His voice commanded by its Essenic calmness. Every eye turned toward him. They saw the habiliments of a slave covering the stature and dignity of a doctor of Laws. The preacher looked interested, and the congregation stirred toward the young man.
"By the words of your teacher," he continued, "I see that ye are summoned here to be banished. I see your reluctance; I know your sorrow, for I, too, have been driven on, even by your enemy."
"Who art thou, young friend?" the preacher asked.
"I am an Essene."
"An Essene!" many repeated, stirred into wonder at knowledge of the new apostleship.
"As was John the Baptist!" one declared.
"Nay, then;" a voice rose out of the comment, "thou shalt be kin to us in faith so thou acceptest Jesus of Nazareth."
"Let us lay aside the discussion of doctrine, in which we can not agree," the young man went on, "and unite in our cause against Saul of Tarsus."
The kindly eyes of the preacher became paternal as he gazed at the hardness growing in the young man's face.
"Our cause," he said gently, "is not Saul of Tarsus, but Jesus Christ."