My Dear Father:
The visit of the Prophet Jesus to the city has produced results of
the most amazing character. The priesthood is divided. Caiaphas has
publicly recognized him as a prophet, while Annas has publicly declared
that he is an impostor; and thus two parties are formed in the city,
headed by the two priests, and most men have taken sides with one or
the other. But the majority of the common people are in favor of Jesus,
believing him to be the Christ. The Pharisees most oppose him, because
he boldly reproves their sins and hypocrisies.
Even Nicodemus, who at first was inclined to accept Jesus as a prophet,
finding the Pharisees against him, and being unwilling to lose his
popularity with them, kept away from the house where Jesus was by
day; but his curiosity to learn more of him led him to visit the holy
Prophet secretly by night. This he did twice, coming alone in the
darkness, and being let in by his friend Rabbi Amos. What the results
of these interviews was I can only tell you from Mary's account. She
overheard their conversation, her window opening upon the corridor,
where Jesus was seated after supper, alone in the moonlight, for full
an hour, gazing meditatively heavenward. His pale and chiseled features
in the white moonlight seemed radiant as marble, when Rabbi Amos came
and announced the ruler, Nicodemus, as desirous of speaking with him.
"Bid him come in and see me, if he has aught to say to me," answered
the Prophet, turning towards him.
"Nicodemus," added my Cousin Mary, "then came to the corridor,
wrapped carefully in his mantle, and, looking about to see if he was
unobserved, he dropped it from his face, and, bowing reverently, said
to the Prophet:
"'Pardon me, O Rabbi, that I come to thee by night, but by day thy time
is taken up with healing and teaching. I am glad to find thee alone,
great Prophet, for I would ask thee many things.'
"'Speak, Nicodemus, and I will listen to thy words,' answered the
Prophet.
"'Rabbi,' said the ruler of the Pharisees, 'I know thou art a teacher
come from God, for no man can do these things that thou doest except
God be with him. That thou art a mighty prophet I believe, as do all
men; but art thou Messias? Tell us plainly. We read that Messias is to
be a king who will rule the whole earth!'
"'My kingdom, O ruler of the Pharisees, is not of this world. I am
indeed a king, but of a spiritual kingdom. My kingdom, unlike earthly
kingdoms, has no end, and those who enter it must be born again. If
not, they cannot see or desire this kingdom.'
"'Born again!' answered Nicodemus, with surprise: 'how can a man be
born a second time? O Rabbi, thou speakest in parables!'
"'Verily, verily, I say unto thee,' answered the Prophet, 'except a man
be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter my kingdom. He that
is born again is born a spiritual man and of my kingdom. Marvel not,
then, that I say unto thee, ye must be born again.'
"When Nicodemus left him, Rabbi Amos said, 'Is it indeed true, O
Master, that thou art to establish a kingdom?'
"'Yes, Rabbi Amos, a kingdom in which dwelleth righteousness,' answered
the Prophet. 'Thou shalt yet behold me on my throne, O Amos, raised
above the earth, and drawing all men unto me.'
"'Wilt thou have thy throne in the clouds of heaven, O Master, that
thou shalt be raised above the earth upon it?' asked Rabbi Amos.
"'My throne shall be set on Calvary, and the ends of the earth shall
look unto me and acknowledge my empire. Thou knowest not these things
now, but hereafter thou shalt remember that I told thee of them.'"
Jesus then rose and, bidding his host good-night, retired to the
apartment which was assigned him, and Mary remained wondering on his
sayings.
Thus, dear father, it is made certain from his own words that Jesus
is the Christ and that he is to establish a kingdom. But why his
throne shall be on Calvary instead of Mount Zion, Rabbi Amos wonders
greatly, for Calvary is a place of skulls and of public executions,
and is covered with Roman crosses, where every week some malefactor is
crucified for his crimes.
This morning, as Jesus was going forth from the house to depart into
the country, a man lame from his youth, seated upon the threshold,
caught him by the robe, saying, "Master, heal me!"
"Son, thy sins be forgiven thee!" answered Jesus, and then passed on;
but the scribes and Pharisees who stood about cried, "This man, be he
prophet or no, blasphemeth, for God alone can forgive sins!"
Jesus stopped and, turning to them, said:
"Which is easier, to say to this man, 'Thy sins be forgiven thee?' or
to say, 'Rise and walk'? That ye may know that the Son of God hath
power on earth to forgive sins--behold!"
Then in a loud voice the Prophet said to the lame man, "Arise, take up
thy bed, and go to thine house!"
Immediately the man rose to his feet, leaping and praising God, and
taking up the mattress upon which they had brought him to the door, he
ran swiftly away to show himself to his kinsfolk, while all the people
shouted and praised God.
Thus did Jesus publicly show men that he could forgive sins, if he
could heal, as the power to do either came equally from God. Does not
this power prove that he is the Son of God?
You should have seen him, dear father, as he left our house to go away
into Galilee! The street was lined with all the afflicted of Jerusalem,
and as he moved on between the rows of wretched sufferers, whose hollow
eyes and shrivelled arms were turned imploringly towards him, he healed
by words addressed to them, as he moved on, so that where he found
disease before him, stretched on beds, he left behind him health and
empty couches. We all wept at his departure and followed him to the
Damascus Gate. Here there was assembled a large company of Levites and
priests, among whom were mingled some of the most desperate characters
in Jerusalem. Knowledge of this fact reached Rabbi Amos, who at once
sent a message to Æmilius, our Roman friend, informing him that he
apprehended that there would be an attempt made to assassinate Jesus at
the going out of the gate, and asking his aid.
Æmilius placed himself at the head of fifty horse, and reaching the
gate, pressed the crowd back, and took possession of it. When Jesus
had passed through the armed guard beneath the arch, the young Roman
courteously offered him an escort to the next village.
Æmilius, who informed me of these things, conducted him as far as
Ephraim, and then was about to leave him to return to the city, when
four lepers came from the cemetery of the tombs, near the village, and
crying out afar off, said:
"Thou blessed Christ, have mercy on us!"
Jesus stopped and called to the lepers to approach. As they obeyed, the
whole company of people, as well as the Roman soldiers, drew back to a
distance, in horror at the sight of these dead-living men. They came
timidly within twenty paces of Jesus and stood still tremblingly.
"Fear not," said he, "I will make you whole!"
He then advanced towards them, and laying his hand upon each of them,
they all, at the touch, were instantly changed to well men, with the
buoyant form, clear eye, and rich bloom of health.
When Æmilius saw this miracle, he dismounted from his horse, and
falling at Jesus' feet, worshiped him.
Now, my dear father, I have thus far faithfully written all that I have
heard and witnessed respecting Jesus, as you desire. You must see that
he is more than a prophet, and must be the very Christ, the Son of the
Blessed. Withhold, oh, withhold not your belief longer!
Your affectionate and loving daughter,
Adina.