trust, as your countrymen do to their notion of the fated eternity of Rome's dominion, and, as I am well convinced, with better reason." Thus ended the conversation.

CHAPTER XIII.

A Visit to Jerusalem.

Those holy fields,

Over whose acres walk'd those blessed feet,

Which, fourteen hundred years ago, were nailed
For our advantage on the bitter cross.

SHAKESPEARE.

RUTILIUS had determined to acquaint his Christian friend with the circumstances of his night-adventure near the house of Milo; but a reluctance to introduce the subject had hitherto kept him silent. Now, however, his mind was pretty well made up to become a candidate for baptism; and on acquainting Pamphilus next morning with his resolution, he stated to him what had happened. Pamphilus told him that he would mention the circumstance to the bishop, to whose judgment, according to the example of the Apostles, every thing which happened in the Church was referred; adding, that before he could be admitted to the privileges of a Christian, a course of instruction would be needful; and that as the sacred season of Lent was commencing, lectures would be given daily to those who were candidates for baptism. "Our usual season of baptism," he said, "is either the day before our Lord's resurrection, in

token that by baptism men rise to a new life; or the day after the feast of Pentecost, because in baptism are continually poured forth the gifts of the Holy Ghost."

Pamphilus then proceeded to inquire whether Rutilius had any friends or relations in the Church. On hearing the name of his uncle, Marcellus, he said: "It was for you, then, as I supposed, that I received a message last night. Your uncle either is or has been at Jerusalem (so we generally call the city of Ælia); and hearing of you from a relation who passed through this place, by whom, as I understand, you were seen in my company, he has invited you to join him. Should you be disposed to go, you may accompany my friend Eusebius, who is travelling in that direction to-morrow. If Marcellus be

still there, you may hear of him from Zambda the bishop, whose instructions are said to have been made effectual to the conversion of many soldiers in your uncle's detachment. Catechetical lectures will be given there also; or if, as I rather fear, your uncle may have left the place, you may return here in time for their commencement."

Rutilius was at no loss to understand by whom he had been observed; and though he had resolved to avoid an influence which he felt would be injurious to his peace, yet now that his uncle was so near him, he could not resist the temptation to see Flavia once more. He resolved, however, as he told Pam

philus, to return after two days to Cæsarea, and to prepare himself there for holy baptism.

Next morning the rising sun saw him on the road with Eusebius, in whose company he had originally entered Cæsarea. As Pamphilus had told him what was the especial pursuit of Eusebius, he naturally turned the conversation to it, as they rode together along the side of the stream which led from Cæsarea to Megiddo. Eusebius gave a ready opportunity, by referring to Josephus's description of Cæsarea, as they turned back and saw its towers reflect the beams of the rising sun. Rutilius knew nothing of the writings of Josephus, though he had heard his name as that of a celebrated Jewish author; and he now received, with much interest, the account which Eusebius readily communicated. "Josephus," he said, "was the son of a Jewish priest, born soon after the death of Christ, who having been highly distinguished among his countrymen both for learning and ability in business, and having taken a considerable part in the Jewish war, which ended in the destruction of Jerusalem, afterwards gained the favour of Vespasian and his son Titus, and settled at Rome. Here he employed himself in such works as were calculated to preserve the national spirit of his dispersed countrymen, and to extend the knowledge of their peculiar character among the heathen. He first wrote a history of the war of Palestine in his native language; a work which he afterwards translated into Greek, in order to present it to his patron Ves

pasian. Then he wrote a body of Jewish antiquities, drawn chiefly, as regards its earlier portion, from the Old Testament, but somewhat altered, from a wish to commend his work to heathen readers. He also wrote an argumentative work against a grammarian named Apion, in defence of the antiquity of the Jewish nation; and an account of the Jewish martyrs in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes : no doubt he was the more interested in them, because, by his mother's side, he was himself descended from the family of the Maccabees. His works," continued Eusebius, are well known both among us Christians and in the heathen world; for so great was the fame of Josephus, that a statue was erected to his memory at Rome, and his works were placed in the public library."

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Why is he especially remembered by you?" said Rutilius: "does he mention your Foun

der ?"

"He does," replied the other, "though only in a slight and incidental manner.1 But he uses expressions respecting Him very surprising in one who was not himself a Christian. Yet that he continued a Jew makes his testimony to the state of Palestine in our Lord's time the less questionable. And we find in hin the same aspect of things for which the

This passage in Josephus is supposed by many persons (from its internal improbability) to be an interpolation. If so, it must have been interpolated at a very early period, since it is quoted by Eusebius.