EUDORA, _Heathen._--ZACHARIAH, JOHN, RACHEL, REBECCA, SALOME, MARY,
and JEZEBEL, _Jews._
_Eudora._ Well, Rachel, I owe you more than tongue can tell. The more
I study Moses and the prophets, the more I believe in and love
Jehovah; and the more surprised am I, that, for a moment, I hesitated
in giving up the false gods of my childhood.
_Rachel._ To Jehovah be your thanks, my friend, my sister; for never
by human reasoning should we have been different from you. In love
Jehovah revealed himself to us; and what we have so fully learned from
him, we have given to you.
_Eudora._ But what think you of the prophet in the wilderness,--John I
think they call him?
_Rachel._ He is dead. He was a bold man, and a good one, I think; but
the best should be careful how they rebuke kings. John rebuked Herod,
and lost his head in consequence thereof.
_Eudora._ Well, we must all die.
_Rachel._ Not so says he whom John declared to be greater than
himself,--Jesus of Nazareth.
_Zachariah._ If he be what many claim him, he speaks with more
authority on that point than the Pharisees.
_Eudora._ And what do people say he is?
_Zachariah._ The Messiah.
_Eudora._ Israel's Deliverer?
_Zachariah._ Yes.
_Eudora._ Well, what says he?
_John._ That they who believe in him shall never die.
_Eudora._ Surely, no one believeth that. Or does he jest, by saying
what he knows they cannot receive?
_Rachel._ You have never seen him, or you would not ask that question.
No one hearing him can doubt, that he, like John, would seal his words
with his blood.
_John._ You have seen him: is he like John?
_Rachel._ In boldness very like him. In other respects they differ.
John was clothed like the prophets; Jesus wears the common garb. John
dwelt in the wilderness, and on the banks of the Jordan; but Jesus
frequents the cities and villages. John was stern in manner, and
abstemious in food; Jesus is neither. He is gentle and social; often
seen at the feasts of the publicans, and associating with the
multitudes.
_Eudora._ But does he, like the former kings of Israel, combine
military ardor with his religious enthusiasm?
_Rachel._ He seems, with all his boundless benevolence, formed to
command; but never has he aimed to form an army, though the people
would at one time have declared him king. Salome promised to meet us
here at this time. I wish she were present. She can tell you more of
him than can I.
_Eudora._ And here she is.
_John._ Welcome to our circle! and doubly so now; for we would hear of
you concerning this Jesus, who we hoped was to be our deliverer from
bondage.
_Salome._ Right glad am I to be here, and more so to speak of him; for
he hath come indeed to deliver us from bondage,--a worse, however,
than _Roman_ bondage.
_John._ Are we to have a harder taskmaster than the Romans, before we
are delivered?
_Salome._ No harder master than we now have. The Roman is not our only
or worst bondage.
_Rebecca._ What talk you of so earnestly?
_Salome._ Jesus of Nazareth.
_Rebecca._ He has come, it is said, to set up a new kingdom.
_Salome._ Rather to enlarge the kingdom already flourishing in heaven.
_Rebecca._ Call it what you may, he is slow in gathering his armies.
_Salome._ He needs no army for his conquests, but an army of loving
hearts and pure spirits.
_Rebecca._ Then the nation's hope is again blasted, and we are to
remain yet longer subjects of a foreign king.
_Salome._ Not so. This is the true Messiah: he who joins his kingdom
shall be free indeed.
_Rebecca._ But what freedom can there be greater than from Roman
bondage?
_Eudora._ Unless it be a deliverance, such as mine, from idolatry and
superstition. Methinks there is no liberty to be compared with that;
and, having that, slavery loses its power.
_Jezebel._ Or deliverance, such as mine, from an unholy temper.
Surely, Eudora, mine is the greater deliverance; for what is truth
without goodness? You were delivered from _error_; I from _sin._ Oh!
since I have been from place to place with the Son of God, and
listened to his gracious words, I have forgotten to be angry; and, I
trust, my growing love for his Father and mine will cleanse me from
all sin!
_Mary._ I, too, have felt his power, and am seeking to join his
kingdom. I first took him for a second David, who should glorify his
people; then, when no army gathered around him, for a prophet sent to
reform the nation. But now I believe him to be greater than
either,--even the Son of God, and begin to think that he purposes to
bless, not Jews alone, but Gentiles; not Palestine, but the world.
_Rebecca._ Why should we think him greater than the prophets? why, the
Son of Jehovah? Are the reports about his working miracles to be
received as true?
_Salome._ Certainly; for I have witnessed them. I have, at his mere
word or touch, _seen_ the leper cleansed; the blind receive sight; the
lame walk; and, that last wonderful work, Lazarus of Bethany raised
from the dead.
_Rebecca._ And what think you of all this?
_Salome._ Just what one of our rulers declared to him the other night,
"No man can do these miracles and not come from God, and have God with
him." When the Pharisees or the Scribes tell me I am immortal, I
question; but when he, thus aided by Jehovah, asserts the truth, it is
enough.
_Rebecca (to Mary)._ And did this move you also?
_Mary._ How could I doubt any doctrine of his, after witnessing these
works?
_Jezebel._ But this is not all. He moved our hearts to love, as well
as our minds to believe. With all my ill temper in the past, I have
ever taken an interest in children. Judge ye, then, of the effect
produced upon me, the first time I saw him, by this circumstance. I
was walking along, filled with my usual impatience, when I suddenly
saw Jesus at a distance, surrounded by a crowd, many of whom were
Scribes and Pharisees. He had pleased the multitude, and excited even
the admiration of his enemies; when, as I came nigh, I saw several
persons endeavoring to get nearer to him with their children. They
were rebuked even by his disciples; but Jesus, seeing the act, asked
for the children, took them in his arms, and blessed them. From that
moment have I loved and followed him.
_Mary._ Then came his kind, yet firm rebuke of sin; his description of
those who were prepared to join his kingdom; his promise to receive
the worst who would become like himself; his assurance that all who
continued faithful to the end of this life should in the next be
joined to his Father's family; and, above all, the representation of
Jehovah as our Father, who would give us eternal joy. Oh! what change
have his glorious words wrought in us!
_Rebecca._ Why do you say "changed _us_"? _Jezebel_ needed to be
changed, but not _you._
_Mary._ Such change as he demanded I needed. Oh! how much! 'Tis true,
in _form_ I have served the God of my fathers. I have endeavored to
keep unbroken the law; but that was not sufficient. To be like him,
the _heart_ must burn with that love to his Father, that your delight
will be even to be crucified in his service.
_Salome._ Yes; as Mary says, he demands that love which not only pours
itself forth to friends, but to strangers, and with diligence seeks
the happiness even of our bitterest foes.
_Zachariah._ O that I might have such a spirit, and be one of such a
society!
_Mary._ And so you may.
_John._ And I!
_Rebecca._ And I!
_Salome._ Yes; all, _all_ who are weary of sin, and heavy laden with
cares,--all may come, and none will be cast forth.
_John._ This is freedom indeed.
_Rachel._ And greatness indeed.
_Rebecca._ Such a people must be the chosen of the Lord.
_Eudora._ No longer Jew and Gentile, but one in Jesus.
_Salome._ Is not this a Saviour for Israel? Oh! my heart burns within
me for joy; for all people shall partake of this salvation.
_Rachel._ Glory to God in the highest; on earth peace and good-will to
men!
_Mary._ The angel's song; and why should not we in a song praise God
that he hath visited and redeemed his people?
_Rebecca._ And may God make us true to this Saviour to the last!
Next came an appropriate hymn; after which the pastor reviewed and
explained the meaning of the different exercises of the evening, and
what they were intended to teach about the origin and truth and
blessedness of Christianity. A prayer was offered, and the services
closed with that noble hymn, beginning "All hail the power of Jesus'
name," sung to that noble old tune, "Coronation."
I thought the Dialogues would please you, and asked leave to print
them here.
If there is any thing in the Dialogues, or in any of the pieces in
this little book, you cannot understand, you must ask for an
explanation from your parents or teachers, who will be glad to answer
your questions. And now, if these "GEMS" give you as much pleasure as
the "Christmas Evening at the Pitts-street Chapel" gave those who were
present, I think, though "gathered in haste," you will say they are
worth keeping, and looking at often.
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