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The Fourth Lesson: The Beginning of the Ministry.977
water which supplied the lower regions of the territory. The few inhabitants
of this remote outpost of primitive civilization gazed in wonder and awe at
the lonely figure passing them with unseeing eyes and with gaze seemingly
able to pierce the forbidding hills which loomed up in the distance hiding
lonely recesses into which the foot of man had never trodden, even the
boldest of the desert people being deterred from a visit thereto by the
weird tales of unholy creatures and unhallowed things, which made these
places the scene of their uncanny meetings and diabolical orgies.
On, and on, pressed the Master, giving but slight heed to the desolate
scene which now showed naught but gloomy hills, dark canyons, and bare
rocks, relieved only by the occasional bunches of stringy desert grass and
weird forms of cacti bristling with the protective spines which is their armor
against their enemies.
At last the wanderer reached the summit of one of the higher foot-hills
and gazed at the scene spreading itself before Him. And that scene was
one that would have affrighted the heart of an ordinary man. Behind Him
was the country through which He had passed, which though black and
discouraging was as a paradise to the country which lay ahead of Him. There
below and behind Him were the caves and rude dwellings of the outlaws
and fugitives from justice who had sought the doubtful advantage of security
from the laws of man. And far away in the distance were the scenes of John
the Baptist’s ministry, where He could see in imagination the multitude
discussing the advent of the strange Master, who had been vouched for
by the Voice, but who had stolen swiftly away from the scene, and had fled
the crowds who would have gladly worshipped Him as a Master and have
obeyed His slightest command.
Then as the darkness of the succeeding nights fell upon Him, He would
sleep on some wild mountain cliff, on the edge of some mighty precipice,
the sides of which dropped down a thousand feet or more. But these things
disturbed Him not. On and on He pressed at the appearance of each dawn.
Without food He boldly moved forward to the Heart of the Hills, where