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diff --git a/old/53795-0.txt b/old/53795-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 282b0fc..0000000 --- a/old/53795-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,9428 +0,0 @@ -Project Gutenberg's The Prince of the House of David, by J. H. Ingraham - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: The Prince of the House of David - -Author: J. H. Ingraham - -Release Date: December 23, 2016 [EBook #53795] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PRINCE OF THE HOUSE OF DAVID *** - - - - -Produced by Demian Katz and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (Images courtesy -of the Digital Library@Villanova University -(http://digital.library.villanova.edu/)) - - - - - - - - - - New Sabbath Library. Vol. 1. No. 7. October, 1898. Single Copy, 5 Cents. - Monthly, 60 cents per year. - - - The PRINCE of the - HOUSE of DAVID - - [Illustration] - - BY - - REV J. H. INGRAHAM - - DAVID C. COOK Publishing Co. - 36 WASHINGTON ST. CHICAGO ELGIN ILL - - - [Entered at the Post Office at Elgin, Ill., as Second Class Mail Matter.] - - - - -FAMOUS BOOKS AT POPULAR PRICES - - - The New Sabbath Library. - A MONTHLY PUBLICATION. - - Subscription Price, 60 Cents a Year. Single Copies, 5 Cents. - -[Illustration: Titus: a Comrade of the Cross] - -[Illustration: The Wrestler of Philippi] - -To meet the growing demand for pure literature at popular prices, we -began in April, 1898, the issue of a monthly publication entitled the -=New Sabbath Library=. The success of these issues has proved to be -unprecedented, and they have attained an almost world-wide celebrity. -Although appealing particularly to young people, they will interest all -lovers of good and wholesome literature, whether young or old. - -Each issue of the =New Sabbath Library= contains a complete story, -most of them written expressly for us and copyrighted. The books are -of uniform style and size (6½×8½), each containing 96 large pages in -double column. They are in large, clear type, handsomely printed on -good book paper, and fully illustrated with fine half-tone engravings. -The covers are of heavy, white enameled paper, with beautifully -engraved designs. - -=Prices.=--Those who wish to procure this Library regularly, as it is -published each month, may remit =60 cents= for a year's subscription, -being particular to state with which issue the subscription is to -commence. Single copies may be ordered of any or all of the books at -the rate of =5 cents= each, or any number of copies of any one book -will be sent at same rate. We prepay postage. - -=Cloth Editions.=--We have also prepared special editions of all -these books, printed on very heavy paper, beautifully bound in heavy -covers, cloth backs and corners, ornamented sides. They are specially -adapted for presentation purposes, and are the largest and best books -ever offered for so low a price. Sent postpaid to any address, in any -quantities desired, on receipt of price, =25 cents= per copy. - -Following is a list of books already issued, or about to be issued: - - -No. 1. April, 1898. - -A Devotee and a Darling - -BY BECCA MIDDLETON SAMSON. - -This book received the second prize of $500 from manuscripts submitted -to the publishers in competition during the year 1897. - -Fannie, an impulsive girl of sixteen, bereft of her mother, becomes -devotedly attached to Church work and to the study of her Bible. She -makes many blunders and is severely tried at home. At last, in a manner -both strange and startling, Fannie's eyes are opened to see her own -mistaken life. - - -No. 2. May, 1898. - -The Wrestler of Philippi - -BY FANNIE E. NEWBERRY. - -A tale of the times of the early followers of Jesus, and how they lived -the "Christ-life" in the first century. As "Titus" gave the reader a -picture of the life and times of Christ, so this book is intended to -portray the life and times of the early Church. - -The plot is fascinating--a story for both young and old. Its Oriental -setting, description of quaint customs, manners, beliefs, etc., give it -a peculiar interest and attractiveness all its own. - - -No. 3. June, 1898. - -Titus: a Comrade of the Cross - -BY FLORENCE M. KINGSLEY. - -The publishers of this book, desiring to secure a life of Christ of -superior merit and special character, offered a prize of $1,000 for the -best manuscript submitted. The committee decided in favor of "TITUS." -It was an immediate success, over one million copies having been sold. -It is one of the grandest books of the century, and has attracted -greater attention than any other book published in this country during -the past twenty years. - - -No. 4. July, 1898. - -Out of the Triangle - -BY MARY E. BAMFORD. - -This is a story of the days of persecution of Christians under the -Emperor Septimius Severus. The scene is mainly laid in Alexandria and -the Libyan Desert. The Egyptian gods were worshiped under the form of -a small triangular stone. The book relates in a vivid and intensely -interesting manner the narrow escapes of an Egyptian lad who has become -a Christian, and the manner in which his family accept his faith and -escape from Alexandria. - -(CONTINUED ON THIRD PAGE COVER) - - - - -THE PRINCE OF THE HOUSE OF DAVID. - -_By REV. J. H. INGRAHAM._ - - -Copyright, 1898, by David C. Cook Publishing Company. - - -David C. Cook Publishing Company, Elgin, Ill., and 36 Washington St., -Chicago. - - - - -CONTENTS - - - PREFACE. - LETTER I. - LETTER II. - LETTER III. - LETTER IV. - LETTER V. - LETTER VI. - LETTER VII. - LETTER VIII. - LETTER IX. - LETTER X. - LETTER XI. - LETTER XII. - LETTER XIII. - LETTER XIV. - LETTER XV. - LETTER XVI. - LETTER XVII. - LETTER XVIII. - LETTER XIX. - LETTER XX. - LETTER XXI. - LETTER XXII. - LETTER XXIII. - LETTER XXIV. - LETTER XXV. - LETTER XXVI. - LETTER XXVII. - LETTER XXVIII. - LETTER XXIX. - LETTER XXX. - LETTER XXXI. - LETTER XXXII. - LETTER XXXIII. - LETTER XXXIV. - LETTER XXXV. - LETTER XXXVI. - LETTER XXXVII. - LETTER XXXVIII. - LETTER XXXIX. - - - - -PREFACE. - - -The "Prince of the House of David," written by Rev. Mr. Ingraham, -needs no recommendation. Its fame has been, long since, established, -and its fascination has already held sway over multitudes of delighted -readers. Recognizing fully its merits, the publishers of this edition -decided to put it in the way of a still greater circulation; and in -order to facilitate this, it has been thoroughly revised and in parts -re-written, all unnecessary repetition appearing in the original -edition of the book being omitted. - -Adina, the suppositious writer of the following letters, is the -daughter of a Jew who resides in Alexandria, Egypt. She has come to -Jerusalem during the most stirring period of earth's history, and, from -thence, for the period of three years, she keeps her father apprized of -the marvelous events occurring about her during that time. - - THE PUBLISHERS. - - - - -LETTERS FROM ADINA. - - - - -LETTER I. - - -My Dear Father: - -My first duty, as it is my highest pleasure, is to comply with your -command to write you as soon as I should arrive at Jerusalem, and this -letter, while it conveys intelligence of my arrival, will confirm to -you my filial obedience. - -My journey hither occupied many days. When we traveled in sight of -the sea, which we did for three days, I enjoyed the majesty of the -prospect, it seemed so like the sky stretched out upon the earth. -I also had the good fortune to see several ships, which the Rabbi -informed me were Roman galleys, bound some to Sidon, and others into -the Nile; and after one of these latter, as it was going to you, I sent -a prayer and a wish. Just as we were leaving the sea-shore to turn off -into the desert, I saw a wrecked vessel. It looked so helpless and -bulky, with its huge black body all out of the water, that it seemed -to me like a great sea-monster, stranded and dying; and I felt like -pitying it. How terrible a tempest must be upon the sea! I was in hopes -to have seen a Leviathan, but was not gratified in the wish. The good -Rabbi, who seemed to know all about these things, told me that they -seldom appear now in the Middle Sea, but are seen beyond the pillar of -Hercules at the world's end. - -At Gaza we stopped two days, and from thence we proceeded over-land to -our destination. - -The morning of the last day of our journey but one, having lost our way -and wandered many hours eastwardly, we caught sight of the Sea of Sodom -and Gomorrah, at a great distance to the east. How my pulse quickened -at beholding that fearful spot! I seemed to see in imagination the -heavens on fire above it, and the flames and smoke ascending as from a -great furnace, as on that fearful day when they were destroyed, with -all that beautiful surrounding plain, which we are told was one vast -garden of beauty. How calm and still lay now that sluggish sea beneath -a cloudless sky! We held it in sight many hours, and once caught a -glimpse of the Jordan north of it, looking like a silver thread; yet -near as it appeared to be, I was told it was a good day's journey for a -camel to reach its shores. - -After losing sight of this melancholy lake, our way lay along a narrow -valley for some time, and the next day, on reaching an eminence, -Jerusalem appeared, as if risen out of the earth. - -I cannot, my dear father, describe to you my emotions on beholding the -Holy City! They have been experienced by millions of our people--they -were similar to your own as you related them to me. All the past, -with its mighty men who walked with Jehovah, rushed to my memory, and -compelled me to bow my head, and worship and adore at the sight of the -Temple, where God once (alas, why does he no longer visit earth and his -holy house?) dwelt in the flaming Shechinah, and made known the oracles -of his will. - -We entered the city just before the sixth hour of the evening, and were -soon at the house of our relative, Amos, the Levite. I was received as -if I had a daughter's claim to their embraces; and with the luxuries -with which they surrounded me in my gorgeously furnished apartments. -I am sure my kinsfolk here mean to tempt me to forget the joys of the -dear home I have left. - -The Rabbi Amos and his family all desire to be commended to you. He -seems to be a man of piety and benevolence, and greatly loves his -children. I have been once to the Temple. Its outer court seemed like -a vast caravanserai or market-place, being thronged with the men who -sell animals for sacrifice, which crowded all parts. Thousands of doves -in large cages were sold on one side, and on another were stalls for -lambs, sheep, calves and oxen, the noise and bleating of which, with -the confusion of tongues, made the place appear like anything else than -the Temple of Jehovah. It appears like desecration to use the Temple -thus, dear father, and seems to show a want of that holy love of God's -house that once characterized our ancestors. On reaching the women's -court I was sensible of being in the Temple, by the magnificence -which surrounded me. With what awe I bowed my head in the direction -of the Holy of Holies! I never felt before so near to God! Clouds of -incense floated above the heads of the multitude, and rivers of blood -flowed down the marble steps of the altar of burnt offering. Alas! how -many innocent victims bleed every morning and evening for the sins -of Israel! What a sea of blood has been poured out in ages that have -passed! What a strange, fearful mystery, that the blood of an innocent -lamb should atone for sins I have done! There must be some deeper -meaning in these sacrifices, dear father, yet unrevealed to us. - -As I was returning from the Temple I met many persons, who seemed to be -crowding out of the gate on some unusual errand. I have since learned -that they were going to see a very extraordinary man--a true prophet of -God, it is believed by many, who dwells in the wilderness eastward near -Jordan, and who preaches with power unknown in the land since the days -of Elijah and Elisha. I hope he is a true prophet of heaven, and that -God is once more about to remember Israel, but the days of the Prophets -have long passed away, and I fear this man is only an enthusiast. - -Farewell, dear father, and let us ever pray for the glory of Israel. - - Your affectionate, - Adina. - - - - -LETTER II. - - -My Dear Father: - -The street in which we dwell is elevated, and from the roof of the -house, where I love to walk in the evening, watching the stars that -hang over Egypt, there is commanded a wide prospect of the Holy City. - -Yesterday morning I was early on the house-top, to behold the first -cloud of the day-dawn sacrifice rise from the bosom of the Temple. -When I had turned my gaze towards the sacred summit, I was awed by -the profound silence which reigned over the vast pile that crowned -Mount Moriah. The sun was not yet risen; but the east blushed with a -roseate purple, and the morning star was melting into its depth. Night -and silence still held united empire over the city and the altar of -God. I was awe-silent. I stood with my hands crossed upon my bosom -and my head reverently bowed, for in the absence of man and his voice -I believed angels were all around in heavenly hosts, the guardian -armies of this wondrous city of David. Lances of light now shot upward -and across the purple sea in the East, and fleeces of clouds, that -reposed upon it like barks, catching the red rays of the yet unrisen -sun, blazed like burning ships. Each moment the darkness fled, and the -splendor of the dawn increased; and when I expected to see the sun -appear over the battlemented heights of Mount Moriah, I was thrilled by -the startling peal of the trumpets of the priests; a thousand silver -trumpets blown at once from the walls of the Temple, and shaking the -very foundations of the city with their mighty voice. Instantly the -house-tops everywhere around were alive with worshipers. Jerusalem -started, as one man, from its slumbers, and, with their faces towards -the Temple, a hundred thousand men of Israel stood waiting. A second -trumpet peal, clear and musical as the voice of God when he spake to -our father Moses in Horeb, caused every knee to bend, and every tongue -to join in the morning song of praise. The murmur of voices was like -the continuous roll of the surge upon the beach, and the walls of -the lofty Temple echoed it back. Simultaneously with the billow-like -swell of the adoring hymn, I beheld a pillar of black smoke ascend -from the midst of the Temple, and spread itself above the court like a -canopy. It was accompanied by a blue wreath of lighter and more misty -appearance, which threaded in and out and entwined about the other, -like a silvery strand woven into a sable cord. This latter was the -smoke of the incense which accompanied the burnt sacrifice. As I saw it -rise higher and higher, and finally overtop the heavy cloud, which was -instantly enlarged by volumes of dense smoke that rolled upward from -the consuming victim, and slowly disappeared, melting into heaven, I -also kneeled, remembering that on the wings of the incense went up the -prayers of the people; and ere it dissolved wholly, I entrusted to it, -dear father, prayers for thee and me. - -The evening sacrifice is, if possible, more imposing than that of -the morning. Just as the sun dips beyond the hill of Gibeah, there -is heard a prolonged note of a trumpet blown from one of the western -watch-towers of Zion. Its mellow tones reach farthest ear within the -gates of the city. All labor at once ceases. Every man raises his face -towards the summit of the house of God. A deep pause, as if all held -their breath in expectation, succeeds. Suddenly the very skies seem -to be riven and shaken with the thunder of the company of trumpeters -that rolls wave on wave of sound, from the battlements of the Temple. -The dark cloud of sacrifice ascends in solemn grandeur, and, sometimes -heavier than the evening air, falls like a descending curtain around -the Mount, till the whole is veiled from sight; but above it is seen to -soar the purer incense to the invisible Jehovah, followed by a myriad -eyes, and the utterance of a nation's prayers. As the daylight faded, -the light of the altar, hidden from us by the lofty walls of the outer -court of the Temple, blazed high and beacon-like, and lent a wild -solemnity to the towers and pinnacles that crowned Moriah. - -[Illustration: PANORAMA OF JERUSALEM] - -There was, however, my dear father, last evening, one thing which -painfully marred the holy character of the sacred hour. After the -blast of the silver trumpets of the Levites had ceased, and while all -hearts and eyes were ascending to Jehovah with the mounting wreaths -of incense, there came from the Roman castle adjoining the city of -David, a loud martial clangor of brazen bugles, and other barbarian -war instruments of music, while a smoke, like the smoke of sacrifice, -rose from the heights of David's fortified hill. I was told that it was -the Romans engaged in worshiping Jupiter. Alas! How truly now are the -prophecies fulfilled, which are to be found in the Lamentations: "The -Lord hath cast off his altar, he hath given up into the hands of the -enemy the walls of her palaces: they have made a noise in the house of -the Lord, as in the day of a solemn feast." For these things I weep, my -dear father. - -Nearly three hundred years have passed since we have had a -prophet--that divine and youthful Malachi. Since his day, Rabbi Amos -confesses that Jehovah has made no sign of having heard the prayers -or heeded the sacrifices that have been offered to him in his time. -I inquired of the intelligent Rabbi if it would always be thus. He -replied that when Shiloh came, there would be a restoration of all -things--that the glory of Jerusalem then would fill the whole earth -with the splendor of the sun, and that all nations should come up from -the ends of the world to worship in the Temple. - -My conversation with Rabbi Amos, dear father, led me to examine the -Book of the Prophet Malachi. I find that after plainly alluding to our -present shame, and reproaching the priests "for causing the people to -stumble," he thus prophesies: "Behold, I will send my messenger, and -he shall prepare the way before me; and the Lord whom ye seek shall -suddenly come to his Temple, and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier -of silver, and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as -gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in -righteousness. Behold," adds the divine seer, "I will send you Elijah -the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the -Lord." - -These words I read to-day to Rabbi Amos--indeed I was reading them -when Rabbi Ben Israel came in to say that he departs to-morrow. -The excellent Amos looked grave. I feared I had offended him by my -boldness, and, approaching him, was about to embrace him, when I saw -tears were sparkling in his eyes. He took my hand, and smiling, while -a glittering drop danced down his snow-white beard and broke into -liquid diamonds upon my hand, he said, "You have done no wrong, child; -sit down by me and be at peace with thyself. It is too true, in this -day, what the Prophet Malachi writeth, O Ben Israel," he said sadly to -the Alexandrian Rabbi. "The priests of the Temple have indeed become -corrupt, save a few here and there. It must have been at this day the -prophet aimed his words. Save in the outward form, I fear the great -body of our Levites have little more true religion and just knowledge -of the one God Jehovah, than the priests of the Roman idolatry. Alas, I -fear me, God regards our sacrifices with no more favor than he looks -upon theirs. To-day, while I was in the Temple, and was serving at the -altar with the priests, these words of Isaiah came into my thoughts -and would not be put aside: 'To what purpose is the multitude of your -sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord. I am full of the burnt offerings -of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of -bullocks, or of lambs, or of he-goats. Bring no more vain oblations; -incense is an abomination unto me; I am weary to bear them; yea, when -ye spread forth your hands I will hide mine eyes from you; yea, when ye -make many prayers I will not hear; your hands are full of blood. Wash -you; make you clean. Cease to do evil; learn to do well.'" - -"I have noticed," said Ben Israel, "that there is less reverence now in -the Temple than when I was in Jerusalem a young man; but I find that -the magnificence of the ceremonies is increased." - -"Yes," responded Rabbi Amos, with a look of sorrow, "yes, as the soul -of piety dies out from within, they gild the outside. The increased -richness of the worship is copied from the Romans. So low are we -fallen! Our worship, with all its gorgeousness, is as a sepulchre -white-washed to conceal the rottenness within!" - -You may be convinced, my dear father, that this confession, from such a -source, deeply humbled me. If, then, we are not worshiping God, what do -we worship? Naught! We are worse off than our barbarian conquerors, for -we have no God; while they at least have gods many and lords many, such -as they are. - -Since writing the last line I have been interrupted by Mary, who has -brought to see me a youth, nephew of a noble Jewish ruler, who was -slain by the Romans for his patriotic devotion to his country. He -dwells near the Gaza gate, with his widowed mother, who is a noble -lady, honored by all. Between this young man, whose name is John, and -Mary, there exists a beautiful attachment, which is each day ripening -into the deepest emotion. He has just returned from the vicinity -of Jericho, where he has been for some days past, drawn thither by -curiosity to see and hear the new prophet, who is drawing thousands -into the wilderness, to listen to the eloquence that flows from his -mouth. The young man had been giving Mary so interesting an account of -him that she desired me also to be a listener. In my next I will write -you all I heard. - - Your affectionate and devoted daughter, - Adina. - - - - -LETTER III. - - -My Dear Father: - -This morning, as I was coming from the Temple, I noticed a vast pile -of edifices crowning the opposite rock, which I was told was the Tower -of Antonia. It seemed to frown sternly upon the Temple; and upon its -battlements glittered, at intervals, numerous Roman eagles. I had so -often heard you relate historical events connected with this celebrated -castle, that I regarded it with peculiar interest. You seemed to stand -by my side as I gazed upon it. The insolence and power of the Roman -garrison have made the beautiful walk about the base of the tower -almost deserted; but of this I was not aware; and, attended only by -my Ethiopian slave, Onia, I lingered to admire the splendor of the -cloister once surrounding the treasure-house of the Temple, with its -terraces supported by white marble pillars, fifteen cubits high, when -two Roman soldiers approached. It was then that I saw I was alone. I -drew my veil closely, and would have passed them rapidly, when one of -them placed himself in my path, and catching hold of my veil, tried -to detain me. I left it in his grasp and was flying, when the other -soldier arrested me. This was in full view of the castle, and at my -shrieks the barbarians in the castle laughed aloud. At this crisis -appeared a young centurion, who was on horseback, coming down the -rocky path that ascends the Rock of Zion, and shouting to them, he -galloped forward, and with his sword put the men to immediate flight -and rescued me. In order to escort me safely to the streets below, he -alighted from his horse, and leading him by the rein, walked by my -side. I confess to you, dear father, I had not reached the house of my -relative before my prejudices against the Romans were greatly modified. -I had found in one of them as courteous a person as I had ever met with -among my own countrymen, and for his sake I was willing to think better -of his barbaric land and people. - -[Illustration: TOWER OF ANTONIA] - -While I was writing the above, a commotion without drew me to the -lattice, which overlooks the street that goes out of the gate to -Bethany, one of the most frequented thoroughfares in the city. The -sight that met my eyes was truly imposing, but made my heart sink with -shame. It was a pageant, with banners, eagles, trumpets and gilded -chariots, but not the pageant of a king of Israel, like those which -dazzled the streets of Jerusalem in the days of Solomon and King -David; not the triumphant passage of an Israelitish prince, but of the -Roman governor. Preceded by a cohort of horse, he rode in a gilded -war-chariot, lolling at his ease beneath a silken shade of blue silk, -fringed with gold. The horses were snowy-white, and covered with silver -mail, and adorned with plumes. He was followed by another body of -cavalry, and at the head of them, looking more like a ruler and prince -than did the indolent Pilate, I beheld the generous centurion who had -aided my escape from the two soldiers. His eye sought the lattice at -which I stood, and I drew back, but not before he had seen me and -saluted me. Certainly, father, this youth is noble and courteous enough -to be a Jew, and should any providence cause us to meet again, I shall -try to convert him from his idolatry to serve the living Jehovah. - -You will remember, dear father, that I alluded to an excitement that is -increasing every day, in reference to a new prophet, who is preaching -in the wilderness of Jericho. For three weeks past several parties of -citizens have been to the valley of Jordan to see and hear him, and -have so far been carried away by him as to have been baptized of him -in Jordan, confessing their sins. Among them is John, the cousin and -betrothed of Mary. Upon his return we saw that his countenance was -animated beyond its wont, for he is usually of a sad and gentle aspect, -and that his fine eyes beamed with an ardent hope, that seemed new-born -to his soul. He thus recounted to us his visit to the prophet of Jordan: - -"After leaving the gate of the city I soon reached the pretty town of -Bethpage, where, at the inn, I beheld several horsemen just mounting, -to go in the direction of Jericho. On joining the cavalcade, I learned -they were for the most part drawn out of Jerusalem on the same errand -with myself. One of them, a wealthy young noble of Arimathea, was -actuated by the same holy desire that burned in my bosom, a desire -that we might, in the prophet who was called John, discover a man sent -from God. The others were bent on commerce, on pleasure, or mere idle -curiosity. As Joseph of Arimathea and I rode together, we conversed -about the man we expected to see. My companion seemed to believe that -he was a true prophet, for being very well read in the Scriptures, he -said that the seventy weeks of Daniel were now about completed, when -the Messiah was to come! I then asked him if he believed that the -Messiah, who was to be a 'Prince and king and have dominion from the -sea to the ends of the earth,' would come in the wilderness, clad in -the skin of wild beasts? To this he replied that he could not regard -this prophet as the Messiah, for when the Christ should come, he was -'suddenly to come to the Temple,' and that we should doubtless first -see him there; but that he was greatly in hopes that the prophet we -were going to see would prove to be the forerunner, foretold by Malachi. - -"'Those who heard him,' said Joseph, as we rode into the village of -Bethany, 'say that he publicly proclaims himself the forerunner of the -Messiah. The opinion of the more ignorant who have listened to him, is -that it is Elijah himself, returned to the earth. Others assert that -it is Enoch come down from heaven, and not a few believe him to be -Isaiah.'" - -At this point of the narrative of the cousin of Mary, dear father, I -will close this letter. In my next I will resume his narrative, for -when I have given it to you wholly, I have many things to ask you to -which it gives rise in my mind. May the blessing of the God of Israel -be upon thee, my dearest father! - - Adina. - - - - -LETTER IV. - - -My Dear Father: - -I have had the pleasure to-day, not only of hearing from you, but of -being assured of your continued welfare. The messages of parental -affection contained in your letter are cherished in my heart. - -You need not fear, my dear father, that I shall be carried away from -the faith of Israel by any strange doctrines. I will take counsel by -your wisdom, and be cautious how I venture in my inquiries upon sacred -ground. - -In my last letter I commenced giving you the narrative of John, with -which I shall now proceed. - -"Having passed out of the city of Jericho, my friend of Arimathea and -myself crossed the plain toward Jordan. The morning was balmy; the sun -made all nature glad. The dew reflected a myriad lesser suns, and the -earth appeared strewn with diamonds. For a little way the road lay -between fields of corn and gardens, but soon it crossed the open plain, -on which were droves of wild asses, which lifted their small, spirited -heads on our approach, eyed us with timid curiosity, and then bounded -off to the wilderness southward with the speed of antelopes. As the -great body of the people took their way obliquely across the plain, -we knew the prophet must be in that direction. We at length found him -on the banks of Jordan, below the landing and ford, which is opposite -Jericho, on the great caravan road to Balbec. - -"We drew near a dark mass of human beings which we had beheld afar -off, assembled around a small eminence near the river. Upon it, raised -a few cubits taller than their heads, stood a man upon whom all eyes -were fixed, and to whose words every ear was attentive. His clear, -rich, earnest tones had reached us as we approached, before we could -distinguish what he said. He was a young man not above thirty, with -a countenance such as the medallions of Egypt give to Joseph of our -nation, once their prince. His hair was long, and wildly free about his -neck; he wore a loose sack of camel's hair, and his right arm was naked -to the shoulder. His attitude was as free and commanding as that of a -Caucasian warrior, yet every gesture was gentle and graceful. With all -his ringing and persuasive eloquence there was an air of the deepest -humility upon his countenance, combined with an expression of the -holiest enthusiasm. His theme was the Messiah. - -"'Oh, Israel, return unto the Lord thy God, for thou hast fallen by -thine iniquity,' he was saying as we came up, as if in continuation of -what had gone before. 'Take with you words, and turn unto the Lord, -and say unto him: Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously. -Behold, he cometh who will heal your backsliding, and will love you -freely. And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the name -of the Lord shall be delivered, for beside him there is no Savior.' - -"'Of whom speaketh the prophet these things?' asked one who stood near -me. - -"'Of Messiah--listen!' answered him a Scribe near, as if not pleased to -have his attention interrupted by this side talk. 'His words are plain. -Hear him.' - -"'Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, for the day of the Lord cometh,' -continued the prophet, in a voice like that of a silver trumpet; 'for, -behold, the day is at hand when I will bring again the captivity of -Judah. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. The day is at -hand when the Lord shall roar out of Zion and utter his voice from -Jerusalem.' - -"'Art thou not Elias?' asked one aloud. - -"'I am he of whom it is written. The voice of one crying in the -wilderness, make straight a highway for our God. The day of the Lord is -at hand. I am but the herald who is sent before to prepare the way of -the Lord.' - -"'Art thou not the Messiah?' asked a woman who stood near him, and -seemed to worship his very lips. - -"'He who cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not -worthy to bear,' he responded, in an exultant tone, strangely at -variance with his words. 'Therefore, repent ye, repent ye, take words -and return unto the Lord our God. Repent and be baptized for the -remission of your sins.' Then he added, turning to some of the priests, -'Behold, even now is the axe laid unto the root of the trees; every -tree, therefore, that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and -cast into the fire.' - -"'Master,' said a Levite, 'dost thou speak these things to us, who are -of Israel, or to these Gentiles and Samaritans?' for there were not a -few Roman soldiers among the multitude, drawn hither by curiosity, and -also many people from Samaria. - -"'Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saith the Lord, for my people -have committed two evils; they have forsaken me, the fountain of living -waters, and hewn them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold -no water. And yet thou sayest, O Israel, thou hast not sinned. Thine -own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backsliding shall reprove -thee. Repent and do works meet for repentance, every one of you, for -ye have polluted the land; neither say, Where is the Lord that brought -us up out of the land of Egypt? Trust not to lying words, saying, The -Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord! Ye -have made it a den of robbers. Your sacrifices therein are become an -abomination.' - -"'This would touch us who are priests, master,' said a priest, with a -crimson brow. 'We are not robbers.' - -"'Thus saith the Lord,' answered the youthful prophet, as if it were -God himself speaking from Horeb, so that we trembled: 'Woe be unto -the pastors that destroy my sheep. How is the gold become dim! how is -the most fine gold changed! The precious sons of Zion, comparable to -fine gold, how are they esteemed? Woe unto you, ye priests, for ye -have transgressed. My people have transgressed for lack of knowledge. -Therefore doth the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein -languisheth. Therefore do swearing and lying, and killing and stealing, -and committing adultery, break out in the land, because there is no -truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. Woe unto you, ye -priests!' - -"Many of the Levites then turned and left him and went away greatly -murmuring; and they would gladly have done the prophet a mischief, but -they feared the multitude, who said he had spoken only the truth of -them. - -"'But the elders of Israel, who are not priests, who spring from -Abraham, shall be saved by Abraham, master?' asserted, or rather -inquired, a rich ruler of our city, after the tumult caused by the -withdrawal of the Levites had a little subsided. The youthful prophet -rested his dark eyes, like two suns, upon the old man's face, and said -impressively, 'Begin not to say within yourself, We have Abraham to -our father; for I say unto you,' he added, pointing to the pebbles at -his feet, 'that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto -Abraham. He is of Abraham who doth righteousness; therefore repent, and -bring forth fruits meet for repentance.' - -"Here was heard some murmuring among a group of many Pharisees and -Sadducees at these words, when, sending his lightning glance towards -them, as if he could read their very hearts, he cried: - -"'O generation of vipers! Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to -come? The day cometh when he who is to come shall sit as a purifier by -his furnace. Bring forth, therefore, fruits meet for repentance. Turn -thy heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. Repent ye, for -the kingdom of heaven is at hand. - -"'Hear, O Israel! Am I a God at hand and not a God afar off? saith the -Lord. Hear ye the message of the Most High, for the day hath come when -Jehovah shall once more visit the earth and talk face to face with his -creatures. Behold, the day hath come, saith the Lord, that I will raise -unto David a righteous branch, and a king to reign and prosper, who -shall execute judgment and justice on the earth. - -"'Behold, the day hath come, saith the Lord, in which Judah shall be -saved, and Israel shall dwell safely; when I will set up shepherds over -them, which shall feed them, and they shall lack nothing. - -"'Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is -risen upon thee! Darkness covereth the earth, and gross darkness the -people, as saith Esaias; but the Lord shall rise upon thee, and his -glory shall be seen upon thee. The Gentiles shall come to his light, -and kings to the brightness of his rising. He shall be called the Lord -of our righteousness, and shall be a crown of glory in the hand of the -Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. The Spirit of the Lord -is upon me to proclaim the acceptable year of his coming. He hath set -me a watchman upon thy walls, O Israel, and I may neither hold my peace -day nor night, nor keep silence, nor seek rest, till he come, who hath -sent me forth his messenger before his face. How can I refrain from my -message of joy? How shall I not speak of his fame? Incline your ear and -come unto him. Hear, and your soul shall live. - -"'Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise from the ends of the -earth; for thus saith God the Lord, I have put my spirit upon him; a -bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not -quench. I, the Lord, saith Jehovah, addressing the Only Begotten, I -have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thy hand and keep -thee, and will give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of -the Gentiles, to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from -the prison. I have made him, my first-born, higher than the kings of -the earth. Look unto him, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth. -The Lord of Hosts is his name, the Holy One of Israel.' - -"All this was spoken with an enthusiasm and fire that made every pulse -bound. - -"Such," said John, "was the extraordinary style of this mighty -prophet's preaching. I fancied I had only to look around to behold -the Messiah. The immense multitude stood awed and silent when he had -ceased. Leaving the eminence, he said, and I thought he fixed his eyes -upon me, 'Ye who desire to be baptized for the remission of sins, that -your hearts may be cleansed for the visitation of this Holy One of -God, follow me to the river side.' Thousands obeyed, and I one of the -first. I trembled all over with a sweet pleasure, when he took me by -the hand, and asked me if I believed in him who was to come, and would -prepare the way for his abode in my heart by being baptized, which rite -also was to be a sign and pledge that when I should behold the Shiloh -rising, I should acknowledge him. Not less than one thousand were -baptized by him that day in Jordan, confessing their sins, and hopes of -pardon through the name of the Unknown One, who was soon to come. - -"After the baptism, the whole company dispersed in groups, and the -prophet returned into the wilderness till the cool of the evening, -where his repast was locusts and the wild honey of the desert." - -With this, dear father, I close my long letter. I make no comments. I -will only say that my expectations are actively awake, and that I am -looking, with thousands of others, for the near advent of the Messiah. - - Your daughter, - Adina. - - - - -LETTER V. - - -My Dear Father: - -"After the prophet had ended his second discourse, and baptized full -two hundred more in the sparkling waters of Jordan," resumed the -eloquent cousin of Mary, "he sent them away to the city to lodge -and buy meat; for few, in their eagerness to hear him, had brought -provisions with them. Many, before leaving him, drew near to receive -his blessing of love, and it was touching to see venerable men, with -locks shining like silver, and leaning upon the staff, bend their aged -heads before the youthful Elias, as if in acknowledgment of his divine -commission. Mothers also brought their infants, that he might bless -them; and youths and maidens knelt reverently at his feet in tears of -love and penitence. Calmly he stood upon the green shores, like an -angel alighted upon earth, and blessed them in words all new to our -ears, but which thrilled to our hearts with some secret power that -agitated us with trembling joy. - -"'In the name of the Lamb of God I bless thee!' - -"'What can be the meaning of these words?' asked Mary, with her gentle -earnestness. Her betrothed could only reply that he knew not. - -"At length, one after another, the multitude departed, save a few who -encamped beneath trees on the banks of the river. Joseph of Arimathea -and I were left almost alone standing near the prophet, and regarding -him with reverential curiosity. The sun was just disappearing over the -distant towers of Jericho, and painting with the richest purple the -hills between the river and Jerusalem. Jordan, catching its reddening -radiance, rolled past like a river of liquid gold embanked in emerald. -The brow of the prophet, lighted up by a sun-ray that shone between -the branches of a pomegranate tree, seemed like the face of Moses -when he came down from Sinai, a glory of light. He appeared rapt in -heavenly meditation, and we stood silent and gazed upon him, not daring -to speak. At length he turned towards us, smiled, and, saluting us, -grasped the crook or staff on which he had been leaning--for he was -weary and pale with his labors of the day--and slowly walked down the -shore in the direction of the wilderness. He had not advanced many -steps when I felt an irresistible impulse to follow him. I therefore -said to my companion: - -"'Let us follow him, and learn more of these great things which we have -this day heard.' - -"We proceeded slowly after him, as he moved in a contemplative mood -along the desert path. The sun had already gone down, and the full moon -rose on the opposite shore, and the prophet stopped as if to gaze upon -its autumnal beauty. We drew near to him. He beheld us, but did not -avoid us; seeing which, I advanced with timid confidence, and said: - -"'Holy prophet of the Most High God, wilt thou permit two young men of -Israel to speak to thee? for our hearts yearn towards thee with love. -And chiefly would we inquire of thee touching the advent of the mighty -Personage whose near coming thou dost foretell?' - -"'Friends,' said the prophet, in a calm and serene manner, 'I am a -dweller in the desert, and alone, from choice. I approach men only to -proclaim my message. The delights of earth are not for me. My mission -is one. Its duration is short. Its aim worthy the greatest prophet of -God, yet am I, the least of them, not worthy to be called a prophet; -and before the splendor of him whom I announce to the world, I am the -dust of the balance. If thou hast sought me to search after knowledge, -come and sit down with me upon this rock, and let me hear what thou -hast to ask of me, that I may answer thee and go my way.' - -"This was said softly, gently, almost sadly, and in a tone that made -me love him more and more. I could have cast myself upon his bosom and -wept there. We seated ourselves, one on either side of him. The scene -and the hour were well fitted for such a converse as we were about -to hold. The broad disc of the moon poured a flood of orange-tinted -radiance full upon us, and lent a hallowed softness to the divine -countenance of the youthful prophet. The Jordan, dark as India's dye, -darted swiftly past at our feet, between its deeply-shaded banks, -sending up to our ears the faintest murmur of its pebbly passage. Above -our heads swelled the vaulted arch of the Temple of Jehovah, with its -myriad of altar fires. Behind us stretched the desert waste, cheerless -and yet grand in its desolate distances. - -"Afar off rose upon the air, and was borne to us at intervals, the -voice of a singer in one of the camps; and near us, upon an acacia -tree, sat a solitary bulbul, which ceaselessly sang its sweet and -varied hymn to the listening moon. - -"'All things praise God; shall we be silent?' said the prophet. 'Let -us sing the evening hymn of the Temple.' He then commenced, in a rich, -melodious chant, such as I have never heard from the priests, our -sacred psalm to the whole creation of God. We joined our voices with -his, and the tide of praise floated over the waters, and echoed and -re-echoed from the opposing shores, as if the banks and stream, trees, -hills and sky had found voice as well as we: - - "'Praise! praise! praise ye the Lord! - Praise him in the heights! Praise him in the seas! - Praise him, men of Israel! Praise ye the Lord! - For he exalteth high his people, - And reigneth evermore! - - "'Praise him, all ye angels! Praise him, all ye hosts! - Praise him, sun and moon, and all ye stars of light! - Praise him, fire and hail! Praise him, storm and snows! - For he judgeth the earth in righteousness, - And reigneth evermore! - - "'Praise! praise! praise ye the Lord! - Praise him, winged fowl, and herds, cattle, and all beasts! - Praise him, kings and people, princes, priests and judges! - Praise him, youths and maidens, old men and children! - - "'Praise the name, let them praise the name, - Praise the name of the Lord God of Hosts! - For his name alone is excellent, - His glory above the heavens; - Israel is his first-born--a people well-beloved! - Praise! let Israel, therefore, praise him! - Praise him evermore, - Evermore, - Ever, evermore!' - -"Never shall I forget the effect produced upon my inmost being by this -hymn. The prophet sang as if he were leading a choir of angels. My -heart leaped at the chorus, as if it would break out, take wing and -leave the earth. When we called on the winds and the fowls of the air -to praise Jehovah with us, the thrilling voice of the bulbul seemed -to pour from its throat a wilder, richer, more joyous tide of song, -and the audible wind bent the adoring trees, and mingled its mystic -whispers with the psalm of men. Surely, thought I, it is good for me to -be here, for this is none other than the gate of Paradise! - -"After a few moments' silence, the prophet spoke and said: - -"'You sought me, brethren of Israel; can I do aught for you?' - -"'We would hear more, great prophet, touching this mighty One who is -to come after thee,' said Joseph. - -"'I can tell thee but little, my brethren, save what thou hast heard -from me this day. The future is veiled. I bear a message, indeed, but -I may not break the seal and read. To you it will be given to know -what is now unknown to me. If it be permitted me to see him, it will -be but for a brief space, for when he cometh I depart--my errand is -done. Blessed are those who live to witness his glory, and to hear the -gracious voice of God that proceeds from his anointed lips.' - -"'And when will be his advent, and with what form and power cometh this -divine Being?' I asked. - -"'As a man, but not with comeliness of form that men should desire him. -His appearance will be humble, lowly and meek.' - -"'Yet you said to-day, Rabbi,' I continued, 'that his power should be -infinite, and that of his kingdom there should be no end. You spoke -of the glory of his dominions, and the humiliation of Gentile kings -beneath his sceptre.' - -"'This I cannot explain--it is a mystery to me. I speak as God, by whom -I am sent, gives me utterance. I know that he who cometh after me is -greater than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose.' - -"'You taught us this evening, holy prophet, that he would be the Lord -from heaven; and yet that Esaias saith he will be despised and rejected -of men, wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities.' - -"'The spirit of God teaches me that these words apply to Shiloh; but -I cannot comprehend how these things can be,' he answered, with deep -sadness. - -"'May I remind you, good Rabbi,' said Joseph, 'that you taught us how -this Divine Personage should die, though Lord of life, and be numbered -in his death with transgressors, though the Holy One of God?' - -"'And such will be the events that are to happen; but seek not to know -what no man hath had revealed to him. The divine Messiah himself must -be his own interpreter. Blessed will be the eyes that behold him, and -listen to the wisdom of his mouth, and keep the law of his lips.' - -"'May I ask you, holy prophet of the Lord,' said Joseph, 'how is -it that he whom you are sent by God to bear witness to can be the -Deliverer of Israel, when you predict for him so sad a fate? Messiah is -to restore Jerusalem and the glory of the Temple, so saith Esaias, so -say Ezra and Jeremiah. We therefore, in the Messiahs of the prophets, -have looked for a powerful potentate, who shall reign in Jerusalem over -the whole earth and subdue all nations.' - -"'His kingdom is not of this earth,' answered the prophet, impressively. - -"'How then can we interpret the prophet David, who maketh the Lord to -say: "I have set my King upon my holy hill of Zion"? Also, how shall -we interpret those sayings of Esaias who, prophesying of the blessed -Christ of God, hath these words: "Of the increase of his government -and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon -his kingdom, to order it and to establish it with judgment and with -justice, from henceforth, even forever"?' - -"'I know not. These secrets are with God. This I know, that the least -child and the lowliest hireling that liveth in the day of Messias is -greater than I. I am the last of the prophets. It is for me to open the -last door that leads out from the night of prophecy into the glorious -dawn of the day of fulfillment; but I am not permitted to enter beyond -the threshold, or share in its blessings. All who come after me will be -preferred before me. But let me rejoice that the day-star is about to -rise, though his beams shine on all the earth but me!' This was said -with the most touching pathos. - -"We were both deeply moved, I myself even to tears. I sank on my knees, -and kissing his hand, bathed it with my tears. - -"He gently raised me, and said in a sweet voice: - -"'Brother beloved, thou shalt see him to whom I bear witness, and he -will love thee, and thou shalt repose in his bosom!' I burst into -tears, and, rising, I walked a little ways apart, and lifting up my -eyes toward heaven, I prayed the God of our fathers that I might be -found worthy of this blessed honor. - -"'And shall I also behold this mighty Son of God?' asked Joseph, with -solicitude. - -"The prophet took his hand in his, and fixing upon him his eyes of -prophetic brightness, said slowly, and in tones awe-inspiring and -painfully sorrowful: - -"'Thou shalt one day bear him in thine arms, and lay him upon a couch -which thou hast prepared for thine own repose. Thou knowest not now -what I say, but thou shalt remember it when it cometh to pass!' - -"When he had thus spoken, he arose, and waving his hand to us both, he -walked rapidly away towards the darkening desert. - -"'Didst thou hear him?' at length, after some minutes' pause, asked -Joseph of me. 'What can his words mean? They are prophetic of some -fearful event. His eyes betrayed some terrible meaning. My heart is -troubled.' - -"'And mine rejoiceth.' I answered. 'We shall see him! I shall be near -him! Oh, if he be like this sweet prophet of God, I shall love him with -all my soul's being! How wonderful that we are to be thus associated -with this Divine Person! Welcome the hour of his blessed advent!' - -"'Wilt thou welcome the advent of a sufferer?' said a voice so near -that it startled us by its abruptness, and, looking round, we saw, -standing within the shadow of a wild olive tree, a young man who was a -stranger, but to whom I afterwards became deeply attached. His face was -pale and intellectual, and his form slight but of the most symmetrical -elegance. His question at once made me sorrowful, for it recalled the -sad prophecy of Esaias. - -"'He is also to be king and monarch of the world, and infinitely -holy and good,' I said. 'If thou hast been near, thou hast heard the -glorious things the prophet has spoken of him.' - -"'I have been near--I was reclining beneath this tree when you seated -yourselves there. Be not deceived; the divine Man who is to come is to -be a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. He is to be rejected by -Israel and despised by Judah. Those whom he comes to bless will despise -him for his lowliness and obscurity. His life will be a life of tears, -and toil, and heaviness of heart, and he will at last be cut off from -among the living, with the ignominy due only to a transgressor. Dost -thou welcome the advent of a sufferer?' - -"'But how knowest thou this? Art thou a prophet?' I asked with surprise -and admiration. - -"'No, brother, but I have read the prophets. I heard, moreover, the -words of this holy man sent from God, and he dwells more on the -humility of the Christ than on his kingly grandeur. Believe me, the -kingdom of Shiloh is not of this world. It cannot be of this world, if -such is to be his life and death; and that it is to be his life, Esaias -clearly states. Let me read to you his words.' He then took a roll of -parchment from his bosom, and read by the clear tropical moonlight, -that mysterious and inexplicable passage which beginneth with the -words: 'Who hath believed our report?' When he had ended, he resumed: -'This is not the history of a prosperous earthly monarch, but rather -the painful record of a life of humiliation, of shame, and of contempt.' - -"'But thou dost not say, brother,' said Joseph, with some warmth, 'that -the sacred Person borne witness to by this prophet is to be an object -of contempt?' - -"'Does not Esaias say that he will be despised, beaten with stripes, -rejected of men, imprisoned, and put to death like a transgressor of -the law?' - -"'There can be no question but that Esaias speaks of the Messiah,' I -remarked. - -"'This prophet of Jordan now bears full testimony to Esaias, and -plainly maketh application of his words to him whom he has come -beforehand to proclaim,' answered the young man, with singularly -graceful eloquence in all he said. 'Let us who have been baptized this -day for the remission of our sins, expect a Messiah of sorrows, not a -conquering prince. Let us behold one who is to humble himself beneath -the yoke of human infirmities, that he may be exalted, and draw all men -after him to a kingdom in the heavens.' - -"'But the throne of David--' objected Joseph. - -"'Is at the right hand of God.' - -"'But Jerusalem, and its rule over the nations--' - -"'Jerusalem that is above, will be over all.' - -"'But his kingdom that is to be everlasting--' - -"'Is where life is everlasting. How can he rule an everlasting realm -here on earth without living forever, and his subjects also? Read not -the prophets so? As Adam fell and lost paradise, so Messias, like -a second Adam, must, as man, humble himself, in human nature, to -repurchase the kingdom of paradise for the race of man. It is this -kingdom which this prophet proclaims as being at hand. He being the -bearer of our iniquities, we shall thereby escape their chastisement. -Healed by his stripes, we shall be free from our sins. Laid upon him -will be the transgressions of the world; and by one mighty sacrifice -of himself, thus laden, as a sin-offering, he shall offer an atonement -to make one with Jehovah the great family of Adam. Such is to be our -looked-for Messiah. Alas, while we look for him, let us mingle tears -with our gladness, that one so holy and excellent should be destined to -endure these things for our sakes; and when we behold him, let us sink -at his feet in grateful adoration of his love.' - -"When the young man had spoken, he walked away. Impelled by an -unconquerable impulse, I followed, and took him in my arms, and -embracing him, said: 'Of a truth thou art a prophet! Thy words come -home to my heart like the echo of ancient prophecy.' - -"'Nay. I have learned these things from the study of the Scripture,' -he said, with angelic candor and modesty. 'But I have been aided, how -much I have no words to tell thee, by one who hath wisdom and truth -abiding in him above all men, and whom it is my happiness to have my -bosom friend, as he is near my own age. If I am wise, or virtuous, or -good, or know the Scriptures, it is that he hath been my counselor and -teacher.' - -"'What is his name?' I asked, 'for I also would go and learn of him.' - -"'He withdraws from the public eye, and hath little converse but with -few, and shuns all notice. Without his permission I could not take thee -to him.' - -"'What is his appearance, and where doth he dwell?' I inquired, more -deeply interested. - -"'He abides at present at Bethany, my own city. He is so beloved by -us, that we detain him as our guest. But he dwelleth at other times -with his mother, a holy widow of great sanctity and matronly dignity, -living at Nazareth in humble condition, and he contributes by labor -to her support, with the most exemplary filial piety. No person ever -approaches and speaks with him without leaving a wiser and better man.' - -"'Verily,' said Joseph and I together, 'you have only increased our -desire to behold him. His appearance must be noble.' - -"'There sits upon his brow a serene dignity, tempered with mildness, -that commands the respect of age, and wins the confiding love of -childhood. His eyes beam with a light, calm and pure, as if shining -from interior holy thoughts, and they rest upon you, when he speaks, -with a tenderness that is like the dewy light of the young mother's -gaze, when she bends in silent happiness and tears over the face of her -first-born. His face is one soft sunshine of smiling rays, tempered -in an indescribable manner with a settled look of sadness, an almost -imperceptible shade of permanent sorrow, that seems to foreshadow a -life of trial and suffering.' - -"'He must be another prophet,' said Joseph, with deep earnestness. - -"'He does not prophesy, nor preach,' answered the young man. - -"'What is his name?' I asked. - -"'Jesus, the Nazarene.' - -"As the young man was then about to move away, I asked him his name, -as he had greatly drawn out my heart towards him, and I felt that if I -could be his friend, and the friend of the wise young man of Nazareth, -I should be perfectly happy and have no other desire--save, indeed, to -live till the Messiah came, that I might behold him, and lay my head -upon his sacred bosom. - -"'My name is Lazarus, the Scribe,' he answered." - -"What?" interrupted Mary. "Then I know him well. He is the brother of -Mary and Martha, my friends at Bethany, where I passed a week last -year, just before the Passover." - -"The next day," continued John, "we renewed our acquaintance, and -after three days departed together homeward. Upon arriving at Bethany, -Lazarus learned that his friend had gone to Cana, in Galilee, on a -visit with his mother, to the house of one of her kinfolk, whose -daughter is soon to be married." - -Having now, my dear father, communicated to you all that John related -to us, you will see what grounds there are to look upon the prophet of -Jordan as a man sent from God, or to believe that he is the true Elias, -whom Malachi hath foretold, and who, as the most learned of the Scribes -say, must first come to proclaim the approach of the Prince of Peace, -the Shiloh of Israel's hopes. - -The account brought by John has set Rabbi Amos to studying the -Prophets, and indeed all men are looking into them with interest -unknown before. May God be indeed about to bless his people, and -remember his inheritance! - - Your affectionate daughter, - Adina. - - - - -LETTER VI. - - -My Dear Father: - -Your letter, dear father, commands me to banish this "novelty" from -my mind, and continue humbly to worship Jehovah after the manner of -our fathers. I trust this I shall ever do, my dear father; and did -I discover in this prophet any disposition to bring in a new faith, -opposed to the ancient faith of Abraham, I should tremble to entertain -it for a moment. You say that this man must be "a false and base -prophet," or he would not herald a master so low and despised as he -professes will be the Christ he bears witness to. "The kingdom of -Messias is not a kingdom of repentance and humiliation," you add, "but -one of victory, of glory and dominion." - -[Illustration: The TEMPLE of HEROD in the Time of CHRIST. This cut is -designed after the model prepared by the student and traveler, Sir -James Ferguson.] - -How can I write to you, my dear father, that which is now rushing to -my pen, after such an expression of your sentiments as you have made -in this extract from your letter? But I know you are wise, and will -not evade truth, in whatever form it may offer itself to you, and I, -therefore, with confidence in your justice and wisdom, will faithfully -make known to you the events relating to the prophet which have -transpired. - -You will remember how that John, Mary's cousin, stated that many -priests and others were offended at the plain preaching of the prophet -whom they went out into the wilderness to see. When they returned to -Jerusalem, and made known to the other members of the House of the -Priests what had been spoken against them, by the application to them -of the words of Esaias and Jeremias, and other prophets, there arose at -once a great outcry against him. At length Annas, who is High Priest -with Caiaphas, sent two of the most learned men of the Temple, Levites -of weight of character, to invite the prophet to Jerusalem; for Annas -is a wise man, and not easily carried away by popular feeling; and, as -Rabbi Amos hath told me, he is disposed to look upon the preaching of -this John with a serious and reverential eye. The messengers returned -after the fifth day, and made their report openly in the Court of the -Temple, where the High Priests sat to receive them. At length, the -assembly being convened, the two learned and venerable Levites both -rose up, and declared that they had delivered the message to John, the -son of Zacharias, the prophet of Jordan, and that his answer was given -with the reverence due to the station of the High Priest who had sent -to him. - -"'Go and say to the noble High Priest,' said he, 'that I am the voice -of one crying in the wilderness, as it is written in the book of the -words of Esaias the prophet, who, foreseeing my day, saith, "The voice -of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make -his paths straight." He who would hear my testimony to him who is to -come after me, let him seek me in the wilderness, whence only I am -commanded to lift up my voice till Shiloh come.'" - -When the priests heard this answer they were greatly enraged, and many -fiercely cried one thing and many another; some that he should be -sought out and stoned to death for defying the High Priest; others, -that he should be accused to the Procurator, Pontius Pilate, Governor -of Judea, as a seditious and dangerous person, and fermenter of -insurrections. Caiaphas was of the latter opinion. But the milder Annas -viewed the whole matter in a different light, and said: - -"Men and brethren, let nothing be done hastily. If this man be a false -prophet, he will soon perish, and we shall hear no more of him. If, -peradventure, as it would appear, he is sent from God, let us not -make haste to do him a mischief, lest, haply, we be found contending -against the Lord of Hosts." - -This moderation found favor with but few, and of these few, Rabbi Amos -was one. But if the priests who thronged the outer court, in presence -of the High Priest, were deeply moved at the report of the prophet's -answer, their excitement became well-nigh uncontrollable when both -Melchi and Heli, their messengers, rose up, waving their hands for -silence, and declared that, after having listened to the prophet to -whom they had been sent, they were convinced of the truth of his words, -and of his divine commission, and had been baptized of him in Jordan, -confessing their sins! - -Only the sanctity of the Temple prevented the five hundred priests -rushing upon them and smiting them when they heard this. They were at -once placed under arrest by order of the High Priest, Caiaphas, for -acting in a manner unbecoming a priest of the Most High God. The people -who had heard John preach, however, were only prevented from rescuing -the two priests by the presence of a guard of Roman soldiers, for which -Caiaphas promptly sent. - -From this account, my dear father, you can form some idea of the -excitement which the preaching of this new prophet is producing among -all classes. - -If the Prince of Glory should, indeed, suddenly appear, there could be -scarcely more excitement, though it would be of a different nature. - -As next week Rabbi Amos does not serve in his course in the Temple, and -as he will have some affairs that take him to Gilgal, he has yielded -to the desire of his daughter Mary and myself to accompany him; for -he does not conceal from us that he shall make it a point to visit -and hear the prophet, as it will be but two hours' travel from Gilgal -to the place where he preaches. You will, I fear me, object to this -journey. But if the worship of our fathers has nothing to fear from -falsehood, it surely has naught to fear from truth; and in either case -I, as a true daughter of Israel, have nothing to fear. If the prophet -teach what is false, I shall remain true; and if he teach that which is -true, shall I not be the gainer? - -One thing is clear--if the Christ that John prophesies be the true Son -of the Highest, and is in reality to make his appearance ere long, in -humiliation and poverty, his rejection by the High Priests, and by -the rich and powerful of Judah, is certain. May God, then, remove -blindness from our eyes, that, if this be the very Messias indeed, -Israel may recognize their king when he cometh, and not do so fearful a -thing in their pride as to reject him openly. - -You will remember the young Roman centurion, to whose courtesy I was -indebted for rescuing me from the rudeness of the two Gentile soldiers. -He has preserved, since then, acquaintance with Rabbi Amos, who speaks -of him with respect; and as he has of late expressed some interest in -knowing what the studies are which occupy the Rabbi so constantly when -he calls to see him, the Rabbi sent for me to come into the marble hall -of the corridor, where they sat by the fountain under the shade of the -acacia, which Amos says you took with your own hands from Isaiah's -grave and planted here, many years ago, and which I, therefore, call -"my father's tree." - -"Come hither, Adina," said my uncle, in his benevolent tones; "here -you behold a noble Roman youth whom you must be too generous to have -forgotten." I bowed and scarcely lifted my eyelids from the tesselated -floor, for there was a fire in the glance of the handsome youth that -they could not encounter. He said some words of salutation; but I only -heard the voice, which fell upon my heart with a strange vibration, -like the effects of music. "The Roman centurion," continued Amos, "hath -desired to know something of the sacred books of our nation, of which -he saith he hath heard much; and of the prophecies, from which he -believes the famed Sibylline books were composed." - -Then, turning to the centurion, "Here is an Egyptian maiden, who can -interpret for thee in the idiom of Grecia, or of Italia, and I will -place the sacred roll in her hands while I listen. Come Adina, open and -read the beginning of the Book of Moses." - -To this narrative the youthful warrior listened with the profoundest -respect and attention. He asked if the Messias had yet come who was -to restore all things; and, if not, when he was to be looked for. -This inquiry led to a conversation upon the preaching of John in the -wilderness and his predictions of the near advent of Shiloh. Rabbi -Amos, seeing that he was becoming deeply interested in the subject, -made me turn to the particular prophecies of Daniel, Esaias, David -and others, and read them to him; both those which described, in -golden words, the glory and dominion of his power, and those which -represented him as despised and rejected. The young man remained some -time very thoughtful. At length he said, with animation: "I can now -comprehend why men run into the wilderness. I should like to hear this -prophet." - -When Amos told him that he contemplated journeying to Gilgal the next -week, and intended to visit the desert to hear him, he at once asked -permission to be of his company, saying: - -"I will accompany you with a squadron of horse, as the roads are not -safe; for no longer ago than yesterday we received a rumor that the -celebrated robber chief, Barabbas, at the head of a large band, has -made his appearance again on the hills between Ephraim and Jericho." - -It is therefore decided, dear father, that we leave early next week for -Jericho and Gilgal. On my return I shall not fail to write you without -delay. Till then withhold your judgment, and have confidence in mine. -With holy aspirations for the coming of the kingdom of David and the -restoration of his throne in Zion, I remain, with filial love, your -daughter, - - Adina. - - - - -LETTER VII. - - -My Dear Father: - -You will recollect that in my last epistle I made mention of our -intention to go to Gilgal, where John, the betrothed of Mary, was to -meet us and accompany us to Jordan. - -It was faint dawn when we rose from our couches to prepare for the -journey. The mules upon which we were to ride were brought into the -court by the two swarthy Gibeonite serfs whom Rabbi Amos holds in -his service, and caparisoned with rich saddles covered with Persian -saddle-cloths, embroidered with gold. The two pack mules were also made -ready, on one of which was the traveling equipage of my cousin Mary and -myself, which Rabbi Amos smilingly said took up more space than the -goods and traveling wares of a Damascus merchant. At sunrise, after -we had kneeled upon the housetop, in view of the Temple, and sent up -our prayers with its sacrifices and clouds of ascending incense, we -descended to the court-yard to mount for the road. - -The morning was bright and cheerful, with the golden sun pouring its -light over temple and tower, castle and roof, wall and rampart, hill -and grove, valley and brook. As we turned the street leading to the -Sheep Gate, we passed the house of Caiaphas, the High Priest, whom I -saw standing upon the marble porch of his superb palace. He was not -arrayed in his sumptuous robes, with the breast-plate of dazzling -stones, and kingly cap, as I had seen him in the Temple, but was -dressed in a flowing black robe, over which was thrown a scarf of white -linen; and upon his snow-white locks he wore a scarlet hood, a dress -common to all the priests, so that if I had not recognized him by his -tall and commanding form and flowing white hair and piercing eye, as he -surveyed us, I should have known that it was the High Priest. - -A little further on we met a party coming from the country beyond -Kedron, with large cages upon their mules, laden with turtle doves -and young pigeons, which they were carrying to the Temple, to be sold -there for sacrifices. My heart pitied the innocent things, whose blue, -pretty heads were thrust by the dozen through the rough bars of their -prison-houses, as they cast their soft eyes up at me, as if asking me -to deliver them from their bondage. As Mary was riding behind me, in -order to let the laden mules pass with their immense cages, one of the -turtle doves, affrighted by the noise of the streets, extricated itself -from between the bars, and spreading its wings, flew into the air, and -then taking its flight for the country, soared far above the city walls -and disappeared in the distance. I felt rejoiced at the innocent bird's -escape, and sent my good wishes for its safe return to its lodge in the -wilderness. Just before we reached the Sheep Gate, by which we were -to gain the Jericho road, we met a poor blind man leading a lamb, or -rather being led by a tame lamb. He also had two pigeons in his bosom. -He was asked by Rabbi Amos, who knew him, whither he was going. He -answered that he was going to the Temple to sacrifice them. "Nay," said -Amos, with surprise, "thou wilt not sacrifice thy lamb, Bartimeus?" - -"It is an offering to God, Rabbi Amos." - -"But thy lamb leadeth thee everywhere. It is eyes to thee. Thou canst -not do without it. And thy doves? Thou earnest by them many a mite in a -day, they are so well taught in cunning and pleasant tricks to please -children. If thou wilt sacrifice, spare these so needful to thee, and -here is money to buy doves and another lamb," answered my benevolent -uncle. - -"Hear what I have to say," answered Bartimeus. "My father became sick -and was likely to die. The next day my mother, who has nourished my -childhood and loved me, though I was born blind, with all her heart, -was also taken sick. The same night my little daughter, my little blind -daughter, whose face I never saw, and who never saw her father's face, -was sick nigh unto death. My father, my mother, my child, are now -restored, and in my joy I am on my way to the Temple, to offer these -gifts of God to him. It will not be hard to part with them, since, in -giving all that I have, I but show my love to God." - -With these words he went on, the lamb, obeying the string which he -held, softly moving on before; while I could see the sightless eyes -of the righteous son and pious father trickle tears, as he kissed and -kissed again the precious doves that lay in his bosom. This little -occurrence made me sad; yet I honored the resolute piety of this poor -man, whose eyes, though they saw not men, seemed to see God and feel -his presence. There is still humble piety in the land, my dear father, -and finding it not among the proud and splendid priests, we must look -for it in the hearts of the poor and humble, like Bartimeus. - -Once outside the gates, the air blew fresh from the hills of olives. -After being so long confined within the walls and narrow streets, it -seemed to me that I had just broken out of my cage, like the pretty, -blue-headed turtle dove, and I felt like winging my way, too, to the -free deserts. - -We had hardly reached the place where the two roads meet, when we heard -to the west the sound of the galloping of a large body of horse, and -the next moment the young Roman centurion came in sight, riding at the -head of a troop of horse, whose martial appearance, with the ringing of -their armor and the melody of their bugles, made my blood leap. Æmilius -looked like a prince, and his burnished armor shone in the sun like -armor of fire. At his side rode a youth who bore the eagle of his band, -but the centurion himself carried in his hand only the badge of his -rank, which was a vine-rod bound with rings of gold. He saluted us with -that courtesy which distinguishes his every motion, and then dividing -his troop into two bodies, half of whom, trotting on ahead, led the -van, and the other half, falling behind, served as a rear-guard. He -then gave the word to move forward. - -Farewell, dear father, till my next, when I will resume my narrative of -the events which have taken place since I left Jerusalem. The God of -our father Abraham be your defence and shield. - - Your affectionate daughter, - Adina. - - - - -LETTER VIII. - - -My Dear Father: - -My last letter ended with an account of the Roman escort, under -the authority of the young Roman centurion who, as I have before -written to you, with so much courtesy proffered its protection to our -little party. The day was yet early, and the air was of that buoyant -elasticity so agreeable to breathe, and which strikes me as one of -the peculiar blessings of this holy land of our fathers. As I rode -along, I felt as if I would gladly mount the Arabian of the desert and -fly across the sandy seas of Edom, with the fleetness which amazes me -whenever I see the children of the desert ride; for a band of thirty -came boldly near us from a gorge as we approached Bethany, and after -watching us a few moments, scoured away into the recesses of the hills -like the wind, as a detachment of our Roman escort was ordered to -gallop towards them. We were fortunate in having such strong protection. - -We soon afterwards reached the summit of the ridge above Bethany, from -which eminence we had a gorgeous view of the Holy City of God, with its -lofty Temple glittering in the sunbeams. The Tower of Antonia darkly -contrasted with its splendor, and the citadel of David frowned over the -walls with a warlike majesty that deeply impressed me. I drew rein, and -entreated Rabbi Amos to delay a few moments while I surveyed Jerusalem, -but he was too far ahead to hear me, and the centurion, riding up to -my side, stopped respectfully with a portion of his command, and said -he would await my leisure. I could not but thank him for his civility, -and then turning towards the city, I was soon lost to all else but the -awful contemplation of it. - -"You should see Rome," said the centurion, who had watched my emotion -evidently with surprise. "It is a city of grandeur unequalled. It -covers six times more space than this city, and it contains three -hundred and sixty-five temples, while Jerusalem contains but one!" - -"There is no God but one," I answered, impressively. - -"We believe there is one God, who is the author of a great multitude -of lesser gods, and to each we erect a temple," he said firmly, yet -respectfully. - -[Illustration: Rome] - -Upon this, touched with pity that one so noble in mind and person -should be so ignorant of the truth, I began to show him from the -Prophets that God was one, and that all things were made by him. But -he, plucking a blossom from a tree within reach, said: - -"It is beneath the dignity of the Father of the gods, the great Jove, -to descend to make a flower like this, or shape a crystal, or color -the ruby, or create that golden-eyed humming-bird which flutters among -those fragrant blossoms. He made the sun, and moon, and stars, and -earth, but left the lesser works to inferior deities. Talk to me of thy -one God, and prove to me, maiden, that he made all things, and is one, -and thy God shall be my God." - -We now rode forward through the street of Bethany, and soon came to -the house of our former friend, Rabbi Abel, who died many years ago at -Alexandria, when he went there with merchandise, and after the welfare -of whose children you desired me to make inquiries. It was a plain and -humble dwelling before which Rabbi Amos assisted me to alight; but -there was an air of neatness and sweet domestic repose about it that -at once came home to my heart, and made me love the place even before -I had seen the inmates. On hearing of my arrival, there came out a -fair young girl of twenty-two, with the most amiable expression of -affectionate welcome, and approaching me with mingled respect and love, -she embraced me, while Rabbi Amos pronounced our names to each other. -I felt immediately as if I were in a sister's arms, and that I should -love her always. Next came forth a young man of about thirty years of -age, with a countenance of an exceedingly interesting expression, full -of intellect and good will. He was pale and habitually thoughtful, but -a fine friendly light beamed in his dark, handsome eyes, as he extended -his hand to welcome me. You have already had a full description of -him, and of his character, in one of my former letters, and need not -be told that it was Lazarus, the son of your friend. At the threshold -Martha, the eldest sister, met me, but with more ceremony, and made an -apology for receiving me, the rich heiress of Alexandria, as she termed -me, into so lowly a dwelling; but I embraced her so affectionately -that this feeling passed away instantly. Martha busied herself at once -to prepare refreshments for us, and soon set before us a frugal but -agreeable repast. Mary, in the meanwhile, and Lazarus, sat on either -side of me, and asked me many questions about Alexandria. - -I cannot describe to you the loveliness of the person of Mary, and yet -not so much the perfection of features as the soul which animates them, -and lends them a charm that I cannot adequately convey to you. - -Martha, the oldest, is of a more lively disposition, yet more -commanding in her aspect, being taller and almost queenly in her mien. -Her eyes and her hair are jet black; the former mild and beaming with -intelligence, like those of her brother Lazarus, whom she resembles. -She has a winning voice, and a manner that leads you to feel strong -confidence in her friendship. She seemed to take the whole management -of our entertainment upon herself. Lazarus conversed chiefly with -Rabbi Amos, who questioned him with much interest about the prophet -John of the wilderness. After our repast, Martha showed me three -beautiful bands of embroidery, which she was working for the new vail -of the Temple to be put on next year; for the sisters live by working -needle-work for the Temple, and Lazarus makes copies of the Laws and -Psalms for the priests. He showed me his copying-table, and the rolls -of parchment upon it, some partly inscribed in beautiful characters, -some quite complete. He also showed me a copy of the book of Isaiah, -which had occupied him one hundred and seven days. It was exquisitely -executed. - -Seeing upon the table a richly worked book-cover of silk and velvet, -with the letters, "J. N." embroidered in olive leaves upon it, I asked -Mary if that, being so elegant, was not for the High Priest. - -"No," answered Martha, with brightening eyes, speaking before her -sister could reply, "that is for our friend, and the friend and brother -of Lazarus." - -"What is his name?" I asked. - -"Jesus, of Nazareth." - -"I have heard John speak of this person," said my cousin Mary, with -animation. "I should feel happy to know him also." - -"If you had been here a few days ago," replied Martha, "you would have -seen him. He left us, after being with us three weeks, to return to -Nazareth. But he requested to meet Lazarus at Bethabara, on the third -day from this, for some important reason; and my brother will go, for -he loves him so that he would cross the seas to meet him." - -"Then," said Rabbi Amos to Lazarus, "if you are to journey so soon -towards Jordan to meet your friend, you had best join our company and -share our escort." To this Lazarus consented. - -I left this blessed abode with regret, and felt that I should be -perfectly happy if I could be admitted as a fifth link in the wealth of -their mutual love. - -About noon we stopped at a caravanserai, half the way to Jericho -from Bethany. Here we overtook a friend of Rabbi Amos, the venerable -and learned scholar and lawyer, Gamaliel. Accompanying the lawyer, -Gamaliel, was a young man who was his disciple, and who went with -him as a companion by the way. His name is Saul, and I noticed him -particularly, because I overheard the venerable lawyer say that he was -the most remarkable young man who had ever sat at his feet to learn -the mysteries of the law. This young law disciple and Lazarus rode -together, and talked long and earnestly by the way, the former thinking -that nothing but mischief would come of the new prophet's preaching, -while the latter warmly defended him and his mission as divine. To -their conversation the Roman centurion listened with the closest -attention, for Saul was learned in the Prophets, and drew richly from -its stores to prove that the true Messias can never be heralded by so -mean a messenger as this preacher of repentance in the wilderness. - -I now write to thee beneath the roof of the country residence of Rabbi -Amos. To-morrow early we are going to Bethabara, a little village -beyond Jordan, but situated on its banks, near which we learn John is -now baptizing. Lazarus has gone on with Saul and the learned Gamaliel, -with many lawyers and doctors in company, who desire to see and hear -this prophet of the wilderness. - -That the hope of Israel may not be long deferred, and that we may -receive the Messias, when he cometh, in humble faith, in honor and in -love, is the prayer of - - Your affectionate daughter, - Adina. - - - - -LETTER IX. - - -My Dear Father: - -In these letters to you I hope you will pardon the details which I -enter into, for it is my earnest desire that you should see everything -with my eyes, as if you had been present with me, in order that you may -be able to judge of the remarkable events of which I have undertaken to -give you a complete history. - -After Rabbi Amos had reached the house in the wheat fields of Gilgal, -he kindly told us that he was ready to accompany my cousin Mary and -myself to the Jordan to hear the prophet. We had not ridden a great way -from the house when we overtook two men on foot, with staves in their -hands and wallets upon their shoulders. As we passed, one of them bowed -with respect to Rabbi Amos, who, from his rank as a priest and his -venerable appearance, always commands the homage of all men. - -"Whither goest thou at such a pace, friend Matthew?" said Rabbi Amos, -returning his salutation. "Canst thou leave thy tax-gathering these -busy times to go into the wilderness?" - -The person, who was a man of stout figure, with dark hair and beard -and a look of intelligence, but whose costume was plain and ill-worn, -smiled and answered: - -"If a man would find the payers of tribute nowadays, good master, he -must not stay at home, forsooth, but go into the wilderness of Jordan. -Verily, this new prophet emptieth our towns, and we publicans must -remain idle in our seat of customs or go with the tide." - -"And thinkest thou," continued my uncle, as the two men walked along by -the side of his mule, "thinkest thou this prophet is a true son of the -prophets?" - -"He works no miracles, unless indeed the power of his preaching be a -miracle," answered Matthew. - -"This man is an impostor. There can be no prophet unless he prove his -mission by miracles," suddenly said the companion of Matthew, speaking -up abruptly in a sharp and unpleasing voice. Now neither Mary nor I -liked the face of this man from the first. He was low in height, was -ill-featured, and his attire was mean; but he had a suspicious air, -combined with a cringing deference to Rabbi Amos, that made me think -he must be a hypocrite. He smiled with his mouth and teeth, but at -the same time looked sinister out of his eyes. An air of humility -seemed to me to be put on to conceal the pride and wickedness of his -character. He looked like a man who could artfully deceive to gain his -selfish ends, and who would kneel to you to overturn you. The sound of -his voice confirmed my first impression of him. Upon speaking, Rabbi -Amos fixed his eyes upon him, as if he did not like the manner of his -breaking in upon the conversation. - -"What is thy companion's name, friend Matthew?" he asked aside, as the -other walked on ahead. - -"His name is Judas, called Iscariot. He hath been engaged by me to bear -the moneys I collect in the country villages; and as we are to gather -taxes both at Gilgal and Bethabara, he cometh with me." - -At length, dear father, after hastening the speed of our mules and -riding pleasantly for two hours along the verdant banks of Jordan, we -came in sight of a square tower of stone, peering above the trees -which marked the site of the village of Bethabara. "That tower," said -Rabbi Amos, "stands over a cave in which Elijah long dwelt. From the -summit of yonder hill, at the left, the prophet was caught up and -ascended to heaven upon the chariot of fire; and near where you see the -single rock, Elisha divided Jordan with the fallen mantle left him by -the ascending prophet of God." - -While my eyes were fixed upon the hill, and my imagination presented to -me Elijah standing upon the chariot of heaven, disappearing amid the -clouds, there was an opening in the wood before us, and all at once -we beheld a scene that made my heart cease to beat, it was so new and -wonderful. Near the place the winding river takes a broad curve, and -the opposite village of Bethabara lies in the hollow of it, forming -the center of half a circle. This widely curving shore was alive with -the human heads that filled it. And of this vast multitude every eye -was concentrated upon the prophet. He was standing near the opposite -shore (the Jordan here is very narrow and can be forded), in the -water, addressing the countless assembly that stood opposite to and -half encircling him. Near him, behind, and on either side, sat his -disciples, upon the bank, at least a hundred in number, chiefly young -men. - -The clear voice of the youthful prophet of the wilderness fell -distinctly on our ears, so great was the stillness of the vast -audience. To my surprise I saw John, the cousin of Mary, standing -close to the prophet, and listening with the deepest and most reverent -attention to every syllable he uttered. The subject of the prophet's -discourse was as before, and as always, the coming of the Messias. Oh, -that I could give you, my dear father, the faintest idea of the power -and eloquence of his language! - -"Do you ask me if the blood of bulls and goats take not away sin? I -answer and say unto you, that the Lord hath said that he delighteth not -in these rivers of blood," he continued earnestly. - -"For what, then, great prophet," asked one of the chief Levites, who -stood near him, "for what, then, are the sacrifices ordained by the -law of Moses? for what then the altar in the Temple, and the daily -sacrifice of the lamb?" - -"For what?" repeated the prophet, with his eyes beaming with the -earnest light of inspiration; "for what but as types and shadows of -the real and true sacrifice appointed by God from the foundation of the -world? Think ye a man can give the lamb of his flock for himself? Nay, -men of Israel, the day has come when your eyes shall be opened. The -hour is at hand when the true meaning of the daily sacrifice shall be -understood. Lo, the Messiah cometh, and ye shall see and believe!" - -There now came several persons towards him who desired baptism. While -he was baptizing these persons, both men and women, I saw appear -on a little mound near the tower, Lazarus, the brother of Martha, -accompanied by a man of about his own years, of an indescribable -dignity and grace of aspect, combined with an air of benevolence and -peace that at once attracted me. - -He was wrapped in a vesture of dark blue cloth, which was folded about -his form; his head was bare, and his hair flowed like a Nazarene's down -about his shoulders. He seemed so unlike all other men, in a certain -majesty united with sweetness that marked his whole air, that I could -not withdraw my gaze from him. - -The prophet at the same moment rested his eyes upon him, and as he did -so, I saw a change come over his face, as if he had seen an angel. His -eyes shone with unearthly brilliancy; his lips parted as if he would -speak, yet had lost the power; and then, with his right hand stretched -forth towards the noble stranger, he stood for a moment like a statue. -All eyes followed his and the direction of his stretched-out arm. -Suddenly he exclaimed, and oh, how like the trumpet of Horeb his voice -rang!-- - -"Behold!" - -There was not a face in that vast multitude that was not directed -towards the little eminence. - -"Ye have asked wherefore is slain the daily lamb," continued the -prophet. "The day has come when the lamb of sacrifice, which can take -away no sin, shall cease. Behold!" And here he stretched forth both -arms towards the dignified stranger. "Behold him who taketh away the -transgressions of men! He it is who, coming after me, is preferred -before me. He it is to whom I bear witness, as the Messiah, the Son of -the Highest! There stands the Christ of God! the only true Lamb, whose -blood can take away the iniquities of us all. He hath dwelt among you, -he hath walked your streets, he hath sat in your homes, and I knew him -not, till I now behold on him the sign of the Messiah!" - -When the prophet had thus spoken in a voice that thrilled to every -bosom, we beheld the august stranger advance towards the prophet. -He moved on alone. Lazarus had fallen prostrate on his face. As -he continued to come forward, all was expectation in the immense -multitude. The mass of heads swayed this way and that, to get a sight -of his face, which I could see was serene, but pale and earnest. John, -the cousin of Mary, seeing him approach, lowly knelt, and bowed his -head in reverential awe and love. Those who stood between him and the -prophet moved involuntarily apart, and left an open path for him to the -water-side. He walked at a slow and even pace, with an air of humility -veiling the native dignity of his kingly port. - -The prophet, on seeing him come near, regarded him, as it seemed to me, -with far more awe than all others. - -"What wouldst thou of thy servant, O Messiah, Prophet of God, mighty -to save?" he said, in tremulous tones, as the stranger came even some -paces into the water towards him. - -"To be baptized of thee," answered the Christ, in a still, quiet voice, -that was heard to the remotest bounds of the crowd. Never, oh, never -shall I forget the sounds of that voice, as it fell upon my ears! - -"I have need to be baptized of thee; and comest thou to me?" answered -the prophet, with the lowliest humility and awe of manner and with -looks expressive of his amazement. - -"It becometh us to fulfill all righteousness," answered Messiah, -mildly; and when he had said this, the prophet, though still with a -manner of doubt, and with the holiest reverence, administered then unto -him, in the sight of all the people, the like baptism which he had -administered to his disciples. - -And now, my dear father, comes to be related the most extraordinary -thing that ever took place in Israel since the Law was given from Sinai. - -No sooner did the baptized stranger go up out of the water, than there -was heard above all our heads a noise as of rolling thunder, although -the sky was cloudless; and when in great fear we looked up, we beheld -a dazzling glory far brighter than the sun, and from the midst of this -celestial splendor there darted with arrowy velocity a ray of light -which descended and lit upon the head of the Christ. Some of the -people said it thundered, and others that it lightened, but judge of -the amazement and admiration of all, and the dread awe that shook every -soul when, amid the glory above his head, was seen the form of a dove -of fire, with outspread wings overshadowing him as it were, and from -the heavens what was supposed to be thunder shaped itself into a voice, -which uttered these words in the hearing of every ear: - -"This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased!" - -At hearing these words from the skies a great part of the multitude -fell on their faces. Every cheek was pale, and each man gazed on his -neighbor in wonder and fear. When the majestic, yet terrible, voice -had given utterance to these words, the light disappeared, the dove -re-ascended to the skies and was lost to sight, leaving a halo of -divine glory resting upon the head of this "Son of God." He alone -seemed unmoved and calm amid all this awful scene, and going up the -river bank, disappeared mysteriously and suddenly from my earnest -gaze. At length, when men came a little to themselves, and would gaze -on him whom all knew now to be the Christ, no one could find him, so -effectually had he withdrawn himself from their homage. - - Your affectionate, - Adina. - - - - -LETTER X. - - -My Dear Father: - -I shall now resume the narrative interrupted by the close of my last -letter. - -The excitement which the sudden disappearance of Jesus produced, led to -a universal separation of the multitude. No one knew whence he had gone -save John, Mary's cousin, and Lazarus, who reverently followed him. -The prophet John, of Jordan, appeared to me to be more surprised at -what had taken place than any others. He looked constantly around for -Jesus, and then, with his hands clasped together and uplifted, gazed -heavenward, as if satisfied, with the thousands around him, that He had -been received up into heaven. - -Rabbi Amos and our party remained standing near the water, for he -desired to speak with John, who stood alone in the midst of the water, -precisely where he had baptized Jesus. Not one of his disciples -remained with him. Rabbi Amos drew near, and said to him: - -"Holy prophet, knowest thou what man, if man he may be called, was just -baptized by thee?" - -The prophet, whose eyes had been steadfastly raised all the while, -bent his looks with tearful tenderness upon Rabbi Amos, and said, -plaintively and touchingly: - -"This is he of whom I spake, After me cometh a man which is preferred -before me, for he was before me. And I knew him not; but he that sent -me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt -see the Spirit descending and remaining on him, the same is he that -baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw the Spirit descending like a -dove; and I saw and bear record that this is the Son of God." - -"And whither, oh, holy prophet of Jordan," asked Rabbi Amos, with deep -and sacred interest, "whither has he departed?" - -"That I know not. He must increase and I must decrease, whether he -remaineth on earth or has been taken up into heaven. My mission is now -drawing to its close, for he to whom I have borne witness is come." - -Thus speaking, he turned and walked out of the water on the side -towards Bethabara, and disappeared among the trees that fringed the -bank. I now looked in the face of Rabbi Amos, upon whose arm Mary was -tearfully leaning. His face was grave and thoughtful. I said, "Uncle, -dost thou believe all that thou hast seen and heard?" - -"I know not what to say," he answered, "only that the things which -I have beheld this day are evidences that God has not forgotten his -people Israel." He said no more. We left the banks of the Jordan in -silence and awe, and remounting our mules, returned towards my uncle's -house at Gilgal. On the way we constantly passed crowds of people, all -in high talk about the wonderful events which had taken place at the -river. The impression seemed universally to be that Jesus had gone up -into heaven after he was baptized. - -But, my dear father, it is with deep joy that I am able to tell you -that this wonderful person is still on the earth. I stated that my -cousin John and Lazarus had kept their eyes upon him from the first, -and that they had seen him pass down the river, where some projecting -and overhanging trees hid him at once from view. Though they often lost -sight of him, they yet followed him by the print of his sandals in the -wet sand of the shore, and at length came in view of him, as he was -leaving the river bank, and going towards the desert, between two low -hills, which hid him from their eyes. - -They went on, but though they moved forward rapidly, they next saw -him far distant, crossing the arid plain that stretches south towards -Jericho and the desert. They ran very swiftly, and at length coming -near him, called, "Master, good master, stay for us, for we would -follow and learn of thee!" - -He stopped, and turned upon them a visage so pale and marred with -sadness and anguish, that they both stood still and gazed upon him -with amazement at beholding such a change. The glory of his beauty had -passed away, and the beaming splendor which shone upon his countenance -was wholly gone. The expression of unutterable sorrow that remained -pierced them to the heart. Lazarus, who had been so long his bosom -friend, wept aloud. "Weep not! thou shalt see me another day, my -friends," he said. "I now go to the wilderness, in obedience to the -Spirit which guideth me thither. Thou shalt, after a time, behold me -again. It is expedient for you that I go whither I go." - -"Nay, but we will go with thee," said Lazarus, earnestly. "If thou art -to endure evil, we will be with thee." - -"There must be none to help. There must be none to uphold," he said -firmly, but sadly. "I must tread the winepress of temptation alone!" - -He then left them, waving his hand for them to go back. They obeyed -sorrowfully, wondering what his words meant, and wherefore it was -needful for him to go into the desert, where certain mysterious trials -seemed to wait for him; and they wondered most of all at the change in -his countenance, which, from being lustrous with celestial light, was -now, said Lazarus, "marred more than the sons of men." From time to -time the two young men looked backward to watch the receding figure of -the Christ, till they no longer distinguished him in the distance of -the desert, towards the dreadful solitudes of which he steadfastly kept -his face. - -The two friends came on to the house of Rabbi Amos, at Gilgal, the same -night, and we sat together late at night upon the porch under the fig -trees, talking of Jesus. - -Now, my dear father, how wonderful is all this! That a great Prophet -is among us, cannot be denied. The star of John the Baptizer's fame -dwindles into a glow-worm before the glory of this Son of God! That -he will draw all men unto him, even into the wilderness, if he takes -up his abode there, cannot be questioned. But all is mystery, awe, -curiosity, wonder, and excitement just now. - -May the God of our fathers' house come forth indeed from the heavens, -for the salvation of his people! - - Your devoted and loving, - Adina. - - - - -LETTER XI. - - -My Dear Father: - -In my last letter to you I spoke of our return from Jordan to Gilgal. -At the house were assembled not only John, the cousin of Mary, and the -noble Lazarus, but also Gamaliel and Saul. The court of the dwelling -was thronged with strangers, and the common people who, being far from -their homes and without food, had freely been invited to lodgings and -food by the hospitable priest. - -As we sat up late conversing with deep interest upon the remarkable -events of the day, an observation made by John, when speaking of the -change in the face of Jesus, that "His face was marred more than the -sons of men," led the venerable Gamaliel to say to us: - -"Those are the words of the prophet Esaias, and are truly spoken by him -of Messias, when he shall come." - -"Let us consult Esaias, then, and see what further he hath said," cried -Rabbi Amos. "Mary, bring hither the roll of the Prophets." - -My Cousin Mary returned, and placed the book on a small stand before -him. - -"Read aloud, worthy Rabbi," said the philosopher Gamaliel, "we will -all listen; for though I do not believe this young man who was to-day -baptized is Messias and the Christ, who is to restore all things to us, -yet I am prepared to reverence him as a great prophet." - -"And," answered Rabbi Amos, "if we find the prophecies do meet in him -that which we look for to meet in Messias when he cometh, wilt thou -believe, venerable father?" - -"I will believe and reverently adore," answered the sage, bowing his -head till his flowing white beard almost touched his knees. - -"Read Adina, for thy eyes are young," said my uncle; and I read as -follows: - -"'Behold, my Servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and -extolled, and be very high. As many were astonished at thee; his visage -was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of -men.'" - -"How completely," said John, "those words describe his appearance on -the verge of the desert, and yet I used them unconsciously." - -"But," said Saul, Gamaliel's disciple, "if this be prophesied of the -Christ, then we are to have a Christ of humiliation, and not one of -honor and glory. Read one part which you have omitted, maiden." - -I read on as follows: "'Behold, my Servant shall be exalted and -extolled, and be very high. He shall sprinkle many nations; the kings -shall shut their mouths at him. He shall lift up his hand to the -Gentiles, and set up his standard to the people. Kings shall bow down -to him with their faces to the earth, and lick up the dust of his -feet!'" - -"There! Such is our Messias!" exclaimed Saul. - -"Yes, it is a Christ of power and dominion who is to redeem Israel," -added Gamaliel; "not an unknown young man, scarcely thirty years of -age, who came from whence no one knoweth, and hath gone as he came. As -for the Christ, we shall know whence he cometh!" - -At hearing this great and good man thus discourse, dear father, my -heart sank within me, for Lazarus had already told us that his friend -Jesus was of humble birth, a carpenter's son, and his mother a widow; -that he had known him from boyhood, but known him only to love him. I -now looked towards him, but I took courage when I saw that the words -of Gamaliel did not in the least dim the light of faith and confidence -which brightly sparkled in his eyes, that his friend Jesus was truly -Messias of God. But my eye fell on what follows, and as I read it I -gained more confidence: "He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we -shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him." - -"If the first part of this prophecy," said Lazarus, his fine eyes -lighting up, as he looked at Saul, "be of the Christ, as you have just -now confessed, then is this last of him; and the fact that you reject -him is but the fulfillment of this part of the prophecy." - -Hereupon arose a very warm discussion between Gamaliel and Saul on one -side, and Rabbi Amos, John and Lazarus on the other. - -"But let this be as it may," said John, after the arguments on both -sides had been mainly exhausted, "how will you, O Gamaliel, and you, -Saul, get over the extraordinary voice and fiery appearance which -distinguished the baptism?" - -"That must have been a phenomenon of nature, or done by the art of the -famed Babylonish sorcerer, whom I saw prominent in the multitude," -answered the philosopher. - -"Did you not hear the words?" asked Rabbi Amos. - -"Yes, Rabbi; nevertheless, they may have been thrown into the air from -the lungs of this sorcerer; for they do marvelous things." - -"Would you suppose that a sorcerer would be disposed to apply the -sacred words of the Lord?" asked John, earnestly. - -"By no means," he answered, reverently. - -"If Rabbi Amos will allow me, I will show you the very words in King -David's prophecies of Messias." - -All looked with interest on John, as he took from his mantle a roll of -the Psalms. He opened it and read as follows: - -"'Why do the rulers take counsel together against the Lord, and against -his Anointed? I will declare the decree. The Lord hath said unto me, -Thou art my Son.'" - -Upon hearing this read, Gamaliel was thoughtful. - -"It is extraordinary," answered he. "I will search the Scriptures when -I reach Jerusalem, to see if these things be so." - -"But," said Saul, with some vehemence, "listen while I read some -prophecies also." And he unrolled the book of the Prophets and read -these words: - -"'Thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands -of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to -be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from of old, from -everlasting.' - -"Now, you will confess, Rabbi Amos," he added, with a look of triumph, -"that this word refers to our expected Messias?" - -"Without doubt," answered my uncle, "but--" - -"Wait, I beseech you, learned Rabbi," said Saul, "until I read you -another prophecy." And he read: "'I have made a covenant with David, -Thy seed will I establish forever, and build up thy throne to all -generations. His seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun -before me. Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise -unto David a righteous Branch.' - -"Now, you will all admit, brethren, that these prophecies refer to -Messias. He is therefore to come of the lineage of David, and he is to -be born in Bethlehem. Show me that this Jesus, the Nazarene, fulfills -both conditions in his own person, and I will prepare to believe in -him." - -This was said haughtily, and with the air of one who cannot be answered. - -But immediately Lazarus rose to his feet and said: "Although I did not -recollect this prophecy, that Christ was to be born in Bethlehem, yet I -am overjoyed to find the fact respecting Jesus fulfills it. He was born -in Bethlehem of Judah. This I have known some years, and--" - -Here, while my heart was bounding with joy, Gamaliel said sternly, "I -thought this man was born in Nazareth?" - -"He has lived," answered Lazarus, "in Nazareth from childhood only. -During the days when Cæsar Augustus issued a decree that all the world -should be taxed, his mother, and Joseph her husband, went up to the -City of David to be taxed, which is Bethlehem, and there Jesus was -born, as I have often heard from her lips." - -"Admitting, then, that he was born in Bethlehem," said Saul, "you have -to prove his lineage from David's line." - -"Wherefore did his parents go to Bethlehem, David's city, unless they -were of his royal line?" asked Rabbi Amos, "for none went to any other -city to be taxed than that of their own family. The fact that they went -there is strong evidence that they were of David's house." - -"Every one born in the city of David," remarked Gamaliel, "is not of -necessity of David's house; but it is surprising if this Jesus really -was born in Bethlehem." - -"But may not his lineage be ascertained without a doubt from the -records of the tribes, and of their families, kept by command of the -law of the Temple?" I asked of my uncle. - -"Without question. These books of the generations of our people are to -be relied on," he answered. - -"In fact," said Gamaliel, "they are kept with the greatest accuracy, -and it is so ordained by God, for the very reason that when Messias -cometh we may know whether he who claims to be such be of the house of -David or no. I will examine the book of the generations, and see if his -mother and father come of the stock and seed of David." - -"And if you find that they do," asked John, with emotion, "can you -doubt any longer whether Jesus be the Christ? Will not the fact of his -being born in Bethlehem, and of the lineage of David, not to speak of -the witness of God's own audible voice, heard by our ears this day, -will not these facts lead you to believe that he is the Christ?" - -"They will prevent me from actually rejecting him," answered the cold -philosopher. "But every child born in Bethlehem, and of the house of -David, and there are many of them in Judah, fulfills, so far, the -conditions of these two prophecies; these are not, therefore, Messiahs." - -"What more can you ask for?" asked Mary, with feeling, for she strongly -believed that Jesus was the Christ. - -"Miracles," answered the disciple of Gamaliel, glancing at the face of -his master inquiringly. - -"Yes, miracles," also answered the sage. "The Messiah is to heal the -sick by a word, restore sight to the blind, cast out devils, and even -raise the dead." - -"If he restore the blind and raise the dead, I will doubt no longer," -answered Saul. - -There was at this moment an interruption caused by noisy altercations -in the court among some of John the Baptist's disciples. Rabbi Amos, as -host, went out to put an end to these disputings, when Gamaliel retired -to his chamber, and the conversation was not renewed. - - Your daughter, - Adina. - - - - -LETTER XII. - - -My Dear Father: - -Let me resume the interesting subject of which my letters have been so -full. - -It is now eight weeks since our return from Gilgal. For five weeks -after we reached Jerusalem, we heard nothing of Jesus, until John, son -of Elisaph, reappeared. He and Lazarus came into the city together, and -to the house of Rabbi Amos. Our first inquiry was: - -"Have you seen him? Have you heard anything from him?" - -"John has seen him," answered Lazarus, seriously. "Ask him, and he will -tell you all." - -We looked at John, who sat sad and pensive, as if he were dwelling in -his mind upon some painful, yet tender, sorrow. The eyes of my Cousin -Mary, which always caught their lustre from his, were shaded with an -inquiring look of sympathy and solicitude. - -"You are not well, I fear," she said, placing her fair hand upon his -white brow, and putting back the hair from his temples. "You have been -long away, and are weary and ill." - -"Weary, Mary? I shall never complain of weariness again, after what I -have beheld." - -"What have you seen?" I asked. - -"Jesus in the desert; and when I remember him there, I shall forget to -smile more." - -"You have found him, then?" I eagerly asked. - -"Yes, after days of painful search. I found him in the very center of -the Desert of Ashes, where foot of man had never trodden before. I saw -him upon his knees, and heard his voice in prayer. I laid down the sack -of bread and fishes and the skin of water I had brought with me to -succor him, and with awe drew near where he stood. - -"As I came closer to him, I heard him groan in spirit, and he seemed to -be borne down to the earth by some mortal agony. He was, as it were, -talking to some invisible evil beings who assailed him. - -"'Rabbi, good Master,' I said, 'I have brought thee food and water. -Pardon me if I have intruded upon thy awful loneliness, which is sacred -to some deep grief; but I weep with thee for thy woes, and in all thy -afflictions I am afflicted. Eat, that thou mayest have strength to -endure thy mysterious sufferings.' - -"He turned his pale countenance full upon me, and extended towards me -his emaciated hands, while he smiled faintly, and blessed me and said: - -"'Son, thou art very dear to me. Thou shalt one day be afflicted for -me, but not now, and then understand wherefore I am now a sufferer in -the desert.' - -"'Let me remain with thee, Divine Messias,' I said. - -"'Thou believest, then, that I am he?' he answered, regarding me with -love. - -"I replied by casting myself at his desert-parched feet, and bathing -them with my tears. He raised me and said, 'Go thy way presently. When -the time of my fasting and temptation is past, I will see thee again.' - -"'Nay, I will not leave thee,' I asserted. - -"'If thou lovest me, beloved, thou wilt obey me,' he answered, with a -tone of gentle reproof. - -"'But thou wilt first eat of the bread I have brought, and drink of the -water,' I entreated. - -"'Thou knowest not what temptation thou art offering to me,' he -replied, sadly. 'Thou hast not enough for thine own needs. Go, and -leave me to gain the victory over Satan, the prince of this world, for -which I was led by the Spirit thither.' - -"I once more cast myself at his feet, and he lifted me up, kissing me, -and sent me away. Oh, you would not have known him! Worn and emaciated -by long abstinence, weak through suffering, he looked but the shadow of -himself. He could not have lived thus if there had not been a divine -power within to sustain him! His existence so long, for he had been in -the desert five weeks without food when I found him, was a miracle in -itself, proving the power of God to be in him." - -"For what mighty work among men is God preparing him?" said Rabbi Amos, -with emotion. "Surely he is a prophet come from God." - -"Think you he still lives?" I asked, with anxious fears, scarcely -trusting my voice above a whisper. - -"Yes," answered John. "I am come to tell you he was divinely sustained -through all; and after forty days he came forth from the wilderness, -and suddenly presented himself on the banks of Jordan, among John's -disciples. I was standing near the Baptizer, discoursing of the Christ, -and marvelling when his exile to the desert would terminate, when the -prophet, lifting his eyes, cried with a loud voice full of joy: - -"'Behold again the Lamb of God, upon whom the Spirit of God descended! -He hath come from the furnace like gold seven times tried in the fire! -He it is who alone taketh away the sins of the world!' - -"I turned and beheld Jesus advancing. He was pale and wore an -expression of gentle, uncomplaining suffering on his benign and -spiritualized countenance. I hastened to meet him, and was kneeling in -joy at his feet, when he embraced me as a brother and said, 'Faithful, -and full of love, wilt thou follow me?' - -"'I will nevermore leave thee,' I answered. - -"'Where dwellest thou, divine Master?' then asked one of John's -disciples, Andrew by name, who was with me. - -"'Come, my friends, and see,' he answered; and we went after him with -joy unutterable. - -"He entered the village of Bethabara, and, approaching the house of a -widow, where he abode, went in. We followed him, and by his request -took up our abode with him. Oh, how shall I be able to make known by -words," added John, "the sweet expression of his discourse! In one day -in his presence I grew wise; his words filled the soul like new wine -and made the heart glad. The next day he wished to go into Galilee, and -so on to Nazareth, where his mother dwelleth; and as I have made up my -mind to follow him as his disciple henceforth, I have only come hither -to make known my purpose to Mary, and to arrange my affairs in the -city. To-morrow I will leave again, to join this, my dear Lord, at Cana -of Galilee." - -"Canst thou divine at all his purpose?" asked Rabbi Amos of John, -"whether he intends to found a school of wisdom, to preach like the -prophets, to reign like David, or to conquer like his warrior namesake, -Joshua?" - -"I know not, save that he said he came to redeem that which was lost, -and to establish a kingdom that shall have no end." - -Upon hearing this, all our hearts bounded with hope and confidence in -him, and we all together burst forth into a voice of thanksgiving, and -sang this hymn of praise: - - "O sing unto the Lord a new song. He hath done marvelous things; his - right hand and his holy arm hath gotten the victory. - - "The Lord hath made known his salvation; his righteousness hath he - openly shewed in the sight of the heathen. - - "He hath remembered his mercy and his truth towards the house of - Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God." - -There was this morning, dear father, no little excitement produced -among the chief priests by a formal inquiry sent by Pilate to -Caiaphas, the High Priest, asking whether this new prophet was to be -acknowledged by them as their Messiah, "for, if he is to be, it will -be my duty," said the Governor, "to place him under arrest, inasmuch -as we understand the Jewish Messias is to declare himself king." -Upon this there was a tumultuous assembling together of the priests -in the porch of the Temple, and with many invectives they agreed to -send answer to Pilate that they did not acknowledge Jesus of Nazareth -to be the Christ. What Pilate will conclude to do, I know not. Rabbi -Amos informed us that the Procurator had got some news by courier that -morning that Jesus, on his way to Cana, had been followed by a full -thousand people, who hailed him as the Christ. - -Thus you see, my dear father, that this divine person is already taking -hold of the hearts of the people, and arousing the jealousy of our -enemies. Be assured that the day will come when he will lift up his -standard to the Gentiles, and draw all men unto him. - - Your loving, - Adina. - - - - -LETTER XIII. - - -My Dear Father: - -Since I last wrote you, my faith has been confirmed by the testimony -which in one of your letters you demanded. You said, "Let me hear that -he has done an authentic miracle in attestation of the divinity of his -mission--such a miracle as was prophesied Messias shall do, as healing -the sick by a word, restoring the blind to sight, and raising the -dead--and I will prepare to believe in him." - -Miracle he has performed, dear father, and one the genuineness of which -is not disputed by any one. I can give you the particulars best by -extracting from a letter written by John to Mary, a few days after his -departure to join Jesus at Nazareth: - -"Upon reaching Nazareth," says the letter, "I was guided to the humble -dwelling occupied by the mother of Jesus, by a large concourse of -people gathered about it, of whom inquiring, I learned that it was to -see the new Prophet they had thus assembled. 'What new Prophet?' I -asked, wishing to know what the multitude thought of Jesus. - -"'The one of whom John of the wilderness foretold,' answered one. - -"'They say he is Messias,' replied another. - -"'He is the Christ,' boldly asserted a third. - -"Hereupon a Levite standing by, said scornfully, 'Does Christ come out -of the country of Galilee? You read the Prophets to little purpose, -if you see therein any Christ prophesied to come out of Nazareth -of Galilee.' Hereupon, seeing the faith of many staggered, I said, -'Brethren, Christ is truly to be of Bethlehem, and verily Jesus, though -now he dwelleth in this place, was born in Bethlehem.' - -"'Thou canst not prove it, man!' said the Levite angrily. - -"'The stranger speaketh truly,' spoke up both an old man and a -gray-haired woman in the crowd. 'We know that he was not born here, and -that when his parents moved hither, when he was an infant, they then -said he was born in Bethlehem. We all remember this well.' - -"Hereupon the Levite, seeing that he had not the people with him, -passed on his way, while I went to the door of the house where Jesus -dwelt with his mother. There were two doors, one of which led into a -workshop, where I noticed the bench and tools of the occupation at -which he had toiled to support himself and his mother. But when, as I -entered the dwelling, I saw him standing, teaching those who hung on -his lips, and listened to his calm voice, and heard the sublime wisdom -of his instructions, beheld the dignity of his aspect, and felt the -heavenly benignity of his manner, I forgot the carpenter, I forgot the -man, and seemed to behold in him only Messiah the Prince, the Son of -God. - -"Upon beholding me, he extended his hand, and received me graciously, -and said, pointing to five men who stood near him, regarding him with -mingled love and reverence, 'These are thy brethren, who have also come -out of the world to follow me.' - -"Of these, one was Andrew, who had been, as well as myself, John's -disciple. Another was Andrew's brother, whose name is Simon, whom -Jesus, from the firmness and immovable zeal of his character, which -he seemed to understand, called also Peter, or Stone. The fourth -disciple was of Bethsaida. His name was Philip, and he followed Jesus -from having been prepared by John the Baptist to receive him. He was, -moreover, so overjoyed at finding the Christ, that he ran to the house -of his kinsman, Nathaniel, and finding him in his garden, beneath a fig -tree, at prayer, exclaimed: - -"'We have found him of whom Moses in the law and the prophets did -write, the Messias of God!' - -"'Where is he, that I may behold him?' asked his relative, rising. - -"'It is Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph,' Philip answered. - -"Upon hearing this answer, the countenance of Nathaniel fell, and he -replied: - -"'Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?' - -"'Come thou and see for thyself,' answered Philip. - -"Nathaniel then went with him where Jesus was. When Jesus saw him -approaching, he said to those about him: - -"'Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile!' - -"'Whence knowest thou me?' asked Nathaniel, with surprise, for he had -heard the words which were spoken. Jesus answered and said: - -"'Before Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw -thee.' - -"Upon hearing this Nathaniel, who knew that he was all alone in his -garden and unseen at prayer when his brother came, regarded the serene -face of Jesus steadfastly, and then, as if he beheld therein the -expression of omnipresence, he cried before all the people: - -"'Rabbi, thou art the Son of God! Thou art the King of Israel!' - -"Jesus looked upon him as if pleased at his confession, and said: - -"'Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest -thou? Thou shalt see greater things than these. Verily, verily, I say -unto you, hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God -ascending and descending upon the Son of man.' - -"The next day James, my brother, and I went to the sea of Tiberias, -but two hours distant, to see our father Zebedee, and transfer our -interests to him; and, during the afternoon, Jesus passed near the -shore on his way to Cana, when, calling us, we forever left our ships -and our father and joined him. His mother and many of her kinsfolk were -of the company, all going to a marriage of the cousin of the family. -Upon our arrival at Cana, we were ushered into the guest chamber. - -"The marriage feast at length commenced. The wine which should have -come from Damascus had not arrived, the caravan having been delayed -by the insurrection near Cesarea, and the chief ruler of the town, -presiding at the feast, seeing that the wine had given out, bade the -servants to place more upon the board. The mother of Jesus, who knew -that the wine was out, and that, looking upon this as an ill omen, the -family of the bride were in great distress, turned to Jesus and said, -'They have no wine.' - -"The holy Prophet of God looked grave and said, applying to her the -title which we deem most honorable of all others, 'Woman, what have I -to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come.' - -"She must have understood his words, all mysterious as they were to me, -for, turning to the servants, she beckoned to them, while her cheek -borrowed a rich color from her hidden joy, and her eyes kindled with -loving sympathy for those about to be relieved in their distress. When -two or three of the servants had approached, she said to them: - -"'Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.' - -"The face of Jesus, ever calm and dignified, now seemed to assume -a look of majesty inexpressible, and his eyes to express a certain -consciousness of power within, that awed me. Casting his glance upon -several stone vases, which stood by the door empty, he said to the -servants: - -"'Fill the water pots with water.' - -"In the court, in full sight from the table, was a well to which the -servants forthwith went with jars, which I saw them fill with water, -bear it in upon their heads, and pour it out into the water pots, until -they had filled them all to the brim. - -"In the meantime the governor of the feast and the majority of the -guests were absorbed in conversation and did not observe what was -taking place. - -"'Draw out now and bear unto the governor of the feast,' said Jesus to -the servants. - -"They obeyed, and pouring rich, blood-red wine from the jars which I -and others had seen filled up with simple water from the well, the -amazed servants bore it to the chief of the feast. He had no sooner -filled his goblet and tasted it, than he called to the bridegroom, who -sat in the middle of the table, and said: - -"'Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine, and when men -have well drunk, then that which is worse; but thou hast kept the good -wine until now.' - -"'Who hath brought this wine?' asked the bridegroom, drinking of the -water that was made wine. 'Whence it came, sir, I know not.' - -"Then the servants and others told that they had filled the six water -pots with water to the brim, at the command of Jesus the Prophet, and -that when they drew out, behold it flowed forth wine instead of water! -Upon this there was a general exclamation of surprise, and the governor -of the feast, crying out, 'A great prophet indeed hath been among us, -and we knew it not!' rose to approach and do honor to Jesus; but he had -already conveyed himself away, at once rising and passing out through -the door, and seeking the solitude of the gardens." - -The rumor of the miracle at Cana has reached Jerusalem since I began -this letter, and I hear that it has produced no little excitement in -the market-places and courts of the Temple. Rabbi Amos, on his return -from sacrifice, a few minutes ago, said that he saw, in the court of -the Temple, more than thirty priests with rolls of the Prophets in -their hands, engaged in looking up the prophecies of the Christ. - - Your affectionate daughter, - Adina. - - - - -LETTER XIV. - - -My Dear Father: - -You will not require the testimony of my letters to enable you to -appreciate the fame of the wonderful young man of Nazareth, Jesus, of -whose works you must have heard ere this. His fame for wisdom, for -knowledge of the Scriptures, for power to teach, and for miracles, -has gone abroad through all Syria, so that they bring to him sick -persons, both rich and poor, even from Damascus, to be healed of him; -and he heals all who are brought unto him, whether possessed of devils, -lunatic, or having the palsy. While I now write, a company is passing -the open window, bearing upon beds two wealthy men of Jerusalem, given -over by their physicians, who are going to him to be cured. - -"So great is the multitude which everywhere follows Jesus," writes John -to Mary, "that he is often compelled to withdraw from them by stealth, -to get to some by-place of quiet where he can refresh his wearied -strength for a few days. At such times we, who are his immediate -followers, have the benefit of his teaching and private instructions. -But he cannot remain long away from the people. They soon penetrate -his retirement. How wonderful is he who thus holds in his hands divine -power! The authority of kings is nothing before that which he possesses -in his voice; yet he is serene, humble, oh, how humble! to our shame; -and always calm and gentle. He spends much time in private prayer to -God, whom he always addresses as his Father. Never was such a man on -earth. We, who know him most intimately, stand most in awe of him; yet -with our deep reverence for his holy character is combined the purest -affection. In one and the same breath I feel that I adore him as my -Lord, and love him even as my brother. So we all feel toward him." - -Such, my dear father, is the tenor of all John's letters. When we shall -see Jesus at Jerusalem, I shall be able from personal observation to -write to you more particularly concerning his doctrines and miracles. -What is also of importance, it has been proven by the results of the -examination made by some of the scribes of the Temple, that he was -truly born in Bethlehem, and that both his mother Mary, and Joseph -her husband, are lineal descendants of the house of David. Moreover -Phineas, the venerable priest, whom you know, hath borne testimony to -the fact that when Jesus was an infant, during the reign of the elder -Herod, there arrived in Jerusalem three eminent princes, men of wisdom -and learning. One of these came from Persia, one from the Grecian -province of Media, and one from Arabia, and brought with them gifts of -gold and spices, and were attended by retinues. These three princes -reached Jerusalem the same day by three different ways, and entered -by three different gates, each unknowing to the other's presence -or object, till they met in the city before Herod's palace. One -represented himself descended from Shem, another from Japhet, the third -from Ham. And they mysteriously, it is said, typified all the races of -the earth who by them recognized and adored the Savior of men in the -child Jesus. The king, hearing that these three strangers had arrived -in Jerusalem, sent to know wherefore they had honored his kingdom with -a visit. "They answered," says Phineas, "that they came to do homage to -the young prince, who was born king of the Jews." And when Herod asked -what prince they spoke of, they answered, "We have seen his star in the -East, and are come to worship him." - -"Hereupon," says Phineas, "the king issued an edict for all the chief -priests and scribes of the people to assemble in the council chamber of -his palace. He then addressed them: - -"'Ye to whom is given the care of the books of the Law and the -Prophets, whose study they are, and in whom lies the skill to interpret -the prophecies, search therein, and tell me truly where the Christ is -to be born. Behold here present these august and wise men who have come -from afar to do him homage; nay more, as they aver, to worship him as -God. Let us have the courtesy to give them the answer that they seek, -and let us not be found more ignorant of these things than those who -dwell in other lands.' - -"Several of the chief priests then rose and said: 'It is known, O king, -to all who are Jews, and who read the Prophets, that Messias cometh of -the house of David, of the town of Bethlehem; for thus it is written by -the prophet: "And thou, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, art not least -among the princes of Judah, for out of thee shall come a governor that -shall rule my people Israel."' - -"This question being thus decided," continued Phineas, "Herod dismissed -the council, and retiring to his own private room, secretly sent to -the three princes of the East to inquire of them what time the star -appeared. He then said to them: - -"'You have my permission, noble strangers, to go to Bethlehem, and -search for the young child: and when ye have found him, bring me word -again, that I may come and worship him also.' Then they left the -presence of Herod, and it being dark when they left the palace, they -were overjoyed to behold the star which they saw in the East, going -before them. They followed it until it left Jerusalem by the Bethlehem -gate, and it led them on to the town of Bethlehem, and stopped above -an humble dwelling therein. When they were come into the house, they -saw the rays of the star resting upon the head of an infant in the arms -of its mother Mary, the wife of Joseph. They at once acknowledged and -hailed him as Prince and King of Israel, and falling down, worshiped -him; and opening their treasures, they presented unto him gold, -frankincense and myrrh, gifts that are offered on the altar to God -alone." - -When Phineas was asked by Caiaphas how he knew this fact, he answered -that he himself, prompted by curiosity to see the prince they had come -to worship, had followed them out of the palace of Herod, out of -the gate, and even into Bethlehem, and witnessed their prostrations -and offerings to the infant child of Mary. "And," he added, "if -this be doubted, there are many Jews now living in Jerusalem, and a -certain Hebrew captain, now stricken in years, who can testify to the -slaughter, by Herod's command, of the infants of Bethlehem; for this -captain, Jeremias, led on the soldiers." - -"And wherefore this slaughter?" asked Caiaphas. "It is not on record." - -"Kings do not record their deeds of violence," answered Phineas. "Herod -kept it hushed up when he found that he gained nothing by it but -hatred. He slew them in order that the infant Jesus might be destroyed -among them; for the three wise men, instead of returning through -Jerusalem to their own country, and informing him where they had found -the child, departed by another way. But the child escaped, doubtless by -God's powerful protection." - -"Dost thou believe in him also?" asked Caiaphas, with angry surprise, -looking sternly on Phineas. - -"I will first see and hear him speak, and if he be proven to me to be -Messias, I will gladly worship him." - -"Hereupon," said Rabbi Amos, "there arose a great uproar, some crying -that Jesus was the Christ, and others that Phineas should be stoned to -death." - -Thus you see, my dear father, how the evidence increases in value and -importance, proving Jesus to be the Messiah. Tell me, is not this the -Christ? - - Your affectionate and loving, - Adina. - - - - -LETTER XV. - - -My Dear Father: - -The inquiry you made in your last letter, "What hath become of the -prophet of Jordan, since the fame of Jesus hath so eclipsed his -own?" I can answer but with sadness. The mission on which John came -terminated when Jesus came. Soon afterwards he left the wilderness and -entered Jericho, where Herod chanced to be visiting. Here he preached -in the public places, and in the market, and on the very steps of the -Governor's palace. Now while he was thus speaking to the people, and -the officers and soldiers of the Tetrarch's guard, Herod himself came -forth upon the balcony to listen. The prophet no sooner beheld him -than he boldly addressed him, and sternly reproved him for the sin of -having married the wife of his brother Philip, contrary to the law. -Now Herod, it is said, did not show resentment at his plain dealings, -but, inviting the prophet into his hall, talked much with him, and in -parting offered him gifts, which John refused to touch. The next day he -sent for him again to ask him some questions touching the Messias of -whom he preached. Now Herodia, when it was reported to her, after the -return of Herod from Jericho to his Tetrarchy, how that the prophet had -publicly spoken against her marriage with Herod, became very angry; and -when she found that John was still favored by her husband, she sent for -Herod and said that if he would please her he must throw the prophet -of Jordan into prison. At length Herod yielded, against his own will, -and gave orders for the arrest of the prophet; who, the same night, was -thrown into the ward of the castle. For some weeks this holy man, whose -only offense was that he had the courage to reprove sin in high places, -remained in bonds, while Herod each day sought to find some excuse for -releasing him without displeasing Herodia, of whose anger he stood -in great fear, being an abject slave to his love for her. At length -the birthday of Herod arrived, and he conveyed word to John that in -honor of the day he would send and fetch him out of prison as soon as -he should obtain the consent of his wife, which he believed she would -accord to him on such an anniversary. - -Now, after the feast, Philippa, the daughter of Herodia, and of her -former husband Philip, came in and danced before Prince Herod; and -being beautiful in person and full of grace in every motion, she so -pleased her step-father that he made a great oath, having drunk much -wine with his guests, that he would give her whatsoever she would -ask, were it the half of his kingdom. Her mother then called her, and -whispered to her imperatively. - -"Give me," said the maiden, turning towards Herod, "the head, now, of -John the Baptist in a charger." - -The Tetrarch no sooner heard this request than he turned pale, and said -fiercely: - -"Thy mother hath been tampering with thine ears, girl. Ask half of -my kingdom and I will give it thee, but let me not shed blood on my -birthday." - -"Wilt thou falsify thine oath?" asked his wife, scornfully. - -"For mine oath's sake, and for those who have heard it, I will -grant thy desire," he at length answered, with a sigh of regret and -self-reproach. He then turned to the captain of the guard and commanded -him to slay John Baptist in prison, and bring presently there his head -upon a charger. - -At the end of a quarter of an hour, which was passed by Herod in great -excitement, walking up and down the floor, and by his guests in silent -expectation, the door opened, and the captain of the guard entered, -followed by the executioner, who carried a brazen platter upon which -lay the gory head of the eloquent forerunner of Christ. - -"Give it to her!" cried Herod, sternly, waving him towards the -beautiful maiden who stood near the inner door. The executioner placed -the charger in her hands; and, with a smile of triumph, she bore it to -her mother, who had retired to an inner room. - -All the disciples of the murdered prophet then went where Jesus was -preaching and healing, and told him what had been done to John. "When -Jesus heard of the death of John, he was very sorrowful," writes John -to Mary, "and went away into a desert place apart." In the meanwhile -the disciples of John Baptist fled, some into the deserts, while -others sought Jesus to protect and counsel them. At length he found -himself surrounded by a great multitude, chiefly of John's disciples, -besides many who had come to hear him preach and be healed of him. The -place was a desert and far from any town. Forgetful of all else, save -following Jesus, they were without food. "Which," says John, writing -to Rabbi Amos, "we who were his disciples seeing, suggested that Jesus -should send them away to the villages to buy themselves victuals. But -Jesus answered us, and said quietly: - -"'They need not go away; give ye them to eat.' - -"And Simon said, 'Master, where can we get bread for so many? We have -among us but five loaves and two small fishes.' - -"Upon hearing this, Jesus said, 'It is enough; bring them hither to me.' - -"We collected the bread and fishes, and I, myself, laid them upon a -rock before Jesus. He then said to us, 'Command the multitude to sit -down on the grass.' And when they were all seated, he took the five -loaves and laying his hands upon them and upon the two fishes, he -looked up to heaven and blessed them, and then, breaking them into -fragments, he gave them to us his disciples, and bade us distribute to -the people. As often as we would return for more, we found the loaves -and the fishes undiminished, and I saw with wonder how, when this -Prophet of God would break off a piece of one of the fishes or of a -loaf, the same part would immediately be seen thereon as if it had not -been separated; and in this manner he continued to break and distribute -to us for nearly an hour, until all ate as much as they would. When no -one demanded more, he commanded us to gather up the fragments which lay -by his side, and there were twelve baskets full over and above what -was needed. The number that was thus miraculously fed was about five -thousand men, besides nearly an equal number of women and children. And -this mighty Prophet, who could thus feed an army, voluntarily suffered -forty days and nights the pangs of hunger in the desert! He seems a man -in suffering, a God in creating!" - -This wonderful miracle, my dear father, is one that has too many -witnesses to be denied. Not a day passes that we do not hear of some -still more extraordinary exhibition of his power than the preceding. -Every morning, when men meet in the market places, or in the corridors -of the Temple, the first inquiry is, "What new wonder has he performed? -Have you heard of another miracle of this mighty Prophet?" The priests -alone are offended, and speak evil of him through envy. - -They even have gone so far as to assert that he performs his miracles -by magic, or by the aid of Beelzebub, the prince of the devils. "If -we suffer him to take men's minds as he doth," said Caiaphas to Rabbi -Amos yesterday, when he heard that Jesus had walked on the sea to join -his disciples in their ship, and stilled a tempest with a word, "the -worship in the Temple will be at an end, and the sacrifice will cease. -He draweth all men unto him." - -You have asked, dear father, in your letter, "Where is Elias, who is to -precede Messias, according to the prophet Malachi?" This question Jesus -himself has answered, says John, when a rabbi put it to him. He replied -thus: - -"Elias has come already, and ye have done unto him whatsoever ye -listed." - -"Dost thou speak of John the Baptist?" asked those about him, when -they heard this. - -"John came in the spirit and power of Elias, and therefore was he thus -called by the prophet," was the answer of Jesus. - -I did not tell you that besides the six disciples whom I have named, -he has chosen six others, which twelve he keeps near his person as his -more favored followers, and whom he daily instructs in the doctrines -he came down from heaven to teach. Of the thousands who never weary of -going from place to place in his train, he has also selected seventy -men, whom he has despatched by twos into every city and village of -Judea, commanding them to proclaim the kingdom of God is at hand, and -that the time when men everywhere should repent and turn to God, has -come. - -It is now commonly reported that he will be here at the Passover. I -shall then behold him, and, like the wise men, I shall worship him with -mingled awe and love. I will again write you, dear father, after I see -and hear him. Till then, believe me your affectionate daughter, - - Adina. - - - - -LETTER XVI. - - -My Dear Father: - -While I write, the city is agitated like a tumultuous sea. The loud -murmurs of the multitudes in the streets, and even in the distant -market-place, reach my startled ears. A squadron of Roman cavalry has -just thundered past towards the Temple, where the uproar is greatest; -for a rumor of an insurrection begun among the people has come to -Pilate the Procurator. - -I will relate to you the circumstance in detail. - -Yesterday Mary's cousin, John, returned and came unexpectedly into -the hall of the fountain, in the rear of the house, where we were all -seated in the cool of the vines. Uncle Amos was in the act of reading -to us from the Prophet Jeremiah, a prophecy relating to the Messias -that is to come (nay, that is come, dear father), when John appeared. -Mary's blushes welcomed him and showed how dear he was to her. Uncle -Amos embraced and kissed him and seated him by us, and called for a -servant to bathe his feet, for he was dusty and travel-worn. From him -we learned that his beloved Master, Jesus, had reached Bethany, and -was reposing from his fatigues at the hospitable though humble house -of Lazarus, Mary and Martha. When we heard this, we were all very -glad; and Uncle Amos particularly seemed to experience the deepest -satisfaction. - -"If he come into Jerusalem," said he warmly, "he shall be my guest. Bid -him to my roof, O John, that my household may be blessed in having a -prophet of God step across its threshold." - -"I will tell my beloved Master thy wish, Rabbi Amos," answered John. -"Doubtless, as he has no home nor friends in the city, he will remain -under your roof." - -"Say not no friends!" I exclaimed. "We are all his friends here, and -fain would be his disciples." - -"What! Rabbi Amos also?" cried John, with a glance of pleasure and -surprise at the venerable priest of God. - -"Yes, I am ready, after all that I have seen and heard, I am ready to -confess him a prophet sent from God." - -"He is far more than a prophet, O Rabbi Amos," answered John. "Never -prophet did the works Jesus does. It seems that all power is at his -command. If you witnessed what I witness daily, as he traverses Judea, -you would say that he was Jehovah descended to earth in human form." - -"Nay, do not blaspheme, young man," said Rabbi Amos, with some severity -of reproof. - -John bowed his head in reverence to the rebuke of the Rabbi, but -nevertheless answered respectfully and firmly. "Never man did like him. -If he be not God in the flesh, he is an angel in flesh invested with -divine power." - -"If he be the Messiah," I said, "he cannot be an angel, for are not the -prophecies clear that the Messiah shall be 'a man of sorrows'? Is he -not to be 'the seed of the woman'? a man and not an angel?" - -"Yes," answered John, "you remember well the prophecies. I firmly -believe Jesus to be the Messiah, the Son of God. Yet, what he is more -than man, what he is less than God, is incomprehensible to me and to my -fellow-disciples. We wonder, love and adore! At one moment we feel like -embracing him as a brother dearly beloved; at another, we are ready to -fall at his feet and worship him. I have seen him weep at beholding the -miseries of the diseased wretches which were dragged into his presence, -and then with a touch--with a word, heal them; and they would stand -before him in the purity and beauty of health and strong manhood." - -"And yet," said Nicodemus, a rich Pharisee, who entered as John was -first speaking, and listened without interrupting, "and yet, young man, -I heard you say that Jesus, of whom you and all men relate such mighty -deeds, has remained at Bethany to recover from his fatigue. How can a -man who holds all sickness in his power, be subject to mere weariness -of body? I would say unto him, Physician, heal thyself!" - -This was spoken with a tone of incredulity by this learned ruler of the -Jews, and, stroking his snowy beard, he waited of John a reply. - -"So far as I can learn the character of Jesus," replied John, "his -healing power over diseases is not for his own good. He uses his -power to work miracles for the benefit of others through love and -compassion. Being a man with this divine power dwelling in him for us, -he is subject to infirmities as a man; he hungers, thirsts, wearies, -suffers, as a man. I have seen him heal a nobleman's son by a word, -and the next moment seat himself, supporting his aching head upon his -hand, looking pale and languid, for his labors of love are vast, and he -is often overcome by them. Once Simon Peter, seeing him ready to sink -with weariness, after healing all day, asked him and said, 'Master, -thou givest strength to others; why suffer thyself, when all health and -strength are in thee as in a living well, to be weary?' - -"'It is not my desire to escape human infirmities by any power my -Father hath bestowed upon me for the good of men. Through suffering -only can I draw all men after me!' he replied." - -John said this so sadly, as if he were repeating the very tones in -which Jesus had spoken it, that we all remained silent for a few -moments. I felt tears fill my eyes, and I was glad to see that the -proud Pharisee, Nicodemus, looked moved. After a full minute's serious -pause, he said: - -"This man is doubtless no common prophet. When he comes into the city, -I shall be glad to hear from his own mouth his doctrines, and to -witness some potent miracle." - -"Prophet he is, without doubt," answered Amos. "It is not the question -now whether he be a prophet or not; for the hundreds he has healed are -living witnesses that he has the spirit and power of the old prophets, -and is truly a prophet. The question that remains is, whether he be the -Messiah or not." - -Nicodemus slowly and negatively shook his head, and then answered: - -"Messias cometh not out of Galilee." - -At this moment a sudden wild, joyful cry from Mary thrilled our nerves, -and looking towards the door, we saw her folded in the arms of a young -man whom I had never seen before. My surprise had not time to form -itself into any definite explanation of what I saw, when I beheld the -young man, who was exceedingly handsome and the picture of health, -after kissing the clinging Mary upon her cheeks, leave her to throw -himself into the arms of Rabbi Amos, crying: - -"My father, my dear father!" - -My uncle, who had stood amazed and wonderingly gazing on him, as if -he could not believe what his eyes beheld, now burst into profound -expressions of grateful joy, and as he clasped the young stranger -to his heart, fell upon his neck and wept, with scarcely power to -articulate the words: - -"My son! My son! Lost, but found again! This is the Lord's doing and is -marvelous in our eyes!" - -John also embraced the new-comer, and the ruler stood silent with -wonder. While I was looking bewildered upon the scene, Mary ran and -said to me, with tears of gladness shining in her dark, fine eyes: - -"It is Benjamin, my lost brother, beloved Adina!" - -"I did not know you had a brother," I answered in surprise. - -"We have long regarded him as dead," she replied with mingled emotions. -"Seven years ago he became lunatic, and fled to the tombs without the -city, where he has long dwelt with many others who were possessed -with devils. For years he has neither spoken to nor known us. But oh, -now--now behold him! It seems a vision! See how manly, noble, like -himself he is, with the same intelligent, smiling eyes." - -She then flew to take him by the hand and lead him toward me, all eyes -being fixed upon him, as if he had been a spirit. - -When he saw their wondering gaze, he said: - -"It is I, both son and brother to those dearest to me. I am in my right -mind and well." - -"Who has effected this change, so extraordinary, oh, my son?" inquired -Rabbi Amos, with trembling lips, and keeping his hand on Benjamin's -shoulder, as if he feared he would vanish away. - -"It was Jesus, the Prophet of the Highest!" answered he, with solemn -gratitude. - -"Jesus!" we all exclaimed in one voice. - -"I could have said so," answered John, calmly. "Rabbi Nicodemus, thou -knowest this young man well. Thou hast known him in childhood, and -beheld him in the madness of his lunacy among the tombs. Dost thou -doubt now whether Jesus be the very Christ?" - -Nicodemus made no reply, but I saw from the expression of his face that -he believed. - -"How was this done to thee, young man?" he asked, with deep and visible -emotion. - -"I was wandering near Bethany this morning," answered the restored -one, with modesty, "when I beheld a crowd which I madly followed. -As I drew near I beheld in their midst a man, whom I had no sooner -cast my eyes upon than I felt seize me an ungovernable propensity to -destroy him. The same fury possessed seven others, my comrades in -madness, and together we rushed upon him, with great stones and knives -in our hands. The crowd gave way and fell back aghast, and called him -to save himself. But he moved not, but, left alone in a wide space, -stood calmly awaiting us. We were within a few feet of him, and I was -nearest, ready to strike him to the earth, when he quietly lifted one -finger and said, 'Peace!' We stood immovable, without power to stir a -foot, while our rage and hatred increased with our inability to harm -him. We howled and foamed at the mouth before him, for we then knew -that he was the Son of God, come to destroy us. - -"'Come out of the men and depart quickly!' he said, in a tone of -command as if to us, but really to the demons within us. At this word -I fell at his feet in a dreadful convulsion, and my whole body writhed -as if it had been wrestling with an invisible demon. Jesus then stooped -and laid his hand upon my brow and said, 'Son, arise. Thou art made -whole!' - -"At these words a black cloud seemed to be lifted from my mind. The -glory of a new existence appeared to dawn upon my soul, while his voice -melted my heart within me. Bursting into tears, the first I have shed -for seven years, I fell at his feet and kissed and embraced them." - -When Benjamin had done speaking, we all gave glory to God, who had -given him back to us, and who had sent so great a Prophet among men. - -I commenced this letter, dearest father, by an allusion to a great -commotion which is agitating the whole city, but as I have taken up -so much of this letter in relating what passed yesterday in the hall -of the fountain, I will leave the account of the tumult for my next -letter, which I shall write this evening. - -May the God of our fathers be with you, and bless you and the holy -people of the promise. - - Adina. - - - - -LETTER XVII. - - -My Dear Father: - -When, on the morning of the Passover, it was noised abroad that the -Prophet of Galilee was entering the city by the gate of Jericho, the -whole city was stirred, and from houses and shops poured forth crowds -which turned their steps in that direction. Mary and I went upon the -house-top, hoping to see something; but far and near was visible only -a sea of heads, from which a deep murmuring arose, like the ceaseless -voice of the ocean chafing upon a rocky shore. The top of the gate-way -was visible from the place where we stood, but it was black with the -people who had crowded upon it to look down. There was heard at length -an immense shout, as of one voice, which was followed by a swaying and -onward pressure of the crowds. - -"The Prophet must have entered the gate," said my Cousin Mary, -breathlessly. "How they do him honor! It is the reception of a king!" - -We were in hopes he would pass by our house, as we were on one of the -chief thoroughfares, but were disappointed, as he ascended the hill of -Moriah to the Temple. A part of the ascent to the house of the Lord -is visible from our roof, and we had the satisfaction of seeing the -Prophet at a distance. We knew him only because he was in advance. -The nighest one to him, Mary said, was her Cousin John, though -at that distance I could not have recognized him. The head of the -multitude disappeared beneath the arch of the Temple, and thousands -upon thousands followed after; and in the rear rode the young Roman -centurion, whom I have before spoken of, at the head of four hundred -horse, to keep order in the vast mass. Mary could not recognize him, -saying it was too far to tell who he was; but I knew him, not only by -his air and bearing, but by the scarlet pennon that fluttered from his -iron lance, and which I had bestowed upon him, for he told me he had -lost one his fair Roman sister, Tullia, had given him, and as he so -much regretted its loss, I supplied its place by another, worked by my -own hands. - -[Illustration: STREET IN JERUSALEM] - -The multitude, as many as could gain admission, having entered the -great gate of the Temple, for a few minutes there was a profound -stillness. Mary said: - -"He is worshiping or sacrificing now." - -"Perhaps," I said, "he is addressing the people, and they listen to his -words." - -While I was speaking there arose from the bosom of the Temple a loud, -irregular, strange outcry of a thousand voices, pitched to high -excitement. The people without the gate responded by a universal shout, -and then we beheld those nighest the walls retreat down the hillside -in terrified confusion, while, to increase the tumult, the Roman horse -charged up the hill, seeking to penetrate the masses to reach the -gate out of which the people poured like a living and tempest-tossed -river, before which the head of the cohort recoiled or was overwhelmed -and down-trodden! I held my breath in dreadful suspense, not knowing -the cause of the fearful scene we beheld, nor to what it might lead. -Mary sank, almost insensible, by my side. A quarter of an hour had not -passed when young Samuel Ben Azel, who had the day before come up from -Nain to the Passover with his mother, entered and explained to us the -cause of the scene I had witnessed. - -"The Prophet Jesus, having entered into the Temple, found all the -courts filled with merchants, changers of money, and sellers of cattle -to the sacrificers. Portions of the sacred place were divided off by -fences, in which hundreds of sheep and cattle were stalled. On his -way to the inner Temple the Prophet found his path so obstructed by -the stalls and the tables of the brokers, that he had to go around -them, and often to turn back and take a less hedged-up avenue. At -length finding, upon the very lintel of the Court of the Priests, -a priest himself engaged at a table as a money-changer, and near -him a Levite keeping a stall for selling doves and sparrows to the -worshipers, he stopped upon the step, and turning round, cast his eye, -which now beamed with an awful majesty and power, over the scene of -noisy commerce and bartering. Every face was turned towards him in -expectation. The half-completed bargain was suspended, and buyer and -seller directed their gaze, as by a sort of fascination, not unmingled -with a strange fear and awe, upon him. Those who had crowded about him -drew back farther and farther, slowly but irresistibly widening the -space between them and him, they knew not by what impulse, till he -stood alone, save near him remained John, his disciple. The uproar of -the buying and selling suddenly subsided, and the loud lowing of the -cattle and the bleating of the sheep stopped as if a supernatural awe -had seized even the brute creation at his presence, and only the soft -cooing of doves stirred the vast, death-like stillness of the place, a -moment before a scene of oaths, cries, shouts, of running to and fro, -buying and selling, the ringing of money, and the buzz of ten thousand -voices! It was as if a hurricane, sweeping with deafening uproar of -the elements over the lashed ocean, had been suddenly arrested and -followed by a great calm. The silence was dreadful! It stopped the very -beating of my heart. Every eye of the vast multitude seemed to fasten -itself on the Prophet in expectation of some dread event. The step of -the Temple upon which he stood seemed to be a throne, and the people -before him expecting judgment. Suddenly the silence was broken by a -young man near me who gave a piercing shriek, and fell insensible upon -the marble floor. There was a general thrill of horror, yet the same -awful stillness succeeded this startling interruption. That one intense -shriek had spoken for us all. Suddenly the voice of the Prophet was -heard, clear, authoritative, and ringing like the trumpet that shook -Sinai when the Law was given. - -"'It is written, My Father's house shall be called a house of prayer; -but ye have made it a den of thieves!' - -"He then picked up from the pavement at his feet a small cord, which -some one had thrown down, and doubling it in the form of a scourge, he -advanced. Before his presence fled the changers of money, priests and -Levites, sellers of oxen, sellers of sheep, sellers of doves, leaving -their property to its fate. - -"'Take these things hence,' cried the Prophet; 'make not my Father's -house a house of merchandise!' - -"Such a scene of confusion and flight was never witnessed as now -followed! In the moment of panic I was borne along with the current. -Money tables were overturned on all sides, but not the most avaricious -one present thought, at that moment, of stopping to gather any of -the gold and silver which the rushing thousands trampled beneath -their feet. It was not the whip of small cords before which we fled, -for he touched no man therewith, but it was from the majesty of his -countenance. To the eyes of all the little whip seemed to blaze and -flash above their heads, as if it were the fiery sword of a destroying -angel. In a few moments the Priests' Court of the Temple was cleared of -every soul, as we fled towards the South gate. On looking back, I saw -that the Prophet pursued not, but stood alone, Master and Lord of the -Temple. The whip was no longer in his hand, and his whole attitude and -expression of face seemed changed from their late impress to an air of -the profoundest compassion, as he looked after us, still flying from -his presence." - -My uncle, Rabbi Amos, who, on his return from the Temple, corroborated -what Samuel had stated, added that as Jesus stood alone, possessor of -the gold-strewn floors of the courts of the Temple, the High Priest -advanced towards him, and with awe, not unmixed with anger, demanded of -him by what authority he did these things. - -His answer was, "My Father's house must not be made a house of -merchandise." - -"Art thou the Christ?" asked the High Priest, still standing some -distance off from him. - -"If I tell thee that I am, ye will not believe." - -"What sign showest thou that thou art sent, and hast authority to do -what thou doest here to-day within the Temple?" - -"Hast thou not had proof of my power from heaven?" answered Jesus, -stretching forth his hand towards the still terror-stricken multitude; -and then laying it upon his breast, he added: "Destroy this temple, and -in three days I will raise it up! Be this to you, O priest, and to all -Judea, the sign that I am sent by my Father who is in heaven. As he -hath given me commandment, so I do!" - -At this there was a great murmuring, said Rabbi Amos, for many of the -priests, with Annas also, had got boldness and drawn near to hear. - -"He cannot be a just man," said Annas, "nor doth he honor God, if he -would have us destroy the Temple." - -"Yet if he be not sent of God, whence hath he this power over men?" -answered another. - -"He doeth this by Beelzebub, whose prophet he doubtless is," said -Annas, in a loud tone, "for a true prophet would not seek the -destruction of God's holy house." - -Thereupon there was a multitude of voices, some crying one thing, and -some another. Caiaphas at length obtained silence, and said to him with -awe: - -"Art thou that Christ of the Prophets?" - -"I am!" calmly and firmly answered the Prophet; and, raising his eyes -to heaven, he added impressively, "I am come down from God." - -When, adds my uncle, Annas heard this, he lifted up his voice in an -exclamation of horror, and cried out: - -"Hear ye this blasphemer! Let us cast him forth from the Temple which -he pollutes!" - -But no man dared approach the Prophet. - -"Bear witness," then said he, sorrowfully, rather than in anger, "that -I have come unto my own, and ye have received me not! This Temple of -my Father, from which you would drive me forth, shall no longer be -the dwelling place and altar of Jehovah. The day cometh when your -priesthood shall be taken away and given to others, and among the -Gentiles shall arise my Father's name, on every hill and in every -valley of the earth, holy temples, wherein he shall delight to dwell; -and men shall no longer need to worship God in Zion, but in all places -shall prayer and praise be offered to the Most High. This Temple, which -ye have polluted, shall be overthrown, and ye shall be scattered among -the nations." - -Thus speaking, the Prophet quitted the Temple, leaving the High Priest -and priests and Levites standing gazing after him, without power to -utter a word. - -Such, my dear father, is the account given by Rabbi Amos of what passed -in the Temple. That Jesus is the Christ is now beyond question, for he -has openly acknowledged it to the High Priest. - -Adieu, dearest father. The servants are bringing in boughs for the -booths, and I must close this letter, with prayers to our fathers' God -for your peace and welfare. - - Adina. - - - - -LETTER XVIII. - - -My Dear Father: - -You say in your letter, which I received from the hands of the Roman -courier, that you have read with interest all my letters, and more -especially those which relate to Jesus of Galilee. You say that you are -ready to acknowledge him as a prophet sent from God. But you add, "He -can have no claim to be the Christ, because he comes out of Galilee." - -To this objection, dear father, Rabbi Amos desires me to say that he -has investigated the records of births kept in the Temple, and finds, -as I have before named to you, that Jesus was born in Bethlehem. He -afterwards removed with his parents to Egypt, and thence returning to -Judea, settled in Galilee, where he was brought up. Of these facts -in his history not only Rabbi Amos is satisfied, but Nicodemus also, -whose learning you will not gainsay; and the latter, very much to our -surprise, and my own delight, added yesterday, when we were talking -over the subject at supper, "There is a prophecy, O Rabbi Amos, which -strengthens this mighty Prophet's claim to be the Messias." - -"What is it? Let me hear all that can strengthen!" I asked earnestly; -not, dear father, that my confidence in him needs confirmation, but I -wish others to believe. - -"You will find it in the Prophet Hoseas," answered Nicodemus, "and thus -it readeth: 'I have called my son out of Egypt.'" - -My heart bounded with joy, dear father, at hearing this prophecy named; -but judge my emotion when Nicodemus, taking the roll of the Prophet -Isaiah in his hand, read the words that follow, and applied them to -Jesus: "Beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the Gentiles, the people which sat -in darkness have seen a great light!" This changes the objection to -his coming from Galilee into additional proof of his claim to be the -Messias. - -In my last letter I informed you that Rabbi Amos had invited him -to sojourn with us during the Passover. He graciously accepted the -invitation, and came hither yesterday, after he had quitted the Temple, -from which he had with such commanding power driven forth the merchants -and money-changers. - -Hearing, while expecting him, the rumor flying along the streets, "The -Prophet comes! The Prophet comes!" uttered by hundreds of voices of -men and children, I hastened to the house-top. The whole way was a sea -of heads. The multitude came rolling onward, like a mighty river; as I -have seen the dark Nile flow when pouring its freshening floods along -its confined banks. - -Mary stood by my side. We tried to single out the central person around -whom undulated the sea of heads; but all was so wildly confused with -the waving of palm branches that we could distinguish nothing clearly. -While I was straining my gaze to make out the form of the Prophet, -Mary touched me, and bade me look in the opposite direction. As I did -so I beheld Æmilius Tullius, the young Roman centurion, now Prefect of -Pilate's Legion, advancing at the head of two hundred horsemen at full -spur, in order to meet and turn back the advancing column of people. - -As he came opposite the house he looked up, and seeing us upon the -parapet, he gracefully waved his gleaming sword, saluted us, and was -dashing past, when Mary cried out: - -"Noble sir, there is no insurrection, as some of the people have -doubtless told thee, but this vast crowd moving hitherwards is only an -escort to the Prophet of Nazareth, who cometh to be my father's guest." - -"I have orders from Pilate to arrest him, lady, as a disturber of the -peace of the capital." - -"Shall a prophet suffer because his mighty deeds draw crowds after his -footsteps, noble Roman? If thy troops advance there will be a collision -with the people. If thou wilt withdraw them a little, thou wilt see -that when the Prophet crosses my father's threshold, they will go away -in peace." - -The prefect said nothing, but seemed to look at me for some words; -which seeing, I earnestly entreated him to do the Prophet no violence. - -"For thy wishes' sake, lady, I will here halt my troop, especially as I -see that the people are unarmed." - -The centurion then gave orders to his horsemen to draw up in line -opposite the house. The multitude now came near, but many of those in -advance, seeing the Roman horse, stopped or fell into the rear, so -that I beheld Jesus appear in front, walking at an even, calm pace, -John at his side; also Rabbi Amos was with him. As he came nigher, the -people, for fear of the long Roman spears, kept back, and he advanced -almost alone. I saw John point out to him our house. The Prophet -raised his face and gazed upon it an instant. I saw his features -full. His countenance was not that of a young man, but of a person -past the middle age of life, though he is but thirty. His hair was -mingled with gray, and in his finely shaped, oval face were carved, -evidently by care and sorrow, deep lines. His flowing beard fell upon -his breast. His eyes appeared to be fixed upon us both for an instant -with benignity and peace. Deep sadness, gentle, not stern, seemed to be -the characteristic expression of his noble and princely visage. There -was an air of manly dignity in his carriage and mien, and as he walked -amid his followers he was truly kingly, yet simplicity and humility -qualified this native majesty of port. He seemed to draw out both the -awe and love of those who saw him--to command equally our homage and -sympathy. - -Passing the troop of horse, John and Rabbi Amos conducted Jesus to our -door; but before they reached it there was a loud cry from several -harsh voices to the Roman to arrest him. On looking from whence these -shouts came, I saw that they proceeded from several of the priests, -headed by Annas, who were pressing forward through the crowd, crying -menacingly: - -"We call upon you, O prefect, to arrest this man! Shame on thee, Rabbi -Amos! Hast thou also believed in the impostor? We charge this Galilean, -O Roman, with having made sedition. He has taken possession of the -Temple, and unless you see to it he will have the citadel out of your -hands. If you arrest him not, we will not answer for the consequences -that may befall the city and the people." - -"I see nothing to fear from this man, O ye Jews," answered Æmilius. "He -is unarmed and without troops. Stand back; keep ye to your Temple! It -is from your outcries comes all the confusion! Back to your altars! If -commotions arise in the city, Pilate will make you accountable. All the -rest of the people are peaceable save yourselves." - -"We will take our complaint before the Procurator!" cried Annas, who -was the chief speaker; and, followed by a large company of angry -priests and Levites, with staves in their hands, he took his way -towards the palace of the Roman Governor. - -I looked my gratitude to Æmilius for so fearlessly taking part with the -Prophet. - -The multitude now began to retire as the Roman horse slowly moved up -the street. Jesus was received into the house by Mary, and taken into -the inner hall, where, water being brought, Rabbi Amos himself removed -the sandals of the Prophet and reverently washed his feet, while Mary, -to do him all honor, dried them with a rich veil, which she had just -worked in anticipation of her coming bridal with her Cousin John. It -was at this moment I entered the hall. - -There were in the room not only Amos, and John, and Mary, but the -Priest Elias, cousin to Caiaphas, who, desirous of hearing from the -lips of the Prophet his sublime teachings, had come in with him. There -were also present five men whom I never saw before, but who, John said, -were his disciples. I, however, had no eye or ear for any one but -Jesus. I saw that he seemed very weary and pale, and for the first time -I noticed he seemed to suffer, as from time to time he raised his hand -to his temples. Desirous of serving so holy a person, I hastened to -prepare a restorative which, bringing it into the hall, I was about to -give to him, when the Priest Elias put me rudely back and said, "Nay, -maiden, let us witness a miracle!" He then turned to the Prophet and -said, "Master, we have heard much of thy power to do miracles, but have -seen none by thee. If thou wilt presently show me a miracle, I will -believe, I and all my house. Thou hast a pain in thy forehead; heal it -with a touch, and I will acknowledge thee the Christ, the Son of the -Blessed!" - -Jesus turned his eyes upon him and said, "Elias, thou readest the -Prophets, and shouldest know whether he who speaketh unto thee be the -Christ or no. Search the Scriptures, that thou mayest know that the -time of his visitation is come, and that I am he. I do no miracles to -relieve my own suffering. I came into this world to suffer. Isaiah -wrote of me as a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. Blessed are -they who, not seeing, shall believe!" - -"But, Master," said the aged Levite, Asher, "we know whence thou -art--even from Galilee. But when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence -he is." - -"It is true, O man of Israel, ye both know me and whence I am. Yet ye -know not him who sent me. Ye do not understand the Scriptures or ye -would indeed know me, whence I am, and who hath sent me. But ye know -neither me nor him that sent me, for I am come out from God. If ye had -known him, ye would know me also. The time cometh when ye shall know -whence I am and believe in me; but now your hearts are darkened through -ignorance and unbelieving." - -When he had thus spoken with great dignity and power, there were many -present who were offended, and some voices murmured against him. Then -Rabbi Amos led him forth to the apartment he had prepared for him. - -In going to it the Prophet had to cross the court, and as I was -watching his retiring footsteps, I saw four men, who had climbed to -the house-top from the side street, the doors being closed, let down a -fifth in a blanket at the very feet of Jesus. It was a man afflicted -with the palsy, and their own father. Jesus, seeing their filial love, -stopped and said kindly: - -"Young men, what would ye have me to do?" - -"Heal our aged father, holy Rabbi." - -"Believe ye that I can do this?" he asked, fixing his gaze earnestly on -them. - -"Yes, Lord, we believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of the living -God! All things are possible unto thee!" - -Jesus looked benignantly upon them, and then taking the venerable man -by the hand, he said to him in a loud voice, so that all who were -looking on heard him: - -"Aged father, I say unto thee, arise and walk!" - -The palsied man instantly rose to his feet, whole and strong, and after -casting a glance around upon himself, he threw himself at the Prophet's -feet and bathed them in tears. The four sons followed their father's -example, while all the people who witnessed the miracle shouted, "Glory -to God, who hath given such power unto men!" - -Such, my dear father, are the increasing testimonies Jesus bears, by -miracles as well as by words, to his being Messias. - -The God of our fathers keep you in health. - - Your loving daughter, - Adina. - - - - -LETTER XIX. - - -My Dear Father: - -The visit of the Prophet Jesus to the city has produced results of -the most amazing character. The priesthood is divided. Caiaphas has -publicly recognized him as a prophet, while Annas has publicly declared -that he is an impostor; and thus two parties are formed in the city, -headed by the two priests, and most men have taken sides with one or -the other. But the majority of the common people are in favor of Jesus, -believing him to be the Christ. The Pharisees most oppose him, because -he boldly reproves their sins and hypocrisies. - -Even Nicodemus, who at first was inclined to accept Jesus as a prophet, -finding the Pharisees against him, and being unwilling to lose his -popularity with them, kept away from the house where Jesus was by -day; but his curiosity to learn more of him led him to visit the holy -Prophet secretly by night. This he did twice, coming alone in the -darkness, and being let in by his friend Rabbi Amos. What the results -of these interviews was I can only tell you from Mary's account. She -overheard their conversation, her window opening upon the corridor, -where Jesus was seated after supper, alone in the moonlight, for full -an hour, gazing meditatively heavenward. His pale and chiseled features -in the white moonlight seemed radiant as marble, when Rabbi Amos came -and announced the ruler, Nicodemus, as desirous of speaking with him. - -"Bid him come in and see me, if he has aught to say to me," answered -the Prophet, turning towards him. - -"Nicodemus," added my Cousin Mary, "then came to the corridor, -wrapped carefully in his mantle, and, looking about to see if he was -unobserved, he dropped it from his face, and, bowing reverently, said -to the Prophet: - -"'Pardon me, O Rabbi, that I come to thee by night, but by day thy time -is taken up with healing and teaching. I am glad to find thee alone, -great Prophet, for I would ask thee many things.' - -"'Speak, Nicodemus, and I will listen to thy words,' answered the -Prophet. - -"'Rabbi,' said the ruler of the Pharisees, 'I know thou art a teacher -come from God, for no man can do these things that thou doest except -God be with him. That thou art a mighty prophet I believe, as do all -men; but art thou Messias? Tell us plainly. We read that Messias is to -be a king who will rule the whole earth!' - -"'My kingdom, O ruler of the Pharisees, is not of this world. I am -indeed a king, but of a spiritual kingdom. My kingdom, unlike earthly -kingdoms, has no end, and those who enter it must be born again. If -not, they cannot see or desire this kingdom.' - -"'Born again!' answered Nicodemus, with surprise: 'how can a man be -born a second time? O Rabbi, thou speakest in parables!' - -"'Verily, verily, I say unto thee,' answered the Prophet, 'except a man -be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter my kingdom. He that -is born again is born a spiritual man and of my kingdom. Marvel not, -then, that I say unto thee, ye must be born again.' - -"When Nicodemus left him, Rabbi Amos said, 'Is it indeed true, O -Master, that thou art to establish a kingdom?' - -"'Yes, Rabbi Amos, a kingdom in which dwelleth righteousness,' answered -the Prophet. 'Thou shalt yet behold me on my throne, O Amos, raised -above the earth, and drawing all men unto me.' - -"'Wilt thou have thy throne in the clouds of heaven, O Master, that -thou shalt be raised above the earth upon it?' asked Rabbi Amos. - -"'My throne shall be set on Calvary, and the ends of the earth shall -look unto me and acknowledge my empire. Thou knowest not these things -now, but hereafter thou shalt remember that I told thee of them.'" - -Jesus then rose and, bidding his host good-night, retired to the -apartment which was assigned him, and Mary remained wondering on his -sayings. - -Thus, dear father, it is made certain from his own words that Jesus -is the Christ and that he is to establish a kingdom. But why his -throne shall be on Calvary instead of Mount Zion, Rabbi Amos wonders -greatly, for Calvary is a place of skulls and of public executions, -and is covered with Roman crosses, where every week some malefactor is -crucified for his crimes. - -This morning, as Jesus was going forth from the house to depart into -the country, a man lame from his youth, seated upon the threshold, -caught him by the robe, saying, "Master, heal me!" - -"Son, thy sins be forgiven thee!" answered Jesus, and then passed on; -but the scribes and Pharisees who stood about cried, "This man, be he -prophet or no, blasphemeth, for God alone can forgive sins!" - -Jesus stopped and, turning to them, said: - -"Which is easier, to say to this man, 'Thy sins be forgiven thee?' or -to say, 'Rise and walk'? That ye may know that the Son of God hath -power on earth to forgive sins--behold!" - -Then in a loud voice the Prophet said to the lame man, "Arise, take up -thy bed, and go to thine house!" - -Immediately the man rose to his feet, leaping and praising God, and -taking up the mattress upon which they had brought him to the door, he -ran swiftly away to show himself to his kinsfolk, while all the people -shouted and praised God. - -Thus did Jesus publicly show men that he could forgive sins, if he -could heal, as the power to do either came equally from God. Does not -this power prove that he is the Son of God? - -You should have seen him, dear father, as he left our house to go away -into Galilee! The street was lined with all the afflicted of Jerusalem, -and as he moved on between the rows of wretched sufferers, whose hollow -eyes and shrivelled arms were turned imploringly towards him, he healed -by words addressed to them, as he moved on, so that where he found -disease before him, stretched on beds, he left behind him health and -empty couches. We all wept at his departure and followed him to the -Damascus Gate. Here there was assembled a large company of Levites and -priests, among whom were mingled some of the most desperate characters -in Jerusalem. Knowledge of this fact reached Rabbi Amos, who at once -sent a message to Æmilius, our Roman friend, informing him that he -apprehended that there would be an attempt made to assassinate Jesus at -the going out of the gate, and asking his aid. - -Æmilius placed himself at the head of fifty horse, and reaching the -gate, pressed the crowd back, and took possession of it. When Jesus -had passed through the armed guard beneath the arch, the young Roman -courteously offered him an escort to the next village. - -Æmilius, who informed me of these things, conducted him as far as -Ephraim, and then was about to leave him to return to the city, when -four lepers came from the cemetery of the tombs, near the village, and -crying out afar off, said: - -"Thou blessed Christ, have mercy on us!" - -Jesus stopped and called to the lepers to approach. As they obeyed, the -whole company of people, as well as the Roman soldiers, drew back to a -distance, in horror at the sight of these dead-living men. They came -timidly within twenty paces of Jesus and stood still tremblingly. - -"Fear not," said he, "I will make you whole!" - -He then advanced towards them, and laying his hand upon each of them, -they all, at the touch, were instantly changed to well men, with the -buoyant form, clear eye, and rich bloom of health. - -When Æmilius saw this miracle, he dismounted from his horse, and -falling at Jesus' feet, worshiped him. - -Now, my dear father, I have thus far faithfully written all that I have -heard and witnessed respecting Jesus, as you desire. You must see that -he is more than a prophet, and must be the very Christ, the Son of the -Blessed. Withhold, oh, withhold not your belief longer! - - Your affectionate and loving daughter, - Adina. - - - - -LETTER XX. - - -My Dear Father: - -We are now at the humble abode of Sarah, at Nain, whither I have come -to breathe the fresh mountain air for a time. Her cottage stands in a -garden, from which is a sublime view of Tabor, in all the majesty of -his mountain grandeur. One day while I was in the garden walking, two -men, dusty and travel-worn, stopped at the half-open gate, and saluting -us, said: - -"Peace be to this house, maiden, and all who dwell therein." - -"Enter," said the widow, overhearing them, "enter and ye shall have -water for your feet and bread for your hunger." - -The two men then entered and seated themselves, and having been -refreshed by the poor but hospitable widow, one of them rose and said: - -"'This day is salvation come to this house. We are ambassadors of Jesus -of Nazareth, and go from city to city, proclaiming the day of the Lord -at hand, for Messiah is come!'" - -"Will he, then, come to Nain?" asked the widow with emotion. "I should -be willing to die so that I could lay my eyes once upon so great and -holy a man!" - -"Yes, he will come hither," answered the men, "and when we shall report -to him your hospitality to us, he will visit your house, for he never -forgets a cup of water given to one of his disciples." - -The men then departed, again calling the peace of God upon our abode. -They had not been gone many minutes before we heard a great commotion -in the market-place near by. Upon going to the house-top, we beheld -these two men standing upon an elevation, and preaching the kingdom of -Christ at hand. Upon this, some cried out against Jesus, and others -threw stones at the two men, and when we reached the house-top, we saw -one of them remove his sandals and shake the dust from them, saying in -a loud voice: - -"As ye reject the words of life, your sins remain upon you, as I return -to you the dust of your city." - -They then departed, followed by Levites, who fairly drove them from the -town. - -While we were grieving at this enmity against a Prophet sent from -God, whose life is a series of good deeds, there entered hastily a -fair young maid whose name was Ruth. She held an open letter in her -hand, and her beautiful face glowed rosily with some secret joy, which -contrasted strangely with the present sadness of our own. We knew Ruth -well, and loved her as if she had been a sister. She was an orphan, and -dwelt with her uncle, Elihaz, the Levite, a man of influence in the -town. She was artless, unsuspecting, and very interesting in all her -ways. - -"What good news, dear Ruth?" asked Mary, smiling in response to her -bright smiles. "A letter from whom?" - -"For Sarah," answered the pretty maid, blushing so timidly and -consciously that we half suspected the truth. - -"But that is not telling us from whom," persevered Mary, with a little -playfulness. - -"You can guess," she answered, glancing over her white shoulder, as -she bounded away from us into the house. - -We were soon after her, and heard her as she cried on putting the -letter into the dear widow's hand: - -"From Samuel!" - -"God be blessed!" cried the widow. "My son liveth and is well!" - -"Read, dear Sarah!" cried the maiden. "He was at Alexandria when he -wrote this, and will soon be at home. Oh, happy, happy day!" added the -overjoyed girl, quite forgetful of our presence. - -"Nay," said the widow, "my eyes are filled with tears of gladness; I -cannot see to read. Do thou read it aloud. Let Adina and Mary also know -what he writeth." - -Ruth then cast a bright look upon us, and read aloud the letter from -over the sea, which told that the writer would return in the first ship -bound to Sidon, or Cesarea, when he hoped to behold her and his mother -face to face, and to receive as his bride the maiden he had so long -loved and cherished in his heart. - -At length, as the day drew near for me to leave, we were all filled -with delightful surprise at the appearance of the long-absent son and -lover in the midst of our happy circle. - -Mary and I had once seen him, and we were now impressed with his manly -and sun-browned beauty, his bold air, and frank, ingenuous manner. We -could not but agree that the pretty Ruth had shown fine taste. But -alas! my dear father, our joy was short-lived! Little did we anticipate -how speedily our rejoicing was to end in mourning! The very night of -his return he was seized with a malignant fever, which he had brought -from Africa with him, and we were all overwhelmed with grief. - -It would be impossible to paint the anguish of the mother, the -heart-rending distress of his betrothed. - -Unconscious of their presence, he raved wildly, and sometimes fancied -himself suffering thirst on the burning sands of Africa, and at others -battling with barbarians for his life. All that physicians could do was -of no avail. This morning, the third day after his return, he expired, -amid the most distressing agonies. - -Alas! instead of a bridal, behold a funeral! Already the bearers are -at the door, and in a few minutes he will be borne forth upon the -dead-bier to the burial-place without the city. - -"Oh!" sighs Mary near me as I write, "Oh, that Jesus, the mighty -Prophet, had been here! He could have healed him!" - -John has sent to her a message, saying that Jesus is traveling this -way, on his mission of healing and teaching, and may be here this -evening. But what will it avail, dear father? Even Jesus may not return -the dead to life! Oh, if he could have been here yesterday, his power -over disease would have enabled him to save this precious life! - -I hear the heavy tread of the dead-bearers in the court below. The -shrieks and wails of the mourning-women thrill my soul with awe. But -above all pierces the wild cry of anguish of the bereaved mother! -Ruth's voice is hushed. She has been for the last hour inanimate as -marble. Only by her pulse can it be said she lives! Poor maiden! The -blow is too terrible for her to bear. - -My Cousin Mary has at this moment received a small roll of parchment -which, from the flush on her cheek, I know to be from her betrothed. -She smiles sadly, and with tears in her eyes hands it to me. - -I have read it, dear father. It is as follows: - - "Gadara, beyond Judea. - - "The bearer, beloved, is one of the disciples of Jesus. His name is - Bartimeus. He was blind and poor, and subsisted by begging; and, as - you see, his sight is restored, and he insists now on going from - town to town where he has been known as a blind man to proclaim what - Jesus has done for him. This letter cometh beseeching thee, maiden, - that as we love one another unfeignedly, so may we soon be united in - that holy union which God hath blessed and commanded. But, having - much to say hereupon, I will not commit it to paper and ink; but by - to-morrow, or the day after, I trust to come to you, and speak with - you, dearly beloved, face to face, upon those things which now come - to my lips. Farewell, lady. Peace be with you, and all in your house. - Greet thy friends in my name, letting them know that we shall shortly - be with you." - - "Oh, that the mighty Prophet had come one day sooner!" cried Mary. - "What woe and anguish would have been spared poor Ruth and his - mother! But the will of Jehovah be done!" - -We hear now, dear father, the voice of the governor of the funeral, -bidding us come down to bury the dead. - -Farewell, my father. I know you will shed a tear to the memory of the -noble youth whose death has this day filled all Nain with mourning. As -I look from the lattice, I see the concourse of people to be immense, -filling all the street. Now, may the God of our father Abraham preserve -and keep you, and suffer us once more to meet face to face in joy and -peace. - - Your dutiful and sorrowful daughter, - Adina. - - - - -LETTER XXI. - - -My Dear Father: - -I seize my pen, which I laid down an hour ago in order to follow to -his burial the son of our hostess, to recount to you one of the most -extraordinary things which ever happened. I fear my trembling fingers -will scarcely express legibly what I have to tell you. - -When the burial train of Samuel had formed to go to the grave, the -deep grief of poor Ruth overcame her wholly and I led her to her room, -where she sank insensible upon her couch. I could not leave her in her -situation, and the procession went forth from the house without me. - -As the funeral train passed the lattice, it seemed endless, but at -length it passed by, and I was left alone with the motionless Ruth. As -I gazed on the marble countenance of the bereaved maiden, I could not -but pray that she might never recover from her swoon, to revive to the -bitter realization of her loss. - -Suddenly I heard a great shout. I started and hastened to the lattice. -It was repeated louder and with a glad tone. It seemed to come from -beyond the city walls, and from a hundred voices raised in unison. I -knew that the house-top overlooked the walls, and seeing Ruth moved -not, I ascended rapidly to the parapet, the shouts and glad cries still -increasing as I went up. Upon reaching the flat roof and stepping on -the parapet, I saw coming along the street towards the house, with the -speed of the antelope, Elec, our Gibeonite slave. He was waving his -hands wildly, and crying out something which I could not distinctly -hear. Behind him I saw two youths running also, appearing to be the -bearers of some great tidings. - -I knew something wonderful must have occurred, but could not divine -what it could be. On looking towards the gate, from which direction -the shouts at intervals continued to approach, I discovered on the -hillside of the cemetery many people crowded together, and evidently -surrounding some person in their midst, for the whole order of the -procession was broken up. The bier I could not discern, nor could I -comprehend how the solemnity of the march of the funeral train was -suddenly changed to a confused multitude, rending the sky with loud -acclamations. The whole body of people was pressing back towards the -city. The persons whom I had first seen running along the street, now -made themselves audible as they drew nigher. - -"He is alive! He is alive!" shouted Elec. - -"He has risen from the dead!" cried the young man next behind him. - -"He lives, and is walking back to the city!" called the third. - -"Who--who is alive?" I eagerly demanded of Elec, as he passed beneath -the parapet. "What is this shouting, O Elec?" - -He looked up to me with a face expressive of the keenest delight, mixed -with awe, and said: - -"Young Rabbi Samuel is come to life! He is no longer dead! You will -soon see him, for they are escorting him back to the city, and -everybody is mad with joy. Where is Ruth, the maiden? I am come to tell -her the glorious news." - -With emotion that I cannot describe, hardly believing what I heard, -I hastened to Ruth, in order to prevent the effects of too sudden -joy. Upon reaching the apartment, I found that the voice of Elec, who -had shouted the news of which he was the bearer into her ears, had -aroused her from her stupor of grief. She was looking at him wildly and -incomprehensively. I ran to her, and folding her in my arms, said: - -"Dear Ruth, there is news--good news! It must be true! Hear the shouts -of gladness in all the town!" - -"Lives!" she repeated, shaking her head. "No--no--no! Yes, there!" she -said, raising her beautiful, glittering eyes to heaven and pointing -upward. - -"But on earth also!" cried Elec, with positiveness. "I saw him sit up, -and heard him speak, as well as ever he was!" - -"How was it? Let me know all!" I cried. - -"How? Who could have done such a miracle but the mighty Prophet we saw -at Jerusalem!" he answered. - -"Jesus?" I exclaimed, with joy. - -"Who else could it be. Yes, he met the bier just outside the-- But here -they come!" - -Elec was interrupted in his narrative by the increased noise of voices -in the streets and the tramp of hundreds of feet. The next moment the -room was filled with a crowd of the most excited persons, some weeping, -some laughing, as if beside themselves. In their midst I beheld Samuel -walking, alive and well! his mother clinging to him, like a vine upon -an oak. - -"Where is Ruth?" he cried. "Oh, where is she! Let me make her happy -with my presence!" - -I gazed upon him with awe, as if I had seen a spirit. - -Ruth no sooner heard his voice than she uttered a shriek of joy. "He -lives--he indeed lives!" and springing forward, she was saved from -falling to the ground by being clasped to his manly breast. - -"Let us kneel and thank God!" he said. - -For a few minutes the scene was solemn and touching beyond any -spectacle ever exhibited on earth. - -When he had performed this first sacred duty, he rose to his feet and -received all our embraces. Hundreds came in to see his face, and every -tongue was eloquent in praise of the power of Jesus. - -"And where is the holy Prophet?" I asked of Mary. "Shall he be -forgotten amid all our joy!" - -"We thanked him there with all our hearts, and bathed his hands with -tears of gratitude," she answered, "but when they would have brought -him into the city in triumph he conveyed himself away in the confusion, -and no one could see aught of him. But John, who was with him, told me -he would come into the city after quiet was restored, by and by, and he -would bring him to our abode." - -"Oh, I shall then behold him and thank him also!" I cried. "Make known -to me, Mary, the particulars of this wonderful miracle." - -"As we went weeping forth," said Mary, "slowly following the bier, and -had passed the gate, we saw coming along the path through the valley -leading to Tabor, a party of twelve or thirteen men on foot. They were -followed by a crowd of men, women and children from the country, and -were so journeying that they would meet us at the crossing of the stone -bridge. Hearing some one say aloud, 'It is the Prophet of Nazareth, -with his disciples,' I looked earnestly forward, and joyfully -recognized Jesus at their head, with John walking by his side. - -"'Oh, that Jesus had been in Nain when thy son was sick!' I said to the -widow, pointing him out to her, as he and his company stopped at the -entrance to the bridge. Recollecting how he might have prevented her -son's dying had he been in Nain, the poor lady could no longer command -her grief, and covering her face with her veil, she wept so violently -that all eyes were piteously fastened upon her. I observed that the -holy Prophet's gaze rested upon her with compassion, and as she came -opposite where he stood, he advanced towards us and said, in a voice of -thrilling sympathy: - -"'Weep not, mother. Thy son shall live again!' - -"'I know it, O Rabboni, at the last day,' she answered. 'Oh, if thou -hadst been here my son need not have died! Thy word would have healed -him! But now he is dead! dead! dead!' - -"'Woman, weep not! I will restore thy son!' - -"'What saith he?' cried some Pharisees who were in the funeral. 'That -he will raise a dead man? This is going too far. God only can raise the -dead.' And they smiled and scoffed. - -"But Jesus laid his hand upon the pall over the body, and said to those -who bore the corpse: - -"'Rest the bier upon the ground.' - -"They instantly stood still and obeyed him. He then advanced amid a -hushed silence, and uncovering the marble visage, touched the hand of -the dead young man, and said, in a loud and commanding voice: - -"'Young man, I say unto thee, Arise!' - -"There was a moment's painful stillness through the vast multitude. -Every eye was fixed upon the bier. The voice was heard by the spirit -of the dead and it came back to his body. There was at first visible -a living, trembling emotion of the hitherto motionless corpse! Color -flushed the livid cheek; the eyelids opened and he fixed his eyes on -Jesus; then he raised his hand and his lips moved! The next moment he -sat up on the bier, and spake aloud in his natural voice, saying: - -"'Lo, here I am!' - -"Jesus then took him by the hand, and assisting him to alight upon his -feet from the bier, led him to his mother, and delivered him to her, -saying: - -"'Woman, behold thy son!' - -"Upon seeing this miracle the people shouted with joy and wonder, 'God -has indeed visited his people Israel! A great Prophet is risen up among -us! The Messias is come, and Jesus is the very Christ, with the keys of -death and hell!' - -"I sought out Jesus to cast myself at his feet, but he shrunk from the -homage and gratitude which his mercy to us had awakened. Thus humility -is an element of all power." - -Such, my dear father, is the narrative of the restoration to life again -of Samuel, the son of Sarah, widow of Nain. This miracle has caused -hundreds this day to confess his name, and to believe in Jesus as the -anointed Shiloh of Israel. - -Many of the doctors have been to see Samuel through the day, and have -put profound questions to him touching the state of the soul out of the -body, but he could give them no satisfaction, all appearing to him like -shining fragments of a gorgeous vision. - -Mary is to-morrow to become the bride of John, and Jesus will be -present at the wedding, for while he severely rebukes sin and folly, he -sanctifies by his presence the holy rite of marriage. - -On the eve of the eighth day from this I shall depart hence, with John -and Mary, for Jerusalem, whence I will write you again. - - Your loving daughter, - Adina. - - - - -LETTER XXII. - - -Once more, my dear father, I address a letter to you from this holy -city. This morning when I awoke at the sound of the silver trumpets -of the priests, ringing melodiously from the top of Mount Moriah, I -experienced anew that profound devotion which the children of Abraham -must always feel in the city of God and in the presence of his very -Temple. - -It was a joyous morning to me, dear father, for Æmilius, the noble -Roman Prefect, was this day voluntarily to present himself at the -Temple to be made a proselyte to the holy faith of Israel. - -The morning was, therefore, additionally lovely to me. I thought I had -never seen the olive groves on the hillside beyond the king's gardens -so green, nor the harvest so yellow, as they undulated in the soft -breeze of the opening morn. The lofty palms everywhere appeared to -bend and wave their verdant fans with joyous motion. The birds in the -palace gardens sang sweeter and louder, and Jerusalem itself seemed -more beautiful than ever. - -While I was gazing upon the scene and adoring God, and thanking him -for the conversion of Æmilius, Rabbi Amos came and said that he would -take us to the Temple. We were soon on our way, climbing the paved -pathway to Moriah. Oh, how sublimely towered the divine Temple above -our heads, seemingly lost in the blue of the far heaven! The great -gates opening north and south, to the east and west, were thronged -with the multitude pressing through; while from the galleries above -each gate pealed forth continually the clear-voiced trumpets of God in -ceaseless reverberation. My uncle pointed out to me the massive doors, -all overlaid with sheets of beaten gold, and the floor of green marble -on which we trod. He bade me notice the costly entablature of colored -stones, exquisitely worked with the Grecian's chisel, and especially -the roof of fretted silver, set with precious stones, the onyx, beryl, -sapphire, carbuncle and jasper. I was dazzled by the magnificence, -and awed by the vast extent of the space of splendor surrounding me, -while ten thousands of people were to be seen moving towards the -altar of sacrifice. From that superb court I was led into a hall -nearly a hundred cubits in length, its ceiling of pure gold sustained -by a thousand and one columns of porphyry and white marble, ranged -alternately. - -I was not permitted to approach the sacred chamber, where stood the -four thousand vessels of gold of Ophir, used in the sacrifices on great -days; and this being a high day, I saw no less than six hundred priests -standing about the altar, each with a golden censer in his hand. Beyond -is the holy ark of the covenant, over which the cherubim hover, their -wings meeting, and between them is the mercy-seat. As this was the Holy -of Holies I was not permitted to see it; but its position was pointed -out to me within the veil, which conceals from all eyes but that of the -High Priest once a year the place of God's throne on the earth, alas -now left vacant since the glory of the Shechinah departed from the Holy -of Holies! - -The air of the vast Temple was delicious with the fragrance of burning -frankincense. As the victims bled and the smoke ascended, the people -fell on their faces and worshiped God. After a few moments' silence, a -startling trumpet note thrilled every soul in the countless multitude. -It was followed by a peal of music that shook the air, from a choir -of two thousand singers, male and female, of the sons and daughters -of Levi, who served in the Temple. Entering from the southern court, -they advanced in long procession, singing sacred chants, and playing -on sacbut and harp, psalter and nebble, chinna and tympana. As they -ascended to the choir their voices, mingling with the instruments, -filled all the Temple. I never heard before such sublime harmony; -especially when on reaching the elevated choir, a thousand Levites with -manly voices joined them, and the whole company chanted one of the -sublimest of the Psalms of David. - -When the chant was concluded, the whole multitude responded, "Amen -and Amen!" like the deep voice of a mighty wind suddenly shaking the -foundations of the Temple. - -At length I beheld a train of priests following the High Priest, as -he marched thrice around the altar. In that procession I discovered -a company of proselytes, escorted by twelve aged Levites, with long, -snowy beards, and clad in vestments of the purest white. Among the -proselytes I discerned the tall and noble figure of the Roman Æmilius. -He was robed in a black garment from head to foot. But upon approaching -the baptismal basin two young priests removed this outer sable dress -and robed him in white. I then saw him baptized into the family of -Abraham and a new name given him, that of Eleazer. I heard the silver -trumpets proclaim the conversion and the multitude shouting their joy. - -Of the rest of the ceremony I have no recollection, as after the -baptism of Æmilius, I was too happy to see or think of anything else. - -While I was lifting up my heart in gratitude for the happy conversion -of Æmilius, and while the Jews were crowding about him to extend to him -the hand of fellowship, rejoicing that so noted a person should embrace -our faith, Uncle Amos drew my attention by exclaiming with gladness: - -"Behold, there is Jesus, the Prophet!" - -We at once made our way, but with difficulty, towards the spot where we -had discovered him. The rumor that the Christ was in the Temple rapidly -spread, and the whole multitude pressed towards the same point. At -length we obtained our object so as to get within a few feet of him. -Here a tall, richly-attired Greek addressed Rabbi Amos, saying: - -"Sir, tell me who that youthful Jew is, whose countenance is stamped -with firmness and benevolence so finely combined in its expression; -whose air possesses such dignity and wisdom; whose noble eyes seem -filled with a holy sadness, and whose glance is full of innocence and -sweetness. He seems born to love men and to command them. All seek to -approach him. Pray, sir, who is he?" - -"That, O stranger, is Jesus of Nazareth, the Jewish Prophet," answered -Uncle Amos, delighted to point him out to a foreigner. - -"Then I am well rewarded for my journey in turning aside to Jerusalem," -answered the Grecian. "I have even heard of his fame in Macedonia, and -am rejoiced to behold him. Think you he will do some great miracle?" - -"He performs miracles not to gratify curiosity but to bear testimony to -the truths he teaches, that they are delivered to him of God. Hark! He -speaks!" cried my uncle. - -Every voice was hushed as that of Jesus rose clear and sweet, and -thrilling like a celestial clarion speaking. And he preached, dear -father, a sermon so full of wisdom, of love to man, of love to God, of -knowledge of our hearts, of divine and convincing power, that thousands -wept; thousands were chained to the spot with awe and delight, and all -were moved as if an angel had addressed them. They cried, "Never man -spake like this man!" - -The priests, seeing that he had carried the hearts of all the people, -were greatly enraged, and, not being able to vent their hatred and fear -in any other way, they hired a vile person by the name of Gazeel, a -robber who, taking one of the blood-stained sacrificing knives by the -altar, crept towards him behind the column, and, securing a favorable -position to execute the deed, raised his hand to strike the Prophet -from behind, when Jesus, turning his head, arrested the hand of the -assassin in mid-air by a look. Unable to move a muscle, Gazeel stood -betrayed to all eyes in this murderous attitude, like a statue of stone. - -"Return to those who hired thee. My hour is not yet come, nor can they -yet have any power over me." - -The assassin bowed his head in abject shame and terror; the knife -dropped from his hand and rang upon the marble floor, and he sank at -Jesus' feet imploring forgiveness. The people would instantly have torn -Gazeel in pieces, but Jesus said: - -"Let him depart in peace. The day shall come when he will be willing -to lay down his life to save mine. Ye priests go about to kill me," -he added, fixing his clear gaze upon the group which had sent Gazeel. -"For what do ye seek my life? I have come to my own, and to my Temple, -and ye receive me not. The day cometh when this Temple shall be thrown -down, and not one stone left upon another; and some who hear me shall -behold and mourn in that day. Oh, Jerusalem, thou that killest the -prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how oft would I -have gathered thy children together as a hen gathereth her chickens -under her wings, and ye would not. Thou shalt be left desolate and cast -out among cities, because thou knewest not the day of thy visitation. -Fly ye to the Jerusalem which is above, and which is above all, whose -foundation is eternal, and whose Temple is the Lord God Almighty, who -is also the light and glory thereof." - -Upon hearing these words, there arose a great cry from ten thousand -voices: - -"Hail to Jesus, the king of Israel and Judah! Hosanna to the Prince of -David! We will have no king but Jesus!" - -At this shout, which was caught up and repeated beyond the four -gates of the Temple, the priests cried aloud that the people were in -insurrection. - -Pilate, who was, with his guard, just leaving the Court of the -Gentiles, hearing it, turned to ask what it meant. One of the priests, -desirous of having Jesus slain, quickly answered, "That the people had -proclaimed Jesus, the Nazarene, king." - -Hearing this, Pilate sent off messengers to the Castle of David for -soldiers, and with his body-guard turned back to the Temple gate, -charging the people sword in hand. - -The tumult was now fearful, and the bloodshed would have been great, -but Jesus suddenly appeared before him--none saw how he had reached the -place--and said: - -"O Roman, I seek no kingdom but such as my Father hath given me. My -kingdom is not of this world." - -Pilate was seen to bend his proud head with low obeisance before the -Prophet, and said graciously: - -"I have no wish to arrest thee. Thy word, O Prophet, is sufficient for -me. Of thee I have hitherto heard much. Wilt thou come with me to my -palace, and let me hear thee, and see some miracle?" - -"Thou shalt see me in thy palace, but not to-day; and thou shalt behold -a miracle, but not now." - -When Jesus had thus said, he withdrew himself from Pilate's presence; -and those who would have sought him to make him a king could nowhere -discover him. - -The result of this attempt of the people to make the Prophet their -king, and under his direction to overthrow the Roman power, is that -the Roman authorities, instigated by Annas and the priests, look upon -Jesus with eyes of jealousy, and Pilate this morning told a deputation -of priests, who waited on him to petition him to arrest and imprison -the Prophet, that on the first proof they could bring him of his -hostility to Cæsar he would send soldiers to take him. To-day Jesus was -refreshing himself in our house, when several Scribes and Pharisees -came in. I saw by their dark looks they meditated evil, and secretly -sent Elec with a message to Æmilius (now Eleazer) asking him to be at -hand to protect Jesus; for Æmilius is devoted to him, as we are, and -Jesus takes delight in teaching him the things of the kingdom of God. - -Jesus, knowing the hearts of these bad men, said to them, after they -had seated themselves and remained some minutes in silence: - -"Wherefore are ye come?" - -"Master," said Zadoc, a Levite of great fame among the people, "we have -heard how boldly thou speakest at all times; that not even Pilate, nor -Herod, yea, nor Cæsar, could make thee refrain from what thou choosest -to utter. Is it lawful for us Jews, the peculiar nation of God, to pay -tribute to Cæsar, who is an idolater? Is it lawful for us to obey the -laws of Pilate, rather than of Moses? We ask this as Jews to a Jew. -Tell us frankly." - -Jesus looked fixedly upon them, as if he read their wicked designs, and -said: - -"Show me the tribute money." - -Zadoc handed him a penny, the Roman coin sent into Judea by Cæsar, as -our currency, and which we return to Rome again in tribute. When Jesus -had taken the money, he looked at the head of Augustus stamped upon one -side, and then turning to them, said: - -"Whose image and whose name is here impressed?" - -"Cæsar's," eagerly answered the whole party. - -"Then render unto Cæsar the things that be Cæsar's, and unto God the -things that be God's," was his calm and wonderful answer. - -I breathed again, for I feared he would answer openly that tribute -ought not to be paid, which they hoped he would do, when they would -immediately have accused him to Pilate as teaching that we ought not to -pay tribute to Rome, and so fomenting rebellion. - -But the divine wisdom of his answer relieved all our minds; while the -Scribes and Levites, his enemies, looked upon him with amazement, -interchanged glances of conscious defeat, and left the house. - - I remain your affectionate daughter, - Adina. - - - - -LETTER XXIII. - - -My Dear Father: - -I have received with joy your letter, in which you say you shall leave -Egypt with the next Passover caravan, in order to visit Jerusalem. My -happiness is augmented to know that you will be here while Jesus is in -the city; for it is said, and John, Mary's husband, asserts, that he -will certainly be at the Passover. - -Last week Eli, the paralytic, whom you knew, a scribe of the Levites, -whose hand has been withered nine years, so that he had been dependent -on the alms of the worshipers in the Temple for his bread, hearing of -the power of Jesus, sought him at the house of Uncle Amos, where he was -abiding. - -Jesus was reclining with our family at the evening meal, at the close -of the day on which the uproar had taken place in the Temple, when -Eli came and stood within the door. Humble and doubting, his knees -trembled, and he timidly and wistfully looked towards Jesus, but -did not speak. I knew at once what the afflicted man came for, and -approached him, saying, "Fear not, Eli; ask him, and he will make thee -whole!" - -Jesus did not see the poor man, his face being turned towards Rabbi -Amos; but leaving this conversation, he said in a gentle voice, without -turning round: - -"Come to me, Eli, and ask what is in thy heart. And fear not; for if -thou believest, thou shalt receive all thy wish." - -At this Eli ran forward, and casting himself at Jesus' feet, kissed -them and said, "Rabboni, I am a poor, sinful man; I believe that thou -art the Christ, the Son of the Blessed!" - -"Dost thou believe, Eli, that I have power to make thee whole?" asked -Jesus, looking steadily upon him. - -"I believe, my Lord," answered Eli, bowing his face to the ground. - -"Thy sins, then, be forgiven thee. Rise and go to thy house; and sin no -more, lest a worse thing come upon thee." - -"This man! forgiveth he sins also?" cried a venerable priest, Manasses, -who was at the table. "He is a blasphemer! for God alone forgiveth -sins. Will he call himself God?" And he rose quickly up and rent his -robe, and spat upon the floor in detestation. - -"Manasses," said Jesus mildly, "tell me whether it is an easier thing -to do--to say unto this man kneeling here, 'Thy sins be forgiven thee?' -or to say, 'Stretch forth thine hand whole as the other'?" - -"It would be more difficult to do the latter," answered Manasses, -surprised at the question. "God alone, who made him, can do that." - -Jesus turned to the paralytic. "I say unto thee, Eli, stretch forth thy -hand whole!" - -The man, looking upon Jesus' face, and seeming to derive confidence -from its expression of power, made a convulsive movement with his arm, -which was bared to the shoulder, exhibiting all its hideous deformity, -and stretched it forth at full length. Immediately the arm was -rounded with flesh and muscles; the pulse filled and leaped with the -warm life-blood, and it became whole as the other. The change was so -instantaneous that it was done before we could see how it was done. The -amazed and wonderingly delighted Eli bent his elbow, and expanded and -contracted the fingers, felt the flesh and pressed it with his other -hand, before he could realize he was healed. Then, casting himself at -the feet of the Prophet, he cried: - -"Thou art not a man, but Gabriel, the angel of God!" - -"Thou art now healed, Eli," said Jesus impressively. "Worship God, and -go and sin no more." - -Who, dear father, but Messias could do this miracle? My mind is -overwhelmed--I am filled with astonishment and awe, when I reflect -upon the might, power and majesty of Jesus, and I fear to ask myself. -Who more than man is he? Is he verily the awful and terrible Jehovah -of Sinai, visible in the human form? Oh, wondrous and incomprehensible -mystery! I dare not trust my thoughts to penetrate the mystery in which -he walks among us in the veiled Godhead of his power. His beloved -disciple, John, said that Jesus has told him the day is not far off -when this veil will be removed, and when we shall then know him, who he -is, and wherefore he has come into the world, and the infinite results -to men of his mission. - - Your devoted daughter, - Adina. - -[Illustration: BETHANY] - - - - -LETTER XXIV. - - -My Dear Father: - -As I was closing my last letter to you, intelligence reached my Uncle -Amos that Lazarus, the amiable brother of Martha and Mary, was very -ill. The message was brought by Elec, the Gibeonite slave, who, with -tears in his eyes, communicated to us the sad news. My Cousin Mary and -I at once set out to Bethany with him. - -"Knowest thou, Elec, the disease that has so suddenly seized my -cousin?" asked Mary, as we wound slowly up the path that leads around -the steepest side of Olivet. - -"Ah, dear me, noble lady, I know not," answered Elec, shaking his head. -"He had just returned from the city, where he had been staying night -and day for a week, laboring industriously to complete a copy of the -five books of the blessed Moses for the Procurator's chief captain, for -which he was to receive a large sum in Roman gold." - -"What was the name of this captain who seeks to obtain our holy books?" -I asked, hope half answering the question in my heart. - -"Æmilius, the brave knight, they say, who was made a proselyte at the -last Passover." - -I was rejoiced to hear this proof of the steady desire of the princely -Roman knight to learn our sacred laws, you may be assured, dearest -father. But Elec went on speaking and said: - -"It was his hard work to complete this copy which made him ill; for he -slept not, nor ceased to toil until he had completed it, and when he -came home with the silver-bound roll in his hand, and laid it upon the -table before his sisters, he fell at the same moment fainting to the -ground." - -"Alas, poor Lazarus!" we both exclaimed, and urged our mules forward at -a faster pace, our hearts bleeding for the sorrow of his sisters and -for his sad condition. - -At length, half an hour after leaving the gate of the city, we drew -near to Bethany, and beheld the roof of the house of Lazarus. Upon it, -watching the road towards Jerusalem for us, we discovered the graceful -form of Mary. In a few moments we were in her arms, mingling our tears -together. - -"Does he yet live?" I asked, scarcely daring to inquire, as she led us -into the house. - -"Yes, lives, but fails hourly," answered Mary, with forced composure. -"God bless you both for hastening to me." - -At this moment Martha's pale and suffering face, beautiful even in -its pallor, appeared in the door of the inner room. Upon seeing us -she advanced, and taking both our hands in hers, said in a touching -whisper, "You have come, sweet friends, to see my brother die!" - -She then led us into the room, where lay upon a couch the form of the -invalid. - -"He has slept a little," said Martha softly to me, "but his fever is -consuming him. He has now closed his eyes again and seems heavy, but -his slumbers are restless, as you see, and he seems to think his dear -friend, Jesus the Prophet, is by him; or he talks of Rachel as if she -were not present." - -"And who is Rachel, dear Martha?" I asked, as I was about to follow her -out of the room, leaving her brother to his weary repose. - -"Alas! It was for Rachel's gentle love's sake he now lies there," she -answered. "There is the sweet maiden kneeling on the other side of his -couch, her tearful face buried in the folds of the curtains." - -I turned and regarded with tender interest the graceful and -half-concealed form of the young girl as she bent over his pillow, her -hand clasped by his. At this moment she looked up and directed her gaze -towards me. Her face was inexpressibly lovely, bathed as it was in its -glittering tear-dews, and her large, glorious eyes shone like starry -heavens of tenderness and love. Her hair would have been raven black, -save that rays of golden bronze enriched its waving masses with every -play of the light upon it. As our eyes met, she seemed to receive me -into her soul, and my heart to embrace hers. Lazarus now moved and -murmured her name, when she dropped her eyes and bent like an angel -over him. - -"Who is this marvelously lovely maiden?" I asked of Martha, as we went -into the court of the hall. - -"The betrothed bride of our beloved brother," answered she. "Sit with -me here in the shade beneath this vine, and I will tell thee their sad -story. Lazarus, you know, dearest Adina, is a writer in the Temple, and -by his labors has surrounded us all with many comforts, nay, luxuries. -His attachment to us led him to forego the pleasure of all other -society, as he said he found in our sweet bond of sisterly love all -that he required to render him happy. - -"But a few weeks ago, as he was engaged late and alone in the -copying-room of the Temple upon a roll which the noble Æmilius had -ordered, he was startled by the sudden entrance of a young girl in -great terror, who seemed to be flying from pursuit. Upon beholding him -she bounded towards him, and casting herself at his feet, implored his -protection. Amazed and interested, he promptly promised it, but had -hardly spoken the words before Annas entered and advanced towards her. -His face was flushed with rage, and his voice was loud and fierce as he -demanded her at the hand of my brother. - -"'Nay, my Lord Annas,' answered Lazarus, boldly, 'were a dove to -seek shelter from a hawk in my bosom I would protect it, much more a -distressed maiden of the daughters of Abraham!' and he placed himself -before the fugitive. - -"'Darest thou protect from me? She is my child, a wicked and -disobedient daughter of Belial! Resign her to me, young scrivener, or I -will have thee sent to the lowest dungeon of the Castle of David!' - -"'Oh, save me! save me!' cried the young girl, as Annas advanced to -seize her. 'I am not his child! I am the orphan of Rabbi Levi, who left -me and my estate to this false priest as a sacred charge. He would now -sell me in unholy marriage to a Greek captain in the Roman legion, who -offers him large bribes in gold for me. Rather than be given into the -hands of this fierce and terrible Grecian, I will cast myself down from -the height of the Temple!' - -"And to the surprise and horror of Lazarus, she bounded from the -lattice and stood upon the edge of the rock, which looks sheer three -hundred feet down into the valley beneath. - -"'Thou seest, O Annas, to what thy cupidity for gold will drive this -maiden. Has the land of Israel sunk so low that its chief priest will -sell the daughters of the land for gold to the lust of the Gentiles? Is -this the way thou givest protection to orphans? Leave her, and until I -find a protector for her, she shall be a sacred guest with my sisters -in their humble abode!' - -"'Thy life shall pay for this arrogance, young man!' answered the -priest. 'I have power and will exercise it.' - -"'Not to the danger and wrong of this maiden, my Lord Annas, whom -Jehovah will protect, since she has trustingly sought the sheltering -wing of his altars,' answered my brother firmly. 'If thou continue to -persecute her, I will appeal to the Procurator, Pontius Pilate, against -thee.' - -"The result was," continued Martha, "that the wicked priest, alarmed by -the threat of appeal to Pilate, relinquished his present purpose and -left them, breathing menaces against my brother. The same day Lazarus -conducted the maiden, whom you already guess to be Rachel, to our -house. She has since then been our guest, and has won all our hearts, -as well as our dear brother's." - -"Is there no hope for him?" I asked, after listening to her touching -narrative. - -"None; the physicians say that he will never rise again." - -"There is one hope left," I said eagerly. - -"What is that?" demanded Martha. - -"Jesus!" I answered. "Send to him, O Martha, and he will yet save him, -and raise him up to life and health." - -I had no sooner spoken than Mary, who overheard me, uttered a cry of -joy. - -"Yes, Jesus has the power to heal him, and Jesus loves him! He will -come and save him the moment he hears of his danger." - -Immediately Mary wrote on a slip of parchment these brief and touching -words: - -"Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. Hasten to come to us, that -he may live; for nothing is impossible with thee." - -This message was forthwith despatched by the hands of a young friend to -Bethabara, beyond Jordan, where we learned Jesus at present abides. We -have, therefore, no hope for our dear relative but in the power of the -Prophet. I will write as soon as we hear. I remain, dear father, - - Your attached daughter, - Adina. - - - - -LETTER XXV. - - -My Dear and Honored Father: - -It is with emotions of the deepest grief that I convey to you the sad -intelligence of the death of Lazarus. The hand of the Lord hath fallen -heavily upon this household and stricken down its prop; smitten the -oak around which clung these vine-like sisters, vine-like in their -dependence upon him and confiding trust in his wisdom and love. Now -prostrate in the dust they lie stunned by the sudden and mysterious -stroke of God's providence. - -I have told you, dear father, something of this family; what a happy -household I have seen it when Jesus completed the number; for he -stayed so much with them when not preaching, or when wishing to rest -a day or two from his weary toil, that they came to regard him as one -of their family. Martha seemed ever to be thinking what and how she -should administer to his comfort, by providing every delicacy for her -table; but so that Jesus could find listeners to his words of truth and -wisdom, like Mary--who loved to sit at his feet and hear the golden -language fall from his sacred lips--he thought not of meat or drink. - -One day when I, with Mary and Lazarus, was listening to his heavenly -teachings, wrapt in wonder and absorbing interest, Martha, who was -preparing the meal, came and desired Mary to come and assist her; but -the dear, pious girl heeded not nor heard her, feeding, forgetful of -all else, upon the celestial food that fell from the lips of Jesus. -At length Martha, finding that Mary had not heard, appealed to Jesus, -saying somewhat sharply: - -"Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? -Bid her, therefore, that she help me." - -We turned with surprise to hear her, who was usually so gentle and -good, thus forget what was due to the presence of the Prophet, and -Lazarus was about to speak and excuse his sister, who looked as if she -were much worried with her domestic troubles, when Jesus said kindly to -her: - -"Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things. But -one thing is needful, and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall -not be taken away from her. While thou carest much for the wants of the -body, she careth for those of the spirit. Think not, beloved Martha, of -sumptuous living for me, who have no earthly goods, nor even where to -lay my head." - -"Say not thus, oh, say not so, dear Lord!" cried Martha, suddenly -bursting into tears at Jesus' touching words, and casting herself -impulsively at his feet. "This house is thy home--ever beneath its -roof, while I have one above me, shalt thou have where to lay thy head; -say not so, my Lord!" - -We were all moved at Martha's pathetic earnestness. Jesus raised her up -and said gently: - -"It is thy love for me, I well know, that maketh thee so careful and -troubled to provide for me at thy bountiful table. But I have meat to -eat that ye know not of. To teach the truths of God, as thou findest -me doing to these, is to me meat and drink, for therein I am doing my -Father's will, who sent me." - -My last letter closed with informing you of the departure of the -messenger to Jesus. After he had gone out of sight from the door, -and the last echo of his horse's hoofs ceased to be heard by the -long-listening ears of his sister Martha, I re-entered the room where -Lazarus lay. He was as white as marble. His large black eyes seemed to -be twice their usual size and brilliancy. He breathed with difficulty, -and every few moments he would be compelled to have his head raised -in order to free his mouth from the welling blood that was constantly -bubbling up from the broken fountains of his life. Mary's tender -privilege it was, assisted by Rachel, to render him this service of -love. As she bent over him, looking downward with anxious fondness -into his pale, intellectual face, watching every shadow of the change -that the sable wing of advancing Death cast over it, I thought I had -never gazed on a more lovely being. I forgot for the moment the dying -young man about whose form her snow-white arms were entwined, his head -reclining upon her bosom, her raven tresses, bronzed with a changing -light, all unbound and floating above him and over his pillow, like a -rich veil interwoven of sable silken floss and threads of gold. - -I commenced this letter by informing you of the departure of the good -and generous and pious Lazarus. He fell asleep in death as an infant -sinks to slumber in its mother's arms. - -All too late was Jesus sent for! To-morrow his burial will take place. -Alas, how suddenly has perished the noblest young man in Judea! - -Farewell, dear father. My heart is full. I can now write no more. The -God of Abraham preserve you in your journey, and bring you in safety to -the embraces of - - Your loving daughter, - Adina. - - - - -LETTER XXVI. - - -My Dear Father: - -In my last letter I told you that Lazarus was dead. I write this to -say that he who was dead is alive! Lazarus lives! He whom I saw dead -and buried, and sealed up within the rocky cave of the tomb, is alive -again from the dead; and at this moment, while I am penning this -extraordinary account, I hear his voice from the porch. - -How, my dear father, how shall I find adequate language to tell you all -that has happened here within the last twenty-four hours! - -The funeral procession was so very long that strangers, pausing, asked -what great master in Israel, or person of note, was being taken to the -sepulchre. - -Some answered, "Lazarus, the industrious scribe;" others said, "A young -man who has devoted his life to honor his mother." Others answered, as -Lazarus himself, were he alive, would have had them: - -"It is Lazarus, the friend of Jesus." - -The place where they were to lay him was the cave in which his father -and mother were entombed. It was in a deep, shady vale, thickly shaded -by cypress, palm and pomegranate trees, and a large tamarind grew, with -its stately branches, overclasping the summit of the secluded place of -sepulchre. The remote swell of a Roman bugle from the head of a cohort, -which was just issuing from a defile, came softly and musically to our -ears, as we stood in silence about the grove wherein we were to place -the dead. Æmilius, my betrothed, was also present, wearing a white -scarf above his silver cuirass, in token of grief, for he also loved -Lazarus. Of him, dear father, I have not of late spoken, for should I -begin to write of him I should have no room in my letters for any other -theme. - -The sacred observances at the grove being over, they raised the body of -the dead young man from the bier, and four youths, aided by Æmilius at -the head to support it, conveyed it into the yawning cavern. A moment -they lingered on the threshold, that Mary and Martha might take one -more look, imprint upon its icy cold lips one last kiss, press once -more his unconscious head to their loving and bursting hearts. - -The young men moved slowly forward into the gloom of the cave. Mary -rushed in, and with disheveled hair, cried: - -"Oh, take him not away forever from the sight of my eyes! Oh, my -brother, my brother, would that I had died for thee! for I am willing -to lie down with the worm and call it my sister, and sleep in the -arms of death, as on the breast of my mother, so thou couldst live! Oh, -brother, brother, let them not take thee forever from the sight of my -eyes! Without thee, how shall life be life!" - -[Illustration: Rolling stone, closing a sepulchre.] - -Æmilius entered the tomb and, tenderly raising her from the body, on -which she had cast herself in the eloquent abandonment of her wild -grief, he led her forth, and beckoning to me, placed her in my arms. - -The body, being placed in a niche hollowed out in the rock, was -decently covered with a grave mantle, all but the calm face, which was -bound about by a snow-white napkin. Maidens of the village advanced and -cast flowers upon his head, and many, many were the sincere tears, both -from beneath manly lids and those of virgins, which bore tribute to his -worth. - -The burial ceremonies being ended, five strong men replaced the -ponderous stone door closely fitting the entrance to the cave, and so -secured it, by letting it into a socket, that it would require a like -number to remove it. - -As they were retiring with heavy hearts from performing this last duty -to the beloved dead, the sun sank beyond the blue hills of Ajalon in -the west in a lake of gold. To enjoy the sunset, and to relieve our -emotions of sadness, I walked apart with Mary to the top of the hill, -from which I beheld the sun gilding the pinnacle of the Temple, and -making it appear like a gigantic spear elevated into the sky. From the -Levites at evening sacrifice came, mellowed by distance, the deep chant -of the Temple service, uttered by a thousand voices. The cloud from -the altar sacrifice ascended slowly into the still air, and catching -the splendor of the sun's last beams, shone as if the pillar of cloud -and of fire which stood above the tabernacle in the wilderness. The -laborers in the harvest were hastening towards the gates, ere they -should be shut out for the night by the Roman guards, and dwellers in -the village were hurrying forth, lest they should be held in the city -over night. - -There was a sacred hush in the sleepy atmosphere that seemed in -sympathy and touching harmony with the scene in which we had just borne -a part. With Mary leaning sobbing upon my shoulder, I sat upon a rock -giving my heart up to the sweet influences of the hour. We were alone, -save Æmilius, who had ridden after us, anxious for our safety, and who -sat upon his horse near by, gazing upon the beauty of the evening scene. - -"I am calmer now," said Mary, after a while, raising her head and -looking into my face, her splendid eyes glittering brimful with tears. -"The peace of the sweet, holy skies seems to have descended and entered -my heart. The spirit of Lazarus pervades all and hallows all I see. I -will weep no more. He is happy now, very happy, and let us try to be -holy and go to him, for he cannot come back to us." - -At this moment we heard the tramp of horses' hoofs. Æmilius, startled -thereby from his reverie, recovered his seat and laid his hand upon -his sword. The next moment, around a rock projecting from the shoulder -of Olivet, appeared a horseman in the wild, warlike costume of an -Ishmaelite of the desert, brandishing a long spear in the air; then -another and another similarly clad and armed, and mounted on superb -horses of the desert, dashed in sight. These were immediately followed -by a tall, daring-looking young man, in a rich costume, half Grecian, -half Arabic, though his dark, handsome features were decidedly -Israelitish. He rode a superb Abyssinian charger, and sat upon his -back like the heathen centaur I have read of in the Latin books which -Æmilius has given me to read. Upon seeing us he drew rein and smiled, -and waved his jewelled hand with splendid courtesy; but at the sight -of Æmilius his dark eyes flashed, and leaping to his feet in his -stirrups he shook his glittering falchion towards him, and rode with a -trumpet-like cry full upon him. - -The brave Roman soldier received the charge by turning his horse -slightly, and catching the point of the weapon upon the blade of his -short sword. - -"We meet at last, O Roman!" cried this wild, dashing chief, as -he wheeled his horse like lightning, and once more rode upon the -iron-armed Roman knight. - -"Ay, Barabbas, and with joy I hail thee!" responded Æmilius, placing a -bugle to his lips. - -At hearing the clear voice of the bugle awaking the echoes of Olivet, -the dread robber chief said haughtily and with a glance of contempt: - -"Thou, a knight of the tribune, and commander of a legion, call for -aid, when I offer thee equal battle, hand to hand, and ask not for aid -of my own men's spears?" - -"I know no equal battle with a robber. I would hunt thee as I would -do the wolf and the wild beasts of thy deserts," answered Æmilius, -pressing him closely. At a signal from the robber chief his four men, -who had reined up a short distance off, near the tomb of Lazarus, sent -up a shrill, eaglelike scream, that made my blood stand still, and then -rode down like the wind to overcome Æmilius. - -Hitherto I had remained as one stupefied at being an involuntary -spectator of a sudden battle, but on seeing his danger, I was at his -side, scarce knowing how I reached the place. - -"Retire, dear Adina," he said authoritatively. "I shall have to defend -both thee and myself, and these barbarians will give both my hands -enough to do." - -As he spoke he turned his horse's head to meet the forefold shock, and -I escaped, I know not how, with the impulse to hasten to Bethany for -succor. But heaven interposed its aid. A detachment of the body-guard -of Pilate, hearing the recall of their chief's bugle, came now -cantering up the hill. At the sight Barabbas and his party fled, like -wild pigeons pursued by a cloud of Iturean hawks. Barabbas, however, -turned more than once to fling back defiance to his foes. Æmilius soon -reached his side, seized the crimson sash which encircled his waist, -and held him thus, both fighting as they rode. The Roman troop came -up, and after a desperate battle the celebrated chief was taken alive, -though bleeding with many wounds, and bound with his own sash to the -column of one of the tombs. - -Æmilius says that Barabbas will assuredly be crucified for his numerous -crimes. Dreadful punishment! and for one so young as this desert robber -to come to such an ignominious and agonizing death; doomed to hang for -hours under the sunbeams by his lacerated hands and feet, till death -at last comes from slow exhaustion of all the powers of nature. I am -amazed that so polite and humane a nation as the Roman can inflict such -a cruel and agonizing death, even upon their malefactors. Ignominious, -indeed, must the life of a man have been, for him to be doomed justly -to suffer such a death. - -In this letter, dearest father, I intended to relate to you how Lazarus -has been restored to life, but it is already taken up with so much, -that I defer it to my next. Suffice it for me to tell you at the close -of this letter that it was Jesus who raised him from the dead. And will -you say that he is an impostor? That he has done this wonderful thing -is alone evidence enough to me that he is indeed the Messias of the -Prophets, the Son of God. - - Your affectionate daughter, - Adina. - - - - -LETTER XXVII. - - -My Dear Father: - -Your letter has filled me with joy that I can poorly express by my -pen. It assures me that you are certain to leave at the new moon, and -after a few days' delay at Gaza, that you will be with me not many days -afterward. This letter I shall send to meet you at Gaza. - -In it I shall make known to you the particulars of the greatest miracle -of power and love above all those wonders which Jesus has done. - -When Mary and Martha had despatched the message to Jesus, as I have -already stated, they began to be more cheerful with new-born hope, -saying: - -"If our dear Rabbi, the holy Prophet, comes, he will heal him with a -word, as he has done so many of the sick." - -"Yes, many whom he knew not he has restored to health by a touch," -remarked Martha, "how much more Lazarus, whom he loves as a brother! -Oh, that the messenger may press forward with all haste!" - -"If Lazarus should die ere he come," hesitatingly remarked my gentle -cousin, the wife of John the disciple, "he could bring him to life -again, even as he did the Son of the widow of Nain." - -"Yes, without doubt, unless it were too late," remarked Martha, -shrinking at the thought that her brother should die; "but if he be -long dead it will be impossible." - -"Nothing is impossible with Jesus," answered Mary, her eyes brightening -with trusting faith. - -Thus the hours passed between mingled hopes and fears; but ere Jesus -came, lo! the mantle of death was laid over the face of their dead -brother. "Lazarus is dead, and Jesus is far away!" was the bitter and -touching cry made by the bereaved sisters, as they wept in each other's -arms. - -The next day the burial took place, and yet no messenger came from -Jesus. The morning of the third day the man returned, and said that he -had found the Prophet on the farther bank of Jordan, where John had -baptized, abiding in a humble cottage in the suburbs of Bethabara with -his disciples. - -The bearer of the sad tidings from the two sisters delivered his simple -and touching message: - -"Lord, behold he whom thou lovest is sick!" - -"And what said he--how did his countenance appear?" asked Martha of the -man. - -"He betrayed no surprise, but said calmly to me, 'Son, I know it! This -sickness shall not be unto death. It shall be for the glory of God; for -hereby will my Father permit me to be glorified, that men may see and -believe truly that I came out from God.'" - -"Alas! He knew not how ill his friend was," said Mary, "or he would not -have said it was not unto death, and would surely have hastened with -you." - -"He has forgotten us," answered Martha. "He should be here to console -us in our deep affliction, though he came not to heal our brother." - -"Nay, sister, do not think hardly of the blessed friend of Lazarus," -said Mary, with soothing tones, as she caressed her elder sister. "I -feel that if he had seen fit he could have raised up our brother, -even speaking the word from Bethabara. It was not needful he should -see him to heal him, for dost thou remember how he healed Lucius, the -centurion's son? Yet at the time he was a day's journey distant from -him." - -"Then why, oh, why, did he not save Lazarus?" exclaimed Martha bitterly. - -"In that he did not, sweet sister," answered Mary gently, "it was for -the best. Did he not say to the messenger his sickness should be to the -glory of his power?" - -"But not his death, Mary, not his death! He is dead four days already, -and how can the grave give glory to the power of Jesus? Will he raise -him up, since corruption hath begun, nay, begun ere we laid him in -the cold sepulchre? Oh, speak not to me of the Prophet! He loved not -Lazarus, or he had not the power to save him! Nay, leave me, Mary, to -the bitterness of my grief." - -"Ah, dear Martha, how soon is thy faith in Jesus, when tried, become -naught!" said Mary, bending upon her, from her dark, earnest eyes, -looks of sad reproach. "Shall one day overturn your years of holy -friendship for him? Because he answered not our prayer to come to -Lazarus, think you he loved him not, and is indifferent to our anguish? -He is wronged by your reproof, and injured by your want of confidence -in his love and care for us." - -While they were thus discoursing, one came running swiftly towards the -house, and breathless with haste, cried to them and to the Jews sitting -there, who had come to comfort them concerning their brother: - -"The Prophet! The Nazarene! He comes!" - -Almost at the same moment Elec, the Gibeonite, entered and said: - -"Jesus, Messias of God, is at hand! He already entereth the village -followed by his disciples." - -At this intelligence the mourners who sat with Mary and Martha in the -vine porch, rose up to go and meet him; but Martha, shrieking with the -reaction of sudden joy, sprang up and, more quickly than they, reached -the street, and flying with great speed, came where Jesus was. - -Mary, who had received the news without betraying any other emotion -than the secret and holy joy of a heart that had confidence all along -in her Lord, instead of hastening to meet him rending her hair with -grief, like her sister, proceeded to prepare a room for the hospitable -entertainment of the beloved Prophet, when he should come in, thus -taking Martha's usual place; and when she had arranged all, she sat -down with me in the house, her heart filled with joy and her face -expressive of calm and quiet happiness. - -When Martha had come near Jesus, whom she met just entering Bethany, -walking with four of his disciples along the dusty road, and looking -weary and travel-worn, she ran and threw herself at his feet, crying: - -"Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died!" - -Jesus taking her hand raised her up, and said with emotion, for he -seemed deeply moved by her grief: - -"Death to those whom my Father loveth is sleep. The good die not! -Lazarus is not dead, but sleepeth, and he shall rise again!" - -"I know, O Rabboni, that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the -last day." - -Jesus then said to her, lifting his celestial glances towards heaven: - -"I am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth in me, though he -were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in me -shall never die! Believest thou this, daughter?" - -"Yea, Lord, I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which -should come into the world. I know that whatsoever thou wilt ask of -God, God will give it thee, and that even now thou couldst bring -Lazarus back again!" - -"Corruption and the worm have begun their work," said a proud and -unbelieving Pharisee near, on hearing this. "Whatever may have been the -state of the ruler's daughter, and of the son of her of Nain, Lazarus -the scribe, at least, is dead!" - -To this speech Jesus made no reply, but turning to Martha, said softly: - -"This day my Father shall be glorified, and the world shall truly know -that I am come from Him who is life and the giver of life. Go thou, and -tell thy sister that I am here, and would have her come and speak with -me." - -Martha, then, overjoyed and wondering that Jesus should have known her -thoughts, so as to reproach her for her little faith as he had done, -hastened to her sister, and entering, cried: - -"I have seen the Lord! He calleth for thee, Mary. Come and see him as -he sits by Isaiah's fountain, near the market-place." - -Mary rose quickly and went out. Certain of her Jewish friends from -Jerusalem at that moment met her at the door, and began to comfort her, -and to ask her if they also should go with her to weep at the grave of -Lazarus, for they said one to another: - -"She goes unto the grave to weep there!" - -"She goes to see Jesus, the friend of Lazarus, for he calleth her," -answered Martha, smiling with eagerness, and speaking with an animation -that presented a singular contrast to her late deep grief. - -Mary hastened to where Jesus sat by the fountain bathing his dusty and -wounded feet. - -"Lord," she said, in her sister's words, and with deep emotion, "if -thou, Lord, hadst been here, my brother had not died!" - -Then bowing her head to the edge of the marble basin, she wept very -heavily. The Jews, men and women, who stood about, being touched with -her sorrow, also wept, while glittering tears coursed their way down -the face of the beloved John, his disciple, who stood near. - -Jesus sighed deeply and groaned in spirit as he beheld her grief and -their mourning with her. His sacred countenance was marred with the -anguish of his soul. - -"Rise, let us go to the grave where he lieth," he said to them. "Where -have ye laid him?" - -"Come, dear Lord, and see," answered Mary, holding him reverently by -the sleeve of the robe, and gently yet eagerly drawing him towards the -place of the tombs in the vale of Olivet. - -In the meanwhile, at home, Martha had been diligently, and with strange -cheerfulness, getting in readiness the room of Lazarus. She swept and -dusted it, and garnished it with fresh flowers, which she gathered in -the little garden. - -"This is the rose he set out and loved. This is the violet which blooms -immortal. I will place it upon his pillow," she said, with a joyous -hilarity softened by the most lovely look of peace, while hope shone in -her eyes like twin morning stars ushering in a glorious day. She spoke -scarcely above her breath and moved on tiptoe. - -"For whom is this preparation, dearest Martha? For Jesus?" I asked. - -"Oh, no. The holy Prophet's own room is ready. Mary has prepared that. -This is Lazarus' room, and I am decorating it for him." - -"Dost thou truly believe that he is coming back from the dead?" I -asked, between doubt and strange fear. - -"Believe? Oh, yes! I know that nothing is impossible with Jesus! -I doubt no more! My faith trembles no longer! He will raise up my -brother, and this day he shall sit down at our table with us again, and -this night rest his head in peaceful slumber upon this pillow which I -am strewing with his favorite flowers. Never had house two such guests -as we shall have this day--the Messias of God, and one come back alive -from the dead!" - -At this moment we heard the noise of the multitude passing by, and it -being told us that Jesus was going to the grave, Martha, embracing me -with a heavenly smile, drew me gently after her to follow the blessed -Prophet to the tomb. All Bethany was in his footsteps. - -How shall I describe Jesus as he then appeared? He wore a blue robe, -woven without seam throughout, the affectionate work and gift of the -two sisters. His face was very pale and sad, yet a certain divine -majesty rested thereon, so that his calm, high forehead looked as if it -were a throne. His holy, earnest eyes were full of sorrow. His mouth, -compressed, betrayed the effort he made to suppress the outbursting of -his heart's deep grief. - -Slowly he moved onward and, entering the cemetery, he soon stood before -the tomb of his beloved friend. - -For a few moments he stood gazing upon the closed stone door of the -cave in silence. There reigned an expectant hush among the vast throng. -Mary knelt at his feet, gazing up into his countenance with a sublime -expression of hope and trust. Martha drew softly near and fell upon her -knees by the side of her sister. Jesus looked tenderly upon them and, -resting his eyes upon the tomb, wept. Large, glittering tears rolled -down his cheeks and glanced from his flowing beard to the ground. I -knelt by the side of the sisters. - -"Behold how he loved him!" whispered the Jews present with surprise. - -Others said, "Could not this man which opened the eyes of the blind, -have caused that even this man should not have died?" - -Jesus, heaving a deep sigh, now came nearer the grave. With a slight -movement of his right hand to those who stood by, he said in a tone -that, though low, was heard by the whole people, so solemn was the -surrounding stillness: - -"Take ye away the stone!" - -"Lord," said Martha, "by this time the body is offensive, for he hath -been dead four days." - -"Daughter," said Jesus, looking on her, "believe, and thou shalt behold -the power of God." - -The men then with some difficulty took away the stone from the door -of the sepulchre and stood upon one side. The dark vault yawned with -gloomy horrors, and, so corrupt was the air that rushed out, all fell -back from it, save Jesus and Mary, retiring several steps from the -entrance. - -Jesus stood looking into the cave where, as our eyes became accustomed -to the darkness within, we could discern the corpse of Lazarus, covered -with the grave mantle, and his face bound with a napkin which was -already discolored with the sepulchral damp of the grave. - -Raising his hands towards heaven and lifting up his spiritual -eyes, which were yet moist with tears, Jesus spoke in a voice of -indescribable pathos and earnestness of appeal, and with a manner of -the most awful reverence, as follows: - -"Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I know that thou -hearest me always, but because of the people which stand by do I offer -unto thee this prayer, that they may believe that the power I have -cometh from thee, and that they may believe that thou hast sent me. -And now, O holy Father, may I glorify thee on the earth with the power -which thou hast given me." - -He then turned towards the tomb, and stretching forth his hand, he -cried with a loud voice that made every heart quake: - -"Lazarus, come forth!" - -My blood stood still in my veins. Scarcely daring to behold, I looked -and beheld what all eyes also saw, the corpse rise and stand up within -the vault, turn round with its face towards us, and come forth, wrapped -hand and foot with the grave-clothes, and his face bound about with a -napkin. His countenance was like marble for whiteness, and his eyes, -which were open, beamed supernaturally brilliant. - -At beholding him a simultaneous shriek burst from the lips of the -people, and there was a terrified backward rush of all who were nighest -the cave. - -Martha, wildly uttering her brother's name, fell forward upon her face -insensible. - -"Loose him and let him go free!" said Jesus calmly, addressing the -petrified and amazed men who had taken away the stone. - -Mary was the first one who had the firmness to approach him, and as she -began removing the napkin from the sides of his face, others, taking -courage by her example, hastened to unswathe his arms and feet. In a -few moments he was free from his outer grave-clothes, and the healthful -color of his cheeks coming to him, his lips flushed brilliantly with -red, his eyes looked natural, beaming with wonder and love as he gazed -about him. Perceiving Jesus, he was about to cast himself at his feet -in gratitude (for he seemed to have consciousness of all that had -happened), but the mighty Prophet drew him to his embrace and kissed -him. - -But my pen refuses to find language to express the unspeakable emotions -of joy and gratitude, words of love and praise, that filled all hearts. -Now the great Prophet, now Lazarus, and now Jesus again received the -plaudits of the vast throng of people. Hymns were chanted to Jehovah as -we passed through the streets, and so many fell down to worship Jesus -that it was long before we crossed the threshold of the dwelling, which -Jesus did indeed enter with Lazarus by his side! And Martha did see -her brother sit at the table, and that night his head rested in deep -slumber upon the flower-strewn pillow which her faith and love had -prepared for him. - -With the hope of soon embracing you, I remain as ever, - - Your loving daughter, - Adina. - - - - -LETTER XXVIII. - - -My Dear Father: - -Like all my letters, the theme of this will be Jesus, whose claims -to be the Messiah I unspeakably rejoice to hear you are beginning to -regard with more favorable eyes. - -Now Jesus, whose power to work miracles you yourself, my dear father, -have confessed must be conferred by Jehovah alone, asserts distinctly -and everywhere that he is Messias, the Son of God, the Shiloh of -Israel, of whom Moses and the prophets so eloquently wrote. Besides -claiming for himself this high character, he was heard, by both my -Uncle Amos and myself, in the synagogue at Bethany, two days after he -raised Lazarus from the dead, to read from Esaias the words following, -and apply them to himself, which he had done before at Nazareth: - -"The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me -to preach the gospel to the poor. He hath sent me to heal the -broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering -of sight to the blind; to set at liberty them that are bruised; to -preach the acceptable year of the Lord." - -The synagogue was thronged, so that people trod upon one another. All -eyes were now intent, and all ears were ready to hear what he should -speak. He then said unto them: - -"This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears. Ye ask me, O -scribes and men of Israel, to tell you plainly who I am--whether I am -the Christ or no. What saith the prophet of Messias when he shall come? -Ye have just heard his words. If such works as he prophesieth do show -forth themselves in me, know ye not who I am?" - -Here a voice cried out in the assembly: - -"Tell us plainly, art thou the Christ, the Son of the Highest?" - -At this direct inquiry there was intense interest shown to hear the -reply. - -Jesus seemed about to answer, when a man, who stood near the reading -desk, in whom was an unclean spirit, cried out, with a shrieking voice -of mingled terror and awe: - -"Let me alone! Leave me as I am, thou Jesus of Nazareth! Art thou come -hither to destroy me? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God!" - -Jesus rebuked the devil which possessed the man and said, in the voice -of a master commanding a bond slave: - -"Hold thy peace, Satan! The Son of man needeth not, though thou givest -it, thy testimony. Hold thy peace, and come out of the man!" - -At this word the man uttered a fearful cry of despair and rage, and -foaming at the mouth cast himself, or rather was thrown down by the -devil within him, to the ground; where, after a moment's terrific -struggle, with contortions of bodily anguish, he lay senseless as if -dead. Jesus took him by the hand, and he stood up and, looking in the -face of the Prophet with earnestness and wonder, burst into tears of -gratitude, exclaiming: - -"I am escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowler; the snare is -broken, and I am escaped. God hath delivered me out of the hand of my -enemy!" He then sat at the feet of Jesus, calm, grateful, happy, and in -his right mind! All gazed on him with wonder, while from the great mass -of the people rose a great shout, for they were all amazed, saying: - -"This is none other than the Christ, the Son of David! This is the -King of Israel!" while the loud shouts of "Hosanna! hosanna! hosanna!" -cheered by a thousand voices, "Hosanna to our King!" shook like a -passing storm the synagogue. - -When the noise had a little subsided, some of the Scribes and Pharisees -said, reproving him for not rebuking these cries: - -"Who is this that suffereth himself to be hailed as king? This is -treason to the emperor!" - -Jesus then said in a loud, clear voice: - -"My kingdom is not of this world! I seek not an earthly throne or -earthly sceptre. My kingdom is from above. Ye say truly, I am king," he -added, with indescribable majesty, "and hereafter ye shall behold me -sitting upon the throne of heaven." - -When he had thus far spoken he could not proceed farther, on account of -the sudden and immense uproar which his words produced. Some shouted, -"Hosanna!" others said he blasphemed; one cried for the Roman guard, -another for the priests, to eject him from the tribune; many rushed -towards him to cast themselves at his feet, while many, putting their -fingers in their ears, hurried forth from the synagogue, crying: - -"His blasphemies will cause the house to fall upon us and crush us!" - -Never was such an uproar heard. In the midst of it Jesus conveyed -himself away, none knew whither; and when I returned to the house of -Martha I heard his low, earnest, touching voice in prayer to God in his -little chamber. He had sought its sacred quiet to be alone with his -Father in heaven. At times I could hear him praying and supplicating, -in tones of the most heart-breaking pathos; at others the silence of -his room was only broken at intervals by sighs and pitiful groans that -seemed to come from a breaking and crushed heart. Oh, what hand may -remove the veil and reveal what passed there in that holy retirement -between the Prophet and his God! - -It was late in the day when he came forth, Martha having softly tapped -at his door to say that the evening meal was prepared and alone waited -for him. When he appeared his face was colorless and bore traces of -weeping, and though he smiled kindly upon us all, as he was wont to do, -there was a deep-seated sorrow upon his countenance that brought tears -to my eyes. Æmilius joined us at the table, and with dear Lazarus and -with Uncle Amos, we passed a sacred hour; for the Prophet ate not, but -talked to us much and sweetly of the love of God, and as all listened -the viands were forgotten. - -Pardon me, dearest father, if I am too warm and urgent in my efforts to -bring you to accept Jesus as the Christ. Convinced, as I am, that he -is Messias, I cannot but ardently desire that you, also, should come -to the knowledge of this truth. What he is yet to be, how he is yet -to develop his majesty and power, is unknown to us all. Some do think -that he will enter Jerusalem ere long, attended by tens of thousands -of his followers, and that before him Pilate will peaceably vacate his -Procuratorial chair, and retire, not only from the Holy City but from -Judea, with his legions; that Jesus will ascend the throne of David, -and the glory of the age of Solomon be revived under his rule. - -Such, dear father, is the future of the Prophet, as looked for by all -his disciples save one, and this is John, the husband of my Cousin -Mary. John, on hearing our views of the coming glory of the Prophet, -looks compassionate and says: - -"His kingdom is not of this world. He has naught to do with the -splendors of earth. His glory you will behold, but it is a glory of the -spirit. Ere perceiving it fully we may first pass through the valley of -darkness, the gate of the tomb. He has distinctly said to me, 'I must -first suffer many things at the hands of men before I enter upon my -reign of glory. The Jews will seek me to kill me, and I shall be taken -from among you; but let not sorrow fill your hearts. Death can have no -power over me save such as I permit it to hold. I lay down my life and -I take it again. Through much tribulation and sorrow must the Son of -God win the sceptre of this earth--the hearts of men. I shall conquer, -but to do so I must fall. Yet fear not. My death shall be the gateway -to Paradise for you all!'" - -Thus, dear father, do we discourse together about this wonderful -Prophet, whose future life is all a mystery, save that, from the -prophecies, we know it is to be inconceivably glorious; from his own -lips, to be inconceivably sorrowful. But whether on a throne, giving -laws to the world, or in the dust, borne down by the deepest woe, I -shall still love, honor, reverence him and trust in him as my Savior, -my Prince, and the Holy One of God! - - Your devoted and loving, - Adina. - - - - -LETTER XXIX. - - -My Dearest Father: - -With what emotions of grief and amazement I commence this letter you -can form no just conception. Jesus, the Prophet of God, is a prisoner -to the Roman power! - -But I fear not the issue! He cannot be holden of his foes, save by his -own free will. He can, with a word, turn his chains into bands of sand, -and by a glance render his guards dead men. He will, therefore, escape -their bonds. They can have no power over him. - -It seems that to-day, after eating the Passover with his twelve chosen -friends, and instituting a new and peculiar feast with wine and bread, -which he told them impressively would be his last supper with them, he -went forth towards Olivet, and there, seating himself beneath the shade -of a tree, he talked with them very sadly, saying that "his hour was -come, that he had ended his work, and that he was about to be delivered -into the hands of sinful men." - -John gave the following narrative: "It was evening, and the south side -of Olivet lay in deep shadow. We were all sorrowful. We felt, each -one of us, as if some grievous evil was pending over us. The tones of -our beloved Master's voice moved us to tears, quite as much as his -words, which latter were full of mystery. We were all present except -Iscariot, who had remained in the city to discharge the costs--he being -our purse-bearer--of the Passover supper and pay for the hire of the -room. At that supper Jesus had said very plainly that one of our number -would betray him into the hands of the priests. At hearing our Lord say -these strange words in accents of touching reproach, we were all deeply -moved, and Peter and the rest at once questioned him individually, if -it were they. 'Lord, is it I?' and another, 'Lord, is it I?' I was -resting, at the moment, with my face on the shoulder of Jesus, and said -softly, 'Lord, who is it that betrayeth thee? I will forthwith lay -hands upon him and prevent his doing thee harm.' Jesus shook his head -and smiling gently, said: - -"'My beloved brother, thou knowest not what thou would do. The Son of -man must needs be betrayed by his own friends, but woe unto him who -betrayeth me! Mark which of the twelve dippeth bread with me into the -dish!' - -"I looked and saw Judas reach forward and dip into the dish at the same -instant with Jesus; but in his eagerness, or from conscious guilt, -his hand trembled, he spilled the salt over the board, and the sop -fell from his grasp into the bowl; upon which Jesus gave him the piece -he held, saying to him, with a remarkable expression in his clear, -piercing eyes: - -"'Judas, that thou doest, do quickly!' - -"Instantly Judas rose from the table, and without a reply or casting a -look at any of us, went out. - -"For a few moments after his footsteps had ceased to be heard, there -prevailed a heavy silence in the chamber, for a strange fear had -fallen upon us; why, we could not tell; and looking into one another's -faces, and then into our dear Master's, we seemed to await some dread -event. His face was placid and full of affection as he looked upon us. -The momentary cloud which shaded the noble profile when he spoke to -Judas had all passed off, and there was the serenity of a cloudless sky -in his face." - -"What was the mysterious feast which he instituted?" asked Mary, -interrupting John here. - -"You may properly call it mysterious," he answered. "As we were eating -the Passover, Jesus took up bread and, blessing it by a solemn act of -consecration, broke it with his hands and gave a portion to each of us, -saying with it, 'Take, eat; this is my body!' - -"Awed and impressed by his manner and the act, we all received and -ate it as he commanded us to do, as reverently as if it were the holy -shew-bread of the Temple, dedicated to God's use. When we had eaten in -silence what we perceived was the inauguration of a new and most sacred -feast by his own hand, he took up the cup of wine, and consecrated it -also by giving thanks and blessing. The hallowed cup he now offered to -each one of us. We all drank of it with deep devotion, for he said to -us, 'I will drink no more with you the fruit of the vine until that day -that I drink it new in the kingdom of God!' He also said of the wine, -'This is my blood!'" - -"And how do you understand these words, that the bread consecrated was -his body, and the wine was his blood?" I asked of the disciple. - -"That is an inquiry I cannot answer," said John. "It is a mystery. But -the Lord says it shall be made clear to us by and by. - -"We then sang the Passover hymn to God, and went out at his command to -go to Olivet. As we went he discoursed with us: - -"'My children,' he said. 'I am to be with you but a little while -longer. The hour of my departure is at hand. Remember my last -words--love one another. In this shall all men know that ye are my -disciples.' - -"'Lord,' cried Peter, 'we will go with thee! Thou shalt not leave us -nor go without us!' - -"Thus we all, eagerly and tearfully, gathered around him, alarmed and -grieved at the words he had said. He regarded us lovingly and said: - -"'Little children, I must leave you. Whither I go you cannot come!' - -"'Though thou wentest to the uttermost parts of the sea, I will follow -thee, my Master and Lord!' exclaimed Peter. 'Whither goest thou, that -we may not follow? I will lay down my life for thee; and so will all -these!' - -[Illustration: AN ORIENTAL SUPPER SCENE.] - -"'Wilt thou die for me, Peter?' asked Jesus, gazing on him with a sad, -sweet look. 'Verily, verily, Peter, thou little knowest thyself. The -cock shall not crow twice ere thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest -me.' - -"'Deny thee, Lord!' repeated Peter, with amazed grief and horror in his -looks. - -"'Yes, Peter,' answered Jesus, firmly but kindly, 'deny that thou ever -knewest me; for the time draweth near when there shall be safety only -in confessing ignorance of Jesus the Nazarene. And all ye,' he added, -while his voice grew tremulous, and tears glistened in his eyes, 'all -ye shall be offended because of me this night; ye shall be ashamed -that ye are my disciples, and ye will think me a deceiver and will be -displeased at me. Yea, every one of you shall desert me; for thus it -is written: "The shepherd shall be smitten, and the sheep shall be -scattered!"' - -"When he saw that our hearts were troubled and that we were sad, and -that the faithful Philip sobbed aloud at being supposed capable of -abandoning his Master, he added, 'Let not your hearts be troubled; I go -to prepare a place for you in my Father's house!' - -"'Thy father, Lord, no longer liveth in Nazareth; and, were he alive, -there are but two small apartments in his humble house,' said Thomas. -'How sayest thou that we are all to lodge there?' - -"'Thomas, thou canst understand only what thine eyes see. I speak of my -Father who is in heaven. In his house are many mansions.' - -"Jesus then, as we drew near Cedron, began plainly to tell us that he -was to die, and that by his death we should be admitted into a heavenly -paradise and live forever. We could not understand all he said, but we -knew that he was soon to be taken from us and sorrow filled all our -hearts. After discoursing with us in the most touching words, he at -length said: - -"'Come, let us go over Cedron to the side of Olivet, into the garden we -so much love to walk in.' - -"We went with him, inclosing him as a guard, to conceal his person -from the Jewish spies, as well as to defend him. Peter and James went -before. The full moon shone brightly, and by its light glancing on the -face of Jesus, by whom I walked, I saw that it was sadder than its -wont, while he spoke but little. - -"We at length crossed the brook and entered the dark groves of Olivet. -Familiar with all the paths, we advanced to a central group of -venerable olive trees, beneath which, tradition says, Abraham used to -sit; and there Jesus, turning to us, said in a voice of the deepest woe: - -"'Friends, the hour of my time of trial is come! My work is ended. I -would be alone. Remain you here and watch, for we shall be sought for. -Come with me, Peter, and you also, James. I am going to pray yonder.' - -"'Take me, also, dear Lord!' I said, sorrowfully. - -"'Yes, thou art always with me, beloved!' he answered. 'I will not -leave thee now.' - -"So leaving the eight friends to keep watch against the intrusion of -his enemies, who were known to be everywhere seeking him, he walked -away to the most secluded recesses of the garden. He stopped at the -place near the rock where Adam is said to have hidden from Jehovah, and -saying to us in a sorrowful tone, 'Tarry ye here, while I go apart and -pray to my Father,' he went from us about a stone's cast and kneeled -down, where a thick olive branch hanging low to the ground concealed -him from our view. I was so solicitous lest he should leave us and we -should see him no more, that I soon softly advanced near to the spot -and beheld him prostrate on the ground, while deep groans broke from -his heart. I heard his voice murmuring, but could not distinguish the -words broken by grief; only the tones were those of strange horror and -dread. - -"As he prayed thus in great agony, I suddenly beheld a swift light -pass by me, as if from the skies, and lo! an angel stood by the side -of Jesus, bending over him and raising him up from the ground. A -soft, bright glory shone around the spot, so that Peter, seeing it, -advanced towards me, supposing some one had entered the garden bearing -a torch. I beckoned to Peter to be motionless, and he gazed with me in -speechless astonishment and admiration upon the form of the angel, from -whose glorious face was emitted the radiance which illumined the place -where Jesus was. As the angel raised Jesus from the ground, we saw that -his divine countenance was convulsed with anguish, and upon his brow -stood great shining drops of sweat, mingled with blood, which oozed -from his pallid temples and, rolling down his marble cheeks, dropped to -the ground. Never had we beheld a human visage so marred by sorrow, so -deeply graven with the lines of agony. - -"The angel seemed to utter soothing words, and pointed with his shining -hand towards heaven, as if to encourage him with hope and give him -strength. The face of Jesus grew more serene; he raised his eyes -heavenward with a divine expression of holy love, and cried in a strong -voice: - -"'Thy will, not mine, O God, be done!' - -"The angel then embraced him, as if strengthening him, and soaring -upward, disappeared like a star returning into the blue depths of -heaven, while Peter and I stood by wondering and full of awe at what we -beheld. - -"We remained for some time conversing together upon the wonderful -vision we had seen, which confirmed us in the certainty that Jesus -came from God, and was in truth the Messias that should come; but -at length, wearied with our day's excitements, we must have fallen -asleep, for we were suddenly startled by the voice of our dear Master -saying: - -"'Why sleep ye, children? But the hour is past for watching. Ye may -sleep on now, for though your flesh is weary, your spirit is willing. I -need your aid no longer!' - -"While he was speaking, we saw many torches gleaming through the trees, -along King David's walk, and the tramp of feet fell on our ears. We -soon saw a large party advancing into the midst of the garden, who -walked rapidly and spoke only in undertones. We at once took the alarm -and said to Jesus: - -"'Fly, dear Master! Let us ascend the hill, and escape by the way of -Bethany, for these are enemies!' - -"'Nay,' answered our dear Master. 'It must needs be that I deliver -myself into the hands of these men. How else shall the Scriptures be -fulfilled? Seek safety in flight for yourselves, but I must go whither -they will lead me.' - -"'Not so, Lord,' answered Peter. 'There is time for thee to escape; or, -if not, we will stand by thee and defend thee.' - -"So said all the disciples. Jesus shook his head and said, with a sad -smile, 'Ye know not what ye say or would do. Mine hour is come!' - -"While he yet spake the multitude drew nearer, and those who had the -lead, raising their torches high above their heads, discovered us, -with Jesus in the midst. To my surprise I beheld Judas acting as their -guide, for he alone knew where his Master was to be found at that hour. -Upon discovering Jesus this wicked man ran forward, with expressions of -friendship in his face, and kissed Jesus on the cheek, saying: - -"'Hail, Master! I am glad I have found thee!' - -"'Judas,' said Jesus, 'betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?' - -"When Judas heard this he turned to the multitude, at the head of which -I recognized some of the chief priests, and of the most learned scribes -of the Temple, and cried aloud: - -"'This is he! Seize him, and hold him fast!' - -"Thereupon the crowd, to the number of full ten score men, among whom -were the vilest sort of people, rushed forward to lay hands upon Jesus, -the moon and torches together shedding almost the bright light of day -into the garden upon the whole group. - -[Illustration: MOUNT OF OLIVES.] - -"At seeing them advance so furiously, with spears and clubs and swords, -Peter and James placed themselves before Jesus to defend him, while I, -being unarmed, cast myself across his breast, to shield his heart with -my body. The more bold men in the crowd coming too near, Peter smote -one of them with his sword, as he was reaching out his arm to grasp -Jesus by the shoulder, and clave off his ear. At seeing this the crowd -uttered a fierce shout, and were pressing upon us, when Jesus raised -the palm of his hand and said quietly: - -"'Whom seek ye?' - -"Instantly the whole mass rolled backward, like a receding billow -rebounding from the face of an immovable rock, and every man thereof -fell with his forehead to the ground, where they all lay for a minute -stunned. We twelve alone stood, for Judas had not been struck down, -and now remained gazing with amazement and terror upon the prostrate -enemies of Jesus. - -"'Lord,' cried Peter, astonished, 'if thou canst thus repel thy foes, -thou needest not fear them more. Shall I smite Judas also?' - -"'Nay, put up thy sword, Peter! Let him remain to witness my power, -that he may know that he nor his have any power over me save that I -give them.' - -"While he was thus speaking the people and soldiers rose to their -feet, and, instead of flying, they seemed to be infuriated at their -discomfiture; and the chief priests crying out that it was by sorcery -that they had been thus stricken down, they rushed madly forward and -laid their hands upon Jesus and upon us all. In vain I contended -against numbers to rescue Jesus; overpowered, we were defeated and -driven from the garden, leaving Jesus in the hands of his enemies." - -When John had gone thus far in his relation, dear father, our tears and -his were mingled. But we try and comfort ourselves with the word of his -promise: - -"Ye know not now, but ye shall know by and by, and shall believe truly -that I came out from God. What now seems to you mysterious shall be -made clear as light. Wait and have faith, and all shall be made known -which now you understand not. Let no trials and degradations ye see me -pass through cause your faith to fail. I am come into this world to -conquer; but if I stoop, it is to raise up the world with me when I -rise again!" - -I have omitted to mention to you what more John related as wonderful -touching the arrest of the Prophet. "As the chief priests bound and -laid their hands on him, there was," he said, "heard in the air the -sound of myriads of rushing wings, and notes like the gathering -signal of a trumpet, echoing and re-echoing in the skies, as if a -countless host of invisible beings were marshaling, armies by armies, -in mid-heaven! At these fearful and sublime sounds all raised their -heads but could behold nothing. Then Jesus said, with a majestic and -commanding look, such as I had never before beheld upon his face: - -"'Ye hear that I am not without heavenly friends! I have only to pray -to my Father which is in heaven, and he will bid twelve legions of his -angels, now hovering in the air and yearning to defend me from my foes, -descend to my aid! But I desire not to use my powers for myself.'" - -Thus, dear father, was Jesus borne away by a fierce multitude and -dragged into the city. - -John, whose interest in and affection for Jesus led him to follow them, -heard all this; but Jesus made no answer, only walking quietly along, -patiently enduring all they said and did. - -As they entered the city gate the Roman guard, seeing the immense crowd -and uproar, stopped them to learn the cause of the commotion. - -"'We have here a traitor and conspirator, O captain of the guard,' -answered Eli, the chief priest: 'a pestilent fellow, who calls -himself Christ, a king! We have, therefore, with this band of hired -soldiers, taken him, as he was met secretly with twelve of his -fellow-conspirators, plotting to overthrow the government of Cæsar and -make himself king of Judea.' - -"'Long live Cæsar! Long live the emperor!' shouted the Roman soldiers. -'We have no king but Augustus Imperator!' - -"Upon this many of the soldiers cried, 'Take him before the Procurator! -He will give him his deserts, who would take his procuratorship away -from him! To Pilate! To Pilate!' - -"'To Annas!' shouted the Jews. 'First to Annas!' - -"Then, with some shouting one thing and others another thing, he was -hurried towards the house of Annas. - -"When Annas knew that the prisoner was Jesus, he uttered a fearful oath -expressive of his joy and wicked satisfaction, and, hastily robing and -coming down into the court, he bade them bring the prisoner in. But the -calm majesty of Jesus abashed him, and checked the course of insulting -questions he began putting to him. At length finding that the Prophet -would make no reply, he caused him to be bound still more closely with -more cords, lest he should, like Samson, rend his bonds and escape on -the way, and sent him to Caiaphas, the High Priest, saying to him: - -"'Caiaphas will find voice for thy tongue, O Prophet! So, thou wouldst -destroy the Temple, and callest thyself the Son of the Lord Jehovah! -Out, blasphemer! Away with him, or the house will be swallowed up -with the presence of one so impious! Away with the man! By the crown -of David! Pilate will make thee king in truth, and give thee a Roman -throne, to which, so that thou mayest not presently fall from it, he -will nail thee foot and hand!' - -"At this the cruel crowd shouted their approbation, and many cried: - -"'Ay, to the cross! to the cross with him!' - -"But others said, 'Nay, but to Caiaphas!' - -"The captain of the Roman soldiers resolved that he should be taken -before Pilate, and led the way thither, Jesus bound in the midst." - -With renewed uproar they tumultuously pressed forward, their way -lighted by the red glare of a hundred torches, insulting the Roman -soldiers with seditious cries. John followed, but being recognized as -one of his disciples by a soldier in Æmilius' legion, he was seized and -only escaped by leaving his apparel in the grasp of the rude Roman. -Five of the disciples who have escaped arrest, are now in this house, -whither John fled also, on eluding the grasp of the soldier, leaving -his linen garment in his hand. We are all so sad and anxious! To move -in favor of Jesus is only to share his fate and do him no service. - -Yet through all, dear father, I do trust in him and hope! Oh, I cannot -doubt his truth and power! I have seen him bring Lazarus up from -the grave, and I will not believe but that he can save himself, and -will save himself, from their hands. It is only when I shall behold -him really no more--see him really dead--that my faith in his divine -mission will waver. - -With eyes blinded with tears, I can scarcely subscribe myself, - - Your sad but loving daughter, - Adina. - - - - -LETTER XXX. - - -My Dear Father: - -I know not how to write--I know not what to say! Dismay and sorrow fill -my heart! I feel as if life were a burden too heavy to hear! They have -crucified him! - -Verily fear and a snare are come upon us--desolation and destruction, -O my father! We know not which way to turn. He in whom we trusted has -proved as one of us, weak and impotent, and has suffered death without -power to save himself. He that saved others could not escape the death -of the Roman cross! While I write, I hear the priest Abner, in the -court below, mocking my Uncle Amos in a loud voice: - -"Your Messias is dead! A famous great prophet, surely, you Nazarenes -have chosen--born in a manger and crucified as a thief! Said I not -that he who could speak against the Temple and the priesthood was of -Beelzebub?" - -Rabbi Amos makes no reply. Shame and despair seal his lips. Thus our -enemies triumph over us, and we answer only with confusion of face. - -This unexpected, this unlooked-for, startling result has stupefied me, -and not only me but all who have been so led by fascination as to trust -in him. Even John, the beloved disciple, I hear now pacing the floor of -the adjoining room, sobbing as if his noble heart would burst. Mary, my -cousin's sweet voice, I catch from time to time trying to soothe him, -although she is stricken like us all to the very earth. The unhappy -John I hear despairingly answer her: - -"Do not try to comfort me, Mary! There is no ground for hope more! He -is dead--dead! All is lost! We who trusted in him have only to fly, if -we would save our wretched lives, into Galilee, and return once more -to our nets! The sun which shone so dazzlingly has proved a phantom -light and gone out in darkness! He whom I could not but love, I see -that I loved too well, since he proves not what I believed him to -be! Oh, how could he be so like the Son of God and yet not be! Yet I -loved and adored him as if he were the very Son of the Highest! But I -have seen him die as a man--I have gazed on his lifeless body! I have -beheld the deep wound made into his very heart by the Roman spear! -I cast myself upon him, when he was taken down from the cross, and -implored him, by his love for me, to give some sign that he was not -holden by death! I placed my trembling hands over his heart. It was -still--still--motionless as stone, like any other dead man's! He was -dead--dead! With him die all our hopes--the hopes of Israel!" - -"He may live again," said Mary, softly and hesitatingly, as if she -herself had no such hope. "He raised Lazarus, thou dost remember!" - -"Yes, for Jesus was living to do it," answered John, stopping in his -walk; "but how can the dead raise the dead? No, he will never move, -speak, nor breathe again!" - -But I will not further delay the account of his trial and condemnation, -for you will be anxious to know how such a man could be condemned to -a malefactor's death. In my last letter I spoke of his arrest through -the traitorous part enacted by Judas. Led by his captors, bound by the -wrists with a cord, Jesus was taken from the dark groves of Olivet, -where he had been found at prayer, and conducted with great noise into -the city by Cæsar's gate. It is near this archway that Rabbi Amos -lives. I will copy for you my Cousin Mary's account of it to Martha of -Bethany, just written by her, instead of adding any more to my own. - -"I went out upon the basilica, which overlooked the streets," says -Mary, "and beheld a multitude advancing with torches flashing, and -soon they came opposite the house, at least two hundred men in number, -half clad and savage looking, with fierce eyes and scowling looks. -Here and there among them was a Levite urging them on, and I also -beheld Abner the priest firing their passions by loud oratory and eager -gesticulations. Behind rode five Roman horsemen, with levelled spears, -guarding a young man who walked with a firm step. I burst into tears. -It was Jesus! His locks were dishevelled, his beard torn, his face -marred, and his garments rent. He was pale and suffering, yet walked -with a firm step. I burst into tears, and so did Adina, who had come -out to see what was passing. He looked up and said touchingly, 'Mourn -not for me.' - -"He would have said more, but the priest smote him rudely upon the -mouth, and the crowd, following his example, would have done him -further insult but for the Roman soldiers, who turned their spears -every way to guard him from violence, for they had rescued him from -the terrible rage of the Jews by their centurion's orders, and were -commanded to bring him safely before Pilate. So, thus guarded and -escorted by the men who thirsted for his blood, he was led onward -to the Pretorium, where the Roman Procurator resided. Gradually the -whole multitude disappeared in the distance when silence, a dread and -unearthly silence, succeeded. I turned and looked in Adina's face. She -was leaning, as colorless as marble, against one of the columns of the -basilica. - -"'What can all this mean?' she said, with emotion. 'Can it be possible -he has suffered himself to be taken--he who could destroy or make alive -with a word? What means this dreadful scene we have just witnessed?' - -"I could not answer. All I knew was what my eyes just beheld--that -Jesus our Prophet, our King, our Messias, on whom all our hopes and -the joy of Israel rested, was dragged a prisoner through the streets, -helpless and without a helper. I trembled with I knew not what unknown -forebodings. Suddenly Adina cried: - -"'He cannot be harmed! He cannot die! He is a mighty Prophet, and -has power that will strike his enemies dead. Let us not fear. He has -yielded himself only the more terribly to defeat and destroy his foes. -We will not fear what Pilate or the priests will do! They cannot harm -the Anointed Shiloh of the Lord!' - -"While we were yet talking, dear Martha, a dark figure passed -stealthily along beneath the basilica, and seemed to court the shadows -of the house. At this moment my father, Rabbi Amos, opened the outer -gate, with a torch in his hand, to follow, at our request, the crowd of -people, and see what should befall Jesus. The light glared full upon -the tall, spare form of Peter, the Galilean fisherman. His dark, stern -features wore an expression of earnest anxiety. - -"'Is it thou, Peter?' exclaimed my father. 'What is all this? Who has -ordered the arrest of Jesus? What has he done?' - -"'That hateful and envious man, Caiaphas, seeks to destroy him, and -has bribed with large lures of gold the baser Jews to do this thing. -Come with me, Rabbi, and let us die with him!' and the Galilean pressed -eagerly forward at a pace with which my father could not keep up. - -"And this was an hour ago, and yet no news has come from the Pretorium; -but from time to time a dreadful shout from the hill on which the -palace of Caiaphas stands, breaks upon my ears, and the glare of unseen -torches illumines the atmosphere high above the towers of the palace. -It is a fearful night of agony and suspense. Adina, in her painful -uncertainty, but for my entreaties would go forth alone towards the -Pretorium to hear and know all. I can keep myself calm only by writing -to you. Adina has also commenced a letter to her father, recording -these sad things, but she drops her pen to start to the balcony at -every sound. When will this fearful night end! What will the morrow -reveal! - -"It is an hour since I wrote the last line. The interval has been one -of agony. Rumors have reached us that the priests insist on Pilate's -passing sentence of death on the Prophet. The cries, 'Crucify him! -Crucify him!' have distinctly reached our ears. John is now here. -About half an hour after Jesus passed he reached our house nearly -destitute of apparel, his clothing having been torn from off him by -the Jews, in their efforts to make him their prisoner also. He is calm -and confiding, saying that his beloved Master can never be injured by -them, and that he will ere many hours deliver himself from his foes, -and proclaim himself king of Israel with power such as man never had -before. May the God of Jacob defend him! John has just gone up to the -Temple to get news, in disguise of a priest, wearing my father's robes. - -"I have just seen a messenger passing in great haste along the street, -and his horse falling, cast him almost upon our threshold. It was the -page of Æmilius, the noble Roman knight, who is betrothed to my Cousin -Adina. She hastened to his aid. He was but stunned, and soon was able -to say that he bore a message from Lucia Metella, the fair and youthful -bride of Pilate, urging him to have nothing to do with the Prophet, but -to give him his liberty, for she had just awakened from an impressive -dream in which she saw him sitting on the throne of the universe, -crowned with the stars of heaven, the earth a footstool beneath his -feet, and all nations assembled and doing him homage. - -"This report of the page has filled our hearts with joy and hope -inexpressible. Confident that Jesus is the Son of God, we will not fear -what man can do unto him. - -"My father has returned. It is day. He says nothing can save Jesus but -his own divine power. The Jews are in number many thousands, and cry -for his blood. Pilate has but a cohort of soldiers and fears to use -force, lest the exasperated people break into open revolt and take the -city from his hands, which they can with ease do if they will unite. -'He trembles,' said my father, 'between fear to condemn the innocent -and dread of the vengeance of the Jews if he let him go. Nothing can -save the Prophet but his own mighty miracle-working power. He who has -saved others will surely save himself.' - -"While my father was speaking a man rushed into our presence. He was -low in stature, broad-chested, with a stiff, reddish beard, narrow -eyes, and sharp, unpleasant visage. His attire was ragged and mean, as -was his whole aspect. He grasped in his right hand a small bag, which -rung with coin as his shaking fingers held it. He trembled all over, -and seizing my father by the arm with the quick, nervous grasp of a -lunatic, cried hoarsely: - -"'Will he let them? Will he? Will he?' - -"'Will he what, Iscariot? Of whom do you speak? Art thou crazed? Thou -shouldst well be, after thy deed to-night!' - -"'Will he let them kill him? Will he die? Will he die? Think you he -will escape? He can if he will! Cords to him are ropes of sand!' - -"'No, no. He is bound hand and foot!' answered my father, sadly. 'He -makes no defense. I fear he will let them do as they will with him. He -makes no effort to save his life.' - -"At this Judas, for it was that wicked man, beat his knitted forehead -in a frenzied manner with the bag of silver, and with a look of -horrible despair rushed forth, crying as he went: - -"'I will save him! The priests shall have their money again! He shall -not die! If I had believed he would not do some miracle to escape them, -I never would have sold him! I hoped to get their money, and trusted, -if they bound him, for him to escape by his own power. I did not dream -that he would not exert it to save himself. I will save thee, innocent -man of God, for I, not thou, alone am guilty! Oh, if I had suspected -this--but he shall not die!' - -"With these ravings he disappeared towards the Pretorium, leaving us -all amazed at what we had heard. - -"The sun is up. The fate of Jesus is sealed! The Procurator has -signed the sentence of death and he is to be crucified to-day. But, -with Judas, I believe that he cannot die, and that he will signalize -the hour by some wonderful miracle of personal deliverance. Thus, -tremblingly, we hope and wait." - -Here terminates, my dear father, what my cousin has written to Martha -and Lazarus. - - Your sorrowing but loving daughter, - Adina. - - - - -LETTER XXXI. - - -Dearest Father: - -I have only terminated my last letter to take up my pen for the -beginning of another, for I find relief only in writing to you from the -deep affliction which has struck me to the earth. If anything can add -to my mortification at the death of the Nazarene, Jesus, it is that I -shall have endeavored so earnestly to make you believe in him also. -Oh, I shall never have confidence in a human being again; and the more -lovely, the more holy, the more heavenly the character of any one, the -wiser and purer their teachings, the more distrustful shall I be of -them. - -But I will turn from these painful thoughts and, as I promised in my -last, will give you an account of what passed at his trial. - -It is now the morning following the crucifixion, and I am calmer -than I was yesterday and will be able to write with more coherency. -Twenty-four hours have passed since he was nailed to the cross. His -followers have been, since his arrest, hunted like wild beasts of the -wilderness. Annas has hired and filled with wine fierce Roman soldiers, -and sent them everywhere to seize the fugitive Nazarenes. John was -especially sought out, and the emissaries of Annas came at midnight -last night to the house to take him, but we assisted him in making -his escape by means of the subterranean passage that leads from the -dwelling of Rabbi Amos to the catacombs beneath the Temple. - -Æmilius, though only recently a convert from the paganism of Rome, is -firm in his faith that Jesus will rise again to life; and, instead of -giving up all, as we do, he says that he should not be amazed to be -suddenly told by the soldiers, whom he left to guard his tomb, that he -had burst forth alive from the dead! - -But I have forgotten that I am to narrate to you, dear father, the -particulars of his accusation, trial and condemnation. As I was not -present in the Pretorium, I am indebted for the further details which I -shall give, in part to John and in part to Rabbi Amos. - -"As soon as the mob of Jews who had Jesus under arrest, and which I -saw pass the house, reached the abode of Rabbi Annas, he asked them -whom they had in custody, and when they answered that it was the great -Nazarene Prophet, he said with joy: - -"'Bring him into the lower court, that I may see him. By the rod of -Aaron, I would have him do some notable miracle for me.' - -"And thus speaking, the white-headed old man hastened down to the -court, which, on reaching, he found thronged with the infuriated -multitude. It was with difficulty he made a passage to where Jesus -stood, both imprisoned and defended by a glittering lattice of Roman -spears. After regarding him attentively he said, with curiosity yet -with sarcasm: - -"'Art thou, then, the King of the Jews? Hast thou come to reign on the -throne of David? Show me a sign from heaven, and I will acknowledge -thee, O Nazarene!' - -"But Jesus stood calm and dignified, making no answer. Annas then -angrily plucked him by the beard, and a messenger at the same moment -arrived to say to him that Caiaphas, the High Priest, demanded to have -Jesus brought before him. Upon this he said in a loud voice: - -"'Lead him to the palace! Caiaphas, my son-in-law, would see the man -who would destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days!' - -"There now arose a dreadful shout from the priests and people, who, -rushing upon Jesus, cried, 'Crucify him!' and attempted to grasp his -person, as they guarded him along the streets; but in protecting him, -as they had been commanded to do, the Romans wounded several of the -Jews. Hereupon there was a great cry of sedition and shouts of: - -"'Down with the Roman eagles! Down with the barbarians! Death to the -Gentiles!' - -"These cries were followed up by a fearful rush of the mass of men -upon the handful of guards. They were forced back, their spears broken -like straws or turned aside, and Jesus successfully wrested from their -power. But in the height of the battle Æmilius appeared with a portion -of the legion of which he was Prefect, and instantly charging the -people, who fled before the breasts of his horses, rescued the Prophet. - -"'Rabbi,' said Æmilius to the Prophet, with compassionate respect, -'I know thou hast power from God to disperse as chaff this rabble of -fiends. Speak, and let them perish at thy divine command!' - -"'Nay, my son. I am come into the world for this hour,' answered Jesus. -'This, also, is a part of my mission from my Father. It becomes me to -endure all things, even death.' - -"'You cannot die, my Lord,' said Æmilius warmly. 'Did I not see thee -raise Lazarus from the tomb?' - -"'To die I came into this world, but not for myself. I lay down my -life, and I can take it again. These men could have no power over me -except my Father did grant it to them. And what my Father willeth I -will also. Seek not, my son, to deliver me.' - -"These words passed between them beneath the portico, as Æmilius was -loosing the sharp cords from the bleeding wrists of the youthful -Prophet. - -"'To Caiaphas! To Caiaphas!' now cried the multitude, who had been -for a moment awed by the bold charge of the Roman horse, but now grew -bolder as some men removed the dead and wounded out of sight. 'To the -palace with the blasphemer! for he who calls himself God is, by our -law, to be punished with death! To the High Priest with him!' - -"'I can rescue you, great Prophet!' said Æmilius resolutely. 'Give me -the word, and you are mounted on my horse and safe in the castle of -David.' - -"'The High Priest has sent for me. He must be obeyed,' answered Jesus; -and Æmilius, surprised at his refusal to escape, reluctantly escorted -him to the palace. The windows already glared with torches, and the -superb Hall of Aaron was alight with a hundred flambeaux. Caiaphas -was already upon his throne, although it was long past the hour of -midnight--an unwonted time for him to sit in the council chamber; -but his desire to have Jesus brought before him led him to hold an -extraordinary court. A score of the elders and chief priests were -standing about him, their dark, eager faces earnestly watching the -entrance to get a look at the approaching Prophet. As Jesus serenely -entered, led by the sorrowful Æmilius, Caiaphas bent his tall, gaunt -form forward, thrust his neck and huge head in advance, and with keen -eyes and sharp, scrutinizing glances, surveyed him whom he jealously -looked upon as his foe. - -"The multitude, pressing in, soon filled the vast hall and even crowded -upon the rostrum, upon which were seated the scribes, elders and many -of the principal priests. The Roman soldiers, with clanging steel, -marched in, and arrayed themselves on either side of the High Priest's -throne, leaving Jesus standing alone before its footstool. - -"Contrasting with the brilliancy of the gorgeous hall and the -glittering robes of the priests, surged and heaved and moved below the -dark masses of the people, in their gray and brown caps and cloaks, for -the night was cold and they wore their winter garments; and all this -wild ocean of human forms gleamed with ten thousand eyes, flashing like -the phosphorescent stars that glitter on the surface of the upheaving -sea when the shadow of the storm-cloud hangs above it, and the winds -are about to be unbound to lash it into fury. So seemed this terrible -sea of human heads--Jesus the center of their looks and of their hate. -He alone, of all that countless host, he alone was calm, serene, -fearless! Caiaphas now waved his hand, with a gesture for silence, and -addressed Jesus: - -"'So, then,' he spoke, with haughty irony, 'thou art Jesus, the -far-famed Galilean prophet! Men say thou canst raise the dead! We -would fain behold a miracle. Thinkest thou, if we put thee to death -presently, thou canst raise thyself?' - -"'Jesus,' saith Rabbi Amos, who stood near him and saw all, 'Jesus -remained unmoved. His bearing was marked by a certain divine dignity, -while an expression of holy resignation sat upon his features. He -looked like Peace, incarnate in the form of man! A soft influence -seemed to flow from his presence, producing a universal but momentary -emotion of sympathy. Caiaphas perceived it, and cried in his harsh, -stern voice: - -"'You have brought this man before me, men of Jerusalem; of what do you -accuse him? Let those who have accusations come forward and make them. -He is a Jew, and shall have justice by our laws.' - -"'Ye Jews have no power to try a man for his life, most noble -Caiaphas,' said Æmilius. 'The lives of all your nation are in the hand -of Cæsar and of his tribunals. You can put no man to death.' - -"Æmilius had spoken in hopes that if Jesus could be brought before -Pilate, the Procurator, he might be by him released, for he knew Pilate -had no envy or feeling against the Prophet. - -"'Thou sayest well, noble Roman,' answered Caiaphas, 'but for the crime -of blasphemy against the Temple we are permitted by Cæsar to judge our -people by the laws of Moses. And this man, if rumor comes nigh the -truth, has been guilty of blasphemy. But we will hear the witnesses.' - -"Hereupon several of the chief priests and scribes who had been going -in and out among the crowd, brought forward certain men whose very -aspect showed them to be of the baser sort. One of these men testified -that he had heard Jesus say that he would destroy the Temple and could -again in three days rebuild it more magnificently than it was in the -days of Solomon the Mighty. - -"Upon this testimony all the priests shouted, 'Blasphemer!' and called -for Jesus to be stoned to death. - -"A second witness was now produced by Abijah, the most passionate of -the scribes, who testified that Jesus had taught in Samaria that men -would soon no longer worship in the Temple, but that the whole earth -would be a temple for Jews and Gentiles. - -"This was no sooner heard than some of the men gnashed at Jesus with -their teeth, and but for the gestures and loud voice of the High -Priest, they would have made an attempt to get him into their power. - -"A third witness, a man who had been notorious for his crimes, now came -up. He carried on his wrist a cock, with steel gaffs upon the spurs, -as if he had just been brought up from the cock-pit to bear testimony, -for such were the sort of fellows suborned by the priests. He testified -that Jesus said that the day would soon come when not one stone should -be left upon another of the Temple; that he had called it 'a den of -thieves,' the priests 'blind guides' and 'deceivers,' the scribes -'foxes,' and the Pharisees 'hypocrites.' - -"But the fourth and fifth witnesses contradicted each other, as also -did others. - -"Such opposite testimony perplexed and irritated Caiaphas and -confounded the chief priests and scribes. The High Priest now began to -perceive that Jesus would have to be released for want of testimony -against him. - -"'What! Galilean and blasphemer of God and his Temple, answerest thou -nothing?' cried the High Priest; 'hearest thou not what these witness -against thee?' - -"But Jesus remained silent. Caiaphas was about to break the silence by -some fierce words, when a voice was overheard the other side of the -columns, on the left of the throne, where was a fireplace in which was -burning a large fire, about which stood many persons. Rabbi Amos at -once recognized in the violent speaker Peter, who had come in with him -and John, the latter of whom, in the disguise of a priest, stood not -far from Jesus, gazing tenderly upon him, and listening with the most -painful interest to all that they testified against him; but Peter -stood farther off, by the fire, yet not less eagerly attending to all -that passed. - -"'Thou art one of the Nazarene's followers!' cried the voice of a maid, -who brought wood to feed the fire. 'Thou needest not to deny it. I am -of Galilee, and knew thee when thou wert a fisherman. Seize him, for he -is one of them!' - -"'Woman, I swear by the altar and ark of God, and by the sacred Tables. -I know not the fellow! I never saw Galilee!' - -"'Thy speech betrayeth thee, now thou hast spoken!' cried the woman; -'thou art a Galilean, and thy name is Simon Bar-Jona. I know thee well, -and how, three years ago, you and your brother Andrew left your nets -to follow this Nazarene!' - -"'May the thunders of Horeb and the curse of Jehovah follow me, if what -thou sayest be true, woman. Thou mistakest me for some other man. I -swear to you, by the head of my father, men and brethren, that I never -saw his face before! I know not the man!' - -"As he spoke," said John, "he cast his angry looks towards the place -where Jesus stood. He caught his Master's eyes bent upon him, with a -tender and reproving gaze, so full of sorrowing compassion, mingled -with forgiveness, that I saw Peter start as if smitten with lightning. -He then pressed his two hands to his face and, uttering a cry of -anguish and despair that made the High Priest look, and which went -to every heart, he rushed out by the open door into the darkness and -disappeared. As he did so the cock, which was held tied upon the wrist -of the third witness, crowed twice in a loud tone. I then remembered -the words of Jesus to Peter, spoken but twelve hours before: 'This -night, even before the cock crow the first watch of the morning, thou -shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me!' Upon this," added John, "my -confidence in my Master came back full and strong, and I felt that he -would not, could not be harmed, for he foreknew all things that could -happen to him, and would yet escape death. - -"At length, after great excitement and dissension among the elders, -chief priests and scribes, Caiaphas placed Jesus before their great -council, at their demand. Their hall adjoined his own. Here they, as -well as Caiaphas, questioned him closely, and said: - -"'Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? I adjure thee by the -living God, tell us plainly.' - -"Jesus then elevated his princely form, and bending his eyes upon -the face of the High Priest, with a look so brightly celestial that -Caiaphas involuntarily dropped his eyelids to the ground, answered and -said: - -"'Ye have said that which I am!' The expression of his countenance," -says John, "seemed to shine as he had seen it in the Mount, when he was -transfigured before him. - -"'Men of Israel and Judah, ye hear his words!' cried the High Priest, -rending down the blue lace from his ephod. 'Hear ye his blasphemy! What -think ye? Need we any further witness than his own mouth?' - -"'He is guilty of death!' cried Abner, in a hoarse voice, his eyes, -red with being up all the night, glaring like a leopard's; and -advancing to where Jesus stood bound and bleeding, he spat in his face -thrice. - -"This was followed by a loud outcry for his death, and several vile -fellows also spat upon him and pulled him by the beard. - -"'Is this Jewish justice?' cried Æmilius indignantly to Caiaphas. 'Do -you condemn and kill a man without witness? Stand back, for Romans are -not used to see men condemned without law. Back, fellows, or your blood -will flow sooner than his for which you thirst!' - -"At this determined attitude they gave back for a moment, and left -Jesus standing in the midst, sad but serene. - -"John ran to him and wiped the blood and uncleanness from his lips -and cheeks and beard, and gave him water, which the woman who had -recognized Peter compassionately brought in a ewer. - -"'Master, use thy power and escape from them!' whispered John. - -"'Nay, tempt me not, beloved!' he answered. 'My power is not for my -deliverance, but for that of the world. For you I can do mighty works, -but for myself I do nothing. I came not to save my life, but to lay it -down. Mine hour is at hand!' - -"'Let not a handful of Romans frighten you, men of Jerusalem!' cried -Abner. 'There is not a legion in all the city. Here we are masters, if -we will it! To the rescue! Let me hear the lion of Judah roar in his -might, and the eagle of Rome will shriek and fly away! To the rescue!' - -"'Hold, men and brethren!' cried Caiaphas, who had judgment enough to -see that the first blow would be the beginning of a revolution that -would bring down upon the city the Roman army quartered in Syria and -end in the destruction of the nation. 'Hold, madmen!' - -"But his voice was drowned amid the roar of the human tempest. Æmilius -and his men were borne away on the crest of the surge and so pressed by -the bodies of the Jews that they could not make use of their weapons. -In the wild confusion Jesus was carried by fierce hands to the opposite -end of the council chamber, while Caiaphas strove to appease the wrath -of Æmilius, who insisted that the fate of Jesus should be left with -Pilate the Procurator. - -"When Æmilius, aided by the authority of Caiaphas, at length came where -Jesus had been dragged, they found him standing blindfolded among a -crowd of the basest fellows of Jerusalem, who were diverting themselves -by slapping his cheeks, and asking him to tell, by his divine knowledge -of all things, who did it. They would also hold money before his -blinded eyes, and ask him to name its value or inscription, and when he -still kept silence they struck him. - -"'We will let thee go, Nazarene,' said one, 'if thou wilt tell how many -hairs I have in my beard.' - -"'Nay, let him divine,' cried another, 'what I gave for my Passover -lamb in the market, and the name of the Samaritan of whom I bought it!' - -"'Out with your lambs, Kish!' shouted a third fellow, thrusting himself -forward; 'let me hear him prophesy! What, Galilean! silent and sullen! -I will make thee speak!' and he let a blow of his staff fall upon the -head of Jesus which would have struck him to the earth, but for the -voice of Caiaphas, which had arrested in part its force. - -"'Men of Israel!' he cried aloud, 'that this pestilent Nazarene is a -blasphemer we have heard with our ears, and by our law he ought to die, -because he hath made himself the Son of God. But Cæsar hath taken the -power of life and death out of our hands! We Jews can put no man to -death, but the Romans only. That he hath spoken against Cæsar, and is -a seditionist, can be proved. Let us take him before Pilate with this -accusation!' - -"This speech pleased the people, and, having rebound Jesus more -securely, they cried all with one voice, 'To Pilate! To the Pretorium!'" - -The multitude then poured out of the gates of the palace, like a -foaming and chafing river which hath overflowed its banks, and with -terrible cries, which we heard even in our house, took the direction -towards the Pretorium. - -It was with difficulty that Æmilius could protect the Prophet in safety -up the hill and to the entrance of the Pretorium, which he entered -with his prisoner just as the sun gilded the loftiest pinnacles of the -Temple. - -In another letter, dear father, I will continue the account of his -trial, the remembrance of which, while I now write of it, almost -rekindles again all my love, faith, devotion and confidence in him, for -who but a man God-sustained could have borne so meekly all this pain, -insult, ignominy and shame? - - Adina. - - - - -LETTER XXXII. - - -My Dear Father: - -This is the evening of the Great Day of the Feast, and the second day -since the ignominious execution of him whom we all believed to have -been the Christ, the Son of the Blessed. Yet he still lies dead in the -tomb! Alas, that one so good and noble and wise should have been a -deceiver! Henceforth I have no faith in goodness. I have wept till I -can weep no more. - -It is now the close of the High Day of the Feast. The slanting rays of -the setting sun linger yet upon the gilded lances that terminate the -lesser pinnacles of the holy house of the Lord. The smoke of incense -curls lazily up from the sky from its unseen altar, and the deep voices -of the choir of Levites, increased by those of the tens of thousands of -Judah, who crowd all the courts of the Temple, fall upon my ears like -muffled thunder. I never heard anything so solemn. Above the Temple has -hung, since the crucifixion yesterday, the cloud of the smoke of the -sacrifices, and it immovably depends over all the city like a pall. -The sun does not penetrate it, though its light falls upon the earth -outside of the city, but all Jerusalem remains in shadow. This cloud -is a fearful sight, and all men have been watching it and talking of -it and wondering. It seems to be in the form of black, gigantic wings, -spreading a league broad over Jerusalem. - -There it now hangs, visible from my window, but we are in some sort -used to its dreadful presence and cease to fear; but we are lost in -wonder. This morning when a high wind arose, blowing from the Great -Sea eastward, every one expected and hoped to see the cloud sail away -before it in the direction of the desert. But the only effect the wind -produced was to agitate its whole surface in tumultuous billows, while -the mass still retained its position above the city. The shadow it -casts is supernatural and fearful, like the dread obscurity which marks -an eclipse of the sun. - -And this reminds me, my dear father, to mention what, in the -multiplicity of subjects that rush to my pen for expression, I have -omitted to state to you; and what is unaccountable unless men have, in -truth, crucified in Jesus the very Son of God. At the time of his death -the sun disappeared from the mid-heavens, and darkness, like that of -night, followed over all the earth, so that the stars became visible, -and the hills on which Jerusalem stands shook as if an earthquake had -moved them, and many houses were thrown down; and where the dead are -buried outside of the city, the earth and rocks were rent, tombs broken -up, and many bodies of the dead were heaved to the surface and exposed -to all eyes! These bodies have lain all to-day, for the Jews dare not -touch them to re-bury them for fear of being defiled. All this is -fearful and unaccountable. It is known, too, that as Jesus expired, the -vail of the Temple was rent in twain and exposed the Holy of Holies to -every common gaze! What will be the end of these things is known only -to the God of Abraham. Never was so fearful a Passover before. Men's -faces are pale and all look as though some dread calamity had befallen -the nation. - -My last letter, my dear father, closed with the termination of the -examination of Jesus before Caiaphas. - -Guarded by Æmilius, who was his true friend to the last, he was led to -the house of Pilate. - -The Pretorian gates were shut by the Roman guards as the tumultuous -crowd advanced, for Pilate believed the Jews were in insurrection, and -was prepared to defend his palace; for so few are the troops with him -in the city that he has for some weeks held only the name of power -rather than the reality. But when Æmilius explained to the captain -of the guard that the Jews desired to accuse Jesus, the Nazarene, of -sedition before the Procurator, he was admitted, with the chief men -of the city, into the outer court of Antiochus, and at their call -Pilate came forth to them. When he saw the vast concourse of people -with Caiaphas and the chief priests, and many rich Sadducees, with -the leading men of Jerusalem in the advance, and Jesus, bound and -disfigured by the insults he had undergone, and Æmilius and his few -soldiers enclosing him with their protecting spears, and heard the -loud voices of the multitude, as of wolves baying for the blood of a -defenceless lamb, he stood with amazement for a few moments surveying -the scene. - -"What means this, Æmilius?" he demanded of the young Prefect. "Who is -this captive?" - -"It is Jesus, called the Christ, my lord, the Prophet of Galilee. The -Jews desire his death, accusing him of blaspheming their God, and--" - -"But I have no concern with their religion or the worship of their God. -Let them judge him after their own way," said Pilate, indifferently, -and with an indolent air. - -"But, most noble Roman," said Caiaphas, advancing to the portico on -which the Procurator stood, "by our law he should suffer death, and -thou knowest, though we can condemn, as we now have done this Galilean, -we have no power to execute sentence of death." - -"This is well said; but would you have me put one of your nation to -death for blaspheming your God? So far as that is concerned, O priest," -added Pilate, smiling contemptuously, "we Romans blaspheme him daily, -for we worship him not and will have naught to do with your faith. Let -the man go! I see no cause of death in him!" - -He then spoke to Æmilius, and desired him to lead Jesus to the spot -where he stood. Pilate regarded him with mingled pity and interest. -After surveying him a moment, he turned to one of his officers and said -aside: "A form divine and fit for Apollo, or any of the greater gods! -His bearing is like a hero! Mehercule! The chisel of Praxiteles nor of -Phidias ne'er traced the outlines of limbs and neck like these. He is -the very incarnation of human symmetry and dignity!" - -The courtiers nodded assent to these cool criticisms of the indolent -and voluptuous Italian. Jesus, in the meanwhile, stood motionless -before his judge, his eyes downcast and full of a holy sadness, and his -lips compressed with immovable patience. Pilate now turned to him and -said: - -"Thou art, then, that Jesus of whom men talk so widely. Men say, O -Jesus, that thou art wiser than ordinary men; that thou canst do works -of necromancy and art skilled in the subtle mysteries of astrology. I -would question thee upon these things. Wilt thou read my destiny for me -in the stars? If thou answerest well I will befriend thee, and deliver -thee from thy countrymen who seem to howl for thy blood." - -"My lord!" cried Caiaphas, furiously, "thou must not let this man go! -He is a deceiver and traitor to Cæsar. I charge him and formally accuse -him, before thy tribunal, with making himself king of Judea!" - -To this the whole multitude assented, in one deep voice of rage and -fierce denunciation that shook the very walls of the Pretorium. - -"What sayest thou?" demanded Pilate, "art thou a king? Methinks -if thou wert such, these Jews have little need to fear thee." And -the Roman cast a careless glance over the mean and torn apparel and -half-naked limbs of the Prophet. - -Before Jesus could reply, which he seemed about to do, there was heard -a sudden commotion in the lower part of the court of Gabbatha, and a -loud, hoarse voice was heard crying: - -"Make way! Give back! He is innocent!" - -All eyes turned in the direction of the archway, when a man was seen -forcing his path towards the door of the Judgment Hall, in front of -which Pilate was standing, with Jesus a step or two below. - -"What means this madman?" cried the Procurator. "Some of you arrest -him!" - -"I am not mad! He is innocent! I have betrayed the innocent blood!" -cried Iscariot, for it was he, leaping into the space in front of the -portico. "Take back thy money, and let this holy Prophet of God go -free! I swear to you by the altar he is innocent, and if thou harm him -thou wilt be accursed with the vengeance of Jehovah! Take back thy -silver, for he is innocent!" - -"What is that to us? See thou to that!" answered Abner the priest, -haughtily, while the eyes of Caiaphas, falling under the withering -glance of the Roman Procurator, betrayed his guilt. - -"Wilt thou not release him if I give thee back the pieces?" cried -Judas, in accents of despair, taking Caiaphas by the mantle and then -kneeling to him imploringly. - -But Caiaphas angrily shook him off. At last, in a frenzied manner, he -threw himself at the knees of Jesus, and cried in the most thrilling -accents: - -"Oh, Master! Master! Thou hast the power! Release thyself!" - -"No, Judas," answered the Prophet, shaking his head and gazing down -compassionately upon his betrayer, and without one look of resentment -at his having betrayed him, "mine hour is come! For this hour I came -into the world!" - -"I believed surely thou wouldst not suffer thyself to be arrested. It -is my avarice that hath slain thee! Oh, God! Oh, God! I see now it is -too late!" Thus crying in a voice of despair, he arose and rushed, with -his face hid in his cloak, forth from the presence of all, towards the -outer gate. - -This extraordinary interruption produced a startling effect upon all -present, and a few moments elapsed before Pilate could resume his -examination of Jesus, which he did by entering the Judgment Hall and -taking his seat on the throne. He then repeated his question, but with -more deference than before: "Art thou a king, then?" - -"Thou sayest that which I am--a king," Jesus answered, with a dignity -truly regal in its bearing; for all the time, bound and marred as he -was by the hands of his enemies, pale with suffering and with standing -a sleepless and fearful night upon his feet, exposed to cold and to -insults, yet he had a kingly air, and there seemed to float about his -head a divine glory, as if a sunbeam had been shining down upon him. - -"Thou thyself hearest him!" exclaimed Caiaphas, standing upon the -threshold of the Judgment Hall of the Gentile governor, which he would -not enter for fear of defilement. - -"He has everywhere publicly proclaimed that he has been ordained of God -to re-establish the kingdom of Judah and overthrow the power of Cæsar -in Jerusalem," added the governor of the Temple, lifting his voice so -as to be heard above the voices of the priests and scribes, who, all -speaking together, vehemently accused him of many other things. - -Pilate at length obtained comparative silence, and then said to Jesus: - -"Hearest thou these accusations? Hast thou no answer to make? Behold -how many things they witness against thee!" - -Pilate spoke as if he had taken a deep interest in Jesus, and would -give him an opportunity of defending himself. - -"He hath perverted the nation; a most pestilent and dangerous fellow!" -exclaimed Caiaphas. "He is a blasphemer above all men!" - -"I have nothing to do with your religion. If he hath blasphemed your -gods, take ye him and judge him according to your laws," answered -Pilate. - -"Thou knowest, O noble Roman, that we have no power to execute to the -death, therefore do we accuse him before thee." - -"I am no Jew, priest! What care I for your domestic and religious -quarrels? He hath done nothing that I can learn for which the laws of -Imperial Rome, which now prevail here, can adjudge him to death. I, -therefore, command his release." - -Upon this the Jews sent up a cry of unmingled ferocity and -vindictiveness. Caiaphas, forgetting his fear of defilement, advanced -several steps into the Judgment Hall, and shaking his open hands at -Pilate, cried: - -"If thou lettest this man go, thou art not Cæsar's friend. Thou art -in league with him. He that sets himself up as a king in all the wide -bounds of Cæsar's dominions, wars against Cæsar, as well at Jerusalem -as at Rome. If thou release this man, I and my nation will accuse thee -to thy master, Tiberius, of favoring this Galilean's sedition." - -When Pilate heard the name of Galilee, he asked if the prisoner were -a Galilean. Upon being answered in the affirmative by the excited -priests, he said to Æmilius: - -"Hold! Loose not his bonds just now! Herod, the Tetrarch of Galilee, -last night came up to the Passover feast of the Hebrew God, and is now -at the old Maccabean Palace, with his retinue. Conduct your prisoner to -him, and let Herod judge his own subjects!" - -The chief priests and scribes now shouted with approbation at this -decision, for they began to fear that Pilate would release Jesus, and -they knew that the vacillating and reckless Herod would do whatsoever -would gain popular applause. - -"To Herod! To the Tetrarch of Galilee with him!" arose the cry. - -But Caiaphas, frowning and dissatisfied, remained behind; and Pilate, -glad to get rid of the delicate affair of condemning an innocent man, -smilingly came out and spoke to the gloomy High Priest: - -"Thou knowest I can condemn men only for crimes committed against the -laws of the empire. This Jesus hath done nothing worthy of death." - -"Noble Governor," answered Caiaphas, stopping in his angry strides up -and down the porphyry floor of the outer portico, "thou forgettest that -I brought him not before thee on this charge of blasphemy alone, but -for sedition! By the altar of God, this is a crime known to thy laws, I -wot!" - -"True. You charge a young, defenceless, quiet, powerless man, destitute -of money, men or arms, an obscure fisherman or carpenter of Galilee, -with setting up a throne and kingdom against that of Tiberius Cæsar, -the ruler of the earth! The idea is absurd! It should be treated only -with ridicule. So will Herod say, when he understands the affair." - -"So will not Cæsar say, my lord!" answered Caiaphas, with a sneer upon -his curled lip. "If you let this man go, the Jewish nation will draw -up a memorial, accusing you to the emperor of protecting treason. -You will be summoned by the senate to answer the charge; and though -you should succeed in clearing yourself, you will have lost your -government, given to another, and for your fair name, you will live, -ever after, under Cæsar's suspicion." - -Pilate turned pale, and bit his lips with vexation. - -"My lord priest, thou art bent, I see, on this innocent man's death. -I am no Jew, to understand how he has drawn upon himself thy terrible -wrath and that of thy nation. I will see what Herod will say, who, -being a Jew, is familiar with your customs." - -Pilate now reseated himself upon his throne to give hearing to other -complaints. - -After the lapse of half an hour a youth threw himself from his horse, -at the door of the court, and drew near the Procurator. - -"What aileth thee, Alexander?" demanded Pilate, on seeing blood on his -temples and that he seemed faint. - -"But a trifle now, my lord. I was thrown from my horse, who was -startled at a burning torch lying on the ground, and was detained at a -hospitable house until I was able to remount, which brings me hither -late." - -"And why come at all? What news sends my fair wife, that she should -despatch you from my house in Bethany at this early hour? No evil -tidings, boy?" - -"None, my lord, save this note." - -The Greek page then handed his master a small roll of parchment, tied -with scarlet thread. He cut the knot with his dagger and reading the -contents became deadly pale. Caiaphas watched him closely, as if he -would read, reflected in his eyes, the contents of the note which had -so deeply moved him. - -"Caiaphas," said the Procurator, "this prisoner must be released!" - -[Illustration: JESUS BEFORE PILATE.] - -"It is either his destruction, proud Roman, or thine!" answered the -High Priest, turning and walking haughtily away. - -Pilate looked after him with a troubled air, and then re-entered the -Hall of Judgment, and seating himself upon his throne, again read the -parchment. - -"'Have nothing to do with this just man,' he read half aloud, 'for I -have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him!' The very -gods seem to take sides with this extraordinary young prisoner!" he -exclaimed. "Would to Jove that Herod may have sense enough to release -him and relieve me of this unpleasant business." - -While he was yet speaking and musing with himself, unconsciously -aloud, there was heard a great noise of voices in the direction of -the Maccabean Palace, and as it grew nearer and more distinct, Pilate -started up and cried: - -"It is as I feared--Herod gives them no satisfaction and they come -again to me! Oh, that the gods would give me wisdom and nerve for this -trying hour, so that I condemn not the innocent nor bring myself into -the power of an accusation to Cæsar from these wicked Jews!" - -At this moment the multitude, increased if it were possible in numbers -and in vindictiveness, reappeared, pressing Jesus before them. This -time he was alone, Æmilius having been separated from him in the palace -and kept by the crowd from rejoining him. He was now unbound, and upon -his head was a crown of thorns, piercing the tender temples till the -blood trickled all down his face; upon his shoulders was clasped an old -purple robe, once worn by Herod in his state of petty king, and his -hand held a reed as a scepter; and as he walked along, the bitterest -among the priests, as well as the vilest of the common fellows, -mockingly bent the knee before him, crying: - -"Hail, King Jesus! Hail, royal Nazarene! All hail!" - -Others went before him carrying mock standards, while still others -acting as heralds ran shouting: - -"Make way for the King of the Jews! Do homage, all men, to Cæsar! This -is the great Tiberius, Emperor of Nazareth! Behold his glittering -crown! Mark his royal robes and see his dazzling sceptre! Bend the -knee, bend the knee, men of Judah, before your king!" - -When Pilate saw this spectacle and heard these words, he trembled and -was heard to say: - -"Either this man or I must perish! These Jews are become madmen with -rage and demand a sacrifice. One of us must fall!" - -Oh, that I could write all I feel! But I am compelled, my dear father, -to end here. - - Your affectionate child, - Adina. - - - - -LETTER XXXIII. - - -My Dear Father: - -In this letter will be continued my account of the trial, if such it -can be called, of Jesus. - -John, the faithful and yet trusting disciple whom Jesus loved, still -kept near his captive Master, and sought to cheer him by affectionate -looks and, where he could do it with safety, by kind acts. More than -once he was rudely thrust aside by the fiercer Jews, and once several -men seized upon him and would have done him violence, if Caiaphas, -to whom John is remotely related and who knows him well, had not -interposed. And while John was thus doing all that he could to soften -the asperity of his friend's treatment, we at home were exerting -ourselves to soothe the maternal solicitude of Mary of Nazareth, his -noble and heartbroken mother. - -Herod, the Tetrarch of Galilee, was breaking his fast with fruit and -wine, at a table overlooking by a window the Street of the Gentiles, -when the noise of the advancing thousands of the Jews reached his ear. -He started from the table and said: - -"These people are surely up in insurrection against Pilate!" - -"No, great prince," answered the lad Abel, his cupbearer, who is -related to John, and has told me many of these things. "They have taken -the Nazarene Prophet, Jesus, and are trying him for sedition." - -"This uproar proceeds from no trial, but from a wild mob in motion, and -they seem to be approaching," was his answer to him. - -As Herod spoke he went to the lattice of his basilica, and beheld the -head of the multitude just emerging into the street. - -"There are spears and Romans in the van, and I see priests and peasants -mixed together. I now see the cause of all the tumult--a mere youth, -bound and soiled and pale as marble. What, sirs! this is not the great -Prophet, of whose fame I have heard?" he said, turning to his officers. -"What mean they by bringing him hither? Yet, Per Baccho! I am glad to -get a sight of him!" - -The crowd, like the swelling Nile, flowed towards the gates, roaring -and chafing like its mighty cataracts, so that there was something -fearfully sublime in this display of the power of human passions. -Æmilius with difficulty succeeded in getting his prisoner into the -piazza of the palace. - -"Most royal prince," said Æmilius, kneeling before Herod and presenting -a signet, "I am sent by his excellency, Pontius Pilate, the Roman -Procurator of Judea, to bring before you this person accused of -blasphemy. Ignorant of your customs and faith, the Governor desires -that you, who are of his nation, would examine him; and moreover, -Pilate, learning that he is a Galilean and a subject of your -jurisdiction, courteously declines interfering with your authority." - -When Herod Antipas heard delivered so courteous a message from the -Procurator, with whom he had been some time at enmity, he was pleased. - -"Say thou, Sir Knight, to his excellency, the most noble and princely -Governor of Judea, that I appreciate his extraordinary civility, -and that nothing will give me more pleasure, in return for such -distinguished courtesy, than to be considered by him his friend, and -that I regret any occurrence that has hitherto estranged us." - -Æmilius, upon receiving this answer, arose and bowed, and then said -with the boldness which characterizes him: - -"Most gracious and royal Tetrarch, I pray you heed not the charges of -these Jews touching this prisoner. They have conceived against him a -bitter hatred without just cause. He has done nothing worthy of death. -Pilate could find nothing whatsoever in him deserving of the attention -of the dignity of a Roman tribunal." - -"Let the prisoner fear not," answered Herod, at the same time regarding -Jesus attentively as he stood before him in the calm majesty of -innocence. "I will not take Pilate's prerogative of judgment out of his -hand, so handsomely tendered to me. If he hath blasphemed--Mehercule! -the High Priest and priests of the Temple itself," he added, laughing, -"do that every day of their lives, for religion is at a low ebb among -the hypocritical knaves! I have nothing to do with their charge of -blasphemy, or I would have them all stoned to death without mercy. I -will first see some miracles wrought by thy far-famed prisoner, noble -Æmilius, and then send him back to my illustrious friend Pontius, whom -his gods prosper in all things." - -Herod, then, fixing his eyes curiously upon Jesus, who had stood -silently before him, seemingly the only unmoved person in the vast -concourse, said to the soldiers: - -"Unbind him! By the staff of Jacob, he hath been roughly handled! Men -of Israel, it becomes not such as you to do violence to a man before he -is condemned." - -While he was speaking John arranged Jesus' mantle about his form. -Herod regarded with interest and looks of compassion, the pale and -divinely-serene countenance of the prisoner, and seemed struck with the -indescribable majesty of his aspect and bearing. - -"Art thou the Nazarene Jesus, of whom I have heard so much?" he asked -in deferential tones. - -"I am he," was the quiet answer. - -"Then gladly do I meet thee, for I have long time desired to see thee; -and I would fain behold thee do some miracles. Does rumor belie thy -powers? What! art thou silent? Dost thou not know who it is that speaks -to thee? Come hither, fellow!" he called to a Samaritan muleteer who -stood in the crowd, whose oval face and Jewish eyes showed him to -be both of Assyrian and Israelitish descent, and whose arm had been -taken off by a sword in a contest with Barabbas and his robbers; "come -hither, and let this Prophet prove his power and mission by restoring -thy arm whole like as the other!" - -The man alertly came forward, and all eyes were directed eagerly upon -him and upon Jesus; but he thrust the stump of his arm, by Herod's -order, in vain before Jesus. The eyes of the Prophet moved not from -their meditative look upon the ground. - -"Art thou mocking us, thou false Christ?" cried the Tetrarch angrily. -"Wilt thou neither speak nor act? If thou art not an impostor, do a -miracle before us all, and we will believe in thee!" - -Jesus remained motionless, yet preserved a firm and majestic -countenance. - -"He is a deceiver! He performed his works through Beelzebub, who has -now deserted him!" cried the priests. - -"Nazarene," said Herod, "I am a Jew also. If thou wilt prove to me by a -sign that I will name, that thou art the Christ, I will not only become -thy follower, but will let thee go free. Thy silence is an insult to my -power. Thou seest yonder marble statue of Judas Maccabeus. Command the -sword in its hand to wave thrice above its helmeted head, and I will -bend the knee to thee. Nay, wilt not? I will give thee then, something -easier to do. Seest thou the carved pomegranates in the entablature of -the wall? Bid the one which hangs over this column become ripe, natural -fruit, and fall at my feet. No?" - -"He has no power--his friend Beelzebub hath given him up into our -hands! Death to the necromancer!" were the terrible words which now -made the hall tremble. - -"See the whirlwind thou hast raised, O Nazarene!" cried Herod, rising. -"If thou art a prophet, no harm can they do thee; and if thou art an -impostor, if they kill thee thou deservest thy fate! I give thee up -into their hands! Save thyself, if thou be the Christ!" - -Scarcely had Herod spoken these words, relinquishing Jesus into the -hands of his foes, than with a savage cry, as the famished jackals in -the desert rush upon their prey, they rushed upon their victim. Æmilius -could not protect him; nay, some of Herod's soldiers, whom the Jews -had half intoxicated with wine, joined them as soon as they saw their -master Antipas had cast him off, and began to scoff and mock him, and -one of them thrust a helmet on his head and pulled the visor down over -his eyes. - -"Nay," said Herod on seeing this. "As he calls himself a king, remove -the helmet and crown him, and robe him royally, and place a sceptre in -his hand; and lo, yonder block will make him a proper throne! We must -show Pilate how we Jews serve men who usurp the power of his master, -Cæsar!" - -One of his men of war brought a cast-off robe of purple which belonged -to Herod and, with loud shouts of laughter and coarse jests, they robed -him in it, unresisting as the lamb wreathed for the sacrifice. Some -one then twined the creeping thorn, which grew on the outer wall, and, -twisting it into the shape of a crown, handed it over the heads of the -men to Abner. - -When Abner saw the crown he smiled with malicious gratification and, -nodding approvingly to the man said: - -"This is what we needed! Nothing could have done better!" and with his -two hands he placed it upon the head of Jesus, pressing cruelly the -sharp thorns into his temples till the blood trickled from a dozen -wounds. Jesus made no complaint, but the pain forced large bright tears -from his eyes, which rolled down his cheeks and fell among the purple -robe like glittering pearls. - -"Here is also a sceptre for our king!" exclaimed the Samaritan with -one arm, using the one to reach a piece of reed, from which a Passover -lamb had been slung, to those who were arraying Jesus. This was thrust -into the Prophet's grasp, and he held it patiently. His submission, -his silence, his endurance of pain, his constant dignity, and the -majestic submission which he seemed to manifest to all their insults -and tortures, brought tears into the eyes of Æmilius. Even Herod stood -amazed at such God-like forbearance, and said to his chief captain: - -"If this man is not the Son of God, he is worthy to be deified! Such -sublime patience is more than human--it is divine! You Romans, Æmilius, -would make a hero of such a man, and when he died worship him as a god!" - -"Then, mighty prince, why suffer him to be thus treated?" asked Æmilius. - -"It is his own choice. I have entreated him fairly. I asked of him but -one of those miracles men say he works, as proof of his Messiahship, -and he works me none--shows me no sign. The inference is that he can do -none, and therefore he is an impostor." - -"Most royal prince," said Abner aloud, "thou now beholdest the King of -the Jews, crowned, robed and sceptred!" and he pointed to Jesus. - -"Hail! most puissant and potent sovereign of Galilee! Hail! King of -fishermen!" cried Herod, mocking him, and seemingly greatly amused at -the jest. "Hail! powerful king! What, fellows, men-at-arms and all ye -gapers! bend ye not the knee before this royal personage? Do homage to -your king!" - -Upon this many who were around him kneeled, and some mockingly even -prostrated themselves before the Prophet; but he stood so very like a -monarch that others, who were about to mock him, refrained, while Herod -turned away with a troubled look, saying abruptly: - -"Take him back to the Procurator!" - -Once more the vast multitude were in motion, and with cries and insults -escorted Jesus from the presence of Herod back to the Pretorium. - -When Pilate beheld their return in this manner he was greatly vexed. -When once more Jesus stood before him, arrayed as I have described in -the gorgeous robe and crown, Pilate, turning towards Caiaphas and the -priests, said angrily: - -"What more will ye have? Why bring this man again before me? Behold, I -have examined him before you and have found no fault in him. Ye proved -nothing by your witnesses touching those things whereof ye accuse him. -I then sent you with him to Herod, and lo! the Tetrarch of Galilee, one -of your own nation, finds naught in him worthy of death! Doubtless he -has said something about not paying tribute, and deserves for this a -light punishment, but not death. I will chastise him, charge him that -he be more cautious, and let him go." - -"If thou let this man go, thou art an enemy of Tiberius!" answered -Caiaphas. "Seest thou what a commotion he has raised in the city? If he -is released there will be a revolution." - -"In the name of Olympian Jove, O Nazarene, what hast thou done to -incense these Jews? If thou art their king, prove it to them or to me," -demanded Pilate, greatly troubled. - -"My kingdom is not of the earth," answered Jesus. "If my kingdom were -an earthly one, then would my servants fight, that I should not be -delivered to the Jews; but my kingdom is not of this world." - -"Then thou confessest thyself a king?" exclaimed Pilate, with surprise. - -"Thou sayest that which I am--a King. To this end was I born, and for -this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness to the -truth." - -"Truth? What is truth?" asked the Roman; but, without waiting for Jesus -to reply, and seeing that the Jews outside of the hall were becoming -more and more impatient, he hurriedly went out to them and said: - -"I find in the prisoner no fault at all. But ye have a custom that I -should at the Passover pardon a criminal out of prison, as an act of -clemency, in honor of the day. Will ye, therefore, that I pardon and -release unto you this 'King of the Jews'?" - -No sooner had Pilate made this proposal than they all with one voice -and furious gestures cried: - -"No! No! Not this man! We will not have him released!" - -"Barabbas! Barabbas!" was echoed and re-echoed by ten thousand voices. - -This Barabbas, dear father, is the same fierce bandit of whom I have -spoken, who was that day to have been crucified, with two of his -lieutenants. But, at the loud demand of the people, Pilate was forced -to send to the officer of the wards to let him go free. - -Pilate, therefore, finding that the Jews would be content with nothing -less than the blood of Jesus, returned sorrowfully into the Judgment -Hall. - -The residue of my narrative of the condemnation and crucifixion, I will -give in the morning, dear father. - - Your loving daughter, - Adina. - - - - -LETTER XXXIV. - - -My Dearest Father: - -Jesus had from very weakness sunk upon the steps of the throne of the -Hall of Judgment. John knelt by him, bathing the wounds in his temples, -from off which he had boldly taken the crown of thorns. When Pilate, -after giving the order to release the robber chief Barabbas, came again -where Jesus was, he stopped and regarded him attentively, and with an -expression of sorrow and admiration. At length he spoke: - -"If thou be indeed a god, O heroic young man, as thy patience would -seem to prove thee to be, thou needest not to fear these bloodhounds, -that bay so fiercely for thy blood. If thou art an impostor and a -seditionist, thou verily meritest death. I regard thee but as a -youthful enthusiast, and would let thee go free; but I cannot protect -thee. If I release thee, not only thou, but also all my troops, will be -massacred, for we are but a handful in their grasp. Tell me truly, art -thou a son of the divine Jupiter?" - -When Jesus, instead of replying, remained silent, the Procurator said -sternly: - -"What! speakest thou not unto me? Knowest thou not that I have power to -crucify thee as a malefactor, and power, if I choose to meet the risk, -to release thee?" - -Jesus looked up and calmly said: - -"Thou couldst have no power against me except it were given thee from -above. Therefore he that delivered me into thy hands hath the greater -sin!" - -And as Jesus said these words in an impressive tone, he glanced fixedly -at Caiaphas, who was looking in at the door, as if designating the High -Priest. Upon this Pilate pressed his hands against his forehead and -paced several times to and fro before the judgment seat, as if greatly -troubled. Caiaphas, seeing his irresolution, cried harshly: - -"If thou lettest this self-styled king go, O Governor, thou art not -Cæsar's friend!" - -Pilate's brow grew dark. He took Jesus by the hand, and leading him to -the portal, pointed to him, and said aloud: - -"Behold your king! What will you that I should do with him? Looks he -like a man to be feared?" - -"We have no king but Cæsar!" - -"Crucify him!" - -"To the cross with the false prophet!" - -"Death to the usurper! Long live Cæsar! Death to the Nazarene! To the -cross! To the cross with him! Let him be crucified!" - -These were the various cries from ten thousand throats that responded -to the Procurator's address. Remembering the warning message sent him -by his young and beautiful wife, who held great influence over him, he -trembled with indecision. - -"Why will you compel me to crucify an innocent man? What evil hath he -done?" - -"Crucify him! Crucify him!" was the deafening response. - -"I will chastise him and let him go!" - -"At your peril release him, O Roman!" exclaimed Caiaphas, in a menacing -tone. "Either he or you must die this day for the people! Blood must -flow to appease this tempest!" - -When the Procurator saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather -the tumult increased, he called for water, which was brought to him -in a basin by his page, and in the presence of the whole multitude he -washed his hands, saying: - -"I am innocent of the blood of this just person! See ye to it, O Jews, -ye and your High Priest!" - -"His blood be upon us, and on our children!" answered Caiaphas; and all -the people re-echoed his language. - -"Ay, on us and on our children rest the guilt of his blood!" - -"Be it so," answered the Procurator, with a dark brow and face as pale -as the dead. "Take ye him and crucify him; and may the God he worships -judge you, not me, for this day's deed!" - -Pilate then turned away from them and said to Jesus: - -"Thou art, I feel, an innocent man, but thou seest that I cannot save -thee! I know thou wilt forgive me, and that death can have no terrors -for one of fortitude like thine!" - -Jesus made him no answer; and Pilate, turning from him with a sad -countenance walked slowly away and left the Judgment Hall. As he did so -one of his captains said to him: - -"Shall I scourge him, my lord, according to the Roman law, which -commands all who are sentenced to die to be scourged?" - -"Do as the law commands," answered the weak-minded Roman. - -His disappearance was the signal for a general rush towards Jesus, -chiefly by the rabble, who, indifferent about Gentile defilement, -crossed the threshold into the hall, which the chief priests had -refrained from doing. These base fellows seized Jesus and, aided by the -men-at-arms, dragged him forth into the outer or common hall. Here they -stripped him, and, by order of the chief captain, a soldier scourged -him with forty stripes, save one. - -All this Jesus still bore with God-like majesty. Not a murmur escaped -his lips; not a glance of resentment kindled the holy depths of his -eyes, which, from time to time, were uplifted to heaven, as if he -sought for help and strength from thence. - -Not only Æmilius but John was now separated from him; but my uncle, the -Rabbi stood near, in order to see what would follow, and to use his -influence, if possible, to induce the chief priests to abandon the idea -of killing him. - -"Good Rabbi," said Jesus to him, "let them do with me what they list. -My Father hath given me into their hands. I die, but not for myself. I -can keep or yield up my life, as I will." - -"Oh, then, dear Master!" cried my uncle, "why not save thyself? Why -shouldst thou suffer all this, and death also, if thou hast the power -over thy life?" - -"If I die not, then were ye all dead. The Scripture must be fulfilled -which spoke of me. 'He was led like a lamb to the slaughter.'" - -Here Rabbi Amos could speak no more to him, for the crowd dragged him -off out of the Court of Gabbatha, and so down the steep street in the -direction of the gate of the kings that leads out to Calvary, the -public place of execution. - -Rabbi Amos accompanied the multitude, keeping as nigh to Jesus as the -Roman soldiers, who marched on each side of him, would permit. On the -way, as they crossed the open space where once stood the palace and -statue of Antiochus Seleucus, the eyes of the Rabbi were attracted by -the cries and pointed fingers of many of the people to the body of a -man lying dead at the foot of a withered fig tree. Upon drawing nearer, -he recognized the features of the man Judas, who had so basely betrayed -his Master. The spectacle which he exhibited was revolting and horrid -to look upon! About his neck was wound a fragment of his girdle, the -other half being still secured to a limb of the tree, showing how he -had met his fate. - -By this time the people who were dragging Jesus to death were got well -beyond the gate, when a cross of heavy cypress was obtained by the -centurion from a yard near the lodge. Two others were also brought out, -and laid upon the shoulders of two men, the lieutenants of Barabbas, -who were also that day to be crucified. - -By the time the great crowd had passed the gate, it was known -throughout all Jerusalem that Pilate had given orders for the -crucifixion of the Nazarene Prophet; and, with one mind, all who had -known him and believed in him or loved him left their houses to go -out after him to witness the crucifixion; for I forgot to say that -Caiaphas had promised, if Jesus were delivered up, that his followers -should not be molested. Therefore every person went out of the gate -towards Calvary. Mary his mother, my Cousin Mary, Martha and her -sister, Lazarus, John, Peter and Thomas, and some women, relatives -from Galilee, and many others, also went. When we got without the -walls, we seemed to leave a deserted city behind us. As far as the eye -could embrace there was a countless multitude. Jesus was borne in -front, where we could now and then catch the gleam of a Roman spear. -We hastened to get near him and, with difficulty, made our way to the -head of the throng, both foes and friends giving back when they saw his -weeping mother among us. - -At the approach to Calvary we found that, from some cause, the course -of the mighty current of human beings was checked. We soon learned the -reason. Jesus had sunk to the ground under the weight of the wooden -beams on which he was to die, and fainted. - -"He is dead!" was the cry of those about him; but, as we drew near, he -was just reviving, some one having offered wine to his lips and poured -water upon his brow. He stood up, looking mildly around, when meeting -his mother's gaze, he said touchingly: - -"Weep not, my mother! Remember what I have often told thee of this -hour, and believe. Mine hour is come!" - -Thus speaking he smiled upon his mother and upon us, with a certain -look of divine peace illuminating his countenance. - -Barabbas, the robber chief, who had in some degree taken the lead of -the mob, now, with the aid of three men, raised the cross again to -the shoulders of Jesus, and the soldier ordered him to move on. But -the young victim sank at once beneath the insupportable load. Upon -this they were at a loss what to do, for it is ignominious for Jew or -Gentile to aid in bearing a malefactor's cross, and not a Roman would -touch it. At this crisis they discerned a Syro-Phœnician merchant, -Simon of Cyrene, a venerable man, well known to all in Jerusalem. This -man was for some reason particularly obnoxious to Abner, and, on seeing -him, he pointed him out to the centurion as "one of the Nazarenes," and -suggested that he should be compelled to bear the cross after Jesus. - -The Cyrenian merchant was at once dragged from his mule and led to -the place where the cross lay, believing he was about to be himself -executed. But when he beheld Jesus standing, pale and bleeding, by the -fallen cross, and knew what was required of him, he burst into tears -and, kneeling at his feet, said: - -"If they compel me to do this, Lord, think not that I aid thy death! I -know that thou art a prophet come from God." - -"We brought thee not here to prate, old man, but to work. Thou art -strong-bodied. Up with this end of the cross and go on after him!" -cried the chief priests. - -Simon, who is a powerful man, though threescore years of age, raised -the extremity of the beam, and Jesus essayed to move under the weight -of the other; but he failed. - -"Let me bear it alone, Master," answered the stout Simon. "I am the -stronger. Thou hast enough to bear the weight of thine own sorrow. If -it be a shame to bear a cross after thee, I glory in my shame, as would -my two sons, were they here this day." - -Thus speaking, he lifted the cross and bore it on his shoulders after -Jesus, who, weak from loss of blood and sleep, and weary unto death, -had to lean for support against one arm of the instrument of death. - -Ah, my dear father, what a place was this across which we moved! -Skulls lay scattered beneath our footsteps, and everywhere human bones -bleached in the air, and we trod in heaps of ashes where the Romans had -burned the bodies of many of those whom they crucified. - -The crosses carried by the thieves were now thrown down by them; by one -with an execration, by the other with a sigh, as he anticipated the -anguish he was to suffer upon it. - -The larger cross of the three was that for Jesus. It was taken by -three soldiers from the back of the old Cyrenian merchant and cast -heavily upon the earth. It was now that a crisis approached of the -most painful interest. The centurion ordered his soldiers to clear -a circle about the place where the crosses were to be planted with -their spears. The Jews who had crowded near, in eager thirst for their -victim's blood, gave back slowly and reluctantly before the sharp -points of the Roman lances pushed against their breasts, for the -centurion had with him full threescore men-at-arms, besides a part -of Herod's guard. John, however, held his place close by his Master. -He relates that Jesus continued to evince the same sublime composure -when the centurion commanded the crucifiers to advance and nail the -malefactors to their crosses. The robber-lieutenant, Ishmerai, who was -an Edomite, upon seeing the man approach with the basket containing the -spikes and hammers, scowled fiercely upon him and looked defiance. He -was instantly seized by four savage-looking Parthian soldiers of the -Roman guard, and stripped and thrown upon his back upon the cross. His -struggles, for he was an athletic man, were so violent that it took six -persons to keep him held down upon the arms of the cross and his palms -spread open to receive the entering nail, which one of the crucifiers, -with naked and brawny arms, pressing one knee upon the wrist, drove in -through the flesh and wood, by three quick and powerful blows with his -short, heavy-headed hammer. - -Thus secured he was left, bleeding and writhing, by the six crucifiers; -for there are four to bind the victim, one to hold the spikes, and the -sixth to drive them home with his hammer, and from the glance I caught -of their half-naked and blood-stained figures, they were worthy to -hold the dreadful office which made all men shun them as if they were -leprous. - -They now approached Omri, the other robber, who was a young man with -a mild look, and a face whose noble lineaments did not betray his -profession. He was the son of a wealthy citizen in Jericho, and had by -riotous living, spent his patrimony and joined Barabbas. He had heard -Jesus preach in the wilderness of Jordan, and had once asked him with -deep interest many things touching the doctrines he taught. - -When the crucifiers, with their cords, basket, nails and iron hammer, -drew near him, he said: - -"I will not compel you to throw me down. I can die as I have lived, -without fear. As I have broken the laws, I am ready to suffer the -penalty of the laws." - -Thus speaking, he stretched himself upon his cross and, extending his -palms along the transverse beam, he suffered them to nail him to the -wood, uttering not a moan. He glanced towards Jesus at the same time -with an expression of courage, as if he sought to show him that the -pain could be borne by a brave man. And perhaps, indeed, Jesus looked -as if he needed an heroic example before him to show him how to die -without shrinking, for his cheek was like the marble of Paros in its -whiteness, and he seemed ready to drop to the earth from weakness. His -youth, his almost divine beauty, which not even his tangled hair and -torn beard and blood-streaked countenance could wholly hide, the air -of celestial innocence that beamed from his eyes, drew upon him many -glances of sympathy even from some of his foes. The centurion, who was -a tall man with a grizzly beard, and with the hardy exterior of an old -Roman warrior, looked upon him with a sad gaze and said: - -"I do not see what men hate thee for, for thou seemest more to be a -man of love; but I must do my duty, and I hope thou wilt forgive me -what I do. A soldier's honor is to obey." - -Jesus smiled forgiveness upon him so sweetly that the stern Roman's -eyes filled with tears, and he placed his gauntleted hand to his face -to conceal his emotion. - -But, my dear father, I can go on no longer now with my sad narrative. -I am weary weeping at the recollections it calls before me, and at -our present affliction. In my next I will complete my account of the -unhappy crucifixion of the Prophet of Nazareth. - - Your affectionate daughter, - Adina. - - - - -LETTER XXXV. - -_Jerusalem--Third Morning after the Crucifixion._ - - -My Dear Father: - -As I resume my pen by the faint light of the dawn, to continue the -particulars of the crucifixion of the unhappy son of Mary, who, widowed -and childless, still remains with us, mourning over her dead son, my -heart involuntarily shrinks from the painful subject and bleeds afresh. -But there is a fascination associated with all that concerns him, even -now that he is dead and has proved himself as weak a mortal as other -men, which urges me to write of him and which fills my thoughts only -with him. - -I have just alluded to his grief-smitten mother. Alas, there is no -consolation for her! Her loss is not like that of other mothers. -Her son has not only been taken from her by death, but has died -ignominiously on a Roman cross, executed between two vile malefactors, -as if he himself were the greatest criminal of the three; and not only -this, but executed as a false prophet--as a deceiver of Israel. - -Yet her love for her son--that deathless, maternal love, which seems -immortal in its nature--is not buried with him. She, with dearest Mary -and Martha, has just gone out secretly, before the Jews are astir, to -pay the last duties to his dead body, ere we all depart for an asylum -in Bethany. Until they return from this sad mission of love I will -continue my subject--the crucifixion. - -When the centurion to whom was committed by Pilate the charge of -conducting the crucifixion of Jesus, gave orders to bind him also to -the cross, which lay upon the ground like an altar awaiting its victim, -the four Parthian soldiers, his brutal crucifiers, laid hold upon him -and began to strip him of his garments, for his enemies had put again -on him his own clothes when they led him out of the hall of Pilate. He -wore a mantle woven without seam by Mary and Martha, and which had been -a present to him by the sisters, as a token of their gratitude, for -raising from the dead their brother Lazarus. - -His mother, supported by John, could no longer gaze upon her son, and -was borne afar off, crying thrillingly: - -"Oh, let me not hear the crashing of the nails into his feet and hands! -My son! My son! Oh, that thou wouldst now prove to thy mother that thou -art a true Prophet!" - -"What means this wailing?" cried the fierce Abner. "Who is this woman?" - -"The mother of Jesus," I answered, indignantly. - -"The mother of the blasphemer! Let her be accursed!" he cried, in a -savage tone. "Thou seest, woman, what is the end of bringing up an -impostor, to blaspheme Jehovah and the Temple. Thy hopes and his, O -wretched woman, have this day miserably perished! So die all false -Christs and false prophets!" - -Mary buried her face in her hands and wept on my shoulder. I could not -look towards the place where Jesus stood. I dreaded to hear the first -blow upon the dreadful nails, and as she stopped her ears I would have -closed mine also, but that my hands supported her. I could hear the -awful preparations--the rattling of the hard cord, as they bound him -to the cross, and the low, eager voices of the four busy Parthians, -and then the ringing of the spikes, and then silence like that of the -grave! Suddenly a blow of a hammer broke the moment of suspense! A -shriek burst from the soul of the mother that echoed far and wide among -the tombs of Golgotha! - -I could see, hear no more! - -John having left the stricken mother with me, he and Lazarus had gone -back to where they were unrobing the Prophet in order to bind him to -the wood. They caught the eyes of their Master, said Lazarus, who -gazed upon them calmly and affectionately. They said they had never -beheld him appear so majestic and great. He looked, as the centurion -afterwards said, "Like a god surrendering himself to death for the -safety of his universe!" - -"Nothing but the ferocious madness of the chief priests and Jews," -added John, "could have prevented them from being awed by the majesty -of his presence. And, besides, there sat upon his brow heroic courage, -with a certain divine humility and resignation. Not the rough hands -of the barbaric soldiers, nor the indignity of being stripped before -the eyes of thousands, not the sight of the cross, nor of the thieves, -nailed and writhing on theirs, moved him to depart, by look or bearing, -from that celestial dignity which, through all, had never left him. - -"He made no resistance," continued John, who told me what follows, -"when bound upon the cross, but resigned himself passively into the -hands of his executioners, like a lamb receiving its death. 'Father,' -he said, raising his holy eyes to heaven, 'forgive them, for they know -not what they do.' - -"Great drops of sweat, when they nailed his feet to the wood, stood -upon his forehead," added John, who remained near to see his Master -die, and to comfort and strengthen him; "and when the four men raised -him and the cross together from the earth and let the end into a hole a -foot deep, the shock, bringing his whole weight upon the nails in his -hands, tore and lacerated them, nearly dislocating the shoulders at the -same time, while every sinew and muscle of his arms and chest was drawn -out like cords to sustain this unwonted weight upon them. The first -thief fainted from pain, at the shock caused by the setting of his own -cross; and the second, cool and defiant as he had been, uttered a loud -outcry of agony. But Jesus made no moan, though the unearthly pallor of -his countenance showed how inexpressible was his torture." - -Ah, my dear father, I would draw a veil over this scene--for it is too -painful for me to dwell upon. To the last John believed his Master -would not die--that he would not suffer! But when he saw how that pain -and anguish seized heavily upon him, and how that he suffered like -other men, without power to prevent it, he greatly wondered, and began -to believe that all the miracles that he had seen him perform must have -been illusions. He could not reconcile the calmness and dignity, the -heroic composure and air of innocence with which he came to the cross, -with imposture; yet his death would assuredly seal as imposture all -his previous career. - -With his mother we all drew as near the cross as we were permitted to -come. Jesus then turned his head towards his mother, and, looking down -with the profoundest tenderness and love upon her, committed her to the -filial care of the weeping John, who stood supporting her. - -There we waited, in expectation of seeing him do some mighty miracle -from the cross and descend unharmed, showing to the world thereby his -title to be the Messias of God. - -The centurion, having placed a guard about the crosses, to keep the -friends of the crucified from attempting their rescue, stood watching -them. The soldiers who had nailed Jesus to the tree now began to -divide, with noisy oaths, his garments among themselves, as well as -those of the two thieves, these being by the Roman law the fee of the -executioner. This division being made after some time, but not without -high talking and drawing of their long Syrian knives upon each other, -they were at a loss what to do with the large mantle without seam, -which the sisters of Lazarus had woven for the friend of their once -dead brother. A group of the Roman guard being seated near, astride -upon the four arms of a fallen cross, playing at dice, suggested that -the Parthians should decide by lot whose it should be. This the latter -consented to and, taking the dice-box in their bloody hands, each of -them threw the dice. The highest number fell to the most ferocious of -the four fellows, who proposed to sell the cloak, which John joyfully -purchased of him at a great price, by means of the jewels of several -of the women, who gladly took rings from their ears and bracelets from -their arms, I giving, dear father, the emerald which you bought for -me at Cairo. But I could not see the robe which Jesus had worn thus -desecrated. - -After Jesus had hung about an hour upon the cross, Æmilius came from -Pilate, and bore the inscription, which it is usual to place above the -heads of malefactors, showing their name, and the crime for which they -are crucified. - -Above the head of Jesus, by means of a small ladder, was placed this -inscription, in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: - - THIS IS JESUS, - THE KING OF THE JEWS. - -When the wicked Abner read this, he turned angrily to the centurion, -and to Æmilius, who stood sadly near the cross. - -"Write not, O Roman, that he is 'King of the Jews,' but that he said he -was King of the Jews!" - -"I have placed above him what Pilate has ordered to be written," -answered the centurion. - -Abner, upon this, mounted a mule and hastened into the city to the -Procurator, and laid his complaint before him. - -"What I have written, I have written, sir priest," we have heard that -the Procurator coldly answered. - -"But you, then, have crucified this man for being our king, which we -deny!" retorted Abner. - -"I will take his word, before that of all the Jews in Cæsar's empire!" -answered Pilate angrily. "He said he was a king; and if ever a king -stood before a human tribunal, I have had a true and very king before -me to-day--and I have signed the warrant for his execution. But his -blood be on your heads! Leave my presence, Jew!" - -Abner left his presence abashed, and returned to the place of -crucifixion. The Jews, in the meanwhile, mocked Jesus, and wagged their -heads at him, and reminded him of his former miracles and prophecies. - -"Thou that raisedst Lazarus, save thyself from death!" said a Pharisee. - -"If thou art the Son of God, prove it by coming down from the cross!" -cried the leader of the Sadducees, Eli. - -"Thou who saidst if a man kept thy sayings he should never see -death--let us see if thou canst avoid death thyself!" said Iddo, the -chief of the Essenes. - -"He saved others--himself he cannot save!" mocked Ezekias, one of the -chief priests. - -Æmilius, finding it impossible to save the Prophet from crucifixion, -had come out to guard him from the usual insults of the rabble, while -he was dying. He had now lost faith in Jesus as a Jewish Prophet, -but he loved him still as a man, and pitied him for his sufferings. -He talked with him, and earnestly prayed him, as he hung, if he were -indeed a god, to show his power! Jesus at first made no reply; but he -shortly said, in a faint voice: - -"I thirst." - -The generous knight ran and filled a sponge with the preparation of -sour wine and hyssop, usually given to malefactors, after they have -suffered awhile, in order to stupefy them, and render them insensible -to their sufferings. While Æmilius was affixing a sponge, dipped in -this vessel of vinegar, upon a reed, split at the end to hold it -firmly, Ishmerai, the robber, who all the while, as he hung, had -uttered execrations upon his crucifiers, and upon Pilate, called, -howling fiercely, to Jesus: - -"If thou be the Son of God, save thyself and us! If thou didst raise a -man once from the dead, thou canst surely keep us from dying! Thou art -a vile wretch if thou hast power as a prophet, and will not use it for -me, when thou seest how heavy I am of body, and how my great weight -tortures me, with infernal racking and rending of every joint." - -But Omri, rebuking his fellow, said: - -"Dost thou not fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? We -suffer justly for our crimes, and to-day do receive the due reward of -our transgressions; but this young man hath done nothing amiss, save to -preach against the wickedness of the priests, and for being holier than -they. Lord, I believe that thou art the Son of God! None but the Christ -could do the works that thou hast done, or suffer patiently as thou art -doing. Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." - -Jesus turned his bleeding head towards him, and, with a smile of -ineffable glory radiating his pale face, said: - -"Verily, I say unto thee, this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise." - -Omri, upon this, looked inexpressibly happy, and seemed to rise -superior to his sufferings. The other cursed the Prophet aloud, and -gnashed at him with his teeth, with looks of demoniacal hatred. - -At this moment Æmilius came near with his dripping sponge, and -presented the reed upwards to the parched lips of the suffering Jesus. -When he tasted it, he would not drink, for he perceived it was the -opiate which was usually administered in compassion, to shorten the -anguish of the crucified. - -The robber, Ishmerai, now eagerly cried for the oblivious sponge, and -the Prefect giving the reed to a soldier, the latter placed it to the -mouth of the robber, whose swollen tongue protruded! He drank of it -with a sort of mad thirst. The other man, also, gladly assuaged his -burning fever with it, and soon afterwards both of them sunk into -insensibility. - -All at once, just as the sixth hour was sounded from the Temple, by -the trumpets of the Levites, the cloud which, formed by the smoke of -the numerous sacrifices, had hung all day above the Temple, was seen -to become suddenly of inky blackness, and to advance towards Calvary, -spreading and expanding in the most appalling manner, as it approached -us; and in a few minutes, not only all Jerusalem, but Calvary, the -Valley of Kedron, the Mount of Olives, and all the country, were -involved in its fearful darkness. The sun, which had before been -shining with noonday brilliancy, became black as sackcloth of hair, -and a dreadful, unearthly, indescribable night overshadowed the world! -Out of the center of the cloud, above the crosses, shot forth angry -lightnings in every direction. But there was no thunder attending -it--only a dead, sepulchral, suffocating silence! - -Of the thousands who had been gazing upon the crucifixion, every one -was now fallen prostrate upon the earth in terror! Jerusalem was -blotted out from our view; only an angry spot of fire-red light, as it -were the terrible eye of God itself, was visible above the Temple, over -the place of the Holy of Holies. The crosses were no longer visible, -save by the fearful shine of the lightnings, flashing fiercely from the -dread and silent cloud. The form of Jesus, amid the universal gloom, -shone as if divinely transfigured, and a soft halo of celestial light -encircled his brow like a crown of glory; while the dark bodies of the -two robbers could scarcely be discerned, save by the faint radiance -emanating from his own. - -Men talked to each other in whispers. An indefinable dread was upon -each mind; for the sudden overspreading of the darkness was as -unaccountable as it was frightful. Mary, his mother, and Lazarus, -exclaimed with awe, both speaking together: - -"This is his power. He has produced this miracle!" - -"And we shall behold him next descend from the cross," cried Rabbi -Amos. "Let us take courage!" - -Three hours--three long and awful hours, this supernatural light -continued--and all that while the vast multitude remained fixed, and -moaning, waiting they knew not what! At length the cloud parted above -the cross, with a loud peal of thunder, while a shower of terrible -lightning fell, like lances of fire, all around the form of Jesus, -which immediately lost its halo and its translucent radiance, His face, -at the same time, became expressive of the most intense sorrow of soul. - -A hundred voices exclaimed, with horror: - -"See! he is deserted, and punished by the Almighty!" - -We ourselves were amazed and appalled. Our rising hopes were blasted -by the livid lightnings, which seemed to blast him! Heaven, as well as -man, seemed to war against him! His mother gave utterance to a groan -of agony, and sank upon the ground, satisfied that her son was truly -accursed of God. At this moment, as if to confirm all our fears, he -cried, in the Hebrew tongue: - -"Eloi! Eloi! My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" - -Upon this, some, pitying his sufferings, ran to give him wine and -hyssop, to deaden them. - -"Nay, let him live--let us see if Elias will save him!" answered Abner. -"He calleth for Elisha the prophet!" - -Suddenly the darkness, which had filled all the air, seemed now to -concentrate and gather about the cross, so that he who hanged thereon, -became invisible. From the midst of it his thrilling voice was once -more heard, as clear and strong as it rang over the waters of Galilee -when he preached from a boat to the thousands thronging the shore: - -"It is finished! Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit!" - -As he uttered these words, a supernatural glory shone around him, and, -with a deep sigh, he bowed his head upon his breast and gave up the -ghost! - -The general exclamation of surprise that followed these clear -trumpet-tones, was suddenly checked by a terrible trembling of the -earth beneath our feet, so that vast numbers of people were cast down; -the rocks of Calvary were rent, and thrown upwards, while the whole -city shook with the convulsive throes of an earthquake. The Temple -seemed on fire, and above its pinnacle appeared a flaming sword, which -seemed to us to cleave the walls to their foundations; and while we -looked, the sword changed into the shape of a cross of dazzling light, -standing high in the air, over the altar; and from its golden beams -poured rays so bright, that all Jerusalem, and the hill country for a -wide extent, became as light as noon-day. The ground still continued -to rock, and the sepulchres of the kings, with the tombs of ancient -prophets, were riven by vast chasms, and the green earth was strewn -with the bones and bodies of the dead. The dark cloud, which had begun -to form first with the smoke of the sacrifices of the Temple, was now -dissipated by the light of the fiery cross, and the sun reappeared. -Before it the glorious vision over the Temple gradually faded out and -disappeared. The natural order of things gradually returned; and men, -smiting their breasts, began to move towards the city, filled with awe -and dread at what they had witnessed. The centurion, who stood watching -these fearful things, said, aloud, to Æmilius: - -"This man spake the truth. He was a god!" - -"Truly," responded Æmilius, "this was none other than the Son of -God--the very Christ of the Jewish Prophets. All things in the air and -on the earth sympathize with his death, as if the God of nature had -expired." - -Sad and weeping, we left the dismal scene, hanging our heads in -despondency; having, even while wondering at these mighty events -connected with his crucifixion, abandoned, forever, all hope that this -was he who should have redeemed our nation and restored the royal -splendor of Judah and the throne of the house of David. - - I am, my dear father, your loving daughter, - Adina. - - - - -LETTER XXXVI. - -_Jerusalem--Third Morning after the Crucifixion._ - - -My Dear Father: - -On the day on which the wonderful events took place which I have -detailed at large in my last letter, the chief priests, at the head -of whom was Annas, met Pilate as he was riding forth from the city, -attended by a score of men-at-arms, to survey the deep rents made by -the earthquake, and to hear from the mouths of all the people the -particulars of the marvels which attended the crucifixion of Jesus. -When they came near him, they besought him that he would command his -soldiers to take down the bodies, as the next day was a high-day, and -that it was contrary to their customs to have criminals executed or -left hanging on that day. - -"What think ye?" demanded Pilate, reining up and soothing his Syrian -war-horse, which, startled at the dead bodies that lay near (for they -were crossing the place of the opened tombs), had for some time -tramped and plunged madly. "What think ye, priests! Have ye crucified -a man or a god? We think these mighty wonders tell us that he was more -than a man!" - -The priests looked troubled, and seemed unable to answer. But Terah, -chief priest of the house of Mariah, answered and said: - -"My lord, these were wonderful phenomena, but they would have happened -if this Nazarene had not died! Here is a famous astrologer from Arabia, -who studies the skies, who says that this darkness was caused by an -eclipse of the sun! The dark cloud was but the smoke of the sacrifices, -while the earthquake was but a natural and usual occurrence!" - -"Stay, sir priest," answered Pilate; "we at Rome, though called -barbarians by you polished Jews, have some scholarship in astrology. -We know well that an eclipse of the sun can take place only when the -moon is new! It is to-day, on this eve of the high-day, at its full, -and will to-night rise nearly opposite the sun! It was no eclipse, sir -priest, and thy Arabian is a false astrologer. These events occurred -because that divine man, your king, has been executed." - -Thus speaking, the Roman Procurator spurred on towards the place, -followed by his body-guard; now avoiding an open grave, now leaping one -of the freshly opened chasms, now turning aside from some body cast up -by the earthquake. When he came in front of the crosses, he saw that -Jesus hung as if dead, while the thieves still breathed and from time -to time heaved groans of anguish, although partly insensible from the -effects of the opiate which had been administered to them. - -"Think you, Romulus, that he has any life in him?" asked Pilate, -in a subdued tone of voice, gazing sorrowfully, and with looks of -self-reproach, upon the drooping form of his victim. - -"He is dead an hour ago," answered the centurion. "He expired when the -earthquake shook the city, and the flaming sword was unsheathed in -the air above the Temple! It was a fearful sight, sir, and the more -wonderful to see it change in the shape of a cross of fire. I fear, -sir, we have crucified one of the gods in the shape of a man." - -"It would appear so, centurion," answered Pilate, shaking his head. "I -would it had not been done! But 'tis past! The Jews desire their bodies -to be removed before their great Sabbath. Let them have their desire." - -Pilate then turned his horse and rode slowly and sadly away from the -spot. Romulus gave orders to his soldiers to remove the bodies. When -the soldiers came to Jesus they saw that he was already dead. - -"Let us not break his legs," said one to the other; "it were sacrilege -to mar such a manly form." - -"Yet we must insure his death, ere he can be taken away," responded the -other. "I will pierce him to make sure!" - -Thus speaking, the soldier directed his spear to the side of Jesus, -and cleaved the flesh to his heart. John, who stood near, and saw and -heard all, upon seeing this done bowed his head to the earth in total -abandonment of hope! - -When he raised his head to gaze upon his crucified Master, he saw -flowing from the rent in his side two fountains together, one of -crimson blood, and lo! the other of crystal water! He could not believe -what he saw, until the soldiers and the centurion expressed aloud their -wonder at such a marvel. - -"Never was such a man crucified before," exclaimed the centurion. - -In the meanwhile, Rabbi Joseph, the counsellor of Arimathea, who stands -high in favor with Pilate, met the Governor as he was skirting the wall -of the city with his cohort, and asked him if, after Jesus should be -pronounced dead, he might take down the body and give it sepulchre. - -"Go and receive the body of this wonderful man," said Pilate. "Methinks -thou art one who knew him well. What thinkest thou of him, Rabbi?" -Joseph perceived that Pilate asked the question with deep interest, -seemingly very greatly troubled in mind, and he answered him boldly: - -"I believe that he was a Prophet sent from God, your excellency, and -that to-day has died on Calvary the most virtuous, the wisest, and the -most innocent man in Cæsar's empire." - -"My conscience echoes your words," answered Pilate, gloomily; and -putting spurs to his horse, he galloped forward in the direction of the -Gethsemane Gardens. - -Proceeding to the cross, Joseph, by the aid of Lazarus, Simon Peter, -Mary, Martha, and Rabbi Amos, took it out of the socket in the rock, -with its precious burden, and gently laid it upon the ground with the -body still extended upon it. - -In the still, holy twilight of that dread day, the west all shadowy -gold and mellow light, the air asleep, and a sacred silence reigning -in heaven and on earth, they bore away from the hill of death the body -of the dead Prophet. The shoulders of Nicodemus, of Peter, of Lazarus, -and of John, gently sustained the loving weight of Him they once -honored above all men, and whom, though proved by his death, as they -believed, to have fatally deceived himself as to his divine mission as -the Christ, they still loved for his sorrows so patiently borne, for -his virtues so vividly remembered. - -Slowly the little group wound their way along the rocky surface of -Golgotha, the last to leave that fearful place in the coming darkness. -Their measured tread, their low whispers, the subdued wail of the women -who followed the rude bier of branches, the lonely path they trod, -all combined to render the spectacle one of touching solemnity. The -shades of evening were gathering thick around them. They took secret -ways for fear of the Jews. But some that met them turned aside with awe -when they knew what corpse was borne along, for the impression of the -appalling scenes of the day had not yet wholly passed away from their -minds. At length they reached a gate in the wall of the garden attached -to the noble abode of the wealthy Rabbi Joseph, who went before, and -with a key unlocked it, and admitted them into the secluded enclosure. -Here the thickness of the foliage of olive and fig trees created -complete darkness; for by this time the evening star was burning like -a lamp in the roseate west. They rested the bier upon the pavement -beneath the arch, and awaited in silence and darkness the appearance -of torches which Rabbi Joseph had sent for to his house. The servants -bearing them were soon seen advancing, the flickering light from the -flambeaux giving all things visible by it a wild aspect, in keeping -with the hour. - -"Follow me," said Joseph, in a low voice, that was full charged with -deep sorrow, as the servants preceded him with their torches. - -The sad bearers of the dead body of Jesus raised their sacred burden -from the ground, and trod onward, their measured foot-falls echoing -among the aisles of the garden. At its farther extremity, where the -rock hangs beetling over the valley, and forms at this place the -wall of the garden, was a shallow flight of stone steps leading to a -new tomb hewn out of the rock. It had been constructed for the Rabbi -himself, and had just been completed, and in it no man had ever been -laid. - -The servants, by command of Joseph, rolled back the stone, and exposed -the dark vault of the gaping sepulchre. - -"How is it, most worthy Rabbi," said a Roman centurion, suddenly -apprizing them of his presence by his voice, "that you bury thus with -honor a man who has proved himself unable to keep the dazzling promises -he has allured so many of you with?" - -All present turned with surprise at seeing not only the centurion, but -half a score of men-at-arms, on whose helmets and cuirasses the torches -brightly gleamed, marching across the grass towards the spot. - -"What means this intrusion, Roman?" asked Rabbi Joseph. - -"I am sent hither by command of the Procurator," answered the -centurion; "the chief Jews have had an interview with him, informing -him that the man whom he had crucified had foretold that after three -days he would rise again. They, therefore, asked a guard to be given -them to place over the sepulchre, till the third day, lest his -disciples secretly withdraw the body, and report that their master is -risen. Pilate, therefore, has commanded me to keep watch to-night with -my men." - -"We bury him with this deference and respect, centurion," answered -Rabbi Joseph, "because we believe him to have been deceived, not a -deceiver. He was gifted by God with vast power, and therefore doubtless -believed he could do all things. He was too holy, wise, and good to -deceive. He has fallen a victim to his own wishes for the weal of -Israel which were impossible by man to be realized." - -The body of Jesus, wrapped in its shroud of spotless linen, and -surrounded by the preserving spices of Arabia, was then borne into the -tomb, and laid reverently upon the table of stone which Joseph had -prepared for his own last resting-place. Simon Peter was the last to -quit the side of the body, by which he knelt as if he would never leave -it, shedding all the while great tears of bitter grief. John only, at -last, drawing him gently forth, enabled the centurion and soldiers to -close the heavy door of the tomb. Having secured it evenly by revolving -it in its socket, the signet-bearer of the Procurator, who had come -with the soldiers, placed a mass of wax, melted by a torch, upon each -side of it over the crevices, and stamped each with the Imperial -signet, which to break is death! - -The Jews who were present, seeing that the sepulchre was thus made sure -by the sealing of the stone, and by the setting of the vigilant Roman -watch of eighteen men, took their departure. Rabbi Joseph, Nicodemus, -and the rest of the friends of Jesus, then slowly retired, leaving a -sentinel pacing to and fro before the tomb, and others grouped about -beneath the trees or on the steps of the sepulchre, playing at their -favorite game of dice, or gazing upon the broad moon, conversing, or -singing their native Italian airs; yet with their arms at hand, ready -to spring to their feet at the least alarm or word of alert. - -(Something fearful must this instant have happened, for the house has -just shaken as if with an earthquake. What can be the meaning of these -wonders?) - -This morning Mary and Martha, with others, have gone to visit Jesus' -tomb in Joseph's garden (as I have already said), for the purpose of -embalming the body, and on their return we are to go to Bethany for -a few days, until the violent hostility of the Jews to his followers -subsides. - -I hear now the voices of Mary and Martha, in the court of the street, -returning from the tomb. They are pitched to a wild note of joy! What -can mean the commotion--the exclamations--the running, and shouting, -all through the corridors and court? I must close, and fly to learn -what new terror or wonder has occurred. - - In haste, your affectionate daughter, - Adina. - - - - -LETTER XXXVII. - -_Jerusalem--First Day of the week._ - - -My Dear Father: - -How shall I make known to you, in words, the marvelous, joyous, happy, -happy, and most wonderful news which I have to tell! My heart beats, -my hand trembles with rapture, while a sense of profound awe impresses -all my soul! Jesus is alive! Jesus has risen from the dead! Jesus has -proved himself to be the Son of God! - -I can scarcely hold my pen for joy and wonder, or collect my thoughts, -for very amazement, at what has transpired. - -Upon hearing my name called by Mary, and others, in eager, -joy-trembling tones, I hastened to go down. On reaching the staircase -I met my cousin ascending, almost flying. Wonder, love, and happiness -inexpressible, beamed from her beautiful countenance. Meeting me, she -threw her arms about my neck and essayed to utter something! But her -heart was too full, and, bursting into sobs, she wept convulsively upon -my bosom, in an ecstasy of delirious joy. - -Amazed and confounded, not knowing what had happened, I held her to my -heart, and tried to soothe her emotion. - -"What--oh, what hath happened? Speak, dear Mary!" I asked, unable to -wait longer in suspense. - -She raised her head, and through her tears and smiles, at length said, -brokenly: - -"He--he--is--risen--oh, he is risen from the tomb!" - -"Who?" I cried, half believing, yet doubting. - -"The Lord! Our Mighty Master--Jesus--the very Son of God, the Blessed! -He is alive, Adina! Come--delay not! I have flown into the city to tell -thee, and Mary has told Peter and John, whom she met at the door, and -who, doubting, as thou hast done, have run to see if these things be -so. They will find the sepulchre empty! Haste to go with us!" - -While, overwhelmed with wonder, and trembling with joy, I was preparing -to accompany her, Martha appeared, her face radiant with celestial -happiness. - -"You have heard the tidings of great joy, O Adina?" - -"Can they be true, Martha?" I asked, earnestly. - -"Yes, for I have seen him walking, heard his voice, and touched him! -You, also, shall see him, for he hath sent us to tell his disciples!" - -I wept for joy! - -At the gateway we met Mary of Bethany, and we three now hastened -together towards the garden of Joseph, I wishing my feet wings, that -I might reach the sepulchre sooner, fearing that the vision of Jesus -would be vanished ere I arrived. As we were going out of the gate, we -were met by four or five Roman soldiers, who, with aspects stamped with -fear, were running past us into the city. - -"What means this flight and terror, men?" cried the captain of the -gate. "You fly as if you were in full retreat from an enemy. Speak, -Marius! You seem to have your senses!" he demanded of the youngest of -the soldiers, an officer under a centurion. - -We paused to hear what he said. - -"Per Dian, captain! we have been terrified beyond measure," answered -the soldier. "My heart beats yet, as if it were an alarum-drum. You -see, we were a part of the guard left in charge of the sepulchre -of this Jewish Prophet, crucified three days ago. Before dawn this -morning, as I was pacing to and fro before the tomb, there suddenly -shone round about us a light, like a descending meteor, accompanied -by a rushing as if of a legion of wings. The men started to their -feet in amazement! On looking about us I saw a dazzling form, in the -mid-heavens, with broad wings of gold, sparkling with myriads of stars, -every feather a star, and clad in raiment white and gleaming as the -summer's lightning. This terrible presence, like that of one of the Dii -Immortales, made us fear exceedingly, beyond any terror we had before -experienced. But when we saw this mighty being descend straight towards -the tomb, and beheld the resplendent majesty of his celestial visage, -which blinded us, our hearts failed within us. The angel, or god, -alighted amid a blaze of radiance at the door of the sepulchre; and as -his foot touched the earth it trembled, as if with a great earthquake. -The soldiers shook with terror, and fell to the ground, before his -presence, as dead men. I stood, unable to move, frozen by fear to a -statue. He touched the great stone door with one of his fingers, and it -rolled outward at his feet, as if a catapult had struck it, and, like -Jove taking his throne, he sat upon it! - -"But one thing more," continued the soldier, "was wanting to fill my -cup of terror to the full. And it followed. I saw the crucified Prophet -rise up from the slab on which he was laid, and stand upon his feet, -and walk forth alive, with the tread of some mighty conqueror! The -celestial being, so terrible in his majestic splendor, veiled his face -with his wings before his presence, and prostrated himself at his feet, -as if in homage to one greater than himself! - -"I saw no more, but fell, insensible with terror, to the earth. When, -at length, I came to myself, the tomb was filled with dazzling forms -of resplendent beauty; the air rang with music, such as mortals never -before heard; and I fled, pursued by my fears, the rest of the soldiers -rising and following me, each man fearing to look back, but bewildered -we lost our way." - -The soldiers hurried forward into the city; while, confirmed now in the -certainty that Jesus was risen, I hastened, with Martha and Mary, in -the direction of the garden. - -"How and where did you behold him, Mary?" I interrogated, as we drew -near to the steep path leading to the gate of Joseph's garden. - -"When we reached the tomb, with our spices and precious ointments, to -embalm the body, we found it open, and the soldiers, who had guarded -it, lying about upon the ground like dead men. Upon the stone sat the -archangel, but the resplendent light of his apparel and countenance was -so tempered to our eyes, that, although we believed it was an angel, we -were not terrified, for his looks were serene, and the aspect of his -face divinely beautiful, combined with a terrible and indescribable -majesty. We shook with fear, and stood still, unable to move, gazing on -him in silent expectation. - -"'Fear not,' said he in a voice that seemed to fill the air about us -with undulating music, 'fear not, daughters of Abraham. I know that ye -seek Jesus, which was crucified! He is not here, but is risen, as he -foretold. Lo! see the place where the Lord of Life, and Conqueror of -Death, hath lain!' - -"We then timidly approached, and looked in, and saw the sepulchre -empty; but a soft light filled the whole place. - -"'Go and tell his disciples that the Lord is risen,' added the angel, -'and that he will go before them into Galilee. There shall they see him -not many days hence!' - -"When the angel had thus spoken to us," continued Mary, "we departed -quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy, and ran to go into -the city, to bring his disciples word, according to the command of the -angel. But I had not advanced so far as the gate of the garden, being -behind the rest, when I beheld Jesus himself standing in my path. I -stopped, between terror and joy. - -"'All hail! daughter of Israel,' he said. 'Be not afraid. I am living, -that was dead! Go, Mary, and tell my mother and my brethren, and Peter, -and John, and Lazarus, that I am risen, and that I have spoken with -you. Be not afraid! I am the resurrection and the life!' - -"I then cast myself at his feet, and worshiped him with awe; and when I -looked up, he was gone. - -"The others did not see him. We now continued on to the city, as if we -had wings. But see! we are now at the gate of the garden," added Mary -of Bethany, in a low tone of awe. "He must be near us." - -But we approached the tomb without seeing any man, having arrived -before Peter and John, who had been delayed some time at the Jaffa -gate. We, therefore, found no one at the sepulchre. It was open, and -empty. The stone in front, on which the archangel sat, was vacant. As -we drew near, a bright light suddenly shone out from the tomb; and upon -going higher I beheld two angels, clothed in white robes, and with -countenances of divine radiance, seated, one at the head and the other -at the foot of the slab of marble, on which the body of Jesus had lain. - -"Be not afraid, daughters of Jerusalem," said one of the angels, -speaking to us in the Hebrew tongue; "He whom ye seek, liveth! He -is risen from the tomb, which could not hold him but through his -consent; for Jesus is Lord of Life, and Victor over Death and Hell, for -evermore! Go your way, and tell his disciples that he awaits them by -the seaside." - -The angels then vanished from our sight; and at the same moment John -and Peter came running, and seeing the stone rolled away, John stooped -down, and looked in, and said that he saw the linen clothes in which -the body of Jesus had been wrapped, lying folded together, and also -the napkin which had been bound about his head. Peter, now coming up, -breathless with eagerness and haste, no sooner saw the tomb open, than -he went boldly in, and carefully examined all for himself. When we -made known to them what the angels had said to us, that Jesus would go -before and meet them in Galilee, they rejoiced greatly, and shortly -afterwards departed, to hasten into Galilee. I also returned with them, -to convey the news to Mary, the mother of Jesus, who had scarcely left -her couch, in her great sorrow, since the day of the crucifixion. Mary -of Bethany, however, remained, lingering near the tomb, hoping that -Jesus had not yet left the garden, and that she might once more behold -him. - -Seated upon the steps of the tomb, weeping for joy at his resurrection, -and wishing once more to behold him, she heard a footstep behind her, -and, turning round, saw a man standing near her. It was Jesus himself, -and kneeling, she was about to clasp his feet, when he said to her: - -"Touch me not, Mary. I am not yet ascended to my Father. But go and -tell Lazarus, and my brethren, and my mother, that I ascend ere many -days, unto my Father and your Father, and unto my God and your God." - -Jesus then vanished out of her sight; and she came and told all these -things to us, and to the disciples. - -But what pen can describe, my dear father, the amazement and -consternation of Caiaphas, and the chief priests, and the rest of his -enemies! - -Caiaphas, hearing the uproar of the soldiers, sprang from his couch to -inquire the cause, and on being assured by his servants that "Jesus had -burst his tomb and risen alive from the dead!" he quaked, and became -deadly pale. - -When Pilate received the account from the centurion of the guard, he -said: - -"We have crucified a god, as I believed! Henceforth I am accursed!" and -leaving his Hall of Judgment, he went and shut himself up in his own -room, which he has not since left. - -Caiaphas and the chief priests and scribes, in the meanwhile assembled -together in full Sanhedrim, and hearing the testimony of the centurion, -were convinced that the fact could not be concealed of Jesus' -resurrection. - -"Who has seen him alive?" demanded the High Priest. - -"I have seen him, my lord," answered the centurion. "I saw his pierced -feet and hands as he walked past me; and the morning breeze blew aside -his mantle and exposed to my eyes the open wound made by the spear of -my soldier, Philippus. He was alive, and in full strength of limb!" - -"Thou sawest a vision, Roman!" answered Caiaphas. "Come aside with us, -and let us talk with thee." - -In a few minutes afterwards the centurion left the court of the High -Priest's palace, followed by a Gibeonite slave, bearing after him a -vase of Persian gold. He has told every one since, that he must have -seen a spirit, for "the disciples of Jesus came by night and stole away -the body of their master, while they slept, overcome with watching." -His soldiers have also been bribed to tell the same tale! - -Such is the false version that now goes about the city, my dear father; -but there are few that give it credence, even of our enemies. As -Æmilius, who is filled with great joy at the resurrection of Jesus, -to-day very justly says: - -"If these soldiers slept on guard, they merited death therefor, by the -military laws of the empire. If, while sleeping, their charge--the -dead body of Jesus--was taken away, they deserve death for failing -to prevent it. Why then are they not placed under arrest by Pilate's -orders, if this story be true? Because Pilate well knows that it is not -true! He knows, because he has privately examined many of the soldiers, -that Jesus did burst his tomb, and that angels rolled away the stone -without breaking his seals, which could not have been left unmarred but -by a miracle. He knows that Jesus has arisen--for it is believed that -he has also beheld him--at least such is the rumor at the Pretorium. -It was the form of Jesus visible before him, doubtless, that drove -him in such amazement from his Hall to his secret chamber; for it was -remarked that he started, turned deadly pale, and essayed to address -the invisible space before him, as if he saw a spirit." - -Besides the facts which I have stated, is the increasing testimony -of the thousands who, to-day, have gone out of the city to see the -sepulchre where He was laid. They say, both enemies of Jesus as well as -our friends, that it was impossible for the door to have been opened by -any human being, not by Pilate himself, without marring the seals. They -also assert that, to remove the stone by night, which would require -four men, and to bear forth the body, would have been impossible, if -the guard had been present; and if they had been asleep, they must have -been awakened with the heavy noise made by rolling the massive door -along the hollow pavement outside the sepulchre. - -"If," say the common people, "the watch slept, why does not the -Procurator put them to death?" - -This question remains unanswered, and the watch go about the streets -unharmed! My dear father, remember no more my unbelief, but with me -believe in Jesus, that he is the Son of God, the Savior of Israel, the -immortal Christ of the Prophets. - - Your affectionate daughter, - Adina. - - - - -LETTER XXXVIII. - -_Bethany, House of Mary and Martha, a Month after the Passover._ - - -I deeply regret, my dearest father, the delays which have detained you -so long from arriving at Jerusalem, but trust that, ere many days, -the caravan for which you wait will reach Gaza, and that you will be -enabled to resume your journey to the Holy City. I am now at Bethany, -where I have been some time making my home. - -Uncle Amos has retired, for the present, to his farm, near Jericho, -but will be here to-morrow to remain with us. Therefore, when you come -near to Jerusalem, instead of going directly into the city, turn aside -by the road leading past the king's gardens, and go up the brook of -Kedron, into the way to Bethany. I pray that God may preserve you in -safety, and soon permit me the happiness of once more embracing you, -after three long years of separation. - -And what events have transpired in these three years! Once more, my -dear father, read carefully over the whole narrative, and answer to -yourself this inquiry: Is not this man the Son of God? Is not he the -very Christ, the long-looked-for Messias? - -Isaias prophesied of the Christ whom he saw afar off, that he should be -"a man of sorrows;" that he should be "despised and rejected of men;" -that he should be "taken from prison and judgment, and cut off from -the land of the living;" that he should be "numbered with the wicked -in his death, and make his grave with the rich!" How light, how clear, -how plain, all these prophecies now are to me, and to us all! How -wonderfully in their minuteness they have been fulfilled, you already -know. - -His resurrection, also, was foretold by himself, but we did not -understand his words until now. When he spoke of destroying the temple, -and raising it in three days, he spoke of the tabernacle of his body! -Oh, how many sayings, which, when spoken by his sacred lips, we -understood not, now rush upon us in all their meaning, proving to us -that every step of his life was foreknown to him; that he went forward -to his death aware of all things whatsoever that were going to befall -him! - -But his resurrection was also foretold by the holy David, when he -said, "Thou wilt not leave his soul in hell, nor suffer thy Holy One -to see corruption;" and his arraignment before Pilate, Caiaphas, and -Herod, was foretold by David, when he said: "The kings of the earth set -themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and -against his Anointed;" yet the Lord saith, "Thou art my Son, this day -have I begotten thee." Also, my dear father, turn to the Psalms (22) of -King David, and compare the following words, which speak of Messias, -with what I have described in my previous letters: - -"They shoot out the lip at me; they shake the head; they laugh me to -scorn. They say, He trusted in the Lord that he would deliver him. Thou -hast brought me into the dust of death." - -Read the same psalm of the holy king a little farther, and you will see -these words, which were put by the royal prophet into the lips of his -future Messias: - -"The assembly of the wicked have enclosed me. They pierced my hands and -my feet. They part my garments among them, and upon my vesture cast -lots!" - -Read and compare these prophecies of Messias, with the accounts in my -letters, dear father, and you will not only be convinced that Jesus is -the Messias, but you will perceive that his humiliation and sufferings -before Pilate and Caiaphas, his agony on the cross, his death and -burial, instead, as we ignorantly conceived, of being evidences that -he was not the Christ, are proof that he was the very Son of the -Highest--the Shiloh of Jehovah foretold by the prophets--the Anointed -King of Israel. - -Oh, wonderful is all this! How marvelous these things passing before -our eyes! Now all is dazzlingly clear! The Prophets are unveiled to -our sight, and we see that these things must have happened to him. Oh, -our darkness, our blindness, to have seen in the prophecies of Messias -only the passages which speak of his glory and power! Read the Prophets -no longer, my dearest father, with a veil before your eyes! See, in -all you read, Jesus as the end of the Prophets, the goal of all their -far-seeing prophecies, the veritable and sure realization of their -prophetic visions. - -Thus, my dear father, has Jesus in all particulars proved himself to be -the subject of all prophecy--the King of Israel. But you will now ask, -"Is he to re-establish the throne of David, and live forever?" - -Yes, but not a Jerusalem of earthly splendor. Oh, how clear are all -things to my apprehension now! The Jerusalem in which his throne is to -be placed, is heavenly, and the true Jerusalem, of which the present -one is but the material type--what the body is to the soul of man. - -Jesus has talked with me since his resurrection, and explained all this -to me, and much more that is wonderful and full of joy. - -It is now four weeks since he arose, and in that time he has been not -only seen by all the disciples, but by hundreds of his followers. The -only change in his usual appearance, dear father, to the eye, is a -transparent paleness, which gives a soft radiance to his whole aspect, -and a certain majestic reserve, which awes all who draw near to him; -so that men speak in his presence in subdued whispers. His mother, -happiest of women now, as she was before the most wretched, ever sits -at his feet, and silently enjoys his sacred presence, seldom speaking, -and looking up to him rather as a worshiper to her God, than a mother -upon her son. That he is in the flesh in reality, and not a spirit, he -has proven to his disciples, by eating with them; and in a remarkable -way to an incredulous disciple, called Thomas, who, not believing that -Jesus was risen in his real body from the dead, was told by the divine -Lord to place his fingers into his hands, and his hand into his side; -which Thomas, convinced, with awe refused to do; but, falling at his -feet in amazement and adoration, worshiped him as God. - -To-day his disciples are with him in the gardens of David, at -Bethlehem, where he is holding daily a solemn council with the -eleven, unfolding to them the glory of his kingdom, and opening their -understandings to the clear apprehension of all which the prophets -have written concerning him. John, who is a member of this divine -council, says that the power of Jesus, the extent and majesty of his -kingdom, the infinite results of his death and resurrection, are not -to be conceived of by those who have not listened to these sublime -revelations of his own lips. - -"He hath shown us," said John, "how that his true office as Son of God, -and Son of Man, is to be a mediator. He showed us that he himself was -the High Priest, and how that the cross was the veritable altar of this -great world's sacrifice, and its Temple the whole earth and heavens!" - -How wonderful, dear father, is all this! He further teaches his -disciples that he will shortly ascend from the earth, to enter upon his -celestial reign, and that his subjects there are to be all who love -him and keep his commandments. It is to be a kingdom of holiness, and -none will enter there but the pure in heart. He says, further, that as -we do now confess our sins over the blood of the victim we sacrifice -for ourselves in the Temple, so henceforth we must look to him (by -faith when we shall see him no longer), slain a sacrifice for us, and -confess our sins to the Father for his sake. Jesus has moreover taught -his disciples that the Gentiles are to share equally with the children -of Abraham the benefits of his death and resurrection; that this good -news shall be proclaimed to them by his disciples, and that they will -gladly hear it and believe. - -"The fountain of my everlasting kingdom," saith he, "truly shall be -laid upon earth in the hearts of men; but the building is with God, -eternal in the heavens. The tomb through which I have passed is its -gate, and all who would come after me, and enter in, must follow in my -footsteps." - -Thomas then asked his Lord whither he would go, and the way; how he -would leave the earth, since he could die no more. - -"Thou shalt see for thyself ere many days pass," answered Jesus. "In -that I have risen, all whom my Father giveth me shall rise also from -the dead; and those whom I raise up, I will take with me the way I go; -for where I am, they shall evermore be with me also." - -Such, dear father, is a brief account of what John has told us, -touching the divine teaching of Messias, the Son of God, respecting his -kingdom. Yet much is still mysterious; but we know enough to be willing -to trust ourselves to him for this life, and for that which is to come. -We know that all power is given into his hands, and that he can save -all men who believe in and accept him. - -What is remarkable, dear father, notwithstanding the Jews have heard -that Jesus walks everywhere through Jewry, yet no efforts are made -to lay hands on him. At his presence, crowds of his enemies fly like -the stricken multitude before the advancing sirocco. His presence in -Judea is a present dread, like some great evil, to those who fear -him; but like a celestial blessing to more who love him. Pilate, on -the eve of making a journey last week to Bethel, before quitting the -city dispatched couriers in advance to ascertain "whether Jesus the -Crucified was on the line of his route!" Caiaphas, having occasion to -go to Jericho, a few days after the Passover, hearing that Jesus had -been seen with his disciples on the road, made a circuit round by Luz -and Shiloh, in order not to meet him. The gates of the city are kept -constantly shut, lest he should enter within the walls; some of the -chief priests fearing greatly to behold his face, while others imagine -that he is engaged in raising an army, to advance upon and take -Jerusalem from the Romans. - -I rejoice to see by your last letter, that you may be expected to reach -here the week after next. Oh that you were here now, that you might -be taken by John to see Jesus! for from what he says he will not long -remain visible among us. Whither he goeth or how he goeth away, no man -can say. - - Faithfully, your loving daughter, - Adina. - - - - -LETTER XXXIX. - -_Bethany, Forty Days after the Resurrection._ - - -My Dearest Father: - -With emotions that nearly deprive me of the power to hold my pen, and -with trembling fingers that make the words I write almost illegible, I -sit down to make known to you the extraordinary event which will mark -this day in all future time as the most worthy to be noted among men. - -On the fortieth day after the resurrection, my dear father, early in -the morning, Jesus left the house of Mary and Lazarus, where he had sat -up with us all night speaking to us of the glories of the life above, -and the excellency of heart and purity of life required of all who -should enter it. - -"Lord," said Martha, as he went forth, "whither goest thou?" - -"Come and see," he answered. "Whither I go ye shall know, and the way -ye shall know: for where I am ye shall also be, and all those who -believe in me." - -"Lord," said Mary, kneeling at his feet, "return at noon, and remain -with us during the heat of the day." - -"Mary," said Jesus, laying his hand gently upon her forehead, "I am -going to my Father's house! There thou shalt dwell with me in mansions -not made with hands." - -Thus speaking, he walked slowly onward towards the hill of Bethany, -not far from the place where Lazarus was buried. He was followed not -only by Mary, Martha, Lazarus, and John, my Cousin Mary, and myself, -but by all the disciples. There were at least five hundred persons -in all, moving on with him ere he reached the green hillside beyond -the village; for all followed him, expecting to hear more glorious -revelations from his lips. - -"He goes to the hill to pray," said one of his disciples. - -"Nay, he goeth to show us some mighty miracle, from the expression of -power and majesty in his aspect," said Thomas to me, gazing upon the -Lord with awe; for each moment as he ascended the hill, his countenance -grew more glorious with a certain God-like majesty, and shone as the -face of Moses descending from Mount Sinai. We all hung back with -adoring awe, and alone he proceeded onward, a wide space being left -by us between ourselves and him. Yet there was no terror in the glory -which surrounded and shined out from him, but rather a holy radiance, -that seemed to be the very light of holiness and peace. - -"So looked he," said John to us, "when we beheld him transfigured in -the mount with Elias and Moses." - -The hill, which is not lofty, was soon surmounted by his sacred feet. -He stood upon its apex alone. We kept back near the brow of the hill, -for his raiment shone now like the sun, while his countenance was as -lightning. We shaded our eyes to behold him. All was now expectation, -and a looking for some mighty event--what, we knew not! John drew -nearest to him, and upon his knees, with clasped hands, looked towards -him earnestly; for he knew, as he afterwards told us, what would take -place. Joy and yet tears were on his face, as he gazed with blinded -eyes, as one gazes on the noonday sun, upon his divine Master. It was -a scene, dear father, impressive beyond expression. Jesus seemed for -a moment to survey the scenes of his sufferings, of his ignominy and -death, with the look of a divine conqueror. He then turned to his -disciples and said: - -"Ye have been with me in my sorrows, and you shall now begin to behold -my glory. Remember all things which I have taught you concerning my -kingdom. Go forth and teach the glad tidings of salvation to all men, -and baptize all nations in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and -of the Holy Ghost; and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of -the world." - -Thus speaking, in a voice that thrilled every bosom with emotions -indescribable, he extended his hands above their heads and blessed -them, while we all fell upon our faces to the ground also, to receive -his blessing. - -He then lifted up his eyes to the calm blue depths of heaven, and said -in the same words he had spoken on the night of the Passover, as John -had told me: - -"And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory -which I had with thee before the world was!" - -As he spoke, we raised our faces from the ground, to behold him -leaving the earth, rising from the hilltop into the air, with a slow -and majestic ascension, his hands outspread over us who were beneath, -as if shedding down blessings upon us all. The loud burst of surprise -which rose from five hundred voices at seeing him soar away into the -atmosphere, was followed by a profound and awful silence, as we watched -him rise and still rise, ascending and still ascending, into the upper -air, his whole form growing brighter and brighter, as the distance -widened between his feet and the earth! - -Upon our knees, in speechless wonder, we followed his ascent with our -amazed eyes, not a word being spoken by any soul; nay, hearts might -have been heard beating in the intense expectation of the moment! - -Lo! in the far-off height of heaven, we beheld suddenly appear a bright -cloud, no larger than a man's hand, but each instant it expanded -and grew broader and brighter, and, swift as the winged lightning, -descended through the firmament downward, until we beheld it evolve -itself into a glittering host of angels, which no man could number, -countless as the stars of heaven. As these shining legions descended, -they parted into two bands, and sweeping along the air, met the -ascending Son of God in mid-sky! The rushing of their ten thousand -times ten thousand wings, was heard as the sound of many waters. -Surrounding Jesus, like a shining cloud, they received him into their -midst, and hid him from our eyes amid the glories of their celestial -splendor! - -Now came to our ears the sounds of heavenly song, a sublimer chorus -than earth ever heard before. From the squadrons of Seraphim and -Cherubim encircling with their linked wings the Son of God, came, like -the unearthly music one hears in the dreams of night, these words, -receding, as they mounted upward with the Conqueror of Death and Hell: - - "Lift up your heads, O ye gates! - And be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors; - And the King of Glory shall come in!" - -This chorus seemed to be answered from the inmost heavens, as if an -archangel were standing at its portals, keeping watchful guard over the -entrance facing the earth. - - "Who is the King of Glory?" - - "The Lord strong and mighty, even the Lord mighty in battle against - principalities and powers," - -was chanted back from the ascending escort of Jesus, in the sublimest -strains of triumphant joy. - - "Lift up your heads, O ye gates! and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting - doors, and the King of Glory shall come in!" - -Upon this we heard a mighty voice, as it were in heaven, accompanied -by the sound of a trumpet, and ten thousand voices about the throne of -Jehovah seemed to say: - - "God is coming up with a shout. He rideth upon the heavens! He - ascendeth on high! He hath led captivity captive, and received - gifts for men. O clap your hands, all ye people of earth! Shout his - triumph, ye hosts of heaven! - - "Fling wide your gates, O City of God! Be ye lifted up, ye - everlasting doors, for the King of Glory enters in!" - -Ascending and still ascending, receding and still receding, fainter -and fainter, came down to earth the angelic choruses, when at length -the brightest cloud of angels faded away into the upper heaven, the -Son of God shining in their midst, like a central sun, surrounded by a -luminous halo; till finally, like a star, they remained a few moments -longer, and then the heavens received him out of our sight. - -While we stood gazing up into the far skies, hoping, expecting, yet -doubting if we should ever behold him again, two bright stars seemed -to be descending from the height of heaven above us. In a few seconds -we saw that they were angels. Alighting on the place where Jesus had -left, they said to the eleven, "Why gaze ye up into heaven, ye men of -Galilee? This same Jesus, whom ye have seen go into heaven, shall so -come in like manner as ye have now seen him ascend!" Thus speaking, -they vanished out of our sight! - -Such, my dear father, is the appropriate crowning event of the -extraordinary life of Jesus, both Lord and Christ! - -His kingdom is, therefore, my dear father, clearly not of this world, -as he said to Pilate, the Procurator; but it is Above. - -Doubt, then, no longer, dearest father! Jesus, the Son of Mary -in his human nature, was the Son of God in his divine nature; an -incomprehensible and mysterious union, whereby he had brought together -in harmony the two natures, separated far apart by sin, by giving his -own body as an offering, to reconcile both in one immaculate body upon -the cross. There is now no more condemnation to them who believe in him -and accept him. - -But I cannot write all I would say to you, dearest father. When we -meet--which you rejoice me in saying, will be on the first day of -the week, at Jerusalem--I will unfold to you all that the divine and -glorified Jesus has taught me. Doubt not that he is Messias. Hesitate -not to accept him; for he is the end of Moses, and of the Law, and of -the Prophets, the very Shiloh who should come and restore all things; -to whom be glory, power, dominion, majesty, and excellency, evermore. - - Your loving daughter, - Adina. - -[Illustration: THE END.] - - - - -=The New Sabbath Library=--(Continued from second page cover.) - - -No. 5. August, 1898. - -=The Days of Mohammed= - -BY ANNA MAY WILSON. - -Selected as being the best manuscript offered during the contest of -1897, and awarded the prize of $1,000. - -Yusuf, a Persian of the fire-worshiping sect, has, at his first -sacrifice of a human life, revolted against the horror of his religion, -and he decides to leave Persia in search of Truth. In his travels he -meets that strangest character of ancient or medieval times, Mohammed. -The scene is confined almost entirely to Arabia. - - -No. 6. September, 1898. - -=CHONITA= - -BY ANNIE MARIA BARNES. - -The gifted author of this book has here produced a vivid and intensely -interesting story of the Mexican Mines. It first appeared in the YOUNG -PEOPLE'S WEEKLY, and its publication in book form is in response to -numerous requests from its many thousands of delighted readers. A -number of short but interesting stories are added at the end of the -book. - - -No. 7. October, 1898. - -=The Prince of the House of David= - -BY REV. J. H. INGRAHAM. - -The fame of this book has been long since established, and its -fascination has already held sway over multitudes of delighted readers. -The scene is laid in Jerusalem, during the most stirring period of -earth's history. This edition has been thoroughly revised and in parts -rewritten, all unnecessary repetition appearing in the original edition -of the book being omitted. - - -No. 8. November, 1898. - -=A Star in a Prison= - -A TALE OF CANADA. - -BY ANNA MAY WILSON. - -The central figure of the story is a young man who, being placed in the -penitentiary on circumstantial evidence, there learns to understand the -spirit of Christ's self-giving, and is finally set free through the -instrumentality of a Christian doctor. - - -No. 9. December, 1898. - -=Ten Nights in a Bar-Room= - -BY T. S. 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The exceedingly low price at which the -pamphlet (5-cent) edition of this Library is offered is regarded as a -remarkable achievement, and one that no publishing house, unless fully -and thoroughly equipped with modern machinery and ample facilities, -would attempt. Each book comprises a complete story in one volume. The -five-cent editions are as large and handsome as most books usually sold -for twenty-five cents. The cloth (twenty-five-cent) editions are worthy -a place in any library, and are as good value as books usually sold for -fifty cents to one dollar. - -In literary merit they have no superiors and few equals. These books -are carefully written by the best authors, and are especially adapted -for home reading. 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COOK PUBLISHING CO., 36 WASHINGTON STREET, CHICAGO. - - - - -Transcriber's Notes: - - -As noted in the introduction, this is an abridged edition of the -original text, or, as the editors put it, it has "been thoroughly -revised and in parts re-written, all unnecessary repetition appearing -in the original edition of the book being omitted." - -Italics are represented with _underscores_, bold with =equal signs=. - -Added table of contents. - -Inside front cover, added missing second e to "entitled." - -Some inconsistent hyphenation (e.g. gate-way vs. gateway) has been -retained from the original. - -Page 1, moved copyright notice higher on page for smoother flow. - -Page 3, changed comma to period after "worshiping Jupiter." - -Page 6, added missing double quote after "not a few believe him to be -Isaiah." - -Page 7, added missing quote before "Therefore, repent ye." - -Page 12, changed double quote to single quote after "grateful adoration -of his love." - -Page 13, changed double quote to single quote after "foreshadow a life -of trial and suffering." - -Page 16, changed "innocent's bird's escape" to "innocent bird's escape." - -Page 27, added missing comma after "Your loving" in signature of LETTER -XII. - -Page 45, added missing open quote before "But Jesus laid his hand upon -the pall." Corrected double to single quote after "son was sick!" - -Page 47, added missing quote before "I have even heard of his fame." - -Page 50, added missing quote after "folds of the curtains." - -Page 51, corrected double to single quotes after "Pilate, against thee" -and "Castle of David!" - -Page 52, changed comma to period after "departure of the messenger to -Jesus." - -Page 67, corrected "youthfuf" to "youthful" in "youthful bride of -Pilate." - -Page 70, added missing single quote before "What! Galilean and -blasphemer." - -Page 71, removed unnecessary single quote after "spat in his face -thrice." - -Page 92, added missing close quote after "as if he saw a spirit." - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's The Prince of the House of David, by J. H. 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