Granny's Chapters""

sequence anxiously expecting the coming of the promised Messiah. Philip went and told him that the Messiah was really come at last, and that he hi

st should be born in Bethlehem; hence he doubted the possibility of Jesus being the promised Redeemer, and asked in a tone of incredulity, "Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?" Philip, whose faith was firm,

wing a custom amongst the devout Jews, had gone into a quiet, retired part of his garden, to meditate and pray. Here he knew that no human eye could see him, and therefore the words now spoken by Jesus convinced him that Jesus of Nazareth was indeed the promised Messiah; he doubted no longer, but without hesitation, exclaimed, "Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God, Thou art the King of Israel." Jesus, pleased with Nathanael's willing faith,

ly ceased to think much about them; or if they thought of them, it was probably to wonder what had become of the Holy Babe, Who had been declared by Angels to be "Christ the Lord." Such a miracle as that now worked at Cana, would be talked of far and wide; and those who remembered the birth of Mary's Son at Bethlehem, would have no difficulty in believing that Jesus Christ was that wondrous Child. To all who were inclined to listen to Jesus,

t like Nathanael, willing to be taught, and they could not bear the idea that a poor man, born in a humble rank of life, and only distinguished from other men by his holiness, should be their Messiah. Besides this, the greater part of the Jews had by this time grown careless about their religion; they still observed the outward forms and ceremonies ordered by the Law, but they did not obey the command given through Moses, to love the Lord their God with all their heart: they did not wish to be holy, as Jesus

of God, journeyed from Capernaum up to Jerusalem, to keep the feast in the place which the Lord had chosen. When Jesus went up to this Passover, He drove the buyers and sellers out of the temple, an action repeated on a future occasion. At this time St. John says, that Jesus "found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep an

y changers, were in the building of the temple

ple coming from a distance, might bring their money in a large sum, and then they would want to have it changed for coins of less value; just as we might carry a sovereign, which would give us no trouble to carry, and then get it changed into shillings, when we wanted to spend it. Some Jews also, who came to the temple from time to time, lived in for

the use of devout persons, who, though not willing in all respects to imitate the Jews, were to worship the One True God. In this Court also, all Jews who happened to be unclean, performed their devotions, as they were not then allowed to go into the inner Court. There were very many things which caused a Jew to be looked upon as unclean, without any fault of his. Illness, a death in the house, nursing the sick; and many other things, rendered a man "unclean," and unfit to enter the inner Court. Under these circumst

ing of the Messiah Who was to come, said, "The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up," words tha

stood His words, though they would not own him to be the Son of God, but immediately asked, "What sign showest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest thes

d a plain and direct answer. But they had no intention of following and obeying Jesus as their Lord and Master, and only wished to find excuses for not believing in Him; theref