Men Called Him Master

heavily loaded donkeys ahead of them. Across the back of Andrew

ere climbing the bank of a wide gully cut by the floods that rushed down from the barren hills into the valley of the Jordan Riv

n Galilee and Judea!" He worked impatiently at the knotted ropes that bound the basket

ed his damp hair back from his forehead. His home province, with its green hillsides surrounding the cool Lake of Galilee, was very different from this burnt, rocky land of Judea, which lay

bove his brows. "There!" he exclaimed. "These baskets ought to stay

t Bethany soon,

me on!" as though the animal had shaken its load loose on pu

could see fields of ripe grain. The heat of early summer had come quickly this year and now threatened to destroy the cro

o some other place to preach." Still there was no reply. Irritated, Andrew turned. John had dropped behind and was walking with a stranger. Where had this traveler c

where John the Prophet is

s at Bethany on the Jordan, near

owly. He was from Galilee; his broad accent showed that. John glanced at Andrew. Surely a Galilean was safe! "The Prophet says that Israel will soon be free," ventured John

hat we cannot set ourselves free without God's help. He says that if we had been willing to change our ways, God would have rescued us long ago. Therefore we must ge

er was clear. "John

s glinted in the brilliant sunlight. Andrew and John shouted at the donkeys, but one of them moved slowly. Despera

e road. Andrew kicked the ruined basket into the ditch. "May God soon burn Rome and all her soldiers! This land belongs to us!" He ran a few steps as if to overtake the r

ave seen our towns burned by these destroyers! They have killed thousands o

they have done. But hating them will

nger. "God has sent John to us now, just as he has

should

lied the traveler. "God can do very little until he finds m

hey found the well. The stranger drew water for the donkeys and they drank noisily. Then he drew water for the men.

undred feet below flowed the Jordan. It seemed sluggish now; but in the rainy season it was swift and treacherous. The water was yello

A few minutes later he cried out: "There! See down there?" People were gathered at the edge of the river. It did not take the men long to reach the gully through which the

ired Andrew, looking eagerly a

bank!" They climbed up the

he people who were there for the first time had ever seen such a man before. He was very thin. His skin was tanned brown and his hair and beard were long. Like the po

u are just like your ancestors-you pay no attention to God. You don't listen to the prophets. Go

s? Could it be true that the en

etting ready to clean off his threshing platform. He will gather his wheat into his storehouse, but he wil

stood up. "How do you dare talk this way

e Messiah," repl

you? The Pro

not El

oses come

N

t me to find out. What have you to say for yourself

whole crowd, "I am a voice crying in the

the Christ, nor Elijah, nor Moses, what right have you to bap

ter me is mightier. I am not fit even to tie his sandal laces. He

e from his lips as though it hurt him to speak. "I have forced money out of people. I

d God. Never again force people

ned the tax collector. "What

" He looked at the group before him and said: "Let every man of you who owns two g

ls, Sadducees and Pharisees, who stood watching. "You nest of snakes! W

Andrew. He could tell even from where he stood

. "We are descended from Abraham himself.

Abraham is our ancestor,' you ought to live so that people will know that you have repented! The wood chopper is ready to destroy e

excitement. "There is the

n the shore, but now he stopped and turned toward the place where the Galilean was sta

ilean's reply, but they saw him walk down into the water, John the Baptizer leading. The people stood as though fascinated. Recalling the incide

Galilean's face bore an expression of joy and praise which the fish

d, Andrew? Wh

ar; he was starin

"Something just happened. I

d. "He must be

had gone, and the Prophet was now baptizing the others who waited. Shadows were creepi

ering, Andrew started toward the knot of people near the Prophet, and John followed.

is stand on God's side.'" Before Andrew could say any mor

Spirit of God settle like a dove from the sky,"