The ministry of Jesus went on in about the same
channels. Wandering here and there throughout the country,
preaching and teaching in this town and that village,
gathering around Him new followers, Jesus continued His work.
He adapted Himself to His audience, giving to each what it
needed, and not making the mistake of speaking over the heads
of the people. He gave the general public the broad general
teachings that they required, but He reserved the Inner
Teachings for the Inner Circle of His followers whom He knew
to be fit to receive the same. In this He showed a deep
knowledge of men, and a strict accordance with the established
custom of the mystics, who never make the mistake of giving
the higher spiritual mathematics to the students who are
learning the addition, subtraction and division rules of the
occult. He cautioned His apostles regarding this point of
teaching, even going so far as warning them positively and
strongly against "casting pearls before swine."
One night He was in a
boat crossing the lake of Gennesaret, in company with some
of His fisherman followers. Tired out by the strenuous work
of the day, He wrapped Himself up in His robe and fell into
a deep sleep, from which He was later awakened by a noise
and commotion among the crew and passengers. A terrible lake
storm had sprung up, and the little vessel was tossing and
pitching about among the waves in a manner which gave
concern to even the experienced fishermen who manned her.
The sails had been torn off, carrying away with them a
portion of the mast, and the boat refused to respond to her
rudder, the steering gear being rendered useless. The crew
became panic-stricken and rushing to Jesus besought Him to
save them from death in the storm. "Master! Master! Help ere
we perish. The boat is foundering! Save us, Master!"
The Master arose and,
using His occult power, caused the winds to cease their
tempestuous activity, and the waves to become calm. He
followed the Oriental occultists' custom of voicing His
commands in words, not that the words had any virtue in
themselves, but because they served a vehicle for His
concentrated thought and focused will which He was using in
his manifestation of occult power. With this knowledge of
the process, occultists smile when they read the naive
account of the occurrence in the Gospels, where Jesus is
described as addressing and rebuking the rebellious winds
and then gently and kindly soothing the waters with words of
"Peace, be still!" The fishermen who witnessed the
occurrence, and from whom the reports thereof spread among
the people, not understanding the nature of occult
manifestations, thought that He was addressing the winds as
actual entities, rebuking them and bidding them cease their
vicious work, and soothing the sea in the same manner.
They did not comprehend
the mental processes back of the words, and in their
simplicity thought that He was actually rebuking the wind
and soothing the waters. All occultists know that in
"treating" material conditions the process is rendered much
easier and simpler if we will but think of and "speak to"
the condition as if it had intelligence and actual being,
thus more easily directing the forces.
Obeying the thought and
will of the Master, the winds abated their fury and the
waters ceased their troubling. Gradually the boat rested
easily upon the bosom of the lake, and the crew breathed
freely once more, and then began their work of righting the
mast and steering gear. And they wondered as they worked and
asked each other "What manner of man is this, whom even the
winds and the waters obey?" And Jesus, looking sadly at
them, voiced that cry of the mystic who knows of the
inherent and latent powers of man over material conditions,
awaiting the exercise of the Will that may be exercised only
in response to a great Faith. He answered them, saying, "Oh,
ye of little Faith. What had you to fear?"
To the mystic it seems
strange that people are able to read the Gospel accounts of
the above and similar events and yet see no more in them
than a mere recital of miracles wrought by some supernatural
power. To the reader who has learned the fundamental truths,
the New Testament record of the wonder-working of Jesus,
even as imperfect as that record is, is full of advanced
occult instructions stated so plainly that it seems as if
even the casual reader must recognize it. But no, the old
rule is still in force--each reads only that for which he is
ready--each must bring something to a book, before he may
expect to take anything away from it--to him that hath shall
be given. Ever the same old mystic truth, manifest ever and
ever, at all times and in all places. It is a fundamental
law of the mind.
The journey across the
lake was attended by another manifestation of occult power
which is often passed over by the church teachers without
comment, or at least with a labored endeavor to "explain"
the evident meaning of the narrative. The modern
materialistic trend of thought has invaded even the churches
and has caused the preachers and teachers to endeavor to
escape the accusation of "believing in spirits" and similar
phenomena of the Astral World.
When the company reached
the coast of Gergesa, on the opposite side of the lake, it
disembarked and Jesus and His disciples pressed in toward
the coast towns. As they passed among the cliffs lining the
shore, they perceived two uncanny wandering figures which,
gibbering, followed them along. The two maniacs, for such
they were, approached the party, and one of them began to
address the Master in a strange manner, beseeching Him to
relieve the two of the devils possessing them. He called
aloud, "O Master, thou Son of the Living God, have mercy
upon us, and drive away the unclean things that we have
allowed
to enter into us."
The Gospels say nothing
regarding the cause of this demoniac obsession, and the
preachers prefer to pass over it rapidly, or else to treat
it as a delusion of the insane, notwithstanding the direct
statement of the New Testament narrative and its sequel or
concluding statement. But the occult traditions have it that
these two men were victims of their dabbling into certain
phases of psychic phenomena, i.e., the "raising up of
spirits" by the arts of Black Magic. In other words, these
men had been experimenting along the lines of Jewish
Necromancy, or Invocation and Evocation of Disembodied
Astral Intelligences by means of Conjuration. They had
raised up Astral Intelligences that had then refused to
retire to their own plane, but which had taken possession of
the physical organisms of their invokers and had remained in
possession, causing the men to be regarded as maniacs, which
resulted in their becoming outcasts among the caves with
which the cliffs abounded, the same places being also the
tombs of the dead. We do not wish to go into details here
regarding this matter, but we wish to give the occult
explanation of this little understood "miracle" of Jesus,
which, however, is clearly understood by all occultists.
Jesus fully understood
the nature of the trouble, and began at once to drive out
these invading Astral Intelligences by means of his occult
power. In a few moments, a cry was heard from the hills near
by, and a great herd of swine were seen rushing down the
hill, and in a moment were over the precipice and were soon
drowned. The Gospel narrative is perfectly plain on this
subject--it states that the legions of devils had passed
from the men into the swine and the latter had plunged in
terror into the water and were drowned. Jesus had distinctly
and positively spoken to the demons, calling them "unclean
spirits," and bidding them "come out" of the men. And all
advanced students of Occultism understand why the pigs were
used as intermediate instruments of the driving back of the
Astral Intelligences to their own plane of life, which
reason, however, is not in place or keeping in this work
intended for general public reading.
The maniacs were
restored to their normal condition, and the traditions say
that the Master instructed them regarding the evil courses
which they had been pursuing, and bade them desist from
their nefarious practices which had wrought such evil
consequences upon them.
The church and its
preachers, with but few exceptions, have seen fit to ignore
the frequent Biblical allusions to "devils," "demons," etc.;
their position being practically that the writers of the
events of Jesus' ministry (whom they otherwise consider to
have been "inspired") must have been superstitious,
credulous people believing in "the absurd demonology of
their times." They ignore the fact that Jesus Himself
repeatedly spoke to these intelligences, bidding them depart
from the people whom they had been obsessing. Does the
church wish to hold that the Master was also an ignorant,
credulous peasant, sharing popular superstitions? It would
seem so. We must except the Catholic Church from this
criticism, for its authorities have recognized the true
state of affairs and have warned its followers against
indulging in the dark practices of Necromancy or Invocation
of Astral
Intelligences.
Occult science informs
its students of the various planes of life, each of which
contains its inhabitants. It teaches that on the Astral
Plane there are disembodied entities which should not be
transplanted to our plane. And it warns all against the dark
practices, so common in ancient times and in the Middle
Ages, of invoking and evoking these undesirable denizens of
that plane. It is to be regretted that some of the modern
Psychic Researchers ignore these plain warnings, for some of
them are laying themselves open to grave consequences by
reason of their wilful folly. We urge upon our readers to
refrain from this dabbling in the phenomena of the Astral
Plane. Some writer has well compared "Psychism" to a great
machine, in the cog-wheels of which
persons may become
entangled only to be afterward drawn into the machine
itself. Keep away from the wheels!
This "miracle" of Jesus
aroused great excitement, and it was urged against Him that
He was going about the country driving devils into people's
flocks and herds, causing their destruction. The priests
fomented the popular feeling, and encouraged the distrust,
hatred and fear which the orthodox portion of the community
was beginning to entertain toward the Master. The seeds of
Calvary were being sown among the people. And their awful
fruit was latent in them. Hate and bigotry were the essence
of both seed and fruit.
Jesus returned to
Capernaum, and once more the little town was crowded with
people seeking instruction and crying to be healed. The news
of his wonderful healing power spread far and near, and
people were carried on litters for many miles in order that
they might be touched by the hands of the Master.
About this time there
came to Him one Jairus, a man of eminence in the community
and in the church. Jairus had a little daughter about twelve
years of age, who was taken seriously ill, and who had been
given up as incurable by the physicians.
With his daughter lying
at death's door, Jairus hastened to the scene of the
Master's meetings, and, throwing himself at His feet,
besought Him to heal his beloved child ere she passed beyond
the dark portals of the unknown. The Master, feeling
compassion for the father's great grief, paused in His
teaching and started toward Jairus' home. His mind charged
with the concentration of healing thought, and His organism
filled with the vital forces aroused to perform the task, He
felt some one touch the hem of His garment in search of
healing power, and He at once recognized the occurrence,
saying, "The power hath been drawn from me. Who touched my
garment?" As they approached the house of Jairus, the
servants came running out with wild cries and
lamentations, announcing
that the child had died while awaiting the coming of the
Healer. The father broke down at this terrible news, coming
at the very moment of his greatest hope. But Jesus bade him
to have faith and still believe. Then, accompanied by three
of His disciples--John, Peter and James--He entered the
chamber of death. Waving back the weeping family and the
neighbors who had gathered, "Stand back," He cried, "the
child is not dead--she but sleepeth."
An indignant cry went up
from the orthodox relatives and friends at these words of
the Master. How dared He so mock the very presence of the
dead, whom the physicians had left, and over whom the
priests had already begun the last sacred rites? But,
heeding them not, the Master passed His hands over the
child's head, and took her little cold palms within his own.
Then began a strange happening. The little chest began to
heave, and the white wan cheeks began to show traces of
color. Then the arms and hands began to move, and the wasted
limbs drew slightly up. Then, opening her eyes with a
wondering look, the child gazed at the Healer and smiled
gently at Him. Then the Master, with a look of gentle
tenderness, withdrew from the room, after ordering that
nourishing food be brought for the child.
Then began the usual
dispute. Some declared that another had been raised from the
dead, while others declared that the child had but been in a
trance and would have awakened anyway. Had not even the
Healer declared that she only slept? But Jesus heeded not
the disputants, but returned to the scene of His work.
The work went on in its
accustomed way. He began to send His apostles away on longer
and more extended tours, having fully instructed them in the
occult methods of healing. Great success attended their
efforts and the best reports came in from all sides. The
authorities recognized to a still greater extent the growing
influence of the young Master, and His actions were still
more closely watched by the spies. Reports of His teachings
and work were carried to Herod, who, recognizing in them the
same note that had been struck by John the Baptist, who had
been put to death, perceived that though men might die, the
spirit of their teachings would still live on. No wonder the
guilty ruler should cry in terror, "This verily is the
spirit of John, whom I put to death, risen from the grave to
wreak vengeance upon me!" And the authorities reported to
Rome that here was a young fanatic,
whom many believed to be
the Messiah and coming King of the Jews, who had thousands
of followers all over the land. And word came back from
Rome, in due time, to watch carefully over the man, who was
undoubtedly striving to incite an insurrection, and to
imprison Him or put Him to death as soon as the evidence was
sufficient to convict Him.
Jesus about this time
was near a small fishing town called Bethseda, on the lake
about seven miles from Capernaum. Near this place His boat
landed at a place on the beach where He had hoped to take a
few days' rest. But, alas, a great crowd had hastened to the
place of disembarkation, and now gathered around Him,
demanding teaching and healing. Putting aside His mental and
physical fatigue, He attended to the wants of the crowd.
Healing now, and then teaching, He threw Himself into His
work with fervor and zeal. There were over five thousand
people gathered together around Him, and toward evening the
cry went up that there was not sufficient food in the camp
to begin to feed the multitude. A great tumult arose among
the crowd, and complaints and even curses began to be heard.
The spiritual wants were forgotten, and the physical began
to manifest itself in a most insistent manner. What was to
be done?
He called together those
of His company who had been entrusted with the care of the
food which the little company carried with it. And, to His
sorrow, He learned that the entire stock of food consisted
of five loaves of bread and two fishes. And the little band
carried practically no money with it, for they depended upon
the hospitality of the country and the offerings by the
faithful. The disciples advised that the Master order the
crowd to disperse and return to Bethseda for food. But Jesus
felt loath to do this, particularly when there were so many
invalids in the gathering who had traveled so many miles to
see Him, and who had not yet been healed. And so He decided
to give the company its food by means of His power.
He bade His people
divide the multitude into little groups of fifty people, who
were then instructed to be seated for a meal. Then He
ordered the scanty supply of available food to be brought
before Him, and, placing His hands over it, He offered a
blessing, then ordered His people to serve the throng. They
began to serve out the food with looks of wonder and
amazement. Had the Master lost His senses? But in some way
the food seemed miraculously to increase and multiply, until
at last all of the five thousand had been fully supplied and
their hunger appeased. And then, after all had been served
and had eaten, the scraps and fragments which were gathered
up filled many wicker baskets and were distributed to the
poorer people in the company for
tomorrow's use.
But trouble arose. The
people, with well filled stomachs, feeling that here indeed
was royal bounty and the power with which to feed them
forever free of charge, began to wax enthusiastic and shouts
ascended. "The Messiah! King of the Jews! Provider of the
People! Son of David! Ruler over Israel!" were the words
which soon swept the crowd off of its feet. And then some of
the bolder ones, or else the hired spies who wished to place
Him in a compromising position, began to suggest that the
crowd form itself into an army and march from city to city
with Jesus at its head, until at last they would place Him
upon the throne of Israel at Jerusalem. Jesus, recognizing
the peril to His mission, managed to dissuade the hot-heads
from their plans, but still fearing that the authorities
might come down upon the assemblage, ordered that the Twelve
take the boat and put out for the other side of the lake. He
sent them off as a precaution, but He, Himself, remained
with the crowd and faced the threatened danger.
He retired to the hills
near by and spent the night in meditation. Then early in the
morning, He noticed that a storm was rising over the lake
and that the tiny boat containing His disciples would be in
great danger. In a few moments they might be overwhelmed. He
wished to be with them to comfort and re-assure them. No
boat being handy, he stepped boldly out upon the water and
walked rapidly toward the direction in which He knew the
boat must be. Scarcely conscious of the occult power of
levitation that He was using to overcome the power of
gravitation, He moved rapidly toward His followers. Soon He
overtook them, and they, seeing a white figure moving
swiftly over the water toward them, were affrighted,
believing it to be a spirit or ghost. "It is I, be not
afraid!" called out the Master to them. Then Peter cried
out, "Lord, if Thou it be, direct me to walk to Thee also on
the waves!" And the Master, smiling, so directed him. And
Peter, whose latent occult power was aroused by his great
faith in the Master, sprang over the side and took several
steps toward Him. But, suddenly losing his faith and
courage, his power also left him, and he began to sink
beneath the waves. But the Master grasped his hand and led
him in safety to the boat and both entered it. Then the crew
fell to and with great enthusiasm righted the boat and
proceeded to the shore near Capernaum.
In the case of Peter and
his experience in walking on the water, we have a striking
instance of the well known power of the mental attitude of
Faith in the manifestation of occult power. All occultists
know this, and without feeling an implicit faith in the
Power with them, they do not attempt certain forms of
manifestation. They know that with Faith miracles may be
performed which are impossible otherwise. So long as Peter
held his Faith he was able to counteract certain laws of
nature by means of other laws not so well known. But as soon
as Fear took the place of Faith his power left him. This is
an invariable occult principle, and in the recital of this
story of Peter on the water is to be found a whole volume of
occult instruction--to those who are able to read it.
Arriving safely on the
shores of the lake, Jesus resumed His work while the
ever-present gathering of people went on in its accustomed
way. But on the opposite shore of the lake the crowd who had
been fed on the loaves and fishes were in an angry mood.
They cried out that they had been deserted by their leader,
and that the expected loaves and fishes--the free meals that
they had expected would continue--had been denied them. They
also complained bitterly that the reign of miracles had not
continued. And they began to revile the Master that they had
acclaimed the night before. And so Jesus experienced the
ingratitude and the unreasonable words of the public just as
all great teachers have done. The seekers after the loaves
and the fishes, demanding to be fed and clothed without
their own work--the seekers after miracles, demanding fresh
wonder-workings--have ever been the bane of the great
Teachers of the Truth. It is a hard and bitter truth, but
all teachers and true lovers of the Truth must learn to meet
and understand it. The mob which reveres a spiritual Master
today is equally ready to rend him to pieces tomorrow.
And still more trouble
arose from this mistaken kindness which led Jesus to feed
the crowd by His occult powers, which, by the way, He knew
to be in opposition to the well-established custom of the
Occult Brotherhoods. The formalists, Pharisees and Scribes,
having heard of the occurrence, gathered about the Master
and accused Him of violating one of the forms and ceremonies
prescribed by the ecclesiastical authorities--the rite which
required the faithful to wash their hands before beginning a
meal. They accused Him of heresy and false teaching, which
tended to lead the people away from their accustomed
ceremonies and observances. Jesus waxed indignant and,
turning on His critics, hurled burning replies upon them.
"Ye hypocrites!" He cried, "You cling to the commandments of
men and neglect the commandments of God! You cleanse your
hands but not your souls! You are the blind leaders of the
blind, and both yourselves and your followers fall in the
mire and ditches! Away with you and your hypocrisy!" But the
adverse comment aroused by His actions would not down, and,
discouraged and disheartened by the evidences of the
barrenness of the soil in which He had been sowing the
precious seeds of the Truth, He gathered together His
followers and departed into Tyre and Sidon, a quieter
region, that He might rest and meditate over new plans and
work. He could see the beginning of the end.
To understand the nature
of the position of the Master at this time, it must be
remembered that His strong hold had ever been with the
masses of the people, who were His enthusiastic admirers. So
long as He remained entrenched in the heart of the populace,
the temporal and ecclesiastical authorities dared not attack
Him without a popular uprising of no mean proportions. But
now that they had managed to wean away His public from Him
they pressed Him harder and harder with their persecutions
and complaints. And so at last they had managed to render
Him almost an unpopular outcast. They forced Him away from
the larger towns, and now He was wandering among the less
populous regions of the country, and even there the spies
and agents of the authorities hunted Him down, seeking to
further entrap and compromise Him.
About this time Jesus
revealed to His apostles the facts of His Divine origin
which was now plain to Him. He also told them of the fate
which awaited Him, and which He had willingly chosen. He
told them not to expect the fruits of His work at this time,
for He was but sowing the seeds of the fruit which would not
grow and bear fruit for many centuries. He gave them the
Mystic secret of the nature of His work, which is taught to
the Initiates of the Occult Brotherhoods even unto this day.
But even these chosen men scarcely grasped the true import
of His teachings, and once He was rendered almost broken
hearted at over-hearing a discussion among them regarding
high offices which they hoped to acquire.
Jesus now felt that the
time had come for Him to move on to Jerusalem to meet there
the crowning act of His strange career. And, knowing full
well that such a course would be virtually thrusting His
head into the very jaws of the lion of ecclesiastical and
temporal authority, He set His feet firmly on the road which
led to Jerusalem, the capital city, and the center of
ecclesiastical influence. And that road was a hard one to
travel, for, as He neared the capital, His enemies increased
in number and the opposition to Him grew stronger. At one
village He had been denied the right of shelter, an
indignity almost unknown in Oriental lands. In another place
a large rock was hurled at Him and wounded Him severely. The
mob had turned against Him and was repaying His kind
services with abuse and personal violence. And this is ever
the lot of the teacher of the Truth who scatters the sacred
pearls of Truth before the swine of the unworthy multitude
of people. Over and over again has this fact been brought
home to those who would labor for the good of the world. And
still we hear the querulous complaint that the Inner
Teaching is reserved for the Few--why not scatter it
broadcast among the people? The stake, the rack, the stones,
the prison cell, the cross and their modern
prototypes--these are the silent answers to the question.
Moving on toward
Jerusalem the little company reached Perea, a number of
miles from Bethany, at which latter place dwelt a family of
His friends--the two sisters, Martha and Mary, and their
brother Lazarus. At this place He was met by a messenger
from Bethany, who bore the sad news that His friend Lazarus
was sick unto death, and who also begged the Master to
return to Bethany and cure the man. But this Jesus refused
to do, and allowed several days to pass without answering
the summons. At the end of the several days He started
toward Bethany, telling His disciples that Lazarus was dead.
And reaching Bethany they found that it was indeed
so--Lazarus was dead and in the tomb.
Jesus was received with
scowling antagonism. The people seemed to say, "Here is this
heretical imposter again. He feared to come even to the aid
of His dying friend. His power has failed Him and He now
stands discredited and exposed!" Then came Martha, who
reproached the Master with His indifference and delay. He
answered her that Lazarus should rise again, but she doubted
His word. Then came Mary, whose grief brought tears even
from the Master, who had seen so much of human suffering as
to have found his eyes refuse to weep.
Then asked the Master,
"Where have you laid him away?" and they took Him to the
tomb, followed by the curious mob hungering for the sight of
more wonders from the man whom they feared even while hating
and reviling Him. Jesus stood before the dreary tomb and
bade the men roll away the stone that closed the mouth of
the tomb. The men hesitated, for they knew that a corpse lay
within, and they even perceived the characteristic odor of
the tomb issuing therefrom. But the Master insisting upon
it, they rolled away the stone and Jesus stood full in front
of the dark opening to the cavern.
He stood there for a few
moments wrapt in meditation and showing evidences of strong
mental concentration. His eyes took on a strange look, and
in every muscle He showed that He was summoning to the task
every particle of the power at His command. He was throwing
off the matters that had been occupying His mind during the
past weeks, that He might hold his mind "one-pointed," as
the Oriental occultists term it--that He might concentrate
clearly and forcibly upon the task before Him.
Then, arousing His
reserve force, in a mighty effort, He cried loudly, in a
voice of authority and power, "Lazarus! Lazarus! Come
forth!"
The people gasped with
horror at this calling forth a corpse which was in the
process of disintegration and decay, and a cry of
remonstrance went up, but Jesus heeded it not. "Lazarus!
Lazarus! Come forth, I command thee!" he cried again.
And then at the mouth of
the cavern could be seen something startling. It was a
ghastly figure, bound and clad in the grave-clothes of that
country, which was struggling to free itself and to move
toward the light. It was indeed Lazarus! And, after tearing
off the stained grave-clothes which still retained the
horrid stench of decaying matter, his body was found to be
sweet and clean and pure as that of the infant. Jesus had
performed a wonder-work far beyond any manifestation He had
heretofore shown to the world.
The excitement
occasioned by this crowning wonder, coming to Jerusalem
after a lull in which it had thought that the Master had
retired into insignificant seclusion, aroused again into
activity the authorities, who now determined to make an end
to the matter and to suppress this pestilent charlatan once
and for all. Raising a decaying corpse from the tomb,
indeed! What new fraudulent marvels would He not work next
in order to delude the credulous people and to bring them
once more around his rebellious standard? The man was
dangerous without doubt, and must be put where He could do
no harm--and that at once.
Within a few hours after
the receipt of news that Lazarus had walked from the tomb,
the Sanhedrin, the great Jewish ecclesiastical council, was
in session, called hastily by its officers to take vigorous
action concerning this impious, heretical imposter who had
been allowed to mock at established order and religion for
too long a time. He must be quieted ere he arouse the people
once more. The Roman authorities were warned by the Jewish
ecclesiastics that this dangerous man now approaching the
capital claimed to be the Jewish Messiah, and that His aims
were to overturn the Temple authorities first, and then
establish Himself as King of the Jews, and place Himself at
the head of a revolutionary army which would attempt to defy
and defeat the rule of mighty Rome herself.
And so all the machinery
was set in motion, and the officers of the law were all on
the alert to take advantage of the first overt act of Jesus
and His followers, and to throw them into prison as enemies
of society, religion and of the state. The Roman authorities
were agitated at the reports coming to them from the highest
Jewish authorities, and were prepared to crush the rebellion
at the first sign. The Jewish priests were in solemn
convocation and at the instigation of Caiaphas, the high
priest of the Jews, they determined that nothing but the
death of this false Messiah would put an end to the
agitation which threatened to drive them from power and
authority. And so the die was cast.
And meanwhile Jesus was
resting in Bethany, surrounded by great throngs who were
pouring into the place to see Lazarus, and to renew their
allegiance to the Master whom they had so basely forsaken.
Time-servers ever, the latest miracles had revived their
fading interest and waning faith, and they flocked around
the Master as noisy, enthusiastic and as full of fulsome
praise as ever. And yesterday they had damned Him, and
tomorrow they would cry "Crucify Him!" For such is the
nature of the multitude of men. Of the multitudes of Jesus'
followers, none remained to acknowledge allegiance in His
hour of arrest--even among the chosen twelve, one betrayed
Him, one denied Him, and all fled away when He was taken
captive. And for such the Son of Man lived and taught and
suffered.
