m is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out
of thine own eye, and then thou shalt see clearly to cast out the mote
out of thy brother's eye."[1]

[Footnote 1: Matt. vii. 4, 5. Compare Talmud of Babylon, _Baba
Bathra_, 15 _b_, _Erachin_, 16 _b_.]

These lessons, long hidden in the heart of the young Master, soon
gathered around him a few disciples. The spirit of the time favored
small churches; it was the period of the Essenes or Therapeutae.
Rabbis, each having his distinctive teaching, Shemaia, Abtalion,
Hillel, Shammai, Judas the Gaulonite, Gamaliel, and many others, whose
maxims form the Talmud,[1] appeared on all sides. They wrote very
little; the Jewish doctors of this time did not write books;
everything was done by conversations, and in public lessons, to which
it was sought to give a form easily remembered.[2] The proclamation by
the young carpenter of Nazareth of these maxims, for the most part
already generally known, but which, thanks to him, were to regenerate
the world, was therefore no striking event. It was only one rabbi more
(it is true, the most charming of all), and around him some young men,
eager to hear him, and thirsting for knowledge. It requires time to
command the attention of men. As yet there were no Christians; though
true Christianity was founded, and, doubtless, it was never more
perfect than at this first period. Jesus added to it nothing durable
afterward. Indeed, in one sense, he compromised it; for every
movement, in order to triumph, must make sacrifices; we never come
from the contest of life unscathed.

[Footnote 1: See especially _Pirke Aboth_, ch. i.]

[Footnote 2: The Talmud, a _resume_ of this vast movement of the
schools, was scarcely commenced till the second century of our era.]

To conceive the good, in fact, is not sufficient; it must be made to
succeed amongst men. To accomplish this, less pure paths must be
followed. Certainly, if the Gospel was confined to some chapters of
Matthew and Luke, it would be more perfect, and would not now be open
to so many objections; but would Jesus have converted the world
without miracles? If he had died at the period of his career we have
now reached, there would not have been in his life a single page to
wound us; but, greater in the eyes of God, he would have remained
unknown to men; he would have been lost in the crowd of great unknown
spirits, himself the greatest of all; the truth would not have been
pro