staked our tent near, and soon learned that Jesus, the Wonderful, was a
guest of one Simon, a fisherman, while his kindred were being cared for
by relatives and friends of the family.
Scribes from the South and far East were comparing notes and discussing
His latest miracle of stilling the tempest, of which there was an
abundance of proof that the storm, which was raging on Galilee, had
subsided almost immediately, but as to Jesus having been the cause,
there was a diversity of opinion. Many thought Jesus was mad or beside
himself, while others said, "Has not God, in all ages past, at times,
awakened the people in mysterious ways?"
Others, among whom were the scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem,
declared him to be possessed with the devil, through which he healed
the sick, fed the hungry and stilled the waves; and still others
declared that his teachings were exclusively spiritual, and not
materialistic.
[Illustration: MARY MAGDALENE. THE HEROIC MAID OF GALILEE.]
DINA OF ENDOR
While a group of fishermen, who occupied a large black tent, were
enlisting followers to the cause and one, called Peter, was exhorting
the throng, a woman of the Hebrew tongue was overheard talking to a
group of strangers, to whom she said: "I am from Endor, my name is Dina
and I have been floating in this great religious wave for more than a
year; and I am truly convinced that God, through Jesus, is visiting His
people, but why does Jesus not avoid those strangers who are noting
down every word He says, to carry home. Another thing seems strange to
me, that Jesus, who is from a nice family, should tolerate rascals who
never wore a square inch of decency on their hides. Just look at Simon,
the old fisherman; that broad shouldered man talking now, whom Jesus
named Peter, who was and I suppose is a liar and a toper, whom no one
has ever accused of dealing honestly. Then there is Mary Magdalene,
who, with her wealthy Aunt Susanna, lives just up there on the
hillside. Some say she is a relative of Jesus, perhaps that is because
her hair is light, for some of the breed to whom Jesus belongs have
auburn hair. But oh, isn't she a diamond in the rough? Why, that maid
is a bewitching beauty, graceful as a swan, sometimes as soft as the
summer breeze and at other times wilder than a tornado. She was brought
up with or near the family of Joseph of Nazareth, came here when about
a dozen years old and took the name of Magdalene. I believe, from what
I hear, that if that girl faced the Devil he would back down, and yet
she has more true admirers, staunch friends, than any maid in Galilee.
In fact I, even though I never speak to her, like her myself; but how
Jesus, as the Son of God, can bunch her faults and forgive them in one
batch, is a puzzle to me."
"Why is she called a sinner?" inquired a tall man in a red shirt which
came down to his heels.
"Oh, Jesus says we are all sinners in a certain sense; I suppose he
would say she will some day bridle her tongue, but she never will. You
see, she has no respect for the customs and rites of the Pharisees,
so I suppose it was the orthodox who branded her a sinner, but I have
heard that the sisters of Jesus like her, and that of late she has come
down from her perch wonderfully."
"Do the people actually believe the child of Jarius was dead, or was
she possessed by demons?" broke in a keen-eyed observer with a quill
over his ear.
"Oh, I don't know. The people are clamoring for miracles. Magdalene
says the resurrection Jesus preaches does not refer to the body.
Everyone thought the child was dead, but Jesus said she was not. He
talks so much in parable it is hard to understand him. I have listened
to Jesus almost every day for nearly two years, he all the time talking
about death, and still I and all his friends are confounded as to
whether he means death of the body or a state of sin-death, from which
condition he can raise those who are naturally dead in sin. I think the
report of his having raised that child is what has brought so many here
of late, but if I understand Jesus--hush, do you see that tent right
here beside us? Those people just came in at dark. James says they are
from Tadmor, a sect of scribes once called Rechabites. See, they are
noting down every word I say, so I'm glad I haven't said much. Just see
old Peter swing his arms and preach; from here, where one cannot hear
a word, he would pass for quite a respectable man, yet I heard that
when he used to peddle fish all the attractive women turned from him,
but he never bothered me, and Jesse, my husband, says it is no wonder,
but I tell him if I am not pretty I know enough to keep my mouth shut.
Magdalene sums up Peter the quaintest; she says she always manages to
get on the side of his cock eye so he cannot wink at her.
"James and John, the two brothers who are with Jesus, are fine fellows,
in fact I have heard that John wants to marry Magdalene. James, the
brother of Jesus, is a man to be admired, in fact all the brothers
and sisters of Jesus seem to take after their mother, who, all the
folks say, is a bright creature; but the father, Joseph--well, he is
dead, and while I never heard a word against him, I should say that
his lineage from David was his chief attraction. Jesus, they say, was
the real head of the family from the time he was a boy, but I do not
think he worked at the carpenter trade very much. At an early age he
served at the feet of the noted scribes and priests, through which he
virtually became a support of the family, for, as an instructor, he was
unequaled. Even at the Sanhedrim his opinion had weight until he took
this religious turn, when his former friends became his enemies."
"How could Jesus have tolerated the doings of those he now so bitterly
opposes?" inquired a bystander.
"Oh, I do not know, possibly he was studying their real character and
now he hits them on their sore spots, but it--there--there--comes
Jesus now, that tall man, come close so you can hear him and you will
believe every word he says. Oh there, they are sending us out so they
can be alone--dear me, let us meet again tomorrow so I can tell you a
little of the news; but as I said, I am not a woman who says much and
seldom express my opinion."
THE HOME OF MAGDALENE
"Magdalene, why are you so restless, and why gazing so intently at the
stormy sea; has anything crossed your path, dear?"
"Oh, Aunt Susanna, I was just watching the tumbling waves of Old
Galilee and I envy them the peace they enjoy, for soon they will lie
down to sleep, but there is no rest for your poor, wayward Magdalene."
"You are not bad, Mary, your beauty has made you gay and your vanity
presses hard upon your virtue, but you have never stooped. All you
require is time and patience."
"Time, why I am twenty-two gone and I doubt if twenty-two million of
years would mellow me down to your soft nature. Often I try to be mild
and keep my promise so often made to Jesus, and first I know I am
facing all kinds of difficulties with a rebuff and then I am too proud
to own up that I am sorry."
"Did you hear Jesus talk in the synagogue today?"
"Yes, I was there this morning and that is why I am so upset. You know
I was ever with him and his sisters, especially Ruth, until I came to
you, but since he began to preach I have avoided him. Well, he caught
me this morning and spoke so kindly that I felt the old child-love
coming back. Seeing so many of my Nazareth friends and Jesus talking so
strangely I began to cry and might have joined them had not Simon, our
old fish peddler, approached me and began hinting at my waywardness
and talking about miracles. Then I flared up and said, 'Really, Peter
(that is what they call him now), you do not say you have repented--if
you have, and it goes deep enough to make you give honest weight on
fish, I should say Jesus has performed a miracle, indeed.' Then he
broke in by saying, 'Maggie,' but I checked him on the spot and said,
'Call me Magdalene. I am no little girl, I am a lady.' Then he kind of
twisted his jaw as he used to when he cried, 'Fish--fish,' and asked
if I was sure, and I told him he had better keep on seeking shelter
against the day of wrath to come. Then as Jesus came near the anger
seemed to leave me and I could have knelt and kissed his feet."
"Whose feet, Mary?"
"Whose do you suppose?" Then the proud girl bit her lip in scorn.
A moment silence, and Aunty continued, "What do you think of Jesus?"
"Why, really, I do not know what to think; probably I am not as good a
judge as one who has not known him for he was always ready to help Ruth
and me out of our embarrassing predicaments, of which there were many,
for you know Ruth and I were hand in hand in mischief. One day she and
I--say Aunty, there comes John, what do you suppose he wants?"
JOHN AND MAGDALENE
Aunt Susanna fluttered some at John's approach, for, although a daily
playmate with Magdalene, he seldom appeared in their garden now. "I am
glad to see you, John. You used to run in, when a boy, and why do you
not come oftener now?"
John laughingly replied, while greeting Magdalene, "Since I have become
so big that Lena cannot box me around handy, I thought the enjoyment of
my presence, especially for her--"
"Now, John," broke in Magdalene, as she solidly planked herself on the
couch beside him, "First, you've been here more than forty times since
that evening, and next, did you not deserve a good box on your ear when
you tied the straw to our dog's tail?"
"I was just playing Sampson."
"How did you like my playing Sampson, when I boxed your ears?"
"I just enjoyed it."
"You did not; if you had you would not remember it."
"I did."
"Now, John," said the peaceful aunty, "you must confine yourself to the
truth; you know I have always held you up as a model young man."
"John," said Magdalene, as she touched him on the shoulder.
John turned, and looking her quizzically in the face, said, "Do you
remember, Lena, that the trouble that day all ended with you and I
eating bread and honey and then your going part way home with me,
hugging and kissing me all the way. Now do you wonder at my enjoyment?"
She smilingly replied, "What a pity it is that handsome boys grow up
to be such ugly men. Just play you are a boy again and set fire to the
dog's tail once more. I dare you to do it."
"Oh, Lena," he said, as he turned the conversation, "do you buy your
fish of Simon yet?"
Springing to her feet, her eyes sparkling, she said, "Honestly, John, I
would rather go to hell with you than to heaven with old Simon."
John looked admiringly at the stately figure before him, as he calmly
said, "Why, Lena."
After time for reflection, Magdalene again seated herself beside him,
dropping her head on his shoulder weeping, and while Aunt Susanna came
and kissed away the tears, she with difficulty continued, "If you only
knew how I hated some people, without cause, and loved others who do
not love me, you would pity me. Old Peter has his virtues and I know
it."
After the storm had passed, Magdalene laughingly inquired, "Now, John,
did you actually come over to see Aunty, or did you come to see me?"
John declared it was both, but the business end of the call was bread.
Then it was soon arranged that Aunt Susanna should furnish ten loaves
each day as long as the followers of Jesus remained at the Lake.
"His apparent communion with God," continued John, "has so startled the
world that many are coming out of curiosity. Tomorrow, being Sabbath,
he will preach in the synagogue and we hope the spies from Jerusalem
will not interfere."
"Truly, John," inquired Aunt Susanna, "do you believe in him?
Magdalene, answer the door call."
RUTH
Aunt Susanna and John listened that they might recognize the voice when
Magdalene exclaimed, "Oh, Ruth--Ruth, you dear sweet girl, why did you
keep me waiting so long?" And Ruth after embracing Magdalene ran and
kissed Aunt Susanna and then with a low courtsey begged John to pardon
her rudeness, for which John complied and said, "I saw you with your
folks today, but I did not dare approach for you all looked so nervous
that I feared a break-down."
Ruth turned a distant glance as the large tears trickled down her
cheeks, when Magdalene placed her fair arm around the waist of her
life-long friend, softly saying, "Do not weep, Ruth, everybody loves
you," to which the sad girl replied, "We do all feel so strange; no one
thought it would ever come to this."
"Ruth," began Aunt Susanna, "anxiety will make you all sick; now be
calm and let me plan. You and Magdalene must enter the garden while
it is twilight, and Magdalene do not fail to show her the baby birds
in the lilac bushes. You, John, however much you wish, cannot go with
them, for I have a duty for you. While I light the fire for hot cakes
and honey you must run down to Capernaum and bring Jesus, his mother
and all the family up here to dine, and stop with us until morning.
Ruth will sleep with Magdalene, her mother with me and Jesus on the
couch. We have heaps of rugs so others can lie down where they please.
If you like, John, you can stay also, for I know you like to be with
Jesus."
"Really, Aunt Susanna," broke in Ruth, "I have been here so much."
"Now, Ruth, not a word from you. During the time Magdalene has lived
with me, I do not think you have made her what might be called ten good
visits, and Magdalene has been to Nazareth about forty times. Besides,
everytime she comes home I hear nothing but Ruth, Ruth, so I conclude
she is at your home most of the time."
"Aunt Susanna," said John, as he raised to go.
"John," ejaculated Magdalene as she seized him by the arm, "You're not
going until you have seen our garden; it will not hinder you three
minutes."
John did not seem anxious to release himself from her grasp, but
responded, "I must obey your Aunty's command." Then turning to Aunty he
continued, "Please do not bake the cakes until I return, for I think
they are all fixed for the night. Jesus is stopping with Peter's wife's
mother and--"
"Peter," exclaimed Magdalene, as she turned her saucy nose to one side
and elevated her chin.
"Ruth," said John, as arm in arm with the two girls they turned to the
garden, "can you abide Magdalene without obeying her commands?"
Ruth seeming to forget her troubles, laughingly replied, "Oh, I see
your predicament, John, but you know the wise do control the weak."
Then as Magdalene let go his arm and squared herself saucily before him
in the attitude of wisdom, she said, "Now, John, own up that you wish
you had not asked Ruth that question," to which John mumbled something
about all girls being alike, at which Magdalene again flared up and
accused him of not being capable of appreciating select company, and
then they all laughed.
DARKNESS OVER GALILEE
John has returned home; Jesus is asleep in the home of Simon's
mother-in-law; Mary, the mother of Jesus, and her children, save
Jesus and Ruth, are sleeping under their little open tent shelter on
the pebbled beach. Every lodging in Tiberias, Magdala, Bethsaida and
Capernaum is occupied by strangers, while more than ten thousand souls
overcome by fatigue have tonight lopped down in groups here and there
upon the shore of the renowned inland lake, the Sea of Galilee.
The evening star has disappeared beyond the western hills, while
spangled Orion and the Pleiades sisters seem lingering as though to
look down in silent pity on slumbering old Nazareth, whose religious
zealots have thrust out in bitter scorn the man whose lamp of light
will shine upon the mysterious way called Death, when other lights have
all grown dim.
It is now after midnight. Ruth and Magdalene are in fond embrace, while
Aunt Susanna on a reclining divan amid a profusion of pretty rugs and
bolstering pillows is plying questions to Ruth concerning her brother,
Jesus.
"Ruth, how long has it been since your brother began to talk this way?"
"Really, Aunt, I cannot say. He has practically been the head of our
family since before father died. He always seemed to know if a sick
person was going to get well, but, of course, as Lena knows, he said
and did many things that we did not notice then, which look strange
to us now. I remember one time when we were small we all went over to
Saffuriyeh to spend the day with mother's folks, and while going over,
he said to us that we must all be kind to grandpa for we would never
see him again, and he did die in a few days."
"Did he ever call himself the son of God?"
"Oh, no, we never thought of such a thing, but he often spoke of God
as my father instead of our father. The first time we noticed anything
unusual was when he, with a lot of other men, went to the Jordan, near
Jerusalem, to be baptized by a man named John. When they returned home,
he was preaching different from what he used to preach. Of course, as
mother says, he may have had divine aid all along and not told us, nor
even understood it himself."
"Did your mother love him better than she did you younger children?"
"Certainly she did. You do not think she would like gusts of emotion
like Lena and me as well as she did a fatherly man like Jesus. Why,
Aunt Susanna, everyone loved Jesus until that old bigoted gang of
priests got after him."
"I wish I was God," broke in Magdalene, "wouldn't I jerk those priests
out of their phylactery garments and put them to grinding in the mill?
I should say everyone does love Jesus, he won my heart when I was 6
years old, and I would love him yet if he would shake up old Peter."
"Why, Magdalene."
"Oh, Aunty, you know I do not mean just what I say, but let me go
on with my story of love. One afternoon when we were all up on the
commons, they got up a race between me and Delila, from the spring.
You know, Ruth, I was swift,--awful swift."
"And you are fleetly still," chimed in Aunt Susanna.
"Oh, yes, Ruth, she refers to a race about two years ago when someone
brought in a Greek courier to run with me and I showed him my heels
before a crowd of over two thousand people. Now I will begin back on
my love story: One afternoon when we were all up on the commons, they
got up a race between Delila and me. She was an inch taller and a year
older than I. So well do I remember when we were waiting for the signal
and I was so confident of winning, but we had not gone far before I
discovered I had my match. If we had had twenty steps more to run I
would have won, but as it was they all cried Delila--Delila, when Jesus
caught me up in his arms and said, 'Now, Mary (you know he always
calls me Mary), would you not rather be called the sweetest girl than
the faster runner?' Then, after he had wiped the tears and gotten me
to laughing, he said, 'I want you to do something for me, will you?'
and I said, 'Yes, you know I will, what is it?' 'I want you to go over
to Delila and say, "When my legs get as long as yours I will race you
again."' 'I will not,' said I. Then he turned and looked the other way,
but I shook his hand and said, 'Do you hear me? I say I will not go
near the old thing.' Then he turned and spoke as he often spake, 'Why,
Mary.' I stood a moment and then dropped my elevated chin, let go of
his hand and ran to Delila and told her just what he told me to, and
she laughingly said, 'You would have won anyhow if you had not stumbled
at the start.' So we began talking and both went back to Jesus, who
bought us a piece of melon, and he laughed when we ate it by one
taking a bite and then the other, until it was gone."
"Do you know," inquired Ruth, "that Delila has married that rich man
who had been a leper and they are living in Bethany, near Jerusalem?
Jesus told me only a few days ago about two sisters in Bethany, Mary
and Martha, who are relatives of Simon and live near him with their
brother Lazarus. Simon has a beautiful home, where our folks, when at
Jerusalem, go over and stay nights. Joseph of Aramathaea and Nicodemus
are often there, they help Jesus in many ways, always giving him money
and a place to stay. Jesus said he is going back to Jerusalem again,
but mother and all of us are trying to persuade him not to do so. If he
does, and we all go, will you both go with us? Mother wants to know."
"I think we will," replied Aunt Susanna, and so they talked on until
the golden dawn awoke the little songsters, who sang the three to sleep
on the hillside by the sea.
"Do you know, Lena," said Ruth, as they were walking in the twilight,
"that mother thinks I had better not go to Jerusalem. She says only she
and James will follow Jesus, for if we all go the rabbis may burn our
home."
"I have heard that, Ruth, for some time. Some influence caused me to
think that way, but I did not mention it. Say, Ruth, why do people call
me a sinner and say I am possessed with devils?"
"Why, Lena, they call Jesus the same. That is an epithet applied to
all who do not conform to the orthodox faith. Jesus says everybody is
tempted by devils and that God, through Him, casts them out. You know
you have never allied yourself to any faith."
"Do you think that is necessary, Ruth?"
"You can see," she replied, hesitatingly, "that Jesus approves of that
course. Kneeling and kissing the feet is considered an open confession.
Have you ever spoken to Jesus about it?"
"Yes, I have, and he seemed to avoid me by asking if I loved those who
did not love me, and you know I can never love Peter." The sad girl
looked upon the ground in a brown study, and then continued: "Is that
which one cannot control sinful?"
Ruth did not reply and Magdalene bit her lip nervously as she murmured,
"Oh, if I could only get rid of this temper of mine. So long have
I loved Jesus, and I know he loves poor me and wants to forgive my
sins. Am I one of those whom he talked about the other day? Will he
be ashamed of me when he comes into his kingdom?" Mary Magdalene
turned her gaze. Her soul was wandering far away into the future. She
was thinking of the day, not so far distant, when her earthly eyes
would be closed to those familiar Galilean hills. The storm was fast
gathering, her poor heart was aching, but still she stood aloof, trying
to suppress the love she should impart. Ruth took in the situation and
placing her arm around the troubled maid turned the conversation and
talked softly of what might take place tomorrow.
As the morning sun gleamed from over the Syrian desert, touching the
hilltops, the song birds in the olive orchards and oak groves began
chiming their sinless melodies, regardless of the throng, now stirring
themselves and lighting fires here and there in the great camp around
the renowned Sea of Galilee.
Facing the camp stood the quaint old temple of Capernaum, in which
Jesus had been teaching for several days. Probably the sun never rose
on a more curious throng than those who lodged in open air, under
blankets, and in tents along the western shore, while Jesus lingered
in and about Capernaum. Healing the sick and casting out devils had
been practiced by all nations and tribes since the advent of tradition,
but when sojourners from Mesopotamia, Syria, and Egypt returned home to
announce that a man in Galilee had for two years been preaching that
he as the Savior of the world had come from God to heal the sick, cure
the deaf and blind, cast out devils and raise the dead, wise men began
to gather in Galilee until now an immense throng were gathered near the
childhood home of Jesus.
A group of large, broad, bullet-headed men from Nineveh, who styled
themselves the descendants of Jona, had just arrived. Their roomy
camel-hair knee breeches and dawn-like smile betokened that their
object was information and not criticism.
Pharaoh's land was represented by a small caravan of Egyptians attired
in professional habits, who had chosen quarters near a group of Persian
cameleers, whose very equipment, both of man and beast, seemed to blend
in soft Oriental shades. The peculiarity of these two groups of doctors
was that while listening attentively they expressed no opinion.
Groups of scribes, Turks, Persians, Arabs and Indians were closely
noting all events connected with Jesus and his followers, but took no
part in the discussions of the Jews, who everywhere nervously discussed
the effect of his teachings.
The scribes, Pharisees and priests who disdainfully ignored his
claim, were worried that so many of their people were following him,
especially as the edict had gone forth that any one who professed Jesus
to be the Christ should be expelled from the synagogue.
SURPRISE FOR THE PHARISEES