believed in him
and served him, God had taken a peculiar interest in them, and had
revealed to them much of his nature and attributes--while the rest
of the world had had been left to worship false gods--He yet loved
all the world, and was now about to extend to all men that
knowledge of him hitherto confined to the Jews. Above all, John saw
how vastly higher was the idea of God, as revealed in the new
teaching, than that which the Jews had hitherto entertained
regarding him.

A month after the arrival of the teacher, John and Mary were
baptized into the new faith; and a few months later Simon and
Martha, who had been harder to convince, also became converts.

When Titus was raised to the imperial throne, John, in compliance
with the request he had made him, journeyed to Rome, and remained
there for a short time as his guest. Titus received him with
affection.

"I shall not try to tempt you with fresh offers of honours," he
said, "though I regret that you should refuse to accept a sphere of
wider usefulness. From time to time, I have heard of you from the
reports of my governors; who say that the district under your
charge is the most prosperous and contented in all Palestine, that
there is neither dispute nor litigation there, that there are no
poor, that the taxes are collected without difficulty; and that,
save only that you do not keep up the state and dignity which a
Roman official should occupy, you are in all respects a model
ruler."

"I have every reason to be thankful," John said. "I have been
blessed in every way. My parents still survive. I am happy with my
wife and children. Your bounty has enabled me to bind up the
wounds, and relieve the distress caused by the war. My mind has
been opened to heavenly teaching, and I try humbly to follow in the
steps of that divine teacher, Jesus of Nazareth."

"Ah, you have come to believe in him!" Titus said. "There are many
of his creed, here in Rome, and they say that they are even on the
increase. I would gladly hear, from you, something of him. I have
heard somewhat of him from Josephus, who for three years dwelt
among the Essenes, and who has spoken to me very highly of the
purity of life, the enlightenment, and religious fervour of that
sect--to which, I believe, he himself secretly inclines; although,
from the desire not to offend his countrymen, he makes no open
confession of his faith."

John, before he left, explained to the emperor the teachings of h