Saint John The Evangelist.

the proceeds of nets and lines , and , like the majority of the humbler class of Jews , knew little of his nation or its customs , except so much as he gleaned on his annual excursions to the great feasts at Jerusalem . One thing is clear . Like the Avhole

Jewish people , he had been taught enough to expect the early coming of the Messiah . The " sceptre had departed from Judah , and a lawgiver from between his feet ; " and nothing to the Jewish mind could be more conclusive than that

" the Shiloh " must now come . Had he come ? There were rumours all over the country that a marvellous priest , clad in a robe of camel's hair , and Avith a leathern girdle about his loins , Avas preaching to great croAvds in the Avilderness of Judea , and baptising many of his followers in the sacred Avaters of the river Jordan . John was resolved to see

and hear him . He went , and Avas disappointed . He found that the priest whose praise Avas in everybody ' s month was a near kinsman of his own ; that he Avas not the expected Deliverer ; that he openly and clearly avoAved that he Avas not the Messiah ; that he Avas simply the forerunner of the Redeemer— "the voice of one

crying in the Avilderness , Prepare ye the Avay of the Lord , make his paths straight ! " His disappointment , however , was of short duration ; his weary journey Avas compensated by a sight Avhich must have thrilled his Avhole soul , and given his

entire being a new rapture , a new idea , and a new purpose in life . One day , while he was still waiting on the preaching of the Baptist , and still drinking in inspiration from his lips , the presence of the Saviour Avas made knoAvn by the Evangelist

declaring that there Avas One present , the latchet of Avhose shoes he Avas mrworthy to unloose ; and the next day , Avhen the secret could be no longer kept—Avhen the time of perfect revelation had

fully come—the finger of the Baptist pointed to the great object of the world ' s adoration , then passing before him , while his voice proclaimed"Behold the Lamb of God , Avhich taketh away the sin of the Avorld ! " Christ was , indeed ,

visibly present—present with a body like their OAVU , with feelings , and sympathies , and loves like their own ; Avith a heart larger , kinder , more sympathetic , and more merciful than their own . It Avas a revelation worth ten thousand journeys from

Galilee to Judea , and it may readily be conceived that it Avas estimated , talked of , and rejoiced over accordingly . John saw his Saviour ; so did Andrew , his father ' s partner in business ; so did

a number of their companions in travel . They carried the news triumphantly to their native town ; they disseminated , it along the shores of Gennesaret ; they made it knoAvn Avherever they had a voice to proclaim it , and in good time they found the Messiah amono- them in their little town

of Cana , where he turned Avater into Avine ; on the boAvs of their fishing boats , resting calmly on that sea , Avhich oft in stormy nights had threatened their lives , where he proclaimed Heaven ' s messageof mercy ' and peace to perishing souls on

theshore ; in Capernaum and Bethsaida , Avhere thethoughtless , the regardless , and the unbelieving-Avere warned by him to flee from the Avrath tocome ; and on the boisterous sea , Avhere , amid other interpositions of miraculous power , the wild

winds ceased ancl the angry waves lulled themselves to rest at the command of their Sovereign Kino-.

John and his brother , James , with Andrew and Simeon , became , in hearing and sight of all themarvellous manifestations of Divine power exhibited by the Saviour , earnest disciples—so earnestand so enthusiastic as to have received from our

Savour himself , and his many followers , the highly honourable and very expressive soubriquet of " Boanerges , " or " Sons of Thunder . " " FOIIOAV me , " said Christ to both of them , " andlAvill make you fishers of men . " They needed

nosecond call . Their faith Avas equal to the requirement . They trusted in a wisdom which they had recognised to be superior to that of man ; they believed in a poAver Avhich they had felt to be competent to still Avind and Avave , and to provide them

Avith everything requisite in the Avay of food and clothing ; they were satisfied they Avere in the hands of a loving , a kind , a considerate , and a . merciful being , Avho would withhold from them nothing , either in the Avay of spiritual gifts or

temporal mercies necessary for them to have . They cast aside their nets , walked out by faith , as Abraham did before them , and they had their reward . It is not our purpose to follow them over the highways and through the byeways of their

earthly career , or note down all the leading events , and circumstances in their chequered lot . With John , and with John alone , Ave have at present to do , and to a few of his leading characteristics Ave shall confine ourselves .

It is abundantly evident from the Sacred Record that John Avas a peculiar favourite of the Saviour . He is said to have been the disciple whom He loved