec

e from the world if he be

declaration that he would have led forth gradually. Then he

gogue," he entreate

d's business?" S

rs with Stephen, so canst thou a little longer. Give love

e of kindly remonstrance, "thou do

nestness. "I am only troubled for him. Let me go first and understand him, fo

t pity him," Saul r

He is my be

we love. What says the Lawgiver-'thy friend, which is as thine own

oung Essene dropped as if

, retreating a step.

eresy is infectious and thou art no more safe from it than any other man. And I would rather si

man drew n

so that I can take another into my heart. The Lord God be merciful unto me, that I may not be driven to choose one, for defense against the other! Ev

of pallor succeeded by hardness swept over his face, and Marsyas,

the faith, I shall stop at no sacrifice to save him. He is, if at all, only momentarily

e young Essene's imploring hand

ng and become one of their husbandmen; I will have no aim for myself, but for Stephen! And if I fail I will take sentence w

ng man. The two gazed at each other, the Pharisee to discover a crisi

ftly, and an ember burned in his black eyes. H

and took up his scroll. For a moment he held it, his eyes on the pavement. Slow

swiftly out of the chamber and Saul look

f the interior

hee to the synago

old dislike in his eyes, and, inc

syas, the Essene, who went with an arm over the shoulders of the first, and, bending, seemed to speak with passionate earnestness to his companion. The faces of the two young men thus

iled; and his smile was an ill

le the two approached, unconscious of t

red avidly. "That is he

ee's eye, returned the gaze with a little friendly questio

on Saul's f