My Dear Father:
You will not require the testimony of my letters to enable you to
appreciate the fame of the wonderful young man of Nazareth, Jesus, of
whose works you must have heard ere this. His fame for wisdom, for
knowledge of the Scriptures, for power to teach, and for miracles,
has gone abroad through all Syria, so that they bring to him sick
persons, both rich and poor, even from Damascus, to be healed of him;
and he heals all who are brought unto him, whether possessed of devils,
lunatic, or having the palsy. While I now write, a company is passing
the open window, bearing upon beds two wealthy men of Jerusalem, given
over by their physicians, who are going to him to be cured.
"So great is the multitude which everywhere follows Jesus," writes John
to Mary, "that he is often compelled to withdraw from them by stealth,
to get to some by-place of quiet where he can refresh his wearied
strength for a few days. At such times we, who are his immediate
followers, have the benefit of his teaching and private instructions.
But he cannot remain long away from the people. They soon penetrate
his retirement. How wonderful is he who thus holds in his hands divine
power! The authority of kings is nothing before that which he possesses
in his voice; yet he is serene, humble, oh, how humble! to our shame;
and always calm and gentle. He spends much time in private prayer to
God, whom he always addresses as his Father. Never was such a man on
earth. We, who know him most intimately, stand most in awe of him; yet
with our deep reverence for his holy character is combined the purest
affection. In one and the same breath I feel that I adore him as my
Lord, and love him even as my brother. So we all feel toward him."
Such, my dear father, is the tenor of all John's letters. When we shall
see Jesus at Jerusalem, I shall be able from personal observation to
write to you more particularly concerning his doctrines and miracles.
What is also of importance, it has been proven by the results of the
examination made by some of the scribes of the Temple, that he was
truly born in Bethlehem, and that both his mother Mary, and Joseph
her husband, are lineal descendants of the house of David. Moreover
Phineas, the venerable priest, whom you know, hath borne testimony to
the fact that when Jesus was an infant, during the reign of the elder
Herod, there arrived in Jerusalem three eminent princes, men of wisdom
and learning. One of these came from Persia, one from the Grecian
province of Media, and one from Arabia, and brought with them gifts of
gold and spices, and were attended by retinues. These three princes
reached Jerusalem the same day by three different ways, and entered
by three different gates, each unknowing to the other's presence
or object, till they met in the city before Herod's palace. One
represented himself descended from Shem, another from Japhet, the third
from Ham. And they mysteriously, it is said, typified all the races of
the earth who by them recognized and adored the Savior of men in the
child Jesus. The king, hearing that these three strangers had arrived
in Jerusalem, sent to know wherefore they had honored his kingdom with
a visit. "They answered," says Phineas, "that they came to do homage to
the young prince, who was born king of the Jews." And when Herod asked
what prince they spoke of, they answered, "We have seen his star in the
East, and are come to worship him."
"Hereupon," says Phineas, "the king issued an edict for all the chief
priests and scribes of the people to assemble in the council chamber of
his palace. He then addressed them:
"'Ye to whom is given the care of the books of the Law and the
Prophets, whose study they are, and in whom lies the skill to interpret
the prophecies, search therein, and tell me truly where the Christ is
to be born. Behold here present these august and wise men who have come
from afar to do him homage; nay more, as they aver, to worship him as
God. Let us have the courtesy to give them the answer that they seek,
and let us not be found more ignorant of these things than those who
dwell in other lands.'
"Several of the chief priests then rose and said: 'It is known, O king,
to all who are Jews, and who read the Prophets, that Messias cometh of
the house of David, of the town of Bethlehem; for thus it is written by
the prophet: "And thou, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, art not least
among the princes of Judah, for out of thee shall come a governor that
shall rule my people Israel."'
"This question being thus decided," continued Phineas, "Herod dismissed
the council, and retiring to his own private room, secretly sent to
the three princes of the East to inquire of them what time the star
appeared. He then said to them:
"'You have my permission, noble strangers, to go to Bethlehem, and
search for the young child: and when ye have found him, bring me word
again, that I may come and worship him also.' Then they left the
presence of Herod, and it being dark when they left the palace, they
were overjoyed to behold the star which they saw in the East, going
before them. They followed it until it left Jerusalem by the Bethlehem
gate, and it led them on to the town of Bethlehem, and stopped above
an humble dwelling therein. When they were come into the house, they
saw the rays of the star resting upon the head of an infant in the arms
of its mother Mary, the wife of Joseph. They at once acknowledged and
hailed him as Prince and King of Israel, and falling down, worshiped
him; and opening their treasures, they presented unto him gold,
frankincense and myrrh, gifts that are offered on the altar to God
alone."
When Phineas was asked by Caiaphas how he knew this fact, he answered
that he himself, prompted by curiosity to see the prince they had come
to worship, had followed them out of the palace of Herod, out of
the gate, and even into Bethlehem, and witnessed their prostrations
and offerings to the infant child of Mary. "And," he added, "if
this be doubted, there are many Jews now living in Jerusalem, and a
certain Hebrew captain, now stricken in years, who can testify to the
slaughter, by Herod's command, of the infants of Bethlehem; for this
captain, Jeremias, led on the soldiers."
"And wherefore this slaughter?" asked Caiaphas. "It is not on record."
"Kings do not record their deeds of violence," answered Phineas. "Herod
kept it hushed up when he found that he gained nothing by it but
hatred. He slew them in order that the infant Jesus might be destroyed
among them; for the three wise men, instead of returning through
Jerusalem to their own country, and informing him where they had found
the child, departed by another way. But the child escaped, doubtless by
God's powerful protection."
"Dost thou believe in him also?" asked Caiaphas, with angry surprise,
looking sternly on Phineas.
"I will first see and hear him speak, and if he be proven to me to be
Messias, I will gladly worship him."
"Hereupon," said Rabbi Amos, "there arose a great uproar, some crying
that Jesus was the Christ, and others that Phineas should be stoned to
death."
Thus you see, my dear father, how the evidence increases in value and
importance, proving Jesus to be the Messiah. Tell me, is not this the
Christ?
Your affectionate and loving,
Adina.