THE PHARISEE AND THE TAX-GATHERER.


The tax-gatherers in those days were called Publicans. They were
reputed to be very unjust, exacting from people more than the law
required them to pay, and other wickedness was charged against them.
Of course, there were good men among them; St. Matthew was a
tax-gatherer before Jesus called him to follow Him. The Pharisees
studied the Scriptures and explained them to the people, but they did
not follow the teachings of Scripture. They were proud, and pretended
they were more religious than other men, but it was _only_ pretense.
Jesus compared them to whited sepulchres, and said they were
hypocrites, who led the people astray.

A Pharisee and a Publican went up into the Temple to pray. The
Pharisee stood in a part of the Temple where all could see him, and
prayed thus: "O God, I thank Thee that I am not like other men, who
are unjust, and who take more than belongs to them. I thank Thee that
I am not like this Publican. I fast twice a week; I give to the
priests and Levites a tenth part of all I possess." But the Publican,
who knew that he was wicked, and felt sorry for it, stood afar off in
a quiet part of the Temple where none would see him. He bowed his head
and beat upon his breast, saying, "God be merciful to me a sinner."

Jesus said that this Publican went to his home more forgiven than the
Pharisee, for every one that is proud and thinks much of himself shall