,transcriber's ,note3 ,every effort has been made to replicate this text as faithfully as possible1 including some inconsistencies in hyphenation4 ,some changes of spelling and punctuation have been made4 ,they are listed at the end of the text4 ,italic text has been marked with underscores4 ,illustration ,the ,,real ,,jesus of the ,,four ,,gospels ,by ,j4 ,b4 ,,atwater ,,minneapolis1 ,,minn4 #aibb ,copyrighted1 #aiba ,j4 ,b4 ,,atwater ,,this ,,book ,,is ,,dedicated ,,to ,,all ,,those ,,who1 ,,in ,,ages ,,past1 ,,have ,,suffered ,,or ,,shed ,,their ,,blood ,,on ,,account ,,of ,,creeds1 ,,dogmas1 ,,theologies1 ,,inquisitions ,,or ,,other ,,perversions ,,of ,,the ,,simple1 ,,all-,,sufficient ,,religion ,,taught ,,by ,,jesus3 ,,love ,,the ,,lord1 ,,thy ,,god1 ,,with ,,all ,,thy ,,heart1 ,,and ,,thy ,,neighbor ,,as ,,thyself4 ,,preface ,the first part of this work is a collation of all that is said1 and just what is said1 in each of the four ,gospels1 regarding the more important incidents of ,jesus' life4 ,every statement in the text1 it is thought1 is accurate1 free from personal coloring or sectarian bias1 and may be verified from the passages cited4 ,after examining various lives of ,jesus1 harmonies of the ,gospels1 etc41 there seemed to be need of such a work1 which would furnish simply the facts1 and leave the reader to form his own conclusions4 ,certain notes are appended in elucidation of or comment on the text1 and these may be taken for what they are worth4 ,their underlying idea is1 that the true greatness of ,jesus lay in ,his being a human ,teacher and not a ,divine ,redeemer1 and therefore the supernatural parts of the ,gospel story are not of vital importance4 ,the ,king ,james version has been used1 since that has been the ,bible of ,english-speaking peoples up to the present century1 and their conceptions of ,jesus have been formed from it1 and not from the revised version4 ,the differences between the two versions are probably not material to any matter herein discussed4 ,the second part is an attempt to point out1 and comment on1 the many and wide divergences that have grown up between the preachings of ,jesus and the practices of ,his professed followers4 ,its object is not to criticise the short-comings of ,christianity1 but to bring home to the people of the ,united ,states a realization of the practical effect which these divergences have had1 and are now having1 on political and economic questions of high import to the present and future welfare of mankind4 ,the ,,real ,,jesus of the ,,four ,,gospels ,,part ,i ,,genealogy ,mark and ,john give no genealogy of ,jesus1 except that ,he was the son of ,joseph and ,mary 7,mark ,,iii3#ca2 ,,vi3#c2 ,john ,i3#de2 ,,ii3#a2 ,,xix3#be71 and is spoken of as the son of ,david 7,mark ,x3#dg1 #dh2 ,,xi3#aj2 ,john ,,vii3#db74 ,matthew gives a genealogy from ,abraham down to ,joseph 7,chap4 ,i71 and ,luke gives one from ,joseph up to ,adam 7,,iii3#b1 #bc-bh74a ,these two lines of ancestry are the same from ,abraham down to ,david4 ,there they diverge into two separate lines4 ,matthew has the next in descent ,solomon1 son of ,david and ,bathsheba1 former wife of ,uriah1 the ,hittite 7#a ,chron4 ,,iii3#e74 ,luke has1 in place of ,solomon1 his fullblood brother ,nathan 7#a ,chron4 ,,iii3#e74b ,from this point down1 there is little agreement between the two lines of descent4 ,even as to the father of ,joseph1 ,matthew has ,jacob1 while ,luke says his name was ,heli4 ,they agree as to ,joseph's grandfather--,matthan or ,matthat--but1 as to his great grandfather1 ,matthew has ,eleazar1 while ,luke has ,levi4 ,as to ,matthew's line of descent from ,solomon1 most of his names will be found in ,i ,chron4 ,chap4 ,,iii1 although there are several differences4 ,where ,luke obtained his names of ,nathan's descendants1 does not appear4#c ,,conception ,matthew and ,luke state that ,jesus was conceived of ,mary1 when a virgin1 by the ,holy ,ghost 7,matt4 ,chap4 ,i1 ,luke ,chap4 ,i74 ,mark and ,john are silent on the subject1 except as they speak of ,jesus as being the son of ,joseph and ,mary 7,mark ,,iii3#ca2 ,,vi3#c2 ,john ,i3#de2 ,,ii3#a2 ,,xix3#be74 ,matthew says that ,joseph1 after he was espoused to ,mary and was her husband1 but before they came together1 discovered that she was with child and was minded to put her away privily4 ,but an angel of the ,lord appeared to him in a dream1 and told him that his wife was with child by the ,holy ,ghost1#d and would bring forth a son1 and that he should call ,his name ,jesus4 ,matthew adds that this was in fulfillment of an ,old ,testament prophesy1 ,behold1 a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a son1 and they shall call ,his name ,immanuel 7,isaiah ,,vii3#ad74e ,luke gives the name of the angel1 to-wit3 ,gabriel1#f but he appears to ,mary instead of to ,joseph4 ,he also appeared before ,mary's conception1 instead of after1 as in ,matthew4#g ,apparently ,mary1 while espoused to ,joseph1 was not yet his wife1 since she asks the angel how she shall conceive1 seeing that ,i know not a man8 7,luke ,i3#cd74h ,it would also seem that the appearance of the angel was not in a dream1 since his conversation with ,mary is related as any ordinary conversation between two natural persons4#i ,,pre-,,natal ,,incidents ,luke gives 7,chap4 ,i7 a quite lengthy account of the conception of ,john the ,baptist1 which is very similar to the story of the conception of ,samson in the ,old ,testament 7,judges ,chap4 ,,xiii74 ,he also tells of a three months' visit of ,mary to ,elisabeth1 mother of ,john the ,baptist and ,mary's cousin 7,luke ,i3#cf71 and of ,elisabeth's recognition of ,mary as the mother of ,my ,lord 7,luke ,i3#dc74aj ,while ,mary treated the announcement of the angel rather indifferently 7,luke ,i3#ch71 she now1 on this salutation of ,elisabeth1 pours out a grand hymn of invocation and thanksgiving for the blessing that has come upon her 7,luke ,i3#df-ee74 ,the three other evangelists are silent as to these incidents and do not mention any relationship between ,jesus and ,john4 ,,birth ,,and ,,childhood ,mark and ,john furnish no information as to the life of ,jesus prior to ,his baptism by ,john4 ,both ,matthew and ,luke agree in giving ,bethlehem of ,juda as the place of ,jesus' birth4 ,apparently ,matthew considered ,bethlehem the then residence of ,joseph and ,mary1 for he says nothing of their presence there being temporary1 and ,joseph1 when he returned from ,egypt1 was going back to ,juda 7,bethlehem71 but1 on being warned of ,god in a dream1 he turned aside into the parts of ,galilee2 and he came and dwelt in a city called ,nazareth 7,matt4 ,,ii3#bb1 #bc74 ,luke1 however1 says that ,joseph and ,mary came down to ,bethlehem from ,nazareth to be taxed 7or enrolled71 and1 because there was no room for them in the inn1 ,jesus1 when born1 was laid in a manger4 ,matthew does not mention any manger1 but1 on the other hand1 the wise men of the ,east find the family in the house1 as would be natural if ,bethlehem was ,joseph's residence 7,matt4 ,,ii3#aa74 ,matthew alone tells the story of the visit of the wise men from the ,east 7,matt4 ,,ii3#a-b74 ,he does not tell us the country from which they came1 nor how they learned of the approaching birth of ,jesus1 the usual deus ex machina of ,matthew and ,luke--an angel in a dream--not being used here1 although he appears in warning the wise men not to see ,herod on their return 7,matt4 ,,ii3#ab74 ,matthew also relates that it was revealed to the wise men that ,jesus was to be king of the ,jews 7,matt4 ,,ii3#b74 ,but ,jesus never used this title as applying to ,himself1 and1 that ,he did use it1 was one of the false charges made against ,him at ,his trial 7,john ,,xviii3#cc1 #cd1 #cf74 ,luke also has a visit to the new born ,jesus1 but it is of shepherds in the same country1 instead of strangers from the ,east4 ,to these shepherds appeared1 not a star1 but first one angel and then a multitude of the heavenly host4 ,this gives ,luke the opportunity to introduce a beautiful hymn of greeting to the new born ,babe1 which is entirely lacking in ,matthew 7,luke ,,ii3#aj-ad74 ,the shepherds did their homage by glorifying and praising ,god1 instead of by gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh 7,matt4 ,,ii3#aa74 ,matthew is the only one of the evangelists to tell of the slaying by ,herod of all the children that were in ,bethlehem and in all the coasts thereof from two years old and under1 and the flight of ,joseph and ,mary to ,egypt 7,matt4 ,,ii3#af-bc74aa ,luke alone tells of the visit to the temple when ,jesus was twelve years old1 and of ,his meeting the doctors1 both hearing them and asking them questions 7,luke ,,ii3#df74ab ,,baptism ,,of ,,jesus ,john's baptism of ,jesus is the first event in the latter's life which all four evangelists unite in recording4 ,the earlier events related by ,matthew and ,luke--,mark and ,john either do not know1 or do not believe1 or do not deem worth recording4 ,john begins his preaching about the year ,a4 ,d4 #bf 7,luke ,,iii3#a74 ,apparently ,jesus was about thirty years of age when ,he was baptized 7,luke ,,iii3#bc74 ,the four ,gospels describe at some length1 and with substantial agreement1 the preaching of ,john and the incidents of the baptism 7,matt4 ,,iii1 ,mark ,i1 ,luke ,,iii1 ,john ,i74 ,matthew's narrative covers seventeen verses1 and ,john recognizes ,jesus1 for he says1 ,i have need to be baptized of ,thee1 and comest ,thou to me8 7,matt4 ,,iii3#ad74 ,it does not appear that any one but ,jesus saw the dove descending from heaven1 or heard the voice 7,matt4 ,,iii3#af-ag74 ,mark's narrative is the most concise1 covering eleven verses1 and omitting one or two points of ,john's preaching and his recognition of ,jesus1 as given in ,matthew 7,mark ,i3#a-aa74 ,it does not appear that ,john knew or greeted ,jesus in any way1 or that any one but ,jesus saw the dove or heard the voice4 ,luke expands the story to twenty-two verses 7,luke ,,iii3#a-bb71 adding some points of ,john's preaching not given in ,matthew or ,mark4 ,the baptismal ceremony is condensed into two verses1 and1 as in ,luke1 it does not appear that ,john recognized ,jesus1 or that any one but ,jesus saw the dove or heard the voice4 ,john's account covers twenty-two verses 7,john ,i3#ae-cf71 and differs quite markedly from the other three4 ,this ,gospel adds a material point to ,john's preaching not in the others 7,john ,i3#ae-ah71 and omits certain points appearing in the others4 ,the actual baptism itself is not described1 but ,john speaks of it as an event that had occurred4 ,he did not recognize ,jesus on first meeting ,him 7contrary to ,matthew's version73 ,and ,i knew ,him not 7,john ,i3#ca1 #cc74 ,but ,i saw the spirit descending from heaven like a dove and it abode upon ,him 7,john ,i3#cb74 ,and ,he that sent me to baptize with water1 the same said unto me1 ,upon whom thou shalt see the ,spirit descending and remaining on ,him1 the same is ,he which baptizeth with the ,holy ,ghost 7,john ,i3#cc74 ,on account of this sign1 therefore1 he accepted ,jesus as the ,lamb of ,god4#ac ,,jesus' ,,mission ,,as ,,he ,,conceived ,,it ,,during ,,his ,,life-,,time ,from this point on1 the accounts of ,jesus' movements in the four ,gospels are so confusing and contradictory that the only feasible plan seems to be to follow one ,gospel to its end1 noting similarities or differences in the other ,gospels as they occur in the course of the narrative4 ,but1 before starting on this1 it seems necessary to grasp clearly just what was ,jesus' basic purpose in this1 ,his life-work4 ,probably nine out of ten of ,his followers of today would say that it was to redeem mankind and convert the world to ,his teachings4 ,now1 the evidence of the four ,gospels is directly contrary to this view4 ,jesus had little regard for the ,gentiles or ,heathen1 and no interest whatever in their conversion4 ,his references to them are usually derogatory and rather contemptuous 7,matt4 ,,vi3#cb2 ,x3#ah2 ,,xviii3#ag2 ,,xx3#ai2 ,mark ,x3#cc1 #db1 #dc2 ,luke ,,xxii3#be71 although there are one or two exceptions1 when ,he is upbraiding the ,jews for their unbelief 7,matt4 ,,viii3#aj2 ,,xi3#ba74 ,apparently ,he never preached to the ,gentiles1 and was loath to exercise ,his healing powers for their benefit4 ,when the woman of ,canaan besought ,him to cure her daughter1 ,he at first refused on the ground that ,his healing powers were reserved for the ,jews4 ,it is not meet to take the children's bread and cast it to dogs 7,matt4 ,,xv3#bf74 ,in ,his instructions to ,his apostles and disciples 7,matt4 ,x2 ,mark ,,vi3#g-ac2 ,luke ,,ix3#a-f71 ,he does not enjoin on them to preach to the ,gentiles1 but1 on the contrary1 expressly prohibits them from doing so4 ,go not into the way of the ,gentiles1 and1 into any city of the ,samaritans1 enter ye not 7,matt4 ,x3#e2 see also ,matt4 ,x3#bc74 ,the apostles1 as judges in heaven1 are to have jurisdiction1 not over the ,gentiles1 but only over ,jews4 ,ye1 also1 shall sit upon twelve thrones1 judging the twelve tribes of ,israel 7,matt4 ,,xix3#bh74 ,the angel who announced ,jesus' conception to ,joseph said that ,he shall save ,his people from their sins--not the whole world or all nations 7,matt4 ,i3#ba74 ,so the angel who announced the conception of ,jesus to ,mary said that ,god should give unto ,him the throne of ,his father ,david1 and that ,he should reign over the house of ,jacob forever 7,luke ,i3#cb1 #cc74 ,one of the first recorded utterances of ,jesus is3 ,think not that ,i come to destroy the ,law or the prophets4 ,i am not come to destroy1 but to fulfill 7,matt4 ,v3#ag74 ,the converted ,paul1 with the over-zeal that often marks converts1 conceived that his own mission was to destroy the old ,jewish law1 and worked most successfully towards that end1 overcoming the opposition of ,peter1 ,james1 ,john and other intimate associates of ,jesus 7,gal4 ,chap4 ,,ii74 ,but ,jesus1 in adhering to the old ,law1 necessarily excluded from ,his scheme of redemption all ,gentiles and others who did not practice circumcision and similar obligatory rites of the ,jewish faith4 ,finally1 we have ,jesus' own clear and positive declaration of ,his understanding of ,his mission4 ,i am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of ,israel 7,matt4 ,,xv3#bd74 ,as against this explicit statement of ,his position1 the two ambiguous references to some future 7apparently after ,his death7 preaching of ,his ,gospel for a witness unto all nations1 or that it must first be published among all nations1 can have no weight 7,matt4 ,,xxiv3#ad2 ,mark ,,xiii3#aj74 ,the evidence establishes beyond a doubt that the characterization of ,jesus by ,paul and others who had never heard or seen ,him1 as an evangel to the ,gentiles and a redeemer of mankind1 was not only not authorized by ,jesus1 but was explicitly repudiated by ,him4 ,his only mission1 as ,he conceived it1 was to bring back the ,jews to the true1 simple worship of the ,god of ,abraham1 ,isaac and ,jacob4#ad ,that ,jesus failed in this mission must be admitted4 ,at first the people flocked in multitudes to listen to ,his preaching4 ,this was due in part to their expectation of a coming ,messiah and1 no doubt1 in part to the effect of ,john's work4 ,but what the ,jews expected was an earthly kingdom and a ruler who would give them victory over the heathen4 ,they had no interest whatever in a spiritual kingdom4 ,their disappointment was bitter when they found that ,jesus promised them only a kingdom in heaven4 ,nor were they affected by such miracles as healing the sick1 making the blind to see1 the lame to walk1 etc4 ,the miracles they demanded were those of the ,old ,testament1 when the ,lord of ,hosts visited ,his overwhelming wrath upon the armies of their enemies4 ,his neighbors of ,galilee were the first to fall away from ,jesus1 and apparently ,he felt this defection deeply 7,compare ,matt4 ,,iv3#be with ,matt4 ,,xiii3#eg1 #eh2 ,mark ,i3#bh with ,,vi3#d1 #e1 #f74 ,even ,his own brothers did not believe in ,him 7,john ,,vii3#e74 ,this opposition to ,him spread 7,matt4 ,,xi3#bj2 ,,xiii3#eg71 and gradually deepened into active animosity1 so that ,he was on occasions driven out of different places1 or was in danger of stoning or death 7,matt4 ,,viii3#cd2 ,luke ,,iv3#bi2 ,john ,,vii3,i1 #ai1 #dd2 ,,viii3#ei2 ,x3#ci74 ,finally the end came at ,jerusalem1 when ,his personal adherents had apparently dwindled down to a few besides ,his apostles4 ,jerusalem had always shown ,him little favor1 but1 at this time of the ,passover1 it was filled with ,jews from all parts of their country4 ,yet1 when ,pilate offered to release ,him to the people1 there was none to ask for ,his freedom4 ,at the very last1 even all ,his disciples fled from ,him 7,matt4 ,,xxvi3#ef74 ,some small bands or sects of ,jewish followers survived ,his death1 but their numbers constantly diminished1 and all of them disappeared within a few centuries after ,his death4 ,from that time to this the ,jews have consistently1 and practically unanimously1 rejected ,jesus' teachings and ,his claims to be their ,messiah4#ae ,,jesus' ,,fast ,,in ,,the ,,wilderness ,matthew1 ,mark and ,luke say that ,jesus1 after ,his baptism by ,john1 was led up1 or driven of the ,spirit into the wilderness1 staying there forty days fasting and being tempted of the devil 7,matt4 ,,iv3#a-aa2 ,mark ,i3#ab1 #ac2 ,luke ,,iv3#a-ac74 ,mark says that this was immediately after the baptism1 and condenses the event into two verses4 ,matthew and ,luke give in detail the temptations of the devil4 ,matthew and ,mark mention that ,jesus was ministered to by angels4 ,luke adds at the end that the devil departed from ,him for a season4#af ,john directly contradicts this story of ,matthew1 ,mark and ,luke4 ,he gives ,jesus' movements specifically for three days after ,his baptism4 ,on the first day ,he calls two of ,his apostles1 ,andrew and his brother ,simon ,peter 7,john ,i3#ce-db74 ,on the second day ,he calls ,philip1 and here occurs the interview with ,nathaniel 7,john ,i3#dc-ea71 which appears only in this ,gospel4 ,on the third day ,jesus1 instead of fasting in the wilderness1 attends a marriage feast in ,cana of ,galilee1 and performs what ,john says was ,his first miracle--the turning of water into wine 7,john ,,ii3#a-aa74 ,after this ,he went down to ,capernaum1 ,he and ,his mother and ,his brethren and ,his disciples2 and they continued there not many days 7,john ,,ii3#ab74 ,and the ,jews' ,passover was at hand1 and ,jesus went up to ,jerusalem 7,john ,,ii3#ac74 ,,the ,,calling ,,of ,,the ,,apostles ,matthew says that1 after the fasting in the wilderness and after a visit to ,nazareth1 ,jesus came and dwelt in ,capernaum on the coast of the ,sea of ,galilee 7,matt4 ,,iv3#ab1ac74 ,as ,he was walking by the sea1 he found ,peter and ,andrew fishing1 and summoned them to follow ,him 7,matt4 ,,iv3#ah1ai1bj74 ,going on from thence ,he found ,james and ,john fishing and summoned them also 7,matt4 ,,iv3#ba-bb74 ,matthew does not tell us of the circumstances of the calling of the other apostles except ,matthew4 ,after the delivery of the ,sermon on the ,mount1 and the performance of various miracles1 and ,jesus had come into ,capernaum 7,matt4 ,,ix3#a2 ,,iv3#ac71ag as ,he passed forth from thence1 ,he saw a man named ,matthew sitting at the receipt of custom2 and ,he saith unto him1 follow me1 and he arose and followed ,him 7,matt4 ,,ix3#i74 ,matthew speaks several times of the disciples 7apostles7#ah collectively1 both before and after the calling of ,matthew 7,matt4 ,v3#a2 ,,viii3#bc1be2 ,,ix3#ai74 ,the names of the twelve are given in ,chap4 ,x3#a-d4 ,mark has the same account as ,matthew of the calling of ,peter1 ,andrew1 ,james and ,john1 but in place of the calling of ,matthew has the following3 ,and as ,he passed by he saw ,levi1 the son of ,alphaeus1 sitting at the receipt of custom1 and said unto him1 follow me4 ,and he arose and followed ,him 7,mark ,,ii3#ad74 ,after this ,mark several times mentions ,his disciples 7,mark ,,ii3#ae1 #af1 #ah1 #bc2 ,,iii3#g1 #i71 and later says that ,he ordained twelve that they might be with ,him and that ,he might send them forth to preach 7,mark ,,iii3#ad74 ,both ,matthew and ,mark give ,james the son of ,alphaeus1 as one of the apostles1 but not ,levi4 ,luke relates that ,jesus found ,peter1 with ,james and ,john1 his partners1 fishing by the ,sea of ,gennesaret 7,galilee71 and called them and they followed ,him 7,luke ,v3#a-aa74 ,he omits any mention of ,andrew and adds two new incidents1 that ,jesus taught the people out of the ship1 and that ,peter and the others put out their nets and they inclosed a great multitude of fishes2 and their net broke4 ,a little later ,jesus saw a publican1 named ,levi1 sitting at the receipt of custom1 and ,he said to him1 ,follow me1 and he left all1 rose and followed ,him 7,luke ,v3#bg1 #bh74 ,luke adds here the incident that ,levi made ,him a great feast1 at which publicans and others sat down1 and the scribes and ,pharisees rebuked the disciples1 saying ,why do you eat and drink with publicans and sinners8 7,luke ,v3#bg-cb74ai ,at some uncertain time later ,jesus called unto ,him ,his disciples1 and of them ,he chose twelve1 whom also ,he named apostles 7,luke ,,vi3#ac74 ,then follow the names1 the same as in ,matthew and ,mark4 ,john's story is somewhat variant4 ,jesus' baptism took place at ,bethabara1 beyond ,jordan1 in the ,decapolis1 and some distance both from ,nazareth and the ,sea of ,galilee4 ,here1 on the next day1 ,jesus meets ,john and two of ,his disciples 7,john ,i3#ce1 #cf74 ,one of these is ,andrew1 and he brings ,his brother ,simon ,peter to ,jesus4 ,the two acknowledge ,him as the ,messiah1 and thereafter follow ,him 7,john ,i3#dj-db74 ,the following day ,jesus finds ,philip and makes him one of ,his disciples 7,john ,i3#dc74 ,there is no further mention of any specific apostles being called by ,jesus1 although there are constant references to ,his disciples being with ,him 7,john ,,ii3#b1 #ab1 #ag2 ,,iii3#bb2 ,,iv3#h74 ,there is no specific account of the choosing of the twelve1 although the ,gospel mentions later that they had been chosen 7,john ,,vi3#fg1 #gj74 ,in the last chapter of ,john ,nathaniel of ,cana is mentioned apparently as one of the twelve apostles 7,john ,,xxi3#b71 although his name is not in the lists of ,matthew1 ,mark and ,luke4 ,he was probably the same ,nathaniel who appears earlier in this ,gospel 7,john ,i3#dc-ea74 ,,the ,,sermon ,,on ,,the ,,mount ,the ,sermon on the ,mount is the first discourse by ,jesus narrated by ,matthew1 and is the longest connected discourse to be found in the four ,gospels4 ,the place of its delivery is not fixed other than that ,he went up into a mountain1 but it was probably some elevation of land in ,galilee1 near ,capernaum 7,matt4 ,,iv3#ac74 ,the time of its delivery is also not fixed1 although it must have been shortly after the baptism by ,john4 ,jesus had already done some preaching in ,galilee and performed some miracles 7,matt4 ,,iv3#bc1 #bd71 but the delivery of the sermon ante-dates all the specific miracles which ,matthew relates4 ,the discourse covers three chapters 7#aji verses7 of ,matthew's text4 ,there is1 in the four ,gospels1 no other connected discourse corresponding to the ,sermon on the ,mount1 except in ,luke4 ,in ,chapter ,,vi he gives a discourse covering twenty-nine verses of his text1 which are substantially the same as corresponding verses of the ,sermon on the ,mount4 ,the place of the delivery of this discourse is not fixed1 except that it was on a plain 7,luke ,,vi3#ag71 probably near ,capernaum 7,luke ,,vii3#a74 ,the time is not fixed1 except that ,luke's sermon on the plain occurs after a number of miracles and other events 7,luke ,,iv3#cc-dd2 ,,vi3#a-ai71 while in ,matthew's narrative the ,sermon on the ,mount occurs before these events 7,matt4 ,,viii and following74 ,some of the verses of this discourse will be found scattered through ,mark and ,john1 but a considerable portion of it is entirely lacking4 ,for instance1 the beatitudes do not appear in either ,mark or ,john4#bj ,,the ,,lord',s ,,prayer ,in ,matthew the ,lord's ,prayer forms a part of the ,sermon on the ,mount 7,matt4 ,,vi3#i-ac74ba ,according to ,luke 7,luke ,,xi3#b-d7 it was given to the disciples alone1 and not to a multitude1 as in ,matthew4 ,in ,luke it also comes at a much later date than the delivery of the ,sermon on the ,mount4 ,one verse is slightly different1 ,luke having1 and forgive us our sins2 for we also forgive every one who is indebted to us1 in place of ,matthew's and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors4 ,luke also omits the last sentence in ,matthew's version4 ,the ,lord's ,prayer is not found in ,mark or ,john4#bb ,,the ,,first ,,miracles ,matthew says1 in a general way1 that ,jesus healed all manner of sickness before the delivery of the ,sermon on the ,mount 7,matt4 ,,iv3#bc1 #bd74 ,but the first specific miracles which he describes occurred after that event 7,matt4 ,,viii3#a-ae74 ,the first was the leper1 the second the centurion's servant1 afflicted with palsy1 and the third was the mother of ,simon ,peter's wife1 who was sick of a fever4 ,jesus saw and touched the leper and ,peter's wife's mother1 but the centurion's servant was one of the few cases where the cure was effected in the absence of the patient and without ,jesus' seeing him4 ,the curing of the leper is described by ,mark 7,i3#dj7 and by ,luke 7,v3#ab74 ,luke describes the healing of the centurion's servant 7,,vii3#a-aj71 differing only in that the friends of the centurion came to ,jesus instead of the centurion in person1 as in ,matthew4 ,mark and ,luke both relate the curing of ,peter's wife's mother 7,mark ,i3#cj2 ,luke ,,iv3#ch74 ,john mentions none of these miracles1 but1 alone of all four evangelists1 narrates the miracle at ,cana of changing water into wine 7,john ,,ii3#a-aj71 and says that this was ,jesus' first miracle 7,john ,,ii3#aa74 ,he then describes the curing of the sick son of a nobleman of ,capernaum 7,john ,,iv3#df-ec71 and says that this was the second miracle which ,jesus did when ,he was come out of ,juda into ,galilee1 viz3 after ,his baptism by ,john 7,john ,,iv3#ed74 ,the circumstances of this miracle are quite similar to those of the centurion's servant described by ,matthew and ,luke1 the cure being effected in the absence of the patient4 ,matthew next gives the miracle of the stilling of the tempest 7,matt4 ,,viii3#bc-bg71 which is also found in ,mark 7,,iv3#ce-da71 and in ,luke 7,,viii3#bb-be74 ,this miracle is not found in ,john4 ,then follows the miracle of driving the devils out of the two men of the country of the ,gergesenes1 and sending them into a herd of swine which ran violently down a steep place into the sea and perished in the waters 7,matt4 ,,viii3#bh-cd74 ,mark narrates the same miracle as occurring in the country of the ,gadarenes1 except there is one man instead of two 7,mark ,v3#a-bj74 ,the sufferings of this man1 who is possessed of an unclean spirit1 are described in some detail4 ,the spirit1 being asked for his name1 says1 ,my name is ,legion2 for we are many4 ,thereupon he or they beseech ,jesus not to send them away out of the country1 but3 ,send us into the swine1 that we may enter into them4 ,jesus gave them leave1 and they entered into the swine 7they were about two thousand7 and the swine ran violently down a steep place1 and were choked in the sea4 ,luke's account 7,luke ,,viii3#bf-dj7 follows substantially that of ,mark4 ,there was one man in the country of the ,gadarenes which had devils a long time4 ,the devil or devils besought ,jesus that ,he would not command them to go out into the deep1 but would send them into the swine4 ,this ,jesus does1 and the swine run down a steep place and are choked in the sea4 ,all three accounts agree that1 after the miracle1 the whole city1 or the whole multitude of the country of the ,gadarenes round about1 besought ,jesus to depart from them4 ,the only reason given for this action is the statement of ,luke for they were taken with great fear 7,luke ,,viii3#cg74 ,john does not mention this miracle4#bc ,,the ,,raising ,,of ,,the ,,dead ,there are three miracles of this class in the ,gospels4 ,the first 7apparently7 in point of time is related by ,luke 7,luke ,,vii3#aa-ag74bd ,the day after the curing of the centurion's servant at ,capernaum 7,luke ,,vii3#a71 ,jesus went into a city called ,nain1 with many of ,his disciples and much people 7,luke ,,vii3#aa74 ,nain was an inland city in the southern part of ,galilee1 some distance from ,capernaum and the sea of ,galilee4 ,this is the only time that this city is mentioned in the four ,gospels4 ,as ,jesus approaches the city1 the dead man is carried out1 followed by his mother1 a widow1 and much people of the city 7,luke ,,vii3#ab74 ,apparently without any solicitation1 ,jesus tells the dead man to arise1 and he that was dead sat up and began to speak 7,luke ,,vii3#ac1 #ad1 #ae74 ,the dead man and his relatives are not otherwise identified and there is no reference to this miracle in any of the other ,gospels4 ,the next miracle of this class is that of ,jairus' daughter4 ,matthew relates that1 while ,jesus was at ,capernaum after the miracle of the ,gadarene swine 7,matt4 ,,ix3#a1 #aj71 a certain ruler came to ,him and said3 ,my daughter is even now dead2 but come and lay ,thy hand upon her1 and she shall live 7,matt4 ,,ix3#ah74 ,in answer to this request ,jesus and ,his disciples go to the ruler's house1 and find the minstrels and the people making a noise4 ,jesus says1 ,give place1 for the maid is not dead but sleepeth4 ,and they laughed ,him to scorn4 ,but when the people were put forth1 ,he went in and took her by the hand1 and the maid arose 7,matt4 ,,ix3#bc1 #bd1 #be74 ,on the way to the ruler's house occurs the miracle of the woman with an issue of blood touching ,jesus' garment and being cured 7,matt4 ,,ix3#bj1 #ba1 #bb74 ,mark places this miracle immediately after that of the ,gadarene swine1 when ,jesus had passed over the sea 7,galilee7 unto the other side 7,capernaum71 nigh unto the sea 7,mark ,v3#ba74 ,one of the rulers of the synagogue1 ,jairus by name1 came to ,him and told ,him1 ,my little daughter lieth at the point of death 7,mark ,v3#bc74 ,jesus takes with him only ,peter and ,james and ,john1 and1 on the way to the ruler's house1 word is brought that the daughter is dead 7,mark ,v3#ce1 #cg74 ,jesus brings the father1 mother1 ,peter1 ,james and ,john into the girl's room1 takes her by the hand and bids her arise4 ,at once she arose and walked1 for she was of the age of twelve years 7,mark ,v3#dj1 #da1 #db74 ,the curing of the woman with the issue of blood is also given1 but at considerable more length than in ,matthew 7,mark ,v3#be-cd74 ,luke's account 7,luke ,,viii3#da-ef7 is substantially the same as that of ,mark4 ,the daughter lay a dying when ,jairus went to get ,jesus1 and word of her death comes just as the miracle on the woman with an issue of blood is performed4 ,jesus took the father and mother and ,peter1 ,james and ,john into the house1 but1 apparently1 excluded them from the girl's room1 when he performed the miracle4 ,and ,he put them all out1 and took her by the hand1 and called1 saying1 ,maid1 arise 7,luke ,,viii3#ed74 ,the raising of ,lazarus from his grave is told only by ,john 7,john ,,xi3#a-df74 ,it occurred late in ,jesus' prophetic career1 very shortly before the last ,passover 7,john ,,xi3#ee2 ,,xii3#a1 and following74 ,jesus was then at ,bethabara in ,decapolis 7,john ,x3#dj2 ,i3#bh74 ,lazarus and his sisters1 ,mary and ,martha1 were living in ,bethany1 in ,juda1 quite near ,jerusalem1 but some little distance from ,bethabara4 ,jesus already knew the family and loved ,martha and her sister and ,lazarus4 ,lazarus falling sick1 the sisters send to ,jesus saying1 ,lord1 behold1 he whom ,thou lovest is sick 7,john ,,xi3#c74 ,jesus does not go at once but waits two days 7,john ,,xi3#f74 ,apparently the reason for this delay is that1 instead of healing a sick man1 ,he may raise a dead man from the grave that the ,son of ,god might be glorified thereby 7,john ,,xi3#d1 #aa-ae74 ,when ,jesus came to ,bethany1 ,he found that he 7,lazarus7 had lain in the grave four days already 7,john ,,xi3#ag74 ,martha first1 and then ,mary1 came out to meet ,jesus1 and express their belief that1 if ,he had been there1 ,lazarus would not have died2 but are in doubt as to his now being restored to life 7,john ,,xi3#bd1 #cb1 #ci74 ,they then go to the grave1 which was a cave and a stone lay upon it 7,john ,,xi3#ch74 ,jesus then cried with a loud voice1 ,lazarus1 come forth4 ,and he that was dead came forth1 bound hand and foot with grave-clothes1 and his face was bound about with a napkin 7,john ,,xi3#dc-dd74be ,,the ,,loaves ,,and ,,fishes ,matthew relates that ,jesus departed hence 7from ,capernaum1 ,matt4 ,,xiii3#ed7 by ship into a desert place apart 7,matt4 ,,xiv3#ac74 ,this was just after the beheading of ,john the ,baptist by ,herod 7,matt4 ,,xiv3#aj1 #aa1 #ab74 ,a great multitude followed ,jesus1 and ,he healed their sick 7,matt4 ,,xiv3#ad74 ,at evening the disciples wished ,jesus to send the multitude away that they may go into the villages and buy themselves victuals 7,matt4 ,,xiv3#ae74 ,but ,jesus said1 ,give ye them to eat4 ,they had but five loaves and two fishes1 and ,jesus took these and broke them and the disciples distributed them to the multitude 7,matt4 ,,xiv3#af-ai74 ,and they did all eat and were filled2 and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full4 ,and they that had eaten were about five thousand men1 besides women and children 7,matt4 ,,xiv3#bj1 #ba74 ,mark1 ,luke and ,john follow very closely the narrative of ,matthew1 ,luke adding the detail that the desert place belonged to the city of ,bethsaida#bf 7,mark ,,vi3#cj-de2 ,luke ,,ix3#aj-ag2 ,john ,,vi3#a-ac74 ,a similar miracle is related by ,matthew and ,mark 7,matt4 ,,xv3#bi-ci2 ,mark ,,viii3#a-i7 as occurring shortly after the first1 on a mountain near the sea 7,galilee7 in the midst of the coasts of ,decapolis 7,mark ,,vii3#ca74 ,there were seven loaves and a few small fishes1 seven baskets full of the broken food were left1 and they that did eat were four thousand men1 besides women and children 7,matthew71 or about four thousand 7,mark74 ,luke and ,john do not give this miracle4 ,,other ,,miracles ,besides those already mentioned1 the following specific miracles are found in ,matthew1 the details of which it is not necessary to give4 ,these are outside of general and indefinite statements of persons cured of various afflictions4 7a7 ,the curing at ,capernaum of the man sick of the palsy 7,matt4 ,,ix3#a-g74 ,see ,mark ,,ii3#a-ab1 ,luke ,v3#ag-bf1 where the sick man is let down on his bed through the roof4 7b7 ,the giving sight to two blind men1 apparently at ,capernaum 7,matt4 ,,ix3#bg-ca74 7c7 ,restoring his speech to a dumb man at the same time and place 7,matt4 ,,ix3#cb-cd74 7d7 ,curing of the man with the withered hand 7,matt4 ,,xii3#aj-ac74 ,the place of this miracle is uncertain4 7e7 ,the case of the blind and dumb man possessed of a devil 7,matt4 ,,xii3#bb1 #bc74 ,the circumstances of this miracle are the same as in 7c74 7f7 ,the walking on the waters 7,matt4 ,,xiv3#bb-bc7 near the land of ,gennesaret 7,matt4 ,,xiv3#cd74 ,see ,mark ,,vi3#dg-eb2 ,john ,,vi3#af-ba4 7g7 ,the curing of the daughter of the ,gentile woman vexed with a devil 7,matt4 ,,xv3#bb-bh74 ,the place of this miracle was the coasts of ,tyre and ,sidon 7,matt4 ,,xiv3#ba74 7h7 ,the curing of the lunatic son of a certain man 7,matt4 ,,xvii3#ad-ah74 ,this occurred in some part of ,galilee not specified 7,matt4 ,,xvii3#a1 #bb1 #bd74 ,see also ,mark ,,ix3#ag-bg2 ,luke ,,ix3#cg-db4 7i7 ,the curing of the two blind men near ,jericho 7,matt4 ,,xx3#cj-cd74 ,see also ,mark ,x3#df-eb2 ,luke ,,xviii3#ce-dc4 7j7 ,the blasting of the fig tree near ,bethany 7,matt4 ,,xxi3#ah-bj74 ,see ,mark ,,xi3#ab-ad1 who explains the absence of figs on the tree--for the time of figs was not yet4#bg ,,the ,,instructions ,,to ,,the ,,apostles ,matthew devotes an entire chapter to this subject 7,matt4 ,x74 ,this is the first time in ,matthew's narrative that the term ,apostles is applied to the followers or disciples of ,jesus 7,matt4 ,x3#b74 ,up to this point he has mentioned specifically the calling of only five of the apostles 7,matt4 ,,iv3#ah1 #ba2 ,,ix3#i71 although there are possible references to others 7,matt4 ,,viii3#ai1 #ba74 ,the first injunction is that they shall not preach to the ,gentiles or ,samaritans1 but to the lost sheep of the house of ,israel 7,matt4 ,x3#e1 #f74 ,the only instruction as to the subject-matter of their preachings is that they shall say the kingdom of heaven is at hand 7,matt4 ,x3#g74 ,they are told to heal the sick1 cleanse the lepers1 raise the dead1 cast out devils 7,matt4 ,x3#h74 ,they are to provide no money for their expenses and carry little raiment 7,matt4 ,x3#i1aj74 ,when they enter into a city1 they are to seek a worthy house and abide therein1 and1 if a city will not receive and hear them1 ,it shall be more tolerable for the land of ,sodom and ,gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city 7,matt4 ,x3#aa-ae74 ,the remainder of the chapter contains warnings of the trials that will befall the apostles on their mission1 admonitions against losing their courage and promises of the rewards that will follow the faithful performance of their work4 ,jesus also predicts the family dissensions that will accompany the gradual introduction of ,his ,gospel1 and in that connection uses the expression3 ,think not that ,i am come to send peace on earth2 ,i came not to send peace1 but a sword 7,matt4 ,x3#cd74 ,the place of this statement is not fixed1 nor the time1 except that it appears in the narrative after the ,sermon on the ,mount and the raising of ,jairus' daughter4 ,mark tells how ,jesus went up into a mountain and calleth unto ,him whom he would 7,mark ,,iii3#ac74 ,he then ordained twelve1 that they should be with ,him1 and that ,he might send them forth to preach 7,mark ,,iii3#ad74 ,then follow the names of the twelve apostles1 the calling of four of whom ,mark had already related 7,mark ,i3#af-bj74 ,at a somewhat later time he tells of the sending forth of the twelve apostles1 but condenses the instructions to them into four verses 7,mark ,,vi3#g-ac74 ,luke tells that ,jesus1 having gone out into a mountain to pray1 called unto ,him ,his disciples1 and of them ,he chose twelve1 whom also ,he named apostles 7,luke ,,vi3#ac1 #ad74 ,the calling of ,andrew1 ,peter1 ,james and ,john1 and of ,levi 7if he were one of the apostles7 had already been given 7,luke ,v3#a-aj1 #bg1 #bh74 ,the instructions to the apostles appear later in his narrative and are condensed into three verses 7,luke ,,ix3#a-f74 ,luke alone of the four evangelists tells that1 at a later date1 ,jesus appointed other seventy also to go before ,him and preach 7,luke ,x3#a74 ,to these seventy are given instructions similar to those given to the twelve in ,matthew 7,luke ,x3#b-ab74 ,john tells of the calling of ,andrew1 ,peter and ,philip 7,john ,i3#dj1 #da1 #dc71 but has no account of any special instructions given to the apostles4#bh ,,the ,,temperate ,,life ,in rebuking the obduracy of the then generation of the ,jews1 ,jesus illustrates ,his view of right living1 viz3 temperance in all things4 ,for ,john came neither eating nor drinking1 and they say1 ,he hath a devil4 ,the ,son of ,man came eating and drinking1 and they say1 ,behold a man gluttonous and a wine bibber1 a friend of publicans and sinners 7,matt4 ,,xi3#ah1 #ai74 ,in the face of the example of asceticism set by ,john the ,baptist1 ,jesus neither fasted ,himself1 nor did ,he enjoin fasting on ,his disciples 7,matt4 ,,xi3#ah1 #ai2 ,,ix3#ad2 ,mark ,,ii3#ah2 ,luke ,v3#cc74 ,while ,he objected to the charge of excess1 ,he both ate meat and drank wine in moderation1 and inculcated the same practice on ,his disciples4 ,and in the same house remain eating and drinking such things as they give 7,luke ,x3#g74 ,he must have been companionable in ,his every-day life1 for ,he both entertained in ,his own house 7,matt4 ,,ix3#aj2 ,mark ,,ii3#ae71 and was a welcome guest at entertainments given in ,his honor4 ,and ,levi made ,him a great feast at ,his own house 7,luke ,v3#bi74 ,and it came to pass as ,he went into the house of one of the chief ,pharisees to eat bread on the ,sabbath day 7,luke ,,xiv3#a74 ,and the third day there was a marriage in ,cana of ,galilee2 and the mother of ,jesus was there2 and both ,jesus was called and ,his disciples to the marriage 7,john ,,ii3#a1 #b74 ,there they made ,him a supper 7,john ,,xii3#b74bi ,he could sympathize with the spirit of joy and cheer appropriate to such occasions1 for when the wine failed at the wedding in ,cana1 ,he provided a fresh supply1 better than the first 7,john ,,ii3#c-aj74 ,,the ,,observance ,,of ,,the ,,sabbath ,on a certain ,sabbath day1 ,jesus and ,his disciples were passing through the corn fields 7,matt4 ,,xii3#a2 ,mark ,,ii3#bc2 ,luke ,,vi3#a74 ,luke says that it was the second ,sabbath after the first1 probably calling the first the one on which ,jesus preached in the synagogue at ,nazareth 7,luke ,,iv3#af74 ,the disciples1 being hungry1 began to pluck and eat the ears of corn4 ,the ,pharisees object that they do that which is not lawful to do on the ,sabbath day4 ,jesus cites the example of ,david eating the shew-bread in the house of ,god1 and says that if they understood the meaning of the saying1 ,i will have mercy and not sacrifice1 they would not have condemned the guiltless4 ,and ,he said unto them1 ,the ,sabbath was made for man1 and not man for the ,sabbath4 ,therefore the ,son of ,man is ,lord also of the ,sabbath 7,mark ,,ii3#bg74 ,on another ,sabbath day 7,luke ,,vi3#a1 #f71 a man with a withered hand was in the synagogue1 and the scribes and ,pharisees asked ,jesus1 ,is it lawful to heal on the ,sabbath days8 ,that they might accuse him4 ,jesus cites the case of a sheep falling into a pit on the ,sabbath day1 and says3 ,wherefore it is lawful to do well on the ,sabbath day4 ,thereupon ,he restores the man's hand whole 7,matt4 ,,xii3#aj-ac74 ,in ,mark and ,luke1 ,jesus asks the question of the scribes and ,pharisees as to whether it was lawful to do good on the ,sabbath day4 ,but they held their peace4 ,and when ,he had looked round about on them with anger1 being grieved for the hardness of their hearts1 ,he saith unto the man1 stretch forth thine hand 7,mark ,,iii3#a-e2 ,luke ,,vi3#f-aj74 ,again ,jesus is teaching in the synagogue on the ,sabbath and cures a woman of a spirit of infirmity of eighteen years' continuance4 ,the ruler of the synagogue objects with indignation to this healing on the ,sabbath1 because there are six days in which men ought to work4 ,jesus says3 ,thou hypocrite1 doth not each one of you on the ,sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall1 and lead him away to watering 7,luke ,,xiii3#aa-ag74 ,another similar case occurred when ,jesus went into the house of one of the chief ,pharisees to eat bread on the ,sabbath1 and healed a certain man which had the dropsy4 ,here ,he cites against the ,pharisees the illustration of an ass or an ox falling into a pit on the ,sabbath day 7,luke ,,xiv3#a-f74 ,john records two more cases of cures being performed on the ,sabbath day1 and of the ,pharisees objecting to them as unlawful acts 7,john ,v3#a-ag2 ,,ix3#a-ch4 ,see ,john ,,vii3#bc74cj ,,the ,,transfiguration ,six 7or eight7 days after certain preaching1 ,jesus taketh ,peter1 ,james and ,john and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart1 and was transfigured before them2 and ,his face did shine as the sun1 and ,his raiment was white as the light 7,matt4 ,,xvii3#a1 #b74 ,moses and ,elias then appear and talk with ,jesus 7,matt4 ,,xvii3#c74 ,peter proposes that they make three tabernacles 7,matt4 ,,xvii3#d74 ,a cloud then overshadows them and a voice comes out of the cloud1 saying1 ,this is my beloved ,son1 in whom ,i am well pleased2 hear ye ,him 7,matt4 ,,xvii3#e74 ,the disciples are afraid1 fall on their faces1 but ,jesus touches them and tells them to arise and be not afraid 7,matt4 ,,xvii3#f1 #g74 ,when they arise they see no man1 except ,jesus 7,matt4 ,,xvii3#h74 ,as they come down from the mountain1 ,jesus charges them1 ,tell the vision to no man1 until the ,son of ,man be risen again from the dead 7,matt4 ,,xvii3#i74 ,mark follows closely the narrative of ,matthew1 and adds that the disciples kept that saying with themselves1 questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean 7,mark ,,ix3#b-aj74ca ,luke follows the accounts of ,matthew and ,mark1 adding that the disciples were heavy with sleep1 but saw the vision when they awoke1 and they kept it close1 and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen 7,luke ,,ix3#bh-cf74 ,john says nothing about this vision4 ,,the ,,events ,,preceding ,,jesus' ,,arrest ,about the middle of his ,gospel1 ,matthew says1 ,from that time forth began ,jesus to shew unto ,his disciples ,his future trial1 death and resurrection at ,jerusalem 7,matt4 ,,xvi3#ba74 ,peter1 with his faith in ,jesus' earthly power1 began to rebuke ,him1 saying that this should not be done unto ,him 7,matt4 ,,xvi3#bb74 ,but ,jesus turned on him and said1 ,get thee behind me1 ,satan2 thou art an offense unto me2 for thou savorest not the things that be of ,god1 but those that be of men 7,matt4 ,,xvi3#bc4 ,see also ,matt4 ,,xvii3#bb1 #bc74 ,mark and ,luke both give this incident1 although ,luke omits the rebuke of ,peter 7,mark ,,viii3#ca-cc2 ,luke ,,ix3#bb74 ,in all three ,gospels the incident closely follows ,peter's declaration of ,jesus as ,christ1 the ,son of the living ,god 7,matt4 ,,xvi3#af2 ,mark ,,viii3#bi2 ,luke ,,ix3#bj74 ,again1 at a later date1 as ,jesus is going up to ,jerusalem1 ,he predicts to ,his disciples the fate that is there awaiting ,him 7,matt4 ,,xx3#ag-ah2 ,mark ,,ix3#ca1 #cb2 ,x3#cb2 ,luke ,,xviii3#ca74 ,just when these communications were made to the disciples is not clear1 but the earliest of them must have been some time before the last visit to ,jerusalem1 since they precede much of ,jesus' teaching and many of ,his parables and miracles4#cb ,as the last ,passover approached1 ,jesus departed from ,galilee and came into the coasts of ,juda beyond ,jordan 7,matt4 ,,xix3#a74 ,he continued ,his preaching as ,he journeyed1 and finally came to ,bethphage1 nigh unto ,jerusalem 7,matt4 ,,xxi3#a74 ,from there ,he sends two of ,his disciples to a neighboring village1 and they bring to ,him an ass and her colt 7,matt4 ,,xxi3#a-g74 ,riding on the ass 7or the colt71 ,he makes ,his entry into ,jerusalem4 ,the multitude spread their garments1 and branches from the trees1 in the way1 crying out1 ,hosanna to the son of ,david1 and salute ,him as ,jesus1 the prophet of ,nazareth of ,galilee 7,matt4 ,,xxi3#g-aa74cc ,jesus then went into the temple1 drove out those who bought and sold therein1#cd and healed the blind and lame 7,matt4 ,,xxi3#ab-af74 ,leaving ,jerusalem1 ,jesus goes to ,bethany 7,matt4 ,,xxi3#ag7 to the house of ,simon the leper 7,matt4 ,,xxvi3#f74 ,on the following day ,he returns to ,jerusalem1 and on the way occurs the blasting of the fig tree 7,matt4 ,,xxi3#ah-bc74 ,it would seem that ,jesus must have spent some time in ,bethany1 preaching in the day time in ,jerusalem1 since there follow four and a half chapters of preaching and parables1 which were delivered before the ,passover 7,matt4 ,,xxi3#bc-df2 ,,xxii2 ,,xxiii2 ,,xxiv2 ,,xxv74#ce ,while ,jesus was at ,simon's house in ,bethany1 sitting at meat1 a woman 7who1 it seems1 was ,lazarus' sister ,mary2 see ,john ,,xi3#b7 came in with an alabaster box of very precious ointment and poured on ,his head4 ,the disciples object to this as a useless waste1 but ,jesus rebukes them and commends the woman for her act 7,matt4 ,,xxvi3#f-ac74 ,mark follows closely ,matthew's narrative to this point1 except that ,jesus rides into ,jerusalem on a colt1 whereon man never sat 7,mark ,,xi3#b2 ,luke ,,xix3#cj71 and except that the cleansing the temple of the money changers is omitted 7,mark ,,xi3#aa74 ,luke adds to the accounts of ,matthew and ,mark the encounter with ,zacchaeus1 and ,jesus' entertainment by him 7,luke ,,xix3#a-g74 ,according to him1 it was the whole multitude of the disciples who greeted ,jesus on ,his entry into ,jerusalem 7,luke ,,xix3#cg74 ,luke omits the anointing of ,jesus by ,mary4 ,john omits the cleansing of the temple1 which he had already given at a much earlier date 7,john ,,ii3#ac-ag71 and says that ,mary anointed the feet of ,jesus and wiped them with her hair1 instead of pouring the ointment over ,his head 7,john ,,xii3#c-h74 ,,the ,,last ,,supper ,as the feast of unleavened bread of the ,passover approaches1 ,jesus sends ,peter and ,john 7,luke ,,xxii3#h7 into ,jerusalem to secure a room1 in which ,he and ,his disciples may eat1 or kill1 the ,passover 7,matt4 ,,xxvi3#ag-ai74 ,the room is secured1 the ,passover made ready1 and when the evening was come1 ,he sat down with the twelve 7,matt4 ,,xxvi3#bj74cf ,while they were eating1 ,jesus tells the twelve that one of them shall betray ,him1 and indicates1 in a rather veiled way1 that ,judas is the one4 ,they all ask1 ,master1 is it ,i8 and ,he says to ,judas1 ,thou hast said 7,matt4 ,,xxvi3#bj-be74 ,jesus then blesses the bread and the wine1 and gives them to eat and drink and says3 ,i will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine1 until that day when ,i drink it new with you in my ,father's kingdom 7,matt4 ,,xxvi3#bf-bi74 ,after singing a hymn1 they go to the ,mount of ,olives1 and ,jesus warns them of the approaching calamity4 ,all ye shall be offended because of me this night4 ,the apostles1 and especially ,peter1 affirm that they would die rather than deny ,him4 ,jesus says to ,peter3 ,verily ,i say unto thee1 that this night1 before the cock crow1 thou shalt deny me thrice 7,matt4 ,,xxvi3#cj-ce74 ,jesus with the disciples then goes unto a place called ,gethsemane4 ,he takes ,peter and ,james and ,john a little farther and says to them1 ,my soul is exceeding sorrowful1 even unto death4 ,he goes apart from them and prays1 ,o my ,father1 if it be possible1 let this cup pass from me2 nevertheless1 not as ,i will1 but as ,thou wilt4 ,he returns to find the disciples sleeping4 ,he repeats the prayer twice1 and then says to them1 ,behold1 the hour is at hand1 and the ,son of ,man is betrayed into the hands of sinners 7,matt4 ,,xxvi3#cf-de74 ,in ,mark the two disciples are sent into the city to meet a man bearing a pitcher of water4 ,they are to follow him into whatsoever house he shall go in1 and there secure the guest chamber4 ,this was done1 and they made ready the ,passover 7,mark ,,xiv3#ab-af74 ,while they are eating1 ,jesus tells them that one of them shall betray ,him--one of the twelve1 that dippeth with me in the dish1 but does not specify which one it is4 ,the other incidents of the evening follow 7,mark ,,xiv3#ag-db7 as in ,matthew4 ,luke recounts the passing of the bread and wine1 and the saying of ,jesus that one of the twelve should betray ,him1 without specifying which one 7,luke ,,xxii3#bb74 ,he then relates a new incident 7that is1 at this feast71 a strife among the apostles as to which should be greatest4 ,jesus rebukes them1 telling them not to imitate the ,gentiles1 but that he that is chief should be as he that serveth 7,luke ,,xxii3 #bd-cj74cg ,the prediction of ,peter thrice denying his master takes a little different form4 ,instead of saying to the apostles1 ,all ye shall be offended because of me this night1 ,jesus addresses ,himself to ,peter alone4 ,evidently1 having some doubt of his constancy1 ,he says3 ,simon1 ,simon1 behold1 ,satan hath desired to have you1 that he may sift you as wheat4 ,but ,i have prayed for thee1 that thy faith fail not4 ,peter then asserts1 ,lord1 ,i am ready to go with ,thee1 both into prison and to death4 ,jesus then predicts that ,peter will deny ,him thrice before the cock crows 7,luke ,,xxii3#ca-cd74 ,there follows a passage very difficult to understand1 in view of the fact that a short time later ,jesus rebukes one of ,his followers for cutting off the ear of the high priest's servant4 ,he reminds ,his apostles of the time when ,he sent them forth without purse or scrip1 and they lacked for nothing4 ,he then tells them that now they should take both purse and scrip1 and he that hath no sword1 let him sell his garment and buy one4 ,and they said1 ,lord1 behold1 here are two swords4 ,and ,he said unto them1 ,it is enough 7,luke ,,xxii3#ce-ch74 ,the visit to the ,mount of ,olives and the prayer offered there is described more briefly than in ,matthew or ,mark4 ,there is no mention of the garden of ,gethsemane1 but ,luke adds that an angel from heaven appeared1 strengthening ,him 7,luke ,,xxii3#ci-df74 ,john's version of the ,last ,supper is quite different from that of the other three evangelists4 ,he omits any description of the selection of the place for the feast4 ,he places the supper before the ,passover1 apparently correctly1 instead of its being the celebration of the ,passover1 as in the other three ,gospels 7,john ,,xiii3#a74 ,he omits any mention of the blessing and passing of the bread and wine4 ,he alone of the evangelists relates that1 after the supper1 ,jesus took a basin of water and a towel1 and washed the apostles' feet1 impressing on them a lesson in humility 7,john ,,xiii3#d-ag74 ,jesus says to the apostles that one of them shall betray ,him4 ,peter and ,john ask ,him1 ,who is it8 ,jesus answers1 ,it is the one to whom ,i shall give a sop4 ,he then gives the sop to ,judas1 and says1 ,what thou doest1 do quickly4 ,judas goes away at once1 although none of the apostles 7unless ,peter and ,john7 understand that ,he is accused 7,john ,,xiii3#ah-cj74 ,after his departure1 ,john has ,jesus delivering a long discourse1 covering four chapters and part of another1 none of which appears at this time in the other three ,gospels4 ,after this is finished1 ,jesus goes with ,his disciples over the brook ,cedron1 into a garden1 but there is no mention of the praying there1 which appears in the other ,gospels 7,john ,,xviii3#a74 ,,the ,,betrayal ,on ,tuesday or ,wednesday of this ,passover week the chief priests and the scribes and the elders of the people came together unto the palace of ,caiaphas1 the high priest1 and determined on ,jesus' death 7,matt4 ,,xxvi3#c74 ,judas ,iscariot then comes to them and promises to deliver ,jesus to them in consideration of thirty pieces of silver 7,matt4 ,,xxvi3#ad-af74 ,previous to this last visit to ,jerusalem1 ,jesus had predicted ,his death and betrayal1 but without indicating that ,his betrayer would be one of the apostles 7,matt4 ,,xvi3#ba2 ,,xx3#ah-ai74 ,at the last supper ,jesus indicates ,judas as ,his betrayer1 but somewhat equivocally1 since the other apostles1 if they had understood he was the traitor1 would undoubtedly have cast him out of their society4 ,so far as appears1 he continued to take part in the supper 7,matt4 ,,xxvi3#ba-be74 ,just after ,jesus had finished ,his prayer in the garden1 ,judas comes with a great multitude of the chief priest's servants1 carrying swords and staves4 ,in accordance with a pre-arranged plan1 ,judas kisses ,jesus1 and thereupon the servants of the priests lay hands on ,him and take ,him 7,matt4 ,,xxvi3#dg-ej74 ,one of those with ,jesus draws his sword and strikes off the ear of one of the high priest's servants4 ,jesus rebukes him1 saying1 ,for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword 7,matt4 ,,xxvi3#ea-ed74 ,then all the disciples forsook ,him and fled 7,matt4 ,,xxvi3#ef74 ,but ,peter followed ,him afar off unto the high priest's palace1 and went in1 and sat with the servants to see the end 7,matt4 ,,xxvi3#eh74 ,then follows the fulfillment of ,jesus' saying that ,peter should deny ,him thrice before the crowing of the cock 7,matt4 ,,xxvi3#fi-ge74 ,judas1 when he saw that ,jesus was condemned1 brought the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priest in the temple1 saying1 ,i have sinned in that ,i have betrayed the innocent blood4 ,the chief priests tell him1 ,what is that to us8 ,see thou to that4 ,thereupon ,judas cast down the money in the temple1 went away and hanged himself 7,matt4 ,,xxvii3#c-f74 ,mark tells of the conspiracy of the chief priests and scribes1 and that ,judas went to them and offered to betray ,jesus4 ,they were glad and promised to give him money 7,mark ,,xiv3#a1 #b1 #aj1 #aa74 ,before this1 ,jesus had predicted ,his approaching death to the apostles1 but had said nothing of any betrayal 7,mark ,,ix3#ca2 ,x3#cc74 ,at the last supper ,jesus says that one of the twelve shall betray ,him1 but does not identify in any way which one it is 7,mark ,,xiv3#ah-ba74 ,mark then relates1 as in ,matthew1 the kissing of ,jesus by ,judas 7,mark ,,xiv3#dc-de71 the cutting off the ear of the high priest's servant 7,mark ,,xiv3#dg71 the desertion of ,jesus by all the apostles 7,mark ,,xiv3#ej71 ,peter's following ,him afar off to the palace of the high priest 7,mark ,,xiv3#ed71 and denying ,him thrice before the cock should crow twice 7,mark ,,xiv3#ff-gb74 ,what subsequently happened to ,judas1 ,mark does not state4#ch ,according to ,luke1 the chief priests and scribes had formed their conspiracy to kill ,jesus at a somewhat earlier date than in the other ,gospels 7,luke ,,xx3#ai74 ,they watched and sent forth spies to listen to ,his words and obtain material for their charges 7,luke ,,xx3#bj74 ,jesus had already predicted ,his suffering and death at ,jerusalem1 but did not mention ,his betrayal 7,luke ,,xviii3#ca-cc74 ,but the apostles understood none of these things2 and this saying was hid from them1 neither knew they the things which were spoken 7,luke ,,xviii3#cd74 ,as the priests and scribes are planning the time of killing ,jesus 7,luke ,,xxii3#b71 then entered ,satan into ,judas1 and he went to ,jesus' enemies and offered to betray ,him 7,luke ,,xxii3#c1 #d74 ,and they were glad and covenanted to give him money 7,luke ,,xxii3#e74 ,at the supper ,jesus says that one of those at the table shall betray ,him1 but does not indicate which one 7,luke ,,xxii3 #ba-bc74 ,at the ,mount of ,olives ,judas came at the head of a multitude and drew near unto ,jesus to kiss ,him4 ,but ,jesus said unto him1 ,judas1 betrayest thou the ,son of ,man with a kiss8 7,luke ,,xxii3#dg-dh74 ,jesus then heals the servant1 whose ear was cut off 7,luke ,,xxii3#ej1 #ea74 ,peter followed ,him to the house of the high priest1 and denied ,him thrice before the cock crew 7,luke ,,xxii3#ed-fb74 ,nothing is said about ,judas' subsequent fate4 ,according to ,john1 ,jesus knew from the beginning who should betray ,him and at an early date told the apostles1 ,have not ,i chosen you twelve1 and one of you is a devil8 7,john ,,vi3#fd1 #gj74 ,at or before the last supper the devil put it into ,judas' heart to betray his ,master 7,john ,,xiii3#b1 #bg74 ,jesus tells the apostles that one of them shall betray ,him 7,john ,,xiii3#ba74 ,peter and ,john desire to know which one of them ,he means1 and ,jesus tells ,john that it is the one to whom ,he shall give a sop4 ,he then dips a sop and gives it to ,judas1 with the remark1 ,what thou doest1 do quickly 7,john ,,xiii3#bb-bg74 ,now1 no man at the table knew for what intent ,he spoke this unto him 7,john ,,xiii3#bh74 ,john alone says that ,judas immediately went out into the night 7,john ,,xiii3#cj74 ,after ,jesus had finished ,his discourse at the supper1 and gone into the garden1 ,judas appears with a band of men and officers from the chief priests and ,pharisees 7,john ,,xviii3#a-c74 ,jesus then went forth and said unto them1 ,whom seek ye8 ,they answered ,him1 ,jesus of ,nazareth4 ,jesus saith unto them1 ,i am he4 ,and ,judas1 also which betrayed ,him1 stood with them 7,john ,,xviii3#d1 #e74 ,simon ,peter then cuts off the right ear of ,malchus1 a servant of the high priest1 and ,jesus rebukes him 7,john ,,xviii3#aj1 #aa74 ,peter and another disciple1 who was known to the high priest1 follow ,jesus to the palace1 and there ,peter makes his denial three times before the cock crows 7,john ,,xviii3#ae1 #af1 #ag1 #ah1 #be-bg74 ,the subsequent fate of ,judas is not related4#ci ,,the ,,trial ,immediately after ,his arrest1 ,jesus is taken away to ,caiaphas the high priest1 where the scribes and the elders were assembled 7,matt4 ,,xxvi3#eg74dj ,the council seek false witnesses against ,jesus and at first have some difficulty in finding any4 ,at the last came two false witnesses1 and said3 ,this fellow said1 ,i am able to destroy the temple of ,god1 and to build it in three days 7,matt4 ,,xxvi3#ei1 #fj1 #fa74 ,interrogated as to this charge1 ,jesus held ,his peace 7,matt4 ,,xxvi3#fb1 #fc74 ,the high priest then adjures ,him to tell them whether ,he is the ,christ1 the ,son of ,god 7,matt4 ,,xxvi3#fc74 ,jesus saith unto him1 ,thou hast said3 nevertheless ,i say unto you1 ,hereafter shall ye see the ,son of ,man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven 7,matt4 ,,xxvi3#fd74 ,the high priest accepts this as a confession of blasphemy1 and1 on appeal to the council1 they say1 ,he is guilty of death 7,matt4 ,,xxvi3#fe1 #ff74 ,they then indulge their spite against ,jesus by spitting in ,his face and striking ,him with their hands 7,matt4 ,,xxvi3#fg1 #fh74da ,in the morning 7,friday7 the chief priests bind ,jesus and bring ,him to ,pontius ,pilate1 the ,roman governor or procurator 7,matt4 ,,xxvii3#a1 #b74 ,pilate asks ,him1 ,art ,thou the ,king of the ,jews8 ,and ,jesus said unto him1 ,thou sayest 7,matt4 ,,xxvii3#aa74db ,he persists in maintaining ,his position of silence or non-negation against all the accusations of the chief priests1 insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly 7,matt4 ,,xxvii3#ab-ad74 ,pilate's wife1 having been warned in a dream1 sends word to him1 ,have thou nothing to do with that just man 7,matt4 ,,xxvii3#ai74 ,it being a custom of the feast of the ,passover that the governor should release one prisoner to the people1 and ,pilate1 knowing that the chief priests had delivered ,jesus to him out of envy1 asks the multitude whom he shall release unto them1 ,barabbas or ,jesus 7,matt4 ,,xxvii3#ae1 #af1 #ag1 #bj1 #ba74 ,the multitude demands the release of ,barabbas1 and1 on ,pilate's asking them what he shall do with ,jesus1 they all say unto him1 ,let ,him be crucified 7,matt4 ,,xxvii3#bb74 ,and the ,governor said1 ,why1 what evil hath ,he done8 ,but they cried out the more1 saying1 ,let ,him be crucified 7,matt4 ,,xxvii3#bc74 ,pilate then washed his hands before the multitude1 saying1 ,i am innocent of the blood of this just person2 see ye to it4 ,then answered all the people and said1 ,his blood be on us1 and on our children 7,matt4 ,,xxvii3#bd1 #be74 ,thereupon ,pilate released ,barabbas1 and after he had scourged ,jesus1 delivered ,him to be crucified 7,matt4 ,,xxvii3#bf74 ,in ,mark the charges before the ,sanhedrim are the same as in ,matthew with some slight verbal changes 7,mark ,,xiv3#ec-ff74 ,to the question1 ,art ,thou the ,christ1 the ,son of the ,blessed8 ,jesus answers directly1 ,i am4 ,the proceedings before ,pilate are substantially the same as in ,matthew 7,mark ,,xv3#a-ae74 ,according to ,luke1 the session of the ,sanhedrim was held as soon as it was day1 instead of in the night1 immediately after ,jesus' arrest 7,luke ,,xxii3#ff74 ,the only charge here is1 ,art ,thou the ,christ8 ,jesus1 after a few words1 recognizing the futility of any defense1 says1 ,ye say that ,i am 7,luke ,,xxii3#ff-ga74 ,luke's account of the proceedings before ,pilate is more detailed than1 and somewhat different from1 that of ,matthew and ,mark4 ,the charge is maliciously distorted so as to offend the political susceptibilities of the ,romans4 ,we found this fellow perverting the nation1 and forbidding to give tribute to ,csar1 saying that ,he ,himself is ,christ1 a ,king 7,luke ,,xxiii3#b74 ,pilate1 after questioning ,jesus1 says at once1 ,i find no fault in this ,man 7,luke ,,xxiii3#d74 ,this makes the chief priests the more fierce1 and they press again their charges1 mentioning that ,jesus comes from ,galilee 7,luke ,,xxiii3#e74 ,galilee being in ,herod's jurisdiction1 and ,herod being then in ,jerusalem1 ,pilate sends ,jesus to him1 probably hoping thus to rid himself of the whole trouble 7,luke ,,xxiii3#f1 #g74dc ,herod questions ,jesus1 who answers him nothing1 and then with his men of war mocks ,jesus1 arrays ,him in a gorgeous robe1 and sends ,him back to ,pilate 7,luke ,,xxiii3#h-aa74 ,pilate then calls together the chief priests and the rulers and the people1 and tells them that both he and ,herod have examined ,jesus1 and lo1 nothing worthy of death is done unto ,him 7proved against ,him7 7,luke ,,xxiii3#ac-ae74 ,i will1 therefore1 chastise ,him and release ,him 7,luke ,,xxiii3#af74 ,and they cried out all at once1 saying1 ,away with this ,man1 and release unto us ,barabbas 7,luke ,,xxiii3#ah74 ,twice more ,pilate urges that ,jesus be released1 but they insist that ,he be crucified4 ,pilate finally yields and gave sentence that it should be as they required 7,luke ,,xxiii3#bj-bd74 ,neither ,mark nor ,luke nor ,john mentions that ,pilate publicly washed his hands of responsibility for ,jesus' sentence4 ,john's account of the trial is very indefinite4 ,jesus was first taken to ,annas1#dd the father-in-law of ,caiaphas1 the high priest1 and ,annas sent ,him bound unto ,caiaphas 7,john ,,xviii3#ac1 #ad74 ,there was probably a session of the ,sanhedrim1 though this is not clear1 and it was probably at the house of the high priest 7,john ,,xviii3#ae74 ,no specific charges against ,jesus are mentioned1 but the high priest asked ,him of ,his disciples1 and of ,his doctrine 7,john ,,xviii3#ai74 ,jesus replies that ,he has spoken openly1 and said nothing in secret1 and that the priest should ask those who had heard ,him 7,john ,,xviii3#ai1 #bj1 #ba1 #bc74 ,no formal condemnation of ,jesus is related1 nor is it said who was present except the high priest4 ,then they bring ,jesus to ,pilate unto the hall of judgment1 but they cannot enter in1 because it would defile them for the eating of the ,passover that night 7,john ,,xviii3#bh74 ,pilate then comes out to them and asks what accusation they have against ,jesus 7,john ,,xviii3#bi74 ,they evade the issue by saying1 ,if ,he were not a malefactor1 we would not have delivered ,him up to thee 7,john ,,xviii3#cj74 ,pilate very aptly tells them to take ,him and judge ,him according to their ,law1 but they reply1 ,it is not lawful for us to put any man to death 7,john ,,xviii3#ca74 ,pilate thereupon goes back to the judgment hall1 and1 after an examination of ,jesus1 comes out and says1 ,i find in ,him no fault at all 7,john ,,xviii3#cc-ch74 ,he then suggests that1 according to custom1 he release ,jesus unto them4 ,then cried they all again1 saying1 ,not this ,man1 but ,barabbas 7,john ,,xviii3#ci1 #dj74 ,upon this ,pilate has ,jesus scourged1 a crown of thorns put on ,his head1 and a purple robe about ,him1 and has the soldiers hail ,him as ,king of the ,jews 7,john ,,xix3#a-c74 ,he once more brings ,jesus before the people and states that he finds no fault in ,him4#de ,the ,jews still insist that by their law ,he ought to die1 because ,he made ,himself the ,son of ,god 7,john ,,xix3#d-g74 ,pilate goes back into the judgment hall1 and talks further with ,jesus1 evidently hoping to find some way out of his dilemma 7,john ,,xix3#h-aa74 ,and from thenceforth ,pilate sought to release ,him2 but the ,jews cried out1 saying1 ,if thou let this ,man go1 thou art not ,csar's friend 7,john ,,xix3#ab74 ,pilate makes one more effort to save ,jesus1 but1 failing1 delivers ,him over to be crucified 7,john ,,xix3#ac-af74 ,,the ,,crucifixion ,the soldiers1 taking ,jesus1 at first mocked ,him1 putting on ,him a scarlet robe and a crown of thorns1 spitting on ,him and smiting ,him 7,matt4 ,,xxvii3#bg-cj74 ,they then put ,his own raiment on ,him1 and took ,him to the place of ,crucifixion1 on the way impressing a man of ,cyrene1 ,simon by name1 to carry ,his cross 7,matt4 ,,xxvii3#ca1 #cb74 ,when they reached ,golgotha1 they gave ,him vinegar to drink1 mixed with gall1 but1 on tasting it1 ,jesus refused to drink 7,matt4 ,,xxvii3#cc1 #cd74 ,they then crucified ,him with two thieves1 one on each hand1 and parted ,his raiment1 casting lots 7,matt4 ,,xxvii3#ce1 #ch74 ,over ,his head they set up ,his accusation written3 ,this is ,jesus1 the ,king of the ,jews 7,matt4 ,,xxvii3#cg74 ,the passers-by and the chief priests and the two thieves mocked and reviled ,him on account of ,his prophecies and ,his failure to save ,himself 7,matt4 ,,xxvii3#ci-dd74 ,the ,crucifixion was apparently at the sixth hour1 and darkness was over the land until the ninth hour 7,matt4 ,,xxvii3#de74 ,jesus then cried out in a loud voice1 ,eli1 ,eli1 lama sabachthani 7,matt4 ,,xxvii3#df74 ,some of them who stood there thought that ,he called for ,elias2 one of them took a sponge filled with vinegar and gave it to ,him to drink 7,matt4 ,,xxvii3#dg1 #dh74 ,jesus1 when ,he had cried again with a loud voice1 yielded up the ghost 7,matt4 ,,xxvii3#ej74 ,then was the veil of the temple rent in twain1 and the earth did quake and the rocks rent 7,matt4 ,,xxvii3#ea74 ,graves were opened1 and bodies of the saints which slept arose1 and came out of the graves after ,his resurrection1 and appeared to many in the holy city 7,matt4 ,,xxvii3#eb1 #ec74 ,when the centurion and the soldiers saw these things done1 they feared greatly1 saying1 ,truly this was the ,son of ,god 7,matt4 ,,xxvii3#ed74 ,there were many women from ,galilee1 beholding afar off1 including ,mary ,magdalene1 ,mary1 ,jesus' aunt1 and also the mother of the apostles ,james and ,john 7,matt4 ,,xxvii3#ee1 #ef74 ,when the even was come ,joseph1 a rich man of ,arimatha1 takes ,jesus' body1 ,pilate1 at his request having delivered it to him1 wraps it in a clean linen cloth1 and lays it in his own new tomb1 hewn out in the rock4 ,he rolls a great stone to the door of the sepulchre and departs 7,matt4 ,,xxvii3#eg-fj74 ,on the following day the chief priests come to ,pilate and tell him of ,jesus' prophecy1 that after three days ,he would arise again4 ,they express their fears that the disciples may steal the body and claim that ,he was risen from the dead4 ,pilate gives them a watch1 and they went1 and made the sepulchre sure1 sealing the stone and setting a watch 7,matt4 ,,xvii3#fb-ff74df ,mark follows closely the narrative of ,matthew1 except he says that they offered ,jesus wine mingled with myrrh to drink1#dg instead of vinegar and gall 7,mark ,,xv3#bc74 ,mark omits the supernatural happenings at the death of ,jesus1 except that the veil of the temple was rent in twain 7,mark ,,xv3#ch74 ,he also omits any account of the sealing of the sepulchre1 or the setting of a watch over it 7,mark ,,xv3#df1 #dg74 ,luke omits the ill-treatment of ,jesus by the soldiers before starting on their march 7,luke ,,xxiii3#be1 #bf74 ,and there followed ,him a great company of people1 and of women1 which also bewailed and lamented ,him 7,luke ,,xxiii3#bg74 ,jesus delivers a short address to the women1 which does not appear in the other ,gospels 7,luke ,,xxiii3#bh-ca74 ,they bring ,him to ,calvary and crucify ,him and the two malefactors 7,luke ,,xxiii3#cc74 ,then said ,jesus1 ,father1 forgive them1 for they know not what they do 7,luke ,,xxiii3#cd74 ,the superscription over ,him was written in letters of ,greek1 ,latin and ,hebrew 7,luke ,,xxiii3#ch74 ,luke alone relates that1 when one of the malefactors railed at ,jesus1 the other rebuked ,him1 and asked ,jesus to remember him1 when ,he should come into ,his kingdom2 ,jesus says to him3 ,today shalt thou be with me in paradise 7,luke ,,xxiii3#ci-dc74 ,the sun was darkened and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst 7,luke ,,xxiii3#dd1 #de74 ,the centurion acknowledges ,jesus to be a righteous man1 and all the people that came together to that sight smote their breasts 7,luke ,,xxiii3#dg1 #dh71 and all ,his acquaintance and the women that followed ,him from ,galilee stood afar off1 beholding these things 7,luke ,,xiii3#di74 ,joseph of ,arimatha obtains ,jesus' body from ,pilate1 and lays it in a new sepulchre1 hewn in stone 7,luke ,,xxiii3#ej-ec71 and the women also1 which came with ,him from ,galilee1 followed after and beheld the sepulchre1 and how ,his body was laid4 ,and they returned and prepared spices and ointments 7,luke ,,xxiii3#ee1 #ef74 ,no mention is made of any guard over the sepulchre4 ,john does not mention the ill-treatment of ,jesus by the soldiers1 nor any ,simon of ,cyrene4 ,according to him1 ,jesus ,himself carried ,his cross 7,john ,,xix3#ag74dh ,the title on the cross1 written in ,greek1 ,latin and ,hebrew1 was ,jesus of ,nazareth1 the ,king of the ,jews4#di ,the chief priests objected to ,pilate about this 7probably considering it an insult to their nation71 but ,pilate refused to change it 7,john ,,xix3#ai-bb74 ,john says that ,jesus' mother1 ,his aunt1 ,mary ,magdalene and the disciple whom ,he loved1 stood by the cross4 ,jesus recommends ,his mother to this disciple's care1 and from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home 7,john ,,xix3#be-bg74ej ,the vinegar was then given ,jesus to drink1 and1 at the request of the ,jews1 the soldiers broke the legs of the two who were crucified with ,jesus1 but they brake not ,his legs1 because ,he was dead already4 ,one of the soldiers pierced ,his side with a spear1 came there out blood and water 7,john ,,xix3#bh-cg74ea ,john does not mention any supernatural occurrences at the time of ,jesus' death1 ,joseph of ,arimatha obtains ,jesus' body secretly from ,pilate1 and1 with the aid of ,nicodemus1 wound the body in linen with spices--,a mixture of myrrh and aloes1 about an hundred pound weight--as the manner of the ,jews is to bury 7,john ,,xix3#ch-dj74 ,now1 in the place where ,he was crucified there was a garden2 and in the garden a new sepulchre1 wherein was never man yet laid4 ,there laid they ,jesus therefore because of the ,jews' preparation day2 for the sepulchre was nigh at hand 7,john ,,xix3#da1 #db74 ,no mention is made of the attendance of the women1 or of any guard being placed about the sepulchre4 ,,the ,,resurrection ,about dawn on ,sunday morning1 the two ,marys came to the sepulchre 7,matt4 ,,xxviii3#a74 ,the soldiers set to watch the tomb are there also 7,matt4 ,,xxviii3#d74 ,there is a great earthquake1 for the angel of the ,lord descended from heaven1 and came1 and rolled back the stone from the door1 and sat upon it 7,matt4 ,,xxviii3#b74 ,his countenance was like lightning1 and his raiment white as snow 7,matt4 ,,xxviii3#c74 ,the angel tells the women that ,jesus is risen1 and bids them go quickly and tell ,his disciples that ,he is risen from the dead2 and1 behold1 ,he goeth before you into ,galilee2 there shall ye see ,him 7,matt4 ,,xxviii3#f1 #g74 ,as the women were on their way to tell this to the disciples1 ,jesus met them1 saying1 ,all hail4 ,and they came and held ,him by the feet1 and worshipped ,him 7,matt4 ,,xxviii3#i74 ,jesus says to them to be not afraid1 and to tell ,his brethren that ,he will meet them in ,galilee 7,matt4 ,,xxviii3#aj74 ,some of the watch go into the city and tell the chief priests what has happened 7,matt4 ,,xxviii3#aa74 ,the chief priests give the soldiers large money to say1 ,his disciples came by night and stole ,him away while we slept 7,matt4 ,,xxviii3#ab1 #ac74 ,the soldiers did as they were taught1 and this saying is commonly reported among the ,jews until this day 7,matt4 ,,xxviii3#ae74 ,then the eleven disciples went away into ,galilee1 into a mountain where ,jesus had appointed them4 ,and when they saw ,him1 they worshipped ,him1 but some doubted 7,matt4 ,,xxviii3#af1 #ag74 ,jesus then tells them to teach and baptize all nations 7,matt4 ,,xxviii3#aj74eb ,according to ,mark1 the two ,marys and ,salome come to the tomb early ,sunday morning at the rising of the sun 7,mark ,,xvi3#a74 ,there was no watch there1 and the stone was rolled away from the door of the sepulchre 7,mark ,,xvi3#b1 #c74 ,they go into the sepulchre and find there a young man1 sitting on the right side1 clothed in a long1 white garment 7,mark ,,xvi3#e74 ,the young man says to them that ,jesus is risen1 and that they should go and tell the disciples and ,peter3 ,he goeth before you into ,galilee1 where they should see ,him 7,mark ,,xvi3#f1 #g74 ,the women fled quickly from the tomb1 neither said they anything to any man2 for they were afraid 7,mark ,,xvi3#h74 ,then1 at some time and place not specified1 ,jesus appears to ,mary ,magdalene 7,mark ,,xvi3#i74 ,she tells of this appearance to them that had been with ,him1 as they mourned and wept1 but they believeth not 7,mark ,,xvi3#aj1 #aa74 ,after that ,he appeared in another form unto two of them1 as they walked1 and went into the country4 ,and they went and told it unto the residue3 ,neither believed they then 7,mark ,,xvi3#ab1 #ac74 ,afterward1 at a time and place not specified1 ,jesus appears to the eleven as they sat at meat1 and upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart in not believing the accounts of ,his previous appearances to ,mary and the two disciples 7,mark4 ,,xvi3#ad74 ,he then delivers a short exhortation to go into all the world and preach the ,gospel to every creature1 telling of the signs that should follow belief1 and the punishment that should follow unbelief 7,mark ,,xvi3#ae1 #ah74 ,so then1 after the ,lord had spoken unto them1 ,he was received up into heaven1 and sat on the right hand of ,god 7,mark ,,xvi3#ai74ec ,luke relates that the two ,marys1 ,joanna and other women went to the tomb on ,sunday1 very early in the morning 7,luke ,,xxiv3#a1 #aj74 ,there is no watch and the stone is rolled away 7,luke ,,xxiv3#b74 ,they enter the sepulchre1 find the body of ,jesus gone1 and1 as they stand there much perplexed1 behold1 two men stood by them in shining garments 7,luke ,,xxiv3#c1 #d74 ,they were afraid1 but the two men tell them that ,jesus is risen1 as ,he had predicted1 and as they now remember 7,luke ,,xxiv3#e1 #f1 #g1 #h74 ,the women then return and tell all these things unto the eleven and to all the rest1 but their words seem to them as idle tales1 and they believed them not 7,luke ,,xxiv3#i1 #aa74 ,peter then goes to the sepulchre1 finds the linen clothes laid by themselves1 but apparently sees nothing of the two men 7,luke ,,xxiv3#ab74 ,on the same day ,cleopas#ed and another disciple go to a village called ,emmaus1 about three score furlongs from ,jerusalem 7,luke ,,xxiv3#ac1 #ah74 ,as they are proceeding on their way1 ,jesus1 in the guise of a stranger1 joins them4 ,quite a long conversation follows1 the disciples telling ,jesus the things that had happened to ,him1 and ,he expounding the ,scriptures to them4 ,it is evening when they reach the village1 and ,jesus made as though ,he would go further4 ,but the two disciples induce ,him to tarry with them 7,luke ,,xxiv3#ae-bi71 and it came to pass as ,he sat at meat with them1 ,he took bread1 and blessed it1 and brake1 and gave to them4 ,and their eyes were opened and they knew ,him2 and ,he vanished out of their sight 7,luke ,,xxiv3#cj1 #ca74 ,the two return to ,jerusalem and1 finding the eleven there1 say to them1 ,the ,lord is risen indeed1 and hath appeared to ,simon 7,luke ,,xxiv3#cb1 #cc1 #cd74 ,they then tell the disciples what happened to them on the way 7,luke ,,xxiv3#ce74 ,as they thus spoke1 ,jesus ,himself stood in the midst of them 7,luke ,,xxiv3#cf74 ,the disciples are terrified1 and supposed that they had seen a spirit 7,luke ,,xxiv3#cg74 ,jesus then tells them to see and handle ,his hands and feet1 and prove that ,he is real flesh and bones and not a spirit4 ,but they yet believed not for joy1 and wondered4 ,to finally convince them ,he eats before them a piece of broiled fish and some honeycomb 7,luke ,,xxiv3#ch-dc74 ,he then delivers a short discourse to them1 telling that these things have happened to ,him that the ,law and the prophets might be fulfilled 7,luke ,,xxiv3#dd-di74 ,they then went out to ,bethany and ,he blessed them1 and while ,he blessed1 ,he was parted from them and carried up into heaven 7,luke ,,xxiv3#ej1 #ea74 ,john says that ,mary ,magdalene came along to the sepulchre and found the stone rolled away 7,john ,,xx3#a74 ,she then summons ,peter and ,john1 who enter and find the grave clothes lying around1 but no body4 ,they then went away again unto their own home4 ,it is added1 ,for as yet they knew not the ,scripture1 that ,he must rise again from the dead 7,john ,,xx3#b-aj74 ,mary remains weeping1 and1 looking again into the sepulchre1 sees two angels in white there 7,john ,,xx3#aa1 #ab74 ,they ask her1 ,why weepest thou8 and she says1 ,because they have taken away my ,lord and ,i know not where they have laid ,him 7,john ,,xx3#ac74 ,she then turns and sees ,jesus standing1 but supposes ,him to be the gardener4 ,she asks ,him to tell her where they have laid ,jesus1 and ,i will take ,him away1 she says 7,john ,,xx3#ad1 #ae74 ,jesus then calls her by name1 and she apparently recognizes ,him and calls ,him ,master 7,john ,,xx3#af74 ,jesus then tells her1 ,go unto my brethren and say unto them1 ,i ascend unto my ,father and your ,father1 and to my ,god and your ,god 7,john ,,xx3#ag74 ,mary then reports these things to the disciples1 but ,john does not say whether they believed her1 or1 as ,mark and ,luke say1 they disbelieved her 7,john ,,xx3#ah74 ,on this same ,sunday evening1 when the eleven1 except ,thomas1 are together secretly for fear of the ,jews1 ,jesus came to them and showed them ,his hands and side4 ,then follows a short discourse from ,jesus to ,his disciples 7,john ,,xx3#bj-bc74 ,when ,thomas hears of this appearance1 he expresses his disbelief1 unless he can put his fingers into the print of the nails1 and thrust his hand into ,his side 7,john ,,xx3#bd1 #be74 ,eight days later ,jesus appears again to ,his disciples1 when ,thomas is present1 and tells the latter to make his verifications4 ,thomas says unto ,him1 ,my ,lord and my ,god4 ,jesus then commends those who have not seen1 and yet have believed 7,john ,,xx3#bf-bi74 ,john's ,gospel apparently at one time ended at this point 7,john ,,xx3#cj1 #ca71 but ,chapter ,,xxi was subsequently added4 ,here there is related a third appearance of ,jesus1 this time to six of the apostles and ,nathaniel of ,cana 7,john ,,xxi3#a1 #b74 ,this occurred at the sea of ,tiberias1 and there was a miraculous draught of fishes 7see ,luke ,v3#d1 #e1 #f71 and a hint of ,peter walking on the water 7see ,matt4 ,,xiv3#bh-ca74 ,at first the disciples knew not that it was ,jesus1 and1 even after ,john tells ,peter that it is the ,lord1 they seem to be under some restraint1 and none of the disciples durst ask ,him1 ,who art thou1 knowing that it was the ,lord 7,john ,,xxi3#c-ab74 ,after they had dined1 there ensued some conversation between ,jesus and ,peter1 and later with ,john1 out of which came the saying that the latter should not die 7,john ,,xxi3#ae-bc74 ,in neither of these appearances is there any account of ,jesus ascending up into heaven1 or of ,his instructing the disciples to preach ,his ,gospel to all nations4#ee ,,part ,,ii ,,modern ,,christianity ,with the death of ,jesus1 died also ,his dream of converting the ,jews to ,his religious ideas4 ,a few scattered bands of followers--,nazarites or ,ebionites--survived ,him4 ,but they existed only in a moribund condition1 exerted no influence over the nation1 and1 in the course of a few centuries1 disappeared from history4 ,the ,jews as a people rejected1 and have always rejected1 both ,jesus as a ,messiah and ,his teachings as their religion4 ,if the ,jews had then been an independent nation1 living in their haughty isolation from other peoples1 the power and hatred of the ,pharisees would probably have stamped out the last remnants of ,jesus' followers1 and ,he would have survived only as a name in history4 ,but the disciples 7or apostles7 found under the ,roman rule protection for their teaching1 and ready access to the ,gentile communities1 not only in ,palestine1 but throughout all the coasts of the ,mediterranean4 ,among these communities ,jesus' ,gospel found a quick and ready acceptance1 and1 within two or three centuries after ,his death1 it had become a mighty living force in the evolution of mankind4 ,in the reign of ,constantine1 ,christianity became the dominant religion in the ,roman empire1 and it rapidly brought under its influence the ,northern ,barbarians1 who1 in their turn1 were to be the conquerors of this empire4 ,as ,christianity grew and spread and became more powerful1 it lost almost all resemblance to the religion of right living1 which ,jesus had taught and practiced4 ,the spiritual and temporal powers were once more re-united1 dogmas1 creeds1 theological disquisitions multiplied1 until the fair body of religion1 revealed in almost naked purity by the prophets1 is once more hidden under a new accumulation of dogmas and of ritual practices of which the primitive ,nazarene knew nothing2 and which ,he would probably have regarded as blasphemous if ,he could have been made to understand them4 ,as1 century after century1 the ages roll on1 polytheism comes back under the disguise of mariolatry and the adoration of saints2 image worship becomes as rampant as in old ,egypt2 adoration of relics takes the place of the old fetich-worship2 the virtues of the ephod pale before those of holy coats and handkerchiefs2 shrines and calvaries make up for the loss of the ark and of the high places2 and even the lustral water of paganism is replaced by holy water at the porches of the temples4 ,a touching ceremony--the common meal originally eaten in pious memory of a loved teacher--was metamorphosed into a flesh-and-blood sacrifice1 supposed to possess exactly that redeeming virtue which the prophets denied to the flesh-and-blood sacrifices of their day2 while the minute observance of ritual was raised to a degree of punctilious refinement which ,levitical legislators might envy4 ,and with the growth of this theology1 grew its inevitable concomitant1 the belief in evil spirits1 in possession1 in sorcery1 in charms and omens1 until the ,christians of the twelfth century after our era were sunk in more debased and brutal superstitions than are recorded of the ,israelites in the twelfth century before it4 7,some ,controverted ,questions1 ,huxley1 p4 #aei47 ,in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries1 the leaders of the ,reformation and the ,new ,learning began their relentless warfare upon the existing formalism and superstition1 and from two different points of attack4 ,after centuries of bloody wars1 ,protestantism succeeded in displacing ,catholicism as the dominant religion over a large part of ,northern ,europe4 ,roman ,catholicism still remained dominant in ,southern ,europe1 and ,greek ,catholicism in ,eastern ,europe4 ,in the meanwhile1 to the eternal disgrace of the then ,christendom1 the followers of ,mahomet had established his religion in some of the fairest portions of ,southeastern ,europe4 ,if the ,christian nations of the fifteenth century had expended on the practical cause of keeping ,mohammedanism out of ,europe one tithe of the energy and sacrifice that they did expend on the unpractical dream of recovering the ,holy ,sepulchre1 ,europe would have been spared the endless heritage of evil that has followed the introduction of the unspeakable ,turk into ,european politics4 ,but mutual jealousies1 prejudices1 petty ambitions1 dissentions and discords permitted this calamity to occur1 the end of which it seems is not yet4 ,as the ,reformed churches became established in power1 each one developed its own formalism1 different from1 but no more in consonance with1 ,jesus' simple religion1 than that of the ,catholics4 ,as dogmatic theologians1 ,luther1 ,calvin1 ,knox and ,jonathan ,edwards were little improvement over ,loyola1 ,augustine and ,justin4 ,predestination1 fore-ordination1 change of heart1 infant damnation1 eternal punishment1 the ,thirty-nine ,articles1 the ,augsburg ,confession1 would have been as unintelligible to ,jesus1 and would have met as summary condemnation at ,his hands1 as the quarrels between the homoi-ousians and the homo-ousians1 which rent the ,christian world in the third century after ,his death4 ,but a more formidable champion had entered the lists against dogmatic theology and in favor of the creedless religion of ,jesus4 ,the invention of printing1 the growth of science1 the diffusion of education1 and the development of a world-wide commerce were all working towards the eradication of superstition1 the breaking down of national and racial and religious antipathies and prejudices1 the cultivation of relations1 first of business1 and then of mutual regard and friendship between the peoples of different countries1 the constant amelioration of the roughness1 harshness and cruelty of earlier times1 the encouragement of courtesy1 consideration for others and charity towards all men4 ,all these forces were making for ,jesus' ideal of a common humanity1 where the asperities of different religious creeds would cease to trouble1 and each man might love his neighbor as himself4 ,a tremendous victory had been won when the time came1 that an ,orthodox ,catholic would admit that his righteous-living ,protestant neighbor might inherit heaven as surely as himself4 ,the optimist of the early years of this century might have hugged himself with complacency over the rapid progress which the ,gospel of ,jesus was making in moulding mankind towards a realization of ,his ideals4 ,then came the cataclysm of #aiad4 ,the leading nations of ,europe--all ,christian except the ,turks--plunged into the bloodiest war of history1 and on the most petty of pretexts--the political administration of an insignificant ,balkan state4 ,the ,gospel of ,jesus1 as an efficient force restraining these nations from war1 was as though it had never existed4 ,in the communications between ,england1 ,france1 ,russia and ,germany1 preliminary to the war and ostensibly seeking to avert war1 did any one statesman urge the argument that the law of ,jesus forbade this war8 ,not a single syllable1 and1 for the sufficient reason1 that each one knew that it would fall on deaf ears and would be laughed at as old women's talk4 ,so far as the efficiency of such arguments was concerned1 they might as well have been used between the ,persians and ,egyptians before ,jesus was born4 ,then1 when war broke out1 came the supreme irony of each nation crowding its churches to pray for the assistance of the meek and gentle ,jesus in slaughtering its enemies4 ,later1 the victorious nations crowded their churches to thank ,jesus that ,he had made them successful in their hellish business4 ,there are some who can quiet their consciences by shifting the responsibility for the incalculable misery of this brutal1 barbarous conflict from the sins and evil ambitions of man to the shoulders of the ,almighty4 ,with those holding this 7to the writer7 blasphemous doctrine1 argument is useless4 ,but to the ordinary1 sincere and candid follower of ,jesus1 does not the occurrence of this war give occasion to pause and think--as it were1 to take an account of his stock-in-trade8 ,why did the mighty forces of ,christianity fail to work with any practical effect at this1 their supreme test--the prevention of war8 ,what promise has the future to prevent the recurrence of such evils8 ,how far has modern ,christianity kept undefiled the pure religion of the ,great ,nazarene8 ,these are all questions demanding at this time the serious consideration of every thinking man1 professed ,christian or not4 ,,the ,,eternal ,,conflict ,the ,gospel of ,jesus proclaimed the highest ethical ideal that had yet appeared on earth4 ,but1 as a working rule-of-conduct for practical1 everyday life1 it contained an essential weakness4 ,with its acceptance by one nation after another1 it became an efficient force1 working with other forces in the evolution of mankind4 ,but here it came in direct conflict with the forces of nature1 which1 working through countless ages1 had made man what he then was4 ,the ultimate goal of man's struggles and aspirations under the ,gospel of ,jesus was self-abnegation1 non-resistance1 the protection of the weak by the strong4 ,the ultimate goal of nature's forces was self-assertion1 battle1 the crushing out of the weak by the strong4 ,the struggle for existence and the survival of the fittest had no place in their operation for the doctrines of turning the other cheek1 and loving thy neighbor as thyself4 ,the two were1 and always will be1 as incompatible as fire and water4 ,when the ,germans1 some fifty years ago1 began dreaming of1 and planning for1 a world empire1 some of their philosophers clearly recognized1 and openly proclaimed1 the essential antipathy between the forces of ,christianity1 working towards ,jesus' ideal1 and the forces of nature1 working towards the survival of the fittest4 ,in order to realize her dream1 it was necessary for ,germany to treat the ,sermon on the ,mount as the piping of some idle singer of an empty day4 ,on the assumption that the manifest destiny of the ,germans was to be world-conquerors1 these philosophers argued1 with unassailable logic1 that the nation had made a vital mistake in abandoning the heathen gods for the ,jesus of ,christianity4 ,world-conquest demands of its aspirant merciless severity1 even to the enslavement or annihilation of any unoffending people1 which the necessity of war considers to be impeding its progress4 ,in so far as the individual imbibes1 and is affected by1 the ideals of ,jesus1 just so far is his efficiency as a unit of the conquering nation impaired4 ,world-conquerors can tolerate no conscientious objectors in their ranks4 ,logically their gods should be the gods of the old ,valhalla1 ,valor1 ,glory1 ,victory4 ,their priests should preach war and hate1 not peace and love4 ,with a courage and consistency that left nothing unsaid1 these ,german writers tore in twain the veil of hypocrisy with which ,christian nations cover up their wars1 and their schemes of colonization1 benevolent assimilation1 etc4 ,they showed forth the naked truth that ,jesus' ideal and nature's goal for man are the antipodes of each other1 at least as regards different nations struggling with each other for supreme power4 ,in other words1 the forces of ,christianity are working in one direction1 and the forces of nature in another4 ,as with the ,nation1 so with the ,individual4 ,jesus 7stating ,his ideal standard1 it must be remembered7 says3 ,go and sell that thou hast and give to the poor 7,matt4 ,,xix3#ba74 ,nature says3 ,not so4 ,if you had done this in the beginning1 you would now have nothing with which to help the poor4 ,if you do it now1 you will simply be adding yourself and your family to increase the number of the poor4 ,jesus says3 ,take no thought for your life1 what ye shall eat2 neither for the body1 what ye shall put on 7,luke ,,xii3#bb74 ,nature says3 ,take thought for the morrow and provide for the future of yourself and your family2 practice economy1 frugality1 thrift2 see to it that the contingency of sickness1 or the coming of old age1 does not bring you and those dependent on you into the ranks of the poor1 seeking aid from others4 ,the contrast between the two goals is as sharply defined in the case of the individual as in the case of the nation4 ,from this it does not follow that nature's forces do not make for altruism4 ,as the family1 the tribe or clan1 the race1 and the nation are successively evolved1 the scope of self-interest widens and the means necessary to attain its ends become less individualistic and more humanitarian4 ,as ,fagin impresses on ,noah ,claypole1 even in a band of thieves1 the number one of ,noah must also include the number one of the other members of the gang4 ,in a modern community1 whether ,christian or heathen1 the successful business or professional man must necessarily practice1 to a greater or less degree1 the same virtues inculcated by ,jesus2 otherwise he makes himself an outcast--an ,ishmaelite--against whom every man's hand is turned4 ,honesty is the best policy of the utilitarian leads to the same results as the ,gospel maxim to deal justly with all men4 ,also the growth of a world-wide commerce1 with the accompanying spread of international law1 develops constantly a spirit of international morality4 ,a nation today1 planning a war1 must look beyond the question of how its course will affect the self-interest of other nations4 ,if it has wisdom in its councils1 it must also reckon with this spirit of international morality4 ,if its cause be too palpably unjust1 or the means it adopts to secure victory be too barbarous1 it may shock this international morality1 and bring upon itself unexpected enemies1 who may balk its best laid plans4 ,the possibility of such contingencies arising will have far more weight than any argument based on the teaching of ,jesus4 ,,the ,,necessity ,,of ,,compromise ,in ,physics a body acted on by two divergent forces takes a course which is the resultant of 7a compromise between7 the two different forces4 ,so1 if ,christianity is to survive as an efficient force in man's evolution1 compromises must be made between the ideals of ,jesus and the natural forces expressed in the terms of the struggle for existence and the survival of the fittest4 ,it is possible that the day may come1 when all nations of our planet may be converted1 to put into practical operation in international affairs the ideals of ,jesus4 ,but the experience of the world during #aiad shows that little1 if any1 progress has been made in that direction since the ,crucifixion4 ,suppose the ,christian nations of ,europe and ,america should announce today the doctrine of non-resistance1 dismantle their fleets and dismiss their armies1 how long would it be before the ,moslems1 or the yellow hordes of ,asia1 would enslave them and exterminate all ,christian religion and civilization8 ,fortunately1 such a result is unthinkable1 and the ,christian nations will1 until some unknown time in the future1 continue their compromise with ,jesus' ideals4 ,the unspeakable ,turk will continue to understand that1 if he massacres some ,christian villages1 the other cheek will not be turned to him1 but1 on the contrary1 a righteous retribution of bayonet and shell will be meted out to him4 ,a superficial glance at history illustrates the necessity of national compromise4 ,if ,moses had preached1 and the ,jews had put in practice1 the doctrine of non-resistance1 they would soon have been exterminated by their ,philistine neighbors1 and the ,jesus that was would never have been4 ,if the tribes of the northern barbarians in the first thousand years of our era had put into practical effect the ,sermon on the ,mount1 as soon as they accepted ,christianity1 there would have been no ,anglo-,saxon ,england and ,united ,states1 as they are today4 ,if ,ferdinand and ,isabella had not relied on their earthly weapons1 ,spain would probably have been ,moslem to this day4 ,if the ,christian powers had not warred against the ,turks in the sixteenth century1 the greater part of ,europe would have bowed the knee to ,mahomet1 and the ,mosque would have superseded the ,church as the authorized place of worship4 ,if our colonial ancestors had obeyed the injunction1 ,render to ,csar the things that are ,csar's1 there would have been no ,american ,revolution4 ,if the conscientious objectors had swayed the councils of the ,north in #ahfa1 we would now have a divided country1 with slavery firmly established in one-half of it4 ,as with the nation1 so with the individual1 a compromise between ,jesus' ideals and the forces of nature is a necessity1 at least until evolution has produced some fundamental change in human nature4 ,it is related that when the mother and brethren of ,jesus sought to speak with ,him1 ,he repudiated their special claims of relationship on ,him1 and said3 ,for whosoever shall do the will of my ,father which is in heaven1 the same is my brother1 and sister and mother 7,matt4 ,,xii3#ej2 ,mark ,,iii3#ca2 ,luke ,,viii3#ai74 ,in another place ,he says3 ,he that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me2 and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me 7,matt4 ,x3#cg74 ,if any man come to me1 and hate not his father1 and mother1 and wife1 and children1 and brethren1 and sisters1 yea1 and his own life also1 he cannot be my disciple 7,luke ,,xiv3#bf74 ,and every one that hath forsaken houses1 or brethren1 or sisters1 or father1 or mother1 or wife1 or children1 or lands1 for my name's sake1 shall receive a hundredfold1 and shall inherit everlasting life 7,matt4 ,,xix3#bi74 ,and ,he said unto another1 ,follow me4 ,but he said1 ,lord1 suffer me first to go and bury my father4 ,jesus said unto him1 let the dead bury their dead2 but go thou and preach the kingdom of ,god 7,luke ,,ix3#ei1 #fj74 ,now1 no sane man would advocate that doctrines such as these should be put into general1 practical operation under the present constitution of human nature4 ,their practice would make of man a selfish ascetic1 would disintegrate the family into its individual units1 like animals when the breeding season is past1 would discourage human progress and development1 and would eventually lead to the degradation or extinction of any society which attempted to consistently enforce them4 ,of course the individual man or woman may abjure family ties altogether1 without serious loss to the community and even perhaps with some gain1 just as the drones have a function to perform in a community of bees4 ,but the universal adoption of this practice by a human community would mean its speedy death4 ,with those who would regard this as a desirable outcome of ,jesus' teachings1 we have no argument4 ,there is1 however1 no danger of such a condition of affairs coming to pass4 ,for untold ages before these utterances of ,jesus1 nature had been developing the family affections in man4 ,it had made the family the fundamental unit of the tribe1 the clan1 the race1 the nation4 ,these family affections1 so planted by nature in man1 must1 in society as a whole1 override the ethical idea of a general philanthropy1 as embodied in these utterances of ,jesus4 ,the normal man has always1 and does now1 rank the duties to his family as paramount over those of general philanthropy4 ,man will continue to marry and have children in the future1 as he has in the past4 ,he will continue to regard his obligations to his family as superior and prior to those he owes to mankind in general4 ,he will feel within himself the urge1 not merely to satisfy the need of the day1 but also to provide for the future4 ,he will look forward to the education and outfitting of his children4 ,he will guard against the contingencies of sickness and the probabilities of old age coming upon himself and those dependent on him4 ,he will engage with all his energy in the struggle with his fellow men for the acquisition of property4 ,he will practice industry1 thrift and economy1 and take every fair means to push his own business at the expense of his competitors4 ,but in all this1 even allowing that he has reasonably practiced the virtues of generosity1 charity and philanthropy1 there is no disguising the plain1 naked truth that is all the time making compromises with the ideals of ,jesus4 ,his actions simply do not square with the maxims3 ,give all thy goods to the poor2 take no thought for the morrow2 every one who does the will of ,god is the same to you as your brother and sister and mother2 resist not evil1 but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek1 turn to him the other also2 whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile1 go with him twain2 give to every man that asketh of thee1 and of him that taketh away thy goods1 ask them not again2 love your enemies1 bless them that curse you1 do good to them that hate you2 lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth2 take no thought1 saying1 ,what shall we eat8 ,or1 ,what shall we drink8 ,or1 ,wherewithal shall we be clothed8 ,he that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me4 ,it is difficult to conceive how1 at the present stage of man's evolution1 any community of considerable size1 even if we assume all external hostile interference eliminated1 could put these ideals into practical effect without disaster4 ,as we know man1 he has become what he is only through strife and contest1 through the survival of the strong1 the industrious1 the provident over the weak1 the lazy1 the improvident4 ,if the struggle for existence is eliminated1 is there not every reason to expect that progress will be arrested1 and the nation's civilization will decay and finally disappear1 as has been the case so many times in the past history of the world8 ,the desire for the acquisition of private property and the lust for power have been the two dominant motives impelling men to raise themselves from a stage of barbarism to a stage of civilization4 ,what motives can be substituted for those that will have the same compelling1 driving force8 ,it is only by long centuries of hard fighting with material weapons that the powers of good have so far subdued the powers of evil as to establish our present standard of humanitarianism4 ,but if the good are to be confined to the weapon of moral suasion1 how long will it be until the powers of evil are in full control8 ,but1 further1 even if we assume that all evil-doers are converted from the error of their ways1 the economic problem for a community working under these ideals seems insoluble4 ,even under the grinding necessities of the struggle for existence1 the tendency of human populations to increase beyond their means of subsistence is an indisputable fact1 as soon as they develop a civilization where peace and security of private property are measurably assured1 and especially where manufacturing centers with large industrial populations are established4 ,the many ancient civilizations that have arisen1 flourished and decayed attest the truth of this fact4 ,in the seventeenth century ,england was confronted with the problem of inadequate means of subsistence1 and met it by spreading over the whole globe4 ,what the history of the ,english people would have been if they had been confined to their native island1 would afford an interesting subject for abstract philosophical speculation4 ,thus far1 the vast undeveloped territories of the ,united ,states have furnished an outlet for its surplus population4 ,but the time may not be far distant when the problem of subsistence may be a serious one with us4 ,in modern times1 nearly all the great nations have been struggling for the acquisition of new territories as an outlet for their expanding populations4 ,germany's economic needs were undoubtedly one of the strongest motives urging her onward in her fateful dream of world empire4 ,france attempts to meet the difficulty by voluntary1 individual action in limiting the birth rate4 ,this remedy will always be resorted to in highly civilized nations1 as the pressure of population on subsistence becomes more severe4 ,but the decrease of population means the arrest of growth and progress in the national organism1 and eventual decadence4 ,thus dark and uncertain is the economic outlook for nations where the competitive struggle for existence is in full sway1 where the acquisition and accumulation of private property are fostered and encouraged1 where thrift1 industry and saving are ranked as cardinal virtues1 and where proper provision for oneself and one's family is even enforced by law against the indolent and shiftless4 ,what must be the economic future of a community from which these incentives and restraints are banished1 and where sympathy for the unfortunate and the criminal1 regardless of merit or desert1 is to be the governing principle8 ,it follows1 then1 first1 that the nation1 in its international relations1 must compromise with the ideals of ,jesus in order to preserve its national existence1 and to safeguard ,christianity against the attacks of its external foes2 and second1 that the individual1 in his daily life1 must compromise with these ideals to preserve the well-being and continuity of the family and to ensure the progress of mankind in happiness1 morality and material prosperity4 ,,compromise ,,is ,,justifiable ,the ,crucifixion was but a few years old when those two old enemies whom ,jesus had fought so persistently--creeds and ceremonies--began to be active among the early ,christians4 ,right theological thinking began to assert its supremacy over the right practical living1 taught by ,jesus as the first essential of ,his professed followers4 ,the outside of the cup was being carefully polished up1 although the inside might be unclean4 ,paul1 who had never had any personal intercourse with ,jesus1 was the protagonist of this retrograde movement4 ,zealous1 energetic1 a ready writer and a subtile dialectician1 his numerous epistles furnished an arsenal of weapons for all future controversial theologians4 ,his arrogance in defining the tenets of the rapidly growing ,gentile ,church was not one whit abated by the fact that he had never been in personal contact with ,jesus1 and that in his views he was opposed to those who had been the most intimate associates of ,jesus during his entire prophetic career4 ,quite early in his ministration1 ,paul has a bitter quarrel with ,peter1 ,james1 ,cephas1 ,john 7the pillars7 and other disciples of ,jesus over some question of circumcision1 and has no hesitation in telling ,peter 7the rock of the new ,church7 to his face that he was to be blamed for his views 7,galatians ,,ii3#aa et seq474 ,it is not too much to say that he took the fair1 smiling child of religion1 as left by ,jesus1 and transformed it into a misshapen dwarf1 with twisted and contorted limbs1 and upon its face a frown of almost malevolent austerity4 ,when right theological thinking became established as the primary essential of a ,christian1 and especially when ,christianity acquired temporal power1 it was inevitable that there should be extracted from ,paul's militant writings that most abominable doctrine of ,no compromise with evil4 ,in company with dogmatic distinctions of orthodoxy and heterodoxy1 it has inflicted its full quota of misery and suffering upon the human race4 ,it formed the justification of the cruelties of the ,inquisition1 the religious persecutions and wars of the ,middle ,ages1 the conversion of savages by fire and sword1 the extermination of so-called witches1 and the burning at the stake of countless advanced thinkers in science and religion1 and other so-called heretics4 ,probably the unrecorded suffering which the advocates of this doctrine have inflicted in the domestic and social sphere would equal that which is written in political history4 ,the possession of1 and disposition to put into practical operation1 this dogma presupposes sublime egoism1 coupled with a narrowness of mind easily running into extreme bigotry4 ,for the slightest study of history will show that the error and evil of one age becomes the truth and good of a succeeding age4 ,but the non-compromiser ignores any consideration of that sort4 ,if he has decided that this and that are evil1 they must necessarily be evil without argument or appeal4 ,he is the legitimate descendant of the old inquisitors1 and1 if he had the temporal power1 would today enforce his ideas as ruthlessly throughout the nation as they did in the ,middle ,ages4 ,confined to the narrower limits of the domestic and social circle1 he plays the autocrat so far as he can4 ,without sympathy or toleration for differing opinions and tastes1 as husband1 father1 priest1 officer1 or citizen1 the non-compromiser seeks to fit every one to his own narrow ,procrustean bed4 ,closely allied to the non-compromisers are the sacro-sancts1 or those who would be holier than ,jesus4 ,this class is well illustrated in an incident taken from a recent novel4 ,the heroine consults her married sister about the heroine's contemplated marriage with a man who has divorced his wife on the ground of her adultery4 ,the sister declares that such a marriage would be no better than prostitution4 ,but he is legally divorced says the heroine4 ,yes1 according to man's law1 but not according to ,god's law1 says the sister4 ,now1 considering that divorce was permitted under ,god's law1 as recorded in the ,old ,testament1 that ,matthew twice clearly and explicitly states that ,jesus sanctioned divorce on the ground of adultery1 and that ,john mentions no condemnation of divorce by ,jesus1 it would seem that there was at least a fair doubt as to whether the heroine's proposed marriage was contrary to ,god's law4 ,but the sister1 like other sacro-sancts and non-compromisers1 arrogates to herself infallibility in interpreting the divine will1 and will not admit argument as to her possible inaccuracy4 ,other examples are those who would fear to contaminate their holiness by following their ,master's example in eating and associating with publicans and sinners 7,matt4 ,,ix3#aj72 who would shudder at being anointed by a prostitute 7,luke ,,vii3#cg72 who would think the ,sabbath desecrated by pleasant walks in the fields1 or by feasting and joyous meetings with one's friends 7,matt4 ,,xii3#a2 ,luke ,,xiv3#a71 and who in general insist on the observance of religious rites and symbols1 similar to those which ,jesus condemned in the ,pharisees4 ,one of the ,,xxxix ,articles of the ,protestant ,episcopal ,church takes a slap at these sacro-sancts 7,book of ,common ,prayers1 ,article ,,xiv74 ,it condemns1 as marks of arrogancy and impiety1 works of supererogation--that is1 works over and above ,god's commandments4 ,undoubtedly the meaning here is1 not to condemn excess in acts of mercy and charity1 but excess in the same acts of ceremonial worship which ,jesus condemned in the ,pharisees3 ,long prayers1 standing in the synagogues 7churches71 instead of in their closet2 public fasting with a sad countenance1 so that they disfigure their faces1 instead of anointing their heads and washing their faces that they appear not unto men to fast1 making broad their phylacteries and giving ostentatiously their tithe of mint and anise and cummin 7,matt4 ,,vi3#a-g1 #af1 #ag1 #ah2 ,,xxiii3#d-g1 #bc74 ,the dogma of non-compromise finds no support in the teaching and practice of ,jesus4 ,he pictured the highest ideals for mankind4 ,but ,he was no bigot in demanding that fallible human beings should live up to these ideals on pain of damnation4 ,with ,his wonderful tolerance and broadminded sympathy1 ,he recognized that the happiness and progress of the human race1 in its present state of evolution1 necessitated certain compromises with evil4 ,as between two evils1 choose the less1 would be much nearer ,his position than no compromise with evil4 ,a short study of some of the episodes of ,his life will place this beyond dispute4 ,jesus undoubtedly considered that riches were an evil 7,matt4 ,,xix3#bc1 #bd2 ,,xiii3#bb2 ,mark ,x3#bc1 #bd2 ,luke ,,xviii3#bd1 #be74 ,he knows the deceitfulness of riches1 and that the temptations attending the possession of wealth do not ordinarily make for righteousness4 ,he advises that one should lay up treasure in heaven rather than on earth 7,matt4 ,,vi3#ai1 #bj2 ,luke ,,xii3#cc74 ,riches1 then1 being an evil1 the non-compromiser should logically regard the rich man as a persistent evil-doer4 ,he should constantly denounce his evil ways1 as those of any other malefactor4 ,he should refuse him his public association and friendship1 since thereby he would be gilding his misconduct with the gold of his own sanctity4 ,if a priest1 he should charge his congregation to abstain from those habits of thrift and economy which will result in bringing upon them this evil of wealth4 ,but ,jesus was too sane and broad-minded not to see that the happiness of mankind demanded a compromise with this evil4 ,while warning against the temptations of riches1 ,he preached poverty1 not as a necessity to salvation1 but as an ideal1 to be attained and practiced by but a few4 ,thus1 in the case of the young man with great possessions1 ,jesus1 according to ,matthew prefaces ,his counsel to sell his goods and give to the poor with the significant condition1 if thou wilt be perfect 7,matt4 ,,xix3#ba74 ,to the same effect are the accounts of ,mark and ,luke4 ,one thing thou lackest1 viz41 in order to be perfect 7,mark ,x3#ba2 ,luke ,,xviii3#bb74 ,evidently ,jesus took the concrete case of the young man to impress on ,his hearers one of ,his ideals--the high standard ,he set for those who aspired to be ,his immediate followers and the ministers of ,his ,word4 ,in ,his instructions to the twelve and the seventy1 ,he laid down rules of conduct which practically eliminated the acquisition or possession of wealth 7,matt4 ,x3#b1 #i1 #aj2 ,mark ,,vi3#h1 #i2 ,luke ,,ix3 #c2 ,x3#d74 ,but ,he set no such severe standard for the rank and file of ,his followers1 nor did ,he withhold ,his favor and countenance from the possessors of riches1 as though they were evil doers4 ,nearly all the persons named in the ,gospels as intimate friends and associates of ,jesus 7outside of the apostles7 were1 apparently1 more or less prominent1 and belonged at least to the well-to-do class4 ,joseph of ,arimatha1 a disciple of ,jesus1 and one waiting for the ,kingdom of ,god1 and who placed ,his body in the sepulchre1 was a rich man 7,matt4 ,,xxvii3#eg2 ,luke ,,xxiii3#ej1 #ea74 ,nicodemus1 who assisted ,joseph in the burial1 brought a hundred pound weight of myrrh and aloes indicating that he was not a poor man 7,john ,,xix3#ci74 ,according to ,john he was the man who came to ,jesus by night and was a ruler of the ,jews 7,john ,,iii3#a1 #b2 ,,vii3#ej74 ,lazarus1 whom ,jesus loved and with whose family ,he was very intimate 7,john ,,xi3#e2 ,luke ,x3#ch71 could not have been a poor man1 since his sister anointed ,jesus with an ointment very precious and worth more than three hundred pence 7,mark ,,xiv3#c1 #d1 #e74 ,on one occasion ,jesus invites ,himself to visit in the house of ,zacchaeus1 who was chief among the publicans1 rich1 and a sinner 7,luke ,,xix3#a-g74 ,levi1 the publican1 gives a great feast for ,jesus1 which ,he approves by ,his presence 7,luke ,v3#bi74 ,on another occasion ,he goes to the house of one of the chief ,pharisees to eat bread on the ,sabbath day 7,luke ,,xiv3#a74 ,several times ,he commends the qualities of thrift and economy 7,matt4 ,,xxv3#ba1 #bc2 ,luke ,,xii3#db-dd2 ,matt4 ,,xxv3#c1 #d2 ,,xxiv3#de1 #df2 ,luke ,,xix3#ag1 #ai74 ,he constantly extols charity--the generous giving to the poor--as one of the chief virtues1 but the practice of this virtue on a considerable scale necessarily implies the prior accumulation of riches4 ,the evidence of the four ,gospels proves that ,jesus1 without hesitation1 compromised with the evil of riches4 ,he praised voluntary poverty as an ideal for those who were supposing themselves to be already perfect1 and1 perhaps1 demanded it of ,his apostles and those who assumed to be the ministers of ,his ,word4 ,but ,he imposed no such hard and fast rule for the rank and file of ,his followers4 ,he did not go about fanatically denouncing the rich men as evil-doers and malefactors4 ,on the contrary1 ,he made them ,his friends1 singled them out for special marks of ,his favor and regard1 though constantly urging on them the deceitfulness of riches and the necessity of generous giving to the poor4 ,his friendship for ,mary1 the sister of ,lazarus1 was so great that in her case ,he even condoned the use of the precious ointment for a purpose which ,he must have regarded as superfluous1 instead of its being given to the poor 7,matt4 ,,xxvi3#f2 ,mark ,,xiv3#c2 ,john ,,xii3#c74 ,other instances illustrate the readiness of ,jesus to compromise with evil--to choose the less of two evils--when the conditions of practical human life demanded it4 ,a notable instance of this was in the matter of paying tribute to the ,romans4 ,undoubtedly ,jesus1 like all the other ,jews1 regarded the imposition on them of ,roman sovereignty as an injustice--as a very great evil4 ,but1 under existing conditions1 resistance to the ,roman power was hopeless4 ,a refusal to pay tribute by the ,jews would have brought on them imprisonment1 death and countless sufferings1 and1 if persisted in1 would have resulted in the enslavement or extermination of the race4 ,in putting to ,jesus the question3 ,is it lawful to give tribute unto ,csar or not8 the ,pharisees thought they had framed a dilemma from which ,he could not escape4 ,if ,he had been a fanatical non-compromiser1 ,he could only have answered the question in the negative4 ,the ,pharisees would then have denounced ,him to the ,romans1 and thereby compassed ,his immediate death before ,his mission was completed4 ,his answer1 ,render therefore unto ,csar the things which are ,csar's1 and unto ,god the things that are ,god's--is pregnant with meaning to all religious bigots and fanatics if they could only open their minds to its significance4 ,this earth is not a heaven1 and cannot be made one so long as human beings are fallible and imperfect4 ,concessions and compromises must be constantly made between the material necessities of the body and the ethical ideals of the spirit4 ,the economic ideal of the greatest good to the greatest number can no more be ignored by the theologian of today in formulating rules of conduct for humanity1 than it was by ,jesus in ,his time4 ,however wrong and unjust in theory it was for the ,jews to be subject to an alien race1 still in practice the ,roman rule was reasonably mild and humane4 ,as between resistance and obedience to this rule1 the latter was much the less evil4 ,consequently1 ,jesus wisely and sanely compromised with this evil and both paid tribute ,himself 7,matt4 ,,xvii3#bd-bg71 and advised ,his disciples to do likewise 7,matt4 ,,xxii3#ba2 ,mark ,,xii3#ag2 ,luke ,,xx3#be74 ,again1 carrying out the same idea of compromising with the existing evils of government1 ,jesus commands ,his disciples to observe and do whatsoever is bidden by the scribes and ,pharisees1 who sit in ,moses' seat1 at the same time warning them not to imitate or follow the ,pharisees' works 7,matt4 ,,xxiii3#b1 #c74 ,undoubtedly ,jesus considered it an evil to set a man at variance against his father1 and the daughter against her mother1 and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law 7,matt4 ,x3#ce74 ,he could foresee that this evil would result from the preaching of ,his ,gospel4 ,but better this evil1 even1 if it sent a sword on earth1 than the greater evil that ,his ,gospel should not be preached4 ,unchastity in a woman is surely a most grievous evil4 ,to the non-compromiser1 the scarlet woman is a symbol of the lowest depth of vice1 and no condemnation is too severe for her4 ,but1 on two occasions1 ,jesus dismissed the erring woman with ,his forgiveness 7,john ,,viii3#aa2 ,luke ,,vii3#dg74 ,in fact1 the two utterances of ,jesus--he that is without sin among you1 let him first cast a stone at her 7,john ,,viii3#g71 and why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye1 but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye 7,matt4 ,,vii3#b7--;cut at the very root of the non-compromiser's position4 ,for1 in carrying on his crusade against his pet evil-doers1 it would be fatal to be obliged to stop to answer objections that he may not be infallible in deciding what is evil1 and that he may himself have habits considered by others as evil as the one he is denouncing4 ,for instance1 many a prominent non-compromiser among the clergy is living in comparative ease1 if not luxury4 ,when he reads the standard of living set by ,jesus for the ministers of ,his ,word 7,matt4 ,x3#i2 ,mark ,,vi3#h2 ,luke ,,ix3#c2 ,x3#d2 ,,xxii3#ce71 he must admit that he is every day compromising with the ideals of ,jesus--with the evil of riches4 ,compromise is the rule of human life4 ,each individual1 as he tries to follow the ,socratic advice1 know thyself1 finds that most of his actions are a compromise between his good impulses and his evil impulses4 ,few men are a ,dr4 ,jekyll during the day and a ,mr4 ,hyde during the night4 ,most men are partly ,jekyls and partly ,hydes all the time4 ,as the individual makes his way in business and society1 he learns more and more every day1 if he has common sense1 the wisdom and advisability of compromise4 ,he that is always bent on having his own way will usually find that his way does not go far1 and results in unhappiness for himself and others4 ,happy marriages are founded on a compromise of individual tastes1 habits and opinions4 ,parents win and retain the affection of their children1 not by imposing on them their own inflexible laws of right and wrong1 but by modifying these laws to meet the different tastes1 habits and opinions of the children4 ,success in business1 in law1 in politics1 is usually associated with the faculty of making reasonable compromises4 ,the wisest legislation is usually a compromise between conflicting interests and opinions4 ,it is not too much to say that compromise is the corner stone of every modern democratic society4 ,it is a necessary consequence of the rule of the majority1 since the majority of today may be the minority of tomorrow4 ,to find a society of his taste1 the non-compromiser should seek some negro tribe in darkest ,africa1 where the witch-doctors permit no deviations from the prescribed theological cult4 ,or1 in matters political1 he might find much to admire in the administrative system of ,louis the ,x,i,vth1 with his famous aphorism1 ,l',etat1 ,c'est ,moi4 ,in international affairs every treaty of peace1 unless its terms are dictated by a strong power to a weak one1 is a compromise between the opposing views of right and wrong held by the parties4 ,logically1 the non-compromiser should be generally opposed to treaties1 as involving necessarily some sacrifice of his principles of right to the demands of the other party4 ,in the period from #ahdd to #ahdf1 we narrowly escaped war with ,england in the dispute over the boundary between ourselves and ,canada1 because a strong ,jingo1 non-compromising party started the popular cry of ,fifty-,four ,forty or ,fight4 ,this class of thinkers would undoubtedly have opposed the celebrated compromises of ,henry ,clay1 which1 whatever might have been said against them at the time1 have1 in the light of history1 the incalculable merit of having postponed the inevitable conflict between the ,north and the ,south1 until the former had so grown in population and resources that it could preserve the unity of the nation4 ,considering the hard1 and sometimes doubtful struggle1 which the ,north went through in winning victory in the sixties1 there can be little doubt that the result would have been two divided nations if the issues between the two sections had been submitted to the arbitrament of arms in #ahbj1 in #ahcb1 or even in #ahej4 ,as the intolerance of the non-compromisers will lead some of them to oppose treaties of peace1 so the same quality in others will lead them to make nuisances of themselves in war4 ,during the ,great ,war1 the nations1 especially ,england and the ,united ,states1 had considerable trouble with the conscientious objector1 who is really a non-compromiser under a different name4 ,supposing him to be honest in his opinions 7as some of them were71 the logic of his position was unanswerable from the view-point of the non-compromiser4 ,war is unquestionably a great evil1 and most obnoxious to the doctrines of the ,sermon on the ,mount4 ,if there is to be no compromise with evil1 then a ,christian magistrate has no warrant to compel the conscientious objector to go out and slaughter1 or give his help1 directly or indirectly1 towards the slaughter of his fellow ,christians4 ,the true answer to this argument is1 of course1 obvious1 although the magistrates1 themselves infected with this pernicious1 non-compromise doctrine1 did not always make it4 ,in this fallible1 imperfect human life1 it is often necessary to compromise with evil--that is1 as between two evils1 to choose the less4 ,jesus both preached and practiced the doctrine of choosing the less evil1 even in the extreme case of war4 ,for ,he urged the spreading of ,his ,gospel1 although ,he foresaw that it would divide father from son and bring fire and a sword upon earth 7,matt4 ,x3#cd2 ,mark ,,xiii3#h2 ,luke ,,xii3#di74 ,now1 in the case of this war1 the vast majority of the nation has decided that it is a less evil to go to war than to be enslaved by ,germany4 ,so1 war it is to be4 ,but it is unjust--an evil of the greatest magnitude--that a few individuals should reap all the benefits of preserving the nation from ,german slavery1 without bearing the corresponding burdens4 ,consequently1 the conscientious objectors must either submit to the decision of the majority or seek some other country1 following the example of the ,puritans1 ,huguenots and other conscientious objectors of past times4 ,it is apparent that if the door is once opened to allow people to shirk the civil duties imposed upon them by the society in which they live1 the exemption cannot be limited to the case of war alone on the ground of their conscientious convictions4 ,in the ,supreme ,court records of one of our ,states 7possibly in several71 there will be found a case where a man and woman 7apparently respectable and generally law-abiding citizens7 suffered a criminal conviction1 because they had conscientious objections to legalizing their union by a conventional marriage ceremony4 ,it is easy to imagine a man having conscientious objections to jury duty--the condemning men to death or imprisonment1 or the transferring of property from one to another on account of the technicalities of the law4 ,or1 why should a man not have conscientious objections to paying his taxes if they are to be used1 in part at least1 for a purpose which he considers evil8 ,evidently the field for evasion is a large one1 and the only protection for society is to rigidly insist that the conscientious objector1 whether the case in hand be war or something else1 either submit himself to the will of the majority or seek some other country more congenial to his peculiar ideas4 ,at the risk of repetition1 we will collect again some of the utterances of ,jesus which seem irreconcilable with the narrow1 intolerant ideas of the non-compromisers and the sacro-sancts3 ,judge not1 that ye be not judged2 he that is without sin among you1 let him first cast a stone at her2 how wilt thou say to thy brother1 let me pull the mote out of thine eye1 and1 behold1 a beam is in thine own eye2 blessed are the merciful1 for they shall obtain mercy2 blessed are the peacemakers1 for they shall be called the children of ,god2 whosoever1 therefore1 shall humble himself as this little child1 the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven2 joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth1 more than over ninety and nine just persons1 which need no repentance2 on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets1 viz41 ,love the ,lord thy ,god with all thy heart1 soul and mind1 and love thy neighbor as thyself4 ,,hypocrisy ,,or ,,truth ,hypocrisy did not die with the ,pharisees4 ,to an observer of modern life1 it might seem as if it has as rank and luxuriant growth today as in the time of ,jesus4 ,the modern ,christian must apparently keep up the hypocrisy that he is always following ,jesus1 when1 as a matter of fact1 he is every day making compromises with ,jesus' ideals1 in some instances deviating widely from ,his teachings1 and1 in others1 going diametrically against them4 ,the question is1 if1 in these points of divergence1 it is not better to speak the plain truth than to indulge in the hypocrisy of following ,jesus4 ,for instance1 take the case of divorce laws4 ,jesus explicitly condemned all divorces1 except possibly on the ground of adultery4 ,his language is so definite1 repeated in all three of the ,synoptics1 that no quibbling over words or casuistry of logic can escape the result4 ,consequently1 when a ,christian state authorizes divorce for desertion1 cruelty1 drunkenness1 etc41 it is not following ,jesus1 but going directly contrary to ,his laws4 ,in this matter the ,roman ,catholics are the orthodox ,christians and most of the ,protestants are heterodox4 ,the point here made has nothing to do with the expediency of these divorce laws4 ,the conditions of human life have so vastly changed--it is quite possible that ,jesus1 speaking today1 might lay down much less stringent rules on this subject than ,he did two thousand years ago4 ,the important fact is that we have here an undeniable instance of ,christians1 not only making a compromise with the acknowledged evil of divorce1 but also completely ignoring the views of ,jesus in making the compromise4 ,those who condone1 or tacitly approve1 these divorce laws 7as do the great majority of the ,protestants in the ,united ,states7 should certainly be slow1 in the matter of other evils1 to urge no compromise with evil1 or bring forward some utterances of ,jesus as the final argument on the subject4 ,let them first consider the beam in their own eye4 ,it would probably surprise the professed follower of ,jesus in present times to realize in just how many matters he is not1 in fact1 following ,jesus4 ,it may be well to enumerate a few of these important matters4 ,this is not done in a spirit of criticizing the weakness and shortcomings of ,christians1 but because some of the questions involved vitally affect the present and future welfare of society4 ,in the discussion of these questions the name and authority of ,jesus are frequently invoked1 and very justly so4 ,for1 even those who do not concede ,his parentage by the ,holy ,ghost1 admire and revere ,him as the ,greatest ,teacher4 ,his word or example on one side of a question is not lightly to be disregarded4 ,but1 if it is found that1 in some matters1 the followers of ,jesus do compromise with1 diverge from1 or directly contradict ,jesus' teachings1 then the ultimate query1 becomes1 not whether ,jesus said yes or no to the question in hand1 but1 conceding that ,he said yes or no1 ,is there sufficient justification for departing from ,his teaching in this matter1 as has been done in other important matters8 ,without noticing individual short-comings1 sins of omission1 etc41 which may be left to the individual conscience and its ,god1 we will take up only questions of wide import1 affecting the present and future welfare of societies and nations4 ,nor will we enter into the field of theological disputation over conflicting or ambiguous texts1 but will cite no instance where ,jesus has not made ,his position so clear that there can be no dispute over it4 ,the following are instances where modern ,christian communities compromise with1 diverge from1 or go directly opposite to the teachings of ,jesus4 7a7 ,wars between two ,christian nations where each invokes the assistance of ,jesus in the slaughtering of its enemies1 and the victor thanks ,jesus for its success in the blood-thirsty game4 7b7 ,the substitution of the first day of the week for the seventh1 as the ,sabbath day4 7c7 ,divorces 7at least for any cause except adultery74 7d7 ,public prayers and long prayers4 7e7 ,public fasting4 7f7 ,sunday ,blue ,laws4 7g7 ,prohibition as against ,temperance4 7h7 ,creeds1 articles of religion1 pomp and ceremony in church services1 and other observances1 which ,jesus included in the word sacrifice1 as opposed to mercy4 7a7 ,,war ,it is unnecessary to waste words in proving that war 7at least between two ,christian nations7 is utterly irreconcilable with the ,sermon on the ,mount4 ,but1 as has been shown1 it may1 in any given case1 be the less of two evils1 and therefore1 justifiable1 as a compromise4 ,as to a defensive war against a ,moslem1 ,oriental or other infidel invasion1 which seeks to uproot the ,christian faith and subjugate a ,christian nation1 ,jesus has apparently given ,his sanction to such a war 7,matt4 ,x3#cd1 #ce1 #cf2 ,luke ,,xii3#ea1 #eb1 #ec74 ,it might1 perhaps1 even be argued that this sanction covered an offensive war1 the purpose of which was to establish ,christianity among an infidel people4 ,but1 beyond this1 some wars must be justifiable1 as the less of two evils1 under ,jesus' sane practice of compromising with evil4 ,if the independence 7the life7 of a nation is attacked1 there is no warrant in the four ,gospels for supposing that ,jesus would advise a policy of passive non-resistance4 ,just as when the life of the individual1 or the life or honor of his mother1 sister1 or daughter are threatened by some beast in human form1 he is justified in resistance1 although the taking of human life results4 ,a standard of ethics countenancing such a surrender of the primary instincts of self-preservation might be suited to a race of spineless invertebrates1 but could never be accepted by human beings1 who are the evolutionary product of countless ages of a struggle for existence4 ,but1 conceding that some wars may be justifiable1 the general rule holds good that wars are un-,christian4 ,the exception must be established beyond a reasonable doubt4 ,as between two ,christian nations1 the one attacked can usually plead self-defense in at least partial justification1 but the aggressor must always have a difficult case to maintain before the judgment seat of ,jesus4 ,looking back over the wars of the ,united ,states1 there are few that would stand the acid test of ,jesus' judgment4 ,the war of the ,revolution was due1 in the last analysis1 to the fact that there were a large number of prominent men in the colonies determined on independence at any cost4 ,if war was a necessary means to attain that end1 these leaders were for war1 without shilly-shallying over the moral justification for the conflict4 ,the men of that generation were rather fond of attitudinizing1 and were prone to the use of high-sounding phrases like no taxation without representation1 give me liberty or give me death1 etc4 ,the ,declaration of ,independence starts out with one of those phrases--,all men are created equal1 and endowed with inalienable ,rights to ,life1 ,liberty and the pursuit of ,happiness4 ,this was at that time such a palpable untruth and hypocrisy1 that one wonders if our forefathers had no sense of humor4 ,of course1 to be true1 the sentence should have been added1 except certain persons of ,african descent1 whom we hold and propose to hold as slaves4#ef ,stripping the grievances of the colonists of their heated and declamatory rhetoric1 their real sufferings under the misrule of ,great ,britain were far less than those of the ,jews under the ,romans1 when ,jesus said1 ,render unto ,csar the things that are ,csar's4 ,many of the foremost statesmen in ,england supported the justness of the colonists' claims1 and most of the obnoxious taxes were repealed before the ,declaration of ,independence4 ,with time and patience the difficulties between the two countries could probably have been adjusted without war1 as was the case with ,canada1 except for the underlying desire of the ,americans for independence4 ,to avoid misunderstanding1 it should be added1 that1 before the bar of ,nature--under the laws of the struggle for existence and survival of the fittest--the colonies were fully justified in taking up arms when they did4 ,the pigheaded obstinacy of ,george ,,iii in insisting on his prerogatives1 and the blind stupidity of his ministers in urging measures of little value to ,england1 but irritating to the colonies1 wounding their pride and making them apprehensive of future1 more serious encroachments on their liberties1 furnished ample warrant for ceasing longer to turn the other cheek4 ,furthermore1 before ,nature's forum1 the plea that the end justifies the means1 is always of controlling force4 ,history proves that the independence of the ,united ,states was sure to come sooner or later1 and that it was better for both countries and for the world that the two nations should be under separate governments1 and each work out its own destiny4 ,the war of #ahab was1 before the bar of ,jesus1 without any excuse1 and1 like the ,crimean war1 was futile of results4 ,the main questions at issue between the ,united ,states and ,england1 and about which the war started1 were not even mentioned in the final treaty of peace4 ,the ,american grievances were real enough1 but a very moderate exercise of ,christian forbearance on ,england's part would have avoided any necessity of war4 ,these grievances1 bad as they were1 had been endured by the ,united ,states for some twelve years1 and a delay of some two years more would have brought a natural end to them with the fall of ,napoleon4 ,this war should never have occurred between two ,christian peoples1 and is unjustified by any good results that followed from it4 ,the war with ,mexico in #ahdh was simply an aggressive1 land-grabbing1 politicians' war1 and will always be a blot on the ,christianity of the ,united ,states4 ,the lands of which ,mexico was robbed were of course of great material value to the ,united ,states1 but the less said about the justness of their acquisition the better4 ,the question of the ,civil ,war is complicated by the moral issue of the abolition of slavery1 underlying the political issue of the right of the ,south to secede1 which was the ostensible cause of the war4 ,slavery in the ,united ,states was an evil1 both ethically and economically1 and1 as its abolition was a result of the war1 that war is justifiable both in the court of ,jesus and in that of ,nature4 ,but that result was an incident of the war1 and the ,north would never have taken up arms on the simple issue of forcing the abolition of slavery on the ,south4 ,on the ostensible1 political issue which started the war--the right of the ,south to secede from the ,union--there is room for much difference of opinion4 ,despite the technical and labored constitutional arguments of ,von ,holst and others1 it is rather difficult to understand why1 if the ,south believed that its happiness and prosperity were being imperiled by a further continuance of its union with the ,north1 it had not the same right to break that union in #ahfa as the colonies had the right to break their union with ,england in #aggf4 ,at the outbreak of the war1 there were many in the ,north1 beside ,horace ,greeley and ,vallandingham1 who thought it morally wrong to compel the ,south by force to remain in a union that had become hateful to it4 ,a great writer on ,american history 7,sumner7 has said that whenever some geographical section of our country becomes saturated with the idea that its material interests are being sacrificed to the interests of other parts of the country1 and it sees no hope of redress1 it will begin to talk secession4 ,it was true of ,new ,england at the time of the ,hartford ,convention4 ,it was true of the ,south in #ahbj1 #ahca and #ahfj4 ,it was true of the ,pacific ,states shortly after the ,civil ,war1 when they feared that ,congress would not pass their desired ,chinese ,exclusion ,acts4 ,it would be difficult to justify the ,spanish ,war of #ahih1 in the court of ,jesus4 ,it was mostly the work of the newspapers and politicians4 ,nine-tenths of the people of the ,united ,states were ignorant of suffering great grievances from ,spain1 until the ,jingo journals demonstrated the fact to them4 ,it is safe to say that this war would never have occurred if ,spain had been a great naval power like ,germany or ,great ,britain4 ,the same assertion may be made of the war against ,mexico in #ahdh4 ,in studying the ,jingo spirit which encourages wars1 it will usually be found that the strength of this spirit varies in the inverse ratio to the supposed war-strength of the other party to the fight4 ,nations are much like school boys in this respect4 ,it is quite probable that the war of #ahab would not have been brought on1 except for the mistaken idea of ,henry ,clay and his hot-headed followers from the ,west that the ,united ,states could easily overrun ,canada1 and dictate peace to ,england in ,halifax4 ,our participation in the ,great ,war of #aiad was forced upon us1 and was amply justifiable1 both in the court of ,jesus and in that of ,nature4 ,when ,germany sunk our ships on the high seas1 it struck at our independence as a nation1 as vitally as though it had invaded and seized a part of our territory4 ,on this issue we had waged war with ,england in #ahab1 and with the ,algerine pirates in #ahae4 ,to have yielded this point to ,germany would have been the first step toward international slavery4 ,but the war itself was utterly unjustifiable4 ,the fact that it could occur nearly #b1jjj years after the death of ,jesus1 only illustrates how little actual progress the teachings of ,jesus inculcating peace had made against the forces of nature urging nations into conflict with each other4 ,to the impartial student of our history1 it must be apparent that the ,sermon on the ,mount1 so far as preventing wars1 has been practically a dead letter4 ,the condemnation of war has been superficial and insincere--nothing better than simple hypocrisy4 ,it has been a service of the lip and not of the heart4 ,the outside of the cup has been kept clean with a great parade of noble humanitarian sentiments1 but the inside has been full of corruption4 ,except among some numerically small bodies like the ,quakers and a few others1 there has never been any strong living1 effective public sentiment in the ,united ,states condemning wars as unrighteous1 save as a last extremity4 ,this is well illustrated by our two disputes with ,england over the ,maine and ,oregon boundaries4 ,these boundary disputes were most intricate and complicated1 the evidence was uncertain and conflicting1 no question of principle was involved1 and they were eminently matters to be settled by negotiation1 mutual compromise1 or arbitration4 ,but in each case the ,jingo clamor for war spread over the whole country4 ,polk's campaign cry in #ahdd was1 ,fifty-,four ,forty or ,fight4 ,but there was no organized1 effective opposition on the ground that this war would be unrighteous and un-,christian4 ,if ,england had been as weak as ,mexico1 or if ,tyler and ,polk had been fire-eaters1 like ,andrew ,jackson1 we would1 beyond doubt1 have had war in each case1 although there could have been no justification for it in the court of ,jesus4 ,every war1 whether right or wrong1 has been not merely condoned1 but fully approved by the vast majority of the religious people of our country4 ,success in war has been the best stepping stone to the ,presidency1 as is shown by the instances of ,jackson1 ,harrison1 ,taylor and ,grant4 ,there is no record of any ,jingo statesman being punished by his constituents for precipitating the ,united ,states into unnecessary and unrighteous wars1 and the supreme hypocrisy of all is1 that1 in every war1 whether morally justifiable or not1 the followers of ,jesus crowd the churches to pray for ,his assistance1 and to thank ,him for victory when won1 as though ,he were sanctioning these infractions of ,his ,sermon on the ,mount4 ,the late ,president ,roosevelt has expressed his views on our wars1 and he may certainly be taken as fairly representative of a large portion of the ,american people4 ,he was a devout ,christian1 but singularly free from hypocrisy4 ,he was given to speakin' out in meetin'1 on occasions with a frankness that was embarrassing to his followers1 and even later to himself4#eg ,in his life of ,thomas ,h4 ,benton1 ,american ,statesmen ,series1 page #bfa1 he says1 in treating of this boundary dispute with ,canada3 ,the matter was sure to be decided in favor of the strongest2 and1 say what we will about the justice and right of the various claims1 the honest truth is1 that the comparative might of the different nations1 and not the comparative righteousness of their several causes1 was the determining factor in the settlement4 ,mexico lost her northern provinces by no law of right1 but simply by the law of the longest sword--the same law that gave ,india to ,england4#eh ,on page #bfb he says3 ,it would be untrue to say that ,nations have not at times proved themselves capable of acting with great disinterestedness and generosity towards other peoples2 but such conduct is not very common at the best1 and although it often may be desirable1 it certainly is not always so4 ,if the matter in dispute is of great importance1 and if there is a doubt as to which side is right1 then the strongest party to the controversy is pretty sure to give itself the benefit of that doubt2 and international morality will have to take tremendous strides in advance before this ceases to be the case4#ei ,on page #bfh he says3 ,no foot of soil to which we had any title#fj in the ,northwest should have been given up2 we were the people who could use it best1 and we ought to have taken it all4 ,the prize was well worth winning1 and would warrant a good deal of risk being run4 ,on page #bhi1 in speaking of the final compromise and settlement of the ,oregon boundary dispute1 he says3 ,yet as there was no particular reason why we should show any generosity in our diplomatic dealings with ,england1 it may well be questioned whether it would not have been better to have left things as they were until we could have taken all4 ,wars are1 of course1 as a rule to be avoided1 but they are far better than certain kinds of peace4 ,every war in which we have been engaged1 except the one with ,mexico1 has been justifiable in its origin1 and each one1 without any exception whatever1 has left us better off1 taking both moral#fa and material considerations into account1 than we should have been if we had not waged it4 ,these citations1 reflecting1 as they undoubtedly do1 prevalent ,american sentiment in the past and present1 establish the utter hypocrisy of any claim that the ,sermon on the ,mount has had any practical1 effective power in determining the actions of our nation concerning wars1 whether justifiable or not4 7b7 ,,sunday ,,and ,,the ,,sabbath ,it is uncertain just when ,sunday 7the first day of the week7 began to be generally observed among ,christians as a holy day4 ,the early ,gentile converts were naturally averse to all ,jewish rites and ceremonies1 including circumcision1 ,sabbath-day observances1 etc4 ,it would seem that1 in ,st4 ,paul's time1 more or less of them held the position that all days of the week were alike1 and no one of them especially holy 7,romans ,,xiv3#e1 #f2 ,col4 ,,ii3#af1 #ag74 ,but at least two or three centuries had elapsed after ,jesus' death1 before ,sunday was established as a day holy to the ,lord1 and began to have attributed to it the sanctity with which the ,jews surrounded their ,mosaic ,sabbath4 ,jesus never sanctioned the observance of the first day of the week as a holy day4 ,no text can be cited from the ,old ,testament1 or the four ,gospels1 that gives even color of authority to this observance4 ,sunday is a purely human institution1 established by the ,christians of the first five centuries1 to suit their own convenience1 or satisfy their anti-,jewish prejudices4 ,as a ,biblical festival1 it is no more sacred than ,monday or ,tuesday1 or any other day4 ,this matter is not commented on because of its practical importance1 since it would now be inadvisable to change our legal day of rest to correspond with the ,biblical ,sabbath4 ,but it affords a fair illustration of the prevalent cant and hypocrisy of the day4 ,how frequently do the modern ,pharisees denounce the man1 who1 for instance1 goes fishing or hunting on ,sunday1 instead of going to church1 as a contemner of ,jesus1 a violator of ,god's holy laws1 etc41 when in fact they have not the slightest authority from ,jesus to do so4 ,would it not be well for them to consider the beam in their own eye8 ,on this point1 the ,seventh-day ,baptists and others like them are the consistent followers of ,jesus1 and not the ,roman ,catholics and the great bulk of the ,protestants4 7c7 ,,the ,,hypocrisy ,,of ,,divorce ,under the ,mosaic law a husband1 dissatisfied with his wife1 could write her a bill of a divorcement if he had found some uncleanness in her 7,deut4 ,,xxiv3#a2 ,matt4 ,,xix3#g74 ,according to ,matthew1 ,jesus condemned divorce except for the cause of fornication 7,matt4 ,v3#cb2 ,,xix3#i74 ,according to ,mark and ,luke1 ,he condemned divorce for any cause 7,mark ,x3#aa2 ,luke ,,xvi3#ah74 ,all the ,states of our ,union1 except ,new ,york and ,south ,carolina1 authorize divorce on other grounds than adultery4 ,in ,new ,york divorces are granted only on the ground of adultery1 and in ,south ,carolina no divorces are granted4 7,world's ,almanac1 #aibj1 pp4 #cfi-cga47 ,in #aiaf1 there were #a1jdj1ggh marriages and #aab1jcf divorces in the ,united ,states1 of which about #aa per cent were on the ground of unfaithful4 7,world's ,almanac1 #aibj1 pp4 #aea-aeb47 ,but the marriages of the ,roman ,catholics1 about #a-g of our population 7,world's ,almanac1 p4 #dhd71 should fairly be excluded1 since divorce is practically non-existent among them4 ,this would leave #hij1jjj marriages to #aab1jjj divorces4 ,there was then1 in #aiaf1 something more than one divorce to every ten marriages among our total population1 or1 excluding ,roman ,catholics1 something more than one divorce to every eight marriages4 ,in the face of these figures1 it must be conceded that this prohibition of ,jesus has become practically a dead letter among the ,protestant ,christians of the ,united ,states4 ,to the innocent party to a divorce1 little1 if any1 stigma attaches either in business1 social or religious circles1 and nothing but a temporary condemnation is visited on the guilty party4 ,the plain truth is1 that divorce has become a matter of everyday life1 regrettable but not sinful1 and that1 on this point1 the followers of ,jesus 7excepting the ,roman ,catholics7 have simply substituted their ideas of right and wrong for ,his4 ,it should be added again1 to avoid misunderstanding1 that it is not the intention hereby to condemn our present divorce laws4 ,on the contrary1 it is quite probable that1 if ,jesus were legislating for the complex societies of today1 instead of for the comparatively simpler civilization of ,his day1 ,he would materially modify ,his stringent views on divorce1 in a sane concession to the weakness and frailty of human nature4 ,certainly1 to one who has seen many ill-mated couples seeking relief in the divorce courts1 and subsequently making happy marriages1 to the mutual benefit of themselves1 their children1 their friends and society in general1 divorce laws cannot seem all evil4 ,the children1 if there are any1 are the main factor to be considered1 and no conditions of life are likely to be much worse for them than to be brought up by two mutually unloving1 unsympathetic parents1 and1 as usually happens1 in an atmosphere of continual bickering and quarreling4 7d7 ,,the ,,hypocrisy ,,of ,,prayer ,this subject has already been treated under ,note #bb1 supra1 page #bc1 and it has been shown that ,jesus clearly condemned public prayers1 long prayers and frequent prayers 7,matt4 ,,vi3 #e1 #h74 ,the evils of the prayer-habit 7as a public ceremony7 are many and obvious4 7#a7 ,it is a useless waste of time and energy that had better be expended on works of mercy4 ,god already knows what things we need1 and will grant them1 if advisable1 without prayer 7,matt4 ,,vi3#h74 ,for instance1 how much time has been spent by the human race in praying for things which subsequent events proved were1 or would have been1 injurious instead of beneficial8 ,how many there are1 who1 in looking back over their lives1 can see that the realization of one of their 7at the time7 dearest wishes turned out later to be the most unfortunate thing that ever happened to them4 7#b7 ,it encourages the formation of a low and unworthy conception of ,god as a being to be propitiated and placated1 like the deities of barbarous peoples4 ,insensibly the idea grows that the more frequent and the more zealous the prayers1 the more likely they are to be granted4 ,an instance of this will be found in the custom started during the ,great ,war of every one on the streets and everywhere1 praying exactly at noon for the success of our armies4 ,the idea underlying this was apparently that of a long pull1 a strong pull1 and a pull all together1 although the latter requirement was hardly fulfilled1 since the prayers in ,new ,york were several hours old before those in ,san ,francisco were begun4 ,nothing could be imagined much more inconsistent with ,jesus' regulations on the subject of prayer4 ,furthermore1 the prayer-habit begets a sickening tone of servility in the worshipper1 coupled with the ascription to the ,deity of an equally sickening love of adulation4 ,in many prayer meetings the speakers seem to vie with each other in seeking terms of humility and self abasement for themselves 7miserable worms being rather a favorite7 and the most exaggerated titles of honor for the ,deity4 ,one would think they were a lot of grovelling slaves1 prostrating themselves before the throne of some barbaric despot4 ,take the ,te ,deum1 which is a prayer in the form of a hymn4 ,can it be supposed that the fulsome adulation with which it is filled can be pleasing to the ,god of the universe8 ,and yet1 why is it sung1 except on that supposition8 ,what respect would we have for an earthly father who delighted in having his children assemble every morning1 and chant their praises of his goodness1 his excellence1 his power1 etc48 ,and yet should not the ideal of the heavenly ,father be higher than that of the earthly father8 7#c7 ,the prayer-habit tends to emasculate the moral strength of its devotees4 ,it is much easier to pray to ,god for help and1 so to speak1 shift the responsibility on ,him1 than to work out one's own troubles by one-self4 ,there is an old saying--,pray1 but with thy hand on the plough4 ,too much praying tends towards neglect of the plough1 or1 to use ,cromwell's phrase1 the keeping one's powder dry4 7#d7 ,another evil is that it tends to encourage a self-righteousness on the part of its devotees 7,luke ,,xviii3#aa74 ,when prayer is regarded as a duty1 the sequel to a prayer-meeting is a feeling of satisfaction in duty well performed4 ,god has not only been well pleased by a display of humility on the part of ,his worshippers1 but has also been intelligently advised on a variety of subjects1 about which ,he may have been in uncertainty4 ,compare the prayer meeting of today with one according to ,jesus' precepts4 ,there would be no long prayers 7,matt4 ,,xxiii3#ad2 ,luke ,,xx3#dg74 ,the meeting would open with the ,lord's ,prayer4 ,then1 as each one thought over his various sins of omission and commission1 and repented of them1 he would arise and say1 ,god be merciful to me1 a sinner 7,luke ,,xviii3#ac74 ,the peace and silent meditation of such a gathering would tend to produce the humble and contrite heart1 which is the offering pleasing to ,god4 7#e7 ,but the worst evil1 as pointed out by ,jesus1 is that of substituting a false standard of righteousness1 words for acts1 sacrifice for mercy 7,matt4 ,,xii3#g74 ,when prayers are regarded as a duty and their performance a meritorious act1 their devotees are quite apt to become like the ,pharisees1 who paid tithe of mint1 anise and cummin1 but neglected judgment1 mercy and faith 7,matt4 ,,xxiii3#bc74 ,the average1 easy-going ,christian can without difficulty square his account with ,god through numerous prayers1 or even rest easy in his conscience with a slight balance in his favor4 ,but it must be almost impossible for the believer in1 and faithful adherent of1 prayer-meetings to rise to the sublime conception of the ,almighty1 voiced not only by ,jesus1 but by the later prophets of the ,old ,testament4 ,bring no more vain oblations 7prayers or fasting73 incense 7prayers and fasting7 is an abomination to me4 ,the new moons and ,sabbaths 7ceremonial church services71 the calling of assemblies 7prayer-meetings71 ,i cannot away with2 it is iniquity1 even the solemn meeting4 ,your new moons and your appointed feasts1 my soul hateth2 they are a trouble unto me2 ,i am weary to bear them4 ,learn to do well2 seek judgment1 relieve the oppressed1 judge the fatherless1 plead for the widow 7,isaiah ,i3#ac1 #ad1 #ag74 ,and what doth the ,lord require of thee1 but to do justly and love mercy1 and to walk humbly with thy ,god 7,micah ,,vi3#h74 7e7 ,,the ,,hypocrisy ,,of ,,fasting ,this subject also1 has already been discussed under note #bj1 supra1 but for convenience1 reference is again made to the passages in which ,jesus condemns public fasting1 or fasting as a ceremony 7,matt4 ,,vi3#af1 #ag1 #ah2 ,matt4 ,,ix3#ad2 ,mark ,,ii3#ah2 ,luke ,v3#cc2 ,luke ,x3#g74 ,nearly everything which has been said under the last subhead concerning public prayers applies with equal force to ceremonial fasting1 and need not be repeated here4 7f7 ,,sunday ,,blue ,,laws ,assuming there is to be ascribed to the modern ,sunday the same sanctity as a holy day that should be accorded to the ,sabbath which ,jesus observed1 ,his views on the proper observance of the day are summed up in the one sentence3 ,the ,sabbath was made for man and not man for the ,sabbath 7,mark ,,ii3#bg74 ,the basic idea of the old ,puritan ,sunday was the direct opposite of that of ,jesus4 ,following the old ,mosaic law1 which ,jesus combatted1 the ,puritans planned their celebration of the day for the honor and glory of ,god1 and not for the benefit of man4 ,conceiving this ,god1 not as a loving ,father1 but as a stern1 austere ,judge1 who1 according to ,jonathan ,edwards1 had reserved the bulk of mankind for burning1 who demanded sacrifice and not mercy1 and was therefore to be propitiated and placated1 the ,puritan ministers succeeded1 while they had the power1 in imposing on their congregations a most atrocious travesty of the ,sabbath of ,jesus4 ,religious services were piled up like ,pelion on ,ossa1 and every movement of the day was marked by gloom and austerity4 ,no wonder that ,william ,lloyd ,garrison said of the observance of ,sunday at a much later date3 ,the ,sabbath1 as now recognized and enforced1 is one of the main pillars of priest-craft and superstition1 and the stronghold of merely ceremonial religion4 ,jesus did not object to the ,jewish observance of the ,sabbath on the ground that it was too lax 7to use a modern term71 but on just the opposite ground--that certain of their restrictions on man's freedom of action on that day were unnecessary4 ,but the ,sabbath of that time1 as the ,jews celebrated it1 and as1 from all the accounts in the four ,gospels1 ,jesus celebrated it1 was a day of joyous rest and recreation1 and in no sense a day of spiritual maceration4 ,the same character of cheerfulness1 of happy rest from the toil and turmoil of the world's business2 of quiet and peaceful return unto one's self2 of joyous communion with friends and kindred over good cheer--in short1 of mental and bodily relaxation and recreation that strengthens1 braces1 pacifies1 and maketh the heart glad1 while the sublime ideas which it symbolizes are recalled to the memory at every step and turn seems to have prevailed at all times down to our own1 among the ,jews4 ,suffice it to reiterate that in every class1 every age and every variety of ,jews1 from first to last1 the ,sabbath has been absolutely a day of joy and happiness1 nay1 of dancing1 of singing1 of eating and drinking1 and of luxury4 ,international ,cyclopdia1 ,sabbath1 ,vol4 ,,xii1 p4 #heg4 ,this is the kind of a ,sabbath which the ,gospels picture ,jesus as celebrating1 attending feasts in the houses of ,his friends1 walking in the fields with ,his disciples1 or meeting with them in public places1 and healing the sick when occasion offered 7,matt4 ,,xii3#a2 ,mark ,,ii3#bc2 ,luke ,,vi3#a2 ,luke ,,xiv3#a2 ,john ,v3#a1 #b1 #i2 ,,ix3#a1 #ad74 ,hard as it may be for ,anglo-,saxon prejudice to admit1 yet it seems to be true1 that the ,spanish ,sunday--mass in the morning and a bull-fight in the afternoon--is nearer than the ,puritan ,sunday to ,jesus' ideas of the proper observance of the day1 although ,he would probably approve1 as little as we do1 that particular form of amusement4 ,there is at the present time a strong and perhaps growing tendency towards enacting ,sunday ,blue ,laws4 ,by this is meant legislation restricting man's freedom of action on that day1 which is based1 not on any benefit to the individual or society1 but on the old ,mosaic idea of the supposed sanctity of the day--that it is holy to the ,lord and ,he will be pleased by a ceremonial observance of it1 different from other days4 ,insofar as the professed followers of ,jesus urge the enactment of such ,blue ,laws1 it seems clear that they are not following ,jesus1 but going contrary to ,his precept and example4 7g7 ,,temperance vs4 ,,prohibition ,there can be no possible doubt as to the position of ,jesus on this question4 ,at the outset of ,his prophetic career1 ,he drew the line sharply between ,himself and ,john the ,baptist in this matter4 ,john drank no wine and practiced fasting4 ,jesus drank wine and condemned ceremonial fasting4 ,each by word and example inculcated these different ideas on his respective followers 7,matt4 ,,xi3#ah1 #ai2 ,luke ,v3#cc74fb ,at the marriage in ,cana1 ,he furnishes wine for the guests when the supply runs out 7,john ,,ii3#a1 #b74 ,in ,his instructions to ,his apostles ,he tells them to eat and drink such things as are set before them 7,luke ,x3#g74 ,he uses wine in the celebration of the ,last ,supper1 and promises ,his apostles to drink with them of the fruit of the vine in heaven 7,matt4 ,,xxvi3#bi2 ,mark ,,xiv3#be2 ,luke ,,xxii3#ah1 #cj74 ,when ,mahomet appeared1 he followed the example of ,john the ,baptist1 and prohibited the drinking of wine4 ,since his time1 on two points the line has always been sharply drawn between the ,gospel of ,jesus and that of ,mahomet4 ,the orthodox ,christian could eat pork and drink wine1 while the orthodox ,mohammedan could do neither4 ,the majority of professed ,christians have presumably supported the recent prohibition legislation in the ,united ,states4 ,in so doing1 they are not following ,jesus1 but going directly contrary to ,his precept and example4 ,they are in effect saying that1 on this point1 ,mahomet knew better than ,jesus what was for the best good of the human race4 7h7 ,,sacrifice vs4 ,,mercy ,under the term sacrifice1 ,jesus included all ceremonial religious worship1 and tried constantly to impress on ,his followers that this was not the offering pleasing to ,god1 but1 rather1 deeds of mercy 7,matt4 ,,ix3#ac2 ,,xxiii3#bc74 ,realizing how strong is the tendency in human nature to impute to itself righteousness on account of its tithes of mint and anise and cummin1 ,he carried ,his condemnation of ceremonies into the smallest details4 ,this is well illustrated by ,his enjoining ,his apostles not to wash before eating 7,matt4 ,,xv3#a1 #b and #bj2 ,luke ,,xi3#cg1 #ch74 ,as ,he states1 ,his objection was not to washing in itself1 but because the ,pharisees had made a religious ceremony of it4 ,simplicity is the marked characteristic of all ,jesus' acts of devotion4 ,while it was ,his custom to preach in the synagogue on the ,sabbath day1 yet1 so far as appears in the four ,gospels1 ,matthew's ,sermon on the ,mount1 ,luke's ,sermon on the ,plain1 the ,lord's ,prayer1 and most of ,jesus' important discourses were delivered1 not in the synagogue and on the ,sabbath day1 but wherever time and place suited ,his convenience--from a ship1 on a mountain1 on a plain1 in ,his own house1 etc4 7,matt4 ,v3#a2 ,x3#a2 ,,xii3#b2 ,,xviii3#a2 ,,xxiii3#a2 ,,xxiv3#c2 ,mark ,,iv3#a2 ,x3#a2 ,luke ,v3#c2 ,,vi3#ag2 ,x3#a2 ,,xi3#a2 ,,xii3#a2 ,john ,,iii3#b2 ,,ix3#dj2 ,,xii3#bb1 #bc2 ,,xiv2 ,,xv2 ,,xvi2 ,,xvii74 ,to demonstrate how far modern ,christianity has traveled from the ideas of ,jesus1 it is only necessary to attend some ceremonial service in an ,episcopalian or ,catholic ,cathedral1 or some protracted prayer meeting of one of the ,evangelical denominations4 ,out of the fruitful field of ,pauline theology1 there sprang1 even within a few centuries after the ,crucifixion1 a plentiful crop of the direst evils that have ever afflicted mankind--creeds and definitions of belief4 ,fortunately1 disputatious theologians are now limited to the weapons of pen and ink1 but in the ,middle ,ages oceans of blood were spilt over these religious quarrels4 ,if we could suppose the ,westminster ,confession of ,faith1 or the ,thirty-nine ,articles1 or the ,augsburg ,confession to be submitted to ,jesus for ,his approval1 it is easy to imagine the substance of ,his answer3 ,i don't know what all this stuff means4 ,i do not understand your terms--pre-destination1 fore-ordination1 trans-substantiation1 infant damnation1 etc4 ,there is nothing here that ,i ever preached4 ,i have given you a simple standard of righteousness1 which every one can understand and follow1 viz41 right living4 ,have you forgotten my saying1 that 'all the law and the prophets were contained in the two commandments to ',love the ,lord thy ,god with all thy heart1' and to 'love thy neighbor as thyself' 7,matt4 ,,xxii3#cg-dj74 ,these creeds of yours may be true1 or partly true1 or wholly false4 ,but the important fact for you to remember is1 that they are unnecessary to salvation--are non-essentials4 ,if this sort of logomachy pleases you as an intellectual exercise1 well and good1 if it goes no further4 ,but1 beware that1 in following this ignis fatuus1 you do not neglect the only one main essential to ,god's favor--'to do justly and to love mercy1 and to walk humbly with thy ,god4' ,,conclusion ,the ,great ,war has brought about a wondrous upheaval in the society of the world4 ,nearly every phase of mental and physical activity in man is in a process of transformation4 ,government1 religion1 labor1 pleasure1 business1 finance1 international relations--all are on a shifting basis1 seeking readjustment to new ideas and new conditions4 ,to cling to worn-out conceptions of life--to worn-out ideas and phrases is mere folly4 ,these new problems can only be met and settled with a tabula rasa4 ,we must wipe out the old prejudices1 the old accepted canons1 and above all the old hypocrisies and cant4 ,if ,christianity is to be a living1 efficient force in the coming readjustment1 it must cleanse itself of some of these old barnacles of hypocrisy now clinging to it4 ,not that hypocrisy will be less prevalent under the new regime than under the old4 ,human nature will remain essentially the same1 but it will demand new forms of hypocrisy4 ,the specious1 shallow reasoning of the charlatan1 the fulsome adulation and extravagant promises of the demagogue1 and other forms of humbuggery will still attract their thousands4 ,patient merit will still suffer its many spurns from the unworthy4 ,but the followers of ,jesus1 if they will throw overboard their useless ecclesiastical and theological lumber1 and return to the simple teachings and example of the ,great ,teacher1 are sure to win4 ,the first and most important matter is to get rid of the hypocrisy of war4 ,war is the most direful menace to the happiness and prosperity of mankind and1 notwithstanding the bitter lessons of the ,great ,war1 little progress has been made towards averting it in the future4 ,and no permanent progress in that direction will be made until the ,christian peoples of the world reject1 root and branch1 such views of national wars as are expressed by the late ,president ,roosevelt in the quotations from his works already given 7see 7a7 ,war1 supra74 ,the underlying principle of this war philosophy is the same as that of the modern ,germans1 ,treitschke1 ,nietzsche and ,bernhardi1 except that they express themselves with more brutal frankness4 ,it was preached long ago by ,machiavelli1 ,francis ,bacon1 ,hobbes1 ,eichte1 ,hegel and others4 ,it is in substance that the ,state1 although all its component units are sincere followers of ,jesus1 should not be governed by any moral laws in its dealings with other ,states4 ,the ,state can do no wrong4 ,it should pursue its ends with utter1 callous selfishness1 and its only law is that might makes right4 ,president ,roosevelt has been quoted1 because1 in his views1 he unquestionably voiced the sentiments of the great majority of past and present ,americans4 ,if this be true1 should we not look for the beam in our own eye1 before we criticize ,germany for starting the ,great ,war8 ,she was simply applying the law that might makes right1 except that she underestimated the might of the enemies she was arraying against herself4 ,if she had been successful 7as she probably would have been except for the unexpected valor and self-sacrifice of the ,belgians71 would she have been any worse sinner 7barring some barbarous details of her warfare7 than the ,united ,states with its condonation and approval of the ,mexican and ,spanish wars8 ,both of these were wars of aggression against weaker nations1 and the ,mexican war1 at least1 is admitted on all hands to have been morally unjustifiable1 even by such stalwart ,americans as ,president ,roosevelt4 ,more than a hundred years ago1 a distinguished admiral of the ,united ,states ,navy is reported to have said3 ,our country6 ,in her intercourse with foreign nations may she always be in the right2 but our country1 right or wrong4 ,now1 this is a high-sounding phrase and is a great refuge for ,jingo politicians when they have precipitated the country into an unrighteous war4 ,but before the bar of ,jesus it is the veriest clap-trap4 ,the sincere follower of ,jesus should insist that we be sure we are right in the first instance1 and1 if it is discovered that we have been misled into a by-way of wrong and injustice1 that we get back at once to the straight and narrow way of right and justice4 ,our churches must denounce these ,rooseveltian doctrines early and late1 as a perversion of ,jesus' laws4 ,they must insist that opposition to wars becomes a service of the heart and not of the lip4 ,they must mould us into a nation of sincere conscientious objectors1 condemning all wars as un-,christian1 judging every aggressive war as prima facie unjustifiable1 and insisting that the advocates of any war prove the justness of their cause beyond a reasonable doubt4 ,let our politicians and leaders understand that if they plunge us into an unjust war1 they are to be punished1 and not rewarded by the ,presidency1 as was ,roosevelt after the ,spanish war1 and ,taylor after the ,mexican war4 ,how many of our wars would have lacked advocates1 if they had been obliged to plead their cause under the principles of the ,sermon on the ,mount8 ,as long as the people of the ,united ,states are animated by1 and their conduct based on1 the war philosophy of ,roosevelt1 it is hard to see how any ,league of ,nations could be anything but a farce--a mere scrap of paper4 ,on the other hand1 if all the ,christian nations were sincere1 ardent conscientious objectors1 wars would be avoided without the need of any ,league of ,nations4 ,if the ,christian people of ,germany had been conscientious objectors in this sense1 there would not have been a ,great ,war4 ,but unfortunately they were of a different faith1 and according to ,german writers still cling to that faith1 after all their bitter experiences4 7,germany since the ,revolution4 ,yale ,review1 ,jan41 #aiba74 ,nor may we flatter ourselves that we are free from the same views4 ,for instance1 there is apparently1 at the present time 7as there was before the ,spanish war7 a ,jingo junto of politicians and newspapers who seize every opportunity to stir up prejudice and hostility against ,japan1 although it has always acted towards us as a peace-loving1 neighborly nation4 ,if it were as vulnerable to our attack as ,mexico or ,spain1 these ,hotspurs might quite likely drag us into a war1 but the uncertainty of the contest in this case must give them pause4 ,another field for church action is in working towards making ,sunday like the ,sabbath of ,jesus' time--a day of joyous relaxation and recreation1 but always remembering that deeds of mercy and the promotion of the happiness of others1 are to feature the day1 as the offering acceptable to ,god4 ,one of the marked features of the time is the growing spirit of unrest and discontent among the mass of the people4 ,this spirit of unrest manifests itself1 in part1 by an increasing appetite for amusement4 ,while this outlet for people's uneasiness may perhaps not be of the highest1 it is much preferable to others1 to which their discontent might turn4 ,the churches should recognize this present need of man1 realize the truth of ,jesus saying that the ,sabbath was made for man1 oppose all new ,sunday ,blue ,laws1 and seek the repeal of those now existing4 ,instead of putting the ban of the church on all ,sunday amusements1 it should encourage such harmless recreations as it can well sanction under the example of ,jesus4 ,there should be meetings in the churches1 as in the synagogue in ,jesus' time1 but as an incident1 and not the chief end1 of the day4 ,in the matter of temperance vs4 prohibition1 a great ,christian nation has1 for the first time in history1 recently inaugurated the experiment of a general prohibition law4 ,what the results of this policy may be1 remains an uncertain question for the future to decide4 ,certain it is that the ,anglo-,saxon race has reached its present stage of progress and civilization under a regime of practically unrestricted use of alcoholic drinks4 ,of the eminent names in its history--in government1 war1 literature1 arts1 sciences1 industrial work and invention--the percentage of those who all their lives have been consistent abstainers from liquor must be exceedingly small4 ,the prohibitionist will say that all this progress has been made in spite of the evils of drink4 ,but that can only be proved by generations of experience under prohibition laws4 ,the other hypothesis is1 prima facie1 equally tenable1 that this progress has been due in part to the stimulus which the temperate use of liquor undoubtedly does1 at least temporarily1 give to the physical and mental activity of man4 ,the thirteen centuries of experience of the followers of ,mahomet demonstrate that prohibition does not of itself produce great men1 or general virtue1 progress or prosperity4 ,theoretically the success of prohibition is handicapped by the fact that it is opposed to the evolutionary processes of nature4 ,the basic idea of prohibition is to improve man by removing the cause of evil4 ,for no one can deny that excess of drinking is an evil1 just as is excess of eating1 of fasting1 of prayer1 or any other form of human activity4 ,even excess of charity may be an evil1 if it results in impoverishing one's family4 ,but nature works on the contrary idea4 ,it develops its highest types by exposing them to evil1 and teaching them to conquer it4 ,take the matter of climate1 for instance4 ,a priori one might have reasoned that a mild1 equable climate1 like that of the ,south ,sea ,islands1 where the means of subsistence are easily obtained1 would be the best for the human race4 ,it could plausibly be argued that man would have more time and energy for his intellectual development if he were not absorbed in a continuous1 laborious struggle for his physical existence4 ,but experience has shown that just this contest with the extremes of heat and cold--this continual battle for subsistence under uncongenial conditions--has produced not only the most efficient workers in material progress1 but also the highest types of intellectual development4 ,whether the prohibition theory of wrapping men in lamb's wool1 instead of putting them out to fight the battle of life1 will not produce more evil than good1 is at least uncertain4 ,it may be that1 after some time of experimenting1 men may come back to the idea that ,jesus was right in thinking that temperance is better for the human race than prohibition4 ,furthermore1 prohibition1 besides being opposed both to the laws of ,jesus and the laws of nature1 has the essential weakness1 as a remedy for intemperance1 that it attacks the means or rather one of the means1 of intemperance1 and not the cause--the causa efficiens1 as the logicians would say4 ,the ,anglo-,saxons have for centuries been meat-eaters and liquor-drinkers4 ,what end they would have attained on a diet of vegetables and cold water1 we can only guess1 but all science is wrong if it would not have been some end quite different4 ,now1 this appetite for stimulants--the growth of centuries--is not to be eradicated by prohibiting the use of alcoholic drinks1 any more than the appetite for fornication can be eradicated by the suppression of houses of prostitution4 ,in spite of all the prohibition laws in the world1 the appetite for stimulants will continue to exist in the ,anglo-,saxon race1 and will seek its gratification in one way1 if not in another4 ,whether these substitutes may not be worse in the end than alcohol1 remains to be seen4 ,suppose1 for instance1 that accustomed liquor-drinkers should now substitute1 as their stimulant1 large quantities of strong tea or coffee1 or1 possibly1 some concentrated product of one or the other of those plants4 ,probably nine-tenths of our medical authorities would agree that the change would be1 generally speaking1 undoubtedly for the worse4 ,it is to be observed that never in the ,united ,states has there been made any general systematic effort towards temperance1 such as is now being made towards prohibition4 ,no greater hypocrisy has ever been worked off on the ,american people than that under the name of ,temperance4 ,societies have labeled themselves with that name1 orators and prominent leaders have paraded under that name1 when1 in fact1 it was a mere subterfuge1 and the bearers of it were really prohibitionists4 ,probably no one who has ever worked for real temperance measures in any of our large cities but would testify that his work has been seriously hampered by the entire lack of interest1 if not by the actual hostility1 of these so-called temperance reformers and societies4 ,in fact1 many of them would make no scruple in openly avowing that they were opposed to any practical temperance measure1 because it would retard the coming prohibition4 ,with the hearty support of the prohibitionists1 there is no reason today why scientific temperance measures should not be put in force throughout the ,united ,states1 that would do away with at least seventy-five per cent of the evils of drunkenness4 ,our present ,federal prohibition law is still on trial4 ,it never would have been enacted unless we had been precipitated into the ,great ,war4 ,it has never been submitted to a plebiscite of the people4 ,in one respect1 it has done much evil in increasing the unrest and discontent of a large part of our population1 who regard malt liquors as comparatively innocuous1 and as necessary to their comfort and health1 and who regard the deprivation of them as an invasion of their personal liberty4 ,when ,rome was threatened1 as we are now1 by a rising tide of unrest and discontent1 the rulers of that day advised panem et circenses--food and amusement4 ,many of the thinkers of today neglect this sage1 old maxim in depriving the people of their beer1 in urging more stringent ,sunday ,blue ,laws1 and1 generally1 in restricting or prohibiting popular amusements1 on one pretext or the other4 ,in reading some of the proposed restrictions on minors1 one sometimes wonders how it is supposed that stalwart1 young lads from sixteen to twenty-one are to spend their evenings4 ,they most assuredly will not spend them at home reading the ,bible4 ,in the future consideration of temperance vs4 prohibition1 it will be well for the followers of ,jesus to weigh maturely ,his position on the question4 ,his precept and example are not lightly to be disregarded1 especially where1 as here1 they harmonize with the laws of nature1 instead of1 as in the case of war1 being opposed to them4 ,if all hypocrisy were eliminated1 and the non-compromisers and sacro-sancts kept out of the discussion1 there is no reason why the opposing forces of temperance and prohibition could not arrive at a compromise1 which would reduce the evil of drunkenness to a minimum1 and1 at the same time1 not rob life of the joy and good cheer that comes from a temperate enjoyment of the fruit of the vine4 ,if it is to be a part of the heavenly life 7,matt4 ,,xxvi3#bi2 ,mark ,,xiv3#be2 ,luke ,,xxii3#cj71 let it be also a part of the earthly life4 ,in the matters of prayer1 fasting and ceremonial worship1 the churches must make radical changes in their practice1 if they are to win back their influence over the masses of the people--an influence which1 it is generally admitted1 has been on the wane during the past few decades4 ,the contrast is altogether too glaring between the simple form of worship1 practiced and preached by ,jesus1 and that of most of our modern religious denominations4 ,the luxury of modern living is a favorite subject of invective by essayists and philosophical writers4 ,but it is little wonder that the layman runs to this extreme1 when he has before him the example set by many of the successors of ,jesus' apostles--popes1 bishops1 cardinals1 ministers of wealthy parishes1 etc4 ,and1 in saying this1 the fact is not overlooked that many ministers of the ,gospel are worthy1 self-denying1 conscientious followers of ,jesus in these matters1 but the exceptions are too numerous4 ,the conduct of a class is usually judged by that of its most prominent representatives4 ,as to creeds1 theological disputes and sectarian differences1 the common people are more and more acting on the lines of ,pope's couplet3 ,for modes of faith let graceless zealots fight2 ,his can't be wrong1 whose life is in the right4 ,in faith and hope the world will disagree2 ,but all mankind's concern is charity4 ,after the death of ,mr4 ,atwater it developed that he had instructed the ,trust ,company having his affairs in charge to make money gifts to about one hundred of his friends4 ,a few of those so remembered have published the accompanying book for distribution among ,mr4 ,atwater's intimate acquaintances4 ,the text is that of a pamphlet which he published just before his death4 ,inside this leaflet are reproduced copies of a letter to the ,trust ,company regarding the gifts and a memorandum1 found in his desk1 as to the disposition of his remains4 ,minneapolis1 ,minn4 ,sept4 #a_/ae ,minneapolis ,trust ,company1 #aae ,south ,fifth ,street1 ,city4 ,dear ,sirs3-- ,in distributing the property which will come to you under my will1 ,i wish you to exercise a reasonable discretion1 since conditions may be quite different at the time of my death from what they are now4 ,i very likely have overlooked some of my old friends who should be remembered1 and in such case ,i should wish you to make the matter right as though they were included in my list4 ,in case ,i should die after sickness of some duration1 the people who have taken care of me in this sickness should be also remembered4 ,in case there should be any deficiency of property to fill these bequests1 ,i should prefer that the deficiency should be taken out of the larger amounts to friends who do not really need the money1 rather then to reduce all of the bequests pro rata4 ,under present conditions there should be a surplus of several thousand dollars4 ,this you might hold for some time and if any of my friends came to actual want1 you could use it for their benefit or1 if not used for that purpose1 you could give it to some hospital or asylum4 ,if you deem it advisable1 you may make explanation that the varying amounts of these legacies are not to be taken as indicating the degree of my regard for recipients1 since ,i have considered to a considerable extent the financial condition of my friends4 ,to some of them any amount of money ,i could leave would be of no account pecuniarily1 while in case of others it might be of some real help2 ,i have also given my girl friends largely the advantage in amounts4 ,i will keep a duplicate of this list1 which will be among my papers1 and may make changes in it from time to time1 which will be of the same effect as though communicated to you4 ,yours very truly1 ,john ,b4 ,atwater4 ,,memorandum ,i wish my remains to be cremated as quietly as possible1 and do not care to have a minister hold any services4 ,while ,i believe in ,god the ,infinite not ourselves which is eternal ,i do not believe in any of the man-made ,gods and ,creeds which now exist and which in my opinion have entirely perverted the simple gospel taught by ,christ4 ,as ,i have no near relatives to be pained by the absence of conventional ceremonies1 ,i might as well be consistent to the end4 ,i have no particular use for flowers at a funeral1 and would prefer1 if my friends feel it necessary to express their regret in a tangible form1 that they would send checks to some ,hospital or ,asylum in my memory for the amount they would otherwise spend on flowers4 ,,footnotes3 #a ,renan says that the family of ,david had1 as it seems1 been long extinct before ,joseph's birth4 ,life of ,jesus1 ,chap4 ,,xv4 #b ,the first verse of ,luke's ,gospel says that many had written about ,jesus' life before him4 ,if1 as seems probable1 he had ,matthew's narrative before him when he wrote his ,gospel1 it is an interesting query why he rejected in his line of ancestry ,solomon--the most glorious of the ,jewish rulers--in favor of the obscure and comparatively unknown ,nathan4 #c ,it is somewhat curious that ,matthew and ,luke1 who are the only two evangelists to attribute a divine ancestry to ,jesus 7see heading ,conception71 are the only two to give a genealogy of ,joseph4 ,from their point of view1 it was entirely immaterial whether ,joseph was a descendant of ,david or not4 ,an attempt to trace ,mary's lineage back to ,david would have had some materiality4 ,on the other hand1 it would seem that ,mark and ,john1 who ignore the paternity of the ,holy ,ghost1 would have deemed it of high importance to establish1 if possible1 one of these genealogies4 ,all ,jewry at this time was teeming with expectation of the coming of a ,messiah1 and their prophets had marked ,him out as one of the lineage of ,david 7,psalms ,,cxxxii3#b2 ,jer4 ,,xxiii3#d2 ,john ,,vii3#db74 ,no stronger argument could have been found to win the favor of the ,jews to ,jesus than the linking of ,his name with ,david4 ,in ,cadman's ,harmony of the ,gospels1 page #ci1 the author makes an ingenious attempt to harmonize these two lines of ancestry--the super-natural and the ,davidian4 ,this he does by making ,luke's genealogy one of ,mary1 instead of ,joseph4 ,by this means the super-natural fatherhood of ,jesus is saved and1 at the same time ,he can claim1 through ,his mother1 a descent from ,david4 ,the main trouble with this theory is that ,cadman is obliged to make ,heli the father of ,mary1 when ,luke expressly says that ,heli was the father of ,joseph 7,luke ,,iii3#bc74 ,at another place1 ,luke speaks of ,joseph1 not ,mary1 as being of the house of ,david 7,luke ,,ii3#d74 #d ,there was no ,god--the ,holy ,ghost--known to the ,jews1 and ,joseph could not have understood the meaning of the term without some explanation4 #e ,it is to be noted that ,matthew does not explain why the angel changed the name in the prophecy--,immanuel--to that of ,jesus4 #f ,apparently the ,angel must have told ,mary ,his name4 #g ,cadman1 in the work already referred to1 page #cg1 harmonizes these two variant accounts of the angelic announcements by giving ,matthew's version in his text1 and simply referring to ,luke's account in a note4 #h ,from ,luke's narrative it does not appear that ,joseph had any doubts as to ,jesus being his child1 or1 if he did1 how these doubts were removed4 #i ,the story of the miraculous conception of ,jesus would be thrown out of any impartial court upon the evidence of the four ,gospels alone4 7a7 ,the two narratives of ,matthew and ,luke contradict each other on several important details1 as is shown above4 ,this discredits each of them as a reliable1 accurate authority on this point4 7b7 ,this story is entirely omitted from the narratives of our two first-hand authorities--,mark and ,john4 ,now1 it is unthinkable that the authors of these two ,gospels1 if they knew of this story and believed it to be true1 would not have recorded so important a fact in the life of ,jesus4 ,consequently1 they either did not know of the story or1 knowing it1 did not believe it to be true4 ,either hypothesis is equally fatal to the credit of the story4 ,if they1 writing shortly after ,jesus' death and1 presumably1 investigating all sources of information about ,his prophetic career--probably personally interviewing those persons then living who had seen1 heard and known ,jesus most intimately--had heard nothing of this story1 then it must have been such an obscure legend1 buried in the inner consciousness of so few people1 as to be unworthy of serious consideration as a fact of history4 ,if1 on the other hand1 these writers knew of the story1 but1 after investigation of the abundant sources of information at their command1 rejected it as untrue1 what warrant have subsequent historians1 not possessing their special means of information1 to claim that their decision was wrong8 7c7 ,the story of ,jesus' supernatural paternity is most effectually discredited by the fact that no such claim on ,his behalf was advanced by1 nor was the story known to1 those nearest to ,him during ,his lifetime4 ,his nearest friends and neighbors1 who had been in daily intercourse with ,him at ,nazareth for thirty years1 had no suspicion of such a claim being made on ,his behalf1 even some time after ,he had begun his preaching4 ,is not this the carpenter's son8 ,is not ,his mother called ,mary8 ,and ,his brethren ,james and ,joseph and ,simon and ,judas8 7,matt4 ,,xiii3#ee2 ,mark ,,vi3#c47 7,see also ,matt4 ,,xii3#dg47 ,still later1 the multitudes who came to hear ,him knew nothing of such a claim4 ,is not this ,jesus1 the son of ,joseph1 whose father and mother we know8 7,john ,,vi3#db74 ,luke himself says that ,jesus was supposed to be the son of ,joseph 7,luke ,,iii3#bc74 ,there is1 in fact1 no evidence in the four ,gospels to show that1 during ,jesus' lifetime1 there was1 at any time or place or by any person1 a public claim made that ,he was not as much the son of ,joseph1 in the natural course of events1 as ,he was the son of ,mary4 7d7 ,jesus in ,his lifetime never denied the paternity of ,joseph4 ,on one occasion1 in the synagogue at ,nazareth1 when ,he had been preaching and the people wondered at ,his gracious words1 they said1 ,is not this ,joseph's son8 ,and ,he said unto them1 among other things1 ,no prophet is accepted in his own country 7,luke ,,iv3#bb1 #bc74 ,that is1 the people were loath to accept ,jesus' teachings because of ,his lowly birth4 ,but ,jesus1 instead of claiming a divine parentage1 impliedly affirms the fatherhood of ,joseph4 ,on another occasion ,he is challenged as to ,his paternity1 and does not deny that ,he is the son of ,joseph 7,john ,,vi3#db74 ,if ,he had believed that the ,holy ,ghost was ,his father1 then these two utterances would have been a suppressio veri--the equivalent of a falsehood--of which we cannot think ,him guilty4 ,while ,jesus never applies to ,himself the title of ,son of ,david1 yet ,his claim to this lineage must have been widely circulated1 since ,he is given this title not only by the ,jews 7,matt4 ,,ix3#bg2 ,,xii3#bc2 ,,xx3#cj2 ,,xxi3#i1 #ae2 ,mark ,x3#dg2 ,,xi3#aj2 ,luke ,i3#cb2 ,,xviii3#ch71 but also by the ,gentiles 7,matt4 ,,xv3#bb74 ,his silence and failure to object1 when so addressed1 certainly constitutes a tacit approval of this description of ,himself4 ,but ,he could only be a descendant of ,david by reason of the fact that ,joseph was ,his father4 ,undoubtedly ,matthew and ,luke inserted in their narratives these two genealogies of ,joseph to prove a direct descent of ,jesus from ,david through the paternity of ,joseph4 ,the ,cadman theory of tracing a descent from ,david through ,mary was not known to the evangelists 7,matt4 ,i3#af2 ,luke ,,ii3#d74 ,in ,his meetings with his family1 while ,he seems rather cool and indifferent to them1 there is no intimation that ,his relationship to them is not the ordinary one of son and brother 7,matt4 ,,xii3#dg2 ,mark ,,iii3#ca2 ,luke ,,viii3#ai1 #bj2 ,,xi3#bh2 ,john ,,ii3#a1 #ab74 ,jesus never refers to the ,holy ,ghost as ,his father1 and1 on four occasions only1 calls ,himself the ,son of ,god 7,john ,,iii3#af-ah2 ,v3#bj2 ,,ix3#ce2 ,,xi3#d74 ,none of the events in connection with which the term is used by ,john1 are related in either of the three other ,gospels4 ,but this term would convey to ,his hearers no other significance than that with which they were familiar from the ,old ,testament1 where it is applied to beings inferior to ,god 7,gen4 ,,vi3#b2 ,job ,i3#f2 ,,ii3#a2 ,,xxxviii3#g2 ,ps4 ,,lxxxii3#f2 #b ,sam4 ,,vii3#ad74 ,but this is very far from the attribute ascribed to ,jesus through the miraculous conception1 of being the equal of1 or one with1 ,god4 ,jesus ,himself refers to others as being the children of ,god 7,luke ,,xx3#cf2 ,matt4 ,v3#de71 and ,he speaks constantly of ,god being the ,father of ,his hearers 7,matt4 ,v3#af1 #de2 ,,vi3#a1 #f1 #ad2 ,,xviii3#ad et passim74 ,apparently ,he makes no distinction between this fatherhood1 as related to others1 and as related to ,himself4 ,for instance1 ,he tells ,mary to go to ,his disciples and say unto them1 ,i ascend unto my ,father1 and your ,father and to my ,god and your ,god 7,john ,,xx3#ag74 ,jesus' favorite appellation for ,himself is the ,son of ,man4 ,he uses this name constantly throughout the four ,gospels1 and uniformly1 except in the four instances cited from ,john4 ,in speaking of the most solemn and important events of ,his career1 ,he prefers this name to the ,son of ,god1 or any other4 ,of him1 also1 shall the ,son of ,man be ashamed1 when ,he cometh in the glory of ,his ,father with the holy angels 7,mark ,,viii3#ch2 ,,xiii3#bf2 ,luke ,,ix3#bf74 ,in passages like these1 it seems necessary to eliminate the words of man1 if they are to harmonize with the theory of the paternity of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,again1 on ,his trial1 when the high priest adjures ,him3 ,tell us whether ,thou be the ,christ1 the ,son of ,god1 ,jesus follows ,his usual noncommittal answer1 ,thou hast said1 with the statement3 ,hereafter shall ye see the ,son of ,man sitting on the right hand of power1 and coming in the clouds of heaven 7,matt4 ,,xxvi3#fd2 ,luke ,,xxii3#fi2 ,mark ,,xiv3#fb2 ,john ,,viii3#bh2 ,,xii3#bc1 #cd1 #ce74 7e7 ,finally1 to close all argument on this point1 there are the many express statements of ,jesus to the effect that ,he was not the same as1 or the equal of1 ,god 7,matt4 ,,xix3#ag2 ,,xx3#bc2 ,mark ,x3#ah1 #dj2 ,luke ,,xviii3#ai2 ,john ,,xiv3#bh2 ,,xvii3#c74 #aj ,evidently ,elisabeth never told ,john of this visit of ,mary1 since ,john says of his first meeting with ,jesus that ,i knew ,him not1 until he saw the ,spirit descending from heaven like a dove1 and it abode upon ,him 7,john ,i3#ca-cc2 see also ,matt4 ,,xi3#c2 ,luke ,,vii3#ai74 #aa ,unfortunate as it may be to lose the beautiful story of the birth at ,bethlehem1 with its poetic imagery of the manger1 the visit of the wise men1 and the greeting of the shepherds1 the evidence of the four ,gospels proves its untruth even more strongly than the story of the miraculous conception4 7a7 ,the contradictory details appearing in the two narratives discredit each as a reliable authority4 ,matthew has ,jesus born in a house1 greeted by wise men of the ,east1 and going to ,egypt immediately after ,his birth1 and remaining there until after ,herod's death4 ,luke has ,him born in a manger1 greeted by shepherds1 remaining in ,bethlehem for several weeks1 then going to ,jerusalem1 and from there returning into ,galilee1 to their own city ,nazareth 7,luke ,,ii3#ci74 ,his parents could not have been in ,egypt1 avoiding the wrath of ,herod1 because they went to ,jerusalem every year at the feast of the ,passover 7,luke ,,ii3#da74 ,herod's massacre of the innocents is1 of course1 unknown to ,luke1 because1 according to him1 no flight of the holy family to ,egypt ever took place4 ,this massacre is not mentioned in the four ,gospels1 except in this ,chapter of ,matthew1 nor is it recorded by any profane historian of that time1 like ,josephus4 ,even supposing that ,herod--a ,roman tetrarch and not an independent despot--would have dared a wholesale slaughter of ,roman subjects without express authority from ,augustus ,csar1 yet so terrible an event would have left an indelible impression on the ,jewish people4 ,if it had occurred1 connected as it was with the birth of ,jesus1 it is incredible that the other evangelists should have omitted all mention of it1 as well as ,josephus1 who records the other cruelties of ,herod4 ,bethlehem was some six miles south of ,jerusalem1 and ,nazareth some sixty or seventy miles north of ,jerusalem4 ,matthew does not explain why ,joseph and ,mary should have been in ,bethlehem at this time1 especially in view of her then approaching confinement4 ,in fact1 the inference from ,matthew's narrative would be1 that they were residents of ,bethlehem at this time4 ,but the unvarying testimony of all the ,gospels1 except in this one passage1 is that ,galilee was the native country of both ,joseph and ,mary1 and that their home1 after her marriage1 was at ,nazareth4 ,luke states this explicitly 7,luke ,i3#bf71 and ,matthew himself1 in every other passage but this1 speaks of ,jesus as coming from ,nazareth1 and asserts that ,galilee was his own country 7,matt4 ,,xiii3#ed2 ,,xxi3#aa2 ,,xxvi3#ga74 ,luke1 who recognizes ,nazareth as the native city of ,joseph1 explains his presence in ,bethlehem on the theory that he1 being of the house of ,david1 came to ,bethlehem to be enrolled under the census taken by ,quirinius1 pursuant to a decree of ,csar ,augustus 7,luke ,,ii3#a74 ,but the authorities generally agree that this census did not extend to the tetrarchies1 like ,juda1 and that it was taken at least ten years after the birth of ,jesus 7,renan1 ,life of ,jesus1 ,chap4 ,,ii74 ,besides1 it is taxing one's credulity to the utmost to suppose that the ,roman officers would have allowed a citizen of ,nazareth to enroll himself in an insignificant village1 more than sixty miles distant1 on the ground that some problematical ancestor had been anointed with oil in that place a thousand years before 7#a ,sam4 ,,xvi3#ac74 ,as to the contradictory accounts of ,matthew and ,luke concerning ,jesus' movements immediately after ,his birth1 ,cadman in his ,harmony of the ,gospels pp4 #d1 #de1 #dh1 harmonizes them by printing each of them without comment1 as though both could be true4 7b7 ,the silence of ,mark and ,john as to the birth at ,bethlehem is even more significant than in the matter of the miraculous conception4 ,there were two points most essential for ,jesus and ,his followers to establish in order to convince the ,jews that ,he was truly their expected ,messiah3 7#a7 that ,he was of the house of ,david2 7#b7 that ,he came from ,bethlehem4 ,the ,old ,testament prophecies were explicit on these two points 7,jer4 ,,xxiii3#e2 ,micah ,v3#b2 ,ps4 ,,cxxxii3#aa74 ,this was the general expectancy among the ,jews at the time of ,jesus' birth 7,matt4 ,,ii3#e1 #f2 ,,xxii3#db2 ,luke ,i3#cb74 ,hath not the ,scripture said that ,christ cometh of the seed of ,david1 and out of the town of ,bethlehem1 where ,david was8 7,john ,,vii3#db74 ,with such importance attaching to a birth at ,bethlehem1 the argument is irresistible that ,mark and ,john1 in not mentioning it1 either did not know of the story1 or1 knowing it1 did not believe it to be true4 ,either hypothesis is equally fatal to the credibility of the story4 ,it is further to be noted that1 while the claim of ,jesus' paternity by the ,holy ,ghost1 if publicly asserted1 might have stirred up some scandal among the good people of ,nazareth1 it could not have been absolutely disproved4 ,but1 at the time the ,gospels were written1 it was comparatively easy to absolutely prove whether ,jesus was born at ,nazareth or at ,bethlehem1 more than sixty miles distant4 7c7 ,the claim was never publicly made that ,he was born at ,bethlehem1 notwithstanding the great support which that fact1 if true1 would have given to ,his cause4 ,to ,his friends and neighbors of thirty years' standing at ,nazareth1 and to the multitudes in general1 ,he was known only as ,jesus of ,nazareth 7,mark ,,vi3#a-d2 ,matt4 ,,xxi3#aa2 ,,xxvi3#ga2 ,mark ,,xiv3#fg1 #gj2 ,luke ,,iv3#af1 #bb2 ,,xxii3#ei2 ,,xxiii3#f2 ,john ,,vii3#da1 #db2 ,,xviii3#e1 #g1 #h2 ,,xx3#ai74 7d7 ,neither ,jesus nor ,his apostles ever put forth this claim1 even when the objection was made that ,he could not be the ,messiah1 because ,he came from ,nazareth4 ,the evidence on this point is1 of course1 mostly negative1 consisting in an entire absence in the four ,gospels of any reference to ,his birth at ,bethlehem1 except the first account given in ,matthew and ,luke4 ,thereafter it is as though it had never occurred1 for anything that the ,gospels have to say about it4 ,but in two or three instances the question was directly raised4 ,philip1 one of the apostles1 finds ,nathaniel and says to him3 ,we have found ,him1 of whom ,moses1 in the law and the prophets1 did write1 ,jesus of ,nazareth1 the son of ,joseph4 ,nathaniel's reply is3 ,can there any good thing come out of ,nazareth8 ,the only answer which ,philip makes is3 ,come and see 7,john ,i3#de1 #df74 ,on another occasion1 ,jesus' preaching so impressed ,his hearers that many of them said3 ,of a truth this is the ,prophet4 ,others said1 ,this is the ,christ4 ,but some said1 ,shall ,christ come out of ,galilee8 ,hath not the ,scripture said that ,christ cometh of the seed of ,david1 and out of the town of ,bethlehem1 where ,david was8 7,john ,,vii3#dj1 #da1 #db74 ,in both these instances the obvious answer to the objection made would have been1 that ,jesus was born at ,bethlehem1 if that had been a fact4 ,again1 on the evening of ,his arrest1 ,jesus twice affirms that ,he is ,jesus of ,nazareth 7,john ,,xviii3#e1 #h74 ,it would seem that1 in that solemn moment of approaching death1 ,jesus would have asserted ,his ,messianic claim to a birth at ,bethlehem1 if it had been a fact4 7,see also ,mark ,,xvi3#f2 ,luke ,,xxiii3#f1 #g2 ,,xxiv3#ai2 ,john ,,xix3#ai74 #ab ,luke says that ,joseph and ,mary were amazed1 and1 when he told them that ,he must be about ,his ,father's business1 they understood not the saying which ,he spoke unto them 7,luke ,,ii3#ej74 ,apparently their knowledge of ,his miraculous conception1 and all the predictions of angels1 wise men1 shepherds1 ,simeon1 ,anna and ,elisabeth had produced little1 if any1 effect on their minds4 #ac ,it is an interesting query why all four evangelists give such full and precise details of this ceremony4 ,neither ,john nor ,jesus seems to have attached much importance to it4 ,only a short time after it occurred1 ,john had forgotten it1 for1 while in prison 7,matt4 ,,xi3#b2 ,mark ,,vi3#ag71 he sent some of his disciples to inquire of ,jesus1 ,art ,thou ,he that should come or do we look for another8 7,matt4 ,,xi3#b-f2 ,luke ,,vii3#ai-bc74 ,jesus never mentions ,his baptism or ,his then recognition by ,john1 as giving credence to ,his claims1 although ,he speaks of him and his mission as ,his forerunner 7,matt4 ,,xi3#g-ac2 ,luke ,,vii3#bd-bi74 ,when ,he appeals to ,john as a witness to the truth of ,his messianic claims1 ,he does not refer to this baptismal ceremony1 but relies on ,john's statements to messengers sent to ,him 7,john ,v3#cb1 #cc2 ,,iii3#be-cf74 ,baptism1 as it developed into a religious rite after ,jesus' death--the first step towards admission into the membership of a church--was unknown to the ,jews and to ,jesus ,himself 7,kitto's ,cyclopdia of ,bib4 ,lit41 pp4 #bhb-bij74 ,john seems to have given it a temporary popularity1 but its practice among the ,jews ceased with his death4 ,jesus showed as little interest in it as in other rites and ceremonies4 ,only one of the ,gospels mentions baptism by ,jesus' disciples1 and that allusion is very indefinite 7,john ,,iii3#bb2 ,,iv3#a74 ,but it is explicitly added though ,jesus ,himself baptized not 7,john ,,iv3#b74 ,the strongest evidence on this point is ,jesus' failure to enjoin the practice of this rite on ,his followers4 ,three of the ,gospels give quite fully ,jesus' instructions to the apostles and disciples on sending them out in the world to preach1 and not one word is said about baptism 7,matt4 ,x2 ,mark ,,vi3#g-ac2 ,luke ,,ix3#a-f74 ,probably the evangelists felt the need 7more than ,jesus ,himself7 of fortifying the latter's cause with the gis of ,john's popularity4 ,at this time the ,jews were filled with expectations of the coming of some ruler 7,elias1 ,christ1 the ,messiah1 he who shall come1 etc471 who should establish an earthly kingdom and give them victory over the heathen4 ,john's preaching appealed to this feeling and won to him great numbers of adherents1 who remained faithful to him even in prison 7,matt4 ,,iii3#e2 ,,xiv3#e2 ,mark ,i3#e2 ,,xi3#cb2 ,luke ,,iii3#c74 ,to identify ,jesus with this expectant one1 of whom ,john preached1 was to win at once to ,jesus' cause all of ,john's great following4 #ad ,it is to be noted that the ,epistle of ,james is directed to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad 7,james ,i3#a71 and contains no allusion whatever to the ,gentiles4 ,there is some dispute whether the author of this epistle1 who was bishop of ,jerusalem for many years1 was the brother or cousin-german of ,jesus1 or the brother of ,john1 the beloved disciple4 ,there is no doubt1 however1 that he was an intimate associate of ,jesus during ,his life-time1 and1 presumably1 a much more accurate authority on ,his views than ,paul or others who had never seen ,jesus or heard ,him speak4 #ae ,there may be urged1 against this view of ,jesus' conception of ,his mission1 certain passages occurring in the different accounts of the resurrection4 ,matthew relates that1 on the appearance of ,jesus on a mountain in ,galilee to the eleven apostles1 where some doubted whether it were ,he or not1 ,jesus said1 ,go ye1 therefore1 and teach all nations1 baptizing them in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost 7,matt4 ,,xxviii3#ai74 ,mark relates that1 on ,jesus' appearance in ,jerusalem unto the eleven as they sat at meat1 ,he said3 ,go ye into all the world1 and preach the ,gospel to every creature4 ,he that believeth and is baptized1 shall be saved2 but he that believeth not shall be damned 7,mark ,,xvi3#ad1 #ae1 #af74 ,luke relates that1 when ,jesus appeared in ,jerusalem to the eleven1 ,he told them that ,christ was to suffer and rise the third day that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in ,his name among all nations1 beginning at ,jerusalem 7,luke ,,xxiv3#dg74 ,according to ,john1 who is by many regarded the most reliable authority on the events of ,passion ,week1 and who describes the appearances of ,jesus both at ,jerusalem and on the sea-shore in ,galilee1 ,jesus said nothing indicating any change in ,his views about preaching to the ,gentiles or the importance of baptism4 ,on the contrary1 ,he three times says to ,peter1 ,feed my lambs or ,feed my sheep 7,john ,,xxi3#ae1 #af1 #ag74 ,but ,his sheep were the lost sheep of the house of ,israel1 with whom alone ,his mission lay 7,matt4 ,,xv3#bd74 ,the glaring contradictions on this point between ,matthew1 ,mark and ,luke make their evidence of little weight as against the clear and explicit utterances of ,jesus1 which these same evangelists have recorded in the earlier part of their ,gospels4 ,no two of them agree as to just what was said1 or when it was said4 ,the use by ,matthew of the later formula of baptism--in the name of the ,father1 the ,son and the ,holy ,ghost--which apparently was never used by ,john the ,baptist or ,jesus' disciples1 marks his passage with the strongest suspicion4 ,the account of ,john is the only one consistent with the previous history of ,jesus1 and it is more than probable that these passages from ,matthew1 ,mark and ,luke were interpolated through the influence of ,paul and his followers4 #af ,these solitary retreats for fasting1 prayer and meditation to a desert1 wilderness or mountain are common occurrences in the lives of religious teachers1 prophets1 saints1 etc41 of the ,orient4 ,they seem1 however1 somewhat foreign to the character of ,jesus 7,luke ,,vii3#cc1 #cd2 ,matt4 ,,ix3#ad74 ,this is the only formal fasting by ,jesus mentioned in the four ,gospels4 ,several times it is related that ,he went up into a mount1 but ,he either did not go alone1 or ,he spent only a short time1--a day or a night4 ,in its location--a mountain--and its duration--forty days--this fast follows the ,old ,testament precedents of ,moses1 on ,mount ,sinai 7,exod4 ,,xxxiv3#bh71 and the prophet ,elijah on ,mount ,horeb 7,i ,kings ,,xix3#h74 ,the rather theatrical adjunct of the devil and his temptations may fall in the same category1 as ,matthew's massacre of the innocents and the flight to ,egypt4 ,it gives opportunity1 however1 to bring in several quotations from the ,old ,testament4 ,it must be remembered that1 as ,jesus preached only to the ,jews1 so the ,gospels 7except possibly ,john71 were written with the purpose of convincing the ,jews of the truth of ,jesus' claims to be their ,messiah4 ,the more their authors could connect ,him with the sayings and predictions of the ,old ,testament1 the stronger their case4 ,hence1 with nearly every incident of ,jesus' life1 they cite some appropriate text of the ,old ,testament1 usually with the addition1 that it might be fulfilled or as it was spoken by the prophet4 ,in their zeal1 it is possible that1 in some cases1 an incident was found to fit a text1 rather than a text to fit an incident4 #ag ,apparently1 after ,jesus left ,nazareth1 ,he became domiciled at ,capernaum 7,mark ,,ii3#a1ae2 ,matt4 ,,ix3#a74 #ah ,the four ,gospels use the term disciples without much distinction1 as meaning either the apostles or the immediate1 personal adherents of ,jesus for the time being4 #ai ,according to ,mark this feast was in ,jesus' house 7,mark ,,ii3#ae2 see ,matt4 ,,ix3#aj74 #bj ,this first discourse of ,jesus stands unequaled in religious writings for its clearness1 simplicity and freedom from dogmatic theology4 ,to appreciate this1 it is only necessary to cite some passages from ,john's ,gospel1 which in comparison seem mystic1 turgid and ambiguous 7,john ,i3#a-ad2 ,,iii3#aa-bc2 ,,iv3#ej-ei74 ,there is scarcely a sentence in the ,sermon on the ,mount susceptible of a double meaning1 or which a man of ordinary education cannot understand without the aid of a learned exegesis4 ,yet how hard it is for the poor human followers of ,jesus to rise to its grand simplicity4 ,take1 for instance1 the subject of fasting4 ,it seems almost impossible for the ,christian1 of ancient or modern times1 to escape from the idea that1 in mortifying the flesh1 he is doing something pleasing to ,god4 ,john the ,baptist both fasted and enjoined fasting on his disciples4 ,but ,jesus neither fasted ,himself1 nor enjoined fasting on ,his disciples 7,matt4 ,,ix3#ad2 ,mark ,,ii3#ah2 ,luke ,v3#cc2 ,matt4 ,,iii3#d2 ,luke ,,vii3#cc-cd74 ,with ,his sane view of life1 free of all fanaticism1 ,he here1 as always1 inculcated temperance1 condemning the excess of asceticism1 as much as the excess of overindulgence in eating and drinking4 ,while ,he does not prohibit fasting1 ,he1 in very plain language checks the enthusiasm of ,his disciples to make the public practice of fasting a mark of holiness4 ,moreover1 when ye fast1 be not as the hypocrites of a sad countenance1 for they disfigure their faces that they may appear to fast4 ,but thou1 when thou fastest1 anoint thine head and wash thy face4 ,that thou appear not unto men to fast1 but unto thy ,father which is in secret 7,matt4 ,,vi3#af1 #ag1 #ah74 ,this seems so clear that he who runs may read1 and how the ,roman ,catholic and ,protestant ,episcopal ,churches make it square with their public celebration of the ,lenten fast1 for instance1 is hard to understand4 ,the ,fast ,day of ,new ,england would seem to come directly under ,jesus' condemnation4 #ba ,the ,sermon on the ,mount is probably composed of a number of utterances at different times and places1 which have been compiled and put together in one discourse by the author of this ,gospel4 #bb ,the promulgation of the ,lord's ,prayer is one of the most significant events of ,jesus' prophetic career4 ,it illustrates both ,his conception of ,god1 and1 as a consequence1 ,his dislike of all ceremonial worship4 ,the persistent weakness of every religion is to gradually forget1 or ignore1 the spiritual unity of its supreme divinity with his human followers4 ,whatever may have been the conception of the ,deity by the first great teacher1 he soon comes to be regarded as a ,being apart1 like the deified monarchs of ancient times1 and as one who can be pleased1 or his wrath averted1 by offerings and sacrifices4 ,practically all religions having their beginning from barbarous races are founded on sacrifices of animals1 and usually of human beings4 ,even fairly well civilized nations are not offended by legends describing human sacrifices as being welcome to ,god4 ,examples of this are ,abraham and ,isaac among the ,jews1 ,iphigenia at ,aulis among the ,greeks1 and ,curtius among the ,romans4 ,the ceremonies attending the rendition of these offerings and sacrifices form often the most important part of the religion1 as is illustrated by the innumerable minute regulations contained in the ,mosaic books of the ,old ,testament4 ,but ,jesus' conception of the ,heavenly ,father was essentially unique in ever realizing the spiritual unity existing between the ,father in heaven and ,his ,son ,jesus and ,his other children on earth4 ,mark the difference between ,moses and ,jesus in the matter of divine communications4 ,moses' messages to the ,jews are the results of direct and separate interviews with the ,almighty4 ,he sees ,him in the bush1 or in the fire1 and hears ,him from the clouds4 ,but all this is unnecessary with ,jesus4 ,he and the ,father are one1 and when ,he speaks1 the ,father speaks through ,him4 ,in the beautiful words of ,renan3 ,jesus had no visions2 ,god did not speak to ,him as to one outside of ,himself2 ,god was in ,him2 ,he felt ,himself with ,god1 and ,he drew from ,his heart all ,he said of ,his ,father4 ,he lived in the bosom of ,god by constant communication with ,him2 he saw ,him not1 but he understood ,him1 without need of the thunder and the burning bush of ,moses1 of the revealing tempests of ,job1 of the oracle of the old ,greek sages1 of the familiar genius of ,socrates1 or of the angel ,gabriel of ,mahomet4 ,the imagination and the hallucination of a ,st4 ,theresa1 for example1 are useless here4 ,the intoxication of the ,soufi1 proclaiming himself identical with ,god1 is also quite another thing4 ,jesus never once gave utterance to the sacrilegious idea that ,he was ,god4 ,he believed ,himself to be in direct communication with ,god2 ,he believed ,himself to be the ,son of ,god4 ,the highest consciousness of ,god which has existed in the bosom of humanity was that of ,jesus4 ,with this conception of ,god1 the idea of offerings or sacrifices to please or placate ,him becomes unthinkable4 ,all ,he asks of ,his earthly children is that they lead a ,god-like life4 ,human nature1 however1 seems too weak to free itself from this superstition of a ,supreme ,being to be pleased and ,his wrath averted4 ,but1 as a nation becomes more civilized and spiritualized1 the manifestation of this superstition takes on different forms4 ,the smoking altars with their living victims disappear1 and1 in a measure1 the material offerings of shields and other weapons1 chariots1 gold and silver vessels1 jewels1 etc4 ,but their place is taken by rites and ceremonies1 of which prayer is always foremost4 ,the pilgrimages1 votive offerings1 masses1 adoration of holy places1 long prayers 7especially for victory over our enemies71 elaborate church ceremonials1 public fastings1 erection of expensive churches to the glory of ,god1 legacies to pious uses1 etc41 of the present day are the legitimate successors of the fat thighs of the ,greeks1 and the ,shew-bread of the ,jews--offerings to win the favor of a possibly offended or indifferent ,deity4 ,we laugh at the prayer-mill of the ,hindus1 but the idea is the same as procuring better treatment for your departed soul by purchasing the performance of long masses1 if you have sufficient wealth4 ,at the time of ,jesus the ,jewish religion1 as moulded by the ,pharisees1 was dominated by the spirit of formalism4 ,attendance at the synagogue1 public prayers and fasting1 observance of minute ,sabbatical and other regulations1 were made of more importance than visiting the sick1 helping the poor1 succoring the widow and orphan1 etc4 ,but the essence of ,jesus' religion was the living of an every-day godlike life1 not the adherence to certain creeds or dogmas1 or the performance of rites and ceremonies4 ,in this formalism ,he recognized ,his most dangerous enemy4 ,it was a deep-rooted evil and hard to eradicate4 ,one of its inherent dangers is the easy cloak it lends to hypocrisy1 and1 like the poor1 the ,pecksniffs we will always have with us4 ,consequently we find ,jesus early and late inveighing against the long prayers of the ,pharisees and heathen1 and the bitterest term ,he can apply to the ,pharisees is ye hypocrites4 ,when ,he comes to instruct ,his disciples on the subject of prayer1 it is quite probable that ,he would have interdicted it altogether1 except for that sane temperance which was so fundamental an element of ,his character4 ,he recognized the essential uselessness of prayer addressed to an all-good and all-wise ,father1 since ,he knows what is best for each person without being instructed1 and from ,his great goodness will do what is best for each person without being asked4 ,for your ,father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask ,him 7,matt4 ,,vi3#h74 ,jesus therefore carefully enjoins on ,his disciples that they shall not pray in the synagogue1 but when thou prayest1 enter into thy closet1 and when thou hast shut thy door1 pray to the ,father which is in secret 7,matt4 ,,vi3#e1 #f74 ,he also cautions them against long prayers--use not vain repetitions as the heathen do 7,matt4 ,,vi3#g74 ,he then gives them a short1 simple prayer1 as a model for their efforts4 ,on this point of prayer ,jesus makes ,himself clear beyond any possibility of misunderstanding1 as in the case of fasting1 and with apparently as little effect on the modern ,christian4 ,the very term prayer-meeting would be anathema to ,jesus1 and1 if ,he were enticed into one of these meetings1 ,he would assuredly think ,he was in the midst of ,his old enemies1 the ,pharisees4 #bc ,the ,gadarene swine were the subject of a once famous controversy between ,huxley and ,gladstone 7,huxley4 ,some ,controverted ,questions4 ,chaps4 ,,xiv1 ,,xv74 ,in the course of the wordy battle there occurs a delicious bit of humor which is worth preserving4 ,huxley starts out by saying that1 for himself1 he does not believe the miracle ever occurred1 and then adds that he should consider that the wanton destruction of other people's property is a misdemeanor of evil example4 ,gladstone comments on this that1 after eighteen centuries of worship of ,jesus1 it has been reserved to a scientific inquirer to discover that ,he was not better than a law-breaker and an evil-doer4 ,huxley objects to this accusation1 because1 as he expressly said he did not believe ,jesus ever sent any devils into any swine1 he can hardly be guilty of charging ,jesus with this evil-doing4 ,in his following article ,gladstone states ,huxley's position1 does not withdraw his accusation1 but1 in a manner of apology1 says3 ,the difference1 from his point of view1 is probably material1 and ,i therefore regret that ,i overlooked it4 #bd ,this miracle occurs in ,luke before the healing of ,jairus' daughter 7,luke ,,viii3#da74 #be ,the account of ,luke's miracle is so vague as to be very unsatisfactory4 ,the dead man is unnamed and unknown1 neither his dwelling nor any of his relatives are identified1 no one solicits ,jesus to perform the miracle1 but the bier is met casually on the street or country road1 and none of the witnesses are named1 as in the case of ,jairus' daughter4 ,the narrator of such an unprecedented event1 as the raising of one from the dead1 ought at least to furnish some means of identifying the resurrected person4 ,it is small wonder that ,matthew1 ,mark and ,john know nothing of this miracle4 ,a doubting ,thomas might explain all three of these resurrection miracles on the hypothesis of unexpert diagnosis of death1 a trance1 a cataleptic fit1 or other form of suspended animation4 ,this would not be possible in the case of ,lazarus1 if he had been buried in the ground without the provision of some means of respiration4 ,but he was laid in a cave covered only by a stone1 so that ample means of respiration are not excluded4 ,but in the case of ,lazarus1 the most unexplainable matter is the silence of ,matthew1 ,mark and ,luke on the subject of this miracle4 ,lazarus and his two sisters were well known to ,jesus and ,his disciples1 and the sisters are mentioned by all three of the evangelists4 ,shortly after the miracle1 ,jesus comes to ,bethany and there they made ,him a supper 7,john ,,xii3#b71 and ,lazarus sat at the table and ,martha served4 ,then took ,mary a pound of ointment of spikenard very costly and anointed the feet of ,jesus and wiped ,his feet with her hair 7,john ,,xii3#c74 ,the disciples were apparently present1 because ,judas ,iscariot objects to the waste of the ointment 7,john ,,xii3#d1 #e1 #f74 ,both ,matthew and ,mark relate this event as occurring in ,bethany at the house of ,simon the leper1 except that the ointment is poured over ,jesus' head1 and neither the name of ,mary or of ,judas ,iscariot is mentioned 7,matt4 ,,xxvi3#f-ac2 ,mark ,,xiv3#c-i74 ,luke speaks of both ,martha and ,mary on the occasion when ,jesus rebukes ,martha for being troubled about many things 7,luke ,x3#ch74 ,the raising of ,lazarus from the dead was not kept secret but was noised abroad1 and was known to many of the ,jews in ,jerusalem and to the chief priests 7,john ,,xi3#de1 #df2 ,,xii3#i1 #aj1 #aa1 #ag1 #ah74 ,considering the notoriety of this miracle1 the intimacy existing between ,lazarus' family and ,jesus and ,his disciples1 the relation by all the evangelists of other incidents in ,jesus' life in which ,martha and ,mary appear1 it is hard to understand why ,matthew1 ,mark and ,luke have not a word to say of this1 the most marvelous of all of ,jesus' deeds4 #bf ,bethsaida is on the same 7west7 side of the sea of ,galilee as ,capernaum1 and but a short distance from it1 but this desert place was apparently across the sea1 near the land of the ,gergesenes 7,john ,,vi3#a1 #ag2 ,matt4 ,,xiv3#bb2 ,mark ,,vi3#cb74 ,some claim that there was another ,bethsaida on the east side of the sea of ,galilee4 #bg ,it may seem strange that these numerous miracles had so little effect in winning permanent adherents to ,jesus' cause4 ,the ,jews at this time were1 from all accounts1 in a state of religious fermentation1 expecting the immediate coming of a ,messiah1 looking for the signs and portents of that coming1 ready and willing to welcome any miraculous happenings as proof that their hopes were about to be realized4 ,yet ,john the ,baptist1 who did no miracles 7,john ,x3#da71 had apparently at the time of his death a stronger following than ,jesus at the time of ,his death4 7,compare ,matt4 ,,xiv3#e2 ,mark ,,xi3#cb2 ,luke ,,xx3#f1 with ,matt4 ,,xiii3#eg2 ,,xxvii3#bb2 ,john ,,vii3#a2 ,,viii3#ei2 ,x3#ci2 ,,xi3#ec47 ,the earlier miracles attracted large crowds1 but the evidence is abundant that1 later1 the miracles lost their effect1 and in some cases1 even aroused animosity4 ,thus ,matthew says that ,jesus1 in the beginning of ,his prophetic career1 went about all ,galilee1 teaching and preaching and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people4 ,and there followed ,him great multitudes of people from ,galilee and from ,decapolis and from ,jerusalem and from ,juda and from beyond ,jordan 7,matt4 ,,iv3#bc1 #bd1 #be4 ,see ,mark ,,iii3#g1 #h74 ,but1 in ,chap4 ,,xiii3#ec-eh1 he relates how ,jesus1 coming into ,his own country at a later date and preaching there1 the people were offended in ,him4 ,but ,jesus said unto them1 ,a prophet is not without honor1 save in his own country and in his own house4 ,and ,he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief4 ,mark says1 ,and ,he could there do no mighty work1 save that ,he laid ,his hands upon a few sick folk and healed them4 ,and ,he marvelled because of their unbelief 7,mark ,,vi3#e1 #f74 ,luke tells how1 after ,he had preached in the synagogue in ,his home town of ,nazareth1 all they in the synagogue1 when they heard these things1 were filled with wrath1 and rose up and thrust ,him out of the city1 and led ,him unto the brow of the hill1 whereon their city was built1 that they might cast ,him down headlong 7,luke ,,iv3#bh1 #bi74 ,immediately after ,jesus had healed the man1 or two men1 in the country of the ,gergesenes1 ,matthew1 ,mark and ,luke agree that the whole city1 or the whole multitude of the country of the ,gadarenes round about1 besought ,him to depart out of their coasts 7,matt4 ,,viii3#cd2 ,mark ,v3#ag2 ,luke ,,viii3#cg74 ,after ,jesus had preached in ,jerusalem and performed at least one miracle there 7,john ,v3#e-i71 the people were so incensed against ,him that ,he would not walk in ,jewry 7,juda71 because the ,jews sought to kill ,him 7,john ,,vii3#a74 ,later ,he went secretly into ,juda on the occasion of the feast of the tabernacles 7,john ,,vii3#b1 #aj71 and the people took up stones to cast at ,him1 but ,jesus hid ,himself and went out of the temple1 going through the midst of them and so passed by 7,john ,,viii3#ei74 ,again1 when ,he had restored sight to a blind man1 they reviled this man and cast him out 7,john ,,ix3#g1 #cd74 ,again1 when ,jesus was at ,jerusalem at the feast of the dedication 7,john ,x3#bb71 the ,jews took up stones again to stone ,him4 ,therefore they sought again to take ,him2 but ,he escaped out of their hands 7,john ,x3#ca1 #ci74 ,as regards the raising of ,lazarus from the dead1 the ,jews1 instead of being favorably affected by that stupendous miracle1 were apparently incensed by it4 ,they plotted to put both ,lazarus and ,jesus to death 7,john ,,xii3#aj71 and ,jesus therefore walked no more openly among the ,jews2 but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness1 into a city called ,ephraim 7,john ,,xi3#ed74 ,finally1 ,jesus ,himself bears witness both to ,his belief that miracles were proof of ,his messianic claims1 and that ,his miracles had failed to give the support to ,his cause which ,he had expected4 ,in one of ,his most bitter utterances1 ,he denounces the cities of ,galilee1 because they would not believe in ,him notwithstanding the many mighty works which ,he had performed in their midst4 ,woe unto thee1 ,chorazin4 ,woe unto thee1 ,bethsaida4 ,but ,i say unto you1 it shall be more tolerable for ,tyre and ,sidon at the day of judgment than for you4 ,and thou1 ,capernaum1 which art exalted unto heaven1 shalt be brought down to hell4 ,but ,i say unto you1 that it shall be more tolerable for ,tyre and ,sidon at the day of judgment1 than for you 7,matt4 ,,xi3#bj-bd2 ,luke ,x3#ac-ae74 ,in more temperate language ,he bewails the coldness and hostility of ,jerusalem4 ,how often would ,i have gathered thy children together even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings1 and ye would not8 7,matt4 ,,xxiii3#cg2 ,luke ,,xiii3#cd4 ,see also ,luke ,,xix3#da1 #db2 ,luke ,,xi3#ca1 #cb74 ,the reason why ,jesus' miracles produced no lasting effect on the ,jews has already been indicated4 ,they expected their ,messiah to show them miracles as proof of his claims4 ,but this ,messiah must be one of their own creation preaching the doctrines which they wished him to preach4 ,all the miracles in the world would not have convinced them that ,jesus was the true ,messiah1 so long as ,he offered them only a heavenly kingdom4 ,on the other hand1 if ,he had promised them an earthly kingdom1 they would have acclaimed these same miracles which ,he did1 as indubitable proofs of ,his ,messiahship4 ,in this respect they differ not at all from many modern professed followers of ,jesus4 ,they follow such parts of ,his teaching as happen to suit their own ideas or prejudices1 and calmly ignore other parts1 equally explicit and binding1 which do not fit in with their scheme of life4 7,see ,hypocrisy or ,truth1 infra47 ,the miracles and1 even more1 the apparent faith of ,jesus in their evidentiary value1 form serious stumbling blocks in the way of those who revere ,jesus as the greatest ,son of ,man--unequaled in the simplicity and unselfishness of ,his character and in the sublimity of ,his teaching--but free from the tawdry tinsel of supernaturalism1 which is the usual stock-in-trade of leaders of religious sects4 ,mohammedanism seems to be the only great religion which has resisted the temptation to ascribe to its founder1 either divine parentage or the power to perform supernatural acts4 ,the attribution to ,jesus of the ,holy ,ghost as ,his father need cause no difficulty1 by reason of the facts set out under sub-head ,conception1 supra4 ,but as regards the miracles1 it is true that few of them have much scientific value as evidence of the intervention of supernatural powers in their occurrence4 ,for instance1 ,matthew records nineteen specific miracles1 of which only one is attested to by all the three other evangelists1 five are attested to by one beside himself1 twelve by two1 and one by himself alone4 ,of the nineteen1 five are events--stilling the tempest--walking on the waters1 two feeding the multitude1 and one the blasting of the unfortunate fig tree1 which did not bear fruit out of season4 ,of the remaining fourteen1 one is a lunatic1 one has a withered hand1 one is dumb1 one is a leper1 two have palsy1 three are blind1 one has fever1 one an issue of blood1 two are possessed of devils1 and the ailment of ,jairus' daughter is not specified4 ,without examining each in detail1 it may be said generally that these accounts are very indefinite as to exact times and places1 names of persons cured1 or by friends or relatives1 and other details1 by which the story might be verified4 ,from the insufficient data furnished1 it would1 for instance1 have been almost impossible for a person1 starting to investigate these miracles immediately after ,jesus' death to have asserted that any particular miracle did not occur1 although he could not find a single witness to any of them4 ,even the names of the disciples present are given only in a few instances4 ,it is also to be regretted that practically all of the personal cures1 as is the case with more modern miracle workers1 fall within that class of afflictions where ignorance1 suggestion1 simulation1 conscious or unconscious1 etc41 can so easily confuse the result4 ,if some of these latter-day healers would only go to an old soldiers' home and supply some missing arms and legs1 the doubting ,thomases would be more ready to concede their possession of supernatural powers4 ,but1 notwithstanding all this1 the four ,gospels are so permeated with these miraculous doings that it would be almost denying them any credibility at all1 to claim that ,jesus and ,his apostles did not believe that ,he performed miracles1 and that these miracles were proof of ,his claim to the ,messiahship4 ,it can only be said that ,jesus1 great as ,he was1 could not entirely escape the influence of the times in which ,he lived4 #bh ,here again ,jesus makes clear ,his antipathy to churchly ceremonies and pharisaical formalism4 ,no ceremony marks the joining of ,his disciples4 ,he says to them1 ,follow me1 and they leave everything and follow ,him4 ,no more is necessary to make them members of ,his band4 ,so1 no rite1 no ceremony marks the choosing or appointing of the twelve apostles1 or bishops1 as they would now be called4 ,there is no laying on of hands1 no formal induction or installation into office1 no clothing them in peculiar vestments1 or sacerdotal robes1 or other visible insignia of their office or rank4 ,nor are they given any authority or pre-eminence over their fellow disciples4 ,nothing could have been more foreign to ,jesus' ideas than the establishment of a priestly hierarchy4 ,the instructions as to their preaching are of the simplest--the kingdom of heaven is at hand4 ,no creeds1 no theological dogmas are to be impressed on their hearers4 ,but the necessity of their doing good works--healing the sick1 etc4--is emphasized4 ,with ,jesus works always were of more value than words4 ,the admonition to travel simply1 without money or extra raiment1 and to depend on the hospitality of the people among whom they came1 reminds us of the practice of the itinerant missionaries of frontier days in our own country4 ,matthew's account is the only one containing the verse3 ,think not that ,i am come to send peace on earth4 ,i come not to send peace but a sword 7,matt4 ,x3#cd74 ,this has often been cited1 warped from its context1 as meaning that ,jesus sanctioned war as a means of spreading ,his religion4 ,but nothing is more contrary to the whole spirit of ,his teaching and many express utterances4 ,when ,his disciples would have ,him call down fire from heaven to consume those who would not receive ,him1 ,he rebuked them and said3 ,for the ,son of ,man is not come to destroy men's lives1 but to save them 7,luke ,,ix3#ef74 ,in this chapter from ,matthew1 ,jesus is predicting that the spread of ,his ,gospel will set individual against individual 7even in the same family71 and finally nation against nation1 and that1 owing to the weakness of human nature1 this would lead to individual contests and to national contests4 ,results well justified ,his prophecy4 ,so long as the ,christians were in the minority1 they preached1 and1 to some extent1 practiced the doctrines of the ,sermon on the ,mount4 ,but when they became the majority1 the sword and torch and the fires of the ,inquisition were their favorite arguments in converting recalcitrant heathen4 #bi ,moderation was the keynote of ,jesus' character4 ,excess in any direction was contrary to ,his principles4 ,he had no sympathy with either the zealot or the ascetic4 ,he condemned as well the faster and the prohibitionist as the glutton and the wine-bibber4 ,he was most democratic in ,his daily intercourse with others4 ,he dined one day with publicans and sinners1 and the next with a ,pharisee1 notwithstanding ,his bitter antagonism to the ,pharisees as a sect 7,luke ,,xi3#cg2 ,,xiv3#a74 ,this moderation shows itself in the charity of ,his judgments of others1 as in the case of the woman taken in adultery 7,john ,,viii3#c-aa71 the parable of the ,prodigal ,son 7,luke ,,xv3#aa74 ,judge not that ye be not judged 7,matt4 ,,vii3#a7 and elsewhere4 ,when ,he is asked to name the first great commandment1 ,he does not choose any of the ten stringent provisions of the ,old ,testament1 but expresses ,his ideas in the milder forms3 ,to love ,god1 and to love thy neighbor as thyself 7,matt4 ,,xxii3#cf-dj2 ,mark ,,xii3#bh-ca74 #cj ,the prophets of the ,old ,testament had long before the birth of ,jesus inveighed against the disposition among the ,jews to magnify acts of worship--religious rites and ceremonies--as pleasing to ,god and indicative of holiness in the participant4 ,to what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me8--saith the ,lord4 ,i am full of the burnt offerings of rams1 and the fat of fed beasts2 and ,i delight not in the blood of bullocks1 or of lambs1 or of he goats4 ,bring no more vain oblations2 incense is an abomination unto me2 the new moons and ,sabbaths1 the calling of assemblies2 ,i cannot away with2 it is iniquity1 even the solemn meeting4 ,your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth2 they are a trouble unto me2 ,i am weary to bear them4 ,learn to do well2 seek judgment1 relieve the oppressed1 judge the fatherless1 plead for the widow 7,isaiah ,i3#aa-ag74 ,will the ,lord be pleased with thousands of rams1 or with ten thousands of rivers of oil8 ,shall ,i give my first-born for my transgression1 the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul8 ,he hath showed thee1 ,o man1 what is good2 and what doth the ,lord require of thee1 but to do justly1 and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy ,god 7,micah ,,vi3#g1 #h74 ,for ,i desired mercy and not sacrifice2 and the knowledge of ,god more than burnt offerings 7,hosea ,,vi3#f74 ,but the ,jews had not heeded the admonitions of their prophets1 and1 in the time of ,jesus1 their religion1 under the dominating influence of those zealous laymen--the scribes and ,pharisees--had become permeated with the dry-rot of formalism4 ,prayers1 fastings1 rites and ceremonies had become all important1 like the burnt offerings of bullocks1 the blood of bullocks1 the incense and vain oblations of earlier days4 ,woe unto you1 scribes and ,pharisees1 hypocrites1 for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin and have omitted the weightier matters of the law1 judgment1 mercy and faith 7,matt4 ,,xxiii3#bc74 ,their conception of the ,lord was that of the ,mosaic times--a jealous ,deity to be placated by sacrifices1 and whose favor was to be won by external worship1 and not by inward purity of heart4 ,woe unto you1 scribes and ,pharisees1 hypocrites1 for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter1 but within they are full of extortion and excess4 ,thou blind ,pharisee1 cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter1 that the outside of them may be clean also 7,matt4 ,,xxiii3#be1 #bf74 ,the simple1 unceremonial religion which ,jesus taught1 a living force animating each act of one's daily life1 nourished by secret prayers in one's chamber1 manifesting itself by unobtrusive acts of mercy1 not by public prayers1 fastings and religious services1 was the direct antipodes of the ceremonial formalism then dominant among the ,jews4 ,jesus early recognized this antagonism1 and lost no opportunity to combat this1 the greatest obstacle to the spreading of ,his ideas4 ,he can use no words too bitter in denouncing those whom ,he considers the corrupters of the true worship of ,god 7,matt4 ,,xxiii2 ,mark ,,xii3#ch-dj2 ,luke ,,xx3#df1 #dg2 ,,xi3#db-dd74 ,to persons deeply imbued with religious feeling1 hypocrisy is the cardinal sin4 ,ye hypocrites is ,his constant term of reproach for the scribes and ,pharisees4 ,now1 the observance of the ,sabbath was the keystone in the arch of formalism which the ,pharisees had erected4 ,they had filled the day with religious ceremonies4 ,they had surrounded it with minute restrictions and prohibitions1 so that even the healing of the sick on that day was considered by them unlawful4 ,probably their objection to the disciples picking and eating corn was not based so much on that fact1 as on the iniquity of ,jesus and ,his disciples taking a pleasant walk through the fields and country on the ,sabbath4 ,as ,macaulay said of the ,puritans1 they hated bear baiting1 not so much because it gave pain to the bear1 as because it gave pleasure to the spectators4 ,this ,sabbath was to ,jesus a travesty on the true worship of ,his ,father1 and met ,his instant and repeated condemnation4 ,he intentionally and openly violated its laws1 and challenged the ,pharisees to defend their position4 ,as in the case of prayer1 ,he again defined ,his ,father's attitude as caring nothing for these outward observances4 ,i will have mercy and not sacrifice 7,matt4 ,,xii3#g74 ,the weighty matters of the law are judgment1 mercy and faith 7,matt4 ,,xxiii3#bc74 ,in the expressive language of the ,old ,testament ,his soul hateth their ,sabbaths and appointed feasts and solemn assemblies4 ,they were a trouble to ,him and ,he was weary to bear them4 ,when ye make many prayers1 ,i will not hear 7,isaiah ,i3#ac1 #ad1 #ae74 ,jesus sums up ,his conception of the ,sabbath in one of ,his pregnant sentences1 the ,sabbath was made for man1 and not man for the ,sabbath 7,mark ,,ii3#bg2 ,luke ,,vi3#e74 ,if ,jesus were on earth today1 ,he would make our ,sunday a day of cheerful rest4 ,children would rejoice in it1 learn to love it1 instead of its being to them 7more formerly than now7 a day of penance and gloom1 with their forced attendance on a distasteful ,sunday school1 to study creeds and catechisms1 not suited to their immature years4 ,attendance at church would be a matter of minor importance1 to be determined by each one for himself4 ,the desire to worship could be satisfied without these public assemblies1 for where two or three are gathered together in my name1 there am ,i in the midst of them 7,matt4 ,,xviii3#bj74 ,but the significant deliberation of the day1 the only one important before ,god1 would be the marking it out as the day especially for the doing of deeds of mercy4 ,much more righteous in the sight of the ,lord would be the man who had spent the day in hunting1 fishing or other innocent recreation1 but yet had one good deed to his credit1 than he who had spent the whole day in religious exercises1 and given his tithe of mint and anise and cummin1 but had not helped1 or comforted1 or made happier a single fellow human being4 ,jesus would say with the poet3 ,count that day lost1 whose low descending sun ,views from thy hand1 no worthy action done4 #ca ,jesus had already told the disciples of ,his approaching death and resurrection 7,matt4 ,,xvi3#ba1 #bb2 ,mark ,,viii3#ca2 ,luke ,,ix3#bb74 #cb ,jesus probably spoke to ,his disciples in the veiled language so often used by ,him1 since it is clear that ,his disciples1 down to the last days in ,jerusalem1 had not accepted the idea of ,his immediate bodily death4 ,but they understood not that saying and were afraid to ask ,him 7,mark ,,ix3#cb74 ,and they understood none of these things2 and this saying was hid from them1 neither knew they the things that were spoken 7,luke ,,xviii3#cd2 see ,matt4 ,,xxiv3#c74 ,it is probable that up to the hour of the ,crucifixion many of the disciples still clung to the hope that ,jesus would exert ,his miraculous powers to confound ,his enemies and establish an earthly kingdom4 ,they thought that the kingdom of ,god should immediately appear 7,luke ,,xix3#aa74 ,they quarreled among themselves as to who should have precedence in this kingdom4 ,and there was also a strife among them1 which of them should be accounted the greatest 7,luke ,,xxii3#bd74 #cc ,none of these multitudes seem to have been on hand a few days later to ask ,jesus' release from ,pilate 7,matt4 ,,xxvii3#ae1 #ag1 #bb1 #bc74 #cd ,this cleansing of the temple is related by ,john as one of ,jesus' first acts1 immediately after the marriage in ,cana 7,john ,,ii3#ad-ag74 #ce ,there is a marked difference between these latest utterances of ,jesus and ,his first preaching in the ,sermon on the ,mount4 ,then ,he was enthusiastic1 filled with the hope of converting the ,jews1 and establishing ,his ,father's spiritual kingdom on earth4 ,now ,he is disappointed1 realizing that ,his death is near1 that ,his religious teachings have been rejected by practically all of ,his people1 and that ,he will leave behind ,him a mere handful of followers1 few1 if any1 of whom yet understand the true meaning of ,his religion4 ,the spirit of the ,sermon on the ,mount is love for one another1 kindness active in every-day life1 charity for others' shortcomings1 leniency in judging and punishing offenders4 ,but ,his later sayings abound in bitter censure of the ,pharisees and others who have thwarted ,his work1 of denunciation of all evil-doers1 of promises of reward to ,his followers1 and of predictions of severe punishment for those who reject ,his teachings4 ,thus in the ,sermon on the ,mount ,he says3 ,blessed are the merciful2 for they shall obtain mercy 7,matt4 ,v3#g74 ,blessed are the peace-makers2 for they shall be called the children of ,god 7,matt4 ,v3#i74 ,therefore1 if thou bring thy gift to the altar1 and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee2 leave there thy gift before the altar and go thy way2 first be reconciled with thy brother1 and then come and offer thy gift 7,matt4 ,v3#bc1 #bd74 ,agree with thine adversary quickly1 while thou art in the way with him 7,matt4 ,v3#be74 ,but ,i say unto you1 that ye resist not evil2 but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek1 turn to him the other also 7,matt4 ,v3#ci74 ,but ,i say unto you1 love your enemies1 bless them that curse you1 do good to them that hate you 7,matt4 ,v3#dd74 ,but if ye forgive not men their trespasses1 neither will your ,father forgive your trespasses 7,matt4 ,,vi3#ae74 ,but seek ye first the kingdom of ,god and ,his righteousness2 and all these things shall be added unto you 7,matt4 ,,vi3#cc74 ,judge not1 that ye be not judged 7,matt4 ,,vii3#a74 ,thou hypocrite1 first cast out the beam out of thine own eye2 and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote of thy brother's eye 7,matt4 ,,vii3#e74 ,therefore1 all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you1 do ye even so to them2 for this is the ,law and the prophets 7,matt3,,vii3#ab74 ,as to those who heard ,his sayings and did them not1 ,he speaks no stronger condemnation than to compare them to the foolish man who built his house on the sand 7,matt4 ,,vii3#bd-bg74 ,compare with these the following excerpts from ,his later preachings3 ,verily ,i say unto you that the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of ,god before you 7,matt4 ,,xxi3#ca74 ,and whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken2 but on whomsoever it shall fall1 it will grind him to powder 7,matt4 ,,xxi3#dd74 ,then said the king to the servants1 ,bind him hand and foot1 and take him away1 and cast him into outer darkness2 there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth4 ,for many are called1 but few are chosen 7,matt4 ,,xxii3#ac1ad74 ,but woe unto you1 scribes and ,pharisees1 hypocrites 7,matt4 ,,xxiii3#ac1 #ad1 #ae74 ,ye fools and blind 7,matt4 ,,xxiii3#ag1 #bc1 #bd74 ,ye are like unto whited sepulchres1 which indeed appear beautiful outward1 but are within full of dead men's bones1 and of all uncleanness 7,matt4 ,,xxiii3#bg74 ,ye serpents1 ye generation of vipers1 how can ye escape the damnation of hell8 7,matt4 ,,xxiii3#cc74 ,that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth 7,matt4 ,,xxiii3#ce74 ,and woe unto them that are with child1 and to them that give suck in those days 7,matt4 ,,xxiv3#ai74 ,then shall two be in the field2 the one shall be taken1 and the other left 7,matt4 ,,xxiv3#dj74 ,and shall cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites2 there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth 7,matt4 ,,xxiv3#ea74 ,and cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness2 there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth 7,matt4 ,,xxv3#cj74 ,depart from me1 ye cursed1 into everlasting fire1 prepared for the devil and his angels 7,matt4 ,,xxv3#da74 #cf ,it is impossible for one not versed in the subtleties of ,jewish religious ceremonies to understand the references in the four ,gospels to the feast of unleavened bread and of the ,passover4 ,they do not seem to correspond with the somewhat intricate ritual given in the ,old ,testament 7,ex4 ,,xii3#a-bj74 ,if the ,crucifixion occurred in the year ,a4,d4 #cc1 as the authorities generally agree1 then the feast of the ,passover began on the evening of ,friday1 the day after this supper and the day of the ,crucifixion4 ,this agrees with ,john's statements 7,john ,,xiii3#a2 ,,xviii3#bh2 ,,xix3#ad-ca74 ,but the other three ,gospels speak of the supper on ,thursday1 as being the eating of the ,passover4 #cg ,this strife is also given by ,luke as of an earlier date 7,luke ,,ix3#df74 7,see also ,matt4 ,,xviii3#a2 ,mark ,,ix3#cd2 ,mark ,x3#ce2 ,matt4 ,,xx3#bd74 #ch ,mark tells of a certain young man who followed ,jesus1 until he was driven away by the soldiers 7,mark ,,xiv3#ea1 #eb74 ,he is not identified1 and apparently appears only at this place in the four ,gospels4 #ci ,the motive of ,judas in this transaction seems destined to remain an unsettled controversy4 ,was he simply a traitor1 seeking to sell his ,lord and ,master for a price8 ,or was he a religious zealot1 trying to force ,jesus' hand8 ,it has been already noted that the apostles1 even at this late date1 were expecting the immediate coming of ,jesus' kingdom on earth and the installation of themselves into the chief offices of that kingdom 7,luke ,,xix3#aa2 ,,xxii3#bd74 ,did ,judas1 in his supreme confidence in his ,master's supernatural powers1 feel convinced that1 if once a contest were precipitated between the ,pharisees and ,jesus1 the latter would exert those powers and utterly confound ,his enemies8 ,the most inexplicable thing in the whole transaction is its utter futility1 both on the side of ,judas and of the ,pharisees also4 ,on other visits to ,jerusalem1 ,jesus had kept ,his movements more or less secret 7,john ,,viii3#ei2 ,,xi3#ed74 ,but on this last visit there was not the slightest attempt at concealment4 ,his entry into ,jerusalem was attended by a great multitude1 shouting and acclaiming ,him 7,matt4 ,,xxi3#a-aj2 ,mark ,,xi3#a-aj2 ,luke ,,xix3#cj-dj74 ,his cleansing of the temple was an open and public act 7,matt4 ,,xxi3#ab-ad2 ,mark ,,xi3#ae2 ,luke ,,xix3#de1 #df74 ,every day ,he taught openly in the temple 7,luke ,,xix3#dg2 ,,xxii3#ec74 ,the chief priests1 elders and ,pharisees were present at ,his teachings and argued with ,him 7,matt4 ,,xxi3#bc2 ,mark ,,xi3#bg2 ,luke ,,xx3#a74 ,they had already employed spies to follow ,jesus in ,his preaching and note any seditious or heretical utterances 7,luke ,,xx3#bj74 ,every night ,jesus and ,his twelve apostles went out to ,bethany1 coming back to ,jerusalem in the morning1 and the movements of so numerous a company could not have been concealed 7,matt4 ,,xxi3#ag1 #ah1 #bj74 ,jesus must have been well-known in ,bethany1 both because of ,his long friendship with the family of ,lazarus1 and because of the miracle of raising ,lazarus from the dead 7,john ,,xi3#de2 ,,xii3#i74 ,while in ,bethany1 ,jesus and the apostles were entertained publicly at a supper in ,simon's house 7,john ,,xii3#b2 ,matt4 ,,xxvi3#f74 ,so far as an identification of ,jesus was concerned1 or any assistance in making ,his arrest1 ,judas' services were entirely useless to the ,pharisees1 and there was no occasion for spending money on him4 ,the most conclusive evidence on this point is that of ,jesus ,himself4 ,all three of the synoptics agree that ,jesus protested against a multitude with their swords and staves coming out to take ,him in the night-time1 as though ,he were a thief or a fugitive from justice4 ,as ,he says1 ,i sat daily with you teaching in the temple1 and ye laid no hold on me 7,matt4 ,,xxvi3#ee2 ,mark ,,xiv3#di2 ,luke ,,xxii3#ec74 ,according to ,john1 who is considered the most accurate of the evangelists on the events of this last week1 ,judas did not kiss ,jesus or make any other identification of ,him4 ,on the approach of the band1 ,jesus comes forth and says1 ,whom seek ye8 ,they answered ,him1 ,jesus of ,nazareth4 ,jesus saith unto them1 ,i am he4 ,and ,judas also1 which betrayed ,him1 stood with them 7,john ,,xviii3#e74 ,the ,pharisees seem to have had some trouble in procuring the proof of ,jesus' heretical sayings 7,matt4 ,,xxii3#ae-af2 ,mark ,,xii3#ac2 ,luke ,,xi3#ed2 ,luke ,,xx3#bj2 ,matt4 ,,xxvi3#fj74 ,if ,judas had offered to furnish this evidence1 the bargain with the ,pharisees would be understandable4 ,as to the pecuniary side of the transaction1 ,matthew is the only one who states that a bargain was made for a definite sum of money4 ,according to the account of ,mark and ,luke1 ,judas volunteered his services1 and the ,pharisees promised to give him money4 ,john does not mention any money paid or to be paid1 although he is especially bitter against ,judas 7,john ,,vi3#fd1 #gj1 #ga2 ,,xii3#f2 ,,xiii3#b1 #bg74 ,now1 ,judas was the treasurer of the apostles' company and carried the bag 7,john ,,xiii3#bi2 ,,xii3#f74 ,if avarice were his motive1 it would seem strange that he would give up this post and the possibilities of peculation which it offered1 for the small sum of money he would get from the ,pharisees4 ,moreover1 the fact that1 immediately after the conviction of ,jesus1 ,judas tendered back the money to the ,pharisees1 and1 when they refused it1 cast it down in the temple1 and went out and hanged himself1 tends strongly to support the theory that he was a misguided zealot 7,matt4 ,,xxvii3#c-f74 ,against this is the unanimous evidence of the ,gospels that he was the betrayer of ,jesus1 and that ,jesus recognized and branded him as such4 #dj ,this gathering was presumably the ,sanhedrim1 the high council of the ,jews4 ,it had jurisdiction to try and sentence ,jews charged with heresy--corruptors1 blasphemers of the temple1 destroyers of the true worship1 etc4 ,it could not1 however1 execute a sentence of death 7,john ,,xviii3#ca74 ,in such cases it was necessary that the sentence be confirmed by the ,roman tetrarch1 procurator1 or other governor of the country1 and the execution of the sentence be carried out by ,roman soldiers4 #da ,this was a trial for heredoxy under the ,jewish law upon two charges1 one for blasphemy of the temple1 the other for blasphemy of ,god4 ,either1 if proved1 would warrant a sentence of death4 ,the first was very near the truth4 ,the charge was1 ,i am able to destroy the temple of ,god1 and to build it in three days4 ,jesus' exact words were1 ,destroy this temple1 and in three days ,i will raise it up 7,john ,,ii3#ai74 ,the ,jews did not understand ,his hidden meaning that ,he meant the death of ,his body and its resurrection in three days 7,john ,,ii3#bj1 #ba74 ,the other charge was in one sense true1 for ,jesus had spoken of ,himself as the ,son of ,god4 ,but ,he had not used these words in the sense attributed to ,him by the ,pharisees1 that ,he was himself ,god1 or the equal of ,god4 ,but1 coupled with ,his failure to deny these charges1 they formed a sufficient legal basis1 under the ,jewish law1 for ,his conviction and sentence4 #db ,the high priest evidently shifted his ground of attack when he brought ,jesus before ,pilate4 ,the main charge here against ,jesus was that ,he had claimed to be king of the ,jews1 something that had not appeared in the proceeding before the ,sanhedrim4 ,this was more of a political than a heretical crime1 and one more likely to arouse the suspicion and hostility of the ,romans4 ,jesus was entirely innocent of this crime1 for ,he had never claimed for ,himself an earthly kingdom4 ,this1 and the charges of heresy1 which probably were also presented1 did not make much impression on ,pilate4 ,he evidently did not think that ,jesus had done anything deserving a sentence of death1 and probably regarded the whole matter as one of those vexatious religious quarrels among the ,jewish sectaries which were constantly arising to trouble the ,roman governors of ,jewry1 and in which they had no interest or sympathy with either side of the controversy4 ,but he found himself in a difficult position4 ,this demand for ,jesus' sentence was backed by all of official ,jewishdom1 and they presented ,his legal condemnation by the ,sanhedrim4 ,while ,pilate was not absolutely bound to approve this sentence of the ,sanhedrim1 yet his refusal to do so would deeply offend the leaders of the ,jewish people and quite possibly involve him in serious trouble with the authorities at ,rome4 ,seeking a way out of this dilemma1 he bethought himself of the custom of freeing a prisoner at the feast of the ,passover4 ,he tried to induce the multitude to demand the release of ,jesus1 and1 if there had been any difference in opinion1 would undoubtedly have declared the vote in favor of ,jesus4 ,but the people were unanimous in their demand for the release of ,barabbas4 ,then1 only1 he consented to confirm ,jesus' sentence1 and attempted publicly to shift the moral responsibility for his act to the ,jewish populace4 #dc ,there seems to be some question as to whether ,antipas was not governor at this time1 instead of ,herod 7,matt4 ,,ii3#ai74 #dd ,this ,annas 7or ,hanan7 is supposed by some authorities to be the power behind the throne1 the chief instigator of the proceedings against ,jesus4 #de ,pilate evidently inflicted this punishment--milder than death--in the hope that it would pacify the ,jews1 and they would permit him to let ,jesus escape the extreme penalty of crucifixion4 #df ,from this narrative it would seem that1 for one night1 the sepulchre was unsealed and unguarded4 #dg ,it seems that it was a custom to give criminals this drink in order to1 in a measure1 stupefy them and lessen the pains of the crucifixion4 #dh ,this was probably the usual custom1 unless the criminal was too weak to bear the burden4 #di ,no two of these superscriptions on the cross exactly agree4 #ej ,none of the other ,gospels mention ,jesus' mother or any of the apostles as being present at the ,crucifixion1 and all agree that the women stood afar off4 #ea ,these were precautions1 probably usual1 to ensure that the criminals were really dead4 #eb ,these instructions are contrary to those given to ,his disciples in ,his life-time4 ,he told them expressly not to go to the ,gentiles 7,matt4 ,x3#e7 and said nothing about their baptizing either ,jews or ,gentiles4 ,no time or definite place is assigned for this last appearance of ,jesus4 #ec ,mark does not tell of any appearance of ,jesus to the apostles in ,galilee4 #ed ,the name ,cleopas does not appear in the list of the twelve apostles 7,matt4 ,x3#b-d74 #ee ,the story of the resurrection and ascension would have even less chance of acceptance by an impartial tribunal1 than that of the miraculous conception1 or of the birth at ,bethlehem4 ,the accounts in the four ,gospels1 together with that in the ,acts1 are such a hopeless mass of confusion and contradiction that scarcely a single fact can be extricated1 on which they all agree4 ,as to the time1 the place1 and the witnesses of the ascension1 they are entirely at variance4 ,jesus had1 in ,his lifetime1 fixed ,galilee as the place of meeting ,his apostles after ,his rising from the dead 7,matt4 ,,xxvi3#cb2 ,mark ,,xiv3#bh74 ,so the angel1 or the young man1 at the tomb tells the women that ,jesus has gone into ,galilee1 where ,his disciples should see ,him1 as ,he said unto you 7,matt4 ,,xxviii3#g2 ,mark ,,xvi3#g74 ,now1 ,matthew's account is the only one of the five originals which says anything about ,jesus appearing to ,his disciples in ,galilee4 ,and1 according to ,matthew1 this was the only time and place that ,he did appear to any one1 except the two ,marys 7,matt4 ,,xxviii3#i1 #aj71 and their statements were not believed by the apostles 7,mark ,,xvi3#aa2 ,luke ,,xxiv3#aa74 ,according to ,matthew1 at a time not specified1 ,jesus appeared to the eleven on a mountain in ,galilee 7,matt4 ,,xxviii3#af71 and when they saw ,him1 they worshipped ,him2 but some doubted 7,matt4 ,,xxviii3#ag74 ,now1 from this it is apparent3 first1 that ,jesus did not appear in ,his natural1 earthly form1 for then the eleven would at once have recognized ,his identity2 and1 second1 that we have no means of telling just how many of the eleven would have testified to this being an appearance of the true ,jesus1 since some doubted4 ,john's original ,gospel warrants appearances of ,jesus1 first1 to ,mary ,magdalene1 the other ,mary not being with her 7,john ,,xx3#ae1 #af1 #ag72 second1 an appearance on ,sunday evening to the apostles1 except ,thomas 7,john ,,xx3#ai72 third1 an appearance eight days later to all the eleven apostles 7,john ,,xx3#bf74 ,nothing is said about any ascension4 ,john's ,chapter ,,xxi1 which1 as has been said1 appears clearly to have been a later addition to the original ,gospel1 relates an appearance of ,jesus in ,galilee1 which is materially different from that of ,matthew4 ,the appearance is not on a mountain1 but on the shores of the sea of ,tiberias1 and1 instead of the eleven apostles being present1 there were1 at most1 only seven1 including ,nathaniel of ,cana 7,john ,,xxi3#b74 ,all of them have considerable trouble in recognizing ,jesus 7,john ,,xxi3#d1 #ab74 ,nothing is said by ,jesus about baptizing1 or preaching to1 the ,gentiles1 but1 on the contrary1 ,jesus tells ,peter to feed my sheep1 or my lambs 7,john ,,xxi3#ae1 #af1 #ag74 ,nothing is said about any ascension of ,jesus into heaven4 ,the ,gospels of ,mark and ,luke1 the original ,gospel of ,john1 and the ,acts1 all agree in fixing the after-death appearances and ascension of ,jesus in ,jerusalem or its neighborhood 7,luke ,,xxiv3#ej2 ,acts ,i3#ab74 ,apparently the apostles remained for some time in ,jerusalem after the ,crucifixion 7possibly for forty days1 ,acts ,i3#c2 ,,ii3#a71 until they separated and went forth and preached everywhere 7,mark ,,xvi3#bj74 ,in the ,acts it is said that ,jesus commanded them to remain in ,jerusalem1 until the gift of the ,holy ,ghost should be sent to them 7,acts ,i3#d74 ,it is evident1 in all these accounts1 that the apostles had never understood1 or had entirely forgotten1 the predictions of ,jesus in ,his lifetime that ,he would rise from the dead 7,matt4 ,,xvi3#ba2 ,,xvii3#bc2 ,,xx3#ai2 ,mark ,,viii3#ca2 ,,ix3#ca2 ,x3#cd2 ,luke ,,ix3#bb2 ,,xviii3#cc74 ,they were not expecting any resurrection4 ,they were not waiting at the tomb for it to occur1 and1 by the unanimous testimony of all the writers1 they showed the greatest surprise and incredulity at the first reports of ,jesus' appearance alive 7,matt4 ,,xxviii3#ag2 ,mark ,,xvi3#aa1 #ac2 ,luke ,,xxiv3#aa1 #af1 #cg1 #da2 ,john ,,xx3#i1 #ad1 #be74 ,furthermore1 it is also evident that ,jesus1 in these appearances1 must have assumed some form or shape different from ,his natural earthly body4 ,otherwise ,his intimate friends and associates could not have been in such uncertainty about recognizing ,his identity4 ,thus ,matthew says that when ,he appeared to the eleven some doubted4 ,but if ,he had appeared in ,his natural form1 how could any of the apostles have doubted as to whether the apparition was ,he or some other person8 ,according to ,mark1 the apostles questioned the accuracy of the report by ,mary and the two disciples that they had seen ,jesus 7,mark ,,xvi3#ac1 #ad74 ,luke relates that ,jesus spent a considerable portion of one day with two of the disciples1 and joined them at their evening meal4 ,but they did not recognize ,him until ,he blessed some bread1 brake it1 and gave to them1 and then ,he vanished out of their sight 7,luke ,,xxiv3#ac-ca74 ,on ,his first appearance in the midst of the apostles1 they were terrified and affrighted1 and supposed that they had seen a spirit4 ,even after ,he showed them ,his hands and feet1 their doubts were not dissipated1 and1 although ,he ate a piece of fish and some honey comb1 it is not explicitly stated that this removed all their uncertainty 7,luke ,,xxiv3#cf-dc74 ,according to ,john1 ,mary ,magdalene1 who was well acquainted with ,jesus in ,his lifetime1 when she saw this apparition1 knew not that it was ,jesus4 ,she spoke to ,him1 supposing ,him to be the gardener4 ,he gives her a message to ,his disciples1 and it is implied in the narrative that she then recognizes ,him as ,jesus1 although it is not explained how this change came about 7,john ,,xx3#ad-ag74 ,on ,his appearance to the apostles1 ,he shows them ,his hands and feet1 as though that were necessary to confirm their recognition of ,his identity4 ,thomas1 apparently1 will not trust to the story of the other apostles2 nor even to the personal appearance of ,jesus1 until he has put his fingers into the prints on ,jesus' hands and feet 7,john ,,xx3#ai-bh74 ,if ,jesus had worn ,his earthly form these prints1 which the apostles had never before seen1 could not have aided in ,his identification4 ,the account in ,john1 ,chap4 ,,xxi1 shows that the seven assembled at the sea of ,tiberias did not at first recognize ,jesus1 although one of them was ,thomas1 who had already identified ,him in ,jerusalem4 ,but the disciples knew not that it was ,jesus 7,john ,,xxi3#d74 ,a little later it is said3 ,and none of the disciples durst ask ,him1 ,who art ,thou8 ,knowing that it was the ,lord 7,john ,,xxi3#ab74 ,no explanation is given as to how this knowledge finally came to them4 ,out of this welter of confusion and contradictions1 it is impossible to select any one coherent1 authoritative story4 ,with equal warrant of authority it may be asserted that ,he appeared to the apostles only in ,galilee 7,matt47 or never in ,galilee1 but only in ,jerusalem 7,mark1 ,luke1 ,acts72 that ,jesus' first appearance was to the two ,marys 7,matthew71 or was to ,mary ,magdalene alone 7,mark1 ,john71 or that ,he did not appear to them at all1 but two men in shining garments gave them the message to the apostles 7,luke72 that ,he made a special appearance to two of the apostles 7,mark1 ,luke71 or that ,he did not make this appearance 7,matthew1 ,john72 that ,he never appeared to the apostles but once 7in ,galilee according to ,matthew1 in ,jerusalem1 according to ,mark and ,luke71 or that ,he appeared to them twice in ,jerusalem 7,john ,,xx7 and once in ,galilee 7,john ,,xxi71 or that ,he was with the apostles in ,jerusalem for forty days1 apparently in frequent communication with them 7,acts ,i74 ,as to the ascension1 it either occurred at some indefinite time on some unidentified mountain in ,galilee and could be testified to by the unspecified number of the eleven who did not doubt 7,matt472 or it 7impliedly7 occurred at some indefinite time on some unspecified shore of the sea of ,tiberias1 in ,galilee1 and was witnessed only by the seven 7,john ,,xxi72 or it occurred in ,jerusalem at some unspecified time or place1 and1 so far as appears1 in the presence of no one 7,mark ,,xvi3#ai72 or it occurred at ,bethany at some indefinite time in the presence of some unspecified number of ,his disciples 7,luke ,,xxiv3#ej1 #ea72 or it occurred at least forty days after the ,crucifixion on the mount called ,olivet1 which is from ,jerusalem a ,sabbath day's journey1 in the presence of persons who are only identified as they 7,acts ,i72 or1 so far as the ,gospel of ,john is concerned1 even including ,chapter ,,xxi1 it could fairly be claimed that ,he did not know of any specific ascension4 ,while the exact date of the writing of the four ,gospels and of the ,acts cannot be determined1 yet1 in any event1 they must have been composed when there were many living witnesses to the events of ,jesus' life4 ,if such a stupendous miracle as the ascension had occurred shortly after ,jesus' death1 it is inexplicable that these historians should not have shown some practical unanimity as to the time1 place and witnesses of the event4 #ef ,the attitude of slave-holders towards freedom in the abstract was grotesque in its lack of logic2 but the attitude of many other classes of men1 both abroad and home1 towards it was equally full of a grimly unconscious humor4 ,the southern planters1 who loudly sympathized with ,kossuth and the ,hungarians1 were entirely unconscious that their tyranny over their own black bondsmen made their attacks upon ,austria's despotism absurd4 ,roosevelt's ,life of ,benton1 ,american ,statesmen ,series1 p4 #bge4 #eg ,compare his severe criticism of the abolition revolt from the ,whig party in #ahdd with his own revolt from the ,republican party in #aiab4 ,life of ,benton1 ,american ,statesmen ,series1 page #bia4 #eh ,if this had been written after the ,spanish war1 he might1 with equal logic1 have said the same thing of ,porto ,rico and the ,philippines4 #ei ,it would be interesting if ,president ,roosevelt had cited some international controversies in which one nation did not claim that the matter in dispute was of great importance and that there was no doubt as to which side was right4 #fj ,from the context he evidently means here any shadow or pretense of title4 #fa ,if1 as ,mr4 ,roosevelt concedes1 the war with ,mexico was unjustifiable1 it is rather difficult to understand how the morals of the people of the ,united ,states could have been improved by the consciousness that they had unjustly slaughtered many thousands of innocent ,mexicans and robbed them of immense areas of their lands4 #fb ,it is apparent that ,matthew uses the word drinking in the sense of drinking wine1 and undoubtedly ,luke uses the word drink in the same sense4 ,in all1 or nearly all1 instances in the four ,gospels where these words are used in connection with eating or fasting1 they refer to the drinking of wine4 ,as to the words wine1 or fruit of the vine1 when used in the ,gospels1 meaning some unfermented liquid1 the undeviating practice of the early ,christian churches in celebrating the ,holy ,communion with actual wine1 stamps this claim as too absurd to merit discussion4 ,undoubtedly ,peter1 ,james1 ,john1 ,paul and the other founders of the infant churches knew and followed the example of ,jesus in prescribing wine as a part of this solemn ceremony4 ,if the universal tradition of the church is not to be believed on this point1 of what value is it on any other8 ,it would be as sensible to claim that there has never been any difference between ,moslems and ,christians in the use of wine1 because1 in truth1 the orthodox ,christian was never authorized to use anything but some unfermented drink that a ,moslem might also have used4 ,transcriber's notes3 ,the following is a list of changes made to the original4 ,the first line is the original line1 the second the corrected one4 ,joseph1 not ,mary1 as being af the house of ,david 7,luke ,,ii3#d74 ,joseph1 not ,mary1 as being of the house of ,david 7,luke ,,ii3#d74 like ,judaea1 and that it was taken at least ten years after like ,juda1 and that it was taken at least ten years after #ab ,luke says that ,joseph and ,mary were amazed1 and1 #ab ,luke says that ,joseph and ,mary were amazed1 and1 and came into the coasts of ,judaea beyond ,jordan 7,matt4 ,,xix3#a74 and came into the coasts of ,juda beyond ,jordan 7,matt4 ,,xix3#a74 7,matt4 ,,xxi3#bc-df2 ,,xxii6 ,,xxiii2 ,,xxiv2 ,,xxv74 7,matt4 ,,xxi3#bc-df2 ,,xxii2 ,,xxiii2 ,,xxiv2 ,,xxv74 the children of ,god2 whosover1 therefore1 shall humble himself the children of ,god2 whosoever1 therefore1 shall humble himself sacrifice for mercy 7,matt4 ,,xii3#g47 ,when prayers are regarded sacrifice for mercy 7,matt4 ,,xii3#g74 ,when prayers are regarded ,international ,cyclopaedia1 ,sabbath1 ,vol4 ,,xii1 p4 #heg4 ,international ,cyclopdia1 ,sabbath1 ,vol4 ,,xii1 p4 #heg4 of that day advised panem et circenses--food and amusement of that day advised panem et circenses--food and amusement4