,new ,sabbath ,library4  ,vol4 #a4 ,no4 
#g4 ,october1 #ahih4  ,single ,copy1 #e 
,cents4                                 
,monthly1 #fj cents per year4           
,the ,,prince of the    ,,house of      
,,david      ,illustration      ,,by    
,,rev ,j4 ,h4 ,,ingraham      ,,david   
,c4 ,,cook ,publishing ,co4    #cf      
,,washington ,,st4 ,,chicago  ,,elgin   
,,ill        ,entered at the ,post      
,office at ,elgin1 ,ill41 as ,second    
,class ,mail ,matter4          ,,famous 
,,books ,,at ,,popular ,,prices         
,the ,new ,sabbath ,library4    ,a      
,,monthly ,,publication4                
,subscription ,price1 #fj ,cents a      
,year4  ,single ,copies1 #e ,cents4     
,illustration3 ,titus3 a ,comrade of the
 ,cross    ,illustration3 ,the ,wrestler
 of ,philippi    ,to meet the growing   
demand for pure literature at popular   
prices1 we  began in ,april1 #ahih1 the 
issue of a monthly publication entitled 
the  ,new ,sabbath ,library4 ,the       
success of these issues has proved to be

  unprecedented1 and they have attained 
an almost world-wide celebrity4         
,although appealing particularly to     
young people1 they will interest all    
lovers of good and wholesome literature1
 whether young or old4    ,each issue of
 the ,new ,sabbath ,library contains a  
complete story1  most of them written   
expressly for us and copyrighted4 ,the  
books are  of uniform style and size    
7#fh71 each containing #if large pages  
in  double column4 ,they are in large1  
clear type1 handsomely printed on  good 
book paper1 and fully illustrated with  
fine half-tone engravings4  ,the covers 
are of heavy1 white enameled paper1 with
 beautifully  engraved designs4         
,prices4--,those who wish to procure    
this ,library regularly1 as it is       
published each month1 may remit #fj     
cents for a year's subscription1  being 
particular to state with which issue the
 subscription is to  commence4 ,single  
copies may be ordered of any or all of  
the books at  the rate of #e cents each1

 or any number of copies of any one book
  will be sent at same rate4 ,we prepay 
postage4    ,cloth ,editions4--,we have 
also prepared special editions of all   
these books1 printed on very heavy      
paper1 beautifully bound in heavy       
covers1 cloth backs and corners1        
ornamented sides4 ,they are specially   
adapted for presentation purposes1 and  
are the largest and best books  ever    
offered for so low a price4 ,sent       
postpaid to any address1 in any         
quantities desired1 on receipt of price1
 #be cents per copy4    ,following is a 
list of books already issued1 or about  
to be issued3      ,no4 #a4 ,april1     
#ahih4    ,a ,devotee and a ,darling    
,,by ,,becca ,,middleton ,,samson4      
,this book received the second prize of 
#ejj from manuscripts submitted  to the 
publishers in competition during the    
year #ahig4    ,fannie1 an impulsive    
girl of sixteen1 bereft of her mother1  
becomes  devotedly attached to ,church  
work and to the study of her ,bible4    

,she  makes many blunders and is        
severely tried at home4 ,at last1 in a  
manner  both strange and startling1     
,fannie's eyes are opened to see her own
  mistaken life4      ,no4 #b4 ,may1    
#ahih4    ,the ,wrestler of ,philippi   
,,by ,,fannie ,e4 ,,newberry4    ,a tale
 of the times of the early followers of 
,jesus1 and how they lived  the         
,christ-life in the first century4 ,as  
,titus gave the reader a  picture of the
 life and times of ,christ1 so this book
 is intended to  portray the life and   
times of the early ,church4    ,the plot
 is fascinating--a story for both young 
and old4 ,its ,oriental  setting1       
description of quaint customs1 manners1 
beliefs1 etc41 give it  a peculiar      
interest and attractiveness all its own4
      ,no4 #c4 ,june1 #ahih4    ,titus3 
a ,comrade of the ,cross    ,,by        
,,florence ,m4 ,,kingsley4    ,the      
publishers of this book1 desiring to    
secure a life of ,christ of  superior   
merit and special character1 offered a  

prize of #a1jjj for the  best manuscript
 submitted4 ,the committee decided in   
favor of ,,titus4  ,it was an immediate 
success1 over one million copies having 
been sold4  ,it is one of the grandest  
books of the century1 and has attracted 
greater attention than any other book   
published in this country during  the   
past twenty years4      ,no4 #d4 ,july1 
#ahih4    ,out of the ,triangle    ,,by 
,,mary ,e4 ,,bamford4    ,this is a     
story of the days of persecution of     
,christians under the  ,emperor         
,septimius ,severus4 ,the scene is      
mainly laid in ,alexandria and  the     
,libyan ,desert4 ,the ,egyptian gods    
were worshiped under the form of  a     
small triangular stone4 ,the book       
relates in a vivid and intensely        
interesting manner the narrow escapes of
 an ,egyptian lad who has become  a     
,christian1 and the manner in which his 
family accept his faith and  escape from
 ,alexandria4    7,,continued ,,on      
,,third ,,page ,,cover7          ,,the  

,,prince ,,of ,,the ,,house ,,of        
,,david4    ,by ,,rev4 ,j4 ,h4          
,,ingraham4      ,copyright1 #ahih1 by  
,david ,c4 ,cook ,publishing ,company4  
,david ,c4 ,cook ,publishing ,company1  
,elgin1 ,ill41 and #cf ,washington ,st41
  ,chicago4          ,,contents         
,,preface4    ,,letter ,i4    ,,letter  
,,ii4    ,,letter ,,iii4    ,,letter    
,,iv4    ,,letter ,v4    ,,letter ,,vi4 
,,letter ,,vii4    ,,letter ,,viii4     
,,letter ,,ix4    ,,letter ,x4          
,,letter ,,xi4    ,,letter ,,xii4       
,,letter ,,xiii4    ,,letter ,,xiv4     
,,letter ,,xv4    ,,letter ,,xvi4       
,,letter ,,xvii4    ,,letter ,,xviii4   
,,letter ,,xix4    ,,letter ,,xx4       
,,letter ,,xxi4    ,,letter ,,xxii4     
,,letter ,,xxiii4    ,,letter ,,xxiv4   
,,letter ,,xxv4    ,,letter ,,xxvi4     
,,letter ,,xxvii4    ,,letter ,,xxviii4 
,,letter ,,xxix4    ,,letter ,,xxx4     
,,letter ,,xxxi4    ,,letter ,,xxxii4   
,,letter ,,xxxiii4    ,,letter ,,xxxiv4 
,,letter ,,xxxv4    ,,letter ,,xxxvi4   

,,letter ,,xxxvii4    ,,letter          
,,xxxviii4    ,,letter ,,xxxix4         
,,preface4      ,the ,prince of the     
,house of ,david1 written by ,rev4 ,mr4 
,ingraham1  needs no recommendation4    
,its fame has been1 long since1         
established1  and its fascination has   
already held sway over multitudes of    
delighted  readers4 ,recognizing fully  
its merits1 the publishers of this      
edition  decided to put it in the way of
 a still greater circulation2 and in    
order to facilitate this1 it has been   
thoroughly revised and in parts         
re-written1 all unnecessary repetition  
appearing in the original  edition of   
the book being omitted4    ,adina1 the  
suppositious writer of the following    
letters1 is the  daughter of a ,jew who 
resides in ,alexandria1 ,egypt4 ,she has
 come to  ,jerusalem during the most    
stirring period of earth's history1 and1
 from  thence1 for the period of three  
years1 she keeps her father apprized of 
the marvelous events occurring about her

 during that time4                      
,,the ,,publishers4          ,,letters  
,,from ,,adina4          ,,letter ,i4   
,my ,dear ,father3    ,my first duty1 as
 it is my highest pleasure1 is to comply
 with your  command to write you as soon
 as ,i should arrive at ,jerusalem1 and 
this  letter1 while it conveys          
intelligence of my arrival1 will confirm
 to  you my filial obedience4    ,my    
journey hither occupied many days4 ,when
 we traveled in sight of  the sea1 which
 we did for three days1 ,i enjoyed the  
majesty of the  prospect1 it seemed so  
like the sky stretched out upon the     
earth4  ,i also had the good fortune to 
see several ships1 which the ,rabbi     
informed me were ,roman galleys1 bound  
some to ,sidon1 and others into  the    
,nile2 and after one of these latter1 as
 it was going to you1 ,i sent  a prayer 
and a wish4 ,just as we were leaving the
 sea-shore to turn off  into the desert1
 ,i saw a wrecked vessel4 ,it looked so 
helpless and  bulky1 with its huge black

 body all out of the water1 that it     
seemed  to me like a great sea-monster1 
stranded and dying2 and ,i felt like    
pitying it4 ,how terrible a tempest must
 be upon the sea6 ,i was in hopes  to   
have seen a ,leviathan1 but was not     
gratified in the wish4 ,the good        
,rabbi1 who seemed to know all about    
these things1 told me that they  seldom 
appear now in the ,middle ,sea1 but are 
seen beyond the pillar of  ,hercules at 
the world's end4    ,at ,gaza we stopped
 two days1 and from thence we proceeded 
over-land to  our destination4    ,the  
morning of the last day of our journey  
but one1 having lost our way  and       
wandered many hours eastwardly1 we      
caught sight of the ,sea of ,sodom  and 
,gomorrah1 at a great distance to the   
east4 ,how my pulse quickened  at       
beholding that fearful spot6 ,i seemed  
to see in imagination the  heavens on   
fire above it1 and the flames and smoke 
ascending as from a  great furnace1 as  
on that fearful day when they were      

destroyed1 with  all that beautiful     
surrounding plain1 which we are told was
 one vast  garden of beauty4 ,how calm  
and still lay now that sluggish sea     
beneath  a cloudless sky6 ,we held it in
 sight many hours1 and once caught a    
glimpse of the ,jordan north of it1     
looking like a silver thread2 yet  near 
as it appeared to be1 ,i was told it was
 a good day's journey for a  camel to   
reach its shores4    ,after losing sight
 of this melancholy lake1 our way lay   
along a narrow  valley for some time1   
and the next day1 on reaching an        
eminence1  ,jerusalem appeared1 as if   
risen out of the earth4    ,i cannot1 my
 dear father1 describe to you my        
emotions on beholding the  ,holy ,city6 
,they have been experienced by millions 
of our people--they  were similar to    
your own as you related them to me4 ,all
 the past1  with its mighty men who     
walked with ,jehovah1 rushed to my      
memory1 and  compelled me to bow my     
head1 and worship and adore at the sight

 of the  ,temple1 where ,god once 7alas1
 why does he no longer visit earth and  
his  holy house87 dwelt in the flaming  
,shechinah1 and made known the oracles  
of his will4    ,we entered the city    
just before the sixth hour of the       
evening1 and were  soon at the house of 
our relative1 ,amos1 the ,levite4 ,i was
 received as  if ,i had a daughter's    
claim to their embraces2 and with the   
luxuries  with which they surrounded me 
in my gorgeously furnished apartments4  
,i am sure my kinsfolk here mean to     
tempt me to forget the joys of the  dear
 home ,i have left4    ,the ,rabbi ,amos
 and his family all desire to be        
commended to you4 ,he  seems to be a man
 of piety and benevolence1 and greatly  
loves his  children4 ,i have been once  
to the ,temple4 ,its outer court seemed 
like  a vast caravanserai or            
market-place1 being thronged with the   
men who  sell animals for sacrifice1    
which crowded all parts4 ,thousands of  
doves  in large cages were sold on one  

side1 and on another were stalls for    
lambs1 sheep1 calves and oxen1 the noise
 and bleating of which1 with  the       
confusion of tongues1 made the place    
appear like anything else than  the     
,temple of ,jehovah4 ,it appears like   
desecration to use the ,temple  thus1   
dear father1 and seems to show a want of
 that holy love of ,god's  house that   
once characterized our ancestors4 ,on   
reaching the women's  court ,i was      
sensible of being in the ,temple1 by the
 magnificence  which surrounded me4     
,with what awe ,i bowed my head in the  
direction  of the ,holy of ,holies6 ,i  
never felt before so near to ,god6      
,clouds of  incense floated above the   
heads of the multitude1 and rivers of   
blood  flowed down the marble steps of  
the altar of burnt offering4 ,alas6 how 
many innocent victims bleed every       
morning and evening for the sins  of    
,israel6 ,what a sea of blood has been  
poured out in ages that have  passed6   
,what a strange1 fearful mystery1 that  

the blood of an innocent  lamb should   
atone for sins ,i have done6 ,there must
 be some deeper  meaning in these       
sacrifices1 dear father1 yet unrevealed 
to us4    ,as ,i was returning from the 
,temple ,i met many persons1 who seemed 
to be  crowding out of the gate on some 
unusual errand4 ,i have since learned   
that they were going to see a very      
extraordinary man--a true prophet of    
,god1 it is believed by many1 who dwells
 in the wilderness eastward near        
,jordan1 and who preaches with power    
unknown in the land since the days  of  
,elijah and ,elisha4 ,i hope he is a    
true prophet of heaven1 and that  ,god  
is once more about to remember ,israel1 
but the days of the ,prophets  have long
 passed away1 and ,i fear this man is   
only an enthusiast4    ,farewell1 dear  
father1 and let us ever pray for the    
glory of ,israel4                       
,your affectionate1                     
,adina4          ,,letter ,,ii4      ,my
 ,dear ,father3    ,the street in which 

we dwell is elevated1 and from the roof 
of the  house1 where ,i love to walk in 
the evening1 watching the stars that    
hang over ,egypt1 there is commanded a  
wide prospect of the ,holy ,city4       
,yesterday morning ,i was early on the  
house-top1 to behold the first  cloud of
 the day-dawn sacrifice rise from the   
bosom of the ,temple4  ,when ,i had     
turned my gaze towards the sacred       
summit1 ,i was awed by  the profound    
silence which reigned over the vast pile
 that crowned  ,mount ,moriah4 ,the sun 
was not yet risen2 but the east blushed 
with a  roseate purple1 and the morning 
star was melting into its depth4 ,night 
and silence still held united empire    
over the city and the altar of  ,god4 ,i
 was awe-silent4 ,i stood with my hands 
crossed upon my bosom  and my head      
reverently bowed1 for in the absence of 
man and his voice  ,i believed angels   
were all around in heavenly hosts1 the  
guardian  armies of this wondrous city  
of ,david4 ,lances of light now shot    

upward  and across the purple sea in the
 ,east1 and fleeces of clouds1 that     
reposed upon it like barks1 catching the
 red rays of the yet unrisen  sun1      
blazed like burning ships4 ,each moment 
the darkness fled1 and the  splendor of 
the dawn increased2 and when ,i expected
 to see the sun  appear over the        
battlemented heights of ,mount ,moriah1 
,i was thrilled by  the startling peal  
of the trumpets of the priests2 a       
thousand silver  trumpets blown at once 
from the walls of the ,temple1 and      
shaking the  very foundations of the    
city with their mighty voice4 ,instantly
 the  house-tops everywhere around were 
alive with worshipers4 ,jerusalem       
started1 as one man1 from its slumbers1 
and1 with their faces towards  the      
,temple1 a hundred thousand men of      
,israel stood waiting4 ,a second        
trumpet peal1 clear and musical as the  
voice of ,god when he spake to  our     
father ,moses in ,horeb1 caused every   
knee to bend1 and every tongue  to join 

in the morning song of praise4 ,the     
murmur of voices was like  the          
continuous roll of the surge upon the   
beach1 and the walls of  the lofty      
,temple echoed it back4 ,simultaneously 
with the billow-like  swell of the      
adoring hymn1 ,i beheld a pillar of     
black smoke ascend  from the midst of   
the ,temple1 and spread itself above the
 court like a  canopy4 ,it was          
accompanied by a blue wreath of lighter 
and more misty  appearance1 which       
threaded in and out and entwined about  
the other1  like a silvery strand woven 
into a sable cord4 ,this latter was the 
smoke of the incense which accompanied  
the burnt sacrifice4 ,as ,i saw it  rise
 higher and higher1 and finally overtop 
the heavy cloud1 which was  instantly   
enlarged by volumes of dense smoke that 
rolled upward from  the consuming       
victim1 and slowly disappeared1 melting 
into heaven1 ,i  also kneeled1          
remembering that on the wings of the    
incense went up the  prayers of the     

people2 and ere it dissolved wholly1 ,i 
entrusted to it1  dear father1 prayers  
for thee and me4    ,the evening        
sacrifice is1 if possible1 more imposing
 than that of  the morning4 ,just as the
 sun dips beyond the hill of ,gibeah1   
there  is heard a prolonged note of a   
trumpet blown from one of the western   
watch-towers of ,zion4 ,its mellow tones
 reach farthest ear within the  gates of
 the city4 ,all labor at once ceases4   
,every man raises his face  towards the 
summit of the house of ,god4 ,a deep    
pause1 as if all held  their breath in  
expectation1 succeeds4 ,suddenly the    
very skies seem  to be riven and shaken 
with the thunder of the company of      
trumpeters  that rolls wave on wave of  
sound1 from the battlements of the      
,temple4  ,the dark cloud of sacrifice  
ascends in solemn grandeur1 and1        
sometimes  heavier than the evening air1
 falls like a descending curtain around 
the ,mount1 till the whole is veiled    
from sight2 but above it is seen to     

soar the purer incense to the invisible 
,jehovah1 followed by a myriad  eyes1   
and the utterance of a nation's prayers4
 ,as the daylight faded1  the light of  
the altar1 hidden from us by the lofty  
walls of the outer  court of the        
,temple1 blazed high and beacon-like1   
and lent a wild  solemnity to the towers
 and pinnacles that crowned ,moriah4    
,illustration3 ,,panorama ,,of          
,,jerusalem    ,there was1 however1 my  
dear father1 last evening1 one thing    
which  painfully marred the holy        
character of the sacred hour4 ,after the
  blast of the silver trumpets of the   
,levites had ceased1 and while all      
hearts and eyes were ascending to       
,jehovah with the mounting wreaths  of  
incense1 there came from the ,roman     
castle adjoining the city of  ,david1 a 
loud martial clangor of brazen bugles1  
and other barbarian  war instruments of 
music1 while a smoke1 like the smoke of 
sacrifice1  rose from the heights of    
,david's fortified hill4 ,i was told    

that it was  the ,romans engaged in     
worshiping ,jupiter4 ,alas6 ,how truly  
now are the  prophecies fulfilled1 which
 are to be found in the ,lamentations3  
,the  ,lord hath cast off his altar1 he 
hath given up into the hands of the     
enemy the walls of her palaces3 they    
have made a noise in the house of  the  
,lord1 as in the day of a solemn feast4 
,for these things ,i weep1 my  dear     
father4    ,nearly three hundred years  
have passed since we have had a         
prophet--that divine and youthful       
,malachi4 ,since his day1 ,rabbi ,amos  
confesses that ,jehovah has made no sign
 of having heard the prayers  or heeded 
the sacrifices that have been offered to
 him in his time4  ,i inquired of the   
intelligent ,rabbi if it would always be
 thus4 ,he  replied that when ,shiloh   
came1 there would be a restoration of   
all  things--that the glory of          
,jerusalem then would fill the whole    
earth  with the splendor of the sun1 and
 that all nations should come up from   

the ends of the world to worship in the 
,temple4    ,my conversation with ,rabbi
 ,amos1 dear father1 led me to examine  
the  ,book of the ,prophet ,malachi4 ,i 
find that after plainly alluding to our 
present shame1 and reproaching the      
priests for causing the people to       
stumble1 he thus prophesies3 ,behold1 ,i
 will send my messenger1 and  he shall  
prepare the way before me2 and the ,lord
 whom ye seek shall  suddenly come to   
his ,temple1 and he shall sit as a      
refiner and purifier  of silver1 and he 
shall purify the sons of ,levi1 and     
purge them as  gold and silver1 that    
they may offer unto the ,lord an        
offering in  righteousness4 ,behold1    
adds the divine seer1 ,i will send you  
,elijah  the prophet before the coming  
of the great and dreadful day of the    
,lord4    ,these words ,i read to-day to
 ,rabbi ,amos--indeed ,i was reading    
them  when ,rabbi ,ben ,israel came in  
to say that he departs to-morrow4  ,the 
excellent ,amos looked grave4 ,i feared 

,i had offended him by my  boldness1    
and1 approaching him1 was about to      
embrace him1 when ,i saw  tears were    
sparkling in his eyes4 ,he took my hand1
 and smiling1 while  a glittering drop  
danced down his snow-white beard and    
broke into  liquid diamonds upon my     
hand1 he said1 ,you have done no wrong1 
child2  sit down by me and be at peace  
with thyself4 ,it is too true1 in this  
day1 what the ,prophet ,malachi writeth1
 ,o ,ben ,israel1 he said sadly to  the 
,alexandrian ,rabbi4 ,the priests of the
 ,temple have indeed become  corrupt1   
save a few here and there4 ,it must have
 been at this day the  prophet aimed his
 words4 ,save in the outward form1 ,i   
fear the great  body of our ,levites    
have little more true religion and just 
knowledge  of the one ,god ,jehovah1    
than the priests of the ,roman idolatry4
 ,alas1 ,i  fear me1 ,god regards our   
sacrifices with no more favor than he   
looks  upon theirs4 ,to-day1 while ,i   
was in the ,temple1 and was serving at  

the  altar with the priests1 these words
 of ,isaiah came into my thoughts  and  
would not be put aside3 ',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 ,i am weary to bear
 them2 yea1 when  ye spread forth your  
hands ,i will hide mine eyes from you2  
yea1 when ye  make many prayers ,i will 
not hear2 your hands are full of blood4 
,wash  you2 make you clean4 ,cease to do
 evil2 learn to do well4'    ,i have    
noticed1 said ,ben ,israel1 that there  
is less reverence now in  the ,temple   
than when ,i was in ,jerusalem a young  
man2 but ,i find that  the magnificence 
of the ceremonies is increased4    ,yes1
 responded ,rabbi ,amos1 with a look of 
sorrow1 yes1 as the soul  of piety dies 
out from within1 they gild the outside4 

,the increased  richness of the worship 
is copied from the ,romans4 ,so low are 
we  fallen6 ,our worship1 with all its  
gorgeousness1 is as a sepulchre         
white-washed to conceal the rottenness  
within6    ,you may be convinced1 my    
dear father1 that this confession1 from 
such a  source1 deeply humbled me4 ,if1 
then1 we are not worshiping ,god1 what  
do  we worship8 ,naught6 ,we are worse  
off than our barbarian conquerors1 for  
we have no ,god2 while they at least    
have gods many and lords many1 such  as 
they are4    ,since writing the last    
line ,i have been interrupted by ,mary1 
who has  brought to see me a youth1     
nephew of a noble ,jewish ruler1 who was
  slain by the ,romans for his patriotic
 devotion to his country4 ,he  dwells   
near the ,gaza gate1 with his widowed   
mother1 who is a noble  lady1 honored by
 all4 ,between this young man1 whose    
name is ,john1 and  ,mary1 there exists 
a beautiful attachment1 which is each   
day ripening  into the deepest emotion4 

,he has just returned from the vicinity 
of ,jericho1 where he has been for some 
days past1 drawn thither by  curiosity  
to see and hear the new prophet1 who is 
drawing thousands  into the wilderness1 
to listen to the eloquence that flows   
from his  mouth4 ,the young man had been
 giving ,mary so interesting an account 
of  him that she desired me also to be a
 listener4 ,in my next ,i will write    
you all ,i heard4                       
,your affectionate and devoted daughter1
                                        
,adina4          ,,letter ,,iii4        
,my ,dear ,father3    ,this morning1 as 
,i was coming from the ,temple1 ,i      
noticed a vast pile  of edifices        
crowning the opposite rock1 which ,i was
 told was the ,tower  of ,antonia4 ,it  
seemed to frown sternly upon the        
,temple2 and upon its  battlements      
glittered1 at intervals1 numerous ,roman
 eagles4 ,i had so  often heard you     
relate historical events connected with 
this celebrated  castle1 that ,i        

regarded it with peculiar interest4 ,you
 seemed to stand  by my side as ,i gazed
 upon it4 ,the insolence and power of   
the ,roman  garrison have made the      
beautiful walk about the base of the    
tower  almost deserted2 but of this ,i  
was not aware2 and1 attended only by  my
 ,ethiopian slave1 ,onia1 ,i lingered to
 admire the splendor of the  cloister   
once surrounding the treasure-house of  
the ,temple1 with its  terraces         
supported by white marble pillars1      
fifteen cubits high1 when  two ,roman   
soldiers approached4 ,it was then that  
,i saw ,i was alone4 ,i  drew my veil   
closely1 and would have passed them     
rapidly1 when one of  them placed       
himself in my path1 and catching hold of
 my veil1 tried  to detain me4 ,i left  
it in his grasp and was flying1 when the
 other  soldier arrested me4 ,this was  
in full view of the castle1 and at my   
shrieks the barbarians in the castle    
laughed aloud4 ,at this crisis  appeared
 a young centurion1 who was on          

horseback1 coming down the  rocky path  
that ascends the ,rock of ,zion1 and    
shouting to them1 he  galloped forward1 
and with his sword put the men to       
immediate flight  and rescued me4 ,in   
order to escort me safely to the streets
 below1 he  alighted from his horse1 and
 leading him by the rein1 walked by my  
side4 ,i confess to you1 dear father1 ,i
 had not reached the house of my        
relative before my prejudices against   
the ,romans were greatly modified4  ,i  
had found in one of them as courteous a 
person as ,i had ever met with  among my
 own countrymen1 and for his sake ,i was
 willing to think better  of his        
barbaric land and people4               
,illustration3 ,,tower ,,of ,,antonia   
,while ,i was writing the above1 a      
commotion without drew me to the        
lattice1 which overlooks the street that
 goes out of the gate to  ,bethany1 one 
of the most frequented thoroughfares in 
the city4 ,the  sight that met my eyes  
was truly imposing1 but made my heart   

sink with  shame4 ,it was a pageant1    
with banners1 eagles1 trumpets and      
gilded  chariots1 but not the pageant of
 a king of ,israel1 like those which    
dazzled the streets of ,jerusalem in the
 days of ,solomon and ,king  ,david2 not
 the triumphant passage of an           
,israelitish prince1 but of the  ,roman 
governor4 ,preceded by a cohort of      
horse1 he rode in a gilded  war-chariot1
 lolling at his ease beneath a silken   
shade of blue silk1  fringed with gold4 
,the horses were snowy-white1 and       
covered with silver  mail1 and adorned  
with plumes4 ,he was followed by another
 body of  cavalry1 and at the head of   
them1 looking more like a ruler and     
prince  than did the indolent ,pilate1  
,i beheld the generous centurion who had
  aided my escape from the two soldiers4
 ,his eye sought the lattice at  which  
,i stood1 and ,i drew back1 but not     
before he had seen me and  saluted me4  
,certainly1 father1 this youth is noble 
and courteous enough  to be a ,jew1 and 

should any providence cause us to meet  
again1 ,i shall  try to convert him from
 his idolatry to serve the living       
,jehovah4    ,you will remember1 dear   
father1 that ,i alluded to an excitement
 that is  increasing every day1 in      
reference to a new prophet1 who is      
preaching  in the wilderness of         
,jericho4 ,for three weeks past several 
parties of  citizens have been to the   
valley of ,jordan to see and hear him1  
and  have so far been carried away by   
him as to have been baptized of him  in 
,jordan1 confessing their sins4 ,among  
them is ,john1 the cousin and  betrothed
 of ,mary4 ,upon his return we saw that 
his countenance was  animated beyond its
 wont1 for he is usually of a sad and   
gentle aspect1  and that his fine eyes  
beamed with an ardent hope1 that seemed 
new-born  to his soul4 ,he thus         
recounted to us his visit to the prophet
 of ,jordan3    ,after leaving the gate 
of the city ,i soon reached the pretty  
town of  ,bethpage1 where1 at the inn1  

,i beheld several horsemen just         
mounting1  to go in the direction of    
,jericho4 ,on joining the cavalcade1 ,i 
learned  they were for the most part    
drawn out of ,jerusalem on the same     
errand  with myself4 ,one of them1 a    
wealthy young noble of ,arimathea1 was  
actuated by the same holy desire that   
burned in my bosom1 a desire  that we   
might1 in the prophet who was called    
,john1 discover a man sent  from ,god4  
,the others were bent on commerce1 on   
pleasure1 or mere idle  curiosity4 ,as  
,joseph of ,arimathea and ,i rode       
together1 we conversed  about the man we
 expected to see4 ,my companion seemed  
to believe that  he was a true prophet1 
for being very well read in the         
,scriptures1 he  said that the seventy  
weeks of ,daniel were now about         
completed1 when  the ,messiah was to    
come6 ,i then asked him if he believed  
that the  ,messiah1 who was to be a     
',prince and king and have dominion from
 the  sea to the ends of the earth1'    

would come in the wilderness1 clad in   
the skin of wild beasts8 ,to this he    
replied that he could not regard  this  
prophet as the ,messiah1 for when the   
,christ should come1 he was  'suddenly  
to come to the ,temple1' and that we    
should doubtless first  see him there2  
but that he was greatly in hopes that   
the prophet we  were going to see would 
prove to be the forerunner1 foretold by 
,malachi4    ',those who heard him1'    
said ,joseph1 as we rode into the       
village of  ,bethany1 'say that he      
publicly proclaims himself the          
forerunner of the  ,messiah4 ,the       
opinion of the more ignorant who have   
listened to him1 is  that it is ,elijah 
himself1 returned to the earth4 ,others 
assert that  it is ,enoch come down from
 heaven1 and not a few believe him to be
  ,isaiah4'    ,at this point of the    
narrative of the cousin of ,mary1 dear  
father1 ,i  will close this letter4 ,in 
my next ,i will resume his narrative1   
for  when ,i have given it to you       

wholly1 ,i have many things to ask you  
to  which it gives rise in my mind4 ,may
 the blessing of the ,god of ,israel  be
 upon thee1 my dearest father6          
,adina4          ,,letter ,,iv4      ,my
 ,dear ,father3    ,i have had the      
pleasure to-day1 not only of hearing    
from you1 but of  being assured of your 
continued welfare4 ,the messages of     
parental  affection contained in your   
letter are cherished in my heart4       
,you need not fear1 my dear father1 that
 ,i shall be carried away from  the     
faith of ,israel by any strange         
doctrines4 ,i will take counsel by  your
 wisdom1 and be cautious how ,i venture 
in my inquiries upon sacred  ground4    
,in my last letter ,i commenced giving  
you the narrative of ,john1 with  which 
,i shall now proceed4    ,having passed 
out of the city of ,jericho1 my friend  
of ,arimathea and  myself crossed the   
plain toward ,jordan4 ,the morning was  
balmy2 the sun  made all nature glad4   
,the dew reflected a myriad lesser suns1

 and the  earth appeared strewn with    
diamonds4 ,for a little way the road lay
  between fields of corn and gardens1   
but soon it crossed the open plain1  on 
which were droves of wild asses1 which  
lifted their small1 spirited  heads on  
our approach1 eyed us with timid        
curiosity1 and then bounded  off to the 
wilderness southward with the speed of  
antelopes4 ,as the  great body of the   
people took their way obliquely across  
the plain1  we knew the prophet must be 
in that direction4 ,we at length found  
him  on the banks of ,jordan1 below the 
landing and ford1 which is opposite     
,jericho1 on the great caravan road to  
,balbec4    ,we drew near a dark mass of
 human beings which we had beheld afar  
off1 assembled around a small eminence  
near the river4 ,upon it1 raised  a few 
cubits taller than their heads1 stood a 
man upon whom all eyes  were fixed1 and 
to whose words every ear was attentive4 
,his clear1  rich1 earnest tones had    
reached us as we approached1 before we  

could  distinguish what he said4 ,he was
 a young man not above thirty1 with  a  
countenance such as the medallions of   
,egypt give to ,joseph of our  nation1  
once their prince4 ,his hair was long1  
and wildly free about his  neck2 he wore
 a loose sack of camel's hair1 and his  
right arm was naked  to the shoulder4   
,his attitude was as free and commanding
 as that of a  ,caucasian warrior1 yet  
every gesture was gentle and graceful4  
,with all  his ringing and persuasive   
eloquence there was an air of the       
deepest  humility upon his countenance1 
combined with an expression of the      
holiest enthusiasm4 ,his theme was the  
,messiah4    ',oh1 ,israel1 return unto 
the ,lord thy ,god1 for thou hast fallen
 by  thine iniquity1' he was saying as  
we came up1 as if in continuation of    
what had gone before4 ',take with you   
words1 and turn unto the ,lord1  and say
 unto him3 ,take away all iniquity1 and 
receive us graciously4  ,behold1 he     
cometh who will heal your backsliding1  

and will love you  freely4 ,and it shall
 come to pass that whosoever shall call 
on the name  of the ,lord shall be      
delivered1 for beside him there is no   
,savior4'    ',of whom speaketh the     
prophet these things8' asked one who    
stood near  me4    ',of                 
,messiah--listen6' answered him a       
,scribe near1 as if not pleased to  have
 his attention interrupted by this side 
talk4 ',his words are plain4  ,hear     
him4'    ',blow ye the trumpet in ,zion1
 for the day of the ,lord cometh1'      
continued the prophet1 in a voice like  
that of a silver trumpet2 'for1  behold1
 the day is at hand when ,i will bring  
again the captivity of  ,judah4 ,put ye 
in the sickle1 for the harvest is ripe4 
,the day is at  hand when the ,lord     
shall roar out of ,zion and utter his   
voice from  ,jerusalem4'    ',art thou  
not ,elias8' asked one aloud4    ',i am 
he of whom it is written4 ,the voice of 
one crying in the  wilderness1 make     
straight a highway for our ,god4 ,the   

day of the ,lord is  at hand4 ,i am but 
the herald who is sent before to prepare
 the way of  the ,lord4'    ',art thou  
not the ,messiah8' asked a woman who    
stood near him1 and  seemed to worship  
his very lips4    ',he who cometh after 
me is mightier than ,i1 whose shoes ,i  
am not  worthy to bear1' he responded1  
in an exultant tone1 strangely at       
variance with his words4 ',therefore1   
repent ye1 repent ye1 take words  and   
return unto the ,lord our ,god4 ,repent 
and be baptized for the  remission of   
your sins4' ,then he added1 turning to  
some of the priests1  ',behold1 even now
 is the axe laid unto the root of the   
trees2 every  tree1 therefore1 that     
bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn   
down and  cast into the fire4'          
',master1' said a ,levite1 'dost thou   
speak these things to us1 who are  of   
,israel1 or to these ,gentiles and      
,samaritans8' for there were not a  few 
,roman soldiers among the multitude1    
drawn hither by curiosity1 and  also    

many people from ,samaria4    ',go and  
cry in the ears of ,jerusalem1 saith the
 ,lord1 for my people  have committed   
two evils2 they have forsaken me1 the   
fountain of living  waters1 and hewn    
them out cisterns1 broken cisterns1 that
 can hold  no water4 ,and yet thou      
sayest1 ,o ,israel1 thou hast not       
sinned4 ,thine  own wickedness shall    
correct thee1 and thy backsliding shall 
reprove  thee4 ,repent and do works meet
 for repentance1 every one of you1 for  
ye have polluted the land2 neither say1 
,where is the ,lord that brought  us up 
out of the land of ,egypt8 ,trust not to
 lying words1 saying1 ,the  ,temple of  
the ,lord1 the ,temple of the ,lord1 the
 ,temple of the ,lord6 ,ye  have made it
 a den of robbers4 ,your sacrifices     
therein are become an  abomination4'    
',this would touch us who are priests1  
master1' said a priest1 with a  crimson 
brow4 ',we are not robbers4'    ',thus  
saith the ,lord1' answered the youthful 
prophet1 as if it were  ,god himself    

speaking from ,horeb1 so that we        
trembled3 ',woe be unto  the pastors    
that destroy my sheep4 ,how is the gold 
become dim6 how is  the most fine gold  
changed6 ,the precious sons of ,zion1   
comparable to  fine gold1 how are they  
esteemed8 ,woe unto you1 ye priests1 for
 ye  have transgressed4 ,my people have 
transgressed for lack of knowledge4     
,therefore doth the land mourn1 and     
every one that dwelleth therein         
languisheth4 ,therefore do swearing and 
lying1 and killing and stealing1  and   
committing adultery1 break out in the   
land1 because there is no  truth1 nor   
mercy1 nor knowledge of ,god in the     
land4 ,woe unto you1 ye  priests6'      
,many of the ,levites then turned and   
left him and went away greatly          
murmuring2 and they would gladly have   
done the prophet a mischief1 but  they  
feared the multitude1 who said he had   
spoken only the truth of  them4    ',but
 the elders of ,israel1 who are not     
priests1 who spring from  ,abraham1     

shall be saved by ,abraham1 master8'    
asserted1 or rather  inquired1 a rich   
ruler of our city1 after the tumult     
caused by the  withdrawal of the        
,levites had a little subsided4 ,the    
youthful prophet  rested his dark eyes1 
like two suns1 upon the old man's face1 
and said  impressively1 ',begin not to  
say within yourself1 ,we have ,abraham  
to  our father2 for ,i say unto you1' he
 added1 pointing to the pebbles at  his 
feet1 'that ,god is able of these stones
 to raise up children unto  ,abraham4   
,he is of ,abraham who doth             
righteousness2 therefore repent1 and    
bring forth fruits meet for repentance4'
    ,here was heard some murmuring among
 a group of many ,pharisees and         
,sadducees at these words1 when1 sending
 his lightning glance towards  them1 as 
if he could read their very hearts1 he  
cried3    ',o generation of vipers6 ,who
 hath warned you to flee from the wrath 
to  come8 ,the day cometh when he who is
 to come shall sit as a purifier by  his

 furnace4 ,bring forth1 therefore1      
fruits meet for repentance4 ,turn  thy  
heart from wickedness1 that thou mayest 
be saved4 ,repent ye1 for  the kingdom  
of heaven is at hand4    ',hear1 ,o     
,israel6 ,am ,i a ,god at hand and not a
 ,god afar off8 saith the  ,lord4 ,hear 
ye the message of the ,most ,high1 for  
the day hath come when  ,jehovah shall  
once more visit the earth and talk face 
to face with his  creatures4 ,behold1   
the day hath come1 saith the ,lord1 that
 ,i will raise  unto ,david a righteous 
branch1 and a king to reign and prosper1
 who  shall execute judgment and justice
 on the earth4    ',behold1 the day hath
 come1 saith the ,lord1 in which ,judah 
shall be  saved1 and ,israel shall dwell
 safely2 when ,i will set up shepherds  
over  them1 which shall feed them1 and  
they shall lack nothing4    ',arise1    
shine1 for thy light is come1 and the   
glory of the ,lord is  risen upon thee6 
,darkness covereth the earth1 and gross 
darkness the  people1 as saith ,esaias2 

but the ,lord shall rise upon thee1 and 
his  glory shall be seen upon thee4 ,the
 ,gentiles shall come to his light1  and
 kings to the brightness of his rising4 
,he shall be called the ,lord  of our   
righteousness1 and shall be a crown of  
glory in the hand of the  ,lord1 and a  
royal diadem in the hand of thy ,god4   
,the ,spirit of the ,lord  is upon me to
 proclaim the acceptable year of his    
coming4 ,he hath set  me a watchman upon
 thy walls1 ,o ,israel1 and ,i may      
neither hold my peace  day nor night1   
nor keep silence1 nor seek rest1 till he
 come1 who hath  sent me forth his      
messenger before his face4 ,how can ,i  
refrain from my  message of joy8 ,how   
shall ,i not speak of his fame8 ,incline
 your ear and  come unto him4 ,hear1 and
 your soul shall live4    ',sing unto   
the ,lord a new song1 and his praise    
from the ends of the  earth2 for thus   
saith ,god the ,lord1 ,i have put my    
spirit upon him2 a  bruised reed shall  
he not break1 and the smoking flax shall

 he not  quench4 ,i1 the ,lord1 saith   
,jehovah1 addressing the ,only          
,begotten1 ,i  have called thee in      
righteousness1 and will hold thy hand   
and keep  thee1 and will give thee for a
 covenant of the people1 for a light of 
the ,gentiles1 to open the blind eyes1  
to bring out the prisoners from  the    
prison4 ,i have made him1 my first-born1
 higher than the kings of  the earth4   
,look unto him1 and be ye saved1 all the
 ends of the earth4  ,the ,lord of      
,hosts is his name1 the ,holy ,one of   
,israel4'    ,all this was spoken with  
an enthusiasm and fire that made every  
pulse  bound4    ,such1 said ,john1 was 
the extraordinary style of this mighty  
prophet's preaching4 ,i fancied ,i had  
only to look around to behold  the      
,messiah4 ,the immense multitude stood  
awed and silent when he had  ceased4    
,leaving the eminence1 he said1 and ,i  
thought he fixed his eyes  upon me1 ',ye
 who desire to be baptized for the      
remission of sins1 that  your hearts may

 be cleansed for the visitation of this 
,holy ,one of  ,god1 follow me to the   
river side4' ,thousands obeyed1 and ,i  
one of the  first4 ,i trembled all over 
with a sweet pleasure1 when he took me  
by  the hand1 and asked me if ,i        
believed in him who was to come1 and    
would  prepare the way for his abode in 
my heart by being baptized1 which rite  
also was to be a sign and pledge that   
when ,i should behold the ,shiloh       
rising1 ,i should acknowledge him4 ,not 
less than one thousand were  baptized by
 him that day in ,jordan1 confessing    
their sins1 and hopes of  pardon through
 the name of the ,unknown ,one1 who was 
soon to come4    ,after the baptism1 the
 whole company dispersed in groups1 and 
the  prophet returned into the          
wilderness till the cool of the evening1
  where his repast was locusts and the  
wild honey of the desert4    ,with this1
 dear father1 ,i close my long letter4  
,i make no comments4 ,i  will only say  
that my expectations are actively awake1

 and that ,i am  looking1 with thousands
 of others1 for the near advent of the  
,messiah4                               
,your daughter1                         
,adina4          ,,letter ,v4      ,my  
,dear ,father3    ,after the prophet had
 ended his second discourse1 and        
baptized full  two hundred more in the  
sparkling waters of ,jordan1 resumed the
  eloquent cousin of ,mary1 he sent them
 away to the city to lodge  and buy     
meat2 for few1 in their eagerness to    
hear him1 had brought  provisions with  
them4 ,many1 before leaving him1 drew   
near to receive  his blessing of love1  
and it was touching to see venerable    
men1 with  locks shining like silver1   
and leaning upon the staff1 bend their  
aged  heads before the youthful ,elias1 
as if in acknowledgment of his divine   
commission4 ,mothers also brought their 
infants1 that he might bless  them2 and 
youths and maidens knelt reverently at  
his feet in tears of  love and          
penitence4 ,calmly he stood upon the    

green shores1 like an  angel alighted   
upon earth1 and blessed them in words   
all new to our  ears1 but which thrilled
 to our hearts with some secret power   
that  agitated us with trembling joy4   
',in the name of the ,lamb of ,god ,i   
bless thee6'    ',what can be the       
meaning of these words8' asked ,mary1   
with her gentle  earnestness4 ,her      
betrothed could only reply that he knew 
not4    ,at length1 one after another1  
the multitude departed1 save a few who  
encamped beneath trees on the banks of  
the river4 ,joseph of ,arimathea  and ,i
 were left almost alone standing near   
the prophet1 and regarding  him with    
reverential curiosity4 ,the sun was just
 disappearing over the  distant towers  
of ,jericho1 and painting with the      
richest purple the  hills between the   
river and ,jerusalem4 ,jordan1 catching 
its reddening  radiance1 rolled past    
like a river of liquid gold embanked in 
emerald4  ,the brow of the prophet1     
lighted up by a sun-ray that shone      

between  the branches of a pomegranate  
tree1 seemed like the face of ,moses    
when he came down from ,sinai1 a glory  
of light4 ,he appeared rapt in  heavenly
 meditation1 and we stood silent and    
gazed upon him1 not daring  to speak4   
,at length he turned towards us1 smiled1
 and1 saluting us1  grasped the crook or
 staff on which he had been leaning--for
 he was  weary and pale with his labors 
of the day--and slowly walked down the  
shore in the direction of the           
wilderness4 ,he had not advanced many   
steps when ,i felt an irresistible      
impulse to follow him4 ,i therefore     
said to my companion3    ',let us follow
 him1 and learn more of these great     
things which we have  this day heard4'  
,we proceeded slowly after him1 as he   
moved in a contemplative mood  along the
 desert path4 ,the sun had already gone 
down1 and the full moon  rose on the    
opposite shore1 and the prophet stopped 
as if to gaze upon  its autumnal beauty4
 ,we drew near to him4 ,he beheld us1   

but did not  avoid us2 seeing which1 ,i 
advanced with timid confidence1 and     
said3    ',holy prophet of the ,most    
,high ,god1 wilt thou permit two young  
men of  ,israel to speak to thee8 for   
our hearts yearn towards thee with love4
  ,and chiefly would we inquire of thee 
touching the advent of the mighty       
,personage whose near coming thou dost  
foretell8'    ',friends1' said the      
prophet1 in a calm and serene manner1   
',i am a  dweller in the desert1 and    
alone1 from choice4 ,i approach men only
 to  proclaim my message4 ,the delights 
of earth are not for me4 ,my mission  is
 one4 ,its duration is short4 ,its aim  
worthy the greatest prophet of  ,god1   
yet am ,i1 the least of them1 not worthy
 to be called a prophet2  and before the
 splendor of him whom ,i announce to the
 world1 ,i am the  dust of the balance4 
,if thou hast sought me to search after 
knowledge1  come and sit down with me   
upon this rock1 and let me hear what    
thou  hast to ask of me1 that ,i may    

answer thee and go my way4'    ,this was
 said softly1 gently1 almost sadly1 and 
in a tone that made  me love him more   
and more4 ,i could have cast myself upon
 his bosom and  wept there4 ,we seated  
ourselves1 one on either side of him4   
,the scene  and the hour were well      
fitted for such a converse as we were   
about  to hold4 ,the broad disc of the  
moon poured a flood of orange-tinted    
radiance full upon us1 and lent a       
hallowed softness to the divine         
countenance of the youthful prophet4    
,the ,jordan1 dark as ,india's dye1     
darted swiftly past at our feet1 between
 its deeply-shaded banks1  sending up to
 our ears the faintest murmur of its    
pebbly passage4 ,above  our heads       
swelled the vaulted arch of the ,temple 
of ,jehovah1 with its  myriad of altar  
fires4 ,behind us stretched the desert  
waste1 cheerless  and yet grand in its  
desolate distances4    ,afar off rose   
upon the air1 and was borne to us at    
intervals1 the  voice of a singer in one

 of the camps2 and near us1 upon an     
acacia  tree1 sat a solitary bulbul1    
which ceaselessly sang its sweet and    
varied hymn to the listening moon4      
',all things praise ,god2 shall we be   
silent8' said the prophet4 ',let  us    
sing the evening hymn of the ,temple4'  
,he then commenced1 in a rich1          
melodious chant1 such as ,i have never  
heard from the priests1 our  sacred     
psalm to the whole creation of ,god4 ,we
 joined our voices with  his1 and the   
tide of praise floated over the waters1 
and echoed and  re-echoed from the      
opposing shores1 as if the banks and    
stream1 trees1  hills and sky had found 
voice as well as we3        ',praise6   
praise6 praise ye the ,lord6            
,praise him in the heights6 ,praise him 
in the seas6      ,praise him1 men of   
,israel6 ,praise ye the ,lord6          
,for he exalteth high his people1       
,and reigneth evermore6        ',praise 
him1 all ye angels6 ,praise him1 all ye 
hosts6      ,praise him1 sun and moon1  

and all ye stars of light6      ,praise 
him1 fire and hail6 ,praise him1 storm  
and snows6        ,for he judgeth the   
earth in righteousness1          ,and   
reigneth evermore6        ',praise6     
praise6 praise ye the ,lord6            
,praise him1 winged fowl1 and herds1    
cattle1 and all beasts6      ,praise    
him1 kings and people1 princes1 priests 
and judges6      ,praise him1 youths and
 maidens1 old men and children6         
',praise the name1 let them praise the  
name1      ,praise the name of the ,lord
 ,god of ,hosts6      ,for his name     
alone is excellent1      ,his glory     
above the heavens2      ,israel is his  
first-born--a people well-beloved6      
,praise6 let ,israel1 therefore1 praise 
him6        ,praise him evermore1       
,evermore1              ,ever1          
evermore6'    ,never shall ,i forget the
 effect produced upon my inmost being by
 this  hymn4 ,the prophet sang as if he 
were leading a choir of angels4 ,my     
heart leaped at the chorus1 as if it    

would break out1 take wing and  leave   
the earth4 ,when we called on the winds 
and the fowls of the air  to praise     
,jehovah with us1 the thrilling voice of
 the bulbul seemed  to pour from its    
throat a wilder1 richer1 more joyous    
tide of song1  and the audible wind bent
 the adoring trees1 and mingled its     
mystic  whispers with the psalm of men4 
,surely1 thought ,i1 it is good for me  
to  be here1 for this is none other than
 the gate of ,paradise6    ,after a few 
moments' silence1 the prophet spoke and 
said3    ',you sought me1 brethren of   
,israel2 can ,i do aught for you8'      
',we would hear more1 great prophet1    
touching this mighty ,one who is  to    
come after thee1' said ,joseph4    ',i  
can tell thee but little1 my brethren1  
save what thou hast heard  from me this 
day4 ,the future is veiled4 ,i bear a   
message1 indeed1 but  ,i may not break  
the seal and read4 ,to you it will be   
given to know  what is now unknown to   
me4 ,if it be permitted me to see him1  

it will  be but for a brief space1 for  
when he cometh ,i depart--my errand is  
done4 ,blessed are those who live to    
witness his glory1 and to hear the      
gracious voice of ,god that proceeds    
from his anointed lips4'    ',and when  
will be his advent1 and with what form  
and power cometh this  divine ,being8'  
,i asked4    ',as a man1 but not with   
comeliness of form that men should      
desire him4  ,his appearance will be    
humble1 lowly and meek4'    ',yet you   
said to-day1 ,rabbi1' ,i continued1     
'that his power should be  infinite1 and
 that of his kingdom there should be no 
end4 ,you spoke  of the glory of his    
dominions1 and the humiliation of       
,gentile kings  beneath his sceptre4'   
',this ,i cannot explain--it is a       
mystery to me4 ,i speak as ,god1 by whom
  ,i am sent1 gives me utterance4 ,i    
know that he who cometh after me is     
greater than ,i1 the latchet of whose   
shoes ,i am not worthy to unloose4'     
',you taught us this evening1 holy      

prophet1 that he would be the ,lord     
from heaven2 and yet that ,esaias saith 
he will be despised and rejected  of    
men1 wounded for our transgressions1 and
 bruised for our iniquities4'    ',the  
spirit of ,god teaches me that these    
words apply to ,shiloh2 but  ,i cannot  
comprehend how these things can be1' he 
answered1 with deep  sadness4    ',may  
,i remind you1 good ,rabbi1' said       
,joseph1 'that you taught us how  this  
,divine ,personage should die1 though   
,lord of life1 and be numbered  in his  
death with transgressors1 though the    
,holy ,one of ,god8'    ',and such will 
be the events that are to happen2 but   
seek not to know  what no man hath had  
revealed to him4 ,the divine ,messiah   
himself must  be his own interpreter4   
,blessed will be the eyes that behold   
him1 and  listen to the wisdom of his   
mouth1 and keep the law of his lips4'   
',may ,i ask you1 holy prophet of the   
,lord1' said ,joseph1 'how is  it that  
he whom you are sent by ,god to bear    

witness to can be the  ,deliverer of    
,israel1 when you predict for him so sad
 a fate8 ,messiah is  to restore        
,jerusalem and the glory of the ,temple1
 so saith ,esaias1 so  say ,ezra and    
,jeremiah4 ,we therefore1 in the        
,messiahs of the prophets1  have looked 
for a powerful potentate1 who shall     
reign in ,jerusalem over  the whole     
earth and subdue all nations4'    ',his 
kingdom is not of this earth1' answered 
the prophet1 impressively4    ',how then
 can we interpret the prophet ,david1   
who maketh the ,lord to  say3 ,i have   
set my ,king upon my holy hill of ,zion8
 ,also1 how shall  we interpret those   
sayings of ,esaias who1 prophesying of  
the blessed  ,christ of ,god1 hath these
 words3 ,of the increase of his         
government  and peace there shall be no 
end1 upon the throne of ,david1 and upon
  his kingdom1 to order it and to       
establish it with judgment and with     
justice1 from henceforth1 even forever8'
    ',i know not4 ,these secrets are    

with ,god4 ,this ,i know1 that the least
  child and the lowliest hireling that  
liveth in the day of ,messias is        
greater than ,i4 ,i am the last of the  
prophets4 ,it is for me to open the     
last door that leads out from the night 
of prophecy into the glorious  dawn of  
the day of fulfillment2 but ,i am not   
permitted to enter beyond  the          
threshold1 or share in its blessings4   
,all who come after me will be          
preferred before me4 ,but let me rejoice
 that the day-star is about to  rise1   
though his beams shine on all the earth 
but me6' ,this was said  with the most  
touching pathos4    ,we were both deeply
 moved1 ,i myself even to tears4 ,i sank
 on my knees1  and kissing his hand1    
bathed it with my tears4    ,he gently  
raised me1 and said in a sweet voice3   
',brother beloved1 thou shalt see him to
 whom ,i bear witness1 and he  will love
 thee1 and thou shalt repose in his     
bosom6' ,i burst into  tears1 and1      
rising1 ,i walked a little ways apart1  

and lifting up my  eyes toward heaven1  
,i prayed the ,god of our fathers that  
,i might be  found worthy of this       
blessed honor4    ',and shall ,i also   
behold this mighty ,son of ,god8' asked 
,joseph1 with  solicitude4    ,the      
prophet took his hand in his1 and fixing
 upon him his eyes of  prophetic        
brightness1 said slowly1 and in tones   
awe-inspiring and  painfully sorrowful3 
',thou shalt one day bear him in thine  
arms1 and lay him upon a couch  which   
thou hast prepared for thine own repose4
 ,thou knowest not now  what ,i say1 but
 thou shalt remember it when it cometh  
to pass6'    ,when he had thus spoken1  
he arose1 and waving his hand to us     
both1 he  walked rapidly away towards   
the darkening desert4    ',didst thou   
hear him8' at length1 after some        
minutes' pause1 asked  ,joseph of me4   
',what can his words mean8 ,they are    
prophetic of some  fearful event4 ,his  
eyes betrayed some terrible meaning4 ,my
 heart is  troubled4'    ',and mine     

rejoiceth4' ,i answered4 ',we shall see 
him6 ,i shall be near  him6 ,oh1 if he  
be like this sweet prophet of ,god1 ,i  
shall love him with  all my soul's      
being6 ,how wonderful that we are to be 
thus associated  with this ,divine      
,person6 ,welcome the hour of his       
blessed advent6'    ',wilt thou welcome 
the advent of a sufferer8' said a voice 
so near  that it startled us by its     
abruptness1 and1 looking round1 we saw1 
standing within the shadow of a wild    
olive tree1 a young man who was a       
stranger1 but to whom ,i afterwards     
became deeply attached4 ,his face was   
pale and intellectual1 and his form     
slight but of the most symmetrical      
elegance4 ,his question at once made me 
sorrowful1 for it recalled the  sad     
prophecy of ,esaias4    ',he is also to 
be king and monarch of the world1 and   
infinitely  holy and good1' ,i said4    
',if thou hast been near1 thou hast     
heard the  glorious things the prophet  
has spoken of him4'    ',i have been    

near--,i was reclining beneath this tree
 when you seated  yourselves there4 ,be 
not deceived2 the divine ,man who is to 
come is to  be a man of sorrows and     
acquainted with grief4 ,he is to be     
rejected by  ,israel and despised by    
,judah4 ,those whom he comes to bless   
will despise  him for his lowliness and 
obscurity4 ,his life will be a life of  
tears1  and toil1 and heaviness of      
heart1 and he will at last be cut off   
from  among the living1 with the        
ignominy due only to a transgressor4    
,dost  thou welcome the advent of a     
sufferer8'    ',but how knowest thou    
this8 ,art thou a prophet8' ,i asked    
with surprise  and admiration4    ',no1 
brother1 but ,i have read the prophets4 
,i heard1 moreover1 the  words of this  
holy man sent from ,god1 and he dwells  
more on the  humility of the ,christ    
than on his kingly grandeur4 ,believe   
me1 the  kingdom of ,shiloh is not of   
this world4 ,it cannot be of this world1
 if  such is to be his life and death2  

and that it is to be his life1 ,esaias  
clearly states4 ,let me read to you his 
words4' ,he then took a roll of         
parchment from his bosom1 and read by   
the clear tropical moonlight1  that     
mysterious and inexplicable passage     
which beginneth with the  words3 ',who  
hath believed our report8' ,when he had 
ended1 he resumed3  ',this is not the   
history of a prosperous earthly monarch1
 but rather  the painful record of a    
life of humiliation1 of shame1 and of   
contempt4'    ',but thou dost not say1  
brother1' said ,joseph1 with some       
warmth1 'that  the sacred ,person borne 
witness to by this prophet is to be an  
object  of contempt8'    ',does not     
,esaias say that he will be despised1   
beaten with stripes1  rejected of men1  
imprisoned1 and put to death like a     
transgressor of  the law8'    ',there   
can be no question but that ,esaias     
speaks of the ,messiah1' ,i  remarked4  
',this prophet of ,jordan now bears full
 testimony to ,esaias1 and  plainly     

maketh application of his words to him  
whom he has come  beforehand to         
proclaim1' answered the young man1 with 
singularly  graceful eloquence in all he
 said4 ',let us who have been baptized  
this  day for the remission of our sins1
 expect a ,messiah of sorrows1 not a    
conquering prince4 ,let us behold one   
who is to humble himself beneath  the   
yoke of human infirmities1 that he may  
be exalted1 and draw all men  after him 
to a kingdom in the heavens4'    ',but  
the throne of ,david--' objected        
,joseph4    ',is at the right hand of   
,god4'    ',but ,jerusalem1 and its rule
 over the nations--'    ',jerusalem that
 is above1 will be over all4'    ',but  
his kingdom that is to be everlasting--'
    ',is where life is everlasting4 ,how
 can he rule an everlasting realm  here 
on earth without living forever1 and his
 subjects also8 ,read not  the prophets 
so8 ,as ,adam fell and lost paradise1 so
 ,messias1 like  a second ,adam1 must1  
as man1 humble himself1 in human nature1

 to  repurchase the kingdom of paradise 
for the race of man4 ,it is this        
kingdom which this prophet proclaims as 
being at hand4 ,he being the  bearer of 
our iniquities1 we shall thereby escape 
their chastisement4  ,healed by his     
stripes1 we shall be free from our sins4
 ,laid upon him  will be the            
transgressions of the world2 and by one 
mighty sacrifice  of himself1 thus      
laden1 as a sin-offering1 he shall offer
 an atonement  to make one with ,jehovah
 the great family of ,adam4 ,such is to 
be our  looked-for ,messiah4 ,alas1     
while we look for him1 let us mingle    
tears  with our gladness1 that one so   
holy and excellent should be destined to
  endure these things for our sakes2 and
 when we behold him1 let us sink  at his
 feet in grateful adoration of his      
love4'    ,when the young man had       
spoken1 he walked away4 ,impelled by an 
unconquerable impulse1 ,i followed1 and 
took him in my arms1 and  embracing him1
 said3 ',of a truth thou art a prophet6 

,thy words come  home to my heart like  
the echo of ancient prophecy4'    ',nay4
 ,i have learned these things from the  
study of the ,scripture1'  he said1 with
 angelic candor and modesty4 ',but ,i   
have been aided1 how  much ,i have no   
words to tell thee1 by one who hath     
wisdom and truth  abiding in him above  
all men1 and whom it is my happiness to 
have my  bosom friend1 as he is near my 
own age4 ,if ,i am wise1 or virtuous1 or
  good1 or know the ,scriptures1 it is  
that he hath been my counselor and      
teacher4'    ',what is his name8' ,i    
asked1 'for ,i also would go and learn  
of him4'    ',he withdraws from the     
public eye1 and hath little converse but
 with  few1 and shuns all notice4       
,without his permission ,i could not    
take thee  to him4'    ',what is his    
appearance1 and where doth he dwell8' ,i
 inquired1 more  deeply interested4     
',he abides at present at ,bethany1 my  
own city4 ,he is so beloved by  us1 that
 we detain him as our guest4 ,but he    

dwelleth at other times  with his       
mother1 a holy widow of great sanctity  
and matronly dignity1  living at        
,nazareth in humble condition1 and he   
contributes by labor  to her support1   
with the most exemplary filial piety4   
,no person ever  approaches and speaks  
with him without leaving a wiser and    
better man4'    ',verily1' said ,joseph 
and ,i together1 'you have only         
increased our  desire to behold him4    
,his appearance must be noble4'         
',there sits upon his brow a serene     
dignity1 tempered with mildness1  that  
commands the respect of age1 and wins   
the confiding love of  childhood4 ,his  
eyes beam with a light1 calm and pure1  
as if shining  from interior holy       
thoughts1 and they rest upon you1 when  
he speaks1  with a tenderness that is   
like the dewy light of the young        
mother's  gaze1 when she bends in silent
 happiness and tears over the face of   
her  first-born4 ,his face is one soft  
sunshine of smiling rays1 tempered  in  

an indescribable manner with a settled  
look of sadness1 an almost              
imperceptible shade of permanent sorrow1
 that seems to foreshadow a  life of    
trial and suffering4'    ',he must be   
another prophet1' said ,joseph1 with    
deep earnestness4    ',he does not      
prophesy1 nor preach1' answered the     
young man4    ',what is his name8' ,i   
asked4    ',jesus1 the ,nazarene4'      
,as the young man was then about to move
 away1 ,i asked him his name1  as he had
 greatly drawn out my heart towards him1
 and ,i felt that if ,i  could be his   
friend1 and the friend of the wise young
 man of ,nazareth1  ,i should be        
perfectly happy and have no other       
desire--save1 indeed1 to  live till the 
,messiah came1 that ,i might behold him1
 and lay my head  upon his sacred bosom4
    ',my name is ,lazarus1 the ,scribe1'
 he answered4    ,what8 interrupted     
,mary4 ,then ,i know him well4 ,he is   
the brother of  ,mary and ,martha1 my   
friends at ,bethany1 where ,i passed a  

week last  year1 just before the        
,passover4    ,the next day1 continued  
,john1 we renewed our acquaintance1 and 
after three days departed together      
homeward4 ,upon arriving at ,bethany1   
,lazarus learned that his friend had    
gone to ,cana1 in ,galilee1 on a  visit 
with his mother1 to the house of one of 
her kinfolk1 whose  daughter is soon to 
be married4    ,having now1 my dear     
father1 communicated to you all that    
,john related  to us1 you will see what 
grounds there are to look upon the      
prophet of  ,jordan as a man sent from  
,god1 or to believe that he is the true 
,elias1  whom ,malachi hath foretold1   
and who1 as the most learned of the     
,scribes  say1 must first come to       
proclaim the approach of the ,prince of 
,peace1  the ,shiloh of ,israel's hopes4
    ,the account brought by ,john has   
set ,rabbi ,amos to studying the        
,prophets1 and indeed all men are       
looking into them with interest  unknown
 before4 ,may ,god be indeed about to   

bless his people1 and  remember his     
inheritance6                            
,your affectionate daughter1            
,adina4          ,,letter ,,vi4      ,my
 ,dear ,father3    ,your letter1 dear   
father1 commands me to banish this      
novelty from  my mind1 and continue     
humbly to worship ,jehovah after the    
manner of  our fathers4 ,i trust this ,i
 shall ever do1 my dear father2 and did 
,i discover in this prophet any         
disposition to bring in a new faith1    
opposed to the ancient faith of         
,abraham1 ,i should tremble to entertain
  it for a moment4 ,you say that this   
man must be a false and base  prophet1  
or he would not herald a master so low  
and despised as he  professes will be   
the ,christ he bears witness to4 ,the   
kingdom of  ,messias is not a kingdom of
 repentance and humiliation1 you add1   
but  one of victory1 of glory and       
dominion4    ,illustration3 ,the        
,,temple of ,,herod in the ,time of     
,,christ4 ,this cut is  designed after  

the model prepared by the student and   
traveler1 ,sir  ,james ,ferguson4       
,how can ,i write to you1 my dear       
father1 that which is now rushing to  my
 pen1 after such an expression of your  
sentiments as you have made  in this    
extract from your letter8 ,but ,i know  
you are wise1 and will  not evade truth1
 in whatever form it may offer itself to
 you1 and ,i1  therefore1 with          
confidence in your justice and wisdom1  
will faithfully  make known to you the  
events relating to the prophet which    
have  transpired4    ,you will remember 
how that ,john1 ,mary's cousin1 stated  
that many  priests and others were      
offended at the plain preaching of the  
prophet  whom they went out into the    
wilderness to see4 ,when they returned  
to  ,jerusalem1 and made known to the   
other members of the ,house of the      
,priests what had been spoken against   
them1 by the application to them  of the
 words of ,esaias and ,jeremias1 and    
other prophets1 there arose at  once a  

great outcry against him4 ,at length    
,annas1 who is ,high ,priest  with      
,caiaphas1 sent two of the most learned 
men of the ,temple1 ,levites  of weight 
of character1 to invite the prophet to  
,jerusalem2 for ,annas  is a wise man1  
and not easily carried away by popular  
feeling2 and1 as  ,rabbi ,amos hath told
 me1 he is disposed to look upon the    
preaching of  this ,john with a serious 
and reverential eye4 ,the messengers    
returned  after the fifth day1 and made 
their report openly in the ,court of the
  ,temple1 where the ,high ,priests sat 
to receive them4 ,at length1 the        
assembly being convened1 the two learned
 and venerable ,levites both  rose up1  
and declared that they had delivered the
 message to ,john1 the  son of          
,zacharias1 the prophet of ,jordan1 and 
that his answer was given  with the     
reverence due to the station of the     
,high ,priest who had sent  to him4     
',go and say to the noble ,high         
,priest1' said he1 'that ,i am the voice

  of one crying in the wilderness1 as it
 is written in the book of the  words of
 ,esaias the prophet1 who1 foreseeing my
 day1 saith1 ,the voice  of one crying  
in the wilderness1 ,prepare ye the way  
of the ,lord1 make  his paths straight4 
,he who would hear my testimony to him  
who is to  come after me1 let him seek  
me in the wilderness1 whence only ,i am 
commanded to lift up my voice till      
,shiloh come4'    ,when the priests     
heard this answer they were greatly     
enraged1 and many  fiercely cried one   
thing and many another2 some that he    
should be  sought out and stoned to     
death for defying the ,high ,priest2    
others1  that he should be accused to   
the ,procurator1 ,pontius ,pilate1      
,governor  of ,judea1 as a seditious and
 dangerous person1 and fermenter of     
insurrections4 ,caiaphas was of the     
latter opinion4 ,but the milder ,annas  
viewed the whole matter in a different  
light1 and said3    ,men and brethren1  
let nothing be done hastily4 ,if this   

man be a false  prophet1 he will soon   
perish1 and we shall hear no more of    
him4 ,if1  peradventure1 as it would    
appear1 he is sent from ,god1 let us not
  make haste to do him a mischief1 lest1
 haply1 we be found contending  against 
the ,lord of ,hosts4    ,this moderation
 found favor with but few1 and of these 
few1 ,rabbi ,amos  was one4 ,but if the 
priests who thronged the outer court1 in
 presence  of the ,high ,priest1 were   
deeply moved at the report of the       
prophet's  answer1 their excitement     
became well-nigh uncontrollable when    
both  ,melchi and ,heli1 their          
messengers1 rose up1 waving their hands 
for  silence1 and declared that1 after  
having listened to the prophet to  whom 
they had been sent1 they were convinced 
of the truth of his words1  and of his  
divine commission1 and had been baptized
 of him in ,jordan1  confessing their   
sins6    ,only the sanctity of the      
,temple prevented the five hundred      
priests  rushing upon them and smiting  

them when they heard this4 ,they were at
  once placed under arrest by order of  
the ,high ,priest1 ,caiaphas1 for       
acting in a manner unbecoming a priest  
of the ,most ,high ,god4 ,the people    
who had heard ,john preach1 however1    
were only prevented from rescuing  the  
two priests by the presence of a guard  
of ,roman soldiers1 for which  ,caiaphas
 promptly sent4    ,from this account1  
my dear father1 you can form some idea  
of the  excitement which the preaching  
of this new prophet is producing among  
all classes4    ,if the ,prince of      
,glory should1 indeed1 suddenly appear1 
there could be  scarcely more           
excitement1 though it would be of a     
different nature4    ,as next week      
,rabbi ,amos does not serve in his      
course in the ,temple1 and  as he will  
have some affairs that take him to      
,gilgal1 he has yielded  to the desire  
of his daughter ,mary and myself to     
accompany him2 for  he does not conceal 
from us that he shall make it a point to

 visit  and hear the prophet1 as it will
 be but two hours' travel from ,gilgal  
to the place where he preaches4 ,you    
will1 ,i fear me1 object to this        
journey4 ,but if the worship of our     
fathers has nothing to fear from        
falsehood1 it surely has naught to fear 
from truth2 and in either case  ,i1 as a
 true daughter of ,israel1 have nothing 
to fear4 ,if the prophet  teach what is 
false1 ,i shall remain true2 and if he  
teach that which is  true1 shall ,i not 
be the gainer8    ,one thing is         
clear--if the ,christ that ,john        
prophesies be the true ,son  of the     
,highest1 and is in reality to make his 
appearance ere long1 in  humiliation and
 poverty1 his rejection by the ,high    
,priests1 and by  the rich and powerful 
of ,judah1 is certain4 ,may ,god1 then1 
remove  blindness from our eyes1 that1  
if this be the very ,messias indeed1    
,israel may recognize their king when he
 cometh1 and not do so fearful a  thing 
in their pride as to reject him openly4 

,you will remember the young ,roman     
centurion1 to whose courtesy ,i was     
indebted for rescuing me from the       
rudeness of the two ,gentile soldiers4  
,he has preserved1 since then1          
acquaintance with ,rabbi ,amos1 who     
speaks  of him with respect2 and as he  
has of late expressed some interest in  
knowing what the studies are which      
occupy the ,rabbi so constantly when  he
 calls to see him1 the ,rabbi sent for  
me to come into the marble hall  of the 
corridor1 where they sat by the fountain
 under the shade of the  acacia1 which  
,amos says you took with your own hands 
from ,isaiah's  grave and planted here1 
many years ago1 and which ,i1 therefore1
 call  my father's tree4    ,come       
hither1 ,adina1 said my uncle1 in his   
benevolent tones2 here  you behold a    
noble ,roman youth whom you must be too 
generous to have  forgotten4 ,i bowed   
and scarcely lifted my eyelids from the 
tesselated  floor1 for there was a fire 
in the glance of the handsome youth that

  they could not encounter4 ,he said    
some words of salutation2 but ,i only   
heard the voice1 which fell upon my     
heart with a strange vibration1  like   
the effects of music4 ,the ,roman       
centurion1 continued ,amos1 hath        
desired to know something of the sacred 
books of our nation1 of which  he saith 
he hath heard much2 and of the          
prophecies1 from which he  believes the 
famed ,sibylline books were composed4   
,then1 turning to the centurion1 ,here  
is an ,egyptian maiden1 who can         
interpret for thee in the idiom of      
,grecia1 or of ,italia1 and ,i will     
place the sacred roll in her hands while
 ,i listen4 ,come ,adina1 open and  read
 the beginning of the ,book of ,moses4  
,to this narrative the youthful warrior 
listened with the profoundest  respect  
and attention4 ,he asked if the ,messias
 had yet come who was  to restore all   
things2 and1 if not1 when he was to be  
looked for4  ,this inquiry led to a     
conversation upon the preaching of ,john

 in the  wilderness and his predictions 
of the near advent of ,shiloh4 ,rabbi   
,amos1 seeing that he was becoming      
deeply interested in the subject1  made 
me turn to the particular prophecies of 
,daniel1 ,esaias1 ,david  and others1   
and read them to him2 both those which  
described1 in  golden words1 the glory  
and dominion of his power1 and those    
which  represented him as despised and  
rejected4 ,the young man remained some  
time very thoughtful4 ,at length he     
said1 with animation3 ,i can now        
comprehend why men run into the         
wilderness4 ,i should like to hear this 
prophet4    ,when ,amos told him that he
 contemplated journeying to ,gilgal the 
next  week1 and intended to visit the   
desert to hear him1 he at once asked    
permission to be of his company1 saying3
    ,i will accompany you with a        
squadron of horse1 as the roads are not 
safe2 for no longer ago than yesterday  
we received a rumor that the  celebrated
 robber chief1 ,barabbas1 at the head of

 a large band1 has  made his appearance 
again on the hills between ,ephraim and 
,jericho4    ,it is therefore decided1  
dear father1 that we leave early next   
week for  ,jericho and ,gilgal4 ,on my  
return ,i shall not fail to write you   
without  delay4 ,till then withhold your
 judgment1 and have confidence in mine4 
,with holy aspirations for the coming of
 the kingdom of ,david and the          
restoration of his throne in ,zion1 ,i  
remain1 with filial love1 your          
daughter1                               
,adina4          ,,letter ,,vii4        
,my ,dear ,father3    ,you will         
recollect that in my last epistle ,i    
made mention of our  intention to go to 
,gilgal1 where ,john1 the betrothed of  
,mary1 was to  meet us and accompany us 
to ,jordan4    ,it was faint dawn when  
we rose from our couches to prepare for 
the  journey4 ,the mules upon which we  
were to ride were brought into the      
court by the two swarthy ,gibeonite     
serfs whom ,rabbi ,amos holds in  his   

service1 and caparisoned with rich      
saddles covered with ,persian           
saddle-cloths1 embroidered with gold4   
,the two pack mules were also made      
ready1 on one of which was the traveling
 equipage of my cousin ,mary and        
myself1 which ,rabbi ,amos smilingly    
said took up more space than the  goods 
and traveling wares of a ,damascus      
merchant4 ,at sunrise1 after  we had    
kneeled upon the housetop1 in view of   
the ,temple1 and sent up  our prayers   
with its sacrifices and clouds of       
ascending incense1 we  descended to the 
court-yard to mount for the road4       
,the morning was bright and cheerful1   
with the golden sun pouring its  light  
over temple and tower1 castle and roof1 
wall and rampart1 hill  and grove1      
valley and brook4 ,as we turned the     
street leading to the  ,sheep ,gate1 we 
passed the house of ,caiaphas1 the ,high
 ,priest1 whom ,i  saw standing upon the
 marble porch of his superb palace4 ,he 
was not  arrayed in his sumptuous robes1

 with the breast-plate of dazzling      
stones1 and kingly cap1 as ,i had seen  
him in the ,temple1 but was  dressed in 
a flowing black robe1 over which was    
thrown a scarf of white  linen2 and upon
 his snow-white locks he wore a scarlet 
hood1 a dress  common to all the        
priests1 so that if ,i had not          
recognized him by his  tall and         
commanding form and flowing white hair  
and piercing eye1 as he  surveyed us1 ,i
 should have known that it was the ,high
 ,priest4    ,a little further on we met
 a party coming from the country beyond 
,kedron1 with large cages upon their    
mules1 laden with turtle doves  and     
young pigeons1 which they were carrying 
to the ,temple1 to be sold  there for   
sacrifices4 ,my heart pitied the        
innocent things1 whose blue1  pretty    
heads were thrust by the dozen through  
the rough bars of their  prison-houses1 
as they cast their soft eyes up at me1  
as if asking me  to deliver them from   
their bondage4 ,as ,mary was riding     

behind me1 in  order to let the laden   
mules pass with their immense cages1 one
 of the  turtle doves1 affrighted by the
 noise of the streets1 extricated itself
  from between the bars1 and spreading  
its wings1 flew into the air1 and  then 
taking its flight for the country1      
soared far above the city walls  and    
disappeared in the distance4 ,i felt    
rejoiced at the innocent bird's  escape1
 and sent my good wishes for its safe   
return to its lodge in the  wilderness4 
,just before we reached the ,sheep      
,gate1 by which we were  to gain the    
,jericho road1 we met a poor blind man  
leading a lamb1 or  rather being led by 
a tame lamb4 ,he also had two pigeons in
 his bosom4  ,he was asked by ,rabbi    
,amos1 who knew him1 whither he was     
going4 ,he  answered that he was going  
to the ,temple to sacrifice them4 ,nay1 
said  ,amos1 with surprise1 thou wilt   
not sacrifice thy lamb1 ,bartimeus8     
,it is an offering to ,god1 ,rabbi      
,amos4    ,but thy lamb leadeth thee    

everywhere4 ,it is eyes to thee4 ,thou  
canst  not do without it4 ,and thy      
doves8 ,thou earnest by them many a mite
 in a  day1 they are so well taught in  
cunning and pleasant tricks to please   
children4 ,if thou wilt sacrifice1 spare
 these so needful to thee1 and  here is 
money to buy doves and another lamb1    
answered my benevolent  uncle4    ,hear 
what ,i have to say1 answered           
,bartimeus4 ,my father became sick  and 
was likely to die4 ,the next day my     
mother1 who has nourished my  childhood 
and loved me1 though ,i was born blind1 
with all her heart1  was also taken     
sick4 ,the same night my little         
daughter1 my little blind  daughter1    
whose face ,i never saw1 and who never  
saw her father's face1  was sick nigh   
unto death4 ,my father1 my mother1 my   
child1 are now  restored1 and in my joy 
,i am on my way to the ,temple1 to offer
 these  gifts of ,god to him4 ,it will  
not be hard to part with them1 since1 in
  giving all that ,i have1 ,i but show  

my love to ,god4    ,with these words he
 went on1 the lamb1 obeying the string  
which he  held1 softly moving on before2
 while ,i could see the sightless eyes  
of the righteous son and pious father   
trickle tears1 as he kissed and  kissed 
again the precious doves that lay in his
 bosom4 ,this little  occurrence made me
 sad2 yet ,i honored the resolute piety 
of this poor  man1 whose eyes1 though   
they saw not men1 seemed to see ,god and
 feel  his presence4 ,there is still    
humble piety in the land1 my dear       
father1  and finding it not among the   
proud and splendid priests1 we must look
  for it in the hearts of the poor and  
humble1 like ,bartimeus4    ,once       
outside the gates1 the air blew fresh   
from the hills of olives4  ,after being 
so long confined within the walls and   
narrow streets1 it  seemed to me that ,i
 had just broken out of my cage1 like   
the pretty1  blue-headed turtle dove1   
and ,i felt like winging my way1 too1 to
 the  free deserts4    ,we had hardly   

reached the place where the two roads   
meet1 when we heard  to the west the    
sound of the galloping of a large body  
of horse1 and  the next moment the young
 ,roman centurion came in sight1 riding 
at the  head of a troop of horse1 whose 
martial appearance1 with the ringing of 
their armor and the melody of their     
bugles1 made my blood leap4 milius      
looked like a prince1 and his burnished 
armor shone in the sun like  armor of   
fire4 ,at his side rode a youth who bore
 the eagle of his band1  but the        
centurion himself carried in his hand   
only the badge of his  rank1 which was a
 vine-rod bound with rings of gold4 ,he 
saluted us with  that courtesy which    
distinguishes his every motion1 and then
 dividing  his troop into two bodies1   
half of whom1 trotting on ahead1 led the
  van1 and the other half1 falling      
behind1 served as a rear-guard4 ,he     
then gave the word to move forward4     
,farewell1 dear father1 till my next1   
when ,i will resume my narrative of  the

 events which have taken place since ,i 
left ,jerusalem4 ,the ,god of  our      
father ,abraham be your defence and     
shield4                                 
,your affectionate daughter1            
,adina4          ,,letter ,,viii4       
,my ,dear ,father3    ,my last letter   
ended with an account of the ,roman     
escort1 under  the authority of the     
young ,roman centurion who1 as ,i have  
before  written to you1 with so much    
courtesy proffered its protection to our
  little party4 ,the day was yet early1 
and the air was of that buoyant         
elasticity so agreeable to breathe1 and 
which strikes me as one of  the peculiar
 blessings of this holy land of our     
fathers4 ,as ,i rode  along1 ,i felt as 
if ,i would gladly mount the ,arabian of
 the desert and  fly across the sandy   
seas of ,edom1 with the fleetness which 
amazes me  whenever ,i see the children 
of the desert ride2 for a band of thirty
  came boldly near us from a gorge as we
 approached ,bethany1 and after         

watching us a few moments1 scoured away 
into the recesses of the hills  like the
 wind1 as a detachment of our ,roman    
escort was ordered to  gallop towards   
them4 ,we were fortunate in having such 
strong protection4    ,we soon          
afterwards reached the summit of the    
ridge above ,bethany1 from  which       
eminence we had a gorgeous view of the  
,holy ,city of ,god1 with its  lofty    
,temple glittering in the sunbeams4 ,the
 ,tower of ,antonia darkly  contrasted  
with its splendor1 and the citadel of   
,david frowned over the  walls with a   
warlike majesty that deeply impressed   
me4 ,i drew rein1 and  entreated ,rabbi 
,amos to delay a few moments while ,i   
surveyed ,jerusalem1  but he was too far
 ahead to hear me1 and the centurion1   
riding up to  my side1 stopped          
respectfully with a portion of his      
command1 and said  he would await my    
leisure4 ,i could not but thank him for 
his civility1  and then turning towards 
the city1 ,i was soon lost to all else  

but the  awful contemplation of it4     
,you should see ,rome1 said the         
centurion1 who had watched my emotion   
evidently with surprise4 ,it is a city  
of grandeur unequalled4 ,it  covers six 
times more space than this city1 and it 
contains three  hundred and sixty-five  
temples1 while ,jerusalem contains but  
one6    ,there is no ,god but one1 ,i   
answered1 impressively4    ,we believe  
there is one ,god1 who is the author of 
a great multitude  of lesser gods1 and  
to each we erect a temple1 he said      
firmly1 yet  respectfully4              
,illustration3 ,rome    ,upon this1     
touched with pity that one so noble in  
mind and person  should be so ignorant  
of the truth1 ,i began to show him from 
the  ,prophets that ,god was one1 and   
that all things were made by him4 ,but  
he1 plucking a blossom from a tree      
within reach1 said3    ,it is beneath   
the dignity of the ,father of the gods1 
the great ,jove1  to descend to make a  
flower like this1 or shape a crystal1 or

 color  the ruby1 or create that        
golden-eyed humming-bird which flutters 
among  those fragrant blossoms4 ,he made
 the sun1 and moon1 and stars1 and      
earth1 but left the lesser works to     
inferior deities4 ,talk to me of thy    
one ,god1 and prove to me1 maiden1 that 
he made all things1 and is one1  and thy
 ,god shall be my ,god4    ,we now rode 
forward through the street of ,bethany1 
and soon came to  the house of our      
former friend1 ,rabbi ,abel1 who died   
many years ago at  ,alexandria1 when he 
went there with merchandise1 and after  
the welfare  of whose children you      
desired me to make inquiries4 ,it was a 
plain and  humble dwelling before which 
,rabbi ,amos assisted me to alight2 but 
there was an air of neatness and sweet  
domestic repose about it that  at once  
came home to my heart1 and made me love 
the place even before  ,i had seen the  
inmates4 ,on hearing of my arrival1     
there came out a  fair young girl of    
twenty-two1 with the most amiable       

expression of  affectionate welcome1 and
 approaching me with mingled respect and
 love1  she embraced me1 while ,rabbi   
,amos pronounced our names to each      
other4  ,i felt immediately as if ,i    
were in a sister's arms1 and that ,i    
should  love her always4 ,next came     
forth a young man of about thirty years 
of  age1 with a countenance of an       
exceedingly interesting expression1 full
  of intellect and good will4 ,he was   
pale and habitually thoughtful1 but  a  
fine friendly light beamed in his dark1 
handsome eyes1 as he extended  his hand 
to welcome me4 ,you have already had a  
full description of  him1 and of his    
character1 in one of my former letters1 
and need not  be told that it was       
,lazarus1 the son of your friend4 ,at   
the threshold  ,martha1 the eldest      
sister1 met me1 but with more ceremony1 
and made an  apology for receiving me1  
the rich heiress of ,alexandria1 as she 
termed  me1 into so lowly a dwelling2   
but ,i embraced her so affectionately   

that this feeling passed away instantly4
 ,martha busied herself at once  to     
prepare refreshments for us1 and soon   
set before us a frugal but  agreeable   
repast4 ,mary1 in the meanwhile1 and    
,lazarus1 sat on either  side of me1 and
 asked me many questions about          
,alexandria4    ,i cannot describe to   
you the loveliness of the person of     
,mary1 and yet  not so much the         
perfection of features as the soul which
 animates them1  and lends them a charm 
that ,i cannot adequately convey to you4
    ,martha1 the oldest1 is of a more   
lively disposition1 yet more  commanding
 in her aspect1 being taller and almost 
queenly in her mien4  ,her eyes and her 
hair are jet black2 the former mild and 
beaming with  intelligence1 like those  
of her brother ,lazarus1 whom she       
resembles4  ,she has a winning voice1   
and a manner that leads you to feel     
strong  confidence in her friendship4   
,she seemed to take the whole management
  of our entertainment upon herself4    

,lazarus conversed chiefly with  ,rabbi 
,amos1 who questioned him with much     
interest about the prophet  ,john of the
 wilderness4 ,after our repast1 ,martha 
showed me three  beautiful bands of     
embroidery1 which she was working for   
the new vail  of the ,temple to be put  
on next year2 for the sisters live by   
working  needle-work for the ,temple1   
and ,lazarus makes copies of the ,laws  
and  ,psalms for the priests4 ,he showed
 me his copying-table1 and the rolls  of
 parchment upon it1 some partly         
inscribed in beautiful characters1  some
 quite complete4 ,he also showed me a   
copy of the book of ,isaiah1  which had 
occupied him one hundred and seven days4
 ,it was exquisitely  executed4         
,seeing upon the table a richly worked  
book-cover of silk and velvet1  with the
 letters1 ,j4 ,n4 embroidered in olive  
leaves upon it1 ,i asked  ,mary if that1
 being so elegant1 was not for the ,high
 ,priest4    ,no1 answered ,martha1 with
 brightening eyes1 speaking before her  

sister could reply1 that is for our     
friend1 and the friend and brother  of  
,lazarus4    ,what is his name8 ,i      
asked4    ,jesus1 of ,nazareth4    ,i   
have heard ,john speak of this person1  
said my cousin ,mary1 with  animation4  
,i should feel happy to know him also4  
,if you had been here a few days ago1   
replied ,martha1 you would have  seen   
him4 ,he left us1 after being with us   
three weeks1 to return to  ,nazareth4   
,but he requested to meet ,lazarus at   
,bethabara1 on the third  day from this1
 for some important reason2 and my      
brother will go1 for  he loves him so   
that he would cross the seas to meet    
him4    ,then1 said ,rabbi ,amos to     
,lazarus1 if you are to journey so soon 
towards ,jordan to meet your friend1 you
 had best join our company and  share   
our escort4 ,to this ,lazarus consented4
    ,i left this blessed abode with     
regret1 and felt that ,i should be      
perfectly happy if ,i could be admitted 
as a fifth link in the wealth of  their 

mutual love4    ,about noon we stopped  
at a caravanserai1 half the way to      
,jericho  from ,bethany4 ,here we       
overtook a friend of ,rabbi ,amos1 the  
venerable  and learned scholar and      
lawyer1 ,gamaliel4 ,accompanying the    
lawyer1  ,gamaliel1 was a young man who 
was his disciple1 and who went with  him
 as a companion by the way4 ,his name is
 ,saul1 and ,i noticed him              
particularly1 because ,i overheard the  
venerable lawyer say that he was  the   
most remarkable young man who had ever  
sat at his feet to learn  the mysteries 
of the law4 ,this young law disciple and
 ,lazarus rode  together1 and talked    
long and earnestly by the way1 the      
former thinking  that nothing but       
mischief would come of the new prophet's
 preaching1  while the latter warmly    
defended him and his mission as divine4 
,to  their conversation the ,roman      
centurion listened with the closest     
attention1 for ,saul was learned in the 
,prophets1 and drew richly from  its    

stores to prove that the true ,messias  
can never be heralded by so  mean a     
messenger as this preacher of repentance
 in the wilderness4    ,i now write to  
thee beneath the roof of the country    
residence of ,rabbi  ,amos4 ,to-morrow  
early we are going to ,bethabara1 a     
little village  beyond ,jordan1 but     
situated on its banks1 near which we    
learn ,john is  now baptizing4 ,lazarus 
has gone on with ,saul and the learned  
,gamaliel1  with many lawyers and       
doctors in company1 who desire to see   
and hear  this prophet of the           
wilderness4    ,that the hope of ,israel
 may not be long deferred1 and that we  
may  receive the ,messias1 when he      
cometh1 in humble faith1 in honor and in
  love1 is the prayer of                
,your affectionate daughter1            
,adina4          ,,letter ,,ix4      ,my
 ,dear ,father3    ,in these letters to 
you ,i hope you will pardon the details 
which ,i  enter into1 for it is my      
earnest desire that you should see      

everything  with my eyes1 as if you had 
been present with me1 in order that you 
may  be able to judge of the remarkable 
events of which ,i have undertaken to   
give you a complete history4    ,after  
,rabbi ,amos had reached the house in   
the wheat fields of ,gilgal1  he kindly 
told us that he was ready to accompany  
my cousin ,mary and  myself to the      
,jordan to hear the prophet4 ,we had not
 ridden a great way  from the house when
 we overtook two men on foot1 with      
staves in their  hands and wallets upon 
their shoulders4 ,as we passed1 one of  
them bowed  with respect to ,rabbi      
,amos1 who1 from his rank as a priest   
and his  venerable appearance1 always   
commands the homage of all men4         
,whither goest thou at such a pace1     
friend ,matthew8 said ,rabbi ,amos1     
returning his salutation4 ,canst thou   
leave thy tax-gathering these  busy     
times to go into the wilderness8    ,the
 person1 who was a man of stout figure1 
with dark hair and beard  and a look of 

intelligence1 but whose costume was     
plain and ill-worn1  smiled and         
answered3    ,if a man would find the   
payers of tribute nowadays1 good master1
 he  must not stay at home1 forsooth1   
but go into the wilderness of ,jordan4  
,verily1 this new prophet emptieth our  
towns1 and we publicans must  remain    
idle in our seat of customs or go with  
the tide4    ,and thinkest thou1        
continued my uncle1 as the two men      
walked along by  the side of his mule1  
thinkest thou this prophet is a true son
 of the  prophets8    ,he works no      
miracles1 unless indeed the power of his
 preaching be a  miracle1 answered      
,matthew4    ,this man is an impostor4  
,there can be no prophet unless he prove
 his  mission by miracles1 suddenly said
 the companion of ,matthew1 speaking  up
 abruptly in a sharp and unpleasing     
voice4 ,now neither ,mary nor ,i  liked 
the face of this man from the first4 ,he
 was low in height1 was  ill-featured1  
and his attire was mean2 but he had a   

suspicious air1  combined with a        
cringing deference to ,rabbi ,amos1 that
 made me think  he must be a hypocrite4 
,he smiled with his mouth and teeth1 but
 at  the same time looked sinister out  
of his eyes4 ,an air of humility  seemed
 to me to be put on to conceal the pride
 and wickedness of his  character4 ,he  
looked like a man who could artfully    
deceive to gain his  selfish ends1 and  
who would kneel to you to overturn you4 
,the sound of  his voice confirmed my   
first impression of him4 ,upon speaking1
 ,rabbi  ,amos fixed his eyes upon him1 
as if he did not like the manner of his 
breaking in upon the conversation4      
,what is thy companion's name1 friend   
,matthew8 he asked aside1 as the  other 
walked on ahead4    ,his name is ,judas1
 called ,iscariot4 ,he hath been engaged
 by me to bear  the moneys ,i collect in
 the country villages2 and as we are to 
gather  taxes both at ,gilgal and       
,bethabara1 he cometh with me4    ,at   
length1 dear father1 after hastening the

 speed of our mules and  riding         
pleasantly for two hours along the      
verdant banks of ,jordan1 we  came in   
sight of a square tower of stone1       
peering above the trees  which marked   
the site of the village of ,bethabara4  
,that tower1 said  ,rabbi ,amos1 stands 
over a cave in which ,elijah long dwelt4
 ,from the  summit of yonder hill1 at   
the left1 the prophet was caught up and 
ascended to heaven upon the chariot of  
fire2 and near where you see the  single
 rock1 ,elisha divided ,jordan with the 
fallen mantle left him by  the ascending
 prophet of ,god4    ,while my eyes were
 fixed upon the hill1 and my imagination
 presented to  me ,elijah standing upon 
the chariot of heaven1 disappearing amid
 the  clouds1 there was an opening in   
the wood before us1 and all at once  we 
beheld a scene that made my heart cease 
to beat1 it was so new and  wonderful4  
,near the place the winding river takes 
a broad curve1 and  the opposite village
 of ,bethabara lies in the hollow of it1

 forming  the center of half a circle4  
,this widely curving shore was alive    
with  the human heads that filled it4   
,and of this vast multitude every eye   
was concentrated upon the prophet4 ,he  
was standing near the opposite  shore   
7the ,jordan here is very narrow and can
 be forded71 in the  water1 addressing  
the countless assembly that stood       
opposite to and  half encircling him4   
,near him1 behind1 and on either side1  
sat his  disciples1 upon the bank1 at   
least a hundred in number1 chiefly young
  men4    ,the clear voice of the       
youthful prophet of the wilderness fell 
distinctly on our ears1 so great was the
 stillness of the vast  audience4 ,to my
 surprise ,i saw ,john1 the cousin of   
,mary1 standing  close to the prophet1  
and listening with the deepest and most 
reverent  attention to every syllable he
 uttered4 ,the subject of the prophet's 
discourse was as before1 and as always1 
the coming of the ,messias4 ,oh1  that  
,i could give you1 my dear father1 the  

faintest idea of the power  and         
eloquence of his language6    ,do you   
ask me if the blood of bulls and goats  
take not away sin8 ,i  answer and say   
unto you1 that the ,lord hath said that 
he delighteth not  in these rivers of   
blood1 he continued earnestly4    ,for  
what1 then1 great prophet1 asked one of 
the chief ,levites1 who  stood near him1
 for what1 then1 are the sacrifices     
ordained by the  law of ,moses8 for what
 then the altar in the ,temple1 and the 
daily  sacrifice of the lamb8    ,for   
what8 repeated the prophet1 with his    
eyes beaming with the  earnest light of 
inspiration2 for what but as types and  
shadows of  the real and true sacrifice 
appointed by ,god from the foundation of
 the  world8 ,think ye a man can give   
the lamb of his flock for himself8 ,nay1
  men of ,israel1 the day has come when 
your eyes shall be opened4 ,the  hour is
 at hand when the true meaning of the   
daily sacrifice shall be  understood4   
,lo1 the ,messiah cometh1 and ye shall  

see and believe6    ,there now came     
several persons towards him who desired 
baptism4 ,while  he was baptizing these 
persons1 both men and women1 ,i saw     
appear  on a little mound near the      
tower1 ,lazarus1 the brother of ,martha1
  accompanied by a man of about his own 
years1 of an indescribable  dignity and 
grace of aspect1 combined with an air of
 benevolence and  peace that at once    
attracted me4    ,he was wrapped in a   
vesture of dark blue cloth1 which was   
folded about  his form2 his head was    
bare1 and his hair flowed like a        
,nazarene's down  about his shoulders4  
,he seemed so unlike all other men1 in a
 certain  majesty united with sweetness 
that marked his whole air1 that ,i could
  not withdraw my gaze from him4    ,the
 prophet at the same moment rested his  
eyes upon him1 and as he did  so1 ,i saw
 a change come over his face1 as if he  
had seen an angel4 ,his  eyes shone with
 unearthly brilliancy2 his lips parted  
as if he would  speak1 yet had lost the 

power2 and then1 with his right hand    
stretched  forth towards the noble      
stranger1 he stood for a moment like a  
statue4  ,all eyes followed his and the 
direction of his stretched-out arm4     
,suddenly he exclaimed1 and oh1 how like
 the trumpet of ,horeb his voice        
rang6--    ,behold6    ,there was not a 
face in that vast multitude that was not
 directed  towards the little eminence4 
,ye have asked wherefore is slain the   
daily lamb1 continued the  prophet4 ,the
 day has come when the lamb of          
sacrifice1 which can take  away no sin1 
shall cease4 ,behold6 ,and here he      
stretched forth both  arms towards the  
dignified stranger4 ,behold him who     
taketh away the  transgressions of men6 
,he it is who1 coming after me1 is      
preferred  before me4 ,he it is to whom 
,i bear witness1 as the ,messiah1 the   
,son of  the ,highest6 ,there stands the
 ,christ of ,god6 the only true ,lamb1  
whose  blood can take away the          
iniquities of us all4 ,he hath dwelt    

among you1  he hath walked your streets1
 he hath sat in your homes1 and ,i knew 
him  not1 till ,i now behold on him the 
sign of the ,messiah6    ,when the      
prophet had thus spoken in a voice that 
thrilled to every  bosom1 we beheld the 
august stranger advance towards the     
prophet4  ,he moved on alone4 ,lazarus  
had fallen prostrate on his face4 ,as   
he continued to come forward1 all was   
expectation in the immense  multitude4  
,the mass of heads swayed this way and  
that1 to get a sight  of his face1 which
 ,i could see was serene1 but pale and  
earnest4 ,john1  the cousin of ,mary1   
seeing him approach1 lowly knelt1 and   
bowed his  head in reverential awe and  
love4 ,those who stood between him and  
the  prophet moved involuntarily apart1 
and left an open path for him to the    
water-side4 ,he walked at a slow and    
even pace1 with an air of humility      
veiling the native dignity of his kingly
 port4    ,the prophet1 on seeing him   
come near1 regarded him1 as it seemed to

 me1  with far more awe than all others4
    ,what wouldst thou of thy servant1  
,o ,messiah1 ,prophet of ,god1 mighty   
to save8 he said1 in tremulous tones1 as
 the stranger came even some  paces into
 the water towards him4    ,to be       
baptized of thee1 answered the ,christ1 
in a still1 quiet voice1  that was heard
 to the remotest bounds of the crowd4   
,never1 oh1 never  shall ,i forget the  
sounds of that voice1 as it fell upon my
 ears6    ,i have need to be baptized of
 thee2 and comest thou to me8 answered  
the prophet1 with the lowliest humility 
and awe of manner and with  looks       
expressive of his amazement4    ,it     
becometh us to fulfill all              
righteousness1 answered ,messiah1       
mildly2 and when he had said this1 the  
prophet1 though still with a  manner of 
doubt1 and with the holiest reverence1  
administered then unto  him1 in the     
sight of all the people1 the like       
baptism which he had  administered to   
his disciples4    ,and now1 my dear     

father1 comes to be related the most    
extraordinary  thing that ever took     
place in ,israel since the ,law was     
given from ,sinai4    ,no sooner did the
 baptized stranger go up out of the     
water1 than there  was heard above all  
our heads a noise as of rolling thunder1
 although  the sky was cloudless2 and   
when in great fear we looked up1 we     
beheld  a dazzling glory far brighter   
than the sun1 and from the midst of this
  celestial splendor there darted with  
arrowy velocity a ray of light  which   
descended and lit upon the head of the  
,christ4 ,some of the  people said it   
thundered1 and others that it lightened1
 but judge of  the amazement and        
admiration of all1 and the dread awe    
that shook every  soul when1 amid the   
glory above his head1 was seen the form 
of a dove  of fire1 with outspread wings
 overshadowing him as it were1 and from 
the heavens what was supposed to be     
thunder shaped itself into a voice1     
which uttered these words in the hearing

 of every ear3    ,this is my beloved   
,son1 in whom ,i am well pleased6    ,at
 hearing these words from the skies a   
great part of the multitude  fell on    
their faces4 ,every cheek was pale1 and 
each man gazed on his  neighbor in      
wonder and fear4 ,when the majestic1 yet
 terrible1 voice  had given utterance to
 these words1 the light disappeared1 the
 dove  re-ascended to the skies and was 
lost to sight1 leaving a halo of  divine
 glory resting upon the head of this    
,son of ,god4 ,he alone  seemed unmoved 
and calm amid all this awful scene1 and 
going up the  river bank1 disappeared   
mysteriously and suddenly from my       
earnest  gaze4 ,at length1 when men came
 a little to themselves1 and would gaze 
on him whom all knew now to be the      
,christ1 no one could find him1 so      
effectually had he withdrawn himself    
from their homage4                      
,your affectionate1                     
,adina4          ,,letter ,x4      ,my  
,dear ,father3    ,i shall now resume   

the narrative interrupted by the close  
of my last  letter4    ,the excitement  
which the sudden disappearance of ,jesus
 produced1 led to  a universal          
separation of the multitude4 ,no one    
knew whence he had gone  save ,john1    
,mary's cousin1 and ,lazarus1 who       
reverently followed him4  ,the prophet  
,john1 of ,jordan1 appeared to me to be 
more surprised at  what had taken place 
than any others4 ,he looked constantly  
around for  ,jesus1 and then1 with his  
hands clasped together and uplifted1    
gazed  heavenward1 as if satisfied1 with
 the thousands around him1 that ,he had 
been received up into heaven4    ,rabbi 
,amos and our party remained standing   
near the water1 for he  desired to speak
 with ,john1 who stood alone in the     
midst of the water1  precisely where he 
had baptized ,jesus4 ,not one of his    
disciples  remained with him4 ,rabbi    
,amos drew near1 and said to him3       
,holy prophet1 knowest thou what man1 if
 man he may be called1 was just         

baptized by thee8    ,the prophet1 whose
 eyes had been steadfastly raised all   
the while1  bent his looks with tearful 
tenderness upon ,rabbi ,amos1 and said1 
plaintively and touchingly3    ,this is 
he of whom ,i spake1 ,after me cometh a 
man which is preferred  before me1 for  
he was before me4 ,and ,i knew him not2 
but 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    
that  baptizeth with the ,holy ,ghost4  
,and ,i saw the ,spirit descending like 
a  dove2 and ,i saw and bear record that
 this is the ,son of ,god4    ,and      
whither1 oh1 holy prophet of ,jordan1   
asked ,rabbi ,amos1 with deep  and      
sacred interest1 whither has he         
departed8    ,that ,i know not4 ,he must
 increase and ,i must decrease1 whether 
he  remaineth on earth or has been taken
 up into heaven4 ,my mission is now     
drawing to its close1 for he to whom ,i 
have borne witness is come4    ,thus    

speaking1 he turned and walked out of   
the water on the side  towards          
,bethabara1 and disappeared among the   
trees that fringed the  bank4 ,i now    
looked in the face of ,rabbi ,amos1 upon
 whose arm ,mary was  tearfully leaning4
 ,his face was grave and thoughtful4 ,i 
said1 ,uncle1  dost thou believe all    
that thou hast seen and heard8    ,i    
know not what to say1 he answered1 only 
that the things which  ,i have beheld   
this day are evidences that ,god has not
 forgotten his  people ,israel4 ,he said
 no more4 ,we left the banks of the     
,jordan in  silence and awe1 and        
remounting our mules1 returned towards  
my uncle's  house at ,gilgal4 ,on the   
way we constantly passed crowds of      
people1 all  in high talk about the     
wonderful events which had taken place  
at the  river4 ,the impression seemed   
universally to be that ,jesus had gone  
up  into heaven after he was baptized4  
,but1 my dear father1 it is with deep   
joy that ,i am able to tell you  that   

this wonderful person is still on the   
earth4 ,i stated that my  cousin ,john  
and ,lazarus had kept their eyes upon   
him from the first1  and that they had  
seen him pass down the river1 where some
 projecting  and overhanging trees hid  
him at once from view4 ,though they     
often lost  sight of him1 they yet      
followed him by the print of his sandals
 in the  wet sand of the shore1 and at  
length came in view of him1 as he was   
leaving the river bank1 and going       
towards the desert1 between two low     
hills1 which hid him from their eyes4   
,they went on1 but though they moved    
forward rapidly1 they next saw  him far 
distant1 crossing the arid plain that   
stretches south towards  ,jericho and   
the desert4 ,they ran very swiftly1 and 
at length coming  near him1 called1     
,master1 good master1 stay for us1 for  
we would  follow and learn of thee6     
,he stopped1 and turned upon them a     
visage so pale and marred with  sadness 
and anguish1 that they both stood still 

and gazed upon him  with amazement at   
beholding such a change4 ,the glory of  
his beauty had  passed away1 and the    
beaming splendor which shone upon his   
countenance  was wholly gone4 ,the      
expression of unutterable sorrow that   
remained  pierced them to the heart4    
,lazarus1 who had been so long his bosom
  friend1 wept aloud4 ,weep not6 thou   
shalt see me another day1 my  friends1  
he said4 ,i now go to the wilderness1 in
 obedience to the  ,spirit which guideth
 me thither4 ,thou shalt1 after a time1 
behold me  again4 ,it is expedient for  
you that ,i go whither ,i go4    ,nay1  
but we will go with thee1 said ,lazarus1
 earnestly4 ,if thou art  to endure     
evil1 we will be with thee4    ,there   
must be none to help4 ,there must be    
none to uphold1 he said  firmly1 but    
sadly4 ,i must tread the winepress of   
temptation alone6    ,he then left them1
 waving his hand for them to go back4   
,they obeyed  sorrowfully1 wondering    
what his words meant1 and wherefore it  

was  needful for him to go into the     
desert1 where certain mysterious trials 
seemed to wait for him2 and they        
wondered most of all at the change in   
his countenance1 which1 from being      
lustrous with celestial light1 was  now1
 said ,lazarus1 marred more than the    
sons of men4 ,from time to  time the two
 young men looked backward to watch the 
receding figure of  the ,christ1 till   
they no longer distinguished him in the 
distance of  the desert1 towards the    
dreadful solitudes of which he          
steadfastly kept  his face4    ,the two 
friends came on to the house of ,rabbi  
,amos1 at ,gilgal1 the same  night1 and 
we sat together late at night upon the  
porch under the fig  trees1 talking of  
,jesus4    ,now1 my dear father1 how    
wonderful is all this6 ,that a great    
,prophet  is among us1 cannot be denied4
 ,the star of ,john the ,baptizer's fame
  dwindles into a glow-worm before the  
glory of this ,son of ,god6 ,that  he   
will draw all men unto him1 even into   

the wilderness1 if he takes  up his     
abode there1 cannot be questioned4 ,but 
all is mystery1 awe1  curiosity1 wonder1
 and excitement just now4    ,may the   
,god of our fathers' house come forth   
indeed from the heavens1  for the       
salvation of his people6                
,your devoted and loving1               
,adina4          ,,letter ,,xi4      ,my
 ,dear ,father3    ,in my last letter to
 you ,i spoke of our return from ,jordan
 to ,gilgal4  ,at the house were        
assembled not only ,john1 the cousin of 
,mary1 and the  noble ,lazarus1 but also
 ,gamaliel and ,saul4 ,the court of the 
dwelling  was thronged with strangers1  
and the common people who1 being far    
from  their homes and without food1 had 
freely been invited to lodgings and     
food by the hospitable priest4    ,as we
 sat up late conversing with deep       
interest upon the remarkable  events of 
the day1 an observation made by ,john1  
when speaking of the  change in the face
 of ,jesus1 that ,his face was marred   

more than the  sons of men1 led the     
venerable ,gamaliel to say to us3       
,those are the words of the prophet     
,esaias1 and are truly spoken by him  of
 ,messias1 when he shall come4    ,let  
us consult ,esaias1 then1 and see what  
further he hath said1 cried  ,rabbi     
,amos4 ,mary1 bring hither the roll of  
the ,prophets4    ,my ,cousin ,mary     
returned1 and placed the book on a small
 stand before  him4    ,read aloud1     
worthy ,rabbi1 said the philosopher     
,gamaliel1 we will  all listen2 for     
though ,i do not believe this young man 
who was to-day  baptized is ,messias and
 the ,christ1 who is to restore all     
things to us1  yet ,i am prepared to    
reverence him as a great prophet4       
,and1 answered ,rabbi ,amos1 if we find 
the prophecies do meet in him  that     
which we look for to meet in ,messias   
when he cometh1 wilt thou  believe1     
venerable father8    ,i will believe and
 reverently adore1 answered the sage1   
bowing his  head till his flowing white 

beard almost touched his knees4    ,read
 ,adina1 for thy eyes are young1 said my
 uncle2 and ,i read as  follows3        
',behold1 my ,servant shall deal        
prudently1 he shall be exalted and      
extolled1 and be very high4 ,as many    
were astonished at thee2 his visage  was
 so marred more than any man1 and his   
form more than the sons of  men4'       
,how completely1 said ,john1 those words
 describe his appearance on  the verge  
of the desert1 and yet ,i used them     
unconsciously4    ,but1 said ,saul1     
,gamaliel's disciple1 if this be        
prophesied of the  ,christ1 then we are 
to have a ,christ of humiliation1 and   
not one of  honor and glory4 ,read one  
part which you have omitted1 maiden4    
,i read on as follows3 ',behold1 my     
,servant shall be exalted and  extolled1
 and be very high4 ,he shall sprinkle   
many nations2 the kings  shall shut     
their mouths at him4 ,he shall lift up  
his hand to the  ,gentiles1 and set up  
his standard to the people4 ,kings shall

 bow down  to him with their faces to   
the earth1 and lick up the dust of his  
feet6'    ,there6 ,such is our ,messias6
 exclaimed ,saul4    ,yes1 it is a      
,christ of power and dominion who is to 
redeem ,israel1  added ,gamaliel2 not an
 unknown young man1 scarcely thirty     
years of  age1 who came from whence no  
one knoweth1 and hath gone as he came4  
,as  for the ,christ1 we shall know     
whence he cometh6    ,at hearing this   
great and good man thus discourse1 dear 
father1 my  heart sank within me1 for   
,lazarus had already told us that his   
friend  ,jesus was of humble birth1 a   
carpenter's son1 and his mother a widow2
  that he had known him from boyhood1   
but known him only to love him4 ,i  now 
looked towards him1 but ,i took courage 
when ,i saw that the words  of ,gamaliel
 did not in the least dim the light of  
faith and confidence  which brightly    
sparkled in his eyes1 that his friend   
,jesus was truly  ,messias of ,god4 ,but
 my eye fell on what follows1 and as ,i 

read it ,i  gained more confidence3 ,he 
hath no form nor comeliness2 and when we
  shall see him there is no beauty that 
we should desire him4    ,if the first  
part of this prophecy1 said ,lazarus1   
his fine eyes  lighting up1 as he looked
 at ,saul1 be of the ,christ1 as you    
have just  now confessed1 then is this  
last of him2 and the fact that you      
reject  him is but the fulfillment of   
this part of the prophecy4    ,hereupon 
arose a very warm discussion between    
,gamaliel and ,saul on one  side1 and   
,rabbi ,amos1 ,john and ,lazarus on the 
other4    ,but let this be as it may1   
said ,john1 after the arguments on both 
sides had been mainly exhausted1 how    
will you1 ,o ,gamaliel1 and you1  ,saul1
 get over the extraordinary voice and   
fiery appearance which  distinguished   
the baptism8    ,that must have been a  
phenomenon of nature1 or done by the art
 of the  famed ,babylonish sorcerer1    
whom ,i saw prominent in the multitude1 
answered the philosopher4    ,did you   

not hear the words8 asked ,rabbi ,amos4 
,yes1 ,rabbi2 nevertheless1 they may    
have been thrown into the air from  the 
lungs of this sorcerer2 for they do     
marvelous things4    ,would you suppose 
that a sorcerer would be disposed to    
apply the  sacred words of the ,lord8   
asked ,john1 earnestly4    ,by no means1
 he answered1 reverently4    ,if ,rabbi 
,amos will allow me1 ,i will show you   
the very words in ,king  ,david's       
prophecies of ,messias4    ,all looked  
with interest on ,john1 as he took from 
his mantle a roll of  the ,psalms4 ,he  
opened it and read as follows3    ',why 
do the rulers take counsel together     
against the ,lord1 and against  his     
,anointed8 ,i will declare the decree4  
,the ,lord hath said unto me1  ,thou art
 my ,son4'    ,upon hearing this read1  
,gamaliel was thoughtful4    ,it is     
extraordinary1 answered he4 ,i will     
search the ,scriptures when  ,i reach   
,jerusalem1 to see if these things be   
so4    ,but1 said ,saul1 with some      

vehemence1 listen while ,i read some    
prophecies also4 ,and he unrolled the   
book of the ,prophets and read  these   
words3    ',thou1 ,bethlehem ,ephratah1 
though thou be little among the         
thousands  of ,judah1 yet out of thee   
shall he come forth unto me that is to  
be ruler in ,israel1 whose goings forth 
have been from of old1 from             
everlasting4'    ,now1 you will confess1
 ,rabbi ,amos1 he added1 with a look of 
triumph1  that this word refers to our  
expected ,messias8    ,without doubt1   
answered my uncle1 but--    ,wait1 ,i   
beseech you1 learned ,rabbi1 said ,saul1
 until ,i read you  another prophecy4   
,and he read3 ',i have made a covenant  
with ,david1  ,thy seed will ,i         
establish forever1 and build up thy     
throne to all  generations4 ,his seed   
shall endure forever1 and his throne as 
the sun  before me4 ,behold1 the days   
come1 saith the ,lord1 that ,i will     
raise  unto ,david a righteous ,branch4'
    ,now1 you will all admit1 brethren1 

that these prophecies refer to          
,messias4 ,he is therefore to come of   
the lineage of ,david1 and he is to  be 
born in ,bethlehem4 ,show me that this  
,jesus1 the ,nazarene1 fulfills  both   
conditions in his own person1 and ,i    
will prepare to believe in  him4        
,this was said haughtily1 and with the  
air of one who cannot be answered4      
,but immediately ,lazarus rose to his   
feet and said3 ,although ,i did not     
recollect this prophecy1 that ,christ   
was to be born in ,bethlehem1 yet ,i  am
 overjoyed to find the fact respecting  
,jesus fulfills it4 ,he was born  in    
,bethlehem of ,judah4 ,this ,i have     
known some years1 and--    ,here1 while 
my heart was bounding with joy1         
,gamaliel said sternly1 ,i  thought this
 man was born in ,nazareth8    ,he has  
lived1 answered ,lazarus1 in ,nazareth  
from childhood only4  ,during the days  
when ,csar ,augustus issued a decree    
that all the world  should be taxed1 his
 mother1 and ,joseph her husband1 went  

up to the  ,city of ,david to be taxed1 
which is ,bethlehem1 and there ,jesus   
was  born1 as ,i have often heard from  
her lips4    ,admitting1 then1 that he  
was born in ,bethlehem1 said ,saul1 you 
have  to prove his lineage from ,david's
 line4    ,wherefore did his parents go 
to ,bethlehem1 ,david's city1 unless    
they  were of his royal line8 asked     
,rabbi ,amos1 for none went to any other
  city to be taxed than that of their   
own family4 ,the fact that they went    
there is strong evidence that they were 
of ,david's house4    ,every one born in
 the city of ,david1 remarked ,gamaliel1
 is not of  necessity of ,david's house2
 but it is surprising if this ,jesus    
really  was born in ,bethlehem4    ,but 
may not his lineage be ascertained      
without a doubt from the  records of the
 tribes1 and of their families1 kept by 
command of the  law of the ,temple8 ,i  
asked of my uncle4    ,without question4
 ,these books of the generations of our 
people are to  be relied on1 he         

answered4    ,in fact1 said ,gamaliel1  
they are kept with the greatest         
accuracy1  and it is so ordained by     
,god1 for the very reason that when     
,messias  cometh we may know whether he 
who claims to be such be of the house of
  ,david or no4 ,i will examine the book
 of the generations1 and see if his     
mother and father come of the stock and 
seed of ,david4    ,and if you find that
 they do1 asked ,john1 with emotion1 can
 you  doubt any longer whether ,jesus be
 the ,christ8 ,will not the fact of his 
being born in ,bethlehem1 and of the    
lineage of ,david1 not to speak of  the 
witness of ,god's own audible voice1    
heard by our ears this day1  will not   
these facts lead you to believe that he 
is the ,christ8    ,they will prevent me
 from actually rejecting him1 answered  
the cold  philosopher4 ,but every child 
born in ,bethlehem1 and of the house of 
,david1 and there are many of them in   
,judah1 fulfills1 so far1 the           
conditions of these two prophecies2     

these are not1 therefore1 ,messiahs4    
,what more can you ask for8 asked ,mary1
 with feeling1 for she strongly         
believed that ,jesus was the ,christ4   
,miracles1 answered the disciple of     
,gamaliel1 glancing at the face of  his 
master inquiringly4    ,yes1 miracles1  
also answered the sage4 ,the ,messiah is
 to heal the  sick by a word1 restore   
sight to the blind1 cast out devils1 and
 even  raise the dead4    ,if he restore
 the blind and raise the dead1 ,i will  
doubt no longer1  answered ,saul4       
,there was at this moment an            
interruption caused by noisy            
altercations  in the court among some of
 ,john the ,baptist's disciples4 ,rabbi 
,amos1 as  host1 went out to put an end 
to these disputings1 when ,gamaliel     
retired  to his chamber1 and the        
conversation was not renewed4           
,your daughter1                         
,adina4          ,,letter ,,xii4        
,my ,dear ,father3    ,let me resume the
 interesting subject of which my letters

 have been so  full4    ,it is now eight
 weeks since our return from ,gilgal4   
,for five weeks  after we reached       
,jerusalem1 we heard nothing of ,jesus1 
until ,john1 son  of ,elisaph1          
reappeared4 ,he and ,lazarus came into  
the city together1 and  to the house of 
,rabbi ,amos4 ,our first inquiry was3   
,have you seen him8 ,have you heard     
anything from him8    ,john has seen    
him1 answered ,lazarus1 seriously4 ,ask 
him1 and he will  tell you all4    ,we  
looked at ,john1 who sat sad and        
pensive1 as if he were dwelling in  his 
mind upon some painful1 yet tender1     
sorrow4 ,the eyes of my ,cousin  ,mary1 
which always caught their lustre from   
his1 were shaded with an  inquiring look
 of sympathy and solicitude4    ,you are
 not well1 ,i fear1 she said1 placing   
her fair hand upon his  white brow1 and 
putting back the hair from his temples4 
,you have been  long away1 and are weary
 and ill4    ,weary1 ,mary8 ,i shall    
never complain of weariness again1 after

 what ,i  have beheld4    ,what have you
 seen8 ,i asked4    ,jesus in the       
desert2 and when ,i remember him there1 
,i shall forget to  smile more4    ,you 
have found him1 then8 ,i eagerly asked4 
,yes1 after days of painful search4 ,i  
found him in the very center of  the    
,desert of ,ashes1 where foot of man had
 never trodden before4 ,i saw  him upon 
his knees1 and heard his voice in       
prayer4 ,i laid down the sack  of bread 
and fishes and the skin of water ,i had 
brought with me to  succor him1 and with
 awe drew near where he stood4    ,as ,i
 came closer to him1 ,i heard him groan 
in spirit1 and he seemed to  be borne   
down to the earth by some mortal agony4 
,he was1 as it were1  talking to some   
invisible evil beings who assailed him4 
',rabbi1 good ,master1' ,i said1 ',i    
have brought thee food and water4       
,pardon me if ,i have intruded upon thy 
awful loneliness1 which is sacred  to   
some deep grief2 but ,i weep with thee  
for thy woes1 and in all thy            

afflictions ,i am afflicted4 ,eat1 that 
thou mayest have strength to  endure thy
 mysterious sufferings4'    ,he turned  
his pale countenance full upon me1 and  
extended towards me  his emaciated      
hands1 while he smiled faintly1 and     
blessed me and said3    ',son1 thou art 
very dear to me4 ,thou shalt one day be 
afflicted for  me1 but not now1 and then
 understand wherefore ,i am now a       
sufferer in  the desert4'    ',let me   
remain with thee1 ,divine ,messias1' ,i 
said4    ',thou believest1 then1 that ,i
 am he8' he answered1 regarding me with 
love4    ,i replied by casting myself at
 his desert-parched feet1 and bathing   
them with my tears4 ,he raised me and   
said1 ',go thy way presently4 ,when  the
 time of my fasting and temptation is   
past1 ,i will see thee again4'    ',nay1
 ,i will not leave thee1' ,i asserted4  
',if thou lovest me1 beloved1 thou wilt 
obey me1' he answered1 with a  tone of  
gentle reproof4    ',but thou wilt first
 eat of the bread ,i have brought1 and  

drink of the  water1' ,i entreated4     
',thou knowest not what temptation thou 
art offering to me1' he  replied1 sadly4
 ',thou hast not enough for thine own   
needs4 ,go1 and  leave me to gain the   
victory over ,satan1 the prince of this 
world1 for  which ,i was led by the     
,spirit thither4'    ,i once more cast  
myself at his feet1 and he lifted me up1
 kissing me1  and sent me away4 ,oh1 you
 would not have known him6 ,worn and    
emaciated  by long abstinence1 weak     
through suffering1 he looked but the    
shadow of  himself4 ,he could not have  
lived thus if there had not been a      
divine  power within to sustain him6    
,his existence so long1 for he had been 
in  the desert five weeks without food  
when ,i found him1 was a miracle in     
itself1 proving the power of ,god to be 
in him4    ,for what mighty work among  
men is ,god preparing him8 said ,rabbi  
,amos1  with emotion4 ,surely he is a   
prophet come from ,god4    ,think you he
 still lives8 ,i asked1 with anxious    

fears1 scarcely  trusting my voice above
 a whisper4    ,yes1 answered ,john4 ,i 
am come to tell you he was divinely     
sustained  through all2 and after forty 
days he came forth from the wilderness1 
and suddenly presented himself on the   
banks of ,jordan1 among ,john's         
disciples4 ,i was standing near the     
,baptizer1 discoursing of the ,christ1  
and marvelling when his exile to the    
desert would terminate1 when the        
prophet1 lifting his eyes1 cried with a 
loud voice full of joy3    ',behold     
again the ,lamb of ,god1 upon whom the  
,spirit of ,god descended6  ,he hath    
come from the furnace like gold seven   
times tried in the fire6  ,he it is who 
alone taketh away the sins of the       
world6'    ,i turned and beheld ,jesus  
advancing4 ,he was pale and wore an     
expression of gentle1 uncomplaining     
suffering on his benign and             
spiritualized countenance4 ,i hastened  
to meet him1 and was kneeling in  joy at
 his feet1 when he embraced me as a     

brother and said1 ',faithful1  and full 
of love1 wilt thou follow me8'    ',i   
will nevermore leave thee1' ,i answered4
    ',where dwellest thou1 divine       
,master8' then asked one of ,john's     
disciples1 ,andrew by name1 who was with
 me4    ',come1 my friends1 and see1' he
 answered2 and we went after him with   
joy unutterable4    ,he entered the     
village of ,bethabara1 and1 approaching 
the house of a  widow1 where he abode1  
went in4 ,we followed him1 and by his   
request  took up our abode with him4    
,oh1 how shall ,i be able to make known 
by  words1 added ,john1 the sweet       
expression of his discourse6 ,in one day
  in his presence ,i grew wise2 his     
words filled the soul like new wine  and
 made the heart glad4 ,the next day he  
wished to go into ,galilee1 and  so on  
to ,nazareth1 where his mother dwelleth2
 and as ,i have made up my  mind to     
follow him as his disciple henceforth1  
,i have only come hither  to make known 
my purpose to ,mary1 and to arrange my  

affairs in the  city4 ,to-morrow ,i will
 leave again1 to join this1 my dear     
,lord1 at ,cana  of ,galilee4    ,canst 
thou divine at all his purpose8 asked   
,rabbi ,amos of ,john1  whether he      
intends to found a school of wisdom1 to 
preach like the  prophets1 to reign like
 ,david1 or to conquer like his warrior 
namesake1  ,joshua8    ,i know not1 save
 that he said he came to redeem that    
which was lost1  and to establish a     
kingdom that shall have no end4    ,upon
 hearing this1 all our hearts bounded   
with hope and confidence in  him1 and we
 all together burst forth into a voice  
of thanksgiving1 and  sang this hymn of 
praise3      ,o sing unto the ,lord a   
new song4 ,he hath done marvelous       
things2 his    right hand and his holy  
arm hath gotten the victory4      ,the  
,lord hath made known his salvation2 his
 righteousness hath he    openly shewed 
in the sight of the heathen4      ,he   
hath remembered his mercy and his truth 
towards the house of    ,israel2 all the

 ends of the earth have seen the        
salvation of our ,god4    ,there was    
this morning1 dear father1 no little    
excitement produced  among the chief    
priests by a formal inquiry sent by     
,pilate to  ,caiaphas1 the ,high        
,priest1 asking whether this new prophet
 was to be  acknowledged by them as     
their ,messiah1 for1 if he is to be1 it 
will  be my duty1 said the ,governor1 to
 place him under arrest1 inasmuch  as we
 understand the ,jewish ,messias is to  
declare himself king4  ,upon this there 
was a tumultuous assembling together of 
the priests  in the porch of the        
,temple1 and with many invectives they  
agreed to  send answer to ,pilate that  
they did not acknowledge ,jesus of      
,nazareth  to be the ,christ4 ,what     
,pilate will conclude to do1 ,i know    
not4 ,rabbi  ,amos informed us that the 
,procurator had got some news by courier
 that  morning that ,jesus1 on his way  
to ,cana1 had been followed by a full   
thousand people1 who hailed him as the  

,christ4    ,thus you see1 my dear      
father1 that this divine person is      
already taking  hold of the hearts of   
the people1 and arousing the jealousy of
 our  enemies4 ,be assured that the day 
will come when he will lift up his      
standard to the ,gentiles1 and draw all 
men unto him4                           
,your loving1                           
,adina4          ,,letter ,,xiii4       
,my ,dear ,father3    ,since ,i last    
wrote you1 my faith has been confirmed  
by the testimony  which in one of your  
letters you demanded4 ,you said1 ,let me
 hear that  he has done an authentic    
miracle in attestation of the divinity  
of his  mission--such a miracle as was  
prophesied ,messias shall do1 as healing
  the sick by a word1 restoring the     
blind to sight1 and raising the         
dead--and ,i will prepare to believe in 
him4    ,miracle he has performed1 dear 
father1 and one the genuineness of which
  is not disputed by any one4 ,i can    
give you the particulars best by        

extracting from a letter written by     
,john to ,mary1 a few days after his    
departure to join ,jesus at ,nazareth3  
,upon reaching ,nazareth1 says the      
letter1 ,i was guided to the humble     
dwelling occupied by the mother of      
,jesus1 by a large concourse of  people 
gathered about it1 of whom inquiring1 ,i
 learned that it was to  see the new    
,prophet they had thus assembled4 ',what
 new ,prophet8' ,i  asked1 wishing to   
know what the multitude thought of      
,jesus4    ',the one of whom ,john of   
the wilderness foretold1' answered one4 
',they say he is ,messias1' replied     
another4    ',he is the ,christ1' boldly
 asserted a third4    ,hereupon a       
,levite standing by1 said scornfully1   
',does ,christ come out  of the country 
of ,galilee8 ,you read the ,prophets to 
little purpose1  if you see therein any 
,christ prophesied to come out of       
,nazareth  of ,galilee4' ,hereupon1     
seeing the faith of many staggered1 ,i  
said1  ',brethren1 ,christ is truly to  

be of ,bethlehem1 and verily ,jesus1    
though  now he dwelleth in this place1  
was born in ,bethlehem4'    ',thou canst
 not prove it1 man6' said the ,levite   
angrily4    ',the stranger speaketh     
truly1' spoke up both an old man and a  
gray-haired woman in the crowd4 ',we    
know that he was not born here1 and     
that when his parents moved hither1 when
 he was an infant1 they then  said he   
was born in ,bethlehem4 ,we all remember
 this well4'    ,hereupon the ,levite1  
seeing that he had not the people with  
him1  passed on his way1 while ,i went  
to the door of the house where ,jesus   
dwelt with his mother4 ,there were two  
doors1 one of which led into a          
workshop1 where ,i noticed the bench and
 tools of the occupation at  which he   
had toiled to support himself and his   
mother4 ,but when1 as ,i  entered the   
dwelling1 ,i saw him standing1 teaching 
those who hung on  his lips1 and        
listened to his calm voice1 and heard   
the sublime wisdom  of his instructions1

 beheld the dignity of his aspect1 and  
felt the  heavenly benignity of his     
manner1 ,i forgot the carpenter1 ,i     
forgot the  man1 and seemed to behold in
 him only ,messiah the ,prince1 the ,son
 of  ,god4    ,upon beholding me1 he    
extended his hand1 and received me      
graciously1  and said1 pointing to five 
men who stood near him1 regarding him   
with  mingled love and reverence1       
',these are thy brethren1 who have also 
come  out of the world to follow me4'   
,of these1 one was ,andrew1 who had     
been1 as well as myself1 ,john's        
disciple4 ,another was ,andrew's        
brother1 whose name is ,simon1 whom     
,jesus1 from the firmness and immovable 
zeal of his character1 which  he seemed 
to understand1 called also ,peter1 or   
,stone4 ,the fourth  disciple was of    
,bethsaida4 ,his name was ,philip1 and  
he followed ,jesus  from having been    
prepared by ,john the ,baptist to       
receive him4 ,he was1  moreover1 so     
overjoyed at finding the ,christ1 that  

he ran to the house  of his kinsman1    
,nathaniel1 and finding him in his      
garden1 beneath a fig  tree1 at prayer1 
exclaimed3    ',we have found him of    
whom ,moses in the law and the prophets 
did  write1 the ,messias of ,god6'      
',where is he1 that ,i may behold him8' 
asked his relative1 rising4    ',it is  
,jesus of ,nazareth1 the son of         
,joseph1' ,philip answered4    ,upon    
hearing this answer1 the countenance of 
,nathaniel fell1 and he  replied3       
',can there any good thing come out of  
,nazareth8'    ',come thou and see for  
thyself1' answered ,philip4             
,nathaniel then went with him where     
,jesus was4 ,when ,jesus saw him        
approaching1 he said to those about him3
    ',behold an ,israelite indeed1 in   
whom there is no guile6'    ',whence    
knowest thou me8' asked ,nathaniel1 with
 surprise1 for he had  heard the words  
which were spoken4 ,jesus answered and  
said3    ',before ,philip called thee1  
when thou wast under the fig tree1 ,i   

saw  thee4'    ,upon hearing this       
,nathaniel1 who knew that he was all    
alone in his  garden and unseen at      
prayer when his brother came1 regarded  
the serene  face of ,jesus steadfastly1 
and then1 as if he beheld therein the   
expression of omnipresence1 he cried    
before all the people3    ',rabbi1 thou 
art the ,son of ,god6 ,thou art the     
,king of ,israel6'    ,jesus looked upon
 him as if pleased at his confession1   
and said3    ',because ,i said unto     
thee1 ,i saw thee under the fig tree1   
believest  thou8 ,thou shalt see greater
 things than these4 ,verily1 verily1 ,i 
say  unto you1 hereafter ye shall see   
heaven open1 and the angels of ,god     
ascending and descending upon the ,son  
of man4'    ,the next day ,james1 my    
brother1 and ,i went to the sea of      
,tiberias1  but two hours distant1 to   
see our father ,zebedee1 and transfer   
our  interests to him2 and1 during the  
afternoon1 ,jesus passed near the  shore
 on his way to ,cana1 when1 calling us1 

we forever left our ships  and our      
father and joined him4 ,his mother and  
many of her kinsfolk were  of the       
company1 all going to a marriage of the 
cousin of the family4  ,upon our arrival
 at ,cana1 we were ushered into the     
guest chamber4    ,the marriage feast at
 length commenced4 ,the wine which      
should have  come from ,damascus had not
 arrived1 the caravan having been       
delayed  by the insurrection near       
,cesarea1 and the chief ruler of the    
town1  presiding at the feast1 seeing   
that the wine had given out1 bade the   
servants to place more upon the board4  
,the mother of ,jesus1 who knew  that   
the wine was out1 and that1 looking upon
 this as an ill omen1 the  family of the
 bride were in great distress1 turned to
 ,jesus and said1  ',they have no wine4'
    ,the holy ,prophet of ,god looked   
grave and said1 applying to her the     
title which we deem most honorable of   
all others1 ',woman1 what have ,i  to do
 with thee8 ,mine hour is not yet come4'

    ,she must have understood his words1
 all mysterious as they were to me1     
for1 turning to the servants1 she       
beckoned to them1 while her cheek       
borrowed a rich color from her hidden   
joy1 and her eyes kindled with  loving  
sympathy for those about to be relieved 
in their distress4 ,when  two or three  
of the servants had approached1 she said
 to them3    ',whatsoever he saith unto 
you1 do it4'    ,the face of ,jesus1    
ever calm and dignified1 now seemed to  
assume  a look of majesty inexpressible1
 and his eyes to express a certain      
consciousness of power within1 that awed
 me4 ,casting his glance upon  several  
stone vases1 which stood by the door    
empty1 he said to the  servants3        
',fill the water pots with water4'      
,in the court1 in full sight from the   
table1 was a well to which the  servants
 forthwith went with jars1 which ,i saw 
them fill with water1  bear it in upon  
their heads1 and pour it out into the   
water pots1 until  they had filled them 

all to the brim4    ,in the meantime the
 governor of the feast and the majority 
of the  guests were absorbed in         
conversation and did not observe what   
was  taking place4    ',draw out now and
 bear unto the governor of the feast1'  
said ,jesus to  the servants4    ,they  
obeyed1 and pouring rich1 blood-red wine
 from the jars which ,i  and others had 
seen filled up with simple water from   
the well1 the  amazed servants bore it  
to the chief of the feast4 ,he had no   
sooner  filled his goblet and tasted it1
 than he called to the bridegroom1 who  
sat in the middle of the table1 and     
said3    ',every man at the beginning   
doth set forth good wine1 and when men  
have well drunk1 then that which is     
worse2 but thou hast kept the good  wine
 until now4'    ',who hath brought this 
wine8' asked the bridegroom1 drinking of
 the  water that was made wine4 ',whence
 it came1 sir1 ,i know not4'    ,then   
the servants and others told that they  
had filled the six water  pots with     

water to the brim1 at the command of    
,jesus the ,prophet1 and  that when they
 drew out1 behold it flowed forth wine  
instead of water6  ,upon this there was 
a general exclamation of surprise1 and  
the governor  of the feast1 crying out1 
',a great prophet indeed hath been among
 us1  and we knew it not6' rose to      
approach and do honor to ,jesus2 but he 
had  already conveyed himself away1 at  
once rising and passing out through  the
 door1 and seeking the solitude of the  
gardens4    ,the rumor of the miracle at
 ,cana has reached ,jerusalem since ,i  
began  this letter1 and ,i hear that it 
has produced no little excitement in    
the market-places and courts of the     
,temple4 ,rabbi ,amos1 on his return    
from sacrifice1 a few minutes ago1 said 
that he saw1 in the court of  the       
,temple1 more than thirty priests with  
rolls of the ,prophets in  their hands1 
engaged in looking up the prophecies of 
the ,christ4                            
,your affectionate daughter1            

,adina4          ,,letter ,,xiv4        
,my ,dear ,father3    ,you will not     
require the testimony of my letters to  
enable you to  appreciate the fame of   
the wonderful young man of ,nazareth1   
,jesus1 of  whose works you must have   
heard ere this4 ,his fame for wisdom1   
for  knowledge of the ,scriptures1 for  
power to teach1 and for miracles1  has  
gone abroad through all ,syria1 so that 
they bring to him sick  persons1 both   
rich and poor1 even from ,damascus1 to  
be healed of him2  and he heals all who 
are brought unto him1 whether possessed 
of devils1  lunatic1 or having the      
palsy4 ,while ,i now write1 a company is
 passing  the open window1 bearing upon 
beds two wealthy men of ,jerusalem1     
given  over by their physicians1 who are
 going to him to be cured4    ,so great 
is the multitude which everywhere       
follows ,jesus1 writes ,john  to ,mary1 
that he is often compelled to withdraw  
from them by stealth1  to get to some   
by-place of quiet where he can refresh  

his wearied  strength for a few days4   
,at such times we1 who are his immediate
  followers1 have the benefit of his    
teaching and private instructions4  ,but
 he cannot remain long away from the    
people4 ,they soon penetrate  his       
retirement4 ,how wonderful is he who    
thus holds in his hands divine  power6  
,the authority of kings is nothing      
before that which he possesses  in his  
voice2 yet he is serene1 humble1 oh1 how
 humble6 to our shame2  and always calm 
and gentle4 ,he spends much time in     
private prayer to  ,god1 whom he always 
addresses as his ,father4 ,never was    
such a man on  earth4 ,we1 who know him 
most intimately1 stand most in awe of   
him2 yet  with our deep reverence for   
his holy character is combined the      
purest  affection4 ,in one and the same 
breath ,i feel that ,i adore him as my  
,lord1 and love him even as my brother4 
,so we all feel toward him4    ,such1 my
 dear father1 is the tenor of all       
,john's letters4 ,when we shall  see    

,jesus at ,jerusalem1 ,i shall be able  
from personal observation to  write to  
you more particularly concerning his    
doctrines and miracles4  ,what is also  
of importance1 it has been proven by the
 results of the  examination made by    
some of the scribes of the ,temple1 that
 he was  truly born in ,bethlehem1 and  
that both his mother ,mary1 and ,joseph 
her husband1 are lineal descendants of  
the house of ,david4 ,moreover          
,phineas1 the venerable priest1 whom you
 know1 hath borne testimony to  the fact
 that when ,jesus was an infant1 during 
the reign of the elder  ,herod1 there   
arrived in ,jerusalem three eminent     
princes1 men of wisdom  and learning4   
,one of these came from ,persia1 one    
from the ,grecian  province of ,media1  
and one from ,arabia1 and brought with  
them gifts of  gold and spices1 and were
 attended by retinues4 ,these three     
princes  reached ,jerusalem the same day
 by three different ways1 and entered   
by three different gates1 each unknowing

 to the other's presence  or object1    
till they met in the city before        
,herod's palace4 ,one  represented      
himself descended from ,shem1 another   
from ,japhet1 the third  from ,ham4 ,and
 they mysteriously1 it is said1 typified
 all the races of  the earth who by them
 recognized and adored the ,savior of   
men in the  child ,jesus4 ,the king1    
hearing that these three strangers had  
arrived  in ,jerusalem1 sent to know    
wherefore they had honored his kingdom  
with  a visit4 ,they answered1 says     
,phineas1 that they came to do homage to
  the young prince1 who was born king of
 the ,jews4 ,and when ,herod asked  what
 prince they spoke of1 they answered1   
,we have seen his star in the  ,east1   
and are come to worship him4            
,hereupon1 says ,phineas1 the king      
issued an edict for all the chief       
priests and scribes of the people to    
assemble in the council chamber of  his 
palace4 ,he then addressed them3    ',ye
 to whom is given the care of the books 

of the ,law and the  ,prophets1 whose   
study they are1 and in whom lies the    
skill to interpret  the prophecies1     
search therein1 and tell me truly where 
the ,christ is  to be born4 ,behold here
 present these august and wise men who  
have come  from afar to do him homage2  
nay more1 as they aver1 to worship him  
as  ,god4 ,let us have the courtesy to  
give them the answer that they seek1    
and let us not be found more ignorant of
 these things than those who  dwell in  
other lands4'    ,several of the chief  
priests then rose and said3 ',it is     
known1 ,o king1  to all who are ,jews1  
and who read the ,prophets1 that        
,messias cometh of  the house of ,david1
 of the town of ,bethlehem2 for thus it 
is written by  the prophet3 ,and thou1  
,bethlehem1 in the land of ,judah1 art  
not least  among the princes of ,judah1 
for out of thee shall come a governor   
that  shall rule my people ,israel4'    
,this question being thus decided1      
continued ,phineas1 ,herod dismissed    

the council1 and retiring to his own    
private room1 secretly sent to  the     
three princes of the ,east to inquire of
 them what time the star  appeared4 ,he 
then said to them3    ',you have my     
permission1 noble strangers1 to go to   
,bethlehem1 and  search for the young   
child3 and when ye have found him1 bring
 me word  again1 that ,i may come and   
worship him also4' ,then they left the  
presence of ,herod1 and it being dark   
when they left the palace1 they  were   
overjoyed to behold the star which they 
saw in the ,east1 going  before them4   
,they followed it until it left         
,jerusalem by the ,bethlehem  gate1 and 
it led them on to the town of           
,bethlehem1 and stopped above  an humble
 dwelling therein4 ,when they were come 
into the house1 they  saw the rays of   
the star resting upon the head of an    
infant in the arms  of its mother ,mary1
 the wife of ,joseph4 ,they at once     
acknowledged and  hailed him as ,prince 
and ,king of ,israel1 and falling down1 

worshiped  him2 and opening their       
treasures1 they presented unto him gold1
  frankincense and myrrh1 gifts that are
 offered on the altar to ,god  alone4   
,when ,phineas was asked by ,caiaphas   
how he knew this fact1 he answered  that
 he himself1 prompted by curiosity to   
see the prince they had come  to        
worship1 had followed them out of the   
palace of ,herod1 out of  the gate1 and 
even into ,bethlehem1 and witnessed     
their prostrations  and offerings to the
 infant child of ,mary4 ,and1 he added1 
if  this be doubted1 there are many     
,jews now living in ,jerusalem1 and a   
certain ,hebrew captain1 now stricken in
 years1 who can testify to the          
slaughter1 by ,herod's command1 of the  
infants of ,bethlehem2 for this         
captain1 ,jeremias1 led on the soldiers4
    ,and wherefore this slaughter8 asked
 ,caiaphas4 ,it is not on record4       
,kings do not record their deeds of     
violence1 answered ,phineas4 ,herod     
kept it hushed up when he found that he 

gained nothing by it but  hatred4 ,he   
slew them in order that the infant      
,jesus might be destroyed  among them2  
for the three wise men1 instead of      
returning through  ,jerusalem to their  
own country1 and informing him where    
they had found  the child1 departed by  
another way4 ,but the child escaped1    
doubtless by  ,god's powerful           
protection4    ,dost thou believe in him
 also8 asked ,caiaphas1 with angry      
surprise1  looking sternly on ,phineas4 
,i will first see and hear him speak1   
and if he be proven to me to be         
,messias1 ,i will gladly worship him4   
,hereupon1 said ,rabbi ,amos1 there     
arose a great uproar1 some crying  that 
,jesus was the ,christ1 and others that 
,phineas should be stoned to  death4    
,thus you see1 my dear father1 how the  
evidence increases in value and         
importance1 proving ,jesus to be the    
,messiah4 ,tell me1 is not this the     
,christ8                                
,your affectionate and loving1          

,adina4          ,,letter ,,xv4      ,my
 ,dear ,father3    ,the inquiry you made
 in your last letter1 ,what hath become 
of the  prophet of ,jordan1 since the   
fame of ,jesus hath so eclipsed his     
own8 ,i can answer but with sadness4    
,the mission on which ,john came        
terminated when ,jesus came4 ,soon      
afterwards he left the wilderness and   
entered ,jericho1 where ,herod chanced  
to be visiting4 ,here he preached  in   
the public places1 and in the market1   
and on the very steps of the            
,governor's palace4 ,now while he was   
thus speaking to the people1 and  the   
officers and soldiers of the ,tetrarch's
 guard1 ,herod himself came  forth upon 
the balcony to listen4 ,the prophet no  
sooner beheld him  than he boldly       
addressed him1 and sternly reproved him 
for the sin of  having married the wife 
of his brother ,philip1 contrary to the 
law4  ,now ,herod1 it is said1 did not  
show resentment at his plain dealings1  
but1 inviting the prophet into his hall1

 talked much with him1 and in  parting  
offered him gifts1 which ,john refused  
to touch4 ,the next day he  sent for him
 again to ask him some questions        
touching the ,messias of  whom he       
preached4 ,now ,herodia1 when it was    
reported to her1 after the  return of   
,herod from ,jericho to his ,tetrarchy1 
how that the prophet had  publicly      
spoken against her marriage with ,herod1
 became very angry2 and  when she found 
that ,john was still favored by her     
husband1 she sent for  ,herod and said  
that if he would please her he must     
throw the prophet  of ,jordan into      
prison4 ,at length ,herod yielded1      
against his own will1  and gave orders  
for the arrest of the prophet2 who1 the 
same night1 was  thrown into the ward of
 the castle4 ,for some weeks this holy  
man1 whose  only offense was that he had
 the courage to reprove sin in high     
places1  remained in bonds1 while ,herod
 each day sought to find some excuse for
  releasing him without displeasing     

,herodia1 of whose anger he stood  in   
great fear1 being an abject slave to his
 love for her4 ,at length  the birthday 
of ,herod arrived1 and he conveyed word 
to ,john that in  honor of the day he   
would send and fetch him out of prison  
as soon as  he should obtain the consent
 of his wife1 which he believed she     
would  accord to him on such an         
anniversary4    ,now1 after the feast1  
,philippa1 the daughter of ,herodia1 and
 of her  former husband ,philip1 came in
 and danced before ,prince ,herod2 and  
being beautiful in person and full of   
grace in every motion1 she so  pleased  
her step-father that he made a great    
oath1 having drunk much  wine with his  
guests1 that he would give her          
whatsoever she would  ask1 were it the  
half of his kingdom4 ,her mother then   
called her1 and  whispered to her       
imperatively4    ,give me1 said the     
maiden1 turning towards ,herod1 the     
head1 now1 of  ,john the ,baptist in a  
charger4    ,the ,tetrarch no sooner    

heard this request than he turned pale1 
and said  fiercely3    ,thy mother hath 
been tampering with thine ears1 girl4   
,ask half of  my kingdom and ,i will    
give it thee1 but let me not shed blood 
on my  birthday4    ,wilt thou falsify  
thine oath8 asked his wife1 scornfully4 
,for mine oath's sake1 and for those who
 have heard it1 ,i will  grant thy      
desire1 he at length answered1 with a   
sigh of regret and  self-reproach4 ,he  
then turned to the captain of the guard 
and commanded  him to slay ,john        
,baptist in prison1 and bring presently 
there his head  upon a charger4    ,at  
the end of a quarter of an hour1 which  
was passed by ,herod in great           
excitement1 walking up and down the     
floor1 and by his guests in silent      
expectation1 the door opened1 and the   
captain of the guard entered1  followed 
by the executioner1 who carried a brazen
 platter upon which  lay the gory head  
of the eloquent forerunner of ,christ4  
,give it to her6 cried ,herod1 sternly1 

waving him towards the  beautiful maiden
 who stood near the inner door4 ,the    
executioner placed  the charger in her  
hands2 and1 with a smile of triumph1 she
 bore it to  her mother1 who had retired
 to an inner room4    ,all the disciples
 of the murdered prophet then went where
 ,jesus was  preaching and healing1 and 
told him what had been done to ,john4   
,when  ,jesus heard of the death of     
,john1 he was very sorrowful1 writes    
,john  to ,mary1 and went away into a   
desert place apart4 ,in the meanwhile   
the disciples of ,john ,baptist fled1   
some into the deserts1 while  others    
sought ,jesus to protect and counsel    
them4 ,at length he found  himself      
surrounded by a great multitude1 chiefly
 of ,john's disciples1  besides many who
 had come to hear him preach and be     
healed of him4 ,the  place was a desert 
and far from any town4 ,forgetful of all
 else1 save  following ,jesus1 they were
 without food4 ,which1 says ,john1      
writing  to ,rabbi ,amos1 we who were   

his disciples seeing1 suggested that    
,jesus  should send them away to the    
villages to buy themselves victuals4    
,but  ,jesus answered us1 and said      
quietly3    ',they need not go away2    
give ye them to eat4'    ,and ,simon    
said1 ',master1 where can we get bread  
for so many8 ,we have  among us but five
 loaves and two small fishes4'    ,upon 
hearing this1 ,jesus said1 ',it is      
enough2 bring them hither to me4'    ,we
 collected the bread and fishes1 and ,i1
 myself1 laid them upon a  rock before  
,jesus4 ,he then said to us1 ',command  
the multitude to sit  down on the       
grass4' ,and when they were all seated1 
he took the five  loaves and laying his 
hands upon them and upon the two fishes1
 he  looked up to heaven and blessed    
them1 and then1 breaking them into      
fragments1 he gave them to us his       
disciples1 and bade us distribute to    
the people4 ,as often as we would return
 for more1 we found the loaves  and the 
fishes undiminished1 and ,i saw with    

wonder how1 when this  ,prophet of ,god 
would break off a piece of one of the   
fishes or of a  loaf1 the same part     
would immediately be seen thereon as if 
it had not  been separated2 and in this 
manner he continued to break and        
distribute  to us for nearly an hour1   
until all ate as much as they would4    
,when no  one demanded more1 he         
commanded us to gather up the fragments 
which lay  by his side1 and there were  
twelve baskets full over and above what 
was needed4 ,the number that was thus   
miraculously fed was about five         
thousand men1 besides nearly an equal   
number of women and children4 ,and  this
 mighty ,prophet1 who could thus feed an
 army1 voluntarily suffered  forty days 
and nights the pangs of hunger in the   
desert6 ,he seems a man  in suffering1 a
 ,god in creating6    ,this wonderful   
miracle1 my dear father1 is one that has
 too many  witnesses to be denied4 ,not 
a day passes that we do not hear of some
  still more extraordinary exhibition of

 his power than the preceding4  ,every  
morning1 when men meet in the market    
places1 or in the corridors  of the     
,temple1 the first inquiry is1 ,what new
 wonder has he performed8  ,have you    
heard of another miracle of this mighty 
,prophet8 ,the priests  alone are       
offended1 and speak evil of him through 
envy4    ,they even have gone so far as 
to assert that he performs his miracles 
by magic1 or by the aid of ,beelzebub1  
the prince of the devils4 ,if  we suffer
 him to take men's minds as he doth1    
said ,caiaphas to ,rabbi  ,amos         
yesterday1 when he heard that ,jesus had
 walked on the sea to join  his         
disciples in their ship1 and stilled a  
tempest with a word1 the  worship in the
 ,temple will be at an end1 and the     
sacrifice will cease4  ,he draweth all  
men unto him4    ,you have asked1 dear  
father1 in your letter1 ,where is       
,elias1 who is to  precede ,messias1    
according to the prophet ,malachi8 ,this
 question ,jesus  himself has answered1 

says ,john1 when a rabbi put it to him4 
,he replied  thus3    ,elias has come   
already1 and ye have done unto him      
whatsoever ye  listed4    ,dost thou    
speak of ,john the ,baptist8 asked those
 about him1 when  they heard this4      
,john came in the spirit and power of   
,elias1 and therefore was he thus       
called by the prophet1 was the answer of
 ,jesus4    ,i did not tell you that    
besides the six disciples whom ,i have  
named1  he has chosen six others1 which 
twelve he keeps near his person as his  
more favored followers1 and whom he     
daily instructs in the doctrines  he    
came down from heaven to teach4 ,of the 
thousands who never weary of  going from
 place to place in his train1 he has    
also selected seventy  men1 whom he has 
despatched by twos into every city and  
village of  ,judea1 commanding them to  
proclaim the kingdom of ,god is at hand1
 and  that the time when men everywhere 
should repent and turn to ,god1 has     
come4    ,it is now commonly reported   

that he will be here at the ,passover4  
,i  shall then behold him1 and1 like the
 wise men1 ,i shall worship him with    
mingled awe and love4 ,i will again     
write you1 dear father1 after ,i see    
and hear him4 ,till then1 believe me    
your affectionate daughter1             
,adina4          ,,letter ,,xvi4        
,my ,dear ,father3    ,while ,i write1  
the city is agitated like a tumultuous  
sea4 ,the loud  murmurs of the          
multitudes in the streets1 and even in  
the distant  market-place1 reach my     
startled ears4 ,a squadron of ,roman    
cavalry has  just thundered past towards
 the ,temple1 where the uproar is       
greatest2  for a rumor of an            
insurrection begun among the people has 
come to  ,pilate the ,procurator4    ,i 
will relate to you the circumstance in  
detail4    ,yesterday ,mary's cousin1   
,john1 returned and came unexpectedly   
into  the hall of the fountain1 in the  
rear of the house1 where we were all    
seated in the cool of the vines4 ,uncle 

,amos was in the act of reading  to us  
from the ,prophet ,jeremiah1 a prophecy 
relating to the ,messias  that is to    
come 7nay1 that is come1 dear father71  
when ,john appeared4  ,mary's blushes   
welcomed him and showed how dear he was 
to her4 ,uncle  ,amos embraced and      
kissed him and seated him by us1 and    
called for a  servant to bathe his feet1
 for he was dusty and travel-worn4 ,from
 him  we learned that his beloved       
,master1 ,jesus1 had reached ,bethany1  
and  was reposing from his fatigues at  
the hospitable though humble house  of  
,lazarus1 ,mary and ,martha4 ,when we   
heard this1 we were all very  glad2 and 
,uncle ,amos particularly seemed to     
experience the deepest  satisfaction4   
,if he come into ,jerusalem1 said he    
warmly1 he shall be my guest4 ,bid  him 
to my roof1 ,o ,john1 that my household 
may be blessed in having a  prophet of  
,god step across its threshold4    ,i   
will tell my beloved ,master thy wish1  
,rabbi ,amos1 answered ,john4           

,doubtless1 as he has no home nor       
friends in the city1 he will remain     
under your roof4    ,say not no friends6
 ,i exclaimed4 ,we are all his friends  
here1 and  fain would be his disciples4 
,what6 ,rabbi ,amos also8 cried ,john1  
with a glance of pleasure and  surprise 
at the venerable priest of ,god4        
,yes1 ,i am ready1 after all that ,i    
have seen and heard1 ,i am ready to     
confess him a prophet sent from ,god4   
,he is far more than a prophet1 ,o      
,rabbi ,amos1 answered ,john4 ,never    
prophet did the works ,jesus does4 ,it  
seems that all power is at his  command4
 ,if you witnessed what ,i witness      
daily1 as he traverses ,judea1  you     
would say that he was ,jehovah descended
 to earth in human form4    ,nay1 do not
 blaspheme1 young man1 said ,rabbi      
,amos1 with some severity  of reproof4  
,john bowed his head in reverence to the
 rebuke of the ,rabbi1 but  nevertheless
 answered respectfully and firmly4      
,never man did like him4  ,if he be not 

,god in the flesh1 he is an angel in    
flesh invested with  divine power4      
,if he be the ,messiah1 ,i said1 he     
cannot be an angel1 for are not the     
prophecies clear that the ,messiah shall
 be 'a man of sorrows'8 ,is he  not to  
be 'the seed of the woman'8 a man and   
not an angel8    ,yes1 answered ,john1  
you remember well the prophecies4 ,i    
firmly  believe ,jesus to be the        
,messiah1 the ,son of ,god4 ,yet1 what  
he is more  than man1 what he is less   
than ,god1 is incomprehensible to me and
 to my  fellow-disciples4 ,we wonder1   
love and adore6 ,at one moment we feel  
like  embracing him as a brother dearly 
beloved2 at another1 we are ready to    
fall at his feet and worship him4 ,i    
have seen him weep at beholding the     
miseries of the diseased wretches which 
were dragged into his presence1  and    
then with a touch--with a word1 heal    
them2 and they would stand  before him  
in the purity and beauty of health and  
strong manhood4    ,and yet1 said       

,nicodemus1 a rich ,pharisee1 who       
entered as ,john was  first speaking1   
and listened without interrupting1 and  
yet1 young man1  ,i heard you say that  
,jesus1 of whom you and all men relate  
such mighty  deeds1 has remained at     
,bethany to recover from his fatigue4   
,how can a  man who holds all sickness  
in his power1 be subject to mere        
weariness  of body8 ,i would say unto   
him1 ,physician1 heal thyself6    ,this 
was spoken with a tone of incredulity by
 this learned ruler of the  ,jews1 and1 
stroking his snowy beard1 he waited of  
,john a reply4    ,so far as ,i can     
learn the character of ,jesus1 replied  
,john1 his  healing power over diseases 
is not for his own good4 ,he uses his   
power to work miracles for the benefit  
of others through love and  compassion4 
,being a man with this divine power     
dwelling in him for us1  he is subject  
to infirmities as a man2 he hungers1    
thirsts1 wearies1  suffers1 as a man4 ,i
 have seen him heal a nobleman's son by 

a word1  and the next moment seat       
himself1 supporting his aching head upon
 his  hand1 looking pale and languid1   
for his labors of love are vast1 and he 
is often overcome by them4 ,once ,simon 
,peter1 seeing him ready to sink  with  
weariness1 after healing all day1 asked 
him and said1 ',master1  thou givest    
strength to others2 why suffer thyself1 
when all health and  strength are in    
thee as in a living well1 to be weary8' 
',it is not my desire to escape human   
infirmities by any power my  ,father    
hath bestowed upon me for the good of   
men4 ,through suffering  only can ,i    
draw all men after me6' he replied4     
,john said this so sadly1 as if he were 
repeating the very tones in  which      
,jesus had spoken it1 that we all       
remained silent for a few  moments4 ,i  
felt tears fill my eyes1 and ,i was glad
 to see that the  proud ,pharisee1      
,nicodemus1 looked moved4 ,after a full 
minute's serious  pause1 he said3       
,this man is doubtless no common        

prophet4 ,when he comes into the city1  
,i shall be glad to hear from his own   
mouth his doctrines1 and to  witness    
some potent miracle4    ,prophet he is1 
without doubt1 answered ,amos4 ,it is   
not the question  now whether he be a   
prophet or not2 for the hundreds he has 
healed are  living witnesses that he has
 the spirit and power of the old        
prophets1  and is truly a prophet4 ,the 
question that remains is1 whether he be 
the  ,messiah or not4    ,nicodemus     
slowly and negatively shook his head1   
and then answered3    ,messias cometh   
not out of ,galilee4    ,at this moment 
a sudden wild1 joyful cry from ,mary    
thrilled our nerves1  and looking       
towards the door1 we saw her folded in  
the arms of a young  man whom ,i had    
never seen before4 ,my surprise had not 
time to form  itself into any definite  
explanation of what ,i saw1 when ,i     
beheld the  young man1 who was          
exceedingly handsome and the picture of 
health1  after kissing the clinging     

,mary upon her cheeks1 leave her to     
throw  himself into the arms of ,rabbi  
,amos1 crying3    ,my father1 my dear   
father6    ,my uncle1 who had stood     
amazed and wonderingly gazing on him1 as
 if  he could not believe what his eyes 
beheld1 now burst into profound         
expressions of grateful joy1 and as he  
clasped the young stranger  to his      
heart1 fell upon his neck and wept1 with
 scarcely power to  articulate the      
words3    ,my son6 ,my son6 ,lost1 but  
found again6 ,this is the ,lord's doing 
and is  marvelous in our eyes6    ,john 
also embraced the new-comer1 and the    
ruler stood silent with  wonder4 ,while 
,i was looking bewildered upon the      
scene1 ,mary ran and  said to me1 with  
tears of gladness shining in her dark1  
fine eyes3    ,it is ,benjamin1 my lost 
brother1 beloved ,adina6    ,i did not  
know you had a brother1 ,i answered in  
surprise4    ,we have long regarded him 
as dead1 she replied with mingled       
emotions4  ,seven years ago he became   

lunatic1 and fled to the tombs without  
the  city1 where he has long dwelt with 
many others who were possessed  with    
devils4 ,for years he has neither spoken
 to nor known us4 ,but oh1  now--now    
behold him6 ,it seems a vision6 ,see how
 manly1 noble1 like  himself he is1 with
 the same intelligent1 smiling eyes4    
,she then flew to take him by the hand  
and lead him toward me1 all eyes  being 
fixed upon him1 as if he had been a     
spirit4    ,when he saw their wondering 
gaze1 he said3    ,it is ,i1 both son   
and brother to those dearest to me4 ,i  
am in my right  mind and well4    ,who  
has effected this change1 so            
extraordinary1 oh1 my son8 inquired     
,rabbi ,amos1 with trembling lips1 and  
keeping his hand on ,benjamin's         
shoulder1 as if he feared he would      
vanish away4    ,it was ,jesus1 the     
,prophet of the ,highest6 answered he1  
with solemn  gratitude4    ,jesus6 we   
all exclaimed in one voice4    ,i could 
have said so1 answered ,john1 calmly4   

,rabbi ,nicodemus1 thou  knowest this   
young man well4 ,thou hast known him in 
childhood1 and  beheld him in the       
madness of his lunacy among the tombs4  
,dost thou  doubt now whether ,jesus be 
the very ,christ8    ,nicodemus made no 
reply1 but ,i saw from the expression of
 his face that  he believed4    ,how was
 this done to thee1 young man8 he asked1
 with deep and visible  emotion4    ,i  
was wandering near ,bethany this        
morning1 answered the restored  one1    
with modesty1 when ,i beheld a crowd    
which ,i madly followed4  ,as ,i drew   
near ,i beheld in their midst a man1    
whom ,i had no sooner  cast my eyes upon
 than ,i felt seize me an ungovernable  
propensity to  destroy him4 ,the same   
fury possessed seven others1 my comrades
 in  madness1 and together we rushed    
upon him1 with great stones and knives  
in our hands4 ,the crowd gave way and   
fell back aghast1 and called him  to    
save himself4 ,but he moved not1 but1   
left alone in a wide space1  stood      

calmly awaiting us4 ,we were within a   
few feet of him1 and ,i was  nearest1   
ready to strike him to the earth1 when  
he quietly lifted one  finger and said1 
',peace6' ,we stood immovable1 without  
power to stir a  foot1 while our rage   
and hatred increased with our inability 
to harm  him4 ,we howled and foamed at  
the mouth before him1 for we then knew  
that he was the ,son of ,god1 come to   
destroy us4    ',come out of the men and
 depart quickly6' he said1 in a tone of 
command as if to us1 but really to the  
demons within us4 ,at this word  ,i fell
 at his feet in a dreadful convulsion1  
and my whole body writhed  as if it had 
been wrestling with an invisible demon4 
,jesus then stooped  and laid his hand  
upon my brow and said1 ',son1 arise4    
,thou art made  whole6'    ,at these    
words a black cloud seemed to be lifted 
from my mind4 ,the  glory of a new      
existence appeared to dawn upon my soul1
 while his voice  melted my heart within
 me4 ,bursting into tears1 the first ,i 

have shed  for seven years1 ,i fell at  
his feet and kissed and embraced them4  
,when ,benjamin had done speaking1 we   
all gave glory to ,god1 who had  given  
him back to us1 and who had sent so     
great a ,prophet among men4    ,i       
commenced this letter1 dearest father1  
by an allusion to a great  commotion    
which is agitating the whole city1 but  
as ,i have taken up  so much of this    
letter in relating what passed yesterday
 in the hall  of the fountain1 ,i will  
leave the account of the tumult for my  
next  letter1 which ,i shall write this 
evening4    ,may the ,god of our fathers
 be with you1 and bless you and the holy
  people of the promise4                
,adina4          ,,letter ,,xvii4       
,my ,dear ,father3    ,when1 on the     
morning of the ,passover1 it was noised 
abroad that the  ,prophet of ,galilee   
was entering the city by the gate of    
,jericho1 the  whole city was stirred1  
and from houses and shops poured forth  
crowds  which turned their steps in that

 direction4 ,mary and ,i went upon the  
house-top1 hoping to see something2 but 
far and near was visible only  a sea of 
heads1 from which a deep murmuring      
arose1 like the ceaseless  voice of the 
ocean chafing upon a rocky shore4 ,the  
top of the gate-way  was visible from   
the place where we stood1 but it was    
black with the  people who had crowded  
upon it to look down4 ,there was heard  
at length  an immense shout1 as of one  
voice1 which was followed by a swaying  
and  onward pressure of the crowds4     
,the ,prophet must have entered the     
gate1 said my ,cousin ,mary1            
breathlessly4 ,how they do him honor6   
,it is the reception of a king6    ,we  
were in hopes he would pass by our      
house1 as we were on one of the  chief  
thoroughfares1 but were disappointed1 as
 he ascended the hill of  ,moriah to the
 ,temple4 ,a part of the ascent to the  
house of the ,lord  is visible from our 
roof1 and we had the satisfaction of    
seeing the  ,prophet at a distance4 ,we 

knew him only because he was in advance4
  ,the nighest one to him1 ,mary said1  
was her ,cousin ,john1 though  at that  
distance ,i could not have recognized   
him4 ,the head of the  multitude        
disappeared beneath the arch of the     
,temple1 and thousands  upon thousands  
followed after2 and in the rear rode the
 young ,roman  centurion1 whom ,i have  
before spoken of1 at the head of four   
hundred  horse1 to keep order in the    
vast mass4 ,mary could not recognize    
him1  saying it was too far to tell who 
he was2 but ,i knew him1 not only by    
his air and bearing1 but by the scarlet 
pennon that fluttered from his  iron    
lance1 and which ,i had bestowed upon   
him1 for he told me he had  lost one his
 fair ,roman sister1 ,tullia1 had given 
him1 and as he so  much regretted its   
loss1 ,i supplied its place by another1 
worked by my  own hands4                
,illustration3 ,,street ,,in ,,jerusalem
    ,the multitude1 as many as could    
gain admission1 having entered the      

great gate of the ,temple1 for a few    
minutes there was a profound  stillness4
 ,mary said3    ,he is worshiping or    
sacrificing now4    ,perhaps1 ,i said1  
he is addressing the people1 and they   
listen to his  words4    ,while ,i was  
speaking there arose from the bosom of  
the ,temple a loud1  irregular1 strange 
outcry of a thousand voices1 pitched to 
high  excitement4 ,the people without   
the gate responded by a universal shout1
  and then we beheld those nighest the  
walls retreat down the hillside  in     
terrified confusion1 while1 to increase 
the tumult1 the ,roman horse  charged up
 the hill1 seeking to penetrate the     
masses to reach the  gate out of which  
the people poured like a living and     
tempest-tossed  river1 before which the 
head of the cohort recoiled or was      
overwhelmed  and down-trodden6 ,i held  
my breath in dreadful suspense1 not     
knowing  the cause of the fearful scene 
we beheld1 nor to what it might lead4   
,mary sank1 almost insensible1 by my    

side4 ,a quarter of an hour had not     
passed when young ,samuel ,ben ,azel1   
who had the day before come up from     
,nain to the ,passover with his mother1 
entered and explained to us the  cause  
of the scene ,i had witnessed4    ,the  
,prophet ,jesus1 having entered into the
 ,temple1 found all the  courts filled  
with merchants1 changers of money1 and  
sellers of cattle  to the sacrificers4  
,portions of the sacred place were      
divided off by  fences1 in which        
hundreds of sheep and cattle were       
stalled4 ,on his  way to the inner      
,temple the ,prophet found his path so  
obstructed by  the stalls and the tables
 of the brokers1 that he had to go      
around  them1 and often to turn back and
 take a less hedged-up avenue4 ,at      
length finding1 upon the very lintel of 
the ,court of the ,priests1  a priest   
himself engaged at a table as a         
money-changer1 and near  him a ,levite  
keeping a stall for selling doves and   
sparrows to the  worshipers1 he stopped 

upon the step1 and turning round1 cast  
his eye1  which now beamed with an awful
 majesty and power1 over the scene of   
noisy commerce and bartering4 ,every    
face was turned towards him in          
expectation4 ,the half-completed bargain
 was suspended1 and buyer and  seller   
directed their gaze1 as by a sort of    
fascination1 not unmingled  with a      
strange fear and awe1 upon him4 ,those  
who had crowded about him  drew back    
farther and farther1 slowly but         
irresistibly widening the  space between
 them and him1 they knew not by what    
impulse1 till he  stood alone1 save near
 him remained ,john1 his disciple4 ,the 
uproar of  the buying and selling       
suddenly subsided1 and the loud lowing  
of the  cattle and the bleating of the  
sheep stopped as if a supernatural awe  
had seized even the brute creation at   
his presence1 and only the soft  cooing 
of doves stirred the vast1 death-like   
stillness of the place1 a  moment before
 a scene of oaths1 cries1 shouts1 of    

running to and fro1  buying and selling1
 the ringing of money1 and the buzz of  
ten thousand  voices6 ,it was as if a   
hurricane1 sweeping with deafening      
uproar of  the elements over the lashed 
ocean1 had been suddenly arrested and   
followed by a great calm4 ,the silence  
was dreadful6 ,it stopped the very      
beating of my heart4 ,every eye of the  
vast multitude seemed to fasten  itself 
on the ,prophet in expectation of some  
dread event4 ,the step of  the ,temple  
upon which he stood seemed to be a      
throne1 and the people  before him      
expecting judgment4 ,suddenly the       
silence was broken by a  young man near 
me who gave a piercing shriek1 and fell 
insensible upon  the marble floor4      
,there was a general thrill of horror1  
yet the same  awful stillness succeeded 
this startling interruption4 ,that one  
intense  shriek had spoken for us all4  
,suddenly the voice of the ,prophet was 
heard1 clear1 authoritative1 and ringing
 like the trumpet that shook  ,sinai    

when the ,law was given4    ',it is     
written1 ,my ,father's house shall be   
called a house of prayer2  but ye have  
made it a den of thieves6'    ,he then  
picked up from the pavement at his feet 
a small cord1 which  some one had thrown
 down1 and doubling it in the form of a 
scourge1 he  advanced4 ,before his      
presence fled the changers of money1    
priests and  ,levites1 sellers of oxen1 
sellers of sheep1 sellers of doves1     
leaving  their property to its fate4    
',take these things hence1' cried the   
,prophet2 'make not my ,father's  house 
a house of merchandise6'    ,such a     
scene of confusion and flight was never 
witnessed as now  followed6 ,in the     
moment of panic ,i was borne along with 
the current4  ,money tables were        
overturned on all sides1 but not the    
most avaricious  one present thought1 at
 that moment1 of stopping to gather any 
of  the gold and silver which the       
rushing thousands trampled beneath      
their feet4 ,it was not the whip of     

small cords before which we fled1  for  
he touched no man therewith1 but it was 
from the majesty of his  countenance4   
,to the eyes of all the little whip     
seemed to blaze and  flash above their  
heads1 as if it were the fiery sword of 
a destroying  angel4 ,in a few moments  
the ,priests' ,court of the ,temple was 
cleared of  every soul1 as we fled      
towards the ,south gate4 ,on looking    
back1 ,i saw  that the ,prophet pursued 
not1 but stood alone1 ,master and ,lord 
of the  ,temple4 ,the whip was no longer
 in his hand1 and his whole attitude and
  expression of face seemed changed from
 their late impress to an air of  the   
profoundest compassion1 as he looked    
after us1 still flying from  his        
presence4    ,my uncle1 ,rabbi ,amos1   
who1 on his return from the ,temple1    
corroborated  what ,samuel had stated1  
added that as ,jesus stood alone1       
possessor of  the gold-strewn floors of 
the courts of the ,temple1 the ,high    
,priest  advanced towards him1 and with 

awe1 not unmixed with anger1 demanded of
  him by what authority he did these    
things4    ,his answer was1 ,my         
,father's house must not be made a house
 of  merchandise4    ,art thou the      
,christ8 asked the ,high ,priest1 still 
standing some  distance off from him4   
,if ,i tell thee that ,i am1 ye will not
 believe4    ,what sign showest thou    
that thou art sent1 and hast authority  
to do  what thou doest here to-day      
within the ,temple8    ,hast thou not   
had proof of my power from heaven8      
answered ,jesus1  stretching forth his  
hand towards the still terror-stricken  
multitude2  and then laying it upon his 
breast1 he added3 ,destroy this temple1 
and  in three days ,i will raise it up6 
,be this to you1 ,o priest1 and to all  
,judea1 the sign that ,i am sent by my  
,father who is in heaven4 ,as he  hath  
given me commandment1 so ,i do6    ,at  
this there was a great murmuring1 said  
,rabbi ,amos1 for many of the  priests1 
with ,annas also1 had got boldness and  

drawn near to hear4    ,he cannot be a  
just man1 said ,annas1 nor doth he honor
 ,god1 if he  would have us destroy the 
,temple4    ,yet if he be not sent of   
,god1 whence hath he this power over    
men8  answered another4    ,he doeth    
this by ,beelzebub1 whose prophet he    
doubtless is1 said  ,annas1 in a loud   
tone1 for a true prophet would not seek 
the  destruction of ,god's holy house4  
,thereupon there was a multitude of     
voices1 some crying one thing1 and  some
 another4 ,caiaphas at length obtained  
silence1 and said to him with  awe3     
,art thou that ,christ of the ,prophets8
    ,i am6 calmly and firmly answered   
the ,prophet2 and1 raising his eyes  to 
heaven1 he added impressively1 ,i am    
come down from ,god4    ,when1 adds my  
uncle1 ,annas heard this1 he lifted up  
his voice in an  exclamation of horror1 
and cried out3    ,hear ye this         
blasphemer6 ,let us cast him forth from 
the ,temple which  he pollutes6    ,but 
no man dared approach the ,prophet4     

,bear witness1 then said he1            
sorrowfully1 rather than in anger1 that 
,i have come unto my own1 and ye have   
received me not6 ,this ,temple of  my   
,father1 from which you would drive me  
forth1 shall no longer be  the dwelling 
place and altar of ,jehovah4 ,the day   
cometh when your  priesthood shall be   
taken away and given to others1 and     
among the  ,gentiles shall arise my     
,father's name1 on every hill and in    
every  valley of the earth1 holy        
temples1 wherein he shall delight to    
dwell2  and men shall no longer need to 
worship ,god in ,zion1 but in all places
  shall prayer and praise be offered to 
the ,most ,high4 ,this ,temple1 which   
ye have polluted1 shall be overthrown1  
and ye shall be scattered among  the    
nations4    ,thus speaking1 the ,prophet
 quitted the ,temple1 leaving the ,high 
,priest  and priests and ,levites       
standing gazing after him1 without power
 to  utter a word4    ,such1 my dear    
father1 is the account given by ,rabbi  

,amos of what passed  in the ,temple4   
,that ,jesus is the ,christ is now      
beyond question1 for he  has openly     
acknowledged it to the ,high ,priest4   
,adieu1 dearest father4 ,the servants   
are bringing in boughs for the  booths1 
and ,i must close this letter1 with     
prayers to our fathers' ,god  for your  
peace and welfare4                      
,adina4          ,,letter ,,xviii4      
,my ,dear ,father3    ,you say in your  
letter1 which ,i received from the hands
 of the ,roman  courier1 that you have  
read with interest all my letters1 and  
more  especially those which relate to  
,jesus of ,galilee4 ,you say that you   
are  ready to acknowledge him as a      
prophet sent from ,god4 ,but you add1   
,he  can have no claim to be the        
,christ1 because he comes out of        
,galilee4    ,to this objection1 dear   
father1 ,rabbi ,amos desires me to say  
that he  has investigated the records of
 births kept in the ,temple1 and finds1 
as ,i have before named to you1 that    

,jesus was born in ,bethlehem4 ,he      
afterwards removed with his parents to  
,egypt1 and thence returning to  ,judea1
 settled in ,galilee1 where he was      
brought up4 ,of these facts  in his     
history not only ,rabbi ,amos is        
satisfied1 but ,nicodemus also1  whose  
learning you will not gainsay2 and the  
latter1 very much to our  surprise1 and 
my own delight1 added yesterday1 when we
 were talking  over the subject at      
supper1 ,there is a prophecy1 ,o ,rabbi 
,amos1 which  strengthens this mighty   
,prophet's claim to be the ,messias4    
,what is it8 ,let me hear all that can  
strengthen6 ,i asked earnestly2  not1   
dear father1 that my confidence in him  
needs confirmation1 but ,i  wish others 
to believe4    ,you will find it in the 
,prophet ,hoseas1 answered ,nicodemus1  
and thus  it readeth3 ',i have called my
 son out of ,egypt4'    ,my heart       
bounded with joy1 dear father1 at       
hearing this prophecy named2  but judge 
my emotion when ,nicodemus1 taking the  

roll of the ,prophet  ,isaiah in his    
hand1 read the words that follow1 and   
applied them to  ,jesus3 ,beyond        
,jordan1 in ,galilee of the ,gentiles1  
the people which sat  in darkness have  
seen a great light6 ,this changes the   
objection to  his coming from ,galilee  
into additional proof of his claim to be
 the  ,messias4    ,in my last letter ,i
 informed you that ,rabbi ,amos had     
invited him  to sojourn with us during  
the ,passover4 ,he graciously accepted  
the  invitation1 and came hither        
yesterday1 after he had quitted the     
,temple1  from which he had with such   
commanding power driven forth the       
merchants  and money-changers4          
,hearing1 while expecting him1 the rumor
 flying along the streets1 ,the         
,prophet comes6 ,the ,prophet comes6    
uttered by hundreds of voices of  men   
and children1 ,i hastened to the        
house-top4 ,the whole way was a sea  of 
heads4 ,the multitude came rolling      
onward1 like a mighty river2 as ,i  have

 seen the dark ,nile flow when pouring  
its freshening floods along  its        
confined banks4    ,mary stood by my    
side4 ,we tried to single out the       
central person around  whom undulated   
the sea of heads2 but all was so wildly 
confused with  the waving of palm       
branches that we could distinguish      
nothing clearly4  ,while ,i was         
straining my gaze to make out the form  
of the ,prophet1  ,mary touched me1 and 
bade me look in the opposite direction4 
,as ,i did  so ,i beheld milius         
,tullius1 the young ,roman centurion1   
now ,prefect of  ,pilate's ,legion1     
advancing at the head of two hundred    
horsemen at full  spur1 in order to meet
 and turn back the advancing column of  
people4    ,as he came opposite the     
house he looked up1 and seeing us upon  
the  parapet1 he gracefully waved his   
gleaming sword1 saluted us1 and was     
dashing past1 when ,mary cried out3     
,noble sir1 there is no insurrection1 as
 some of the people have  doubtless told

 thee1 but this vast crowd moving       
hitherwards is only an  escort to the   
,prophet of ,nazareth1 who cometh to be 
my father's guest4    ,i have orders    
from ,pilate to arrest him1 lady1 as a  
disturber of the  peace of the capital4 
,shall a prophet suffer because his     
mighty deeds draw crowds after his      
footsteps1 noble ,roman8 ,if thy troops 
advance there will be a collision  with 
the people4 ,if thou wilt withdraw them 
a little1 thou wilt see  that when the  
,prophet crosses my father's threshold1 
they will go away  in peace4    ,the    
prefect said nothing1 but seemed to look
 at me for some words2  which seeing1 ,i
 earnestly entreated him to do the      
,prophet no violence4    ,for thy       
wishes' sake1 lady1 ,i will here halt my
 troop1 especially as ,i  see that the  
people are unarmed4    ,the centurion   
then gave orders to his horsemen to draw
 up in line  opposite the house4 ,the   
multitude now came near1 but many of    
those in  advance1 seeing the ,roman    

horse1 stopped or fell into the rear1 so
  that ,i beheld ,jesus appear in front1
 walking at an even1 calm pace1  ,john  
at his side2 also ,rabbi ,amos was with 
him4 ,as he came nigher1 the  people1   
for fear of the long ,roman spears1 kept
 back1 and he advanced  almost alone4 ,i
 saw ,john point out to him our house4  
,the ,prophet  raised his face and gazed
 upon it an instant4 ,i saw his features
  full4 ,his countenance was not that of
 a young man1 but of a person  past the 
middle age of life1 though he is but    
thirty4 ,his hair was  mingled with     
gray1 and in his finely shaped1 oval    
face were carved1  evidently by care and
 sorrow1 deep lines4 ,his flowing beard 
fell upon  his breast4 ,his eyes        
appeared to be fixed upon us both for an
 instant  with benignity and peace4     
,deep sadness1 gentle1 not stern1 seemed
 to be  the characteristic expression of
 his noble and princely visage4 ,there  
was an air of manly dignity in his      
carriage and mien1 and as he walked     

amid his followers he was truly kingly1 
yet simplicity and humility  qualified  
this native majesty of port4 ,he seemed 
to draw out both the  awe and love of   
those who saw him--to command equally   
our homage and  sympathy4    ,passing   
the troop of horse1 ,john and ,rabbi    
,amos conducted ,jesus to our  door2 but
 before they reached it there was a loud
 cry from several  harsh voices to the  
,roman to arrest him4 ,on looking from  
whence these  shouts came1 ,i saw that  
they proceeded from several of the      
priests1  headed by ,annas1 who were    
pressing forward through the crowd1     
crying  menacingly3    ,we call upon    
you1 ,o prefect1 to arrest this man6    
,shame on thee1 ,rabbi  ,amos6 ,hast    
thou also believed in the impostor8 ,we 
charge this ,galilean1  ,o ,roman1 with 
having made sedition4 ,he has taken     
possession of the  ,temple1 and unless  
you see to it he will have the citadel  
out of your  hands4 ,if you arrest him  
not1 we will not answer for the         

consequences  that may befall the city  
and the people4    ,i see nothing to    
fear from this man1 ,o ye ,jews1        
answered milius4 ,he  is unarmed and    
without troops4 ,stand back2 keep ye to 
your ,temple6 ,it  is from your outcries
 comes all the confusion6 ,back to your 
altars6 ,if  commotions arise in the    
city1 ,pilate will make you accountable4
 ,all the  rest of the people are       
peaceable save yourselves4    ,we will  
take our complaint before the           
,procurator6 cried ,annas1 who  was the 
chief speaker2 and1 followed by a large 
company of angry  priests and ,levites1 
with staves in their hands1 he took his 
way  towards the palace of the ,roman   
,governor4    ,i looked my gratitude to 
milius for so fearlessly taking part    
with the  ,prophet4    ,the multitude   
now began to retire as the ,roman horse 
slowly moved up  the street4 ,jesus was 
received into the house by ,mary1 and   
taken into  the inner hall1 where1 water
 being brought1 ,rabbi ,amos himself    

removed  the sandals of the ,prophet and
 reverently washed his feet1 while      
,mary1  to do him all honor1 dried them 
with a rich veil1 which she had just    
worked in anticipation of her coming    
bridal with her ,cousin ,john4 ,it  was 
at this moment ,i entered the hall4     
,there were in the room not only ,amos1 
and ,john1 and ,mary1 but the  ,priest  
,elias1 cousin to ,caiaphas1 who1       
desirous of hearing from the  lips of   
the ,prophet his sublime teachings1 had 
come in with him4 ,there  were also     
present five men whom ,i never saw      
before1 but who1 ,john said1  were his  
disciples4 ,i1 however1 had no eye or   
ear for any one but  ,jesus4 ,i saw that
 he seemed very weary and pale1 and for 
the first time  ,i noticed he seemed to 
suffer1 as from time to time he raised  
his hand  to his temples4 ,desirous of  
serving so holy a person1 ,i hastened to
  prepare a restorative which1 bringing 
it into the hall1 ,i was about to  give 
to him1 when the ,priest ,elias put me  

rudely back and said1 ,nay1  maiden1 let
 us witness a miracle6 ,he then turned  
to the ,prophet and  said1 ,master1 we  
have heard much of thy power to do      
miracles1 but have  seen none by thee4  
,if thou wilt presently show me a       
miracle1 ,i will  believe1 ,i and all my
 house4 ,thou hast a pain in thy        
forehead2 heal it  with a touch1 and ,i 
will acknowledge thee the ,christ1 the  
,son of the  ,blessed6    ,jesus turned 
his eyes upon him and said1 ,elias1 thou
 readest the  ,prophets1 and shouldest  
know whether he who speaketh unto thee  
be the  ,christ or no4 ,search the      
,scriptures1 that thou mayest know that 
the  time of his visitation is come1 and
 that ,i am he4 ,i do no miracles to    
relieve my own suffering4 ,i came into  
this world to suffer4 ,isaiah  wrote of 
me as a man of sorrows1 and acquainted  
with grief4 ,blessed are  they who1 not 
seeing1 shall believe6    ,but1 ,master1
 said the aged ,levite1 ,asher1 we know 
whence thou  art--even from ,galilee4   

,but when ,christ cometh1 no man knoweth
 whence  he is4    ,it is true1 ,o man  
of ,israel1 ye both know me and whence  
,i am4 ,yet ye  know not him who sent   
me4 ,ye do not understand the           
,scriptures or ye  would indeed know me1
 whence ,i am1 and who hath sent me4    
,but ye know  neither me nor him that   
sent me1 for ,i am come out from ,god4  
,if ye had  known him1 ye would know me 
also4 ,the time cometh when ye shall    
know  whence ,i am and believe in me2   
but now your hearts are darkened through
  ignorance and unbelieving4    ,when he
 had thus spoken with great dignity and 
power1 there were many  present who were
 offended1 and some voices murmured     
against him4 ,then  ,rabbi ,amos led him
 forth to the apartment he had prepared 
for him4    ,in going to it the ,prophet
 had to cross the court1 and as ,i was  
watching his retiring footsteps1 ,i saw 
four men1 who had climbed to  the       
house-top from the side street1 the     
doors being closed1 let down a  fifth in

 a blanket at the very feet of ,jesus4  
,it was a man afflicted  with the palsy1
 and their own father4 ,jesus1 seeing   
their filial love1  stopped and said    
kindly3    ,young men1 what would ye    
have me to do8    ,heal our aged father1
 holy ,rabbi4    ,believe ye that ,i can
 do this8 he asked1 fixing his gaze     
earnestly on  them4    ,yes1 ,lord1 we  
believe that thou art the ,christ1 the  
,son of the living  ,god6 ,all things   
are possible unto thee6    ,jesus looked
 benignantly upon them1 and then taking 
the venerable man  by the hand1 he said 
to him in a loud voice1 so that all who 
were  looking on heard him3    ,aged    
father1 ,i say unto thee1 arise and     
walk6    ,the palsied man instantly rose
 to his feet1 whole and strong1 and     
after  casting a glance around upon     
himself1 he threw himself at the        
,prophet's  feet and bathed them in     
tears4 ,the four sons followed their    
father's  example1 while all the people 
who witnessed the miracle shouted1      

,glory  to ,god1 who hath given such    
power unto men6    ,such1 my dear       
father1 are the increasing testimonies  
,jesus bears1 by  miracles as well as by
 words1 to his being ,messias4    ,the  
,god of our fathers keep you in health4 
,your loving daughter1                  
,adina4          ,,letter ,,xix4        
,my ,dear ,father3    ,the visit of the 
,prophet ,jesus to the city has produced
 results of  the most amazing character4
 ,the priesthood is divided4 ,caiaphas  
has  publicly recognized him as a       
prophet1 while ,annas has publicly      
declared  that he is an impostor2 and   
thus two parties are formed in the city1
  headed by the two priests1 and most   
men have taken sides with one or  the   
other4 ,but the majority of the common  
people are in favor of ,jesus1          
believing him to be the ,christ4 ,the   
,pharisees most oppose him1 because  he 
boldly reproves their sins and          
hypocrisies4    ,even ,nicodemus1 who at
 first was inclined to accept ,jesus as 

a prophet1  finding the ,pharisees      
against him1 and being unwilling to lose
 his  popularity with them1 kept away   
from the house where ,jesus was by  day2
 but his curiosity to learn more of him 
led him to visit the holy  ,prophet     
secretly by night4 ,this he did twice1  
coming alone in the  darkness1 and being
 let in by his friend ,rabbi ,amos4     
,what the results  of these interviews  
was ,i can only tell you from ,mary's   
account4 ,she  overheard their          
conversation1 her window opening upon   
the corridor1  where ,jesus was seated  
after supper1 alone in the moonlight1   
for full  an hour1 gazing meditatively  
heavenward4 ,his pale and chiseled      
features  in the white moonlight seemed 
radiant as marble1 when ,rabbi ,amos    
came  and announced the ruler1          
,nicodemus1 as desirous of speaking with
 him4    ,bid him come in and see me1 if
 he has aught to say to me1 answered    
the ,prophet1 turning towards him4      
,nicodemus1 added my ,cousin ,mary1 then

 came to the corridor1  wrapped         
carefully in his mantle1 and1 looking   
about to see if he was  unobserved1 he  
dropped it from his face1 and1 bowing   
reverently1 said  to the ,prophet3      
',pardon me1 ,o ,rabbi1 that ,i come to 
thee by night1 but by day thy time  is  
taken up with healing and teaching4 ,i  
am glad to find thee alone1  great      
,prophet1 for ,i would ask thee many    
things4'    ',speak1 ,nicodemus1 and ,i 
will listen to thy words1' answered the 
,prophet4    ',rabbi1' said the ruler of
 the ,pharisees1 ',i know thou art a    
teacher  come from ,god1 for no man can 
do these things that thou doest except  
,god be with him4 ,that thou art a      
mighty prophet ,i believe1 as do all    
men2 but art thou ,messias8 ,tell us    
plainly4 ,we read that ,messias is to   
be a king who will rule the whole       
earth6'    ',my kingdom1 ,o ruler of the
 ,pharisees1 is not of this world4 ,i am
  indeed a king1 but of a spiritual     
kingdom4 ,my kingdom1 unlike earthly    

kingdoms1 has no end1 and those who     
enter it must be born again4 ,if  not1  
they cannot see or desire this kingdom4'
    ',born again6' answered ,nicodemus1 
with surprise3 'how can a man be  born a
 second time8 ,o ,rabbi1 thou speakest  
in parables6'    ',verily1 verily1 ,i   
say unto thee1' answered the ,prophet1  
'except a man  be born of water and of  
the ,spirit1 he cannot enter my kingdom4
 ,he that  is born again is born a      
spiritual man and of my kingdom4 ,marvel
 not1  then1 that ,i say unto thee1 ye  
must be born again4'    ,when ,nicodemus
 left him1 ,rabbi ,amos said1 ',is it   
indeed true1 ,o  ,master1 that thou art 
to establish a kingdom8'    ',yes1      
,rabbi ,amos1 a kingdom in which        
dwelleth righteousness1' answered  the  
,prophet4 ',thou shalt yet behold me on 
my throne1 ,o ,amos1 raised  above the  
earth1 and drawing all men unto me4'    
',wilt thou have thy throne in the      
clouds of heaven1 ,o ,master1 that  thou
 shalt be raised above the earth upon   

it8' asked ,rabbi ,amos4    ',my throne 
shall be set on ,calvary1 and the ends  
of the earth shall  look unto me and    
acknowledge my empire4 ,thou knowest not
 these things  now1 but hereafter thou  
shalt remember that ,i told thee of     
them4'    ,jesus then rose and1 bidding 
his host good-night1 retired to the     
apartment which was assigned him1 and   
,mary remained wondering on his         
sayings4    ,thus1 dear father1 it is   
made certain from his own words that    
,jesus  is the ,christ and that he is to
 establish a kingdom4 ,but why his      
throne shall be on ,calvary instead of  
,mount ,zion1 ,rabbi ,amos wonders      
greatly1 for ,calvary is a place of     
skulls and of public executions1  and is
 covered with ,roman crosses1 where     
every week some malefactor is  crucified
 for his crimes4    ,this morning1 as   
,jesus was going forth from the house to
 depart into  the country1 a man lame   
from his youth1 seated upon the         
threshold1  caught him by the robe1     

saying1 ,master1 heal me6    ,son1 thy  
sins be forgiven thee6 answered ,jesus1 
and then passed on2  but the scribes and
 ,pharisees who stood about cried1 ,this
 man1 be he  prophet or no1 blasphemeth1
 for ,god alone can forgive sins6       
,jesus stopped and1 turning to them1    
said3    ,which is easier1 to say to    
this man1 ',thy sins be forgiven thee8' 
or  to say1 ',rise and walk'8 ,that ye  
may know that the ,son of ,god hath     
power on earth to forgive sins--behold6 
,then in a loud voice the ,prophet said 
to the lame man1 ,arise1 take up  thy   
bed1 and go to thine house6             
,immediately the man rose to his feet1  
leaping and praising ,god1 and  taking  
up the mattress upon which they had     
brought him to the door1 he  ran swiftly
 away to show himself to his kinsfolk1  
while all the people  shouted and       
praised ,god4    ,thus did ,jesus       
publicly show men that he could forgive 
sins1 if he  could heal1 as the power to
 do either came equally from ,god4 ,does

 not  this power prove that he is the   
,son of ,god8    ,you should have seen  
him1 dear father1 as he left our house  
to go away  into ,galilee6 ,the street  
was lined with all the afflicted of     
,jerusalem1  and as he moved on between 
the rows of wretched sufferers1 whose   
hollow  eyes and shrivelled arms were   
turned imploringly towards him1 he      
healed  by words addressed to them1 as  
he moved on1 so that where he found     
disease before him1 stretched on beds1  
he left behind him health and  empty    
couches4 ,we all wept at his departure  
and followed him to the  ,damascus      
,gate4 ,here there was assembled a large
 company of ,levites and  priests1 among
 whom were mingled some of the most     
desperate characters  in ,jerusalem4    
,knowledge of this fact reached ,rabbi  
,amos1 who at once  sent a message to   
milius1 our ,roman friend1 informing him
 that he  apprehended that there would  
be an attempt made to assassinate ,jesus
 at  the going out of the gate1 and     

asking his aid4    milius placed himself
 at the head of fifty horse1 and        
reaching the  gate1 pressed the crowd   
back1 and took possession of it4 ,when  
,jesus  had passed through the armed    
guard beneath the arch1 the young ,roman
  courteously offered him an escort to  
the next village4    milius1 who        
informed me of these things1 conducted  
him as far as  ,ephraim1 and then was   
about to leave him to return to the     
city1 when  four lepers came from the   
cemetery of the tombs1 near the village1
 and  crying out afar off1 said3        
,thou blessed ,christ1 have mercy on us6
    ,jesus stopped and called to the    
lepers to approach4 ,as they obeyed1 the
  whole company of people1 as well as   
the ,roman soldiers1 drew back to a     
distance1 in horror at the sight of     
these dead-living men4 ,they came       
timidly within twenty paces of ,jesus   
and stood still tremblingly4    ,fear   
not1 said he1 ,i will make you whole6   
,he then advanced towards them1 and     

laying his hand upon each of them1  they
 all1 at the touch1 were instantly      
changed to well men1 with the  buoyant  
form1 clear eye1 and rich bloom of      
health4    ,when milius saw this        
miracle1 he dismounted from his horse1  
and  falling at ,jesus' feet1 worshiped 
him4    ,now1 my dear father1 ,i have   
thus far faithfully written all that ,i 
have  heard and witnessed respecting    
,jesus1 as you desire4 ,you must see    
that  he is more than a prophet1 and    
must be the very ,christ1 the ,son of   
the  ,blessed4 ,withhold1 oh1 withhold  
not your belief longer6                 
,your affectionate and loving daughter1 
,adina4          ,,letter ,,xx4      ,my
 ,dear ,father3    ,we are now at the   
humble abode of ,sarah1 at ,nain1       
whither ,i have come  to breathe the    
fresh mountain air for a time4 ,her     
cottage stands in a  garden1 from which 
is a sublime view of ,tabor1 in all the 
majesty of  his mountain grandeur4 ,one 
day while ,i was in the garden walking1 

two  men1 dusty and travel-worn1 stopped
 at the half-open gate1 and saluting    
us1 said3    ,peace be to this house1   
maiden1 and all who dwell therein4      
,enter1 said the widow1 overhearing     
them1 enter and ye shall have  water for
 your feet and bread for your hunger4   
,the two men then entered and seated    
themselves1 and having been  refreshed  
by the poor but hospitable widow1 one of
 them rose and said3    ',this day is   
salvation come to this house4 ,we are   
ambassadors of ,jesus  of ,nazareth1 and
 go from city to city1 proclaiming the  
day of the ,lord  at hand1 for ,messiah 
is come6'    ,will he1 then1 come to    
,nain8 asked the widow with emotion4 ,i 
should  be willing to die so that ,i    
could lay my eyes once upon so great and
  holy a man6    ,yes1 he will come     
hither1 answered the men1 and when we   
shall report  to him your hospitality to
 us1 he will visit your house1 for he   
never  forgets a cup of water given to  
one of his disciples4    ,the men then  

departed1 again calling the peace of    
,god upon our abode4  ,they had not been
 gone many minutes before we heard a    
great commotion  in the market-place    
near by4 ,upon going to the house-top1  
we beheld  these two men standing upon  
an elevation1 and preaching the kingdom 
of  ,christ at hand4 ,upon this1 some   
cried out against ,jesus1 and others    
threw stones at the two men1 and when we
 reached the house-top1 we saw  one of  
them remove his sandals and shake the   
dust from them1 saying in  a loud voice3
    ,as ye reject the words of life1    
your sins remain upon you1 as ,i return 
to you the dust of your city4    ,they  
then departed1 followed by ,levites1 who
 fairly drove them from the  town4      
,while we were grieving at this enmity  
against a ,prophet sent from  ,god1     
whose life is a series of good deeds1   
there entered hastily a  fair young maid
 whose name was ,ruth4 ,she held an open
 letter in her  hand1 and her beautiful 
face glowed rosily with some secret joy1

 which  contrasted strangely with the   
present sadness of our own4 ,we knew    
,ruth  well1 and loved her as if she had
 been a sister4 ,she was an orphan1 and 
dwelt with her uncle1 ,elihaz1 the      
,levite1 a man of influence in the      
town4 ,she was artless1 unsuspecting1   
and very interesting in all her  ways4  
,what good news1 dear ,ruth8 asked      
,mary1 smiling in response to her       
bright smiles4 ,a letter from whom8     
,for ,sarah1 answered the pretty maid1  
blushing so timidly and  consciously    
that we half suspected the truth4       
,but that is not telling us from whom1  
persevered ,mary1 with a little         
playfulness4    ,you can guess1 she     
answered1 glancing over her white       
shoulder1 as  she bounded away from us  
into the house4    ,we were soon after  
her1 and heard her as she cried on      
putting the  letter into the dear       
widow's hand3    ,from ,samuel6    ,god 
be blessed6 cried the widow4 ,my son    
liveth and is well6    ,read1 dear      

,sarah6 cried the maiden4 ,he was at    
,alexandria when he  wrote this1 and    
will soon be at home4 ,oh1 happy1 happy 
day6 added the  overjoyed girl1 quite   
forgetful of our presence4    ,nay1 said
 the widow1 my eyes are filled with     
tears of gladness2 ,i  cannot see to    
read4 ,do thou read it aloud4 ,let      
,adina and ,mary also know  what he     
writeth4    ,ruth then cast a bright    
look upon us1 and read aloud the letter 
from  over the sea1 which told that the 
writer would return in the first ship   
bound to ,sidon1 or ,cesarea1 when he   
hoped to behold her and his mother  face
 to face1 and to receive as his bride   
the maiden he had so long  loved and    
cherished in his heart4    ,at length1  
as the day drew near for me to leave1 we
 were all filled  with delightful       
surprise at the appearance of the       
long-absent son and  lover in the midst 
of our happy circle4    ,mary and ,i had
 once seen him1 and we were now         
impressed with his manly  and           

sun-browned beauty1 his bold air1 and   
frank1 ingenuous manner4 ,we  could not 
but agree that the pretty ,ruth had     
shown fine taste4 ,but  alas6 my dear   
father1 our joy was short-lived6 ,little
 did we anticipate  how speedily our    
rejoicing was to end in mourning6 ,the  
very night of  his return he was seized 
with a malignant fever1 which he had    
brought  from ,africa with him1 and we  
were all overwhelmed with grief4    ,it 
would be impossible to paint the anguish
 of the mother1 the  heart-rending      
distress of his betrothed4              
,unconscious of their presence1 he raved
 wildly1 and sometimes fancied  himself 
suffering thirst on the burning sands of
 ,africa1 and at others  battling with  
barbarians for his life4 ,all that      
physicians could do was  of no avail4   
,this morning1 the third day after his  
return1 he expired1  amid the most      
distressing agonies4    ,alas6 instead  
of a bridal1 behold a funeral6 ,already 
the bearers are  at the door1 and in a  

few minutes he will be borne forth upon 
the  dead-bier to the burial-place      
without the city4    ,oh6 sighs ,mary   
near me as ,i write1 ,oh1 that ,jesus1  
the mighty  ,prophet1 had been here6 ,he
 could have healed him6    ,john has    
sent to her a message1 saying that      
,jesus is traveling this  way1 on his   
mission of healing and teaching1 and may
 be here this  evening4 ,but what will  
it avail1 dear father8 ,even ,jesus may 
not return  the dead to life6 ,oh1 if he
 could have been here yesterday1 his    
power  over disease would have enabled  
him to save this precious life6    ,i   
hear the heavy tread of the dead-bearers
 in the court below4 ,the  shrieks and  
wails of the mourning-women thrill my   
soul with awe4 ,but  above all pierces  
the wild cry of anguish of the bereaved 
mother6  ,ruth's voice is hushed4 ,she  
has been for the last hour inanimate as 
marble4 ,only by her pulse can it be    
said she lives6 ,poor maiden6 ,the  blow
 is too terrible for her to bear4    ,my

 ,cousin ,mary has at this moment       
received a small roll of parchment      
which1 from the flush on her cheek1 ,i  
know to be from her betrothed4  ,she    
smiles sadly1 and with tears in her eyes
 hands it to me4    ,i have read it1    
dear father4 ,it is as follows3         
,gadara1 beyond ,judea4      ,the       
bearer1 beloved1 is one of the disciples
 of ,jesus4 ,his name is    ,bartimeus4 
,he was blind and poor1 and subsisted by
 begging2 and1 as    you see1 his sight 
is restored1 and he insists now on going
 from    town to town where he has been 
known as a blind man to proclaim what   
,jesus has done for him4 ,this letter   
cometh beseeching thee1 maiden1    that 
as we love one another unfeignedly1 so  
may we soon be united in    that holy   
union which ,god hath blessed and       
commanded4 ,but1 having    much to say  
hereupon1 ,i will not commit it to paper
 and ink2 but by    to-morrow1 or the   
day after1 ,i trust to come to you1 and 
speak with    you1 dearly beloved1 face 

to face1 upon those things which now    
come    to my lips4 ,farewell1 lady4    
,peace be with you1 and all in your     
house4    ,greet thy friends in my name1
 letting them know that we shall shortly
    be with you4      ,oh1 that the     
mighty ,prophet had come one day sooner6
 cried ,mary4    ,what woe and anguish  
would have been spared poor ,ruth and   
his    mother6 ,but the will of ,jehovah
 be done6    ,we hear now1 dear father1 
the voice of the governor of the        
funeral1  bidding us come down to bury  
the dead4    ,farewell1 my father4 ,i   
know you will shed a tear to the memory 
of the  noble youth whose death has this
 day filled all ,nain with mourning4 ,as
  ,i look from the lattice1 ,i see the  
concourse of people to be immense1      
filling all the street4 ,now1 may the   
,god of our father ,abraham preserve    
and keep you1 and suffer us once more to
 meet face to face in joy and  peace4   
,your dutiful and sorrowful daughter1   
,adina4          ,,letter ,,xxi4        

,my ,dear ,father3    ,i seize my pen1  
which ,i laid down an hour ago in order 
to follow to  his burial the son of our 
hostess1 to recount to you one of the   
most  extraordinary things which ever   
happened4 ,i fear my trembling fingers  
will scarcely express legibly what ,i   
have to tell you4    ,when the burial   
train of ,samuel had formed to go to the
 grave1 the  deep grief of poor ,ruth   
overcame her wholly and ,i led her to   
her room1  where she sank insensible    
upon her couch4 ,i could not leave her  
in her  situation1 and the procession   
went forth from the house without me4   
,as the funeral train passed the        
lattice1 it seemed endless1 but at      
length it passed by1 and ,i was left    
alone with the motionless ,ruth4 ,as  ,i
 gazed on the marble countenance of the 
bereaved maiden1 ,i could not  but pray 
that she might never recover from her   
swoon1 to revive to the  bitter         
realization of her loss4    ,suddenly ,i
 heard a great shout4 ,i started and    

hastened to the lattice4  ,it was       
repeated louder and with a glad tone4   
,it seemed to come from  beyond the city
 walls1 and from a hundred voices raised
 in unison4 ,i  knew that the house-top 
overlooked the walls1 and seeing ,ruth  
moved  not1 ,i ascended rapidly to the  
parapet1 the shouts and glad cries still
  increasing as ,i went up4 ,upon       
reaching the flat roof and stepping on  
the parapet1 ,i saw coming along the    
street towards the house1 with the      
speed of the antelope1 ,elec1 our       
,gibeonite slave4 ,he was waving his    
hands wildly1 and crying out something  
which ,i could not distinctly  hear4    
,behind him ,i saw two youths running   
also1 appearing to be the  bearers of   
some great tidings4    ,i knew something
 wonderful must have occurred1 but could
 not divine  what it could be4 ,on      
looking towards the gate1 from which    
direction  the shouts at intervals      
continued to approach1 ,i discovered on 
the  hillside of the cemetery many      

people crowded together1 and evidently  
surrounding some person in their midst1 
for the whole order of the  procession  
was broken up4 ,the bier ,i could not   
discern1 nor could ,i  comprehend how   
the solemnity of the march of the       
funeral train was  suddenly changed to a
 confused multitude1 rending the sky    
with loud  acclamations4 ,the whole body
 of people was pressing back towards the
  city4 ,the persons whom ,i had first  
seen running along the street1 now  made
 themselves audible as they drew nigher4
    ,he is alive6 ,he is alive6 shouted 
,elec4    ,he has risen from the dead6  
cried the young man next behind him4    
,he lives1 and is walking back to the   
city6 called the third4    ,who--who is 
alive8 ,i eagerly demanded of ,elec1 as 
he passed beneath  the parapet4 ,what is
 this shouting1 ,o ,elec8    ,he looked 
up to me with a face expressive of the  
keenest delight1 mixed  with awe1 and   
said3    ,young ,rabbi ,samuel is come  
to life6 ,he is no longer dead6 ,you    

will  soon see him1 for they are        
escorting him back to the city1 and     
everybody is mad with joy4 ,where is    
,ruth1 the maiden8 ,i am come to tell   
her the glorious news4    ,with emotion 
that ,i cannot describe1 hardly         
believing what ,i heard1  ,i hastened to
 ,ruth1 in order to prevent the effects 
of too sudden  joy4 ,upon reaching the  
apartment1 ,i found that the voice of   
,elec1 who  had shouted the news of     
which he was the bearer into her ears1  
had  aroused her from her stupor of     
grief4 ,she was looking at him wildly   
and  incomprehensively4 ,i ran to her1  
and folding her in my arms1 said3       
,dear ,ruth1 there is news--good news6  
,it must be true6 ,hear the shouts  of  
gladness in all the town6    ,lives6 she
 repeated1 shaking her head4            
,no--no--no6 ,yes1 there6 she  said1    
raising her beautiful1 glittering eyes  
to heaven and pointing  upward4    ,but 
on earth also6 cried ,elec1 with        
positiveness4 ,i saw him sit up1  and   

heard him speak1 as well as ever he was6
    ,how was it8 ,let me know all6 ,i   
cried4    ,how8 ,who could have done    
such a miracle but the mighty ,prophet  
we saw  at ,jerusalem6 he answered4     
,jesus8 ,i exclaimed1 with joy4    ,who 
else could it be4 ,yes1 he met the bier 
just outside the-- ,but here  they come6
    ,elec was interrupted in his        
narrative by the increased noise of     
voices  in the streets and the tramp of 
hundreds of feet4 ,the next moment the  
room was filled with a crowd of the most
 excited persons1 some weeping1  some   
laughing1 as if beside themselves4 ,in  
their midst ,i beheld ,samuel  walking1 
alive and well6 his mother clinging to  
him1 like a vine upon  an oak4    ,where
 is ,ruth8 he cried4 ,oh1 where is she6 
,let me make her happy  with my         
presence6    ,i gazed upon him with awe1
 as if ,i had seen a spirit4    ,ruth no
 sooner heard his voice than she uttered
 a shriek of joy4 ,he  lives--he indeed 
lives6 and springing forward1 she was   

saved from  falling to the ground by    
being clasped to his manly breast4      
,let us kneel and thank ,god6 he said4  
,for a few minutes the scene was solemn 
and touching beyond any  spectacle ever 
exhibited on earth4    ,when he had     
performed this first sacred duty1 he    
rose to his feet and  received all our  
embraces4 ,hundreds came in to see his  
face1 and every  tongue was eloquent in 
praise of the power of ,jesus4    ,and  
where is the holy ,prophet8 ,i asked of 
,mary4 ,shall he be  forgotten amid all 
our joy6    ,we thanked him there with  
all our hearts1 and bathed his hands    
with  tears of gratitude1 she answered1 
but when they would have brought  him   
into the city in triumph he conveyed    
himself away in the confusion1  and no  
one could see aught of him4 ,but ,john1 
who was with him1 told me  he would come
 into the city after quiet was restored1
 by and by1 and he  would bring him to  
our abode4    ,oh1 ,i shall then behold 
him and thank him also6 ,i cried4 ,make 

known  to me1 ,mary1 the particulars of 
this wonderful miracle4    ,as we went  
weeping forth1 said ,mary1 slowly       
following the bier1 and  had passed the 
gate1 we saw coming along the path      
through the valley  leading to ,tabor1 a
 party of twelve or thirteen men on     
foot4 ,they were  followed by a crowd of
 men1 women and children from the       
country1 and  were so journeying that   
they would meet us at the crossing of   
the stone  bridge4 ,hearing some one say
 aloud1 ',it is the ,prophet of         
,nazareth1  with his disciples1' ,i     
looked earnestly forward1 and joyfully  
recognized ,jesus at their head1 with   
,john walking by his side4    ',oh1 that
 ,jesus had been in ,nain when thy son  
was sick6' ,i said to the  widow1       
pointing him out to her1 as he and his  
company stopped at the  entrance to the 
bridge4 ,recollecting how he might have 
prevented her  son's dying had he been  
in ,nain1 the poor lady could no longer 
command  her grief1 and covering her    

face with her veil1 she wept so         
violently  that all eyes were piteously 
fastened upon her4 ,i observed that the 
holy ,prophet's gaze rested upon her    
with compassion1 and as she came        
opposite where he stood1 he advanced    
towards us and said1 in a voice of      
thrilling sympathy3    ',weep not1      
mother4 ,thy son shall live again6'     
',i know it1 ,o ,rabboni1 at the last   
day1' she answered4 ',oh1 if thou  hadst
 been here my son need not have died6   
,thy word would have healed  him6 ,but  
now he is dead6 dead6 dead6'    ',woman1
 weep not6 ,i will restore thy son6'    
',what saith he8' cried some ,pharisees 
who were in the funeral4 ',that  he will
 raise a dead man8 ,this is going too   
far4 ,god only can raise the  dead4'    
,and they smiled and scoffed4    ,but   
,jesus laid his hand upon the pall over 
the body1 and said to those  who bore   
the corpse3    ',rest the bier upon the 
ground4'    ,they instantly stood still 
and obeyed him4 ,he then advanced amid a

  hushed silence1 and uncovering the    
marble visage1 touched the hand of  the 
dead young man1 and said1 in a loud and 
commanding voice3    ',young man1 ,i say
 unto thee1 ,arise6'    ,there was a    
moment's painful stillness through the  
vast multitude4  ,every eye was fixed   
upon the bier4 ,the voice was heard by  
the spirit  of the dead and it came back
 to his body4 ,there was at first       
visible  a living1 trembling emotion of 
the hitherto motionless corpse6 ,color  
flushed the livid cheek2 the eyelids    
opened and he fixed his eyes on  ,jesus2
 then he raised his hand and his lips   
moved6 ,the next moment he  sat up on   
the bier1 and spake aloud in his natural
 voice1 saying3    ',lo1 here ,i am6'   
,jesus then took him by the hand1 and   
assisting him to alight upon his  feet  
from the bier1 led him to his mother1   
and delivered him to her1  saying3      
',woman1 behold thy son6'    ,upon      
seeing this miracle the people shouted  
with joy and wonder1 ',god  has indeed  

visited his people ,israel6 ,a great    
,prophet is risen up among  us6 ,the    
,messias is come1 and ,jesus is the very
 ,christ1 with the keys of  death and   
hell6'    ,i sought out ,jesus to cast  
myself at his feet1 but he shrunk from  
the  homage and gratitude which his     
mercy to us had awakened4 ,thus humility
  is an element of all power4    ,such1 
my dear father1 is the narrative of the 
restoration to life again  of ,samuel1  
the son of ,sarah1 widow of ,nain4 ,this
 miracle has caused  hundreds this day  
to confess his name1 and to believe in  
,jesus as the  anointed ,shiloh of      
,israel4    ,many of the doctors have   
been to see ,samuel through the day1 and
 have  put profound questions to him    
touching the state of the soul out of   
the  body1 but he could give them no    
satisfaction1 all appearing to him like 
shining fragments of a gorgeous vision4 
,mary is to-morrow to become the bride  
of ,john1 and ,jesus will be  present at
 the wedding1 for while he severely     

rebukes sin and folly1 he  sanctifies by
 his presence the holy rite of marriage4
    ,on the eve of the eighth day from  
this ,i shall depart hence1 with ,john  
and ,mary1 for ,jerusalem1 whence ,i    
will write you again4                   
,your loving daughter1                  
,adina4          ,,letter ,,xxii4       
,once more1 my dear father1 ,i address a
 letter to you from this holy  city4    
,this morning when ,i awoke at the sound
 of the silver trumpets  of the priests1
 ringing melodiously from the top of    
,mount ,moriah1 ,i  experienced anew    
that profound devotion which the        
children of ,abraham  must always feel  
in the city of ,god and in the presence 
of his very  ,temple4    ,it was a      
joyous morning to me1 dear father1 for  
milius1 the noble  ,roman ,prefect1 was 
this day voluntarily to present himself 
at the  ,temple to be made a proselyte  
to the holy faith of ,israel4    ,the   
morning was1 therefore1 additionally    
lovely to me4 ,i thought ,i had  never  

seen the olive groves on the hillside   
beyond the king's gardens  so green1 nor
 the harvest so yellow1 as they         
undulated in the soft  breeze of the    
opening morn4 ,the lofty palms          
everywhere appeared to  bend and wave   
their verdant fans with joyous motion4  
,the birds in the  palace gardens sang  
sweeter and louder1 and ,jerusalem      
itself seemed  more beautiful than ever4
    ,while ,i was gazing upon the scene 
and adoring ,god1 and thanking him  for 
the conversion of milius1 ,rabbi ,amos  
came and said that he would  take us to 
the ,temple4 ,we were soon on our way1  
climbing the paved  pathway to ,moriah4 
,oh1 how sublimely towered the divine   
,temple above  our heads1 seemingly lost
 in the blue of the far heaven6 ,the    
great  gates opening north and south1 to
 the east and west1 were thronged  with 
the multitude pressing through2 while   
from the galleries above  each gate     
pealed forth continually the            
clear-voiced trumpets of ,god in        

ceaseless reverberation4 ,my uncle      
pointed out to me the massive doors1    
all overlaid with sheets of beaten gold1
 and the floor of green marble  on which
 we trod4 ,he bade me notice the costly 
entablature of colored  stones1         
exquisitely worked with the ,grecian's  
chisel1 and especially  the roof of     
fretted silver1 set with precious       
stones1 the onyx1 beryl1  sapphire1     
carbuncle and jasper4 ,i was dazzled by 
the magnificence1  and awed by the vast 
extent of the space of splendor         
surrounding me1  while ten thousands of 
people were to be seen moving towards   
the  altar of sacrifice4 ,from that     
superb court ,i was led into a hall     
nearly a hundred cubits in length1 its  
ceiling of pure gold sustained  by a    
thousand and one columns of porphyry and
 white marble1 ranged  alternately4     
,i was not permitted to approach the    
sacred chamber1 where stood the  four   
thousand vessels of gold of ,ophir1 used
 in the sacrifices on great  days2 and  

this being a high day1 ,i saw no less   
than six hundred priests  standing about
 the altar1 each with a golden censer in
 his hand4 ,beyond  is the holy ark of  
the covenant1 over which the cherubim   
hover1 their  wings meeting1 and between
 them is the mercy-seat4 ,as this was   
the ,holy  of ,holies ,i was not        
permitted to see it2 but its position   
was pointed  out to me within the veil1 
which conceals from all eyes but that of
 the  ,high ,priest once a year the     
place of ,god's throne on the earth1    
alas  now left vacant since the glory of
 the ,shechinah departed from the ,holy 
of ,holies6    ,the air of the vast     
,temple was delicious with the fragrance
 of burning  frankincense4 ,as the      
victims bled and the smoke ascended1 the
 people  fell on their faces and        
worshiped ,god4 ,after a few moments'   
silence1 a  startling trumpet note      
thrilled every soul in the countless    
multitude4  ,it was followed by a peal  
of music that shook the air1 from a     

choir  of two thousand singers1 male and
 female1 of the sons and daughters  of  
,levi1 who served in the ,temple4       
,entering from the southern court1  they
 advanced in long procession1 singing   
sacred chants1 and playing  on sacbut   
and harp1 psalter and nebble1 chinna and
 tympana4 ,as they  ascended to the     
choir their voices1 mingling with the   
instruments1  filled all the ,temple4 ,i
 never heard before such sublime        
harmony2  especially when on reaching   
the elevated choir1 a thousand ,levites 
with  manly voices joined them1 and the 
whole company chanted one of the        
sublimest of the ,psalms of ,david4     
,when the chant was concluded1 the whole
 multitude responded1 ,amen  and ,amen6 
like the deep voice of a mighty wind    
suddenly shaking the  foundations of the
 ,temple4    ,at length ,i beheld a     
train of priests following the ,high    
,priest1 as  he marched thrice around   
the altar4 ,in that procession ,i       
discovered  a company of proselytes1    

escorted by twelve aged ,levites1 with  
long1  snowy beards1 and clad in        
vestments of the purest white4 ,among   
the  proselytes ,i discerned the tall   
and noble figure of the ,roman milius4  
,he was robed in a black garment from   
head to foot4 ,but upon approaching  the
 baptismal basin two young priests      
removed this outer sable dress  and     
robed him in white4 ,i then saw him     
baptized into the family of  ,abraham   
and a new name given him1 that of       
,eleazer4 ,i heard the silver  trumpets 
proclaim the conversion and the         
multitude shouting their joy4    ,of the
 rest of the ceremony ,i have no        
recollection1 as after the  baptism of  
milius1 ,i was too happy to see or think
 of anything else4    ,while ,i was     
lifting up my heart in gratitude for the
 happy conversion  of milius1 and while 
the ,jews were crowding about him to    
extend to him  the hand of fellowship1  
rejoicing that so noted a person should 
embrace  our faith1 ,uncle ,amos drew my

 attention by exclaiming with gladness3 
,behold1 there is ,jesus1 the ,prophet6 
,we at once made our way1 but with      
difficulty1 towards the spot where we   
had discovered him4 ,the rumor that the 
,christ was in the ,temple rapidly      
spread1 and the whole multitude pressed 
towards the same point4 ,at  length we  
obtained our object so as to get within 
a few feet of him4  ,here a tall1       
richly-attired ,greek addressed ,rabbi  
,amos1 saying3    ,sir1 tell me who that
 youthful ,jew is1 whose countenance is 
stamped  with firmness and benevolence  
so finely combined in its expression2   
whose air possesses such dignity and    
wisdom2 whose noble eyes seem  filled   
with a holy sadness1 and whose glance is
 full of innocence and  sweetness4 ,he  
seems born to love men and to command   
them4 ,all seek to  approach him4 ,pray1
 sir1 who is he8    ,that1 ,o stranger1 
is ,jesus of ,nazareth1 the ,jewish     
,prophet1 answered  ,uncle ,amos1       
delighted to point him out to a         

foreigner4    ,then ,i am well rewarded 
for my journey in turning aside to      
,jerusalem1  answered the ,grecian4 ,i  
have even heard of his fame in          
,macedonia1 and  am rejoiced to behold  
him4 ,think you he will do some great   
miracle8    ,he performs miracles not to
 gratify curiosity but to bear testimony
 to  the truths he teaches1 that they   
are delivered to him of ,god4 ,hark6 ,he
  speaks6 cried my uncle4    ,every     
voice was hushed as that of ,jesus rose 
clear and sweet1 and  thrilling like a  
celestial clarion speaking4 ,and he     
preached1 dear  father1 a sermon so full
 of wisdom1 of love to man1 of love to  
,god1 of  knowledge of our hearts1 of   
divine and convincing power1 that       
thousands  wept2 thousands were chained 
to the spot with awe and delight1 and   
all  were moved as if an angel had      
addressed them4 ,they cried1 ,never man 
spake like this man6    ,the priests1   
seeing that he had carried the hearts of
 all the people1  were greatly enraged1 

and1 not being able to vent their hatred
 and fear  in any other way1 they hired 
a vile person by the name of ,gazeel1 a 
robber who1 taking one of the           
blood-stained sacrificing knives by the 
altar1 crept towards him behind the     
column1 and1 securing a favorable       
position to execute the deed1 raised his
 hand to strike the ,prophet  from      
behind1 when ,jesus1 turning his head1  
arrested the hand of the  assassin in   
mid-air by a look4 ,unable to move a    
muscle1 ,gazeel stood  betrayed to all  
eyes in this murderous attitude1 like a 
statue of stone4    ,return to those who
 hired thee4 ,my hour is not yet come1  
nor can they  yet have any power over   
me4    ,the assassin bowed his head in  
abject shame and terror2 the knife      
dropped from his hand and rang upon the 
marble floor1 and he sank at  ,jesus'   
feet imploring forgiveness4 ,the people 
would instantly have torn  ,gazeel in   
pieces1 but ,jesus said3    ,let him    
depart in peace4 ,the day shall come    

when he will be willing  to lay down his
 life to save mine4 ,ye priests go about
 to kill me1  he added1 fixing his clear
 gaze upon the group which had sent     
,gazeel4  ,for what do ye seek my life8 
,i have come to my own1 and to my       
,temple1  and ye receive me not4 ,the   
day cometh when this ,temple shall be   
thrown  down1 and not one stone left    
upon another2 and some who hear me shall
  behold and mourn in that day4 ,oh1    
,jerusalem1 thou that killest the       
prophets1 and stonest them that are sent
 unto thee1 how oft would ,i  have      
gathered thy children together as a hen 
gathereth her chickens  under her wings1
 and ye would not4 ,thou shalt be left  
desolate and cast  out among cities1    
because thou knewest not the day of thy 
visitation4  ,fly ye to the ,jerusalem  
which is above1 and which is above all1 
whose  foundation is eternal1 and whose 
,temple is the ,lord ,god ,almighty1 who
  is also the light and glory thereof4  
,upon hearing these words1 there arose a

 great cry from ten thousand  voices3   
,hail to ,jesus1 the king of ,israel and
 ,judah6 ,hosanna to the ,prince of     
,david6 ,we will have no king but       
,jesus6    ,at this shout1 which was    
caught up and repeated beyond the four  
gates of the ,temple1 the priests cried 
aloud that the people were in           
insurrection4    ,pilate1 who was1 with 
his guard1 just leaving the ,court of   
the  ,gentiles1 hearing it1 turned to   
ask what it meant4 ,one of the priests1 
desirous of having ,jesus slain1 quickly
 answered1 ,that the people had         
proclaimed ,jesus1 the ,nazarene1 king4 
,hearing this1 ,pilate sent off         
messengers to the ,castle of ,david for 
soldiers1 and with his body-guard turned
 back to the ,temple gate1  charging the
 people sword in hand4    ,the tumult   
was now fearful1 and the bloodshed would
 have been great1  but ,jesus suddenly  
appeared before him--none saw how he had
 reached the  place--and said3    ,o    
,roman1 ,i seek no kingdom but such as  

my ,father hath given me4 ,my  kingdom  
is not of this world4    ,pilate was    
seen to bend his proud head with low    
obeisance before the  ,prophet1 and said
 graciously3    ,i have no wish to      
arrest thee4 ,thy word1 ,o ,prophet1 is 
sufficient for  me4 ,of thee ,i have    
hitherto heard much4 ,wilt thou come    
with me to my  palace1 and let me hear  
thee1 and see some miracle8    ,thou    
shalt see me in thy palace1 but not     
to-day2 and thou shalt behold  a        
miracle1 but not now4    ,when ,jesus   
had thus said1 he withdrew himself from 
,pilate's presence2  and those who would
 have sought him to make him a king     
could nowhere  discover him4    ,the    
result of this attempt of the people to 
make the ,prophet their  king1 and under
 his direction to overthrow the ,roman  
power1 is that  the ,roman authorities1 
instigated by ,annas and the priests1   
look upon  ,jesus with eyes of jealousy1
 and ,pilate this morning told a        
deputation  of priests1 who waited on   

him to petition him to arrest and       
imprison  the ,prophet1 that on the     
first proof they could bring him of his 
hostility to ,csar he would send        
soldiers to take him4 ,to-day ,jesus was
  refreshing himself in our house1 when 
several ,scribes and ,pharisees  came   
in4 ,i saw by their dark looks they     
meditated evil1 and secretly  sent ,elec
 with a message to milius 7now ,eleazer7
 asking him to be at  hand to protect   
,jesus2 for milius is devoted to him1 as
 we are1 and  ,jesus takes delight in   
teaching him the things of the kingdom  
of ,god4    ,jesus1 knowing the hearts  
of these bad men1 said to them1 after   
they  had seated themselves and remained
 some minutes in silence3    ,wherefore 
are ye come8    ,master1 said ,zadoc1 a 
,levite of great fame among the people1 
we have  heard how boldly thou speakest 
at all times2 that not even ,pilate1 nor
  ,herod1 yea1 nor ,csar1 could make    
thee refrain from what thou choosest  to
 utter4 ,is it lawful for us ,jews1 the 

peculiar nation of ,god1 to pay  tribute
 to ,csar1 who is an idolater8 ,is it   
lawful for us to obey the  laws of      
,pilate1 rather than of ,moses8 ,we ask 
this as ,jews to a ,jew4  ,tell us      
frankly4    ,jesus looked fixedly upon  
them1 as if he read their wicked        
designs1 and  said3    ,show me the     
tribute money4    ,zadoc handed him a   
penny1 the ,roman coin sent into ,judea 
by ,csar1 as  our currency1 and which we
 return to ,rome again in tribute4 ,when
 ,jesus  had taken the money1 he looked 
at the head of ,augustus stamped upon   
one  side1 and then turning to them1    
said3    ,whose image and whose name is 
here impressed8    ,csar's1 eagerly     
answered the whole party4    ,then      
render unto ,csar the things that be    
,csar's1 and unto ,god the  things that 
be ,god's1 was his calm and wonderful   
answer4    ,i breathed again1 for ,i    
feared he would answer openly that      
tribute  ought not to be paid1 which    
they hoped he would do1 when they would 

immediately have accused him to ,pilate 
as teaching that we ought not to  pay   
tribute to ,rome1 and so fomenting      
rebellion4    ,but the divine wisdom of 
his answer relieved all our minds2 while
 the  ,scribes and ,levites1 his        
enemies1 looked upon him with amazement1
  interchanged glances of conscious     
defeat1 and left the house4             
,i remain your affectionate daughter1   
,adina4          ,,letter ,,xxiii4      
,my ,dear ,father3    ,i have received  
with joy your letter1 in which you say  
you shall leave  ,egypt with the next   
,passover caravan1 in order to visit    
,jerusalem4 ,my  happiness is augmented 
to know that you will be here while     
,jesus is in  the city2 for it is said1 
and ,john1 ,mary's husband1 asserts1    
that he  will certainly be at the       
,passover4    ,last week ,eli1 the      
paralytic1 whom you knew1 a scribe of   
the ,levites1  whose hand has been      
withered nine years1 so that he had been
 dependent  on the alms of the          

worshipers in the ,temple for his bread1
 hearing of  the power of ,jesus1 sought
 him at the house of ,uncle ,amos1 where
 he was  abiding4    ,jesus was         
reclining with our family at the evening
 meal1 at the close  of the day on which
 the uproar had taken place in the      
,temple1 when  ,eli came and stood      
within the door4 ,humble and doubting1  
his knees  trembled1 and he timidly and 
wistfully looked towards ,jesus1 but    
did not speak4 ,i knew at once what the 
afflicted man came for1 and  approached 
him1 saying1 ,fear not1 ,eli2 ask him1  
and he will make thee  whole6    ,jesus 
did not see the poor man1 his face being
 turned towards ,rabbi  ,amos2 but      
leaving this conversation1 he said in a 
gentle voice1 without  turning round3   
,come to me1 ,eli1 and ask what is in   
thy heart4 ,and fear not2 for if  thou  
believest1 thou shalt receive all thy   
wish4    ,at this ,eli ran forward1 and 
casting himself at ,jesus' feet1 kissed 
them and said1 ,rabboni1 ,i am a poor1  

sinful man2 ,i believe that thou  art   
the ,christ1 the ,son of the ,blessed6  
,dost thou believe1 ,eli1 that ,i have  
power to make thee whole8 asked  ,jesus1
 looking steadily upon him4    ,i       
believe1 my ,lord1 answered ,eli1 bowing
 his face to the ground4    ,thy sins1  
then1 be forgiven thee4 ,rise and go to 
thy house2 and sin no  more1 lest a     
worse thing come upon thee4    ,this    
man6 forgiveth he sins also8 cried a    
venerable priest1 ,manasses1  who was at
 the table4 ,he is a blasphemer6 for    
,god alone forgiveth  sins4 ,will he    
call himself ,god8 ,and he rose quickly 
up and rent his  robe1 and spat upon the
 floor in detestation4    ,manasses1    
said ,jesus mildly1 tell me whether it  
is an easier thing  to do--to say unto  
this man kneeling here1 ',thy sins be   
forgiven thee8'  or to say1 ',stretch   
forth thine hand whole as the other'8   
,it would be more difficult to do the   
latter1 answered ,manasses1  surprised  
at the question4 ,god alone1 who made   

him1 can do that4    ,jesus turned to   
the paralytic4 ,i say unto thee1 ,eli1  
stretch forth thy  hand whole6    ,the  
man1 looking upon ,jesus' face1 and     
seeming to derive confidence  from its  
expression of power1 made a convulsive  
movement with his arm1  which was bared 
to the shoulder1 exhibiting all its     
hideous deformity1  and stretched it    
forth at full length4 ,immediately the  
arm was  rounded with flesh and muscles2
 the pulse filled and leaped with the   
warm life-blood1 and it became whole as 
the other4 ,the change was so           
instantaneous that it was done before we
 could see how it was done4 ,the  amazed
 and wonderingly delighted ,eli bent his
 elbow1 and expanded and  contracted the
 fingers1 felt the flesh and pressed it 
with his other  hand1 before he could   
realize he was healed4 ,then1 casting   
himself at  the feet of the ,prophet1 he
 cried3    ,thou art not a man1 but     
,gabriel1 the angel of ,god6    ,thou   
art now healed1 ,eli1 said ,jesus       

impressively4 ,worship ,god1 and  go and
 sin no more4    ,who1 dear father1 but 
,messias could do this miracle8 ,my mind
 is  overwhelmed--,i am filled with     
astonishment and awe1 when ,i reflect   
upon the might1 power and majesty of    
,jesus1 and ,i fear to ask myself4  ,who
 more than man is he8 ,is he verily the 
awful and terrible ,jehovah  of ,sinai1 
visible in the human form8 ,oh1 wondrous
 and incomprehensible  mystery6 ,i dare 
not trust my thoughts to penetrate the  
mystery in which  he walks among us in  
the veiled ,godhead of his power4 ,his  
beloved  disciple1 ,john1 said that     
,jesus has told him the day is not far  
off  when this veil will be removed1 and
 when we shall then know him1 who he    
is1 and wherefore he has come into the  
world1 and the infinite results  to men 
of his mission4                         
,your devoted daughter1                 
,adina4    ,illustration3 ,,bethany     
,,letter ,,xxiv4      ,my ,dear ,father3
    ,as ,i was closing my last letter to

 you1 intelligence reached my ,uncle    
,amos that ,lazarus1 the amiable brother
 of ,martha and ,mary1 was very  ill4   
,the message was brought by ,elec1 the  
,gibeonite slave1 who1 with  tears in   
his eyes1 communicated to us the sad    
news4 ,my ,cousin ,mary and  ,i at once 
set out to ,bethany with him4           
,knowest thou1 ,elec1 the disease that  
has so suddenly seized my  cousin8 asked
 ,mary1 as we wound slowly up the path  
that leads around  the steepest side of 
,olivet4    ,ah1 dear me1 noble lady1 ,i
 know not1 answered ,elec1 shaking his  
head4  ,he had just returned from the   
city1 where he had been staying night   
and day for a week1 laboring            
industriously to complete a copy of the 
five books of the blessed ,moses for the
 ,procurator's chief captain1 for  which
 he was to receive a large sum in ,roman
 gold4    ,what was the name of this    
captain who seeks to obtain our holy    
books8  ,i asked1 hope half answering   
the question in my heart4    milius1 the

 brave knight1 they say1 who was made a 
proselyte at the  last ,passover4    ,i 
was rejoiced to hear this proof of the  
steady desire of the princely  ,roman   
knight to learn our sacred laws1 you may
 be assured1 dearest  father4 ,but ,elec
 went on speaking and said3    ,it was  
his hard work to complete this copy     
which made him ill2 for he  slept not1  
nor ceased to toil until he had         
completed it1 and when he  came home    
with the silver-bound roll in his hand1 
and laid it upon the  table before his  
sisters1 he fell at the same moment     
fainting to the  ground4    ,alas1 poor 
,lazarus6 we both exclaimed1 and urged  
our mules forward at  a faster pace1 our
 hearts bleeding for the sorrow of his  
sisters and  for his sad condition4     
,at length1 half an hour after leaving  
the gate of the city1 we drew  near to  
,bethany1 and beheld the roof of the    
house of ,lazarus4 ,upon it1  watching  
the road towards ,jerusalem for us1 we  
discovered the graceful  form of ,mary4 

,in a few moments we were in her arms1  
mingling our tears  together4    ,does  
he yet live8 ,i asked1 scarcely daring  
to inquire1 as she led us  into the     
house4    ,yes1 lives1 but fails hourly1
 answered ,mary1 with forced composure4 
,god bless you both for hastening to me4
    ,at this moment ,martha's pale and  
suffering face1 beautiful even in  its  
pallor1 appeared in the door of the     
inner room4 ,upon seeing us  she        
advanced1 and taking both our hands in  
hers1 said in a touching  whisper1 ,you 
have come1 sweet friends1 to see my     
brother die6    ,she then led us into   
the room1 where lay upon a couch the    
form of the  invalid4    ,he has slept a
 little1 said ,martha softly to me1 but 
his fever is  consuming him4 ,he has now
 closed his eyes again and seems heavy1 
but  his slumbers are restless1 as you  
see1 and he seems to think his dear     
friend1 ,jesus the ,prophet1 is by him2 
or he talks of ,rachel as if she  were  
not present4    ,and who is ,rachel1    

dear ,martha8 ,i asked1 as ,i was about 
to follow her  out of the room1 leaving 
her brother to his weary repose4        
,alas6 ,it was for ,rachel's gentle     
love's sake he now lies there1 she      
answered4 ,there is the sweet maiden    
kneeling on the other side of his       
couch1 her tearful face buried in the   
folds of the curtains4    ,i turned and 
regarded with tender interest the       
graceful and  half-concealed form of the
 young girl as she bent over his pillow1
 her  hand clasped by his4 ,at this     
moment she looked up and directed her   
gaze  towards me4 ,her face was         
inexpressibly lovely1 bathed as it was  
in its  glittering tear-dews1 and her   
large1 glorious eyes shone like starry  
heavens of tenderness and love4 ,her    
hair would have been raven black1  save 
that rays of golden bronze enriched its 
waving masses with every  play of the   
light upon it4 ,as our eyes met1 she    
seemed to receive me  into her soul1 and
 my heart to embrace hers4 ,lazarus now 

moved and  murmured her name1 when she  
dropped her eyes and bent like an angel 
over him4    ,who is this marvelously   
lovely maiden8 ,i asked of ,martha1 as  
we went  into the court of the hall4    
,the betrothed bride of our beloved     
brother1 answered she4 ,sit with  me    
here in the shade beneath this vine1 and
 ,i will tell thee their sad  story4    
,lazarus1 you know1 dearest ,adina1 is a
 writer in the ,temple1 and  by his     
labors has surrounded us all with many  
comforts1 nay1 luxuries4  ,his          
attachment to us led him to forego the  
pleasure of all other  society1 as he   
said he found in our sweet bond of      
sisterly love all  that he required to  
render him happy4    ,but a few weeks   
ago1 as he was engaged late and alone in
 the  copying-room of the ,temple upon a
 roll which the noble milius had        
ordered1 he was startled by the sudden  
entrance of a young girl in  great      
terror1 who seemed to be flying from    
pursuit4 ,upon beholding him  she       

bounded towards him1 and casting herself
 at his feet1 implored his  protection4 
,amazed and interested1 he promptly     
promised it1 but had  hardly spoken the 
words before ,annas entered and advanced
 towards her4  ,his face was flushed    
with rage1 and his voice was loud and   
fierce as he  demanded her at the hand  
of my brother4    ',nay1 my ,lord       
,annas1' answered ,lazarus1 boldly1     
'were a dove to  seek shelter from a    
hawk in my bosom ,i would protect it1   
much more a  distressed maiden of the   
daughters of ,abraham6' and he placed   
himself  before the fugitive4           
',darest thou protect from me8 ,she is  
my child1 a wicked and  disobedient     
daughter of ,belial6 ,resign her to me1 
young scrivener1 or ,i  will have thee  
sent to the lowest dungeon of the       
,castle of ,david6'    ',oh1 save me6   
save me6' cried the young girl1 as      
,annas advanced to  seize her4 ',i am   
not his child6 ,i am the orphan of      
,rabbi ,levi1 who left  me and my estate

 to this false priest as a sacred       
charge4 ,he would now  sell me in unholy
 marriage to a ,greek captain in the    
,roman legion1 who  offers him large    
bribes in gold for me4 ,rather than be  
given into the  hands of this fierce and
 terrible ,grecian1 ,i will cast myself 
down from  the height of the ,temple6'  
,and to the surprise and horror of      
,lazarus1 she bounded from the  lattice 
and stood upon the edge of the rock1    
which looks sheer three  hundred feet   
down into the valley beneath4    ',thou 
seest1 ,o ,annas1 to what thy cupidity  
for gold will drive this  maiden4 ,has  
the land of ,israel sunk so low that its
 chief priest will  sell the daughters  
of the land for gold to the lust of the 
,gentiles8 ,is  this the way thou givest
 protection to orphans8 ,leave her1 and 
until ,i  find a protector for her1 she 
shall be a sacred guest with my sisters 
in their humble abode6'    ',thy life   
shall pay for this arrogance1 young     
man6' answered the  priest4 ',i have    

power and will exercise it4'    ',not to
 the danger and wrong of this maiden1 my
 ,lord ,annas1 whom  ,jehovah will      
protect1 since she has trustingly sought
 the sheltering  wing of his altars1'   
answered my brother firmly4 ',if thou   
continue to  persecute her1 ,i will     
appeal to the ,procurator1 ,pontius     
,pilate1 against  thee4'    ,the result 
was1 continued ,martha1 that the wicked 
priest1 alarmed by  the threat of appeal
 to ,pilate1 relinquished his present   
purpose and  left them1 breathing       
menaces against my brother4 ,the same   
day ,lazarus  conducted the maiden1 whom
 you already guess to be ,rachel1 to our
  house4 ,she has since then been our   
guest1 and has won all our hearts1  as  
well as our dear brother's4    ,is there
 no hope for him8 ,i asked1 after       
listening to her touching  narrative4   
,none2 the physicians say that he will  
never rise again4    ,there is one hope 
left1 ,i said eagerly4    ,what is that8
 demanded ,martha4    ,jesus6 ,i        

answered4 ,send to him1 ,o ,martha1 and 
he will yet save him1  and raise him up 
to life and health4    ,i had no sooner 
spoken than ,mary1 who overheard me1    
uttered a cry of  joy4    ,yes1 ,jesus  
has the power to heal him1 and ,jesus   
loves him6 ,he will  come and save him  
the moment he hears of his danger4      
,immediately ,mary wrote on a slip of   
parchment these brief and touching      
words3    ,lord1 behold1 he whom thou   
lovest is sick4 ,hasten to come to us1  
that  he may live2 for nothing is       
impossible with thee4    ,this message  
was forthwith despatched by the hands of
 a young friend to  ,bethabara1 beyond  
,jordan1 where we learned ,jesus at     
present abides4 ,we  have1 therefore1 no
 hope for our dear relative but in the  
power of the  ,prophet4 ,i will write as
 soon as we hear4 ,i remain1 dear       
father1                                 
,your attached daughter1                
,adina4          ,,letter ,,xxv4        
,my ,dear and ,honored ,father3    ,it  

is with emotions of the deepest grief   
that ,i convey to you the sad           
intelligence of the death of ,lazarus4  
,the hand of the ,lord hath fallen      
heavily upon this household and stricken
 down its prop2 smitten the  oak around 
which clung these vine-like sisters1    
vine-like in their  dependence upon him 
and confiding trust in his wisdom and   
love4 ,now  prostrate in the dust they  
lie stunned by the sudden and mysterious
  stroke of ,god's providence4    ,i    
have told you1 dear father1 something of
 this family2 what a happy  household ,i
 have seen it when ,jesus completed the 
number2 for he  stayed so much with them
 when not preaching1 or when wishing to 
rest  a day or two from his weary toil1 
that they came to regard him as one  of 
their family4 ,martha seemed ever to be 
thinking what and how she  should       
administer to his comfort1 by providing 
every delicacy for her  table2 but so   
that ,jesus could find listeners to his 
words of truth and  wisdom1 like        

,mary--who loved to sit at his feet and 
hear the golden  language fall from his 
sacred lips--he thought not of meat or  
drink4    ,one day when ,i1 with ,mary  
and ,lazarus1 was listening to his      
heavenly  teachings1 wrapt in wonder and
 absorbing interest1 ,martha1 who was   
preparing the meal1 came and desired    
,mary to come and assist her2 but  the  
dear1 pious girl heeded not nor heard   
her1 feeding1 forgetful of  all else1   
upon the celestial food that fell from  
the lips of ,jesus4  ,at length ,martha1
 finding that ,mary had not heard1      
appealed to ,jesus1  saying somewhat    
sharply3    ,lord1 dost thou not care   
that my sister hath left me to serve    
alone8  ,bid her1 therefore1 that she   
help me4    ,we turned with surprise to 
hear her1 who was usually so gentle and 
good1 thus forget what was due to the   
presence of the ,prophet1 and  ,lazarus 
was about to speak and excuse his       
sister1 who looked as if she  were much 
worried with her domestic troubles1 when

 ,jesus said kindly to  her3    ,martha1
 ,martha1 thou art careful and troubled 
about many things4 ,but  one thing is   
needful1 and ,mary hath chosen that good
 part1 which shall  not be taken away   
from her4 ,while thou carest much for   
the wants of the  body1 she careth for  
those of the spirit4 ,think not1 beloved
 ,martha1 of  sumptuous living for me1  
who have no earthly goods1 nor even     
where to  lay my head4    ,say not thus1
 oh1 say not so1 dear ,lord6 cried      
,martha1 suddenly  bursting into tears  
at ,jesus' touching words1 and casting  
herself  impulsively at his feet4 ,this 
house is thy home--ever beneath its     
roof1 while ,i have one above me1 shalt 
thou have where to lay thy head2  say   
not so1 my ,lord6    ,we were all moved 
at ,martha's pathetic earnestness4      
,jesus raised her up  and said gently3  
,it is thy love for me1 ,i well know1   
that maketh thee so careful and         
troubled to provide for me at thy       
bountiful table4 ,but ,i have meat to   

eat that ye know not of4 ,to teach the  
truths of ,god1 as thou findest  me     
doing to these1 is to me meat and drink1
 for therein ,i am doing my  ,father's  
will1 who sent me4    ,my last letter   
closed with informing you of the        
departure of the  messenger to ,jesus4  
,after he had gone out of sight from the
 door1  and the last echo of his horse's
 hoofs ceased to be heard by the        
long-listening ears of his sister       
,martha1 ,i re-entered the room where   
,lazarus lay4 ,he was as white as       
marble4 ,his large black eyes seemed to 
be twice their usual size and           
brilliancy4 ,he breathed with           
difficulty1  and every few moments he   
would be compelled to have his head     
raised  in order to free his mouth from 
the welling blood that was constantly   
bubbling up from the broken fountains of
 his life4 ,mary's tender  privilege it 
was1 assisted by ,rachel1 to render him 
this service of  love4 ,as she bent over
 him1 looking downward with anxious     

fondness  into his pale1 intellectual   
face1 watching every shadow of the      
change  that the sable wing of advancing
 ,death cast over it1 ,i thought ,i had 
never gazed on a more lovely being4 ,i  
forgot for the moment the dying  young  
man about whose form her snow-white arms
 were entwined1 his head  reclining upon
 her bosom1 her raven tresses1 bronzed  
with a changing  light1 all unbound and 
floating above him and over his pillow1 
like a  rich veil interwoven of sable   
silken floss and threads of gold4    ,i 
commenced this letter by informing you  
of the departure of the good  and       
generous and pious ,lazarus4 ,he fell   
asleep in death as an infant  sinks to  
slumber in its mother's arms4    ,all   
too late was ,jesus sent for6 ,to-morrow
 his burial will take place4  ,alas1 how
 suddenly has perished the noblest young
 man in ,judea6    ,farewell1 dear      
father4 ,my heart is full4 ,i can now   
write no more4 ,the  ,god of ,abraham   
preserve you in your journey1 and bring 

you in safety to  the embraces of       
,your loving daughter1                  
,adina4          ,,letter ,,xxvi4       
,my ,dear ,father3    ,in my last letter
 ,i told you that ,lazarus was dead4 ,i 
write this to  say that he who was dead 
is alive6 ,lazarus lives6 ,he whom ,i   
saw dead  and buried1 and sealed up     
within the rocky cave of the tomb1 is   
alive  again from the dead2 and at this 
moment1 while ,i am penning this        
extraordinary account1 ,i hear his voice
 from the porch4    ,how1 my dear       
father1 how shall ,i find adequate      
language to tell you all  that has      
happened here within the last           
twenty-four hours6    ,the funeral      
procession was so very long that        
strangers1 pausing1 asked  what great   
master in ,israel1 or person of note1   
was being taken to the  sepulchre4      
,some answered1 ,lazarus1 the           
industrious scribe2 others said1 ,a     
young  man who has devoted his life to  
honor his mother4 ,others answered1 as  

,lazarus himself1 were he alive1 would  
have had them3    ,it is ,lazarus1 the  
friend of ,jesus4    ,the place where   
they were to lay him was the cave in    
which his father  and mother were       
entombed4 ,it was in a deep1 shady vale1
 thickly shaded  by cypress1 palm and   
pomegranate trees1 and a large tamarind 
grew1 with  its stately branches1       
overclasping the summit of the secluded 
place of  sepulchre4 ,the remote swell  
of a ,roman bugle from the head of a    
cohort1  which was just issuing from a  
defile1 came softly and musically to our
  ears1 as we stood in silence about the
 grove wherein we were to place  the    
dead4 milius1 my betrothed1 was also    
present1 wearing a white  scarf above   
his silver cuirass1 in token of grief1  
for he also loved  ,lazarus4 ,of him1   
dear father1 ,i have not of late spoken1
 for should ,i  begin to write of him ,i
 should have no room in my letters for  
any other  theme4    ,the sacred        
observances at the grove being over1    

they raised the body of  the dead young 
man from the bier1 and four youths1     
aided by milius at  the head to support 
it1 conveyed it into the yawning cavern4
 ,a moment  they lingered on the        
threshold1 that ,mary and ,martha might 
take one  more look1 imprint upon its   
icy cold lips one last kiss1 press once 
more his unconscious head to their      
loving and bursting hearts4    ,the     
young men moved slowly forward into the 
gloom of the cave4 ,mary  rushed in1 and
 with disheveled hair1 cried3    ,oh1   
take him not away forever from the sight
 of my eyes6 ,oh1 my  brother1 my       
brother1 would that ,i had died for     
thee6 for ,i am willing  to lie down    
with the worm and call it my sister1 and
 sleep in the  arms of death1 as on the 
breast of my mother1 so thou couldst    
live6 ,oh1  brother1 brother1 let them  
not take thee forever from the sight of 
my  eyes6 ,without thee1 how shall life 
be life6    ,illustration3 ,rolling     
stone1 closing a sepulchre4    milius   

entered the tomb and1 tenderly raising  
her from the body1 on  which she had    
cast herself in the eloquent abandonment
 of her wild  grief1 he led her forth1  
and beckoning to me1 placed her in my   
arms4    ,the body1 being placed in a   
niche hollowed out in the rock1 was     
decently covered with a grave mantle1   
all but the calm face1 which was  bound 
about by a snow-white napkin4 ,maidens  
of the village advanced and  cast       
flowers upon his head1 and many1 many   
were the sincere tears1 both  from      
beneath manly lids and those of virgins1
 which bore tribute to his  worth4      
,the burial ceremonies being ended1 five
 strong men replaced the  ponderous     
stone door closely fitting the entrance 
to the cave1 and so  secured it1 by     
letting it into a socket1 that it would 
require a like  number to remove it4    
,as they were retiring with heavy hearts
 from performing this last duty  to the 
beloved dead1 the sun sank beyond the   
blue hills of ,ajalon in  the west in a 

lake of gold4 ,to enjoy the sunset1 and 
to relieve our  emotions of sadness1 ,i 
walked apart with ,mary to the top of   
the hill1  from which ,i beheld the sun 
gilding the pinnacle of the ,temple1 and
  making it appear like a gigantic spear
 elevated into the sky4 ,from the       
,levites at evening sacrifice came1     
mellowed by distance1 the deep chant  of
 the ,temple service1 uttered by a      
thousand voices4 ,the cloud from  the   
altar sacrifice ascended slowly into the
 still air1 and catching  the splendor  
of the sun's last beams1 shone as if the
 pillar of cloud  and of fire which     
stood above the tabernacle in the       
wilderness4 ,the  laborers in the       
harvest were hastening towards the      
gates1 ere they  should be shut out for 
the night by the ,roman guards1 and     
dwellers in  the village were hurrying  
forth1 lest they should be held in the  
city  over night4    ,there was a sacred
 hush in the sleepy atmosphere that     
seemed in  sympathy and touching harmony

 with the scene in which we had just    
borne  a part4 ,with ,mary leaning      
sobbing upon my shoulder1 ,i sat upon a 
rock  giving my heart up to the sweet   
influences of the hour4 ,we were alone1 
save milius1 who had ridden after us1   
anxious for our safety1 and who  sat    
upon his horse near by1 gazing upon the 
beauty of the evening scene4    ,i am   
calmer now1 said ,mary1 after a while1  
raising her head and  looking into my   
face1 her splendid eyes glittering      
brimful with tears4  ,the peace of the  
sweet1 holy skies seems to have         
descended and entered  my heart4 ,the   
spirit of ,lazarus pervades all and     
hallows all ,i see4 ,i  will weep no    
more4 ,he is happy now1 very happy1 and 
let us try to be  holy and go to him1   
for he cannot come back to us4    ,at   
this moment we heard the tramp of       
horses' hoofs4 milius1 startled  thereby
 from his reverie1 recovered his seat   
and laid his hand upon  his sword4 ,the 
next moment1 around a rock projecting   

from the shoulder  of ,olivet1 appeared 
a horseman in the wild1 warlike costume 
of an  ,ishmaelite of the desert1       
brandishing a long spear in the air2    
then  another and another similarly clad
 and armed1 and mounted on superb       
horses of the desert1 dashed in sight4  
,these were immediately followed  by a  
tall1 daring-looking young man1 in a    
rich costume1 half ,grecian1  half      
,arabic1 though his dark1 handsome      
features were decidedly  ,israelitish4  
,he rode a superb ,abyssinian charger1  
and sat upon his  back like the heathen 
centaur ,i have read of in the ,latin   
books which  milius has given me to     
read4 ,upon seeing us he drew rein and  
smiled1  and waved his jewelled hand    
with splendid courtesy2 but at the sight
  of milius his dark eyes flashed1 and  
leaping to his feet in his  stirrups he 
shook his glittering falchion towards   
him1 and rode with a  trumpet-like cry  
full upon him4    ,the brave ,roman     
soldier received the charge by turning  

his horse  slightly1 and catching the   
point of the weapon upon the blade of   
his  short sword4    ,we meet at last1  
,o ,roman6 cried this wild1 dashing     
chief1 as  he wheeled his horse like    
lightning1 and once more rode upon the  
iron-armed ,roman knight4    ,ay1       
,barabbas1 and with joy ,i hail thee6   
responded milius1 placing a  bugle to   
his lips4    ,at hearing the clear voice
 of the bugle awaking the echoes of     
,olivet1  the dread robber chief said   
haughtily and with a glance of contempt3
    ,thou1 a knight of the tribune1 and 
commander of a legion1 call for  aid1   
when ,i offer thee equal battle1 hand to
 hand1 and ask not for aid  of my own   
men's spears8    ,i know no equal battle
 with a robber4 ,i would hunt thee as ,i
 would  do the wolf and the wild beasts 
of thy deserts1 answered milius1        
pressing him closely4 ,at a signal from 
the robber chief his four men1  who had 
reined up a short distance off1 near the
 tomb of ,lazarus1 sent  up a shrill1   

eaglelike scream1 that made my blood    
stand still1 and then  rode down like   
the wind to overcome milius4            
,hitherto ,i had remained as one        
stupefied at being an involuntary       
spectator of a sudden battle1 but on    
seeing his danger1 ,i was at his  side1 
scarce knowing how ,i reached the place4
    ,retire1 dear ,adina1 he said       
authoritatively4 ,i shall have to defend
  both thee and myself1 and these       
barbarians will give both my hands      
enough to do4    ,as he spoke he turned 
his horse's head to meet the forefold   
shock1 and  ,i escaped1 ,i know not how1
 with the impulse to hasten to ,bethany 
for  succor4 ,but heaven interposed its 
aid4 ,a detachment of the body-guard  of
 ,pilate1 hearing the recall of their   
chief's bugle1 came now  cantering up   
the hill4 ,at the sight ,barabbas and   
his party fled1 like  wild pigeons      
pursued by a cloud of ,iturean hawks4   
,barabbas1 however1  turned more than   
once to fling back defiance to his foes4

 milius soon  reached his side1 seized  
the crimson sash which encircled his    
waist1  and held him thus1 both fighting
 as they rode4 ,the ,roman troop came   
up1 and after a desperate battle the    
celebrated chief was taken alive1       
though bleeding with many wounds1 and   
bound with his own sash to the  column  
of one of the tombs4    milius says that
 ,barabbas will assuredly be crucified  
for his numerous  crimes4 ,dreadful     
punishment6 and for one so young as this
 desert robber  to come to such an      
ignominious and agonizing death2 doomed 
to hang for  hours under the sunbeams by
 his lacerated hands and feet1 till     
death  at last comes from slow          
exhaustion of all the powers of nature4 
,i am  amazed that so polite and humane 
a nation as the ,roman can inflict such 
a cruel and agonizing death1 even upon  
their malefactors4 ,ignominious1        
indeed1 must the life of a man have     
been1 for him to be doomed justly  to   
suffer such a death4    ,in this letter1

 dearest father1 ,i intended to relate  
to you how ,lazarus  has been restored  
to life1 but it is already taken up with
 so much1  that ,i defer it to my next4 
,suffice it for me to tell you at the   
close  of this letter that it was ,jesus
 who raised him from the dead4 ,and will
  you say that he is an impostor8 ,that 
he has done this wonderful thing  is    
alone evidence enough to me that he is  
indeed the ,messias of the  ,prophets1  
the ,son of ,god4                       
,your affectionate daughter1            
,adina4          ,,letter ,,xxvii4      
,my ,dear ,father3    ,your letter has  
filled me with joy that ,i can poorly   
express by my  pen4 ,it assures me that 
you are certain to leave at the new     
moon1 and  after a few days' delay at   
,gaza1 that you will be with me not many
 days  afterward4 ,this letter ,i shall 
send to meet you at ,gaza4    ,in it ,i 
shall make known to you the particulars 
of the greatest miracle  of power and   
love above all those wonders which      

,jesus has done4    ,when ,mary and     
,martha had despatched the message to   
,jesus1 as ,i have  already stated1 they
 began to be more cheerful with new-born
 hope1  saying3    ,if our dear ,rabbi1 
the holy ,prophet1 comes1 he will heal  
him with a  word1 as he has done so many
 of the sick4    ,yes1 many whom he knew
 not he has restored to health by a     
touch1  remarked ,martha1 how much more 
,lazarus1 whom he loves as a brother6   
,oh1 that the messenger may press       
forward with all haste6    ,if ,lazarus 
should die ere he come1 hesitatingly    
remarked my gentle  cousin1 the wife of 
,john the disciple1 he could bring him  
to life  again1 even as he did the ,son 
of the widow of ,nain4    ,yes1 without 
doubt1 unless it were too late1 remarked
 ,martha1  shrinking at the thought that
 her brother should die2 but if he be   
long dead it will be impossible4        
,nothing is impossible with ,jesus1     
answered ,mary1 her eyes brightening    
with trusting faith4    ,thus the hours 

passed between mingled hopes and fears2 
but ere ,jesus  came1 lo6 the mantle of 
death was laid over the face of their   
dead  brother4 ,lazarus is dead1 and    
,jesus is far away6 was the bitter and  
touching cry made by the bereaved       
sisters1 as they wept in each other's   
arms4    ,the next day the burial took  
place1 and yet no messenger came from   
,jesus4 ,the morning of the third day   
the man returned1 and said that he  had 
found the ,prophet on the farther bank  
of ,jordan1 where ,john had  baptized1  
abiding in a humble cottage in the      
suburbs of ,bethabara with  his         
disciples4    ,the bearer of the sad    
tidings from the two sisters delivered  
his simple  and touching message3       
,lord1 behold he whom thou lovest is    
sick6    ,and what said he--how did his 
countenance appear8 asked ,martha of the
  man4    ,he betrayed no surprise1 but 
said calmly to me1 ',son1 ,i know it6   
,this  sickness shall not be unto death4
 ,it shall be for the glory of ,god2 for

  hereby will my ,father permit me to be
 glorified1 that men may see and        
believe truly that ,i came out from     
,god4'    ,alas6 ,he knew not how ill   
his friend was1 said ,mary1 or he would 
not  have said it was not unto death1   
and would surely have hastened with     
you4    ,he has forgotten us1 answered  
,martha4 ,he should be here to console  
us in our deep affliction1 though he    
came not to heal our brother4    ,nay1  
sister1 do not think hardly of the      
blessed friend of ,lazarus1  said ,mary1
 with soothing tones1 as she caressed   
her elder sister4 ,i  feel that if he   
had seen fit he could have raised up our
 brother1  even speaking the word from  
,bethabara4 ,it was not needful he      
should  see him to heal him1 for dost   
thou remember how he healed ,lucius1 the
  centurion's son8 ,yet at the time he  
was a day's journey distant from  him4  
,then why1 oh1 why1 did he not save     
,lazarus8 exclaimed ,martha bitterly4   
,in that he did not1 sweet sister1      

answered ,mary gently1 it was for  the  
best4 ,did he not say to the messenger  
his sickness should be to the  glory of 
his power8    ,but not his death1 ,mary1
 not his death6 ,he is dead four days   
already1  and how can the grave give    
glory to the power of ,jesus8 ,will he  
raise  him up1 since corruption hath    
begun1 nay1 begun ere we laid him in    
the cold sepulchre8 ,oh1 speak not to me
 of the ,prophet6 ,he loved not         
,lazarus1 or he had not the power to    
save him6 ,nay1 leave me1 ,mary1 to  the
 bitterness of my grief4    ,ah1 dear   
,martha1 how soon is thy faith in       
,jesus1 when tried1 become  naught6 said
 ,mary1 bending upon her1 from her dark1
 earnest eyes1  looks of sad reproach4  
,shall one day overturn your years of   
holy  friendship for him8 ,because he   
answered not our prayer to come to      
,lazarus1 think you he loved him not1   
and is indifferent to our anguish8  ,he 
is wronged by your reproof1 and injured 
by your want of confidence  in his love 

and care for us4    ,while they were    
thus discoursing1 one came running      
swiftly towards the  house1 and         
breathless with haste1 cried to them and
 to the ,jews sitting  there1 who had   
come to comfort them concerning their   
brother3    ,the ,prophet6 ,the         
,nazarene6 ,he comes6    ,almost at the 
same moment ,elec1 the ,gibeonite1      
entered and said3    ,jesus1 ,messias of
 ,god1 is at hand6 ,he already entereth 
the village  followed by his disciples4 
,at this intelligence the mourners who  
sat with ,mary and ,martha in the  vine 
porch1 rose up to go and meet him2 but  
,martha1 shrieking with the  reaction of
 sudden joy1 sprang up and1 more quickly
 than they1 reached  the street1 and    
flying with great speed1 came where     
,jesus was4    ,mary1 who had received  
the news without betraying any other    
emotion  than the secret and holy joy of
 a heart that had confidence all along  
in her ,lord1 instead of hastening to   
meet him rending her hair with  grief1  

like her sister1 proceeded to prepare a 
room for the hospitable  entertainment  
of the beloved ,prophet1 when he should 
come in1 thus  taking ,martha's usual   
place2 and when she had arranged all1   
she sat  down with me in the house1 her 
heart filled with joy and her face      
expressive of calm and quiet happiness4 
,when ,martha had come near ,jesus1 whom
 she met just entering ,bethany1        
walking with four of his disciples along
 the dusty road1 and looking  weary and 
travel-worn1 she ran and threw herself  
at his feet1 crying3    ,lord1 if thou  
hadst been here1 my brother had not     
died6    ,jesus taking her hand raised  
her up1 and said with emotion1 for he   
seemed deeply moved by her grief3       
,death to those whom my ,father loveth  
is sleep4 ,the good die not6  ,lazarus  
is not dead1 but sleepeth1 and he shall 
rise again6    ,i know1 ,o ,rabboni1    
that he shall rise again in the         
resurrection at the  last day4    ,jesus
 then said to her1 lifting his celestial

 glances towards heaven3    ,i am the   
resurrection and the life4 ,he that     
believeth in me1 though he  were dead1  
yet shall he live2 and whosoever liveth 
and believeth in me  shall never die6   
,believest thou this1 daughter8    ,yea1
 ,lord1 ,i believe that thou art the    
,christ1 the ,son of ,god1 which  should
 come into the world4 ,i know that      
whatsoever thou wilt ask of  ,god1 ,god 
will give it thee1 and that even now    
thou couldst bring  ,lazarus back again6
    ,corruption and the worm have begun 
their work1 said a proud and            
unbelieving ,pharisee near1 on hearing  
this4 ,whatever may have been the  state
 of the ruler's daughter1 and of the son
 of her of ,nain1 ,lazarus  the scribe1 
at least1 is dead6    ,to this speech   
,jesus made no reply1 but turning to    
,martha1 said softly3    ,this day my   
,father shall be glorified1 and the     
world shall truly know  that ,i am come 
from ,him who is life and the giver of  
life4 ,go thou1 and  tell thy sister    

that ,i am here1 and would have her come
 and speak with  me4    ,martha1 then1  
overjoyed and wondering that ,jesus     
should have known her  thoughts1 so as  
to reproach her for her little faith as 
he had done1  hastened to her sister1   
and entering1 cried3    ,i have seen the
 ,lord6 ,he calleth for thee1 ,mary4    
,come and see him as  he sits by        
,isaiah's fountain1 near the            
market-place4    ,mary rose quickly and 
went out4 ,certain of her ,jewish       
friends from  ,jerusalem at that moment 
met her at the door1 and began to       
comfort her1  and to ask her if they    
also should go with her to weep at the  
grave of  ,lazarus1 for they said one to
 another3    ,she goes unto the grave to
 weep there6    ,she goes to see ,jesus1
 the friend of ,lazarus1 for he calleth 
her1  answered ,martha1 smiling with    
eagerness1 and speaking with an         
animation  that presented a singular    
contrast to her late deep grief4        
,mary hastened to where ,jesus sat by   

the fountain bathing his dusty and      
wounded feet4    ,lord1 she said1 in her
 sister's words1 and with deep emotion1 
if  thou1 ,lord1 hadst been here1 my    
brother had not died6    ,then bowing   
her head to the edge of the marble      
basin1 she wept very  heavily4 ,the     
,jews1 men and women1 who stood about1  
being touched with  her sorrow1 also    
wept1 while glittering tears coursed    
their way down  the face of the beloved 
,john1 his disciple1 who stood near4    
,jesus sighed deeply and groaned in     
spirit as he beheld her grief and  their
 mourning with her4 ,his sacred         
countenance was marred with the  anguish
 of his soul4    ,rise1 let us go to the
 grave where he lieth1 he said to them4 
,where  have ye laid him8    ,come1 dear
 ,lord1 and see1 answered ,mary1 holding
 him reverently by  the sleeve of the   
robe1 and gently yet eagerly drawing him
 towards the  place of the tombs in the 
vale of ,olivet4    ,in the meanwhile1  
at home1 ,martha had been diligently1   

and with strange  cheerfulness1 getting 
in readiness the room of ,lazarus4 ,she 
swept and  dusted it1 and garnished it  
with fresh flowers1 which she gathered  
in  the little garden4    ,this is the  
rose he set out and loved4 ,this is the 
violet which blooms  immortal4 ,i will  
place it upon his pillow1 she said1 with
 a joyous  hilarity softened by the most
 lovely look of peace1 while hope shone 
in  her eyes like twin morning stars    
ushering in a glorious day4 ,she spoke  
scarcely above her breath and moved on  
tiptoe4    ,for whom is this            
preparation1 dearest ,martha8 ,for      
,jesus8 ,i asked4    ,oh1 no4 ,the holy 
,prophet's own room is ready4 ,mary has 
prepared that4  ,this is ,lazarus' room1
 and ,i am decorating it for him4       
,dost thou truly believe that he is     
coming back from the dead8 ,i  asked1   
between doubt and strange fear4         
,believe8 ,oh1 yes6 ,i know that nothing
 is impossible with ,jesus6  ,i doubt no
 more6 ,my faith trembles no longer6 ,he

 will raise up my  brother1 and this day
 he shall sit down at our table with us 
again1 and  this night rest his head in 
peaceful slumber upon this pillow which 
,i  am strewing with his favorite       
flowers4 ,never had house two such      
guests  as we shall have this day--the  
,messias of ,god1 and one come back     
alive  from the dead6    ,at this moment
 we heard the noise of the multitude    
passing by1 and it  being told us that  
,jesus was going to the grave1 ,martha1 
embracing me  with a heavenly smile1    
drew me gently after her to follow the  
blessed  ,prophet to the tomb4 ,all     
,bethany was in his footsteps4    ,how  
shall ,i describe ,jesus as he then     
appeared8 ,he wore a blue robe1  woven  
without seam throughout1 the            
affectionate work and gift of the  two  
sisters4 ,his face was very pale and    
sad1 yet a certain divine  majesty      
rested thereon1 so that his calm1 high  
forehead looked as if it  were a throne4
 ,his holy1 earnest eyes were full of   

sorrow4 ,his mouth1  compressed1        
betrayed the effort he made to suppress 
the outbursting of  his heart's deep    
grief4    ,slowly he moved onward and1  
entering the cemetery1 he soon stood    
before  the tomb of his beloved friend4 
,for a few moments he stood gazing upon 
the closed stone door of the  cave in   
silence4 ,there reigned an expectant    
hush among the vast throng4  ,mary knelt
 at his feet1 gazing up into his        
countenance with a sublime  expression  
of hope and trust4 ,martha drew softly  
near and fell upon her  knees by the    
side of her sister4 ,jesus looked       
tenderly upon them and1  resting his    
eyes upon the tomb1 wept4 ,large1       
glittering tears rolled  down his cheeks
 and glanced from his flowing beard to  
the ground4 ,i  knelt by the side of the
 sisters4    ,behold how he loved him6  
whispered the ,jews present with        
surprise4    ,others said1 ,could not   
this man which opened the eyes of the   
blind1  have caused that even this man  

should not have died8    ,jesus1 heaving
 a deep sigh1 now came nearer the grave4
 ,with a slight  movement of his right  
hand to those who stood by1 he said in a
 tone  that1 though low1 was heard by   
the whole people1 so solemn was the     
surrounding stillness3    ,take ye away 
the stone6    ,lord1 said ,martha1 by   
this time the body is offensive1 for he 
hath  been dead four days4    ,daughter1
 said ,jesus1 looking on her1 believe1  
and thou shalt behold  the power of     
,god4    ,the men then with some        
difficulty took away the stone from the 
door  of the sepulchre and stood upon   
one side4 ,the dark vault yawned with   
gloomy horrors1 and1 so corrupt was the 
air that rushed out1 all fell  back from
 it1 save ,jesus and ,mary1 retiring    
several steps from the  entrance4       
,jesus stood looking into the cave      
where1 as our eyes became accustomed  to
 the darkness within1 we could discern  
the corpse of ,lazarus1 covered  with   
the grave mantle1 and his face bound    

with a napkin which was  already        
discolored with the sepulchral damp of  
the grave4    ,raising his hands towards
 heaven and lifting up his spiritual    
eyes1 which were yet moist with tears1  
,jesus spoke in a voice of              
indescribable pathos and earnestness of 
appeal1 and with a manner of  the most  
awful reverence1 as follows3    ,father1
 ,i thank thee that thou hast heard me4 
,and ,i know that thou  hearest me      
always1 but because of the people which 
stand by do ,i offer  unto thee this    
prayer1 that they may believe that the  
power ,i have  cometh from thee1 and    
that they may believe that thou hast    
sent me4  ,and now1 ,o holy ,father1 may
 ,i glorify thee on the earth with the  
power  which thou hast given me4    ,he 
then turned towards the tomb1 and       
stretching forth his hand1 he  cried    
with a loud voice that made every heart 
quake3    ,lazarus1 come forth6    ,my  
blood stood still in my veins4 ,scarcely
 daring to behold1 ,i looked  and beheld

 what all eyes also saw1 the corpse rise
 and stand up within  the vault1 turn   
round with its face towards us1 and come
 forth1 wrapped  hand and foot with the 
grave-clothes1 and his face bound about 
with a  napkin4 ,his countenance was    
like marble for whiteness1 and his eyes1
  which were open1 beamed supernaturally
 brilliant4    ,at beholding him a      
simultaneous shriek burst from the lips 
of the  people1 and there was a         
terrified backward rush of all who were 
nighest  the cave4    ,martha1 wildly   
uttering her brother's name1 fell       
forward upon her face  insensible4      
,loose him and let him go free6 said    
,jesus calmly1 addressing the  petrified
 and amazed men who had taken away the  
stone4    ,mary was the first one who   
had the firmness to approach him1 and as
 she  began removing the napkin from the
 sides of his face1 others1 taking      
courage by her example1 hastened to     
unswathe his arms and feet4 ,in a  few  
moments he was free from his outer      

grave-clothes1 and the healthful  color 
of his cheeks coming to him1 his lips   
flushed brilliantly with  red1 his eyes 
looked natural1 beaming with wonder and 
love as he gazed  about him4 ,perceiving
 ,jesus1 he was about to cast himself at
 his feet  in gratitude 7for he seemed  
to have consciousness of all that had   
happened71 but the mighty ,prophet drew 
him to his embrace and kissed  him4     
,but my pen refuses to find language to 
express the unspeakable emotions  of joy
 and gratitude1 words of love and       
praise1 that filled all hearts4  ,now   
the great ,prophet1 now ,lazarus1 and   
now ,jesus again received the  plaudits 
of the vast throng of people4 ,hymns    
were chanted to ,jehovah as  we passed  
through the streets1 and so many fell   
down to worship ,jesus  that it was long
 before we crossed the threshold of the 
dwelling1 which  ,jesus did indeed enter
 with ,lazarus by his side6 ,and ,martha
 did see  her brother sit at the table1 
and that night his head rested in deep  

slumber upon the flower-strewn pillow   
which her faith and love had  prepared  
for him4    ,with the hope of soon      
embracing you1 ,i remain as ever1       
,your loving daughter1                  
,adina4          ,,letter ,,xxviii4     
,my ,dear ,father3    ,like all my      
letters1 the theme of this will be      
,jesus1 whose claims  to be the ,messiah
 ,i unspeakably rejoice to hear you are 
beginning to  regard with more favorable
 eyes4    ,now ,jesus1 whose power to   
work miracles you yourself1 my dear     
father1  have confessed must be         
conferred by ,jehovah alone1 asserts    
distinctly  and everywhere that he is   
,messias1 the ,son of ,god1 the ,shiloh 
of  ,israel1 of whom ,moses and the     
prophets so eloquently wrote4 ,besides  
claiming for himself this high          
character1 he was heard1 by both my     
,uncle ,amos and myself1 in the         
synagogue at ,bethany1 two days after he
  raised ,lazarus from the dead1 to read
 from ,esaias the words following1  and 

apply them to himself1 which he had done
 before at ,nazareth3    ,the spirit of 
the ,lord is upon me1 because he hath   
anointed me  to preach the gospel to the
 poor4 ,he hath sent me to heal the     
broken-hearted1 to preach deliverance to
 the captives1 and recovering  of sight 
to the blind2 to set at liberty them    
that are bruised2 to  preach the        
acceptable year of the ,lord4    ,the   
synagogue was thronged1 so that people  
trod upon one another4 ,all  eyes were  
now intent1 and all ears were ready to  
hear what he should  speak4 ,he then    
said unto them3    ,this day is this    
,scripture fulfilled in your ears4 ,ye  
ask me1 ,o  scribes and men of ,israel1 
to tell you plainly who ,i am--whether  
,i am  the ,christ or no4 ,what saith   
the prophet of ,messias when he shall   
come8  ,ye have just heard his words4   
,if such works as he prophesieth do show
  forth themselves in me1 know ye not   
who ,i am8    ,here a voice cried out in
 the assembly3    ,tell us plainly1 art 

thou the ,christ1 the ,son of the       
,highest8    ,at this direct inquiry    
there was intense interest shown to hear
 the  reply4    ,jesus seemed about to  
answer1 when a man1 who stood near the  
reading  desk1 in whom was an unclean   
spirit1 cried out1 with a shrieking     
voice  of mingled terror and awe3       
,let me alone6 ,leave me as ,i am1 thou 
,jesus of ,nazareth6 ,art thou come     
hither to destroy me8 ,i know thee who  
thou art1 the ,holy ,one of ,god6       
,jesus rebuked the devil which possessed
 the man and said1 in the voice  of a   
master commanding a bond slave3    ,hold
 thy peace1 ,satan6 ,the ,son of man    
needeth not1 though thou givest  it1 thy
 testimony4 ,hold thy peace1 and come   
out of the man6    ,at this word the man
 uttered a fearful cry of despair and   
rage1 and  foaming at the mouth cast    
himself1 or rather was thrown down by   
the  devil within him1 to the ground2   
where1 after a moment's terrific        
struggle1 with contortions of bodily    

anguish1 he lay senseless as if  dead4  
,jesus took him by the hand1 and he     
stood up and1 looking in the  face of   
the ,prophet with earnestness and       
wonder1 burst into tears of  gratitude1 
exclaiming3    ,i am escaped as a bird  
out of the snare of the fowler2 the     
snare is  broken1 and ,i am escaped4    
,god hath delivered me out of the hand  
of my  enemy6 ,he then sat at the feet  
of ,jesus1 calm1 grateful1 happy1 and in
  his right mind6 ,all gazed on him with
 wonder1 while from the great mass  of  
the people rose a great shout1 for they 
were all amazed1 saying3    ,this is    
none other than the ,christ1 the ,son of
 ,david6 ,this is the  ,king of ,israel6
 while the loud shouts of ,hosanna6     
hosanna6 hosanna6  cheered by a thousand
 voices1 ,hosanna to our ,king6 shook   
like a  passing storm the synagogue4    
,when the noise had a little subsided1  
some of the ,scribes and ,pharisees     
said1 reproving him for not rebuking    
these cries3    ,who is this that       

suffereth himself to be hailed as king8 
,this is  treason to the emperor6       
,jesus then said in a loud1 clear voice3
    ,my kingdom is not of this world6 ,i
 seek not an earthly throne or  earthly 
sceptre4 ,my kingdom is from above4 ,ye 
say truly1 ,i am king1 he  added1 with  
indescribable majesty1 and hereafter ye 
shall behold me  sitting upon the throne
 of heaven4    ,when he had thus far    
spoken he could not proceed farther1 on 
account of  the sudden and immense      
uproar which his words produced4 ,some  
shouted1  ,hosanna6 others said he      
blasphemed2 one cried for the ,roman    
guard1  another for the priests1 to     
eject him from the tribune2 many rushed 
towards him to cast themselves at his   
feet1 while many1 putting their  fingers
 in their ears1 hurried forth from the  
synagogue1 crying3    ,his blasphemies  
will cause the house to fall upon us and
 crush us6    ,never was such an uproar 
heard4 ,in the midst of it ,jesus       
conveyed  himself away1 none knew       

whither2 and when ,i returned to the    
house of  ,martha ,i heard his low1     
earnest1 touching voice in prayer to    
,god in his  little chamber4 ,he had    
sought its sacred quiet to be alone with
 his  ,father in heaven4 ,at times ,i   
could hear him praying and supplicating1
  in tones of the most heart-breaking   
pathos2 at others the silence of  his   
room was only broken at intervals by    
sighs and pitiful groans that  seemed to
 come from a breaking and crushed heart4
 ,oh1 what hand may  remove the veil and
 reveal what passed there in that holy  
retirement  between the ,prophet and his
 ,god6    ,it was late in the day when  
he came forth1 ,martha having softly    
tapped  at his door to say that the     
evening meal was prepared and alone     
waited  for him4 ,when he appeared his  
face was colorless and bore traces of   
weeping1 and though he smiled kindly    
upon us all1 as he was wont to do1      
there was a deep-seated sorrow upon his 
countenance that brought tears  to my   

eyes4 milius joined us at the table1 and
 with dear ,lazarus and  with ,uncle    
,amos1 we passed a sacred hour2 for the 
,prophet ate not1 but  talked to us much
 and sweetly of the love of ,god1 and as
 all listened  the viands were          
forgotten4    ,pardon me1 dearest       
father1 if ,i am too warm and urgent in 
my efforts to  bring you to accept      
,jesus as the ,christ4 ,convinced1 as ,i
 am1 that he  is ,messias1 ,i cannot but
 ardently desire that you1 also1 should 
come  to the knowledge of this truth4   
,what he is yet to be1 how he is yet  to
 develop his majesty and power1 is      
unknown to us all4 ,some do think  that 
he will enter ,jerusalem ere long1      
attended by tens of thousands  of his   
followers1 and that before him ,pilate  
will peaceably vacate his               
,procuratorial chair1 and retire1 not   
only from the ,holy ,city but from      
,judea1 with his legions2 that ,jesus   
will ascend the throne of ,david1  and  
the glory of the age of ,solomon be     

revived under his rule4    ,such1 dear  
father1 is the future of the ,prophet1  
as looked for by all  his disciples save
 one1 and this is ,john1 the husband of 
my ,cousin  ,mary4 ,john1 on hearing our
 views of the coming glory of the       
,prophet1  looks compassionate and says3
    ,his kingdom is not of this world4  
,he has naught to do with the  splendors
 of earth4 ,his glory you will behold1  
but it is a glory of the  spirit4 ,ere  
perceiving it fully we may first pass   
through the valley of  darkness1 the    
gate of the tomb4 ,he has distinctly    
said to me1 ',i must  first suffer many 
things at the hands of men before ,i    
enter upon my  reign of glory4 ,the     
,jews will seek me to kill me1 and ,i   
shall be taken  from among you2 but let 
not sorrow fill your hearts4 ,death can 
have no  power over me save such as ,i  
permit it to hold4 ,i lay down my life  
and  ,i take it again4 ,through much    
tribulation and sorrow must the ,son of 
,god win the sceptre of this earth--the 

hearts of men4 ,i shall conquer1  but to
 do so ,i must fall4 ,yet fear not4 ,my 
death shall be the gateway  to ,paradise
 for you all6'    ,thus1 dear father1 do
 we discourse together about this       
wonderful  ,prophet1 whose future life  
is all a mystery1 save that1 from the   
prophecies1 we know it is to be         
inconceivably glorious2 from his own    
lips1 to be inconceivably sorrowful4    
,but whether on a throne1 giving  laws  
to the world1 or in the dust1 borne down
 by the deepest woe1 ,i  shall still    
love1 honor1 reverence him and trust in 
him as my ,savior1  my ,prince1 and the 
,holy ,one of ,god6                     
,your devoted and loving1               
,adina4          ,,letter ,,xxix4       
,my ,dearest ,father3    ,with what     
emotions of grief and amazement ,i      
commence this letter you  can form no   
just conception4 ,jesus1 the ,prophet of
 ,god1 is a prisoner  to the ,roman     
power6    ,but ,i fear not the issue6   
,he cannot be holden of his foes1 save  

by his  own free will4 ,he can1 with a  
word1 turn his chains into bands of     
sand1  and by a glance render his guards
 dead men4 ,he will1 therefore1 escape  
their bonds4 ,they can have no power    
over him4    ,it seems that to-day1     
after eating the ,passover with his     
twelve chosen  friends1 and instituting 
a new and peculiar feast with wine and  
bread1  which he told them impressively 
would be his last supper with them1 he  
went forth towards ,olivet1 and there1  
seating himself beneath the shade  of a 
tree1 he talked with them very sadly1   
saying that his hour was  come1 that he 
had ended his work1 and that he was     
about to be delivered  into the hands of
 sinful men4    ,john gave the following
 narrative3 ,it was evening1 and the    
south side  of ,olivet lay in deep      
shadow4 ,we were all sorrowful4 ,we     
felt1 each  one of us1 as if some       
grievous evil was pending over us4 ,the 
tones of  our beloved ,master's voice   
moved us to tears1 quite as much as his 

words1 which latter were full of        
mystery4 ,we were all present except    
,iscariot1 who had remained in the city 
to discharge the costs--he being  our   
purse-bearer--of the ,passover supper   
and pay for the hire of the  room4 ,at  
that supper ,jesus had said very plainly
 that one of our number  would betray   
him into the hands of the priests4 ,at  
hearing our ,lord say  these strange    
words in accents of touching reproach1  
we were all deeply  moved1 and ,peter   
and the rest at once questioned him     
individually1 if  it were they4 ',lord1 
is it ,i8' and another1 ',lord1 is it   
,i8' ,i was  resting1 at the moment1    
with my face on the shoulder of ,jesus1 
and said  softly1 ',lord1 who is it that
 betrayeth thee8 ,i will forthwith lay  
hands upon him and prevent his doing    
thee harm4' ,jesus shook his head  and  
smiling gently1 said3    ',my beloved   
brother1 thou knowest not what thou     
would do4 ,the ,son of  man must needs  
be betrayed by his own friends1 but woe 

unto him who  betrayeth me6 ,mark which 
of the twelve dippeth bread with me into
 the  dish6'    ,i looked and saw ,judas
 reach forward and dip into the dish at 
the same  instant with ,jesus2 but in   
his eagerness1 or from conscious guilt1 
his hand trembled1 he spilled the salt  
over the board1 and the sop  fell from  
his grasp into the bowl2 upon which     
,jesus gave him the piece  he held1     
saying to him1 with a remarkable        
expression in his clear1  piercing eyes3
    ',judas1 that thou doest1 do        
quickly6'    ,instantly ,judas rose from
 the table1 and without a reply or      
casting a  look at any of us1 went out4 
,for a few moments after his footsteps  
had ceased to be heard1 there  prevailed
 a heavy silence in the chamber1 for a  
strange fear had  fallen upon us2 why1  
we could not tell2 and looking into one 
another's  faces1 and then into our dear
 ,master's1 we seemed to await some     
dread  event4 ,his face was placid and  
full of affection as he looked upon us4 

,the momentary cloud which shaded the   
noble profile when he spoke to  ,judas  
had all passed off1 and there was the   
serenity of a cloudless sky  in his     
face4    ,what was the mysterious feast 
which he instituted8 asked ,mary1       
interrupting ,john here4    ,you may    
properly call it mysterious1 he         
answered4 ,as we were eating  the       
,passover1 ,jesus took up bread and1    
blessing it by a solemn act of          
consecration1 broke it with his hands   
and gave a portion to each of us1       
saying with it1 ',take1 eat2 this is my 
body6'    ,awed and impressed by his    
manner and the act1 we all received and 
ate it as he commanded us to do1 as     
reverently as if it were the holy       
shew-bread of the ,temple1 dedicated to 
,god's use4 ,when we had eaten in       
silence what we perceived was the       
inauguration of a new and most sacred   
feast by his own hand1 he took up the   
cup of wine1 and consecrated it  also by
 giving thanks and blessing4 ,the       

hallowed cup he now offered to  each one
 of us4 ,we all drank of it with deep   
devotion1 for he said to  us1 ',i will  
drink no more with you the fruit of the 
vine until that day  that ,i drink it   
new in the kingdom of ,god6' ,he also   
said of the wine1  ',this is my blood6' 
,and how do you understand these words1 
that the bread consecrated was  his     
body1 and the wine was his blood8 ,i    
asked of the disciple4    ,that is an   
inquiry ,i cannot answer1 said ,john4   
,it is a mystery4 ,but  the ,lord says  
it shall be made clear to us by and by4 
,we then sang the ,passover hymn to     
,god1 and went out at his command to  go
 to ,olivet4 ,as we went he discoursed  
with us3    ',my children1' he said4 ',i
 am to be with you but a little while   
longer4 ,the hour of my departure is at 
hand4 ,remember my last  words--love one
 another4 ,in this shall all men know   
that ye are my  disciples4'    ',lord1' 
cried ,peter1 'we will go with thee6    
,thou shalt not leave us  nor go without

 us6'    ,thus we all1 eagerly and      
tearfully1 gathered around him1 alarmed 
and  grieved at the words he had said4  
,he regarded us lovingly and said3      
',little children1 ,i must leave you4   
,whither ,i go you cannot come6'        
',though thou wentest to the uttermost  
parts of the sea1 ,i will follow  thee1 
my ,master and ,lord6' exclaimed ,peter4
 ',whither goest thou1 that  we may not 
follow8 ,i will lay down my life for    
thee2 and so will all  these6'          
,illustration3 ,,an ,,oriental ,,supper 
,,scene4    ',wilt thou die for me1     
,peter8' asked ,jesus1 gazing on him    
with a sad1  sweet look4 ',verily1      
verily1 ,peter1 thou little knowest     
thyself4 ,the  cock shall not crow twice
 ere thou shalt thrice deny that thou   
knowest  me4'    ',deny thee1 ,lord6'   
repeated ,peter1 with amazed grief and  
horror in his  looks4    ',yes1 ,peter1'
 answered ,jesus1 firmly but kindly1    
'deny that thou ever  knewest me2 for   
the time draweth near when there shall  

be safety only  in confessing ignorance 
of ,jesus the ,nazarene4 ,and all ye1'  
he added1  while his voice grew         
tremulous1 and tears glistened in his   
eyes1 'all  ye shall be offended because
 of me this night2 ye shall be ashamed  
that ye are my disciples1 and ye will   
think me a deceiver and will be         
displeased at me4 ,yea1 every one of you
 shall desert me2 for thus it  is       
written3 ,the shepherd shall be smitten1
 and the sheep shall be  scattered6'    
,when he saw that our hearts were       
troubled and that we were sad1 and  that
 the faithful ,philip sobbed aloud at   
being supposed capable of  abandoning   
his ,master1 he added1 ',let not your   
hearts be troubled2 ,i go  to prepare a 
place for you in my ,father's house6'   
',thy father1 ,lord1 no longer liveth in
 ,nazareth2 and1 were he alive1  there  
are but two small apartments in his     
humble house1' said ,thomas4  ',how     
sayest thou that we are all to lodge    
there8'    ',thomas1 thou canst         

understand only what thine eyes see4 ,i 
speak of my  ,father who is in heaven4  
,in his house are many mansions4'       
,jesus then1 as we drew near ,cedron1   
began plainly to tell us that he  was to
 die1 and that by his death we should be
 admitted into a heavenly  paradise and 
live forever4 ,we could not understand  
all he said1 but we  knew that he was   
soon to be taken from us and sorrow     
filled all our  hearts4 ,after          
discoursing with us in the most touching
 words1 he at  length said3    ',come1  
let us go over ,cedron to the side of   
,olivet1 into the garden we  so much    
love to walk in4'    ,we went with him1 
inclosing him as a guard1 to conceal his
 person  from the ,jewish spies1 as well
 as to defend him4 ,peter and ,james    
went  before4 ,the full moon shone      
brightly1 and by its light glancing on  
the  face of ,jesus1 by whom ,i walked1 
,i saw that it was sadder than its      
wont1 while he spoke but little4    ,we 
at length crossed the brook and entered 

the dark groves of ,olivet4  ,familiar  
with all the paths1 we advanced to a    
central group of  venerable olive trees1
 beneath which1 tradition says1 ,abraham
 used to  sit2 and there ,jesus1 turning
 to us1 said in a voice of the deepest  
woe3    ',friends1 the hour of my time  
of trial is come6 ,my work is ended4 ,i 
would be alone4 ,remain you here and    
watch1 for we shall be sought for4      
,come with me1 ,peter1 and you also1    
,james4 ,i am going to pray yonder4'    
',take me1 also1 dear ,lord6' ,i said1  
sorrowfully4    ',yes1 thou art always  
with me1 beloved6' he answered4 ',i will
 not  leave thee now4'    ,so leaving   
the eight friends to keep watch against 
the intrusion of  his enemies1 who were 
known to be everywhere seeking him1 he  
walked  away to the most secluded       
recesses of the garden4 ,he stopped at  
the  place near the rock where ,adam is 
said to have hidden from ,jehovah1 and  
saying to us in a sorrowful tone1       
',tarry ye here1 while ,i go apart and  

pray to my ,father1' he went from us    
about a stone's cast and kneeled  down1 
where a thick olive branch hanging low  
to the ground concealed  him from our   
view4 ,i was so solicitous lest he      
should leave us and we  should see him  
no more1 that ,i soon softly advanced   
near to the spot  and beheld him        
prostrate on the ground1 while deep     
groans broke from  his heart4 ,i heard  
his voice murmuring1 but could not      
distinguish the  words broken by grief2 
only the tones were those of strange    
horror and  dread4    ,as he prayed thus
 in great agony1 ,i suddenly beheld a   
swift light  pass by me1 as if from the 
skies1 and lo6 an angel stood by the    
side  of ,jesus1 bending over him and   
raising him up from the ground4 ,a      
soft1 bright glory shone around the     
spot1 so that ,peter1 seeing it1        
advanced towards me1 supposing some one 
had entered the garden bearing  a torch4
 ,i beckoned to ,peter to be motionless1
 and he gazed with me in  speechless    

astonishment and admiration upon the    
form of the angel1 from  whose glorious 
face was emitted the radiance which     
illumined the place  where ,jesus was4  
,as the angel raised ,jesus from the    
ground1 we saw that  his divine         
countenance was convulsed with anguish1 
and upon his brow  stood great shining  
drops of sweat1 mingled with blood1     
which oozed  from his pallid temples    
and1 rolling down his marble cheeks1    
dropped to  the ground4 ,never had we   
beheld a human visage so marred by      
sorrow1 so  deeply graven with the lines
 of agony4    ,the angel seemed to utter
 soothing words1 and pointed with his   
shining  hand towards heaven1 as if to  
encourage him with hope and give him    
strength4 ,the face of ,jesus grew more 
serene2 he raised his eyes  heavenward  
with a divine expression of holy love1  
and cried in a strong  voice3    ',thy  
will1 not mine1 ,o ,god1 be done6'      
,the angel then embraced him1 as if     
strengthening him1 and soaring  upward1 

disappeared like a star returning into  
the blue depths of  heaven1 while ,peter
 and ,i stood by wondering and full of  
awe at what we  beheld4    ,we remained 
for some time conversing together upon  
the wonderful  vision we had seen1 which
 confirmed us in the certainty that     
,jesus  came from ,god1 and was in truth
 the ,messias that should come2 but  at 
length1 wearied with our day's          
excitements1 we must have fallen        
asleep1 for we were suddenly startled by
 the voice of our dear ,master  saying3 
',why sleep ye1 children8 ,but the hour 
is past for watching4 ,ye may  sleep on 
now1 for though your flesh is weary1    
your spirit is willing4 ,i  need your   
aid no longer6'    ,while he was        
speaking1 we saw many torches gleaming  
through the trees1  along ,king ,david's
 walk1 and the tramp of feet fell on our
 ears4 ,we  soon saw a large party      
advancing into the midst of the garden1 
who  walked rapidly and spoke only in   
undertones4 ,we at once took the alarm  

and said to ,jesus3    ',fly1 dear      
,master6 ,let us ascend the hill1 and   
escape by the way of  ,bethany1 for     
these are enemies6'    ',nay1' answered 
our dear ,master4 ',it must needs be    
that ,i deliver  myself into the hands  
of these men4 ,how else shall the       
,scriptures be  fulfilled8 ,seek safety 
in flight for yourselves1 but ,i must go
 whither  they will lead me4'    ',not  
so1 ,lord1' answered ,peter4 ',there is 
time for thee to escape2 or1  if not1 we
 will stand by thee and defend thee4'   
,so said all the disciples4 ,jesus shook
 his head and said1 with a sad  smile1  
',ye know not what ye say or would do4  
,mine hour is come6'    ,while he yet   
spake the multitude drew nearer1 and    
those who had the  lead1 raising their  
torches high above their heads1         
discovered us1  with ,jesus in the      
midst4 ,to my surprise ,i beheld ,judas 
acting as their  guide1 for he alone    
knew where his ,master was to be found  
at that hour4  ,upon discovering ,jesus 

this wicked man ran forward1 with       
expressions of  friendship in his face1 
and kissed ,jesus on the cheek1 saying3 
',hail1 ,master6 ,i am glad ,i have     
found thee6'    ',judas1' said ,jesus1  
'betrayest thou the ,son of man with a  
kiss8'    ,when ,judas heard this he    
turned to the multitude1 at the head of 
which  ,i recognized some of the chief  
priests1 and of the most learned scribes
  of the ,temple1 and cried aloud3      
',this is he6 ,seize him1 and hold him  
fast6'    ,thereupon the crowd1 to the  
number of full ten score men1 among whom
  were the vilest sort of people1 rushed
 forward to lay hands upon ,jesus1  the 
moon and torches together shedding      
almost the bright light of day  into the
 garden upon the whole group4           
,illustration3 ,,mount ,,of ,,olives4   
,at seeing them advance so furiously1   
with spears and clubs and swords1       
,peter and ,james placed themselves     
before ,jesus to defend him1 while ,i1  
being unarmed1 cast myself across his   

breast1 to shield his heart with  my    
body4 ,the more bold men in the crowd   
coming too near1 ,peter smote  one of   
them with his sword1 as he was reaching 
out his arm to grasp  ,jesus by the     
shoulder1 and clave off his ear4 ,at    
seeing this the crowd  uttered a fierce 
shout1 and were pressing upon us1 when  
,jesus raised  the palm of his hand and 
said quietly3    ',whom seek ye8'       
,instantly the whole mass rolled        
backward1 like a receding billow        
rebounding from the face of an immovable
 rock1 and every man thereof  fell with 
his forehead to the ground1 where they  
all lay for a minute  stunned4 ,we      
twelve alone stood1 for ,judas had not  
been struck down1  and now remained     
gazing with amazement and terror upon   
the prostrate  enemies of ,jesus4       
',lord1' cried ,peter1 astonished1 'if  
thou canst thus repel thy foes1  thou   
needest not fear them more4 ,shall ,i   
smite ,judas also8'    ',nay1 put up thy
 sword1 ,peter6 ,let him remain to      

witness my power1  that he may know that
 he nor his have any power over me save 
that ,i  give them4'    ,while he was   
thus speaking the people and soldiers   
rose to their  feet1 and1 instead of    
flying1 they seemed to be infuriated at 
their  discomfiture2 and the chief      
priests crying out that it was by       
sorcery  that they had been thus        
stricken down1 they rushed madly forward
 and  laid their hands upon ,jesus and  
upon us all4 ,in vain ,i contended      
against numbers to rescue ,jesus2       
overpowered1 we were defeated and       
driven from the garden1 leaving ,jesus  
in the hands of his enemies4    ,when   
,john had gone thus far in his relation1
 dear father1 our tears and  his were   
mingled4 ,but we try and comfort        
ourselves with the word of his  promise3
    ,ye know not now1 but ye shall know 
by and by1 and shall believe truly  that
 ,i came out from ,god4 ,what now seems 
to you mysterious shall be  made clear  
as light4 ,wait and have faith1 and all 

shall be made known  which now you      
understand not4 ,let no trials and      
degradations ye see me  pass through    
cause your faith to fail4 ,i am come    
into this world to  conquer2 but if ,i  
stoop1 it is to raise up the world with 
me when ,i  rise again6    ,i have      
omitted to mention to you what more     
,john related as wonderful  touching the
 arrest of the ,prophet4 ,as the chief  
priests bound and  laid their hands on  
him1 there was1 he said1 heard in the   
air the  sound of myriads of rushing    
wings1 and notes like the gathering     
signal of a trumpet1 echoing and        
re-echoing in the skies1 as if a        
countless host of invisible beings were 
marshaling1 armies by armies1  in       
mid-heaven6 ,at these fearful and       
sublime sounds all raised their  heads  
but could behold nothing4 ,then ,jesus  
said1 with a majestic and  commanding   
look1 such as ,i had never before beheld
 upon his face3    ',ye hear that ,i am 
not without heavenly friends6 ,i have   

only to pray  to my ,father which is in 
heaven1 and he will bid twelve legions  
of his  angels1 now hovering in the air 
and yearning to defend me from my foes1 
descend to my aid6 ,but ,i desire not to
 use my powers for myself4'    ,thus1   
dear father1 was ,jesus borne away by a 
fierce multitude and  dragged into the  
city4    ,john1 whose interest in and   
affection for ,jesus led him to follow  
them1  heard all this2 but ,jesus made  
no answer1 only walking quietly along1  
patiently enduring all they said and    
did4    ,as they entered the city gate  
the ,roman guard1 seeing the immense    
crowd  and uproar1 stopped them to learn
 the cause of the commotion4    ',we    
have here a traitor and conspirator1 ,o 
captain of the guard1'  answered ,eli1  
the chief priest3 'a pestilent fellow1  
who calls  himself ,christ1 a king6 ,we 
have1 therefore1 with this band of hired
  soldiers1 taken him1 as he was met    
secretly with twelve of his             
fellow-conspirators1 plotting to        

overthrow the government of ,csar and   
make himself king of ,judea4'    ',long 
live ,csar6 ,long live the emperor6'    
shouted the ,roman soldiers4  ',we have 
no king but ,augustus ,imperator6'      
,upon this many of the soldiers cried1  
',take him before the ,procurator6  ,he 
will give him his deserts1 who would    
take his procuratorship away  from him6 
,to ,pilate6 ,to ,pilate6'    ',to      
,annas6' shouted the ,jews4 ',first to  
,annas6'    ,then1 with some shouting   
one thing and others another thing1 he  
was  hurried towards the house of       
,annas4    ,when ,annas knew that the   
prisoner was ,jesus1 he uttered a       
fearful oath  expressive of his joy and 
wicked satisfaction1 and1 hastily robing
 and  coming down into the court1 he    
bade them bring the prisoner in4 ,but   
the  calm majesty of ,jesus abashed him1
 and checked the course of insulting    
questions he began putting to him4 ,at  
length finding that the ,prophet  would 
make no reply1 he caused him to be bound

 still more closely with  more cords1   
lest he should1 like ,samson1 rend his  
bonds and escape on  the way1 and sent  
him to ,caiaphas1 the ,high ,priest1    
saying to him3    ',caiaphas will find  
voice for thy tongue1 ,o ,prophet6 ,so1 
thou wouldst  destroy the ,temple1 and  
callest thyself the ,son of the ,lord   
,jehovah6  ,out1 blasphemer6 ,away with 
him1 or the house will be swallowed up  
with the presence of one so impious6    
,away with the man6 ,by the crown  of   
,david6 ,pilate will make thee king in  
truth1 and give thee a ,roman  throne1  
to which1 so that thou mayest not       
presently fall from it1 he  will nail   
thee foot and hand6'    ,at this the    
cruel crowd shouted their approbation1  
and many cried3    ',ay1 to the cross6  
to the cross with him6'    ,but others  
said1 ',nay1 but to ,caiaphas6'    ,the 
captain of the ,roman soldiers resolved 
that he should be taken  before ,pilate1
 and led the way thither1 ,jesus bound  
in the midst4    ,with renewed uproar   

they tumultuously pressed forward1 their
 way  lighted by the red glare of a     
hundred torches1 insulting the ,roman   
soldiers with seditious cries4 ,john    
followed1 but being recognized as  one  
of his disciples by a soldier in milius'
 legion1 he was seized and  only escaped
 by leaving his apparel in the grasp of 
the rude ,roman4  ,five of the disciples
 who have escaped arrest1 are now in    
this house1  whither ,john fled also1 on
 eluding the grasp of the soldier1      
leaving  his linen garment in his hand4 
,we are all so sad and anxious6 ,to move
  in favor of ,jesus is only to share   
his fate and do him no service4    ,yet 
through all1 dear father1 ,i do trust in
 him and hope6 ,oh1 ,i cannot  doubt his
 truth and power6 ,i have seen him bring
 ,lazarus up from  the grave1 and ,i    
will not believe but that he can save   
himself1 and  will save himself1 from   
their hands4 ,it is only when ,i shall  
behold  him really no more--see him     
really dead--that my faith in his divine

  mission will waver4    ,with eyes     
blinded with tears1 ,i can scarcely     
subscribe myself1                       
,your sad but loving daughter1          
,adina4          ,,letter ,,xxx4        
,my ,dear ,father3    ,i know not how to
 write--,i know not what to say6 ,dismay
 and sorrow fill  my heart6 ,i feel as  
if life were a burden too heavy to hear6
 ,they have  crucified him6    ,verily  
fear and a snare are come upon          
us--desolation and destruction1  ,o my  
father6 ,we know not which way to turn4 
,he in whom we trusted has  proved as   
one of us1 weak and impotent1 and has   
suffered death without  power to save   
himself4 ,he that saved others could not
 escape the death  of the ,roman cross6 
,while ,i write1 ,i hear the priest     
,abner1 in the  court below1 mocking my 
,uncle ,amos in a loud voice3    ,your  
,messias is dead6 ,a famous great       
prophet1 surely1 you ,nazarenes  have   
chosen--born in a manger and crucified  
as a thief6 ,said ,i not  that he who   

could speak against the ,temple and the 
priesthood was of  ,beelzebub8    ,rabbi
 ,amos makes no reply4 ,shame and       
despair seal his lips4 ,thus our        
enemies triumph over us1 and we answer  
only with confusion of face4    ,this   
unexpected1 this unlooked-for1 startling
 result has stupefied me1  and not only 
me but all who have been so led by      
fascination as to trust  in him4 ,even  
,john1 the beloved disciple1 ,i hear now
 pacing the floor of  the adjoining     
room1 sobbing as if his noble heart     
would burst4 ,mary1 my  cousin's sweet  
voice1 ,i catch from time to time trying
 to soothe him1  although she is        
stricken like us all to the very earth4 
,the unhappy  ,john ,i hear despairingly
 answer her3    ,do not try to comfort  
me1 ,mary6 ,there is no ground for hope 
more6 ,he  is dead--dead6 ,all is lost6 
,we who trusted in him have only to fly1
 if  we would save our wretched lives1  
into ,galilee1 and return once more  to 
our nets6 ,the sun which shone so       

dazzlingly has proved a phantom  light  
and gone out in darkness6 ,he whom ,i   
could not but love1 ,i see  that ,i     
loved too well1 since he proves not what
 ,i believed him to  be6 ,oh1 how could 
he be so like the ,son of ,god and yet  
not be6 ,yet ,i  loved and adored him as
 if he were the very ,son of the        
,highest6 ,but ,i  have seen him die as 
a man--,i have gazed on his lifeless    
body6 ,i have  beheld the deep wound    
made into his very heart by the ,roman  
spear6  ,i cast myself upon him1 when he
 was taken down from the cross1 and     
implored him1 by his love for me1 to    
give some sign that he was not  holden  
by death6 ,i placed my trembling hands  
over his heart4 ,it was                 
still--still--motionless as stone1 like 
any other dead man's6 ,he was           
dead--dead6 ,with him die all our       
hopes--the hopes of ,israel6    ,he may 
live again1 said ,mary1 softly and      
hesitatingly1 as if she  herself had no 
such hope4 ,he raised ,lazarus1 thou    

dost remember6    ,yes1 for ,jesus was  
living to do it1 answered ,john1        
stopping in his  walk2 but how can the  
dead raise the dead8 ,no1 he will never 
move1  speak1 nor breathe again6    ,but
 ,i will not further delay the account  
of his trial and condemnation1  for you 
will be anxious to know how such a man  
could be condemned to  a malefactor's   
death4 ,in my last letter ,i spoke of   
his arrest through  the traitorous part 
enacted by ,judas4 ,led by his captors1 
bound by the  wrists with a cord1 ,jesus
 was taken from the dark groves of      
,olivet1  where he had been found at    
prayer1 and conducted with great noise  
into  the city by ,csar's gate4 ,it is  
near this archway that ,rabbi ,amos     
lives4 ,i will copy for you my ,cousin  
,mary's account of it to ,martha of     
,bethany1 just written by her1 instead  
of adding any more to my own4    ,i went
 out upon the basilica1 which overlooked
 the streets1 says  ,mary1 and beheld a 
multitude advancing with torches        

flashing1 and  soon they came opposite  
the house1 at least two hundred men in  
number1  half clad and savage looking1  
with fierce eyes and scowling looks4    
,here and there among them was a ,levite
 urging them on1 and ,i also  beheld    
,abner the priest firing their passions 
by loud oratory and eager               
gesticulations4 ,behind rode five ,roman
 horsemen1 with levelled spears1        
guarding a young man who walked with a  
firm step4 ,i burst into tears4  ,it was
 ,jesus6 ,his locks were dishevelled1   
his beard torn1 his face  marred1 and   
his garments rent4 ,he was pale and     
suffering1 yet walked  with a firm step4
 ,i burst into tears1 and so did ,adina1
 who had come  out to see what was      
passing4 ,he looked up and said         
touchingly1 ',mourn  not for me4'    ,he
 would have said more1 but the priest   
smote him rudely upon the  mouth1 and   
the crowd1 following his example1 would 
have done him  further insult but for   
the ,roman soldiers1 who turned their   

spears  every way to guard him from     
violence1 for they had rescued him from 
the terrible rage of the ,jews by their 
centurion's orders1 and were  commanded 
to bring him safely before ,pilate4 ,so1
 thus guarded and  escorted by the men  
who thirsted for his blood1 he was led  
onward  to the ,pretorium1 where the    
,roman ,procurator resided4 ,gradually  
the  whole multitude disappeared in the 
distance when silence1 a dread and      
unearthly silence1 succeeded4 ,i turned 
and looked in ,adina's face4 ,she  was  
leaning1 as colorless as marble1 against
 one of the columns of the  basilica4   
',what can all this mean8' she said1    
with emotion4 ',can it be possible  he  
has suffered himself to be taken--he who
 could destroy or make alive  with a    
word8 ,what means this dreadful scene we
 have just witnessed8'    ,i could not  
answer4 ,all ,i knew was what my eyes   
just beheld--that  ,jesus our ,prophet1 
our ,king1 our ,messias1 on whom all our
 hopes and  the joy of ,israel rested1  

was dragged a prisoner through the      
streets1  helpless and without a helper4
 ,i trembled with ,i knew not what      
unknown  forebodings4 ,suddenly ,adina  
cried3    ',he cannot be harmed6 ,he    
cannot die6 ,he is a mighty ,prophet1   
and  has power that will strike his     
enemies dead4 ,let us not fear4 ,he has 
yielded himself only the more terribly  
to defeat and destroy his foes4  ,we    
will not fear what ,pilate or the       
priests will do6 ,they cannot harm  the 
,anointed ,shiloh of the ,lord6'        
,while we were yet talking1 dear        
,martha1 a dark figure passed           
stealthily along beneath the basilica1  
and seemed to court the shadows  of the 
house4 ,at this moment my father1 ,rabbi
 ,amos1 opened the outer  gate1 with a  
torch in his hand1 to follow1 at our    
request1 the crowd of  people1 and see  
what should befall ,jesus4 ,the light   
glared full upon  the tall1 spare form  
of ,peter1 the ,galilean fisherman4 ,his
 dark1 stern  features wore an          

expression of earnest anxiety4    ',is  
it thou1 ,peter8' exclaimed my father4  
',what is all this8 ,who has  ordered   
the arrest of ,jesus8 ,what has he      
done8'    ',that hateful and envious    
man1 ,caiaphas1 seeks to destroy him1   
and  has bribed with large lures of gold
 the baser ,jews to do this thing4      
,come with me1 ,rabbi1 and let us die   
with him6' and the ,galilean pressed    
eagerly forward at a pace with which my 
father could not keep up4    ,and this  
was an hour ago1 and yet no news has    
come from the ,pretorium2  but from time
 to time a dreadful shout from the hill 
on which the  palace of ,caiaphas       
stands1 breaks upon my ears1 and the    
glare of unseen  torches illumines the  
atmosphere high above the towers of the 
palace4  ,it is a fearful night of agony
 and suspense4 ,adina1 in her painful   
uncertainty1 but for my entreaties would
 go forth alone towards the  ,pretorium 
to hear and know all4 ,i can keep myself
 calm only by writing  to you4 ,adina   

has also commenced a letter to her      
father1 recording  these sad things1 but
 she drops her pen to start to the      
balcony at  every sound4 ,when will this
 fearful night end6 ,what will the      
morrow  reveal6    ,it is an hour since 
,i wrote the last line4 ,the interval   
has been one  of agony4 ,rumors have    
reached us that the priests insist on   
,pilate's  passing sentence of death on 
the ,prophet4 ,the cries1 ',crucify him6
  ,crucify him6' have distinctly reached
 our ears4 ,john is now here4  ,about   
half an hour after ,jesus passed he     
reached our house nearly  destitute of  
apparel1 his clothing having been torn  
from off him by  the ,jews1 in their    
efforts to make him their prisoner also4
 ,he is calm  and confiding1 saying that
 his beloved ,master can never be       
injured by  them1 and that he will ere  
many hours deliver himself from his     
foes1  and proclaim himself king of     
,israel with power such as man never had
  before4 ,may the ,god of ,jacob defend

 him6 ,john has just gone up to the     
,temple to get news1 in disguise of a   
priest1 wearing my father's robes4    ,i
 have just seen a messenger passing in  
great haste along the street1  and his  
horse falling1 cast him almost upon our 
threshold4 ,it was the  page of milius1 
the noble ,roman knight1 who is         
betrothed to my ,cousin  ,adina4 ,she   
hastened to his aid4 ,he was but        
stunned1 and soon was able  to say that 
he bore a message from ,lucia ,metella1 
the fair and youthful  bride of ,pilate1
 urging him to have nothing to do with  
the ,prophet1 but  to give him his      
liberty1 for she had just awakened from 
an impressive  dream in which she saw   
him sitting on the throne of the        
universe1  crowned with the stars of    
heaven1 the earth a footstool beneath   
his  feet1 and all nations assembled and
 doing him homage4    ,this report of   
the page has filled our hearts with joy 
and hope  inexpressible4 ,confident that
 ,jesus is the ,son of ,god1 we will not

 fear  what man can do unto him4    ,my 
father has returned4 ,it is day4 ,he    
says nothing can save ,jesus but  his   
own divine power4 ,the ,jews are in     
number many thousands1 and cry  for his 
blood4 ,pilate has but a cohort of      
soldiers and fears to use  force1 lest  
the exasperated people break into open  
revolt and take the  city from his      
hands1 which they can with ease do if   
they will unite4  ',he trembles1' said  
my father1 'between fear to condemn the 
innocent  and dread of the vengeance of 
the ,jews if he let him go4 ,nothing can
  save the ,prophet but his own mighty  
miracle-working power4 ,he who has      
saved others will surely save himself4' 
,while my father was speaking a man     
rushed into our presence4 ,he was  low  
in stature1 broad-chested1 with a stiff1
 reddish beard1 narrow  eyes1 and sharp1
 unpleasant visage4 ,his attire was     
ragged and mean1 as  was his whole      
aspect4 ,he grasped in his right hand a 
small bag1 which  rung with coin as his 

shaking fingers held it4 ,he trembled   
all over1  and seizing my father by the 
arm with the quick1 nervous grasp of a  
lunatic1 cried hoarsely3    ',will he   
let them8 ,will he8 ,will he8'    ',will
 he what1 ,iscariot8 ,of whom do you    
speak8 ,art thou crazed8 ,thou  shouldst
 well be1 after thy deed to-night6'     
',will he let them kill him8 ,will he   
die8 ,will he die8 ,think you he  will  
escape8 ,he can if he will6 ,cords to   
him are ropes of sand6'    ',no1 no4 ,he
 is bound hand and foot6' answered my   
father1 sadly4 ',he  makes no defense4  
,i fear he will let them do as they will
 with him4 ,he  makes no effort to save 
his life4'    ,at this ,judas1 for it   
was that wicked man1 beat his knitted   
forehead  in a frenzied manner with the 
bag of silver1 and with a look of       
horrible despair rushed forth1 crying as
 he went3    ',i will save him6 ,the    
priests shall have their money again6   
,he shall  not die6 ,if ,i had believed 
he would not do some miracle to escape  

them1  ,i never would have sold him6 ,i 
hoped to get their money1 and trusted1  
if they bound him1 for him to escape by 
his own power4 ,i did not dream  that he
 would not exert it to save himself4 ,i 
will save thee1 innocent  man of ,god1  
for ,i1 not thou1 alone am guilty6 ,oh1 
if ,i had suspected  this--but he shall 
not die6'    ,with these ravings he     
disappeared towards the ,pretorium1     
leaving us  all amazed at what we had   
heard4    ,the sun is up4 ,the fate of  
,jesus is sealed6 ,the ,procurator has  
signed the sentence of death and he is  
to be crucified to-day4 ,but1  with     
,judas1 ,i believe that he cannot die1  
and that he will signalize  the hour by 
some wonderful miracle of personal      
deliverance4 ,thus1  tremblingly1 we    
hope and wait4    ,here terminates1 my  
dear father1 what my cousin has written 
to ,martha  and ,lazarus4               
,your sorrowing but loving daughter1    
,adina4          ,,letter ,,xxxi4       
,dearest ,father3    ,i have only       

terminated my last letter to take up my 
pen for the  beginning of another1 for  
,i find relief only in writing to you   
from the  deep affliction which has     
struck me to the earth4 ,if anything can
 add  to my mortification at the death  
of the ,nazarene1 ,jesus1 it is that ,i 
shall have endeavored so earnestly to   
make you believe in him also4  ,oh1 ,i  
shall never have confidence in a human  
being again2 and the more  lovely1 the  
more holy1 the more heavenly the        
character of any one1 the  wiser and    
purer their teachings1 the more         
distrustful shall ,i be of  them4       
,but ,i will turn from these painful    
thoughts and1 as ,i promised in my      
last1 will give you an account of what  
passed at his trial4    ,it is now the  
morning following the crucifixion1 and  
,i am calmer  than ,i was yesterday and 
will be able to write with more         
coherency4  ,twenty-four hours have     
passed since he was nailed to the cross4
 ,his  followers have been1 since his   

arrest1 hunted like wild beasts of the  
wilderness4 ,annas has hired and filled 
with wine fierce ,roman soldiers1  and  
sent them everywhere to seize the       
fugitive ,nazarenes4 ,john was          
especially sought out1 and the          
emissaries of ,annas came at midnight   
last night to the house to take him1 but
 we assisted him in making  his escape  
by means of the subterranean passage    
that leads from the  dwelling of ,rabbi 
,amos to the catacombs beneath the      
,temple4    milius1 though only recently
 a convert from the paganism of ,rome1  
is  firm in his faith that ,jesus will  
rise again to life2 and1 instead of     
giving up all1 as we do1 he says that he
 should not be amazed to be  suddenly   
told by the soldiers1 whom he left to   
guard his tomb1 that he  had burst forth
 alive from the dead6    ,but ,i have   
forgotten that ,i am to narrate to you1 
dear father1 the  particulars of his    
accusation1 trial and condemnation4 ,as 
,i was not  present in the ,pretorium1  

,i am indebted for the further details  
which ,i  shall give1 in part to ,john  
and in part to ,rabbi ,amos4    ,as soon
 as the mob of ,jews who had ,jesus     
under arrest1 and which ,i  saw pass the
 house1 reached the abode of ,rabbi     
,annas1 he asked them  whom they had in 
custody1 and when they answered that it 
was the great  ,nazarene ,prophet1 he   
said with joy3    ',bring him into the  
lower court1 that ,i may see him4 ,by   
the rod of  ,aaron1 ,i would have him do
 some notable miracle for me4'    ,and  
thus speaking1 the white-headed old man 
hastened down to the  court1 which1 on  
reaching1 he found thronged with the    
infuriated  multitude4 ,it was with     
difficulty he made a passage to where   
,jesus  stood1 both imprisoned and      
defended by a glittering lattice of     
,roman  spears4 ,after regarding him    
attentively he said1 with curiosity yet 
with sarcasm3    ',art thou1 then1 the  
,king of the ,jews8 ,hast thou come to  
reign on the  throne of ,david8 ,show me

 a sign from heaven1 and ,i will        
acknowledge  thee1 ,o ,nazarene6'       
,but ,jesus stood calm and dignified1   
making no answer4 ,annas then  angrily  
plucked him by the beard1 and a         
messenger at the same moment  arrived to
 say to him that ,caiaphas1 the ,high   
,priest1 demanded to have  ,jesus       
brought before him4 ,upon this he said  
in a loud voice3    ',lead him to the   
palace6 ,caiaphas1 my son-in-law1 would 
see the man  who would destroy the      
,temple and rebuild it in three days6'  
,there now arose a dreadful shout from  
the priests and people1 who1  rushing   
upon ,jesus1 cried1 ',crucify him6' and 
attempted to grasp his  person1 as they 
guarded him along the streets2 but in   
protecting him1  as they had been       
commanded to do1 the ,romans wounded    
several of the  ,jews4 ,hereupon there  
was a great cry of sedition and shouts  
of3    ',down with the ,roman eagles6   
,down with the barbarians6 ,death to the
  ,gentiles6'    ,these cries were      

followed up by a fearful rush of the    
mass of men  upon the handful of guards4
 ,they were forced back1 their spears   
broken  like straws or turned aside1 and
 ,jesus successfully wrested from their 
power4 ,but in the height of the battle 
milius appeared with a portion  of the  
legion of which he was ,prefect1 and    
instantly charging the  people1 who fled
 before the breasts of his horses1      
rescued the ,prophet4    ',rabbi1' said 
milius to the ,prophet1 with            
compassionate respect1  ',i know thou   
hast power from ,god to disperse as     
chaff this rabble of  fiends4 ,speak1   
and let them perish at thy divine       
command6'    ',nay1 my son4 ,i am come  
into the world for this hour1' answered 
,jesus4  ',this1 also1 is a part of my  
mission from my ,father4 ,it becomes me 
to  endure all things1 even death4'     
',you cannot die1 my ,lord1' said milius
 warmly4 ',did ,i not see thee  raise   
,lazarus from the tomb8'    ',to die ,i 
came into this world1 but not for       

myself4 ,i lay down my  life1 and ,i can
 take it again4 ,these men could have no
 power over me  except my ,father did   
grant it to them4 ,and what my ,father  
willeth ,i  will also4 ,seek not1 my    
son1 to deliver me4'    ,these words    
passed between them beneath the portico1
 as milius was  loosing the sharp cords 
from the bleeding wrists of the youthful
  ,prophet4    ',to ,caiaphas6 ,to      
,caiaphas6' now cried the multitude1 who
 had been  for a moment awed by the bold
 charge of the ,roman horse1 but now    
grew  bolder as some men removed the    
dead and wounded out of sight4 ',to the 
palace with the blasphemer6 for he who  
calls himself ,god is1 by our  law1 to  
be punished with death6 ,to the ,high   
,priest with him6'    ',i can rescue    
you1 great ,prophet6' said milius       
resolutely4 ',give me  the word1 and you
 are mounted on my horse and safe in the
 castle of  ,david4'    ',the ,high     
,priest has sent for me4 ,he must be    
obeyed1' answered ,jesus2  and milius1  

surprised at his refusal to escape1     
reluctantly escorted  him to the palace4
 ,the windows already glared with       
torches1 and the  superb ,hall of ,aaron
 was alight with a hundred flambeaux4   
,caiaphas  was already upon his throne1 
although it was long past the hour of   
midnight--an unwonted time for him to   
sit in the council chamber2  but his    
desire to have ,jesus brought before him
 led him to hold an  extraordinary      
court4 ,a score of the elders and chief 
priests were  standing about him1 their 
dark1 eager faces earnestly watching the
  entrance to get a look at the         
approaching ,prophet4 ,as ,jesus        
serenely  entered1 led by the sorrowful 
milius1 ,caiaphas bent his tall1 gaunt  
form forward1 thrust his neck and huge  
head in advance1 and with keen  eyes and
 sharp1 scrutinizing glances1 surveyed  
him whom he jealously  looked upon as   
his foe4    ,the multitude1 pressing in1
 soon filled the vast hall and even     
crowded  upon the rostrum1 upon which   

were seated the scribes1 elders and many
  of the principal priests4 ,the ,roman 
soldiers1 with clanging steel1  marched 
in1 and arrayed themselves on either    
side of the ,high ,priest's  throne1    
leaving ,jesus standing alone before its
 footstool4    ,contrasting with the    
brilliancy of the gorgeous hall and the 
glittering robes of the priests1 surged 
and heaved and moved below the  dark    
masses of the people1 in their gray and 
brown caps and cloaks1 for  the night   
was cold and they wore their winter     
garments2 and all this  wild ocean of   
human forms gleamed with ten thousand   
eyes1 flashing like  the phosphorescent 
stars that glitter on the surface of the
 upheaving  sea when the shadow of the  
storm-cloud hangs above it1 and the     
winds  are about to be unbound to lash  
it into fury4 ,so seemed this terrible  
sea of human heads--,jesus the center of
 their looks and of their hate4  ,he    
alone1 of all that countless host1 he   
alone was calm1 serene1  fearless6      

,caiaphas now waved his hand1 with a    
gesture for silence1 and  addressed     
,jesus3    ',so1 then1' he spoke1 with  
haughty irony1 'thou art ,jesus1 the    
far-famed ,galilean prophet6 ,men say   
thou canst raise the dead6 ,we  would   
fain behold a miracle4 ,thinkest thou1  
if we put thee to death  presently1 thou
 canst raise thyself8'    ',jesus1'     
saith ,rabbi ,amos1 who stood near him  
and saw all1 ',jesus  remained unmoved4 
,his bearing was marked by a certain    
divine dignity1  while an expression of 
holy resignation sat upon his features4 
,he  looked like ,peace1 incarnate in   
the form of man6 ,a soft influence      
seemed to flow from his presence1       
producing a universal but momentary     
emotion of sympathy4 ,caiaphas perceived
 it1 and cried in his harsh1  stern     
voice3    ',you have brought this man   
before me1 men of ,jerusalem2 of what do
 you  accuse him8 ,let those who have   
accusations come forward and make them4 
,he is a ,jew1 and shall have justice by

 our laws4'    ',ye ,jews have no power 
to try a man for his life1 most noble   
,caiaphas1' said milius4 ',the lives of 
all your nation are in the hand  of     
,csar and of his tribunals4 ,you can put
 no man to death4'    milius had spoken 
in hopes that if ,jesus could be brought
 before  ,pilate1 the ,procurator1 he   
might be by him released1 for he knew   
,pilate  had no envy or feeling against 
the ,prophet4    ',thou sayest well1    
noble ,roman1' answered ,caiaphas1 'but 
for the crime  of blasphemy against the 
,temple we are permitted by ,csar to    
judge our  people by the laws of ,moses4
 ,and this man1 if rumor comes nigh the 
truth1 has been guilty of blasphemy4    
,but we will hear the witnesses4'       
,hereupon several of the chief priests  
and scribes who had been going  in and  
out among the crowd1 brought forward    
certain men whose very  aspect showed   
them to be of the baser sort4 ,one of   
these men testified  that he had heard  
,jesus say that he would destroy the    

,temple and could  again in three days  
rebuild it more magnificently than it   
was in the  days of ,solomon the        
,mighty4    ,upon this testimony all the
 priests shouted1 ',blasphemer6' and    
called  for ,jesus to be stoned to      
death4    ,a second witness was now     
produced by ,abijah1 the most passionate
 of  the scribes1 who testified that    
,jesus had taught in ,samaria that men  
would soon no longer worship in the     
,temple1 but that the whole earth  would
 be a temple for ,jews and ,gentiles4   
,this was no sooner heard than some of  
the men gnashed at ,jesus with  their   
teeth1 and but for the gestures and loud
 voice of the ,high  ,priest1 they would
 have made an attempt to get him into   
their power4    ,a third witness1 a man 
who had been notorious for his crimes1  
now came  up4 ,he carried on his wrist a
 cock1 with steel gaffs upon the spurs1 
as if he had just been brought up from  
the cock-pit to bear testimony1  for    
such were the sort of fellows suborned  

by the priests4 ,he testified  that     
,jesus said that the day would soon come
 when not one stone should  be left upon
 another of the ,temple2 that he had    
called it 'a den of  thieves1' the      
priests 'blind guides' and 'deceivers1' 
the scribes  'foxes1' and the ,pharisees
 'hypocrites4'    ,but the fourth and   
fifth witnesses contradicted each other1
 as also  did others4    ,such opposite 
testimony perplexed and irritated       
,caiaphas and  confounded the chief     
priests and scribes4 ,the ,high ,priest 
now began to  perceive that ,jesus would
 have to be released for want of        
testimony  against him4    ',what6      
,galilean and blasphemer of ,god and his
 ,temple1 answerest thou  nothing8'     
cried the ,high ,priest2 'hearest thou  
not what these witness  against thee8'  
,but ,jesus remained silent4 ,caiaphas  
was about to break the silence by  some 
fierce words1 when a voice was overheard
 the other side of the  columns1 on the 
left of the throne1 where was a         

fireplace in which was  burning a large 
fire1 about which stood many persons4   
,rabbi ,amos at  once recognized in the 
violent speaker ,peter1 who had come in 
with him  and ,john1 the latter of whom1
 in the disguise of a priest1 stood not 
far from ,jesus1 gazing tenderly upon   
him1 and listening with the most        
painful interest to all that they       
testified against him2 but ,peter  stood
 farther off1 by the fire1 yet not less 
eagerly attending to all  that passed4  
',thou art one of the ,nazarene's       
followers6' cried the voice of a maid1  
who brought wood to feed the fire4      
',thou needest not to deny it4 ,i am  of
 ,galilee1 and knew thee when thou wert 
a fisherman4 ,seize him1 for he  is one 
of them6'    ',woman1 ,i swear by the   
altar and ark of ,god1 and by the sacred
 ,tables4  ,i know not the fellow6 ,i   
never saw ,galilee6'    ',thy speech    
betrayeth thee1 now thou hast spoken6'  
cried the woman2  'thou art a ,galilean1
 and thy name is ,simon ,bar-,jona4 ,i  

know thee well1  and how1 three years   
ago1 you and your brother ,andrew left  
your nets  to follow this ,nazarene6'   
',may the thunders of ,horeb and the    
curse of ,jehovah follow me1 if what    
thou sayest be true1 woman4 ,thou       
mistakest me for some other man4 ,i     
swear to you1 by the head of my father1 
men and brethren1 that ,i never  saw his
 face before6 ,i know not the man6'     
,as he spoke1 said ,john1 he cast his   
angry looks towards the place  where    
,jesus stood4 ,he caught his ,master's  
eyes bent upon him1 with a  tender and  
reproving gaze1 so full of sorrowing    
compassion1 mingled  with forgiveness1  
that ,i saw ,peter start as if smitten  
with lightning4  ,he then pressed his   
two hands to his face and1 uttering a   
cry of  anguish and despair that made   
the ,high ,priest look1 and which went  
to every heart1 he rushed out by the    
open door into the darkness and         
disappeared4 ,as he did so the cock1    
which was held tied upon the wrist  of  

the third witness1 crowed twice in a    
loud tone4 ,i then remembered  the words
 of ,jesus to ,peter1 spoken but twelve 
hours before3 ',this  night1 even before
 the cock crow the first watch of the   
morning1 thou  shalt thrice deny that   
thou knowest me6' ,upon this1 added     
,john1 my  confidence in my ,master came
 back full and strong1 and ,i felt that 
he  would not1 could not be harmed1 for 
he foreknew all things that could       
happen to him1 and would yet escape     
death4    ,at length1 after great       
excitement and dissension among the     
elders1  chief priests and scribes1     
,caiaphas placed ,jesus before their    
great  council1 at their demand4 ,their 
hall adjoined his own4 ,here they1 as   
well as ,caiaphas1 questioned him       
closely1 and said3    ',art thou the    
,christ1 the ,son of the ,blessed8 ,i   
adjure thee by the  living ,god1 tell us
 plainly4'    ,jesus then elevated his  
princely form1 and bending his eyes upon
  the face of the ,high ,priest1 with a 

look so brightly celestial that         
,caiaphas involuntarily dropped his     
eyelids to the ground1 answered and     
said3    ',ye have said that which ,i   
am6' ,the expression of his countenance1
  says ,john1 seemed to shine as he had 
seen it in the ,mount1 when he was      
transfigured before him4    ',men of    
,israel and ,judah1 ye hear his words6' 
cried the ,high ,priest1  rending down  
the blue lace from his ephod4 ',hear ye 
his blasphemy6 ,what  think ye8 ,need we
 any further witness than his own       
mouth8'    ',he is guilty of death6'    
cried ,abner1 in a hoarse voice1 his    
eyes1  red with being up all the night1 
glaring like a leopard's2 and  advancing
 to where ,jesus stood bound and        
bleeding1 he spat in his face  thrice4  
,this was followed by a loud outcry for 
his death1 and several vile  fellows    
also spat upon him and pulled him by the
 beard4    ',is this ,jewish justice8'  
cried milius indignantly to ,caiaphas4  
',do  you condemn and kill a man without

 witness8 ,stand back1 for ,romans are  
not used to see men condemned without   
law4 ,back1 fellows1 or your blood  will
 flow sooner than his for which you     
thirst6'    ,at this determined attitude
 they gave back for a moment1 and left  
,jesus standing in the midst1 sad but   
serene4    ,john ran to him and wiped   
the blood and uncleanness from his lips 
and cheeks and beard1 and gave him      
water1 which the woman who had          
recognized ,peter compassionately       
brought in a ewer4    ',master1 use thy 
power and escape from them6' whispered  
,john4    ',nay1 tempt me not1 beloved6'
 he answered4 ',my power is not for my  
deliverance1 but for that of the world4 
,for you ,i can do mighty works1  but   
for myself ,i do nothing4 ,i came not to
 save my life1 but to lay it  down4     
,mine hour is at hand6'    ',let not a  
handful of ,romans frighten you1 men of 
,jerusalem6' cried  ,abner4 ',there is  
not a legion in all the city4 ,here we  
are masters1 if  we will it6 ,to the    

rescue6 ,let me hear the lion of ,judah 
roar in his  might1 and the eagle of    
,rome will shriek and fly away6 ,to the 
rescue6'    ',hold1 men and brethren6'  
cried ,caiaphas1 who had judgment enough
 to  see that the first blow would be   
the beginning of a revolution that      
would bring down upon the city the      
,roman army quartered in ,syria and  end
 in the destruction of the nation4      
',hold1 madmen6'    ,but his voice was  
drowned amid the roar of the human      
tempest4 milius  and his men were borne 
away on the crest of the surge and so   
pressed by  the bodies of the ,jews that
 they could not make use of their       
weapons4  ,in the wild confusion ,jesus 
was carried by fierce hands to the      
opposite  end of the council chamber1   
while ,caiaphas strove to appease the   
wrath  of milius1 who insisted that the 
fate of ,jesus should be left with      
,pilate the ,procurator4    ,when       
milius1 aided by the authority of       
,caiaphas1 at length came where  ,jesus 

had been dragged1 they found him        
standing blindfolded among a  crowd of  
the basest fellows of ,jerusalem1 who   
were diverting themselves  by slapping  
his cheeks1 and asking him to tell1 by  
his divine knowledge  of all things1 who
 did it4 ,they would also hold money    
before his  blinded eyes1 and ask him to
 name its value or inscription1 and when
 he  still kept silence they struck him4
    ',we will let thee go1 ,nazarene1'  
said one1 'if thou wilt tell how many   
hairs ,i have in my beard4'    ',nay1   
let him divine1' cried another1 'what ,i
 gave for my ,passover  lamb in the     
market1 and the name of the ,samaritan  
of whom ,i bought it6'    ',out with    
your lambs1 ,kish6' shouted a third     
fellow1 thrusting himself  forward2 'let
 me hear him prophesy6 ,what1 ,galilean6
 silent and sullen6  ,i will make thee  
speak6' and he let a blow of his staff  
fall upon the  head of ,jesus which     
would have struck him to the earth1 but 
for the  voice of ,caiaphas1 which had  

arrested in part its force4    ',men of 
,israel6' he cried aloud1 'that this    
pestilent ,nazarene is a  blasphemer we 
have heard with our ears1 and by our law
 he ought to die1  because he hath made 
himself the ,son of ,god4 ,but ,csar    
hath taken the  power of life and death 
out of our hands6 ,we ,jews can put no  
man to  death1 but the ,romans only4    
,that he hath spoken against ,csar1 and 
is  a seditionist1 can be proved4 ,let  
us take him before ,pilate with this    
accusation6'    ,this speech pleased the
 people1 and1 having rebound ,jesus more
  securely1 they cried all with one     
voice1 ',to ,pilate6 ,to the            
,pretorium6'    ,the multitude then     
poured out of the gates of the palace1  
like a  foaming and chafing river which 
hath overflowed its banks1 and with     
terrible cries1 which we heard even in  
our house1 took the direction  towards  
the ,pretorium4    ,it was with         
difficulty that milius could protect the
 ,prophet in safety  up the hill and to 

the entrance of the ,pretorium1 which he
 entered  with his prisoner just as the 
sun gilded the loftiest pinnacles of the
  ,temple4    ,in another letter1 dear  
father1 ,i will continue the account of 
his  trial1 the remembrance of which1   
while ,i now write of it1 almost        
rekindles again all my love1 faith1     
devotion and confidence in him1 for  who
 but a man ,god-sustained could have    
borne so meekly all this pain1  insult1 
ignominy and shame8                     
,adina4          ,,letter ,,xxxii4      
,my ,dear ,father3    ,this is the      
evening of the ,great ,day of the       
,feast1 and the second day  since the   
ignominious execution of him whom we all
 believed to have  been the ,christ1 the
 ,son of the ,blessed4 ,yet he still    
lies dead in the  tomb6 ,alas1 that one 
so good and noble and wise should have  
been a  deceiver6 ,henceforth ,i have no
 faith in goodness4 ,i have wept till ,i
  can weep no more4    ,it is now the   
close of the ,high ,day of the ,feast4  

,the slanting rays of  the setting sun  
linger yet upon the gilded lances that  
terminate the  lesser pinnacles of the  
holy house of the ,lord4 ,the smoke of  
incense  curls lazily up from the sky   
from its unseen altar1 and the deep     
voices  of the choir of ,levites1       
increased by those of the tens of       
thousands of  ,judah1 who crowd all the 
courts of the ,temple1 fall upon my ears
 like  muffled thunder4 ,i never heard  
anything so solemn4 ,above the ,temple  
has  hung1 since the crucifixion        
yesterday1 the cloud of the smoke of the
  sacrifices1 and it immovably depends  
over all the city like a pall4  ,the sun
 does not penetrate it1 though its light
 falls upon the earth  outside of the   
city1 but all ,jerusalem remains in     
shadow4 ,this cloud  is a fearful sight1
 and all men have been watching it and  
talking of  it and wondering4 ,it seems 
to be in the form of black1 gigantic    
wings1  spreading a league broad over   
,jerusalem4    ,there it now hangs1     

visible from my window1 but we are in   
some sort  used to its dreadful presence
 and cease to fear2 but we are lost in  
wonder4 ,this morning when a high wind  
arose1 blowing from the ,great  ,sea    
eastward1 every one expected and hoped  
to see the cloud sail away  before it in
 the direction of the desert4 ,but the  
only effect the wind  produced was to   
agitate its whole surface in tumultuous 
billows1 while  the mass still retained 
its position above the city4 ,the shadow
 it  casts is supernatural and fearful1 
like the dread obscurity which marks  an
 eclipse of the sun4    ,and this       
reminds me1 my dear father1 to mention  
what1 in the  multiplicity of subjects  
that rush to my pen for expression1 ,i  
have  omitted to state to you2 and what 
is unaccountable unless men have1 in    
truth1 crucified in ,jesus the very ,son
 of ,god4 ,at the time of his death  the
 sun disappeared from the mid-heavens1  
and darkness1 like that of  night1      
followed over all the earth1 so that the

 stars became visible1  and the hills on
 which ,jerusalem stands shook as if an 
earthquake had  moved them1 and many    
houses were thrown down2 and where the  
dead are  buried outside of the city1   
the earth and rocks were rent1 tombs    
broken  up1 and many bodies of the dead 
were heaved to the surface and exposed  
to all eyes6 ,these bodies have lain all
 to-day1 for the ,jews dare not  touch  
them to re-bury them for fear of being  
defiled4 ,all this is  fearful and      
unaccountable4 ,it is known1 too1 that  
as ,jesus expired1 the  vail of the     
,temple was rent in twain and exposed   
the ,holy of ,holies to  every common   
gaze6 ,what will be the end of these    
things is known only  to the ,god of    
,abraham4 ,never was so fearful a       
,passover before4 ,men's  faces are pale
 and all look as though some dread      
calamity had befallen  the nation4      
,my last letter1 my dear father1 closed 
with the termination of the  examination
 of ,jesus before ,caiaphas4    ,guarded

 by milius1 who was his true friend to  
the last1 he was led to  the house of   
,pilate4    ,the ,pretorian gates were  
shut by the ,roman guards as the        
tumultuous  crowd advanced1 for ,pilate 
believed the ,jews were in insurrection1
 and  was prepared to defend his palace2
 for so few are the troops with him  in 
the city that he has for some weeks held
 only the name of power  rather than the
 reality4 ,but when milius explained to 
the captain  of the guard that the ,jews
 desired to accuse ,jesus1 the          
,nazarene1 of  sedition before the      
,procurator1 he was admitted1 with the  
chief men  of the city1 into the outer  
court of ,antiochus1 and at their call  
,pilate came forth to them4 ,when he saw
 the vast concourse of people  with     
,caiaphas and the chief priests1 and    
many rich ,sadducees1 with  the leading 
men of ,jerusalem in the advance1 and   
,jesus1 bound and  disfigured by the    
insults he had undergone1 and milius and
 his few  soldiers enclosing him with   

their protecting spears1 and heard the  
loud voices of the multitude1 as of     
wolves baying for the blood of a        
defenceless lamb1 he stood with         
amazement for a few moments surveying   
the scene4    ,what means this1 milius8 
he demanded of the young ,prefect4 ,who 
is  this captive8    ,it is ,jesus1     
called the ,christ1 my lord1 the        
,prophet of ,galilee4 ,the  ,jews desire
 his death1 accusing him of blaspheming 
their ,god1 and--    ,but ,i have no    
concern with their religion or the      
worship of their ,god4  ,let them judge 
him after their own way1 said ,pilate1  
indifferently1  and with an indolent    
air4    ,but1 most noble ,roman1 said   
,caiaphas1 advancing to the portico on  
which the ,procurator stood1 by our law 
he should suffer death1 and  thou       
knowest1 though we can condemn1 as we   
now have done this ,galilean1  we have  
no power to execute sentence of death4  
,this is well said2 but would you have  
me put one of your nation to  death for 

blaspheming your ,god8 ,so far as that  
is concerned1 ,o priest1  added ,pilate1
 smiling contemptuously1 we ,romans     
blaspheme him daily1  for we worship him
 not and will have naught to do with    
your faith4 ,let  the man go6 ,i see no 
cause of death in him6    ,he then spoke
 to milius1 and desired him to lead     
,jesus to the spot  where he stood4     
,pilate regarded him with mingled pity  
and interest4  ,after surveying him a   
moment1 he turned to one of his officers
 and said  aside3 ,a form divine and fit
 for ,apollo1 or any of the greater     
gods6  ,his bearing is like a hero6     
,mehercule6 ,the chisel of ,praxiteles  
nor of  ,phidias ne'er traced the       
outlines of limbs and neck like these4  
,he is  the very incarnation of human   
symmetry and dignity6    ,the courtiers 
nodded assent to these cool criticisms  
of the indolent  and voluptuous         
,italian4 ,jesus1 in the meanwhile1     
stood motionless  before his judge1 his 
eyes downcast and full of a holy        

sadness1 and his  lips compressed with  
immovable patience4 ,pilate now turned  
to him and  said3    ,thou art1 then1   
that ,jesus of whom men talk so widely4 
,men say1 ,o  ,jesus1 that thou art     
wiser than ordinary men2 that thou canst
 do works  of necromancy and art skilled
 in the subtle mysteries of astrology4  
,i  would question thee upon these      
things4 ,wilt thou read my destiny for  
me  in the stars8 ,if thou answerest    
well ,i will befriend thee1 and deliver 
thee from thy countrymen who seem to    
howl for thy blood4    ,my lord6 cried  
,caiaphas1 furiously1 thou must not let 
this man go6  ,he is a deceiver and     
traitor to ,csar4 ,i charge him and     
formally accuse  him1 before thy        
tribunal1 with making himself king of   
,judea6    ,to this the whole multitude 
assented1 in one deep voice of rage and 
fierce denunciation that shook the very 
walls of the ,pretorium4    ,what sayest
 thou8 demanded ,pilate1 art thou a     
king8 ,methinks  if thou wert such1     

these ,jews have little need to fear    
thee4 ,and  the ,roman cast a careless  
glance over the mean and torn apparel   
and  half-naked limbs of the ,prophet4  
,before ,jesus could reply1 which he    
seemed about to do1 there was heard  a  
sudden commotion in the lower part of   
the court of ,gabbatha1 and a  loud1    
hoarse voice was heard crying3    ,make 
way6 ,give back6 ,he is innocent6       
,all eyes turned in the direction of the
 archway1 when a man was seen  forcing  
his path towards the door of the        
,judgment ,hall1 in front of  which     
,pilate was standing1 with ,jesus a step
 or two below4    ,what means this      
madman8 cried the ,procurator4 ,some of 
you arrest  him6    ,i am not mad6 ,he  
is innocent6 ,i have betrayed the       
innocent blood6  cried ,iscariot1 for it
 was he1 leaping into the space in front
 of the  portico4 ,take back thy money1 
and let this holy ,prophet of ,god go   
free6 ,i swear to you by the altar he is
 innocent1 and if thou harm him  thou   

wilt be accursed with the vengeance of  
,jehovah6 ,take back thy  silver1 for he
 is innocent6    ,what is that to us8   
,see thou to that6 answered ,abner the  
priest1  haughtily1 while the eyes of   
,caiaphas1 falling under the withering  
glance of the ,roman ,procurator1       
betrayed his guilt4    ,wilt thou not   
release him if ,i give thee back the    
pieces8 cried  ,judas1 in accents of    
despair1 taking ,caiaphas by the mantle 
and then  kneeling to him imploringly4  
,but ,caiaphas angrily shook him off4   
,at last1 in a frenzied manner1 he      
threw himself at the knees of ,jesus1   
and cried in the most thrilling         
accents3    ,oh1 ,master6 ,master6 ,thou
 hast the power6 ,release thyself6      
,no1 ,judas1 answered the ,prophet1     
shaking his head and gazing down        
compassionately upon his betrayer1 and  
without one look of resentment  at his  
having betrayed him1 mine hour is come6 
,for this hour ,i came  into the world6 
,i believed surely thou wouldst not     

suffer thyself to be arrested4 ,it  is  
my avarice that hath slain thee6 ,oh1   
,god6 ,oh1 ,god6 ,i see now it is  too  
late6 ,thus crying in a voice of        
despair1 he arose and rushed1 with  his 
face hid in his cloak1 forth from the   
presence of all1 towards the  outer     
gate4    ,this extraordinary            
interruption produced a startling effect
 upon all  present1 and a few moments   
elapsed before ,pilate could resume his 
examination of ,jesus1 which he did by  
entering the ,judgment ,hall and  taking
 his seat on the throne4 ,he then       
repeated his question1 but with  more   
deference than before3 ,art thou a king1
 then8    ,thou sayest that which ,i    
am--a king1 ,jesus answered1 with a     
dignity  truly regal in its bearing2 for
 all the time1 bound and marred as he   
was by the hands of his enemies1 pale   
with suffering and with standing  a     
sleepless and fearful night upon his    
feet1 exposed to cold and to  insults1  
yet he had a kingly air1 and there      

seemed to float about his  head a divine
 glory1 as if a sunbeam had been shining
 down upon him4    ,thou thyself hearest
 him6 exclaimed ,caiaphas1 standing upon
 the  threshold of the ,judgment ,hall  
of the ,gentile governor1 which he would
  not enter for fear of defilement4     
,he has everywhere publicly proclaimed  
that he has been ordained of ,god  to   
re-establish the kingdom of ,judah and  
overthrow the power of ,csar  in        
,jerusalem1 added the governor of the   
,temple1 lifting his voice so  as to be 
heard above the voices of the priests   
and scribes1 who1 all  speaking         
together1 vehemently accused him of many
 other things4    ,pilate at length     
obtained comparative silence1 and then  
said to ,jesus3    ,hearest thou these  
accusations8 ,hast thou no answer to    
make8 ,behold  how many things they     
witness against thee6    ,pilate spoke  
as if he had taken a deep interest in   
,jesus1 and would  give him an          
opportunity of defending himself4    ,he

 hath perverted the nation2 a most      
pestilent and dangerous fellow6         
exclaimed ,caiaphas4 ,he is a blasphemer
 above all men6    ,i have nothing to do
 with your religion4 ,if he hath        
blasphemed your  gods1 take ye him and  
judge him according to your laws1       
answered  ,pilate4    ,thou knowest1 ,o 
noble ,roman1 that we have no power to  
execute to the  death1 therefore do we  
accuse him before thee4    ,i am no     
,jew1 priest6 ,what care ,i for your    
domestic and religious  quarrels8 ,he   
hath done nothing that ,i can learn for 
which the laws of  ,imperial ,rome1     
which now prevail here1 can adjudge him 
to death4 ,i1  therefore1 command his   
release4    ,upon this the ,jews sent up
 a cry of unmingled ferocity and        
vindictiveness4 ,caiaphas1 forgetting   
his fear of defilement1 advanced        
several steps into the ,judgment ,hall1 
and shaking his open hands at  ,pilate1 
cried3    ,if thou lettest this man go1 
thou art not ,csar's friend4 ,thou art  

in league with him4 ,he that sets       
himself up as a king in all the wide    
bounds of ,csar's dominions1 wars       
against ,csar1 as well at ,jerusalem  as
 at ,rome4 ,if thou release this man1 ,i
 and my nation will accuse thee  to thy 
master1 ,tiberius1 of favoring this     
,galilean's sedition4    ,when ,pilate  
heard the name of ,galilee1 he asked if 
the prisoner were  a ,galilean4 ,upon   
being answered in the affirmative by the
 excited  priests1 he said to milius3   
,hold6 ,loose not his bonds just now6   
,herod1 the ,tetrarch of ,galilee1  last
 night came up to the ,passover feast of
 the ,hebrew ,god1 and is now  at the   
old ,maccabean ,palace1 with his        
retinue4 ,conduct your prisoner to  him1
 and let ,herod judge his own subjects6 
,the chief priests and scribes now      
shouted with approbation at this        
decision1 for they began to fear that   
,pilate would release ,jesus1 and  they 
knew that the vacillating and reckless  
,herod would do whatsoever  would gain  

popular applause4    ,to ,herod6 ,to the
 ,tetrarch of ,galilee with him6 arose  
the cry4    ,but ,caiaphas1 frowning and
 dissatisfied1 remained behind2 and     
,pilate1  glad to get rid of the        
delicate affair of condemning an        
innocent man1  smilingly came out and   
spoke to the gloomy ,high ,priest3      
,thou knowest ,i can condemn men only   
for crimes committed against the  laws  
of the empire4 ,this ,jesus hath done   
nothing worthy of death4    ,noble      
,governor1 answered ,caiaphas1 stopping 
in his angry strides up  and down the   
porphyry floor of the outer portico1    
thou forgettest that  ,i brought him not
 before thee on this charge of blasphemy
 alone1 but  for sedition6 ,by the altar
 of ,god1 this is a crime known to thy  
laws1 ,i  wot6    ,true4 ,you charge a  
young1 defenceless1 quiet1 powerless    
man1 destitute  of money1 men or arms1  
an obscure fisherman or carpenter of    
,galilee1  with setting up a throne and 
kingdom against that of ,tiberius ,csar1

  the ruler of the earth6 ,the idea is  
absurd6 ,it should be treated only  with
 ridicule4 ,so will ,herod say1 when he 
understands the affair4    ,so will not 
,csar say1 my lord6 answered ,caiaphas1 
with a sneer upon  his curled lip4 ,if  
you let this man go1 the ,jewish nation 
will draw  up a memorial1 accusing you  
to the emperor of protecting treason4   
,you will be summoned by the senate to  
answer the charge2 and though  you      
should succeed in clearing yourself1 you
 will have lost your  government1 given 
to another1 and for your fair name1 you 
will live1  ever after1 under ,csar's   
suspicion4    ,pilate turned pale1 and  
bit his lips with vexation4    ,my lord 
priest1 thou art bent1 ,i see1 on this  
innocent man's death4  ,i am no ,jew1 to
 understand how he has drawn upon       
himself thy terrible  wrath and that of 
thy nation4 ,i will see what ,herod will
 say1 who1  being a ,jew1 is familiar   
with your customs4    ,pilate now       
reseated himself upon his throne to give

 hearing to other  complaints4    ,after
 the lapse of half an hour a youth threw
 himself from his horse1  at the door of
 the court1 and drew near the           
,procurator4    ,what aileth thee1      
,alexander8 demanded ,pilate1 on seeing 
blood on his  temples and that he seemed
 faint4    ,but a trifle now1 my lord4  
,i was thrown from my horse1 who was    
startled at a burning torch lying on the
 ground1 and was detained at a          
hospitable house until ,i was able to   
remount1 which brings me hither  late4  
,and why come at all8 ,what news sends  
my fair wife1 that she should  despatch 
you from my house in ,bethany at this   
early hour8 ,no evil  tidings1 boy8     
,none1 my lord1 save this note4    ,the 
,greek page then handed his master a    
small roll of parchment1 tied  with     
scarlet thread4 ,he cut the knot with   
his dagger and reading the  contents    
became deadly pale4 ,caiaphas watched   
him closely1 as if he  would read1      
reflected in his eyes1 the contents of  

the note which had  so deeply moved him4
    ,caiaphas1 said the ,procurator1    
this prisoner must be released6         
,illustration3 ,,jesus ,,before         
,,pilate4    ,it is either his          
destruction1 proud ,roman1 or thine6    
answered the  ,high ,priest1 turning and
 walking haughtily away4    ,pilate     
looked after him with a troubled air1   
and then re-entered the  ,hall of       
,judgment1 and seating himself upon his 
throne1 again read the  parchment4      
',have nothing to do with this just     
man1' he read half aloud1 'for ,i  have 
suffered many things this day in a dream
 because of him6' ,the very  gods seem  
to take sides with this extraordinary   
young prisoner6 he  exclaimed4 ,would to
 ,jove that ,herod may have sense enough
 to release  him and relieve me of this 
unpleasant business4    ,while he was   
yet speaking and musing with himself1   
unconsciously  aloud1 there was heard a 
great noise of voices in the direction  
of  the ,maccabean ,palace1 and as it   

grew nearer and more distinct1 ,pilate  
started up and cried3    ,it is as ,i   
feared--,herod gives them no            
satisfaction and they come  again to me6
 ,oh1 that the gods would give me wisdom
 and nerve for this  trying hour1 so    
that ,i condemn not the innocent nor    
bring myself into  the power of an      
accusation to ,csar from these wicked   
,jews6    ,at this moment the multitude1
 increased if it were possible in       
numbers  and in vindictiveness1         
reappeared1 pressing ,jesus before them4
 ,this  time he was alone1 milius having
 been separated from him in the palace  
and kept by the crowd from rejoining    
him4 ,he was now unbound1 and upon  his 
head was a crown of thorns1 piercing the
 tender temples till the  blood trickled
 all down his face2 upon his shoulders  
was clasped an old  purple robe1 once   
worn by ,herod in his state of petty    
king1 and his  hand held a reed as a    
scepter2 and as he walked along1 the    
bitterest  among the priests1 as well as

 the vilest of the common fellows1      
mockingly bent the knee before him1     
crying3    ,hail1 ,king ,jesus6 ,hail1  
royal ,nazarene6 ,all hail6    ,others  
went before him carrying mock standards1
 while still others  acting as heralds  
ran shouting3    ,make way for the ,king
 of the ,jews6 ,do homage1 all men1 to  
,csar6 ,this  is the great ,tiberius1   
,emperor of ,nazareth6 ,behold his      
glittering  crown6 ,mark his royal robes
 and see his dazzling sceptre6 ,bend the
  knee1 bend the knee1 men of ,judah1   
before your king6    ,when ,pilate saw  
this spectacle and heard these words1 he
 trembled and  was heard to say3        
,either this man or ,i must perish6     
,these ,jews are become madmen with     
rage and demand a sacrifice4 ,one of us 
must fall6    ,oh1 that ,i could write  
all ,i feel6 ,but ,i am compelled1 my   
dear father1  to end here4              
,your affectionate child1               
,adina4          ,,letter ,,xxxiii4     
,my ,dear ,father3    ,in this letter   

will be continued my account of the     
trial1 if such it  can be called1 of    
,jesus4    ,john1 the faithful and yet  
trusting disciple whom ,jesus loved1    
still  kept near his captive ,master1   
and sought to cheer him by affectionate 
looks and1 where he could do it with    
safety1 by kind acts4 ,more than  once  
he was rudely thrust aside by the       
fiercer ,jews1 and once several  men    
seized upon him and would have done him 
violence1 if ,caiaphas1  to whom ,john  
is remotely related and who knows him   
well1 had not  interposed4 ,and while   
,john was thus doing all that he could  
to soften  the asperity of his friend's 
treatment1 we at home were exerting     
ourselves to soothe the maternal        
solicitude of ,mary of ,nazareth1 his   
noble and heartbroken mother4    ,herod1
 the ,tetrarch of ,galilee1 was breaking
 his fast with fruit and  wine1 at a    
table overlooking by a window the       
,street of the ,gentiles1  when the     
noise of the advancing thousands of the 

,jews reached his ear4  ,he started from
 the table and said3    ,these people   
are surely up in insurrection against   
,pilate6    ,no1 great prince1 answered 
the lad ,abel1 his cupbearer1 who is    
related to ,john1 and has told me many  
of these things4 ,they have taken  the  
,nazarene ,prophet1 ,jesus1 and are     
trying him for sedition4    ,this uproar
 proceeds from no trial1 but from a wild
 mob in motion1 and  they seem to be    
approaching1 was his answer to him4     
,as ,herod spoke he went to the lattice 
of his basilica1 and beheld the  head of
 the multitude just emerging into the   
street4    ,there are spears and ,romans
 in the van1 and ,i see priests and     
peasants  mixed together4 ,i now see the
 cause of all the tumult--a mere youth1 
bound and soiled and pale as marble4    
,what1 sirs6 this is not the great      
,prophet1 of whose fame ,i have heard8  
he said1 turning to his officers4  ,what
 mean they by bringing him hither8 ,yet1
 ,per ,baccho6 ,i am glad to  get a     

sight of him6    ,the crowd1 like the   
swelling ,nile1 flowed towards the      
gates1 roaring  and chafing like its    
mighty cataracts1 so that there was     
something  fearfully sublime in this    
display of the power of human passions4 
milius with difficulty succeeded in     
getting his prisoner into the  piazza of
 the palace4    ,most royal prince1 said
 milius1 kneeling before ,herod and     
presenting  a signet1 ,i am sent by his 
excellency1 ,pontius ,pilate1 the ,roman
  ,procurator of ,judea1 to bring before
 you this person accused of  blasphemy4 
,ignorant of your customs and faith1 the
 ,governor desires  that you1 who are of
 his nation1 would examine him2 and     
moreover1  ,pilate1 learning that he is 
a ,galilean and a subject of your       
jurisdiction1 courteously declines      
interfering with your authority4        
,when ,herod ,antipas heard delivered so
 courteous a message from the           
,procurator1 with whom he had been some 
time at enmity1 he was pleased4    ,say 

thou1 ,sir ,knight1 to his excellency1  
the most noble and princely  ,governor  
of ,judea1 that ,i appreciate his       
extraordinary civility1  and that       
nothing will give me more pleasure1 in  
return for such  distinguished courtesy1
 than to be considered by him his       
friend1 and  that ,i regret any         
occurrence that has hitherto estranged  
us4    milius1 upon receiving this      
answer1 arose and bowed1 and then said  
with the boldness which characterizes   
him3    ,most gracious and royal        
,tetrarch1 ,i pray you heed not the     
charges of  these ,jews touching this   
prisoner4 ,they have conceived against  
him a  bitter hatred without just cause4
 ,he has done nothing worthy of death4  
,pilate could find nothing whatsoever in
 him deserving of the attention  of the 
dignity of a ,roman tribunal4    ,let   
the prisoner fear not1 answered ,herod1 
at the same time regarding  ,jesus      
attentively as he stood before him in   
the calm majesty of  innocence4 ,i will 

not take ,pilate's prerogative of       
judgment out of his  hand1 so handsomely
 tendered to me4 ,if he hath            
blasphemed--,mehercule6  the ,high      
,priest and priests of the ,temple      
itself1 he added1 laughing1  do that    
every day of their lives1 for religion  
is at a low ebb among  the hypocritical 
knaves6 ,i have nothing to do with their
 charge of  blasphemy1 or ,i would have 
them all stoned to death without mercy4 
,i  will first see some miracles wrought
 by thy far-famed prisoner1 noble       
milius1 and then send him back to my    
illustrious friend ,pontius1 whom  his  
gods prosper in all things4    ,herod1  
then1 fixing his eyes curiously upon    
,jesus1 who had stood  silently before  
him1 seemingly the only unmoved person  
in the vast  concourse1 said to the     
soldiers3    ,unbind him6 ,by the staff 
of ,jacob1 he hath been roughly handled6
 ,men  of ,israel1 it becomes not such  
as you to do violence to a man before he
  is condemned4    ,while he was        

speaking ,john arranged ,jesus' mantle  
about his form4  ,herod regarded with   
interest and looks of compassion1 the   
pale and  divinely-serene countenance of
 the prisoner1 and seemed struck with   
the  indescribable majesty of his aspect
 and bearing4    ,art thou the ,nazarene
 ,jesus1 of whom ,i have heard so much8 
he asked  in deferential tones4    ,i am
 he1 was the quiet answer4    ,then     
gladly do ,i meet thee1 for ,i have long
 time desired to see thee2  and ,i would
 fain behold thee do some miracles4     
,does rumor belie thy  powers8 ,what6   
art thou silent8 ,dost thou not know who
 it is that speaks  to thee8 ,come      
hither1 fellow6 he called to a          
,samaritan muleteer who  stood in the   
crowd1 whose oval face and ,jewish eyes 
showed him to  be both of ,assyrian and 
,israelitish descent1 and whose arm had 
been  taken off by a sword in a contest 
with ,barabbas and his robbers2 come    
hither1 and let this ,prophet prove his 
power and mission by restoring  thy arm 

whole like as the other6    ,the man    
alertly came forward1 and all eyes were 
directed eagerly upon  him and upon     
,jesus2 but he thrust the stump of his  
arm1 by ,herod's  order1 in vain before 
,jesus4 ,the eyes of the ,prophet moved 
not from  their meditative look upon the
 ground4    ,art thou mocking us1 thou  
false ,christ8 cried the ,tetrarch      
angrily4  ,wilt thou neither speak nor  
act8 ,if thou art not an impostor1 do a 
miracle before us all1 and we will      
believe in thee6    ,jesus remained     
motionless1 yet preserved a firm and    
majestic  countenance4    ,he is a      
deceiver6 ,he performed his works       
through ,beelzebub1 who has  now        
deserted him6 cried the priests4        
,nazarene1 said ,herod1 ,i am a ,jew    
also4 ,if thou wilt prove to me by a    
sign that ,i will name1 that thou art   
the ,christ1 ,i will not only become    
thy follower1 but will let thee go free4
 ,thy silence is an insult to my  power4
 ,thou seest yonder marble statue of    

,judas ,maccabeus4 ,command the  sword  
in its hand to wave thrice above its    
helmeted head1 and ,i will  bend the    
knee to thee4 ,nay1 wilt not8 ,i will   
give thee then1 something  easier to do4
 ,seest thou the carved pomegranates in 
the entablature of  the wall8 ,bid the  
one which hangs over this column become 
ripe1 natural  fruit1 and fall at my    
feet4 ,no8    ,he has no power--his     
friend ,beelzebub hath given him up into
 our  hands6 ,death to the necromancer6 
were the terrible words which now  made 
the hall tremble4    ,see the whirlwind 
thou hast raised1 ,o ,nazarene6 cried   
,herod1 rising4  ,if thou art a prophet1
 no harm can they do thee2 and if thou  
art an  impostor1 if they kill thee thou
 deservest thy fate6 ,i give thee up    
into their hands6 ,save thyself1 if thou
 be the ,christ6    ,scarcely had ,herod
 spoken these words1 relinquishing      
,jesus into the  hands of his foes1 than
 with a savage cry1 as the famished     
jackals in  the desert rush upon their  

prey1 they rushed upon their victim4    
milius  could not protect him2 nay1 some
 of ,herod's soldiers1 whom the ,jews   
had half intoxicated with wine1 joined  
them as soon as they saw their  master  
,antipas had cast him off1 and began to 
scoff and mock him1 and  one of them    
thrust a helmet on his head and pulled  
the visor down over  his eyes4    ,nay1 
said ,herod on seeing this4 ,as he calls
 himself a king1 remove  the helmet and 
crown him1 and robe him royally1 and    
place a sceptre in  his hand2 and lo1   
yonder block will make him a proper     
throne6 ,we must  show ,pilate how we   
,jews serve men who usurp the power of  
his master1  ,csar6    ,one of his men  
of war brought a cast-off robe of purple
 which belonged  to ,herod and1 with    
loud shouts of laughter and coarse      
jests1 they robed  him in it1           
unresisting as the lamb wreathed for the
 sacrifice4 ,some  one then twined the  
creeping thorn1 which grew on the outer 
wall1 and1  twisting it into the shape  

of a crown1 handed it over the heads of 
the  men to ,abner4    ,when ,abner saw 
the crown he smiled with malicious      
gratification and1  nodding approvingly 
to the man said3    ,this is what we    
needed6 ,nothing could have done better6
 and with his  two hands he placed it   
upon the head of ,jesus1 pressing       
cruelly the  sharp thorns into his      
temples till the blood trickled from a  
dozen  wounds4 ,jesus made no complaint1
 but the pain forced large bright tears 
from his eyes1 which rolled down his    
cheeks and fell among the purple  robe  
like glittering pearls4    ,here is also
 a sceptre for our king6 exclaimed the  
,samaritan with  one arm1 using the one 
to reach a piece of reed1 from which a  
,passover  lamb had been slung1 to those
 who were arraying ,jesus4 ,this was    
thrust  into the ,prophet's grasp1 and  
he held it patiently4 ,his submission1  
his silence1 his endurance of pain1 his 
constant dignity1 and the  majestic     
submission which he seemed to manifest  

to all their insults  and tortures1     
brought tears into the eyes of milius4  
,even ,herod stood  amazed at such      
,god-like forbearance1 and said to his  
chief captain3    ,if this man is not   
the ,son of ,god1 he is worthy to be    
deified6 ,such  sublime patience is more
 than human--it is divine6 ,you ,romans1
 milius1  would make a hero of such a   
man1 and when he died worship him as a  
god6    ,then1 mighty prince1 why suffer
 him to be thus treated8 asked milius4  
,it is his own choice4 ,i have entreated
 him fairly4 ,i asked of him but  one of
 those miracles men say he works1 as    
proof of his ,messiahship1  and he works
 me none--shows me no sign4 ,the        
inference is that he can do  none1 and  
therefore he is an impostor4    ,most   
royal prince1 said ,abner aloud1 thou   
now beholdest the ,king of  the ,jews1  
crowned1 robed and sceptred6 and he     
pointed to ,jesus4    ,hail6 most       
puissant and potent sovereign of        
,galilee6 ,hail6 ,king of  fishermen6   

cried ,herod1 mocking him1 and seemingly
 greatly amused at  the jest4 ,hail6    
powerful king6 ,what1 fellows1          
men-at-arms and all ye  gapers6 bend ye 
not the knee before this royal          
personage8 ,do homage to  your king6    
,upon this many who were around him     
kneeled1 and some mockingly even        
prostrated themselves before the        
,prophet2 but he stood so very like a   
monarch that others1 who were about to  
mock him1 refrained1 while ,herod       
turned away with a troubled look1 saying
 abruptly3    ,take him back to the     
,procurator6    ,once more the vast     
multitude were in motion1 and with cries
 and insults  escorted ,jesus from the  
presence of ,herod back to the          
,pretorium4    ,when ,pilate beheld     
their return in this manner he was      
greatly vexed4  ,when once more ,jesus  
stood before him1 arrayed as ,i have    
described in  the gorgeous robe and     
crown1 ,pilate1 turning towards         
,caiaphas and the  priests1 said        

angrily3    ,what more will ye have8    
,why bring this man again before me8    
,behold1 ,i  have examined him before   
you and have found no fault in him4 ,ye 
proved  nothing by your witnesses       
touching those things whereof ye accuse 
him4  ,i then sent you with him to      
,herod1 and lo6 the ,tetrarch of        
,galilee1 one  of your own nation1 finds
 naught in him worthy of death6         
,doubtless he  has said something about 
not paying tribute1 and deserves for    
this a  light punishment1 but not death4
 ,i will chastise him1 charge him that  
he be more cautious1 and let him go4    
,if thou let this man go1 thou art an   
enemy of ,tiberius6 answered  ,caiaphas4
 ,seest thou what a commotion he has    
raised in the city8 ,if he  is released 
there will be a revolution4    ,in the  
name of ,olympian ,jove1 ,o ,nazarene1  
what hast thou done to  incense these   
,jews8 ,if thou art their king1 prove it
 to them or to me1  demanded ,pilate1   
greatly troubled4    ,my kingdom is not 

of the earth1 answered ,jesus4 ,if my   
kingdom were  an earthly one1 then would
 my servants fight1 that ,i should not  
be  delivered to the ,jews2 but my      
kingdom is not of this world4    ,then  
thou confessest thyself a king8         
exclaimed ,pilate1 with surprise4       
,thou sayest that which ,i am--a ,king4 
,to this end was ,i born1 and for  this 
cause came ,i into the world1 that ,i   
should bear witness to the  truth4      
,truth8 ,what is truth8 asked the       
,roman2 but1 without waiting for ,jesus 
to reply1 and seeing that the ,jews     
outside of the hall were becoming  more 
and more impatient1 he hurriedly went   
out to them and said3    ,i find in the 
prisoner no fault at all4 ,but ye have a
 custom that ,i  should at the ,passover
 pardon a criminal out of prison1 as an 
act of  clemency1 in honor of the day4  
,will ye1 therefore1 that ,i pardon and 
release unto you this ',king of the     
,jews'8    ,no sooner had ,pilate made  
this proposal than they all with one    

voice  and furious gestures cried3      
,no6 ,no6 ,not this man6 ,we will not   
have him released6    ,barabbas6        
,barabbas6 was echoed and re-echoed by  
ten thousand voices4    ,this ,barabbas1
 dear father1 is the same fierce bandit 
of whom ,i have  spoken1 who was that   
day to have been crucified1 with two of 
his  lieutenants4 ,but1 at the loud     
demand of the people1 ,pilate was forced
  to send to the officer of the wards to
 let him go free4    ,pilate1 therefore1
 finding that the ,jews would be content
 with nothing  less than the blood of   
,jesus1 returned sorrowfully into the   
,judgment  ,hall4    ,the residue of my 
narrative of the condemnation and       
crucifixion1 ,i will  give in the       
morning1 dear father4                   
,your loving daughter1                  
,adina4          ,,letter ,,xxxiv4      
,my ,dearest ,father3    ,jesus had from
 very weakness sunk upon the steps of   
the throne of the  ,hall of ,judgment4  
,john knelt by him1 bathing the wounds  

in his temples1  from off which he had  
boldly taken the crown of thorns4 ,when 
,pilate1  after giving the order to     
release the robber chief ,barabbas1 came
 again  where ,jesus was1 he stopped and
 regarded him attentively1 and with an  
expression of sorrow and admiration4 ,at
 length he spoke3    ,if thou be indeed 
a god1 ,o heroic young man1 as thy      
patience would  seem to prove thee to   
be1 thou needest not to fear these      
bloodhounds1  that bay so fiercely for  
thy blood4 ,if thou art an impostor and 
a  seditionist1 thou verily meritest    
death4 ,i regard thee but as a  youthful
 enthusiast1 and would let thee go free2
 but ,i cannot protect  thee4 ,if ,i    
release thee1 not only thou1 but also   
all my troops1 will be  massacred1 for  
we are but a handful in their grasp4    
,tell me truly1 art  thou a son of the  
divine ,jupiter8    ,when ,jesus1       
instead of replying1 remained silent1   
the ,procurator said  sternly3    ,what6
 speakest thou not unto me8 ,knowest    

thou not that ,i have power to  crucify 
thee as a malefactor1 and power1 if ,i  
choose to meet the risk1  to release    
thee8    ,jesus looked up and calmly    
said3    ,thou couldst have no power    
against me except it were given thee    
from  above4 ,therefore he that         
delivered me into thy hands hath the    
greater  sin6    ,and as ,jesus said    
these words in an impressive tone1 he   
glanced fixedly  at ,caiaphas1 who was  
looking in at the door1 as if           
designating the ,high  ,priest4 ,upon   
this ,pilate pressed his hands against  
his forehead and  paced several times to
 and fro before the judgment seat1 as if
 greatly  troubled4 ,caiaphas1 seeing   
his irresolution1 cried harshly3    ,if 
thou lettest this self-styled king go1  
,o ,governor1 thou art not  ,csar's     
friend6    ,pilate's brow grew dark4 ,he
 took ,jesus by the hand1 and leading   
him to  the portal1 pointed to him1 and 
said aloud3    ,behold your king6 ,what 
will you that ,i should do with him8    

,looks he  like a man to be feared8     
,we have no king but ,csar6    ,crucify 
him6    ,to the cross with the false    
prophet6    ,death to the usurper6 ,long
 live ,csar6 ,death to the ,nazarene6   
,to the  cross6 ,to the cross with him6 
,let him be crucified6    ,these were   
the various cries from ten thousand     
throats that responded  to the          
,procurator's address4 ,remembering the 
warning message sent him  by his young  
and beautiful wife1 who held great      
influence over him1 he  trembled with   
indecision4    ,why will you compel me  
to crucify an innocent man8 ,what evil  
hath he  done8    ,crucify him6 ,crucify
 him6 was the deafening response4    ,i 
will chastise him and let him go6    ,at
 your peril release him1 ,o ,roman6     
exclaimed ,caiaphas1 in a menacing      
tone4 ,either he or you must die this   
day for the people6 ,blood must  flow to
 appease this tempest6    ,when the     
,procurator saw that he could prevail   
nothing1 but that rather  the tumult    

increased1 he called for water1 which   
was brought to him  in a basin by his   
page1 and in the presence of the whole  
multitude he  washed his hands1 saying3 
,i am innocent of the blood of this just
 person6 ,see ye to it1 ,o ,jews1  ye   
and your ,high ,priest6    ,his blood be
 upon us1 and on our children6 answered 
,caiaphas2 and all  the people re-echoed
 his language4    ,ay1 on us and on our 
children rest the guilt of his blood6   
,be it so1 answered the ,procurator1    
with a dark brow and face as pale  as   
the dead4 ,take ye him and crucify him2 
and may the ,god he worships  judge you1
 not me1 for this day's deed6    ,pilate
 then turned away from them and said to 
,jesus3    ,thou art1 ,i feel1 an       
innocent man1 but thou seest that ,i    
cannot save  thee6 ,i know thou wilt    
forgive me1 and that death can have no  
terrors  for one of fortitude like      
thine6    ,jesus made him no answer2 and
 ,pilate1 turning from him with a sad   
countenance walked slowly away and left 

the ,judgment ,hall4 ,as he did so  one 
of his captains said to him3    ,shall  
,i scourge him1 my lord1 according to   
the ,roman law1 which  commands all who 
are sentenced to die to be scourged8    
,do as the law commands1 answered the   
weak-minded ,roman4    ,his             
disappearance was the signal for a      
general rush towards ,jesus1  chiefly by
 the rabble1 who1 indifferent about     
,gentile defilement1  crossed the       
threshold into the hall1 which the chief
 priests had  refrained from doing4     
,these base fellows seized ,jesus and1  
aided by the  men-at-arms1 dragged him  
forth into the outer or common hall4    
,here they  stripped him1 and1 by order 
of the chief captain1 a soldier scourged
  him with forty stripes1 save one4     
,all this ,jesus still bore with        
,god-like majesty4 ,not a murmur escaped
  his lips2 not a glance of resentment  
kindled the holy depths of his  eyes1   
which1 from time to time1 were uplifted 
to heaven1 as if he  sought for help and

 strength from thence4    ,not only     
milius but ,john was now separated from 
him2 but my uncle1 the  ,rabbi stood    
near1 in order to see what would follow1
 and to use his  influence1 if possible1
 to induce the chief priests to abandon 
the idea  of killing him4    ,good      
,rabbi1 said ,jesus to him1 let them do 
with me what they list4  ,my ,father    
hath given me into their hands4 ,i die1 
but not for myself4 ,i  can keep or     
yield up my life1 as ,i will4    ,oh1   
then1 dear ,master6 cried my uncle1 why 
not save thyself8 ,why  shouldst thou   
suffer all this1 and death also1 if thou
 hast the power  over thy life8    ,if  
,i die not1 then were ye all dead4 ,the 
,scripture must be fulfilled  which     
spoke of me4 ',he was led like a lamb to
 the slaughter4'    ,here ,rabbi ,amos  
could speak no more to him1 for the     
crowd dragged him  off out of the ,court
 of ,gabbatha1 and so down the steep    
street in the  direction of the gate of 
the kings that leads out to ,calvary1   

the  public place of execution4         
,rabbi ,amos accompanied the multitude1 
keeping as nigh to ,jesus as the  ,roman
 soldiers1 who marched on each side of  
him1 would permit4 ,on the  way1 as they
 crossed the open space where once stood
 the palace and  statue of ,antiochus   
,seleucus1 the eyes of the ,rabbi were  
attracted by  the cries and pointed     
fingers of many of the people to the    
body of a  man lying dead at the foot of
 a withered fig tree4 ,upon drawing     
nearer1  he recognized the features of  
the man ,judas1 who had so basely       
betrayed  his ,master4 ,the spectacle   
which he exhibited was revolting and    
horrid  to look upon6 ,about his neck   
was wound a fragment of his girdle1 the 
other half being still secured to a limb
 of the tree1 showing how he  had met   
his fate4    ,by this time the people   
who were dragging ,jesus to death were  
got well  beyond the gate1 when a cross 
of heavy cypress was obtained by the    
centurion from a yard near the lodge4   

,two others were also brought out1  and 
laid upon the shoulders of two men1 the 
lieutenants of ,barabbas1  who were also
 that day to be crucified4    ,by the   
time the great crowd had passed the     
gate1 it was known  throughout all      
,jerusalem that ,pilate had given orders
 for the  crucifixion of the ,nazarene  
,prophet2 and1 with one mind1 all who   
had  known him and believed in him or   
loved him left their houses to go  out  
after him to witness the crucifixion2   
for ,i forgot to say that  ,caiaphas had
 promised1 if ,jesus were delivered up1 
that his followers  should not be       
molested4 ,therefore every person went  
out of the gate  towards ,calvary4 ,mary
 his mother1 my ,cousin ,mary1 ,martha  
and her  sister1 ,lazarus1 ,john1 ,peter
 and ,thomas1 and some women1 relatives 
from ,galilee1 and many others1 also    
went4 ,when we got without the  walls1  
we seemed to leave a deserted city      
behind us4 ,as far as the eye  could    
embrace there was a countless multitude4

 ,jesus was borne in  front1 where we   
could now and then catch the gleam of a 
,roman spear4  ,we hastened to get near 
him and1 with difficulty1 made our way  
to the  head of the throng1 both foes   
and friends giving back when they saw   
his  weeping mother among us4    ,at the
 approach to ,calvary we found that1    
from some cause1 the course  of the     
mighty current of human beings was      
checked4 ,we soon learned the  reason4  
,jesus had sunk to the ground under the 
weight of the wooden  beams on which he 
was to die1 and fainted4    ,he is dead6
 was the cry of those about him2 but1 as
 we drew near1 he  was just reviving1   
some one having offered wine to his lips
 and poured  water upon his brow4 ,he   
stood up1 looking mildly around1 when   
meeting  his mother's gaze1 he said     
touchingly3    ,weep not1 my mother6    
,remember what ,i have often told thee  
of this  hour1 and believe4 ,mine hour  
is come6    ,thus speaking he smiled    
upon his mother and upon us1 with a     

certain  look of divine peace           
illuminating his countenance4           
,barabbas1 the robber chief1 who had in 
some degree taken the lead of  the mob1 
now1 with the aid of three men1 raised  
the cross again to  the shoulders of    
,jesus1 and the soldier ordered him to  
move on4 ,but  the young victim sank at 
once beneath the insupportable load4    
,upon  this they were at a loss what to 
do1 for it is ignominious for ,jew or   
,gentile to aid in bearing a            
malefactor's cross1 and not a ,roman    
would  touch it4 ,at this crisis they   
discerned a ,syro-,phnician merchant1   
,simon of ,cyrene1 a venerable man1 well
 known to all in ,jerusalem4 ,this  man 
was for some reason particularly        
obnoxious to ,abner1 and1 on seeing     
him1 he pointed him out to the centurion
 as one of the ,nazarenes1 and          
suggested that he should be compelled to
 bear the cross after ,jesus4    ,the   
,cyrenian merchant was at once dragged  
from his mule and led to  the place     

where the cross lay1 believing he was   
about to be himself  executed4 ,but when
 he beheld ,jesus standing1 pale and    
bleeding1 by the  fallen cross1 and knew
 what was required of him1 he burst into
 tears  and1 kneeling at his feet1 said3
    ,if they compel me to do this1      
,lord1 think not that ,i aid thy death6 
,i  know that thou art a prophet come   
from ,god4    ,we brought thee not here 
to prate1 old man1 but to work4 ,thou   
art  strong-bodied4 ,up with this end of
 the cross and go on after him6  cried  
the chief priests4    ,simon1 who is a  
powerful man1 though threescore years of
 age1 raised  the extremity of the beam1
 and ,jesus essayed to move under the   
weight  of the other2 but he failed4    
,let me bear it alone1 ,master1 answered
 the stout ,simon4 ,i am the  stronger4 
,thou hast enough to bear the weight of 
thine own sorrow4 ,if  it be a shame to 
bear a cross after thee1 ,i glory in my 
shame1 as would  my two sons1 were they 
here this day4    ,thus speaking1 he    

lifted the cross and bore it on his     
shoulders after  ,jesus1 who1 weak from 
loss of blood and sleep1 and weary unto 
death1  had to lean for support against 
one arm of the instrument of death4     
,ah1 my dear father1 what a place was   
this across which we moved6  ,skulls lay
 scattered beneath our footsteps1 and   
everywhere human bones  bleached in the 
air1 and we trod in heaps of ashes where
 the ,romans had  burned the bodies of  
many of those whom they crucified4      
,the crosses carried by the thieves were
 now thrown down by them2 by one  with  
an execration1 by the other with a sigh1
 as he anticipated the  anguish he was  
to suffer upon it4    ,the larger cross 
of the three was that for ,jesus4 ,it   
was taken by  three soldiers from the   
back of the old ,cyrenian merchant and  
cast  heavily upon the earth4 ,it was   
now that a crisis approached of the     
most painful interest4 ,the centurion   
ordered his soldiers to clear  a circle 
about the place where the crosses were  

to be planted with  their spears4 ,the  
,jews who had crowded near1 in eager    
thirst for their  victim's blood1 gave  
back slowly and reluctantly before the  
sharp  points of the ,roman lances      
pushed against their breasts1 for the   
centurion had with him full threescore  
men-at-arms1 besides a part  of ,herod's
 guard4 ,john1 however1 held his place  
close by his ,master4  ,he relates that 
,jesus continued to evince the same     
sublime composure  when the centurion   
commanded the crucifiers to advance and 
nail the  malefactors to their crosses4 
,the robber-lieutenant1 ,ishmerai1 who  
was  an ,edomite1 upon seeing the man   
approach with the basket containing the 
spikes and hammers1 scowled fiercely    
upon him and looked defiance4 ,he  was  
instantly seized by four savage-looking 
,parthian soldiers of the  ,roman guard1
 and stripped and thrown upon his back  
upon the cross4 ,his  struggles1 for he 
was an athletic man1 were so violent    
that it took six  persons to keep him   

held down upon the arms of the cross and
 his palms  spread open to receive the  
entering nail1 which one of the         
crucifiers1  with naked and brawny arms1
 pressing one knee upon the wrist1 drove
 in  through the flesh and wood1 by     
three quick and powerful blows with his 
short1 heavy-headed hammer4    ,thus    
secured he was left1 bleeding and       
writhing1 by the six crucifiers2  for   
there are four to bind the victim1 one  
to hold the spikes1 and the  sixth to   
drive them home with his hammer1 and    
from the glance ,i caught  of their     
half-naked and blood-stained figures1   
they were worthy to  hold the dreadful  
office which made all men shun them as  
if they were  leprous4    ,they now     
approached ,omri1 the other robber1 who 
was a young man with  a mild look1 and a
 face whose noble lineaments did not    
betray his  profession4 ,he was the son 
of a wealthy citizen in ,jericho1 and   
had by  riotous living1 spent his       
patrimony and joined ,barabbas4 ,he had 

heard  ,jesus preach in the wilderness  
of ,jordan1 and had once asked him with 
deep interest many things touching the  
doctrines he taught4    ,when the       
crucifiers1 with their cords1 basket1   
nails and iron hammer1  drew near him1  
he said3    ,i will not compel you to   
throw me down4 ,i can die as ,i have    
lived1  without fear4 ,as ,i have broken
 the laws1 ,i am ready to suffer the    
penalty of the laws4    ,thus speaking1 
he stretched himself upon his cross and1
 extending his  palms along the         
transverse beam1 he suffered them to    
nail him to the  wood1 uttering not a   
moan4 ,he glanced towards ,jesus at the 
same time  with an expression of        
courage1 as if he sought to show him    
that the  pain could be borne by a brave
 man4 ,and perhaps1 indeed1 ,jesus      
looked  as if he needed an heroic       
example before him to show him how to   
die  without shrinking1 for his cheek   
was like the marble of ,paros in its    
whiteness1 and he seemed ready to drop  

to the earth from weakness4 ,his  youth1
 his almost divine beauty1 which not    
even his tangled hair and  torn beard   
and blood-streaked countenance could    
wholly hide1 the air  of celestial      
innocence that beamed from his eyes1    
drew upon him many  glances of sympathy 
even from some of his foes4 ,the        
centurion1 who was  a tall man with a   
grizzly beard1 and with the hardy       
exterior of an old  ,roman warrior1     
looked upon him with a sad gaze and     
said3    ,i do not see what men hate    
thee for1 for thou seemest more to be a 
man of love2 but ,i must do my duty1 and
 ,i hope thou wilt forgive me  what ,i  
do4 ,a soldier's honor is to obey4      
,jesus smiled forgiveness upon him so   
sweetly that the stern ,roman's  eyes   
filled with tears1 and he placed his    
gauntleted hand to his face  to conceal 
his emotion4    ,but1 my dear father1 ,i
 can go on no longer now with my sad    
narrative4  ,i am weary weeping at the  
recollections it calls before me1 and at

  our present affliction4 ,in my next ,i
 will complete my account of the        
unhappy crucifixion of the ,prophet of  
,nazareth4                              
,your affectionate daughter1            
,adina4          ,,letter ,,xxxv4       
,jerusalem--,third ,morning after the   
,crucifixion4      ,my ,dear ,father3   
,as ,i resume my pen by the faint light 
of the dawn1 to continue the            
particulars of the crucifixion of the   
unhappy son of ,mary1 who1 widowed  and 
childless1 still remains with us1       
mourning over her dead son1 my  heart   
involuntarily shrinks from the painful  
subject and bleeds afresh4  ,but there  
is a fascination associated with all    
that concerns him1 even  now that he is 
dead and has proved himself as weak a   
mortal as other  men1 which urges me to 
write of him and which fills my thoughts
 only  with him4    ,i have just alluded
 to his grief-smitten mother4 ,alas1    
there is no  consolation for her6 ,her  
loss is not like that of other mothers4 

,her son has not only been taken from   
her by death1 but has died              
ignominiously on a ,roman cross1        
executed between two vile malefactors1  
as if he himself were the greatest      
criminal of the three2 and not only     
this1 but executed as a false           
prophet--as a deceiver of ,israel4      
,yet her love for her son--that         
deathless1 maternal love1 which seems   
immortal in its nature--is not buried   
with him4 ,she1 with dearest ,mary  and 
,martha1 has just gone out secretly1    
before the ,jews are astir1 to  pay the 
last duties to his dead body1 ere we all
 depart for an asylum  in ,bethany4     
,until they return from this sad mission
 of love ,i will  continue my           
subject--the crucifixion4    ,when the  
centurion to whom was committed by      
,pilate the charge of  conducting the   
crucifixion of ,jesus1 gave orders to   
bind him also to  the cross1 which lay  
upon the ground like an altar awaiting  
its victim1  the four ,parthian         

soldiers1 his brutal crucifiers1 laid   
hold upon him  and began to strip him of
 his garments1 for his enemies had put  
again  on him his own clothes when they 
led him out of the hall of ,pilate4 ,he 
wore a mantle woven without seam by     
,mary and ,martha1 and which had been  a
 present to him by the sisters1 as a    
token of their gratitude1 for  raising  
from the dead their brother ,lazarus4   
,his mother1 supported by ,john1 could  
no longer gaze upon her son1 and  was   
borne afar off1 crying thrillingly3     
,oh1 let me not hear the crashing of the
 nails into his feet and hands6  ,my    
son6 ,my son6 ,oh1 that thou wouldst now
 prove to thy mother that thou  art a   
true ,prophet6    ,what means this      
wailing8 cried the fierce ,abner4 ,who  
is this woman8    ,the mother of ,jesus1
 ,i answered1 indignantly4    ,the      
mother of the blasphemer6 ,let her be   
accursed6 he cried1 in a  savage tone4  
,thou seest1 woman1 what is the end of  
bringing up an  impostor1 to blaspheme  

,jehovah and the ,temple4 ,thy hopes and
 his1 ,o  wretched woman1 have this day 
miserably perished6 ,so die all false   
,christs and false prophets6    ,mary   
buried her face in her hands and wept on
 my shoulder4 ,i could not  look towards
 the place where ,jesus stood4 ,i       
dreaded to hear the first  blow upon the
 dreadful nails1 and as she stopped her 
ears ,i would have  closed mine also1   
but that my hands supported her4 ,i     
could hear the  awful preparations--the 
rattling of the hard cord1 as they bound
 him  to the cross1 and the low1 eager  
voices of the four busy ,parthians1  and
 then the ringing of the spikes1 and    
then silence like that of the  grave6   
,suddenly a blow of a hammer broke the  
moment of suspense6 ,a  shriek burst    
from the soul of the mother that echoed 
far and wide among  the tombs of        
,golgotha6    ,i could see1 hear no     
more6    ,john having left the stricken 
mother with me1 he and ,lazarus had gone
  back to where they were unrobing the  

,prophet in order to bind him to  the   
wood4 ,they caught the eyes of their    
,master1 said ,lazarus1 who  gazed upon 
them calmly and affectionately4 ,they   
said they had never  beheld him appear  
so majestic and great4 ,he looked1 as   
the centurion  afterwards said1 ,like a 
god surrendering himself to death for   
the  safety of his universe6    ,nothing
 but the ferocious madness of the chief 
priests and ,jews1  added ,john1 could  
have prevented them from being awed by  
the majesty  of his presence4 ,and1     
besides1 there sat upon his brow heroic 
courage1  with a certain divine humility
 and resignation4 ,not the rough hands  
of the barbaric soldiers1 nor the       
indignity of being stripped before  the 
eyes of thousands1 not the sight of the 
cross1 nor of the thieves1  nailed and  
writhing on theirs1 moved him to depart1
 by look or bearing1  from that         
celestial dignity which1 through all1   
had never left him4    ,he made no      
resistance1 continued ,john1 who told me

 what follows1  when bound upon the     
cross1 but resigned himself passively   
into the  hands of his executioners1    
like a lamb receiving its death4        
',father1'  he said1 raising his holy   
eyes to heaven1 'forgive them1 for they 
know  not what they do4'    ,great drops
 of sweat1 when they nailed his feet to 
the wood1 stood  upon his forehead1     
added ,john1 who remained near to see   
his ,master  die1 and to comfort and    
strengthen him2 and when the four men   
raised  him and the cross together from 
the earth and let the end into a hole a 
foot deep1 the shock1 bringing his whole
 weight upon the nails in his  hands1   
tore and lacerated them1 nearly         
dislocating the shoulders at the  same  
time1 while every sinew and muscle of   
his arms and chest was drawn  out like  
cords to sustain this unwonted weight   
upon them4 ,the first  thief fainted    
from pain1 at the shock caused by the   
setting of his own  cross2 and the      
second1 cool and defiant as he had been1

 uttered a loud  outcry of agony4 ,but  
,jesus made no moan1 though the         
unearthly pallor of  his countenance    
showed how inexpressible was his        
torture4    ,ah1 my dear father1 ,i     
would draw a veil over this scene--for  
it is too  painful for me to dwell upon4
 ,to the last ,john believed his ,master
  would not die--that he would not      
suffer6 ,but when he saw how that pain  
and anguish seized heavily upon him1 and
 how that he suffered like  other men1  
without power to prevent it1 he greatly 
wondered1 and began  to believe that all
 the miracles that he had seen him      
perform must have  been illusions4 ,he  
could not reconcile the calmness and    
dignity1 the  heroic composure and air  
of innocence with which he came to the  
cross1  with imposture2 yet his death   
would assuredly seal as imposture all   
his previous career4    ,with his mother
 we all drew as near the cross as we    
were permitted to  come4 ,jesus then    
turned his head towards his mother1 and1

 looking down  with the profoundest     
tenderness and love upon her1 committed 
her to the  filial care of the weeping  
,john1 who stood supporting her4        
,there we waited1 in expectation of     
seeing him do some mighty miracle  from 
the cross and descend unharmed1 showing 
to the world thereby his  title to be   
the ,messias of ,god4    ,the centurion1
 having placed a guard about the        
crosses1 to keep the  friends of the    
crucified from attempting their rescue1 
stood watching  them4 ,the soldiers who 
had nailed ,jesus to the tree now began 
to  divide1 with noisy oaths1 his       
garments among themselves1 as well as   
those of the two thieves1 these being by
 the ,roman law the fee of the          
executioner4 ,this division being made  
after some time1 but not without  high  
talking and drawing of their long       
,syrian knives upon each other1  they   
were at a loss what to do with the large
 mantle without seam1  which the sisters
 of ,lazarus had woven for the friend of

 their once  dead brother4 ,a group of  
the ,roman guard being seated near1     
astride  upon the four arms of a fallen 
cross1 playing at dice1 suggested that  
the ,parthians should decide by lot     
whose it should be4 ,this the latter    
consented to and1 taking the dice-box in
 their bloody hands1 each of  them threw
 the dice4 ,the highest number fell to  
the most ferocious of  the four fellows1
 who proposed to sell the cloak1 which  
,john joyfully  purchased of him at a   
great price1 by means of the jewels of  
several  of the women1 who gladly took  
rings from their ears and bracelets from
  their arms1 ,i giving1 dear father1   
the emerald which you bought for  me at 
,cairo4 ,but ,i could not see the robe  
which ,jesus had worn thus  desecrated4 
,after ,jesus had hung about an hour    
upon the cross1 milius came from        
,pilate1 and bore the inscription1 which
 it is usual to place above the  heads  
of malefactors1 showing their name1 and 
the crime for which they  are crucified4

    ,above the head of ,jesus1 by means 
of a small ladder1 was placed this      
inscription1 in ,greek1 ,latin1 and     
,hebrew3                                
,,this ,,is ,,jesus1                    
,,the ,,king ,,of ,,the ,,jews4    ,when
 the wicked ,abner read this1 he turned 
angrily to the centurion1  and to       
milius1 who stood sadly near the cross4 
,write not1 ,o ,roman1 that he is ',king
 of the ,jews1' but that he said he  was
 ,king of the ,jews6    ,i have placed  
above him what ,pilate has ordered to be
 written1  answered the centurion4      
,abner1 upon this1 mounted a mule and   
hastened into the city to the           
,procurator1 and laid his complaint     
before him4    ,what ,i have written1 ,i
 have written1 sir priest1 we have heard
 that  the ,procurator coldly answered4 
,but you1 then1 have crucified this man 
for being our king1 which we  deny6     
retorted ,abner4    ,i will take his    
word1 before that of all the ,jews in   
,csar's empire6  answered ,pilate       

angrily4 ,he said he was a king2 and if 
ever a king  stood before a human       
tribunal1 ,i have had a true and very   
king before  me to-day--and ,i have     
signed the warrant for his execution4   
,but his  blood be on your heads6 ,leave
 my presence1 ,jew6    ,abner left his  
presence abashed1 and returned to the   
place of  crucifixion4 ,the ,jews1 in   
the meanwhile1 mocked ,jesus1 and wagged
 their  heads at him1 and reminded him  
of his former miracles and prophecies4  
,thou that raisedst ,lazarus1 save      
thyself from death6 said a ,pharisee4   
,if thou art the ,son of ,god1 prove it 
by coming down from the cross6  cried   
the leader of the ,sadducees1 ,eli4     
,thou who saidst if a man kept thy      
sayings he should never see  death--let 
us see if thou canst avoid death        
thyself6 said ,iddo1 the  chief of the  
,essenes4    ,he saved others--himself  
he cannot save6 mocked ,ezekias1 one of 
the  chief priests4    milius1 finding  
it impossible to save the ,prophet from 

crucifixion1  had come out to guard him 
from the usual insults of the rabble1   
while  he was dying4 ,he had now lost   
faith in ,jesus as a ,jewish ,prophet1  
but he loved him still as a man1 and    
pitied him for his sufferings4  ,he     
talked with him1 and earnestly prayed   
him1 as he hung1 if he were  indeed a   
god1 to show his power6 ,jesus at first 
made no reply2 but he  shortly said1 in 
a faint voice3    ,i thirst4    ,the    
generous knight ran and filled a sponge 
with the preparation of  sour wine and  
hyssop1 usually given to malefactors1   
after they have  suffered awhile1 in    
order to stupefy them1 and render them  
insensible  to their sufferings4 ,while 
milius was affixing a sponge1 dipped in 
this vessel of vinegar1 upon a reed1    
split at the end to hold it  firmly1    
,ishmerai1 the robber1 who all the      
while1 as he hung1 had  uttered         
execrations upon his crucifiers1 and    
upon ,pilate1 called1  howling fiercely1
 to ,jesus3    ,if thou be the ,son of  

,god1 save thyself and us6 ,if thou     
didst raise a  man once from the dead1  
thou canst surely keep us from dying6   
,thou art  a vile wretch if thou hast   
power as a prophet1 and will not use it 
for  me1 when thou seest how heavy ,i am
 of body1 and how my great weight       
tortures me1 with infernal racking and  
rending of every joint4    ,but ,omri1  
rebuking his fellow1 said3    ,dost thou
 not fear ,god1 seeing thou art in the  
same condemnation8 ,we  suffer justly   
for our crimes1 and to-day do receive   
the due reward of  our transgressions2  
but this young man hath done nothing    
amiss1 save to  preach against the      
wickedness of the priests1 and for being
 holier than  they4 ,lord1 ,i believe   
that thou art the ,son of ,god6 ,none   
but the ,christ  could do the works that
 thou hast done1 or suffer patiently as 
thou art  doing4 ,lord1 remember me when
 thou comest into thy kingdom4    ,jesus
 turned his bleeding head towards him1  
and1 with a smile of  ineffable glory   

radiating his pale face1 said3          
,verily1 ,i say unto thee1 this day     
shalt thou be with me in ,paradise4     
,omri1 upon this1 looked inexpressibly  
happy1 and seemed to rise  superior to  
his sufferings4 ,the other cursed the   
,prophet aloud1 and  gnashed at him with
 his teeth1 with looks of demoniacal    
hatred4    ,at this moment milius came  
near with his dripping sponge1 and      
presented the reed upwards to the       
parched lips of the suffering ,jesus4   
,when he tasted it1 he would not drink1 
for he perceived it was the  opiate     
which was usually administered in       
compassion1 to shorten the  anguish of  
the crucified4    ,the robber1          
,ishmerai1 now eagerly cried for the    
oblivious sponge1 and  the ,prefect     
giving the reed to a soldier1 the latter
 placed it to the  mouth of the robber1 
whose swollen tongue protruded6 ,he     
drank of it  with a sort of mad thirst4 
,the other man1 also1 gladly assuaged   
his  burning fever with it1 and soon    

afterwards both of them sunk into       
insensibility4    ,all at once1 just as 
the sixth hour was sounded from the     
,temple1 by  the trumpets of the        
,levites1 the cloud which1 formed by the
 smoke of  the numerous sacrifices1 had 
hung all day above the ,temple1 was seen
  to become suddenly of inky blackness1 
and to advance towards ,calvary1        
spreading and expanding in the most     
appalling manner1 as it approached  us2 
and in a few minutes1 not only all      
,jerusalem1 but ,calvary1 the  ,valley  
of ,kedron1 the ,mount of ,olives1 and  
all the country1 were  involved in its  
fearful darkness4 ,the sun1 which had   
before been  shining with noonday       
brilliancy1 became black as sackcloth of
 hair1  and a dreadful1 unearthly1      
indescribable night overshadowed the    
world6  ,out of the center of the cloud1
 above the crosses1 shot forth angry    
lightnings in every direction4 ,but     
there was no thunder attending  it--only
 a dead1 sepulchral1 suffocating        

silence6    ,of the thousands who had   
been gazing upon the crucifixion1 every 
one  was now fallen prostrate upon the  
earth in terror6 ,jerusalem was  blotted
 out from our view2 only an angry spot  
of fire-red light1 as it  were the      
terrible eye of ,god itself1 was visible
 above the ,temple1 over  the place of  
the ,holy of ,holies4 ,the crosses were 
no longer visible1  save by the fearful 
shine of the lightnings1 flashing       
fiercely from the  dread and silent     
cloud4 ,the form of ,jesus1 amid the    
universal gloom1  shone as if divinely  
transfigured1 and a soft halo of        
celestial light  encircled his brow like
 a crown of glory2 while the dark bodies
 of the  two robbers could scarcely be  
discerned1 save by the faint radiance   
emanating from his own4    ,men talked  
to each other in whispers4 ,an          
indefinable dread was upon  each mind2  
for the sudden overspreading of the     
darkness was as  unaccountable as it was
 frightful4 ,mary1 his mother1 and      

,lazarus1  exclaimed with awe1 both     
speaking together3    ,this is his      
power4 ,he has produced this miracle6   
,and we shall behold him next descend   
from the cross1 cried ,rabbi  ,amos4    
,let us take courage6    ,three         
hours--three long and awful hours1 this 
supernatural light  continued--and all  
that while the vast multitude remained  
fixed1 and  moaning1 waiting they knew  
not what6 ,at length the cloud parted   
above  the cross1 with a loud peal of   
thunder1 while a shower of terrible     
lightning fell1 like lances of fire1 all
 around the form of ,jesus1  which      
immediately lost its halo and its       
translucent radiance1 ,his face1  at the
 same time1 became expressive of the    
most intense sorrow of soul4    ,a      
hundred voices exclaimed1 with horror3  
,see6 he is deserted1 and punished by   
the ,almighty6    ,we ourselves were    
amazed and appalled4 ,our rising hopes  
were blasted  by the livid lightnings1  
which seemed to blast him6 ,heaven1 as  

well as  man1 seemed to war against him6
 ,his mother gave utterance to a groan  
of agony1 and sank upon the ground1     
satisfied that her son was truly        
accursed of ,god4 ,at this moment1 as if
 to confirm all our fears1 he  cried1 in
 the ,hebrew tongue3    ,eloi6 ,eloi6   
,my ,god1 my ,god1 why hast thou        
forsaken me8    ,upon this1 some1       
pitying his sufferings1 ran to give him 
wine and  hyssop1 to deaden them4       
,nay1 let him live--let us see if ,elias
 will save him6 answered ,abner4  ,he   
calleth for ,elisha the prophet6        
,suddenly the darkness1 which had filled
 all the air1 seemed now to  concentrate
 and gather about the cross1 so that he 
who hanged thereon1  became invisible4  
,from the midst of it his thrilling     
voice was once  more heard1 as clear and
 strong as it rang over the waters of   
,galilee  when he preached from a boat  
to the thousands thronging the shore3   
,it is finished6 ,father1 into thy hands
 ,i commend my spirit6    ,as he uttered

 these words1 a supernatural glory shone
 around him1 and1  with a deep sigh1 he 
bowed his head upon his breast and gave 
up the  ghost6    ,the general          
exclamation of surprise that followed   
these clear  trumpet-tones1 was suddenly
 checked by a terrible trembling of the 
earth beneath our feet1 so that vast    
numbers of people were cast down2  the  
rocks of ,calvary were rent1 and thrown 
upwards1 while the whole  city shook    
with the convulsive throes of an        
earthquake4 ,the ,temple  seemed on     
fire1 and above its pinnacle appeared a 
flaming sword1 which  seemed to us to   
cleave the walls to their foundations2  
and while we  looked1 the sword changed 
into the shape of a cross of dazzling   
light1  standing high in the air1 over  
the altar2 and from its golden beams    
poured rays so bright1 that all         
,jerusalem1 and the hill country for a  
wide extent1 became as light as         
noon-day4 ,the ground still continued   
to rock1 and the sepulchres of the      

kings1 with the tombs of ancient        
prophets1 were riven by vast chasms1 and
 the green earth was strewn  with the   
bones and bodies of the dead4 ,the dark 
cloud1 which had begun  to form first   
with the smoke of the sacrifices of the 
,temple1 was now  dissipated by the     
light of the fiery cross1 and the sun   
reappeared4  ,before it the glorious    
vision over the ,temple gradually faded 
out and  disappeared4 ,the natural order
 of things gradually returned2 and men1 
smiting their breasts1 began to move    
towards the city1 filled with awe  and  
dread at what they had witnessed4 ,the  
centurion1 who stood watching  these    
fearful things1 said1 aloud1 to milius3 
,this man spake the truth4 ,he was a    
god6    ,truly1 responded milius1 this  
was none other than the ,son of         
,god--the very ,christ of the ,jewish   
,prophets4 ,all things in the air and   
on the earth sympathize with his death1 
as if the ,god of nature had  expired4  
,sad and weeping1 we left the dismal    

scene1 hanging our heads in             
despondency2 having1 even while         
wondering at these mighty events        
connected with his crucifixion1         
abandoned1 forever1 all hope that this  
was he who should have redeemed our     
nation and restored the royal  splendor 
of ,judah and the throne of the house of
 ,david4                           ,i   
am1 my dear father1 your loving         
daughter1                               
,adina4          ,,letter ,,xxxvi4      
,jerusalem--,third ,morning after the   
,crucifixion4      ,my ,dear ,father3   
,on the day on which the wonderful      
events took place which ,i have         
detailed at large in my last letter1 the
 chief priests1 at the head  of whom was
 ,annas1 met ,pilate as he was riding   
forth from the city1  attended by a     
score of men-at-arms1 to survey the deep
 rents made by  the earthquake1 and to  
hear from the mouths of all the people  
the  particulars of the marvels which   
attended the crucifixion of ,jesus4     

,when they came near him1 they besought 
him that he would command his  soldiers 
to take down the bodies1 as the next day
 was a high-day1 and  that it was       
contrary to their customs to have       
criminals executed or  left hanging on  
that day4    ,what think ye8 demanded   
,pilate1 reining up and soothing his    
,syrian  war-horse1 which1 startled at  
the dead bodies that lay near 7for they 
were crossing the place of the opened   
tombs71 had for some time  tramped and  
plunged madly4 ,what think ye1 priests6 
,have ye crucified  a man or a god8 ,we 
think these mighty wonders tell us that 
he was more  than a man6    ,the priests
 looked troubled1 and seemed unable to  
answer4 ,but ,terah1  chief priest of   
the house of ,mariah1 answered and said3
    ,my lord1 these were wonderful      
phenomena1 but they would have happened 
if this ,nazarene had not died6 ,here is
 a famous astrologer from ,arabia1  who 
studies the skies1 who says that this   
darkness was caused by an  eclipse of   

the sun6 ,the dark cloud was but the    
smoke of the sacrifices1  while the     
earthquake was but a natural and usual  
occurrence6    ,stay1 sir priest1       
answered ,pilate2 we at ,rome1 though   
called  barbarians by you polished      
,jews1 have some scholarship in         
astrology4  ,we know well that an       
eclipse of the sun can take place only  
when the  moon is new6 ,it is to-day1 on
 this eve of the high-day1 at its full1 
and will to-night rise nearly opposite  
the sun6 ,it was no eclipse1 sir        
priest1 and thy ,arabian is a false     
astrologer4 ,these events occurred      
because that divine man1 your king1 has 
been executed4    ,thus speaking1 the   
,roman ,procurator spurred on towards   
the place1  followed by his body-guard2 
now avoiding an open grave1 now leaping 
one  of the freshly opened chasms1 now  
turning aside from some body cast up  by
 the earthquake4 ,when he came in front 
of the crosses1 he saw that  ,jesus hung
 as if dead1 while the thieves still    

breathed and from time  to time heaved  
groans of anguish1 although partly      
insensible from the  effects of the     
opiate which had been administered to   
them4    ,think you1 ,romulus1 that he  
has any life in him8 asked ,pilate1  in 
a subdued tone of voice1 gazing         
sorrowfully1 and with looks of          
self-reproach1 upon the drooping form of
 his victim4    ,he is dead an hour ago1
 answered the centurion4 ,he expired    
when the  earthquake shook the city1 and
 the flaming sword was unsheathed in    
the air above the ,temple6 ,it was a    
fearful sight1 sir1 and the more        
wonderful to see it change in the shape 
of a cross of fire4 ,i fear1  sir1 we   
have crucified one of the gods in the   
shape of a man4    ,it would appear so1 
centurion1 answered ,pilate1 shaking his
 head4 ,i  would it had not been done6  
,but 'tis past6 ,the ,jews desire their 
bodies  to be removed before their great
 ,sabbath4 ,let them have their desire4 
,pilate then turned his horse and rode  

slowly and sadly away from the  spot4   
,romulus gave orders to his soldiers to 
remove the bodies4 ,when  the soldiers  
came to ,jesus they saw that he was     
already dead4    ,let us not break his  
legs1 said one to the other2 it were    
sacrilege  to mar such a manly form4    
,yet we must insure his death1 ere he   
can be taken away1 responded the  other4
 ,i will pierce him to make sure6       
,thus speaking1 the soldier directed his
 spear to the side of ,jesus1  and      
cleaved the flesh to his heart4 ,john1  
who stood near1 and saw and  heard all1 
upon seeing this done bowed his head to 
the earth in total  abandonment of hope6
    ,when he raised his head to gaze    
upon his crucified ,master1 he saw      
flowing from the rent in his side two   
fountains together1 one of  crimson     
blood1 and lo6 the other of crystal     
water6 ,he could not believe  what he   
saw1 until the soldiers and the         
centurion expressed aloud their  wonder 
at such a marvel4    ,never was such a  

man crucified before1 exclaimed the     
centurion4    ,in the meanwhile1 ,rabbi 
,joseph1 the counsellor of ,arimathea1  
who stands  high in favor with ,pilate1 
met the ,governor as he was skirting the
 wall  of the city with his cohort1 and 
asked him if1 after ,jesus should be    
pronounced dead1 he might take down the 
body and give it sepulchre4    ,go and  
receive the body of this wonderful man1 
said ,pilate4 ,methinks  thou art one   
who knew him well4 ,what thinkest thou  
of him1 ,rabbi8  ,joseph perceived that 
,pilate asked the question with deep    
interest1  seemingly very greatly       
troubled in mind1 and he answered him   
boldly3    ,i believe that he was a     
,prophet sent from ,god1 your           
excellency1 and  that to-day has died on
 ,calvary the most virtuous1 the wisest1
 and the  most innocent man in ,csar's  
empire4    ,my conscience echoes your   
words1 answered ,pilate1 gloomily2 and  
putting spurs to his horse1 he galloped 
forward in the direction of the         

,gethsemane ,gardens4    ,proceeding to 
the cross1 ,joseph1 by the aid of       
,lazarus1 ,simon ,peter1  ,mary1        
,martha1 and ,rabbi ,amos1 took it out  
of the socket in the rock1  with its    
precious burden1 and gently laid it upon
 the ground with the  body still        
extended upon it4    ,in the still1 holy
 twilight of that dread day1 the west   
all shadowy  gold and mellow light1 the 
air asleep1 and a sacred silence        
reigning  in heaven and on earth1 they  
bore away from the hill of death the    
body  of the dead ,prophet4 ,the        
shoulders of ,nicodemus1 of ,peter1 of  
,lazarus1  and of ,john1 gently         
sustained the loving weight of ,him they
 once  honored above all men1 and whom1 
though proved by his death1 as they     
believed1 to have fatally deceived      
himself as to his divine mission as  the
 ,christ1 they still loved for his      
sorrows so patiently borne1 for  his    
virtues so vividly remembered4          
,slowly the little group wound their way

 along the rocky surface of  ,golgotha1 
the last to leave that fearful place in 
the coming darkness4  ,their measured   
tread1 their low whispers1 the subdued  
wail of the women  who followed the rude
 bier of branches1 the lonely path they 
trod1  all combined to render the       
spectacle one of touching solemnity4    
,the  shades of evening were gathering  
thick around them4 ,they took secret    
ways for fear of the ,jews4 ,but some   
that met them turned aside with awe     
when they knew what corpse was borne    
along1 for the impression of the        
appalling scenes of the day had not yet 
wholly passed away from their  minds4   
,at length they reached a gate in the   
wall of the garden attached  to the     
noble abode of the wealthy ,rabbi       
,joseph1 who went before1 and  with a   
key unlocked it1 and admitted them into 
the secluded enclosure4  ,here the      
thickness of the foliage of olive and   
fig trees created  complete darkness2   
for by this time the evening star was   

burning like  a lamp in the roseate     
west4 ,they rested the bier upon the    
pavement  beneath the arch1 and awaited 
in silence and darkness the appearance  
of torches which ,rabbi ,joseph had sent
 for to his house4 ,the servants        
bearing them were soon seen advancing1  
the flickering light from the  flambeaux
 giving all things visible by it a wild 
aspect1 in keeping  with the hour4      
,follow me1 said ,joseph1 in a low      
voice1 that was full charged with  deep 
sorrow1 as the servants preceded him    
with their torches4    ,the sad bearers 
of the dead body of ,jesus raised their 
sacred burden  from the ground1 and trod
 onward1 their measured foot-falls      
echoing  among the aisles of the garden4
 ,at its farther extremity1 where the   
rock hangs beetling over the valley1 and
 forms at this place the  wall of the   
garden1 was a shallow flight of stone   
steps leading to a  new tomb hewn out of
 the rock4 ,it had been constructed for 
the ,rabbi  himself1 and had just been  

completed1 and in it no man had ever    
been  laid4    ,the servants1 by command
 of ,joseph1 rolled back the stone1 and 
exposed  the dark vault of the gaping   
sepulchre4    ,how is it1 most worthy   
,rabbi1 said a ,roman centurion1        
suddenly  apprizing them of his presence
 by his voice1 that you bury thus with  
honor a man who has proved himself      
unable to keep the dazzling promises  he
 has allured so many of you with8       
,all present turned with surprise at    
seeing not only the centurion1 but  half
 a score of men-at-arms1 on whose       
helmets and cuirasses the torches       
brightly gleamed1 marching across the   
grass towards the spot4    ,what means  
this intrusion1 ,roman8 asked ,rabbi    
,joseph4    ,i am sent hither by command
 of the ,procurator1 answered the       
centurion2 the chief ,jews have had an  
interview with him1 informing  him that 
the man whom he had crucified had       
foretold that after three  days he would
 rise again4 ,they1 therefore1 asked a  

guard to be given  them to place over   
the sepulchre1 till the third day1 lest 
his  disciples secretly withdraw the    
body1 and report that their master is   
risen4 ,pilate1 therefore1 has commanded
 me to keep watch to-night with  my men4
    ,we bury him with this deference and
 respect1 centurion1 answered  ,rabbi   
,joseph1 because we believe him to have 
been deceived1 not a  deceiver4 ,he was 
gifted by ,god with vast power1 and     
therefore doubtless  believed he could  
do all things4 ,he was too holy1 wise1  
and good to  deceive4 ,he has fallen a  
victim to his own wishes for the weal of
  ,israel which were impossible by man  
to be realized4    ,the body of ,jesus1 
wrapped in its shroud of spotless linen1
 and  surrounded by the preserving      
spices of ,arabia1 was then borne into  
the  tomb1 and laid reverently upon the 
table of stone which ,joseph had        
prepared for his own last resting-place4
 ,simon ,peter was the last to  quit the
 side of the body1 by which he knelt as 

if he would never leave  it1 shedding   
all the while great tears of bitter     
grief4 ,john only1 at  last1 drawing him
 gently forth1 enabled the centurion and
 soldiers to  close the heavy door of   
the tomb4 ,having secured it evenly by  
revolving  it in its socket1 the        
signet-bearer of the ,procurator1 who   
had come  with the soldiers1 placed a   
mass of wax1 melted by a torch1 upon    
each  side of it over the crevices1 and 
stamped each with the ,imperial  signet1
 which to break is death6    ,the ,jews 
who were present1 seeing that the       
sepulchre was thus made sure  by the    
sealing of the stone1 and by the setting
 of the vigilant ,roman  watch of       
eighteen men1 took their departure4     
,rabbi ,joseph1 ,nicodemus1  and the    
rest of the friends of ,jesus1 then     
slowly retired1 leaving a  sentinel     
pacing to and fro before the tomb1 and  
others grouped about  beneath the trees 
or on the steps of the sepulchre1       
playing at their  favorite game of dice1

 or gazing upon the broad moon1         
conversing1 or  singing their native    
,italian airs2 yet with their arms at   
hand1 ready  to spring to their feet at 
the least alarm or word of alert4       
7,something fearful must this instant   
have happened1 for the house has  just  
shaken as if with an earthquake4 ,what  
can be the meaning of these  wonders87  
,this morning ,mary and ,martha1 with   
others1 have gone to visit ,jesus'  tomb
 in ,joseph's garden 7as ,i have already
 said71 for the purpose of  embalming   
the body1 and on their return we are to 
go to ,bethany for  a few days1 until   
the violent hostility of the ,jews to   
his followers  subsides4    ,i hear now 
the voices of ,mary and ,martha1 in the 
court of the street1  returning from the
 tomb4 ,they are pitched to a wild note 
of joy6 ,what  can mean the             
commotion--the exclamations--the        
running1 and shouting1  all through the 
corridors and court8 ,i must close1 and 
fly to learn  what new terror or wonder 

has occurred4                           
,in haste1 your affectionate daughter1  
,adina4          ,,letter ,,xxxvii4     
,jerusalem--,first ,day of the week4    
,my ,dear ,father3    ,how shall ,i make
 known to you1 in words1 the marvelous1 
joyous1 happy1  happy1 and most         
wonderful news which ,i have to tell6   
,my heart beats1  my hand trembles with 
rapture1 while a sense of profound awe  
impresses  all my soul6 ,jesus is alive6
 ,jesus has risen from the dead6 ,jesus 
has  proved himself to be the ,son of   
,god6    ,i can scarcely hold my pen for
 joy and wonder1 or collect my thoughts1
  for very amazement1 at what has       
transpired4    ,upon hearing my name    
called by ,mary1 and others1 in eager1  
joy-trembling tones1 ,i hastened to go  
down4 ,on reaching the staircase  ,i met
 my cousin ascending1 almost flying4    
,wonder1 love1 and happiness            
inexpressible1 beamed from her beautiful
 countenance4 ,meeting me1 she  threw   
her arms about my neck and essayed to   

utter something6 ,but her  heart was too
 full1 and1 bursting into sobs1 she wept
 convulsively upon  my bosom1 in an     
ecstasy of delirious joy4    ,amazed and
 confounded1 not knowing what had       
happened1 ,i held her to my  heart1 and 
tried to soothe her emotion4            
,what--oh1 what hath happened8 ,speak1  
dear ,mary6 ,i asked1 unable to  wait   
longer in suspense4    ,she raised her  
head1 and through her tears and smiles1 
at length said1  brokenly3              
,he--he--is--risen--oh1 he is risen from
 the tomb6    ,who8 ,i cried1 half      
believing1 yet doubting4    ,the ,lord6 
,our ,mighty ,master--,jesus--the very  
,son of ,god1 the ,blessed6  ,he is     
alive1 ,adina6 ,come--delay not6 ,i have
 flown into the city to tell  thee1 and 
,mary has told ,peter and ,john1 whom   
she met at the door1 and  who1 doubting1
 as thou hast done1 have run to see if  
these things be  so4 ,they will find the
 sepulchre empty6 ,haste to go with us6 
,while1 overwhelmed with wonder1 and    

trembling with joy1 ,i was preparing  to
 accompany her1 ,martha appeared1 her   
face radiant with celestial  happiness4 
,you have heard the tidings of great    
joy1 ,o ,adina8    ,can they be true1   
,martha8 ,i asked1 earnestly4    ,yes1  
for ,i have seen him walking1 heard his 
voice1 and touched him6  ,you1 also1    
shall see him1 for he hath sent us to   
tell his disciples6    ,i wept for joy6 
,at the gateway we met ,mary of         
,bethany1 and we three now hastened     
together towards the garden of ,joseph1 
,i wishing my feet wings1 that  ,i might
 reach the sepulchre sooner1 fearing    
that the vision of ,jesus  would be     
vanished ere ,i arrived4 ,as we were    
going out of the gate1 we  were met by  
four or five ,roman soldiers1 who1 with 
aspects stamped with  fear1 were running
 past us into the city4    ,what means  
this flight and terror1 men8 cried the  
captain of the  gate4 ,you fly as if you
 were in full retreat from an enemy4    
,speak1  ,marius6 ,you seem to have your

 senses6 he demanded of the youngest of 
the soldiers1 an officer under a        
centurion4    ,we paused to hear what he
 said4    ,per ,dian1 captain6 we have  
been terrified beyond measure1 answered 
the soldier4 ,my heart beats yet1 as if 
it were an alarum-drum4 ,you  see1 we   
were a part of the guard left in charge 
of the sepulchre  of this ,jewish       
,prophet1 crucified three days ago4     
,before dawn this  morning1 as ,i was   
pacing to and fro before the tomb1 there
 suddenly  shone round about us a light1
 like a descending meteor1 accompanied  
by a rushing as if of a legion of wings4
 ,the men started to their  feet in     
amazement6 ,on looking about us ,i saw a
 dazzling form1 in the  mid-heavens1    
with broad wings of gold1 sparkling with
 myriads of stars1  every feather a     
star1 and clad in raiment white and     
gleaming as the  summer's lightning4    
,this terrible presence1 like that of   
one of the ,dii  ,immortales1 made us   
fear exceedingly1 beyond any terror we  

had before  experienced4 ,but when we   
saw this mighty being descend straight  
towards  the tomb1 and beheld the       
resplendent majesty of his celestial    
visage1  which blinded us1 our hearts   
failed within us4 ,the angel1 or god1   
alighted amid a blaze of radiance at the
 door of the sepulchre2 and as  his foot
 touched the earth it trembled1 as if   
with a great earthquake4  ,the soldiers 
shook with terror1 and fell to the      
ground1 before his  presence1 as dead   
men4 ,i stood1 unable to move1 frozen by
 fear to a  statue4 ,he touched the     
great stone door with one of his        
fingers1 and it  rolled outward at his  
feet1 as if a catapult had struck it1   
and1 like  ,jove taking his throne1 he  
sat upon it6    ,but one thing more1    
continued the soldier1 was wanting to   
fill my  cup of terror to the full4 ,and
 it followed4 ,i saw the crucified      
,prophet  rise up from the slab on which
 he was laid1 and stand upon his feet1  
and walk forth alive1 with the tread of 

some mighty conqueror6 ,the  celestial  
being1 so terrible in his majestic      
splendor1 veiled his face  with his     
wings before his presence1 and          
prostrated himself at his feet1  as if  
in homage to one greater than himself6  
,i saw no more1 but fell1 insensible    
with terror1 to the earth4 ,when1  at   
length1 ,i came to myself1 the tomb was 
filled with dazzling forms  of          
resplendent beauty2 the air rang with   
music1 such as mortals never  before    
heard2 and ,i fled1 pursued by my fears1
 the rest of the soldiers  rising and   
following me1 each man fearing to look  
back1 but bewildered  we lost our way4  
,the soldiers hurried forward into the  
city2 while1 confirmed now in the       
certainty that ,jesus was risen1 ,i     
hastened1 with ,martha and ,mary1 in    
the direction of the garden4    ,how and
 where did you behold him1 ,mary8 ,i    
interrogated1 as we drew  near to the   
steep path leading to the gate of       
,joseph's garden4    ,when we reached   

the tomb1 with our spices and precious  
ointments1 to  embalm the body1 we found
 it open1 and the soldiers1 who had     
guarded  it1 lying about upon the ground
 like dead men4 ,upon the stone sat the 
archangel1 but the resplendent light of 
his apparel and countenance was  so     
tempered to our eyes1 that1 although we 
believed it was an angel1 we  were not  
terrified1 for his looks were serene1   
and the aspect of his  face divinely    
beautiful1 combined with a terrible and 
indescribable  majesty4 ,we shook with  
fear1 and stood still1 unable to move1  
gazing on  him in silent expectation4   
',fear not1' said he in a voice that    
seemed to fill the air about us  with   
undulating music1 'fear not1 daughters  
of ,abraham4 ,i know that ye  seek      
,jesus1 which was crucified6 ,he is not 
here1 but is risen1 as he  foretold4    
,lo6 see the place where the ,lord of   
,life1 and ,conqueror of  ,death1 hath  
lain6'    ,we then timidly approached1  
and looked in1 and saw the sepulchre    

empty2 but a soft light filled the whole
 place4    ',go and tell his disciples  
that the ,lord is risen1' added the     
angel1  'and that he will go before them
 into ,galilee4 ,there shall they see   
him  not many days hence6'    ,when the 
angel had thus spoken to us1 continued  
,mary1 we departed  quickly from the    
sepulchre with fear and great joy1 and  
ran to go into  the city1 to bring his  
disciples word1 according to the command
 of the  angel4 ,but ,i had not advanced
 so far as the gate of the garden1 being
  behind the rest1 when ,i beheld ,jesus
 himself standing in my path4 ,i        
stopped1 between terror and joy4        
',all hail6 daughter of ,israel1' he    
said4 ',be not afraid4 ,i am living1    
that was dead6 ,go1 ,mary1 and tell my  
mother and my brethren1 and ,peter1  and
 ,john1 and ,lazarus1 that ,i am risen1 
and that ,i have spoken with  you4 ,be  
not afraid6 ,i am the resurrection and  
the life6'    ,i then cast myself at his
 feet1 and worshiped him with awe2 and  

when ,i  looked up1 he was gone4    ,the
 others did not see him4 ,we now        
continued on to the city1 as if we  had 
wings4 ,but see6 we are now at the gate 
of the garden1 added ,mary  of ,bethany1
 in a low tone of awe4 ,he must be near 
us4    ,but we approached the tomb      
without seeing any man1 having arrived  
before ,peter and ,john1 who had been   
delayed some time at the ,jaffa  gate4  
,we1 therefore1 found no one at the     
sepulchre4 ,it was open1 and  empty4    
,the stone in front1 on which the       
archangel sat1 was vacant4 ,as  we drew 
near1 a bright light suddenly shone out 
from the tomb2 and upon  going higher ,i
 beheld two angels1 clothed in white    
robes1 and with  countenances of divine 
radiance1 seated1 one at the head and   
the other  at the foot of the slab of   
marble1 on which the body of ,jesus had 
lain4    ,be not afraid1 daughters of   
,jerusalem1 said one of the angels1     
speaking to us in the ,hebrew tongue2   
,he whom ye seek1 liveth6 ,he  is risen 

from the tomb1 which could not hold him 
but through his  consent2 for ,jesus is 
,lord of ,life1 and ,victor over ,death 
and ,hell1 for  evermore6 ,go your way1 
and tell his disciples that he awaits   
them by  the seaside4    ,the angels    
then vanished from our sight2 and at the
 same moment ,john  and ,peter came     
running1 and seeing the stone rolled    
away1 ,john stooped  down1 and looked   
in1 and said that he saw the linen      
clothes in which  the body of ,jesus had
 been wrapped1 lying folded together1   
and also  the napkin which had been     
bound about his head4 ,peter1 now coming
 up1  breathless with eagerness and     
haste1 no sooner saw the tomb open1 than
  he went boldly in1 and carefully      
examined all for himself4 ,when we  made
 known to them what the angels had said 
to us1 that ,jesus would go  before and 
meet them in ,galilee1 they rejoiced    
greatly1 and shortly  afterwards        
departed1 to hasten into ,galilee4 ,i   
also returned with them1  to convey the 

news to ,mary1 the mother of ,jesus1 who
 had scarcely left  her couch1 in her   
great sorrow1 since the day of the      
crucifixion4 ,mary  of ,bethany1        
however1 remained1 lingering near the   
tomb1 hoping that  ,jesus had not yet   
left the garden1 and that she might once
 more behold  him4    ,seated upon the  
steps of the tomb1 weeping for joy at   
his resurrection1  and wishing once more
 to behold him1 she heard a footstep    
behind her1  and1 turning round1 saw a  
man standing near her4 ,it was ,jesus   
himself1  and kneeling1 she was about to
 clasp his feet1 when he said to her3   
,touch me not1 ,mary4 ,i am not yet     
ascended to my ,father4 ,but go and     
tell ,lazarus1 and my brethren1 and my  
mother1 that ,i ascend ere many  days1  
unto my ,father and your ,father1 and   
unto my ,god and your ,god4    ,jesus   
then vanished out of her sight2 and she 
came and told all these  things to us1  
and to the disciples4    ,but what pen  
can describe1 my dear father1 the       

amazement and  consternation of         
,caiaphas1 and the chief priests1 and   
the rest of his  enemies6    ,caiaphas1 
hearing the uproar of the soldiers1     
sprang from his couch to  inquire the   
cause1 and on being assured by his      
servants that ,jesus had  burst his tomb
 and risen alive from the dead6 he      
quaked1 and became  deadly pale4        
,when ,pilate received the account from 
the centurion of the guard1 he  said3   
,we have crucified a god1 as ,i         
believed6 ,henceforth ,i am accursed6   
and  leaving his ,hall of ,judgment1 he 
went and shut himself up in his own     
room1 which he has not since left4      
,caiaphas and the chief priests and     
scribes1 in the meanwhile assembled     
together in full ,sanhedrim1 and hearing
 the testimony of the centurion1  were  
convinced that the fact could not be    
concealed of ,jesus'  resurrection4     
,who has seen him alive8 demanded the   
,high ,priest4    ,i have seen him1 my  
lord1 answered the centurion4 ,i saw his

 pierced  feet and hands as he walked   
past me2 and the morning breeze blew    
aside  his mantle and exposed to my eyes
 the open wound made by the spear of  my
 soldier1 ,philippus4 ,he was alive1 and
 in full strength of limb6    ,thou     
sawest a vision1 ,roman6 answered       
,caiaphas4 ,come aside with us1  and let
 us talk with thee4    ,in a few minutes
 afterwards the centurion left the court
 of the ,high  ,priest's palace1        
followed by a ,gibeonite slave1 bearing 
after him a  vase of ,persian gold4 ,he 
has told every one since1 that he must  
have  seen a spirit1 for the disciples  
of ,jesus came by night and stole away  
the body of their master1 while they    
slept1 overcome with watching4  ,his    
soldiers have also been bribed to tell  
the same tale6    ,such is the false    
version that now goes about the city1 my
 dear father2  but there are few that   
give it credence1 even of our enemies4  
,as  milius1 who is filled with great   
joy at the resurrection of ,jesus1      

to-day very justly says3    ,if these   
soldiers slept on guard1 they merited   
death therefor1 by the  military laws of
 the empire4 ,if1 while sleeping1 their 
charge--the  dead body of ,jesus--was   
taken away1 they deserve death for      
failing  to prevent it4 ,why then are   
they not placed under arrest by         
,pilate's  orders1 if this story be     
true8 ,because ,pilate well knows that  
it is not  true6 ,he knows1 because he  
has privately examined many of the      
soldiers1  that ,jesus did burst his    
tomb1 and that angels rolled away the   
stone  without breaking his seals1 which
 could not have been left unmarred but  
by a miracle4 ,he knows that ,jesus has 
arisen--for it is believed that  he has 
also beheld him--at least such is the   
rumor at the ,pretorium4  ,it was the   
form of ,jesus visible before him1      
doubtless1 that drove  him in such      
amazement from his ,hall to his secret  
chamber2 for it was  remarked that he   
started1 turned deadly pale1 and essayed

 to address  the invisible space before 
him1 as if he saw a spirit4    ,besides 
the facts which ,i have stated1 is the  
increasing testimony  of the thousands  
who1 to-day1 have gone out of the city  
to see the  sepulchre where ,he was     
laid4 ,they say1 both enemies of ,jesus 
as well as  our friends1 that it was    
impossible for the door to have been    
opened by  any human being1 not by      
,pilate himself1 without marring the    
seals4 ,they  also assert that1 to      
remove the stone by night1 which would  
require  four men1 and to bear forth the
 body1 would have been impossible1 if   
the guard had been present2 and if they 
had been asleep1 they must have  been   
awakened with the heavy noise made by   
rolling the massive door  along the     
hollow pavement outside the sepulchre4  
,if1 say the common people1 the watch   
slept1 why does not the  ,procurator put
 them to death8    ,this question       
remains unanswered1 and the watch go    
about the streets  unharmed6 ,my dear   

father1 remember no more my unbelief1   
but with me  believe in ,jesus1 that he 
is the ,son of ,god1 the ,savior of     
,israel1 the  immortal ,christ of the   
,prophets4                              
,your affectionate daughter1            
,adina4          ,,letter ,,xxxviii4    
,bethany1 ,house of ,mary and ,martha1 a
 ,month after the ,passover4      ,i    
deeply regret1 my dearest father1 the   
delays which have detained you  so long 
from arriving at ,jerusalem1 but trust  
that1 ere many days1  the caravan for   
which you wait will reach ,gaza1 and    
that you will be  enabled to resume your
 journey to the ,holy ,city4 ,i am now  
at ,bethany1  where ,i have been some   
time making my home4    ,uncle ,amos has
 retired1 for the present1 to his farm1 
near ,jericho1  but will be here        
to-morrow to remain with us4 ,therefore1
 when you come  near to ,jerusalem1     
instead of going directly into the city1
 turn aside  by the road leading past   
the king's gardens1 and go up the brook 

of  ,kedron1 into the way to ,bethany4  
,i pray that ,god may preserve you in   
safety1 and soon permit me the happiness
 of once more embracing you1  after     
three long years of separation4    ,and 
what events have transpired in these    
three years6 ,once more1 my  dear       
father1 read carefully over the whole   
narrative1 and answer to  yourself this 
inquiry3 ,is not this man the ,son of   
,god8 ,is not he the  very ,christ1 the 
long-looked-for ,messias8    ,isaias    
prophesied of the ,christ whom he saw   
afar off1 that he should be  a man of   
sorrows2 that he should be despised and 
rejected of men2  that he should be     
taken from prison and judgment1 and cut 
off from  the land of the living2 that  
he should be numbered with the wicked   
in his death1 and make his grave with   
the rich6 ,how light1 how clear1  how   
plain1 all these prophecies now are to  
me1 and to us all6 ,how  wonderfully in 
their minuteness they have been         
fulfilled1 you already  know4    ,his   

resurrection1 also1 was foretold by     
himself1 but we did not  understand his 
words until now4 ,when he spoke of      
destroying the temple1  and raising it  
in three days1 he spoke of the          
tabernacle of his body6  ,oh1 how many  
sayings1 which1 when spoken by his      
sacred lips1 we  understood not1 now    
rush upon us in all their meaning1      
proving to us  that every step of his   
life was foreknown to him2 that he went 
forward  to his death aware of all      
things whatsoever that were going to    
befall  him6    ,but his resurrection   
was also foretold by the holy ,david1   
when he  said1 ,thou wilt not leave his 
soul in hell1 nor suffer thy ,holy ,one 
to see corruption2 and his arraignment  
before ,pilate1 ,caiaphas1 and  ,herod1 
was foretold by ,david1 when he said3   
,the kings of the earth set  themselves1
 and the rulers take counsel together1  
against the ,lord1 and  against his     
,anointed2 yet the ,lord saith1 ,thou   
art my ,son1 this day  have ,i begotten 

thee4 ,also1 my dear father1 turn to the
 ,psalms 7#bb7 of  ,king ,david1 and    
compare the following words1 which speak
 of ,messias1  with what ,i have        
described in my previous letters3       
,they shoot out the lip at me2 they     
shake the head2 they laugh me to  scorn4
 ,they say1 ,he trusted in the ,lord    
that he would deliver him4 ,thou  hast  
brought me into the dust of death4      
,read the same psalm of the holy king a 
little farther1 and you will see  these 
words1 which were put by the royal      
prophet into the lips of his  future    
,messias3    ,the assembly of the wicked
 have enclosed me4 ,they pierced my     
hands and  my feet4 ,they part my       
garments among them1 and upon my vesture
 cast  lots6    ,read and compare these 
prophecies of ,messias1 with the        
accounts in my  letters1 dear father1   
and you will not only be convinced that 
,jesus is  the ,messias1 but you will   
perceive that his humiliation and       
sufferings  before ,pilate and          

,caiaphas1 his agony on the cross1 his  
death and  burial1 instead1 as we       
ignorantly conceived1 of being evidences
 that  he was not the ,christ1 are proof
 that he was the very ,son of the       
,highest--the ,shiloh of ,jehovah       
foretold by the prophets--the ,anointed 
,king of ,israel4    ,oh1 wonderful is  
all this6 ,how marvelous these things   
passing before  our eyes6 ,now all is   
dazzlingly clear6 ,the ,prophets are    
unveiled to  our sight1 and we see that 
these things must have happened to him4 
,oh1  our darkness1 our blindness1 to   
have seen in the prophecies of ,messias 
only the passages which speak of his    
glory and power6 ,read the ,prophets  no
 longer1 my dearest father1 with a veil 
before your eyes6 ,see1 in  all you     
read1 ,jesus as the end of the          
,prophets1 the goal of all their        
far-seeing prophecies1 the veritable and
 sure realization of their  prophetic   
visions4    ,thus1 my dear father1 has  
,jesus in all particulars proved himself

 to be  the subject of all prophecy--the
 ,king of ,israel4 ,but you will now    
ask1  ,is he to re-establish the throne 
of ,david1 and live forever8    ,yes1   
but not a ,jerusalem of earthly         
splendor4 ,oh1 how clear are all  things
 to my apprehension now6 ,the ,jerusalem
 in which his throne is to  be placed1  
is heavenly1 and the true ,jerusalem1 of
 which the present  one is but the      
material type--what the body is to the  
soul of man4    ,jesus has talked with  
me since his resurrection1 and explained
 all this  to me1 and much more that is 
wonderful and full of joy4    ,it is now
 four weeks since he arose1 and in that 
time he has been not  only seen by all  
the disciples1 but by hundreds of his   
followers4 ,the  only change in his     
usual appearance1 dear father1 to the   
eye1 is a  transparent paleness1 which  
gives a soft radiance to his whole      
aspect1  and a certain majestic reserve1
 which awes all who draw near to him2   
so that men speak in his presence in    

subdued whispers4 ,his mother1  happiest
 of women now1 as she was before the    
most wretched1 ever sits  at his feet1  
and silently enjoys his sacred presence1
 seldom speaking1  and looking up to him
 rather as a worshiper to her ,god1 than
 a mother  upon her son4 ,that he is in 
the flesh in reality1 and not a spirit1 
he  has proven to his disciples1 by     
eating with them2 and in a remarkable   
way to an incredulous disciple1 called  
,thomas1 who1 not believing that  ,jesus
 was risen in his real body from the    
dead1 was told by the divine  ,lord to  
place his fingers into his hands1 and   
his hand into his side2  which ,thomas1 
convinced1 with awe refused to do2 but1 
falling at his  feet in amazement and   
adoration1 worshiped him as ,god4       
,to-day his disciples are with him in   
the gardens of ,david1 at  ,bethlehem1  
where he is holding daily a solemn      
council with the  eleven1 unfolding to  
them the glory of his kingdom1 and      
opening their  understandings to the    

clear apprehension of all which the     
prophets  have written concerning him4  
,john1 who is a member of this divine   
council1 says that the power of ,jesus1 
the extent and majesty of his  kingdom1 
the infinite results of his death and   
resurrection1 are not  to be conceived  
of by those who have not listened to    
these sublime  revelations of his own   
lips4    ,he hath shown us1 said ,john1 
how that his true office as ,son of     
,god1  and ,son of ,man1 is to be a     
mediator4 ,he showed us that he himself 
was  the ,high ,priest1 and how that the
 cross was the veritable altar of this  
great world's sacrifice1 and its ,temple
 the whole earth and heavens6    ,how   
wonderful1 dear father1 is all this6 ,he
 further teaches his  disciples that he 
will shortly ascend from the earth1 to  
enter upon his  celestial reign1 and    
that his subjects there are to be all   
who love  him and keep his commandments4
 ,it is to be a kingdom of holiness1 and
  none will enter there but the pure in 

heart4 ,he says1 further1 that as  we do
 now confess our sins over the blood of 
the victim we sacrifice  for ourselves  
in the ,temple1 so henceforth we must   
look to him 7by  faith when we shall see
 him no longer71 slain a sacrifice for  
us1 and  confess our sins to the ,father
 for his sake4 ,jesus has moreover      
taught  his disciples that the ,gentiles
 are to share equally with the children 
of ,abraham the benefits of his death   
and resurrection2 that this good  news  
shall be proclaimed to them by his      
disciples1 and that they will  gladly   
hear it and believe4    ,the fountain of
 my everlasting kingdom1 saith he1 truly
 shall be  laid upon earth in the hearts
 of men2 but the building is with ,god1 
eternal in the heavens4 ,the tomb       
through which ,i have passed is its     
gate1 and all who would come after me1  
and enter in1 must follow in my         
footsteps4    ,thomas then asked his    
,lord whither he would go1 and the way2 
how he  would leave the earth1 since he 

could die no more4    ,thou shalt see   
for thyself ere many days pass1 answered
 ,jesus4 ,in  that ,i have risen1 all   
whom my ,father giveth me shall rise    
also from  the dead2 and those whom ,i  
raise up1 ,i will take with me the way  
,i go2  for where ,i am1 they shall     
evermore be with me also4    ,such1 dear
 father1 is a brief account of what     
,john has told us1  touching the divine 
teaching of ,messias1 the ,son of ,god1 
respecting his  kingdom4 ,yet much is   
still mysterious2 but we know enough to 
be willing  to trust ourselves to him   
for this life1 and for that which is to 
come4  ,we know that all power is given 
into his hands1 and that he can save    
all men who believe in and accept him4  
,what is remarkable1 dear father1       
notwithstanding the ,jews have heard    
that ,jesus walks everywhere through    
,jewry1 yet no efforts are made  to lay 
hands on him4 ,at his presence1 crowds  
of his enemies fly like  the stricken   
multitude before the advancing sirocco4 

,his presence in  ,judea is a present   
dread1 like some great evil1 to those   
who fear  him2 but like a celestial     
blessing to more who love him4 ,pilate1 
on  the eve of making a journey last    
week to ,bethel1 before quitting the    
city dispatched couriers in advance to  
ascertain whether ,jesus the  ,crucified
 was on the line of his route6          
,caiaphas1 having occasion to  go to    
,jericho1 a few days after the          
,passover1 hearing that ,jesus had  been
 seen with his disciples on the road1   
made a circuit round by ,luz  and       
,shiloh1 in order not to meet him4 ,the 
gates of the city are kept  constantly  
shut1 lest he should enter within the   
walls2 some of the  chief priests       
fearing greatly to behold his face1     
while others imagine  that he is engaged
 in raising an army1 to advance upon and
 take  ,jerusalem from the ,romans4     
,i rejoice to see by your last letter1  
that you may be expected to reach  here 
the week after next4 ,oh that you were  

here now1 that you might  be taken by   
,john to see ,jesus6 for from what he   
says he will not long  remain visible   
among us4 ,whither he goeth or how he   
goeth away1 no man  can say4            
,faithfully1 your loving daughter1      
,adina4          ,,letter ,,xxxix4      
,bethany1 ,forty ,days after the        
,resurrection4      ,my ,dearest        
,father3    ,with emotions that nearly  
deprive me of the power to hold my pen1 
and  with trembling fingers that make   
the words ,i write almost illegible1 ,i 
sit down to make known to you the       
extraordinary event which will mark     
this day in all future time as the most 
worthy to be noted among men4    ,on the
 fortieth day after the resurrection1 my
 dear father1 early in  the morning1    
,jesus left the house of ,mary and      
,lazarus1 where he had sat  up with us  
all night speaking to us of the glories 
of the life above1  and the excellency  
of heart and purity of life required of 
all who  should enter it4    ,lord1 said

 ,martha1 as he went forth1 whither     
goest thou8    ,come and see1 he        
answered4 ,whither ,i go ye shall know1 
and the way  ye shall know3 for where ,i
 am ye shall also be1 and all those who 
believe in me4    ,lord1 said ,mary1    
kneeling at his feet1 return at noon1   
and remain  with us during the heat of  
the day4    ,mary1 said ,jesus1 laying  
his hand gently upon her forehead1 ,i am
  going to my ,father's house6 ,there   
thou shalt dwell with me in mansions    
not made with hands4    ,thus speaking1 
he walked slowly onward towards the hill
 of ,bethany1  not far from the place   
where ,lazarus was buried4 ,he was      
followed not  only by ,mary1 ,martha1   
,lazarus1 and ,john1 my ,cousin ,mary1  
and myself1  but by all the disciples4  
,there were at least five hundred       
persons  in all1 moving on with him ere 
he reached the green hillside beyond    
the village2 for all followed him1      
expecting to hear more glorious         
revelations from his lips4    ,he goes  

to the hill to pray1 said one of his    
disciples4    ,nay1 he goeth to show us 
some mighty miracle1 from the expression
 of  power and majesty in his aspect1   
said ,thomas to me1 gazing upon the     
,lord with awe2 for each moment as he   
ascended the hill1 his countenance  grew
 more glorious with a certain ,god-like 
majesty1 and shone as the  face of      
,moses descending from ,mount ,sinai4   
,we all hung back with  adoring awe1 and
 alone he proceeded onward1 a wide space
 being left  by us between ourselves and
 him4 ,yet there was no terror in the   
glory  which surrounded and shined out  
from him1 but rather a holy radiance1   
that seemed to be the very light of     
holiness and peace4    ,so looked he1   
said ,john to us1 when we beheld him    
transfigured in  the mount with ,elias  
and ,moses4    ,the hill1 which is not  
lofty1 was soon surmounted by his sacred
 feet4  ,he stood upon its apex alone4  
,we kept back near the brow of the hill1
  for his raiment shone now like the    

sun1 while his countenance was as       
lightning4 ,we shaded our eyes to behold
 him4 ,all was now expectation1  and a  
looking for some mighty event--what1 we 
knew not6 ,john drew  nearest to him1   
and upon his knees1 with clasped hands1 
looked towards  him earnestly2 for he   
knew1 as he afterwards told us1 what    
would take  place4 ,joy and yet tears   
were on his face1 as he gazed with      
blinded  eyes1 as one gazes on the      
noonday sun1 upon his divine ,master4   
,it was  a scene1 dear father1          
impressive beyond expression4 ,jesus    
seemed for  a moment to survey the      
scenes of his sufferings1 of his        
ignominy and  death1 with the look of a 
divine conqueror4 ,he then turned to his
  disciples and said3    ,ye have been  
with me in my sorrows1 and you shall now
 begin to behold  my glory4 ,remember   
all things which ,i have taught you     
concerning my  kingdom4 ,go forth and   
teach the glad tidings of salvation to  
all men1  and baptize all nations in the

 name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1  
and  of the ,holy ,ghost2 and lo1 ,i am 
with you alway1 even unto the end of    
the world4    ,thus speaking1 in a voice
 that thrilled every bosom with emotions
  indescribable1 he extended his hands  
above their heads and blessed  them1    
while we all fell upon our faces to the 
ground also1 to receive  his blessing4  
,he then lifted up his eyes to the calm 
blue depths of heaven1 and said  in the 
same words he had spoken on the night of
 the ,passover1 as ,john  had told me3  
,and now1 ,o ,father1 glorify thou me   
with thine own self1 with the glory     
which ,i had with thee before the world 
was6    ,as he spoke1 we raised our     
faces from the ground1 to behold him    
leaving the earth1 rising from the      
hilltop into the air1 with a slow  and  
majestic ascension1 his hands outspread 
over us who were beneath1  as if        
shedding down blessings upon us all4    
,the loud burst of surprise  which rose 
from five hundred voices at seeing him  

soar away into the  atmosphere1 was     
followed by a profound and awful        
silence1 as we watched  him rise and    
still rise1 ascending and still         
ascending1 into the upper  air1 his     
whole form growing brighter and         
brighter1 as the distance  widened      
between his feet and the earth6    ,upon
 our knees1 in speechless wonder1 we    
followed his ascent with our  amazed    
eyes1 not a word being spoken by any    
soul2 nay1 hearts might  have been heard
 beating in the intense expectation of  
the moment6    ,lo6 in the far-off      
height of heaven1 we beheld suddenly    
appear a bright  cloud1 no larger than a
 man's hand1 but each instant it        
expanded  and grew broader and brighter1
 and1 swift as the winged lightning1    
descended through the firmament         
downward1 until we beheld it evolve     
itself into a glittering host of angels1
 which no man could number1  countless  
as the stars of heaven4 ,as these       
shining legions descended1  they parted 

into two bands1 and sweeping along the  
air1 met the  ascending ,son of ,god in 
mid-sky6 ,the rushing of their ten      
thousand  times ten thousand wings1 was 
heard as the sound of many waters4      
,surrounding ,jesus1 like a shining     
cloud1 they received him into their     
midst1 and hid him from our eyes amid   
the glories of their celestial          
splendor6    ,now came to our ears the  
sounds of heavenly song1 a sublimer     
chorus  than earth ever heard before4   
,from the squadrons of ,seraphim and    
,cherubim encircling with their linked  
wings the ,son of ,god1 came1 like  the 
unearthly music one hears in the dreams 
of night1 these words1  receding1 as    
they mounted upward with the ,conqueror 
of ,death and ,hell3        ,lift up    
your heads1 ,o ye gates6      ,and be ye
 lifted up1 ye everlasting doors2       
,and the ,king of ,glory shall come in6 
,this chorus seemed to be answered from 
the inmost heavens1 as if an  archangel 
were standing at its portals1 keeping   

watchful guard over the  entrance facing
 the earth4      ,who is the ,king of   
,glory8      ,the ,lord strong and      
mighty1 even the ,lord mighty in battle 
against    principalities and powers1   
was chanted back from the ascending     
escort of ,jesus1 in the sublimest      
strains of triumphant joy4      ,lift up
 your heads1 ,o ye gates6 and be ye     
lifted up1 ye everlasting    doors1 and 
the ,king of ,glory shall come in6      
,upon this we heard a mighty voice1 as  
it were in heaven1 accompanied  by the  
sound of a trumpet1 and ten thousand    
voices about the throne of  ,jehovah    
seemed to say3      ,god is coming up   
with a shout4 ,he rideth upon the       
heavens6 ,he    ascendeth on high6 ,he  
hath led captivity captive1 and received
    gifts for men4 ,o clap your hands1  
all ye people of earth6 ,shout his      
triumph1 ye hosts of heaven6      ,fling
 wide your gates1 ,o ,city of ,god6 ,be 
ye lifted up1 ye    everlasting doors1  
for the ,king of ,glory enters in6      

,ascending and still ascending1 receding
 and still receding1 fainter  and       
fainter1 came down to earth the angelic 
choruses1 when at length  the brightest 
cloud of angels faded away into the     
upper heaven1 the  ,son of ,god shining 
in their midst1 like a central sun1     
surrounded by a  luminous halo2 till    
finally1 like a star1 they remained a   
few moments  longer1 and then the       
heavens received him out of our sight4  
,while we stood gazing up into the far  
skies1 hoping1 expecting1 yet  doubting 
if we should ever behold him again1 two 
bright stars seemed  to be descending   
from the height of heaven above us4 ,in 
a few seconds  we saw that they were    
angels4 ,alighting on the place where   
,jesus had  left1 they said to the      
eleven1 ,why gaze ye up into heaven1 ye 
men of  ,galilee8 ,this same ,jesus1    
whom ye have seen go into heaven1 shall 
so  come in like manner as ye have now  
seen him ascend6 ,thus speaking1  they  
vanished out of our sight6    ,such1 my 

dear father1 is the appropriate crowning
 event of the  extraordinary life of    
,jesus1 both ,lord and ,christ6    ,his 
kingdom is1 therefore1 my dear father1  
clearly not of this world1  as he said  
to ,pilate1 the ,procurator2 but it is  
,above4    ,doubt1 then1 no longer1     
dearest father6 ,jesus1 the ,son of     
,mary  in his human nature1 was the ,son
 of ,god in his divine nature2 an       
incomprehensible and mysterious union1  
whereby he had brought together  in     
harmony the two natures1 separated far  
apart by sin1 by giving his  own body as
 an offering1 to reconcile both in one  
immaculate body upon  the cross4 ,there 
is now no more condemnation to them who 
believe in him  and accept him4    ,but 
,i cannot write all ,i would say to you1
 dearest father4 ,when we  meet--which  
you rejoice me in saying1 will be on the
 first day of  the week1 at             
,jerusalem--,i will unfold to you all   
that the divine and  glorified ,jesus   
has taught me4 ,doubt not that he is    

,messias4 ,hesitate  not to accept him2 
for he is the end of ,moses1 and of the 
,law1 and of  the ,prophets1 the very   
,shiloh who should come and restore all 
things2  to whom be glory1 power1       
dominion1 majesty1 and excellency1      
evermore4                               
,your loving daughter1                  
,adina4    ,illustration3 ,,the ,,end4  
,the ,new ,sabbath ,library--7,continued
 from second page cover47      ,no4 #e4 
,august1 #ahih4    ,the ,days of        
,mohammed    ,,by ,,anna ,,may ,,wilson4
    ,selected as being the best         
manuscript offered during the contest of
  #ahig1 and awarded the prize of       
#a1jjj4    ,yusuf1 a ,persian of the    
fire-worshiping sect1 has1 at his first 
sacrifice of a human life1 revolted     
against the horror of his religion1  and
 he decides to leave ,persia in search  
of ,truth4 ,in his travels he  meets    
that strangest character of ancient or  
medieval times1 ,mohammed4  ,the scene  
is confined almost entirely to ,arabia4 

,no4 #f4 ,september1 #ahih4    ,,chonita
    ,,by ,,annie ,,maria ,,barnes4      
,the gifted author of this book has here
 produced a vivid and intensely         
interesting story of the ,mexican       
,mines4 ,it first appeared in the       
,,young  ,,people',s ,,weekly1 and its  
publication in book form is in response 
to  numerous requests from its many     
thousands of delighted readers4 ,a      
number of short but interesting stories 
are added at the end of the  book4      
,no4 #g4 ,october1 #ahih4    ,the       
,prince of the ,house of ,david    ,,by 
,,rev4 ,j4 ,h4 ,,ingraham4    ,the fame 
of this book has been long since        
established1 and its  fascination has   
already held sway over multitudes of    
delighted readers4  ,the scene is laid  
in ,jerusalem1 during the most stirring 
period of  earth's history4 ,this       
edition has been thoroughly revised and 
in parts  rewritten1 all unnecessary    
repetition appearing in the original    
edition  of the book being omitted4     

,no4 #h4 ,november1 #ahih4    ,a ,star  
in a ,prison    ,a ,,tale ,,of ,,canada4
    ,,by ,,anna ,,may ,,wilson4    ,the 
central figure of the story is a young  
man who1 being placed in the            
penitentiary on circumstantial evidence1
 there learns to understand the  spirit 
of ,christ's self-giving1 and is finally
 set free through the  instrumentality  
of a ,christian doctor4      ,no4 #i4   
,december1 #ahih4    ,ten ,nights in a  
,bar-,room    ,,by ,t4 ,s4 ,,arthur4    
,new and complete edition of this famous
 work1 which has acquired a  world-wide 
reputation as the most thrilling and    
powerfully written  temperance story    
ever produced4 ,the book comprises #if  
large pages1 with  illustrations4       
,printed from new type on good paper4   
,it is the cheapest  edition ever       
published1 and is here produced in      
handsome and attractive  form4      ,no4
 #aj4 ,january1 #ahii4    ,intra ,muros2
 or1 ,within the ,walls4    ,a ,,dream  
,,of ,,heaven4    ,,by ,,mrs4 ,,rebecca 

,r4 ,,springer4    ,author of           
,beechwood1 ,self1 ,songs by the ,sea1  
,leon1 etc4 ,an  entertaining book1     
calculated to make heaven seem nearer   
and more real  to us1 and death far less
 gloomy4 ,this remarkable work will     
bring  comfort and consolation to the   
heart of every reader4    ,in addition  
to those mentioned above1 a new book    
will be issued every  month4 ,it is our 
intention to make this the best1        
cheapest and most  complete             
,sunday-school ,library in the world4   
,nothing so comprehensive  has ever been
 attempted4 ,the exceedingly low price  
at which the  pamphlet 7#e-;cent7       
edition of this ,library is offered is  
regarded as a  remarkable achievement1  
and one that no publishing house1 unless
 fully  and thoroughly equipped with    
modern machinery and ample facilities1  
would attempt4 ,each book comprises a   
complete story in one volume4 ,the      
five-cent editions are as large and     
handsome as most books usually sold  for

 twenty-five cents4 ,the cloth          
7twenty-five-cent7 editions are worthy  
a place in any library1 and are as good 
value as books usually sold for  fifty  
cents to one dollar4    ,in literary    
merit they have no superiors and few    
equals4 ,these books  are carefully     
written by the best authors1 and are    
especially adapted  for home reading4   
,young and old alike enjoy and          
appreciate them4  ,nothing of an        
objectionable nature is admitted1 and   
they all inculcate  teachings that will 
strengthen noble impulses and improve   
character4  ,although of great interest 
to the general reader1 they are in no   
way  sensational or demoralizing4 ,we   
have aimed in these books to furnish  to
 the young the purest books that the    
best authors are capable of  writing4   
,some of them are prize-winners and have
 attained a wide  reputation4    ,the   
five-cent edition of these books is     
admirably adapted for  ,sunday-school   
use1 either for the library or as       

presents to classes  or the whole       
school4 ,every ,sunday-school in the    
land should subscribe  regularly for    
several copies of the ,new ,sabbath     
,library1 and thus be  certain of       
getting promptly the new numbers as they
 are published each  month4             
,subscriptions received for an entire   
year or any number of  months4 ,single  
copies1 or any quantity of any special  
book1 promptly  sent on receipt of      
price4    ,send #e cents for any one of 
these books1 examine and read it for    
yourself1 and you will agree that we    
have inaugurated a new era in           
publishing1 and one that will be of     
incalculable benefit to the young  as   
well as a help to parents and teachers4 
,those who may not wish to  subscribe by
 the year may procure one or more copies
 of any book on the  following terms3   
,,prices3      ,pamphlet ,edition1 in   
quarto form1 enameled paper covers1     
beautifully decorated4 #e cents per     
copy1 postpaid1 to any address    in    

quantities to suit4      ,cloth         
,edition1 on extra heavy paper1 heavy   
covers1 cloth back and    corners1      
ornamented sides1 #be cents per copy1   
postpaid to any    address4             
,,address3    ,,david ,c4 ,,cook        
,,publishing ,,company1 #cf ,,washington
  ,,chicago4                            
,,street1      ,illustration3 ,,young   
,,people',s ,,weekly    ,a ,religious   
,paper for ,young ,people4      ,young  
,people's ,weekly      #fj ,cents a     
,year    ,is fast becoming known as     
,,the ,,model ,,paper for young people4 
,it  contains eight pages of four wide  
columns each1 illustrated in the most   
elaborate manner with beautiful and     
original half-tone engravings4 ,it  is  
the best and cheapest paper for young   
people ever published4      ,consecrated
 ,talent of ,writers4    ,consecrated   
,outlay of ,publishers4    ,consecrated 
,watch-care of ,editors4      ,the      
,youth of ,to-day need the best paper   
that can be devised4 ,we are  the only  

,christian publishers who have shown the
 enterprise that  answers to this need4 
,no other publishers of similar papers  
command  the modern mechanical          
appliances1 the large corps of paid     
contributors1  the special artists1 that
 are necessary to place a paper in the  
front  ranks4    ,the best ,christian   
writers of the day are constantly at    
work upon  it4 ,every effort possible is
 put forth to make it not only the most 
attractive paper for young people but   
also the most helpful4    ,the times    
demand that our intelligent boys and    
girls of the  ,sunday-school should be  
provided with the best literature       
reliable  workers can supply4           
,,serial ,,stories4    ,believing that a
 judicious use of serial stories of the 
highest  character is to be heartily    
commended1 but believing also that the  
greatest care must be exercised lest in 
seeking to quicken interest and  chain  
attention1 we foster sensational tastes1
 we allow only our most  trusted workers

 to prepare ,,serial ,,stories4         
,besides ,serial ,stories1 there will be
 ,short ,stories1 illustrated2          
,educational ,articles in series2       
,helpful ,incidents from the personal   
experience of the world's best workers4 
,illustration3 ,young ,people's ,weekly 
,,young ,,people',s ,,societies4        
,christian ,endeavor1 ,epworth ,league1 
,baptist ,young ,people's ,union1  ,in  
,his ,name1 ,young ,men's ,christian    
,association1 ,boys' ,brigade1  are all 
given prominent place4 ,each department 
carefully edited by a  well-known worker
 connected with the society4            
,,special ,,numbers4    ,the great      
pleasure our special numbers have       
afforded stimulates us to  still greater
 effort4 ,special numbers will include  
,easter1 ,children's  ,day1 ,harvest    
,home1 ,christmas1 with an exceptionally
 fine midsummer  ,patriotic number to   
aid ,christian citizenship4 ,in fact1   
helpful  application of ,christianity to
 the urgent problems of the hour1 is our

  constant aim4      ,,children ,,of    
,,other ,,lands4    ,filled by workers  
abroad1 and containing letters1         
incidents1 stories1  etc41 gained by    
personal experience and observation of  
missionaries and  travelers1 and helpful
 in educating our ,american boys and    
girls to a  better acquaintance with    
children of other lands4      ,,our     
,,color ,,numbers    ,have received the 
highest praise from competent           
authorities4 ,we have  in this          
introduced something which has never    
before been approached1  and it is our  
intention to make this feature pleasing 
and artistic in  the highest degree4    
,young people1 far and near1 are        
expressing great  delight over our      
,young ,people's ,weekly in colors4     
,,subscription ,,price4    ,single      
subscriptions1 #fj cents a year2 to     
schools and societies1 in  lots of three
 or more to one address1 #ej cents a    
year each4    ,,specimen ,,copies       
,,free4      ,,address3    ,,david ,c4  

,,cook ,,publishing ,,co41 #cf          
,,washington ,,street1 ,,chicago4       
,transcriber's ,notes3      ,as noted in
 the introduction1 this is an abridged  
edition of the  original text1 or1 as   
the editors put it1 it has been         
thoroughly  revised and in parts        
re-written1 all unnecessary repetition  
appearing  in the original edition of   
the book being omitted4    ,italics are 
represented with underscores1 bold with 
equal signs4    ,added table of         
contents4    ,inside front cover1 added 
missing second e to entitled4    ,some  
inconsistent hyphenation 7e4g4 gate-way 
vs4 gateway7 has been  retained from the
 original4    ,page #a1 moved copyright 
notice higher on page for smoother flow4
    ,page #c1 changed comma to period   
after worshiping ,jupiter4    ,page #f1 
added missing double quote after not a  
few believe him to be  ,isaiah4    ,page
 #g1 added missing quote before         
,therefore1 repent ye4    ,page #ab1    
changed double quote to single quote    

after grateful adoration  of his love4  
,page #ac1 changed double quote to      
single quote after foreshadow a life  of
 trial and suffering4    ,page #af1     
changed innocent's bird's escape to     
innocent bird's escape4    ,page #bg1   
added missing comma after ,your loving  
in signature of ,,letter  ,,xii4        
,page #de1 added missing open quote     
before ,but ,jesus laid his hand upon   
the pall4 ,corrected double to single   
quote after son was sick6    ,page #dg1 
added missing quote before ,i have even 
heard of his fame4    ,page #ej1 added  
missing quote after folds of the        
curtains4    ,page #ea1 corrected double
 to single quotes after ,pilate1 against
 thee  and ,castle of ,david6    ,page  
#eb1 changed comma to period after      
departure of the messenger to  ,jesus4  
,page #fg1 corrected youthfuf to        
youthful in youthful bride of  ,pilate4 
,page #gj1 added missing single quote   
before ,what6 ,galilean and  blasphemer4
    ,page #ga1 removed unnecessary      

single quote after spat in his face     
thrice4    ,page #ib1 added missing     
close quote after as if he saw a spirit4