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TRAVELS OF OUR SAVIOUR. 
 

 TRAVELS 
 
 OUR SAVIOUR, 
 
 "WITH SOME OF THE 
 
 LEADING INCIDENTS OF HIS LIFE. 
 
 W 
 
 BY WILLIAM A. ^LCOTT. 
 
 V f 7 
 
 Written for the Massachusetts Sabbath School Society, and 
 revised by the Committee of Publication 
 
 / 
 
 v" 
 
 BOSTON : 
 
 MASSACHUSETTS SABBATH SCHOOL SOCIETY, 
 Depository No. 13 Cornhill. 
 
 1840. 
 

 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1840, 
 
 By CHRISTOPHER C. DEAN, 
 
 In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts. 
 
 a 1 1 1 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The writer of the following pages is not wholly 
 ignorant of the difficulty — not to say danger — con- 
 nected with the preparation of a volume which 
 brings into view, in any way, the character of our 
 Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Even with the aid 
 of the best harmonies, it is not easy always to be 
 certain in regard to the true order of many incidents 
 and events; although, so far as this order is of 
 acknowledged importance, it is a case in which 
 error should be particularly avoided. The writer 
 hopes, however, that he has not, either in this 
 respect or in any other, fallen into any material 
 error. He hopes that the work will be of great 
 service to the young, not only as a harmony of the 
 gospels, but as a kind of introduction to the character 
 of our Saviour. He hopes and trusts that while they 
 1# 
 
VI PREFACE. 
 
 thus behold his glory, they may, through the influ- 
 ence of his Spirit j be transformed into the same 
 image, from glory to glory. 
 
 It is, indeed, in this latter particular that he 
 Considers this work chiefly valuable. If it fail to be 
 serviceable here, then will it come greatly short of 
 its chief end, and the author's main intention. He 
 has written it, in one word, to lead the youthful 
 mind and heart, not only to the knowledge, but also 
 to the love of the Holy Scriptures, and of the char- 
 acter of their divine Author. 
 
 Perhaps it may not be amiss to anticipate, in this 
 place, what is said in the introductory chapter, that 
 the present volume does not make the high claim of 
 being a complete life of the Saviour. As might be 
 inferred from the title itself, it embraces only the 
 principal incidents of his life. A complete list of 
 these, in detail, is believed to be unnecessary, in the 
 present work; first, because it would be likely to 
 disturb too much the order of the narrative, and 
 secondly, because many other writers have performed 
 the service of presenting them already. In short, 
 the great and leading object is to introduce our 
 
PREFACE. Vll 
 
 Saviour to the youthful reader, as a man, — as a 
 traveler through the world, — living, speaking and 
 acting like other men; only that in all things he 
 was without sin, while of others there is not a just 
 man upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not. 
 
 Children too often read the sacred writings, — - 
 and the life of our Saviour among the other portions of 
 them, — as they are accustomed to read fiction or ro- 
 mance. Thousands seem not to realize that the Sa- 
 viour was a man, and had the feelings, and temptations, 
 and trials of men ; that he walked, ate, drank, and slept 
 like other men ; in a word, that, in addition to his 
 divine nature, he had a complete human nature, 
 being in all respects as we are, except that he was 
 without sin. To render solid, substantial and real 
 what appears to them more or less dreamy or unreal ; 
 to enlist more fully their sympathies with him who 
 lived as well as died for them ; to form their charac- 
 ters on the model of his, and thus to aid, ultimately, 
 in their conversion and sanctification, are, be it 
 repeated, the leading objects of the work. With 
 this view, after repeated solicitations from many 
 friends of the religious education of the young, the 
 author undertook to prepare the work; and with 
 
Vlll PREFACE. 
 
 this he now presents it to the public, in the earnest 
 hope and prayer that it may prove a means of 
 leading the rising generation to " glorify God " our 
 Saviour " in their bodies and spirits, which are his." 
 
 Dedham, January, 1840. 
 
TRAVELS OF OUR SAVIOUR. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 All mankind are travelers, my young 
 friends — you and I among the rest. All are 
 traveling towards death, towards the judg- 
 ment, towards eternity. From the cradle to 
 the grave there is no resting-place whatever. 
 The journey of life may be said to be going 
 on even while we sleep. Every hour, yes, 
 every moment, our march is onward; for 
 every hour and every moment bring us near- 
 er to the end of our course. It is true we 
 seem to pursue many different roads; some 
 broader, others more narrow; some thorny, 
 others more pleasant; some longer, others 
 shorter. Nevertheless they all end at the 
 valley of the shadow of death, and all travel- 
 ers must cross that dark valley. 
 
10 TRAVELS OF 
 
 Beyond this valley, how numerous soever 
 have been the roads by which we have trav- 
 eled through the world, there are but two 
 places of abode — two countries prepared for 
 our reception. However varied our tastes, 
 whatever may be our likes or our dislikes, 
 however diversified may seem to be the shades 
 of character we possess, we shall be found to 
 form (as we always have done in reality in all 
 our journeyings this side of it) but two classes 
 of persons — the one loving good or holiness, 
 the other loving evil or sin; the one the fol- 
 lowers of God our Saviur, the other the fol- 
 lowers of the cc devices and desires " of our 
 own hearts, and of Satan the grand adversa- 
 ry; the one the inhabitants of heaven, a city 
 which hath foundations, a glorious city, whose 
 builder and maker is God, the other the in- 
 habitants of hell, the pit which is bottomless, 
 the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone 
 whence the smoke of their torment ascendeth 
 up for ever and ever. 
 
 I have said that one of these classes of hu- 
 man travelers — the lovers of holiness — are 
 the followers of our Lord and Saviour Jesus 
 Christ. Yes, my dear young friends, our Sa- 
 viour, like you and me was once a traveler. 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 11 
 
 Though he had a home, a mansion in the heav- 
 ens, — though he was the Father's only begot- 
 ten son and was tenderly beloved by the Father, 
 yet did he consent to journey throughthis world 
 — this wilderness world, as some call it — that 
 he might set a glorious example, as well as 
 accomplish for us and others still higher and 
 nobler objects. Thirty and three years, or 
 not far from this period, did he continue his 
 toilsome pilgrimage, and that too over a road 
 more difficult than falls to the lot of any of his 
 most careful and studious followers, ere he 
 came to the end of his journey; and then that 
 end was by treachery and violence ; a violence 
 almost unparalleled in the history of man; a 
 violence which should and probably does make 
 us all shudder; accompanied as it was by the 
 hiding of his Father's face, which was more 
 to be endured than all besides. 
 
 You have read the Saviour's travels, as I 
 trust, in the New Testament. I propose to 
 you, as truth, nothing which cannot be found 
 there. I have, however, supposed it might be 
 useful to persons of your age to become ac- 
 quainted with those travels, by themselves, as 
 travels; and in their natural order. I have 
 not attempted to give a complete account of 
 
12 TRAVELS OF 
 
 every thing which was acted and transacted 
 during the various and numerous journeyings 
 of our Saviour, but only of such things and 
 events as were intimately connected with these 
 journeyings and as are most striking. To get 
 a complete history of his life you must study, 
 for yourselves, the book 1 have mentioned — 
 the New Testament — together with those parts 
 of the Old Testament which throw light on 
 the same subject, especially the fifty-third 
 chapter of Isaiah. 
 
 You may also find it useful, in some measure, 
 to study a few of the books which uninspired 
 men have written about him. There are sev- 
 eral volumes, larger and smaller, called Cf the 
 Life of Christ," which are very good. But, I 
 repeat it, the best Life of Christ as a whole — 
 by far the best — is to be found in the New 
 Testament, to which I must refer you, not 
 only for an account of his life, in general, but 
 even of his travels. 
 
 If the perusal of this little volume shall not 
 have the effect to make you love that great 
 source of information — the Bible — better than 
 before; if it shall not lead you to study the 
 character and life of Jesus Christ with deeper 
 interest, and to endeavor to walk as he 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 13 
 
 walked; thinking, speaking, acting and living 
 as he did, more than ever before, then will it 
 fail of its great object, and the writer will 
 have labored in vain. 
 
 But he hopes better things of you, and 
 " things which accompany salvation," as an 
 apostle would say, though he thus speaks. 
 After you have perused carefully these chap- 
 ters, he hopes that the various chapters of 
 the Bible — and especially those of the Gos- 
 pels of our Lord and Saviour — will become, 
 more than they ever were before, a light to 
 your feet, and a lamp to your paths, to guide 
 you on through this wilderness world, till you 
 reach the heavenly Canaan, the new Jerusa- 
 lem, the city of our God; till you sit down 
 with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, yes, and with 
 the Saviour himself, in the kingdom of eternal 
 bliss, to go no more out, for ever and for ever. 
 
14 TRAVELS OF 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 The Saviour born a traveler — Is first known at Bethlehem — 
 Journey to Egypt — Return to Palestine — Journey to Nazareth 
 — He resides there. 
 
 The Saviour of mankind was, as it were, 
 born a traveler. Leaving the bosom of that 
 Father with whom he had resided before the 
 world was, and descending to this lower 
 world, the first intelligence we have of him is 
 his birth at Bethlehem. But he was born a 
 traveler in another respect. Joseph and Ma- 
 ry, his earthly parents, were on a journey at 
 the very time of his birth. Their usual resi- 
 dence was at Nazareth, about eighty miles 
 northward of the city of Bethlehem; but hav- 
 ing occasion to go to Bethlehem, at this time, 
 the Saviour was born while they were sojourn- 
 ing there. So that in two respects at least, 
 was he born a traveler; away from his native 
 home. 
 
 But he was not only born a traveler, he 
 continued such. Though descended from ob- 
 scure parents, cradled in a manger because 
 the inns at Bethlehem were all occupied, and 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 15 
 
 scarcely known to any individual but his own 
 parents, a most singular and remarkable life 
 was before him. There was a tradition and 
 belief abroad at this time, among his country- 
 men, the Jews, that a personage was then 
 about to appear among them, who should be- 
 come their king. 
 
 It is true they had a king already, but they 
 did not like him very well. Moreover they 
 were tributary to, that is, under the Romans; 
 and their new king, it was expected, would 
 set them free. 
 
 After Jesus was born, it was soon noised 
 about among his countrymen, the Jews, that 
 he was to be the new king. The intelligence 
 of course, reached Herod, the reigning mon- 
 arch, and gave him great offence. He could 
 not bear the idea of a rival. 
 
 What then should he do? He was a cruel 
 prince, and did not hesitate to do almost any 
 thing that would be likely to accomplish his 
 purposes. He did not care so much what 
 was just and good and right, as he did to se- 
 cure his own selfish aims and purposes. His 
 mind was soon made up. The young king, 
 the child Jesus, must be slain. 
 
 I have said of Herod that he did not long 
 
16 TRAVELS OF 
 
 hesitate to do whatever he thought would be 
 likely to effect his purpose. He who could 
 entertain murder in his heart, would not be 
 likely to regard truth in his statements. He 
 lived in Jerusalem. Bethlehem, where the 
 infant Saviour was born, was five or six miles 
 south of Jerusalem. Herod, therefore, under 
 pretence of friendship — yes, and piety too — 
 requested certain wise men, or Magi, who 
 were going to Bethlehem, to find out in what 
 part of the city Jesus was, and bring him 
 word that he might go and worship him. 
 Wretched old king! Was it not enough that 
 thou shouldst harbor murder in thine heart, 
 without attempting to cover it with the mantle 
 of piety ? 
 
 But the messengers did not bring him the 
 word he desired. That God who watches 
 over the sleeping infant, as well as the wak- 
 ing adult, and whose own eye never needs 
 either sleep or slumber, would not fail to take 
 care of his well-beloved Son. He made 
 known to the messengers his will that they 
 should not return to Jerusalem to give infor- 
 mation to Herod; and like good and true men 
 they ventured to obey the King of heaven 
 rather than the king at Jerusalem. 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 17 
 
 In the mean time, however, another thing 
 was to be done. Herod's jealousy and cruel- 
 ty were not at all abated by the neglect of the 
 wise men to return to him; and there was no 
 certainty that he would let the matter rest 
 where it was. It was necessary therefore that 
 the child Jesus should be removed beyond the 
 reach of his cruelty. 
 
 Accordingly a command from Heaven came 
 to Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus, to go 
 away with him and his mother, immediately, 
 to Egypt, and remain there till the danger 
 was over, or at least till permission was grant- 
 ed them to return. 
 
 The reasons, moreover, were given, why his 
 flight was necessary. God deals with his 
 children somewhat as wise earthly parents do 
 with theirs; sometimes giving the reasons for 
 what he does and sometimes not doing it. 
 Happy is the individual, however, who promptly 
 and immediately obeys the commands of a pa- 
 rent, whether an earthly or an heavenly one, 
 whether any reasons for them are assigned 
 or not. 
 
 The parents of Jesus did not hesitate. 
 First, they wished to obey God. Second- 
 ly, they loved their children tenderly. 
 2* 
 
18 TRAVEL SOF 
 
 They would be especially careful and 
 tender of so young a child as Jesus. They 
 would no doubt submit, on his account, to al- 
 most any privation. Thirdly, they seem to 
 have had some notions, confused ones though 
 they were, of his future greatness. They 
 probably thought he would, at least, become 
 a distinguished prophet. 
 
 Egypt, as perhaps you know, lay southwest- 
 ward of Palestine, on the borders of Africa. 
 In those early times the journey from Bethle- 
 hem to Egypt was rather formidable. The 
 roads through the country were very far from 
 being as good as our roads are, nor were they 
 so easily followed. Indeed it can hardly be 
 said, in strictness of language, that there were 
 any roads at all from Palestine to Egypt ; the 
 country being a sandy desert, in which good 
 roads cannot be built, at least without a very 
 great deal of trouble and expense. 
 
 Moreover, if Joseph and Mary and the in- 
 fant Saviour commenced their journey in the 
 month of February, as seems to me most 
 likely (though by no means certain), neither 
 the weather nor the traveling was favorable. 
 True, the severest part of the winter was 
 over; but there were still occasional snows, 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 19 
 
 and frequent rains, as well as sudden changes 
 from heat to cold. Whether they walked or 
 rode, it must, therefore, have been very bad 
 traveling. The aspect of the country at this 
 season, was, moreover, in all probability rath- 
 er dreary; though the eye of the traveler in 
 Palestine is usually relieved in the latter part 
 of February — and perhaps this was the sea- 
 son in which the journey was made — by the 
 sight of peach blossoms, and occasionally by 
 the blossoms of the apple-tree. 
 
 The distance from Bethlehem to Egypt was 
 also considerable. We do not indeed know 
 to what part of Egypt they retired; but we 
 may reasonably suppose they made a journey 
 of something like 150 or 200 miles; which, 
 under the circumstances of which I have 
 been speaking, was no trifling journey, even 
 for those who were better able than Joseph 
 and Mary to bear the expense of it. 
 
 How long they staid in Egypt, is not said. 
 Some suppose it was a few months only; oth- 
 ers think it was six or seven years. To me 
 it seems most likely it was, only a few 
 months, or at most a year.* He remained 
 
 * There is a class of men in our country, as you know, who dis- 
 believe or profess to disbelieve the Bible, and are hence called in- 
 
20 TRAVELS OF 
 
 there in any event until the death of Herod, 
 the cruel king at Jerusalem of whom I have 
 already spoken; which came to pass soon 
 afterwards. Not, however, till this same Her- 
 od had issued a most severe and wicked de- 
 cree and seen it executed. For so it was, 
 that on finding the wise men by whom he sent 
 to find out about Jesus did not return to tell 
 him where the young Jesus was, and that his 
 hypocritical purpose was likely to be discov- 
 ered, he determined on destroying his sup- 
 posed young rival; and not knowing his age, 
 exactly now, he sent forth executioners and 
 caused all the children in the neighborhood 
 of Bethlehem under their second year* to be 
 
 fidels. These men, it is true, generally profess to think well of 
 the character of Christ. One of them, however, in conversation 
 with a Sabbath school teacher, told him that Christ was a kind 
 of magician, and that he learned his magical arts in Egypt where, 
 as he said, he was brought up. It was sufficient to confute this, 
 for the young teacher to turn to Luke, fourth chapter, where it 
 says ; And he came to Nazareth where he had been brought up,&cc. 
 The infidel was silent, concluding no doubt that he could not 
 have been brought up in two countries at once. 
 
 * I have said under their second year, because it was the custom 
 of the Jews in speaking of the age of a person to include the year 
 on which he had entered. Thus Jesus was baptized when he 
 began to be about 30 years of age, that is, as soon as he was 29, 
 and a little over. A person 20 years old and only one day over 
 would be reckoned 21 years old. So when the Bible says Herod 
 slew all the children in the neighborhood of Bethlehem , '* from 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 21 
 
 put to death. Had not Jesus been preserved, 
 by being ordered by the heavenly mandate 
 into Egypt, he too must, to human view, have 
 shared the same fate with the rest. 
 
 But kings do not live always, any more than 
 other men, especially wicked. According to 
 the Bible, the wicked, whether high or low, 
 " do not live out half their days." Herod 
 though not yet an old man, was unexpectedly 
 to himself called away to meet his final judge 
 and wait his award, whether prepared or un- 
 prepared to receive it. 
 
 When Herod was dead, a voice from heav- 
 en communicated the intelligence to our so- 
 journers in Egypt, and directed them to return 
 into Palestine, or, as it was then called, the 
 land of Israel. Glad, no doubt, to obey the 
 summons, and supposing, as it would seem, 
 that since the child was born in Bethlehem, 
 he ought to be educated there, they bent their 
 course thither. 
 
 two years old and under," I suppose it means all who had en- 
 tered at all upon their second year. It does not make him the 
 less cruel perhaps to prove, if we could do it, that what I have 
 supposed here was really the fact ; for he was cruel enough in 
 any case ; but we should be willing and glad to do every body 
 justice, even king Herod. Moreover, we should be glad to under- 
 stand every thing just as it ought to be understood, especially 
 the Bible. 
 
22 TRAVELS OF 
 
 Herod, however, had been succeeded in 
 the government by his son Archelaus, who 
 proved to be almost as cruel as the father, 
 for no sooner had he obtained the consent of 
 the Romans to reign over that part of the 
 country where his father had lived, than, ac- 
 cording to the best historians, he massacred 
 3,000 Jews in the temple on a single day. 
 
 How Joseph obtained a knowledge of his 
 cruelty, we know not, or whether he knew 
 it, in fact, at all, is uncertain. In any event, 
 he judged that the son of Herod could hardly 
 be a good man, and that he would almost in- 
 evitably carry out all the purposes of his fath- 
 er.* Accordingly he did not return to Beth- 
 lehem, nor into that part of the country where 
 Bethlehem and Jerusalem are situated, but 
 passed on northward into Galilee ; and final- 
 ly concluded to return once more to his 
 former residence at Nazareth. 
 
 * One of the more striking marks of difference between good 
 and bad men consists in the disposition of which I am here 
 speaking. Good men — kings as well as others — are ready to 
 forgive ; bad men are apt to revenge. Savages you know, seek 
 revenge, even down to many generations after the existence of 
 the generation which injured them ; that is, they will be as apt 
 to kill the grandson for the deeds of the grandfather as to kill the 
 grandfather himself. How dreadful such revenge! And how 
 thankful ought we to be for a religion which, like that of Christ, 
 encourages forgiveness even in death. 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 23 
 
 This was quite a long journey; nearly a 
 hundred miles longer than the former. At 
 what season it was performed, or under what 
 particular circumstances, we have now no 
 means of ascertaining. If the infant Jesus 
 was not a year old, the scenery, humanly 
 speaking, was nothing to him; but if he was 
 several years old, he was prepared to take no 
 little interest in beholding the places and ob- 
 jects which were passed. Much of the route 
 must have been rather uninteresting to the 
 traveler, except that a soil highly cultivated 
 almost every where, especially after they got 
 fairly out of Egypt, would be always likely to 
 afford delight to persons brought up, as Jo- 
 seph and Mary probably had been in the 
 country. 
 
 Of the travels of Jesus any farther till he 
 was twelve years of age, we know very little. 
 He appears to have staid at home with his 
 parents; and it is generally supposed that he 
 worked with his father, at the carpenter's 
 work. His father, like other pious Jews, is 
 believed to have gone, once or more every 
 year, to Jerusalem, at feast times, but wheth- 
 er Jesus, in his earliest years, ever went with 
 him, is more doubtful. To me, from the 
 
24 TRAVELS OF 
 
 Scripture account of him, it appears highly 
 probable he did not. 
 
 The most we know of Jesus with certainty, 
 during this period is, that he lived with his 
 parents and was obedient to them; and that 
 he attended every Sabbath, the religious wor- 
 ship of the synagogue. Synagogues in those 
 days were very numerous, in all cities where 
 there were Jews. Hardly a town or village, 
 even of those which were small as Nazareth, 
 that had not at least one of them; and some 
 had many. Jerusalem alone, not far from 
 this time, is said by some historians to have 
 had no less than 480 of them; but whether 
 this statement is or is not wholly true, the 
 number was certainly very great. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 The Feasts at Jerusalem — Feast of the Passover — Journey thith- 
 er—What was to be seen on the road— His adventure in the tem- 
 ple — His conduct there — Return to Nazareth with his parents. 
 
 I have already said that I suppose our Sa- 
 viour's first journey to Jerusalem was not 
 performed until he was twelve years of age. 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 25 
 
 Some suppose otherwise, however. Certain 
 it is that at this time he made a journey thith- 
 er, in company with his parents. 
 
 The law of God required all the male Isra- 
 elites, after they were twelve years of age, to 
 appear three times a year in the temple in 
 Jerusalem; to be present at the Feast of Pen- 
 tecost, the Feast of Tabernacles, and the 
 Feast of the Passover. Joseph and Mary felt 
 especially bound to attend the latter feast, and 
 though the distance was about 75 or 80 miles, 
 and they were poor, and probably walked, it 
 does not appear that they ever failed of attend- 
 ing to this part of their duty. 
 
 The Feast of the Passover was kept in the 
 fifteenth day of the month Nisan, which, as I 
 understand it, would be the 26th of our 
 March. * It lasted eight days, and was de- 
 signed, as you probably know, to keep in re- 
 membrance the great mercy of God, in pass- 
 ing over the Israelites in Egypt, and leaving 
 them unharmed, while the first-born of the 
 Egyptians were all destroyed; of which you 
 will, of course, find a full account in the book 
 of Exodus. 
 
 * Some, however, incline to think it must have been the 2d of 
 April. 
 
 3 
 
26 
 
 TRAVELS OF 
 
 The journey to Jerusalem must have been 
 rather pleasant than otherwise. If it was the 
 first time the Saviour went far from home after 
 he was old enough to observe men and things 
 and make his own reflections upon them, it 
 must have been to him a most delightful ex- 
 cursion. The almond, apricot, and peach 
 trees had blossomed some time before, but the 
 pear, the fig and the palm trees, — and the 
 apple trees where there were any — were now 
 in full bloom. The trees of the fields and of 
 the forests were covered with their rich foli- 
 age. Beans and peas were ripe enough for 
 gathering. In the garden might be seen 
 flourishing the artichoke, rosemary, fennel, 
 sage, thyme, &c. The latter rains, however, 
 were occasionally falling, and the ground, in 
 consequence, was muddy, though the rains 
 usually ceased about the end of the Passover, 
 so that the walking homeward was much bet- 
 ter. When the rain is not falling, at this 
 season, the weather in Palestine is usually 
 warm and sometimes hoc, attended with thun- 
 der storms and hail; and there are occasion- 
 al tornadoes and earthquakes at this season, 
 also strong floods. Still, as I have already 
 said, these last being rare, journeying, at this 
 season, is usually pleasant. 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 27 
 
 I must speak of our Saviour, in these his 
 travels, as 1 would of any other traveler, for 
 he was human as well as divine; and at this 
 early age, and indeed at every age, he must 
 be supposed to have had human thoughts and 
 feelings and passions (bad ones excepted), and 
 among the rest, human curiosity. I cannot 
 doubt that as a young man he delighted to 
 see objects on the road, as he and his 
 parents passed along to Jerusalem. I have 
 made this apology for once, that in speaking 
 of the Saviour as a traveler, I may not seem 
 to my young readers to be irreverent; and I 
 hope this remark may be continually borne in 
 mind. 
 
 As there were no canals or steamboats or 
 railroads in those days nor any stage coaches, 
 travelers on the road from Nazareth to Jeru- 
 salem, as elsewhere, were compelled to pro- 
 ceed slowly. If they rode on horseback, they 
 must have been at least two days in perform- 
 ing the journey; but if they traveled on foot, 
 which is more probable, they might be on the 
 road three days or more. 
 
 What then would they see, new and curious, 
 on the road? What mountains, rivers, lakes, 
 cities, villages; and what natural or artificial 
 
28 TRAVELS OF 
 
 curiosities? What sort of people; what man- 
 ners and what customs; what animals — birds, 
 beasts, &c? 
 
 If they passed through Samaria, w T hich was 
 the nearest route to Jerusalem — and I sup- 
 pose they did — at their first setting out from 
 Nazareth for Jerusalem, they must have 
 crossed the valley of Jezreel. This was a 
 distance of twelve or fifteen miles; after 
 which the road is chiefly hilly. 
 
 And yet, although hilly, it can scarcely be 
 called mountainous. Mount Carmel must 
 have appeared some twenty-five miles distant, 
 at the west, on the borders of the Mediter- 
 ranean Sea, having its top about 1,500 feet, 
 or a quarter of a mile above the level of the 
 water. On the northern side of the plain, to 
 the east of the road by which they had de- 
 scended from the mountain of Nazareth, stood 
 Mount Tabor with the snows of the lofty Her- 
 mon, at a much greater distance beyond it. 
 But to the sight of these Jesus had always 
 been accustomed, so that, though they were 
 seen more distinctly in crossing the plain of 
 Jezreel, they would not therefore present any 
 thing very new. Beyond Samaria, on the 
 east side of the city of Sychar or Shechem, are 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 29 
 
 the famous mountains of Gerizim and Ebal, 
 where the curses of the law on certain wick- 
 ed characters were pronounced; and it was 
 on mount Gerizim that the Samaritan temple 
 was built, in opposition to the temple of the 
 true God at Jerusalem. 
 
 There were no rivers on the road worth 
 mentioning; nor any seas or lakes fairly in 
 sight. The Mediterranean was some twenty 
 or thirty miles off, the greater part of the way, 
 and except from the hills could probably be 
 seen only from Samaria and its neighborhood; 
 and the sea or lake of Galilee, some fourteen 
 or fifteen miles east of the road, could not be 
 seen at all. 
 
 As to cities and villages we hardly know, at 
 this day, whether they passed any of much 
 size or interest, except Samaria, Sychem or 
 Shechem and Bethel. Galilee was indeed 
 full of small cities, as we shall soon see; and 
 so were some parts of Samaria and Judea — 
 probably those through which lay the road to 
 Jerusalem — but of these the names are not 
 mentioned in the New Testament. As to cu- 
 riosities, natural or artificial, I do not know 
 that there were any till they came to Jerusa- 
 lem. 
 
 3* 
 
30 TRAVELS OF 
 
 Palestine was not a country scattered over 
 with farm-houses, with here and there a vil- 
 lage town, or city, sending up its tall spires 
 heavenward, like New England. Nor had it 
 well fenced roads and fields, with their gra- 
 zing flocks and herds, like our own. The 
 eountry was indeed thickly settled, very 
 much so in some parts of it; and its fields and 
 vineyards were well tilled and highly produc- 
 tive. Indeed it would be curious to us to see 
 all the hills, even those whose declivities 
 were most steep, richly cultivated — often in 
 the form of stairs or steps to their very tops. 
 But the inhabitants themselves were chiefly 
 collected in little, close, compact villages, as 
 we should call them, though they called them 
 cities. There were also flocks and herds in 
 great abundance, feeding on the thousand 
 hills, but they were under the care of shep- 
 herds; for a very small part only of the fields 
 were fenced out, like ours. 
 
 The complexion of the people is believed 
 to have been somewhat darker than our own. 
 What they wore on their heads I do not know. 
 They clothed themselves, in general, with 
 loose robes of various colors; purple, white, 
 &c. On their feet they wore sandals; con- 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 31 
 
 sisting of a mere sole, and bound in their 
 places with straps. 
 
 I have already told you that there were 
 none of our modern swift going vehicles there. 
 Neither had they any coaches, nor any 
 wagons, carts nor barrows. Perhaps a few 
 of the wealthy had chariots; and a small num- 
 ber of the people sometimes rode on horses, 
 asses or mules. 
 
 The houses were wholly unlike ours. They 
 were in general, small and low, with flat roofs, 
 having walks upon them; and the middle or 
 central part consisted chiefly of an open court. 
 There were still fewer shops, factories, or 
 school-houses. The business of the people 
 was grazing and agriculture. Each family 
 usually manufactured every thing for itself, 
 and instructed its own children. Whether 
 there were stone bridges over the streams 
 which run through the country, as there are 
 very generally now, we have no means of 
 knowing with certainty. 
 
 When our travelers wished to stop at a 
 house for the night, they were expected to 
 take off their shoes and wash their feet. For 
 refreshment they probably had bread, raisins, 
 or figs; with parched corn perhaps, and hon- 
 
32 TRAVELS OF 
 
 ey and milk. Their drink was water, with 
 the addition, sometimes, if they chose to use 
 it, of a little wine made of various fruits, often 
 of the grape; and sometimes of the juice of 
 the palm-tree. For bread, the Jews ground 
 wheat or barley in handmills, and baked it in 
 the form of thin cakes, usually without any 
 yeast or leaven. 
 
 Such was the country, such were the peo- 
 ple, and such the customs which our Saviour 
 must have witnessed in his first journey from 
 Nazareth to Jerusalem; and indeed in nearly 
 every subsequent journey. To most of them, 
 it is true, he was far from being a stranger, as 
 they were substantially the same with those 
 which prevailed about Nazareth, where he 
 was brought up. 
 
 But he has now arrived at Jerusalem. 
 Here, surely, you will say, was something 
 new; and it was so. Here the Saviour and 
 his parents spent the eight days of the feast 
 in the usual manner. When the time was 
 expired, Joseph and Mary set out on their 
 return to Nazareth. 
 
 As the crowd of people returning from these 
 feasts was very great, especially the day after 
 they closed, and it was hence perfectly easy 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 33 
 
 for parents to lose sight, for a time, of partic- 
 ular members of their own families, we are 
 not to wonder that Joseph and Mary should 
 proceed a considerable distance from Jeru- 
 salem without knowing that their son was not 
 in the company. It seems as if they had 
 traveled in this way all day, or nearly all day, 
 before they discovered his absence. When 
 they came to put up for the night, however, 
 they found that Jesus was missing. It was in 
 vain that they sought for him among their 
 neighbors and acquaintances; he was not to 
 be found. The truth was he had not yet left 
 Jerusalem. 
 
 Despairing of finding him any where on the 
 road, and probably beginning by this time to 
 be somewhat alarmed for his safety, Joseph 
 and Mary went back in the morning to Jeru- 
 salem in pursuit. It is by no means certain, 
 however, that they set out very early in the 
 morning, as they do not appear to have arrived 
 at Jerusalem in time to make much search 
 for him there until the morning of the third 
 day, when, young as he was, he was found 
 in the temple, with the learned Jewish doc- 
 tors, asking and answering questions. 
 
 The following well written paragraphs, ex- 
 
34 TRAVELS OF 
 
 traded from the first chapter of Abbott's 
 C£ Corner Stone" will greatly aid our concep- 
 tion of the circumstances alluded to in this 
 part of the travels of our Saviour. 
 
 ce Some centuries ago, a large, a very large 
 company were traveling northwardly in early 
 summer, through a lovely country whose hills 
 and valleys were clothed with the fig-tree, the 
 olive, and the vine. They journeyed slowly, 
 and without anxiety or care, for their route 
 lay through a quiet land, the abode of peace 
 and plenty. Friends and acquaintances were 
 mingled together in groups, as accident or 
 inclination might dictate, until the sun went 
 down, and the approach of evening warned 
 them to make preparation for rest. While 
 the various families were drawing together 
 for this purpose, the attention and the sympa- 
 thy of the multitude were excited by the anx- 
 ious looks and eager inquiries of a female, 
 who was passing from group to group, with 
 sorrow and agitation painted on her counte- 
 nance. It was a mother who could not find 
 her son. It was her only son, and one to 
 whom, from peculiar circumstances, she was 
 very strongly attached. He had never dis- 
 obeyed her; — he had never given her unnec- 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 35 
 
 essary trouble, and the uncommon maturity 
 of his mental and moral powers had probably 
 led her to trust him much more to himself 
 than in any other case would be justifiable. 
 He was twelve years old, and she supposed 
 that he had been safe in the company, but 
 now night had come, and she could not find 
 him. She went anxiously and sorrowfully 
 from family to family, and from friend to friend, 
 inquiring with deep solicitude, Have you 
 seen my son? 
 
 cc He was not to be found. No one had 
 seen him, and the anxious parents left their 
 company, and inquiring carefully by the way, 
 went slowly back to the city whence they had 
 come. 
 
 "The city was in the midst of a country of 
 mountains and valleys. Dark groves upon 
 the summits crowned the richly cultivated 
 fields which adorned their sides. The road 
 wound along the glens and vales, sharing the 
 passage with the streams, which flowed to- 
 wards a neighboring sea. The city itself 
 spread its edifices over the broad surface of 
 a hill, one extremity of which was crowned 
 with the spacious walls and colonnades of a 
 temple, rising one above another, the whole 
 
36 TRAVELS OF 
 
 pile beaming probably in the setting sun, as 
 these anxious parents approached it, in all the 
 dazzling whiteness of marble and splendor of 
 gold. The parents, however, could not have 
 thought much of the scene before them. 
 They had lost their son. 
 
 "With what anxious and fruitless search 
 they spent the evening and the following 
 morning, we do not know. They at last, how- 
 ever, ascended to the temple itself. They 
 passed from court to court, now going up the 
 broad flight of steps which led from one to the 
 other, now walking under a lofty colonnade, 
 and now traversing a paved and ornamented 
 area. At last, in a public part of this edifice, 
 they found a group collected around a boy, 
 and apparently listening to what he was say- 
 ing; the feeling must have been mingled in- 
 terest, curiosity and surprise. It was their 
 son. His uncommon mental and moral matu- 
 rity had by some means shown itself to those 
 around him, and they were deeply interested 
 in his questions and replies." 
 
 One thought of this writer is particularly 
 worthy of the reader's attention; the sugges- 
 tion that perhaps, owing to the uncommon ma- 
 turity of Jesus's mental and moral powers, 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 37 
 
 his father and mother were, much more than 
 we are apt to think, accustomed to trust him 
 away from them. 
 
 We need not wonder when we learn, that 
 the father and mother were amazed to find 
 their son in such circumstances as I have 
 described, and so employed. He was not a 
 mere looker on, nor, as it would seem, a mere 
 learner; for he was sitting, when found, in 
 the very midst of the doctors, and though so 
 young, he appears to have been treated by 
 them as an equal. This was no doubt on ac- 
 count of the wisdom which he manifested in 
 his conversation, and which, we are told, as- 
 tonished all who heard him. 
 
 Joseph, notwithstanding his surprise, said 
 little or nothing; but Mary ventured to com- 
 plain of her son's conduct, inquiring why it 
 was that he had thus treated his father and 
 mother, and how he could be willing to give 
 them so much trouble. And, at first view of 
 the case, it does seem a little strange that he 
 should have done so. Nor does his answer 
 at all lessen the difficulties we are wont to 
 feel. Yet, when we consider that he had a 
 heavenly Parent to serve, as well as an earth- 
 ly, when we consider that here an opportu- 
 4 
 
38 TRAVEL SOF 
 
 nity was afforded for saying a few words 
 which should tend to glorify his Father in 
 heaven, and when we consider that he was 
 devoted to God in a peculiar manner by the 
 parents themselves, we need not wonder 
 longer at his conduct, nor at his reply, (t Know 
 ye not that I must be about my Father's busi- 
 ness?" Such a reply from an ordinary child 
 of twelve years of age would not indeed be 
 commendable; but Jesus was not an ordina- 
 ry child; and did not Joseph and Mary well 
 know this? It appears to me quite certain 
 that they did; although it does not necessarily 
 follow that they understood his character in 
 all respects. Indeed we know they did not; 
 for the Bible expressly says, " They under- 
 stood not the saying which he spake unto 
 them." 
 
 There is one thing which shows most clear- 
 ly that Jesus's remaining in the temple, as he 
 did, after their departure, was no indication 
 of disobedience; nor his reply to his mother 
 an indication of obstinacy. I allude to the 
 fact that he yielded at once to their .wishes, 
 after they had found him, and went away with 
 them immediately to Nazareth; his Father's 
 work ? for the time, being completed. This 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 39 
 
 was an evidence of his good disposition; and 
 had there been any thing wrong in his pre- 
 vious conduct, the best evidence which could 
 be afforded of penitence. It is also worthy 
 of particular notice, that he was subject to his 
 parents after his return with them to Naza- 
 reth; and there is no evidence that he gave 
 either of them the slightest pain again on his 
 account, until he was twenty-nine years of 
 age. Nay more than even all this; we have 
 the contrary assurance, in the statement of the 
 inspired evangelist, that he " increased in 
 wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and 
 man." 
 
 Whether the Saviour ever after this at- 
 tended the feasts of his countrymen at Jeru- 
 salem — I mean while he remained under his 
 parents — we are not expressly told, though 
 there is much reason for believing that he did. 
 We find him always taking unwearied pains 
 to be present at the Feast of the Passover, 
 after he entered on his public ministry: but 
 why at this time of a sudden, any more than 
 before? Henry, in his Bible Commentary, 
 says that during the period which intervened 
 between his twelfth and thirtieth year, he 
 doubtless, " came up to Jerusalem to worship 
 
40 TRAVELS OF 
 
 at the feasts, three times a year;" but I do 
 not consider the matter as quite certain. I 
 only regard it as highly probable. But if he 
 did thus attend, he certainly became some- 
 thing of a traveler. Three such journeys a 
 year would be no less than 450 miles, or, in 
 the whole period, 8,000 miles — equal to a 
 voyage to and from Europe; and all probably 
 on foot. These journeys, with the time usu- 
 ally spent in performing them, would con- 
 sume, in a year, from six to eight weeks. 
 For the rest of the time, he probably labored 
 at his trade, as I have already told you. Such 
 a busy life, alternated with so much walking, 
 was one of the most natural and appropriate 
 preparatives for the arduous duties of his 
 subsequent public career — a life of going 
 about and doing good — which could have been 
 devised or imagined. It is only action that 
 can fit us for action. How great, then, is 
 the mistake of those who make the exercises 
 and duties of the closet and the study their 
 exclusive preparation for a life of active 
 usefulness. 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 41 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Jesus goes to Bethlehem— Is baptized— Fasts forty days in the 
 desert — Returns to Galilee — Attends a Wedding at Cana — The 
 miracle of turning Water into Wine — Whether the Saviour 
 ever laughed, he being without sin— He visits Capernaum. 
 
 When Jesus had completed his twenty- 
 ninth year, and had just entered on his thirti- 
 eth, he made a journey to the neighborhood 
 of Jerusalem for a purpose entirely different 
 from any thing which had hitherto governed 
 his movements. The time had now come, 
 which had been determined on in the councils 
 of eternity, when he was to enter fully on his 
 all-important mission. John, his predecessor 
 and precursor, had already been in the field 
 of action several months; preaching and bap- 
 tizing. "To fulfil all righteousness, " # the 
 
 * John's baptism was " unto repentance" only 3 and the Saviour 
 being free from sin had nothing to repent of ; he therefore must 
 have been baptized for other reasons. He was now, as I have 
 said above, beginning to be thirty years of age — the age at which 
 the Jewish priests entered upon their office; and as he was the 
 great high priest both of Jews and Gentiles, it was proper that he 
 should signify his entrance upon the duties of his office, in some 
 appropriate way, as they did. Now what more appropriate than 
 submitting to the baptism of John, an institution, as it was, of di- 
 vine appointment? Another reason for his conduct may have 
 been, to give occasion or opportunity, as it were, for God thus 
 
 4* 
 
42 TRAVELS OF 
 
 Saviour made a journey to the banks of the 
 Jordan, eastward of Jerusalem some twelve or 
 fifteen miles, to a place called Bethabara, to 
 receive the rite of baptism at his hands, and 
 perhaps to hear his instructions. But John 
 knew him, and at the first thought refused to 
 admit him — a person so much superior to him- 
 self — to the ordinance. The Saviour, how- 
 ever, insisting on it, John at length baptized 
 him. 
 
 If the conjectures of the preceding chapter 
 in regard to the Saviour's going to Jerusalem, 
 are according to truth, his journey to be bap- 
 tized, was his fifty-third or fifty-fifth journey 
 that way. But the journey was not yet com- 
 pleted. He retired to a wilderness, situated 
 in all probability in the province of Judea, 
 between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea, and 
 there, with no companions but the wild beasts 
 of the forest, and at times good or bad spirits, 
 he spent forty days. Throughout this long 
 season of retirement, during the whole of 
 which he fasted, he was much tempted by 
 the devil; but he came off, as we might ex- 
 pect from his character, wholly victorious. 
 
 publicly and at the commencement of his ministry, to declare his 
 approbation of him, and his solemn appointment to the office of 
 Messiah. 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 43 
 
 Subsequently to his temptation in the wil- 
 derness, he appears to have gone again to 
 Bethabara, where he had been baptized, and 
 to have gained a more intimate acquaintance 
 than before with John the Baptist. He also 
 seems by this time, to have become somewhat 
 extensively known as the Messiah, although 
 the notions of the people about him were both 
 limited and confused. 
 
 Returning soon after this interview with 
 John, to his native village at Nazareth, he 
 was accompanied thither by two of John's 
 disciples. One of these was Andrew the 
 brother of Peter; the other is supposed to 
 have been John the evangelist. Peter him- 
 self, together with Philip, a fellow-townsman 
 of Andrew and Peter, soon joined themselves 
 to the company; and so did Nathaniel whom 
 Jesus describes as being an Israelite indeed, 
 in whom was no guile. These five individuals 
 became our Saviour's traveling companions; 
 and were, for the most part, constantly with 
 him. 
 
 About this time there was to be a wedding 
 in the small city of Cana, a few miles from 
 Nazareth, and our Saviour and his little com- 
 pany of fellow-travelers, together with his 
 
44 TRAVELS OF 
 
 mother Mary (and perhaps, too, his father, if 
 he was still living), were invited thither. The 
 invitation was accepted, and they all attended 
 the festivities. 
 
 Here it was that the Saviour wrought his 
 first miracle, that of turning water into wine. 
 We know not that he made any use of the 
 wine himself; but it was customary in that 
 country for the guests, on those occasions, to 
 make use of it, to some extent; and it added 
 to the interest of the occasion to have an in- 
 creased quantity of this beverage furnished 
 in a manner so remarkable, and of a quality 
 greatly superior to any which they had on 
 hand, made in the usual natural way. The 
 miracle was, moreover, a means of noising 
 abroad the Saviour's fame, through ail that 
 region. 
 
 Let me avail myself, on this occasion, to 
 venture a few remarks, here, on the saying 
 that our Saviour often wept, but never laughed. 
 Now I know, very well, that as a general fact, 
 he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with 
 grief. But then there were moments of his 
 life when he was cheerful. Such v/as the one 
 to which I have just alluded. Here he was 
 at a wedding, making glad the guests, as we 
 have every reason to believe, by his presence. 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 45 
 
 We do not indeed know that he laughed, 
 nor can we suppose that he ever joined in 
 that boisterous mirth which on occasions like 
 the one in question has been sometimes wit- 
 nessed. Still we are justified in believing he 
 was cheerful, smiling, and happy; and that 
 he contributed to make others happy who 
 were present with him. 
 
 Perhaps, too, he sometimes laughed. Is 
 not man a laughing animal? And would we 
 regard that individual quite perfect as a man, 
 who should never in his whole life be known 
 to laugh? Now is it not as certain that Jesus 
 was perfect in his humanity as well as in his 
 divinity ? But if he was a perfect man, is it 
 credible that, in his whole life, he should nev- 
 er be known to laugh? 
 
 Let us return, however, to our main subject 
 — that of his travels. He had now fairly be- 
 gun his mission; his fame had begun to be 
 spread abroad; and wherever he went he 
 was sure to be followed by a great multitude 
 of the inhabitants; some from curiosity, some 
 from a desire to find fault, and some for other 
 and various reasons. 
 
 But did the knowledge of the influence he 
 had over the minds of the people — did the 
 
46 TRAVELS OF 
 
 knowledge of his wonderful popularity, I mean 
 — make him vain or proud? Far enough 
 from that. We all know how dangerous such 
 circumstances as those in which he was now 
 placed usually are to virtue and piety. No 
 mere human being in the world, not even the 
 most eminently pious, is or ever was full 
 proof against their tendency. The best man 
 on earth is in more or less danger of having 
 his head turned by seeing multitudes following 
 him, and, as it were, saying Hosanna. Now 
 a single feeling of this sort, indulged but for 
 one moment, in the breast of our Saviour, 
 would have been sinful. But does not the 
 Bible expressly say he was without sin? We 
 may be assured, therefore, that his head was 
 never turned, nor his heart lifted up, in the 
 least, by the praises or the flatteries of the 
 multitudes who followed him, even when they 
 came, at last, to spread their very garments 
 in the way before him. 
 
 I may include, in this chapter, a short visit 
 made by Jesus to Capernaum. This city lay 
 some sixteen or eighteen miles a little north 
 of east from Nazareth, on the shore of the lake 
 of Galilee, or, as it was commonly called, in 
 those days, the sea of Galilee. In this ex- 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 47 
 
 cursion he was accompanied by his mother, 
 by his brethren — for his father and mother, or 
 at least his father had several children besides 
 himself; whom he always called his brethren 
 — and by his disciples or traveling compan- 
 ions. He does not appear to have staid there 
 long, however, in this instance. The evan- 
 gelist says "they continued there not many 
 days." Of any works which may have been 
 performed by him there during this visit, we 
 are not informed. Capernaum, however, be- 
 came, at length, not only the place of his 
 residence, but the scene of many of his most 
 mighty works; but of these I shall say 
 something in their appropriate places. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 The Saviour goes to Jerusalem — Why he attended feasts — Profa- 
 nation of the temple by buyers and sellers— Jesus drives them 
 out — Miracles wrought — Interview with Nicodemus— Jesus sets 
 out for Galilee — Stops at Jacob's well near Shechem — His ad- 
 ventures — Proceeds to Galilee and stops at Cana. 
 
 The season was now fast approaching for 
 attending the Feast of the Passover. Jesus, 
 
48 TRAVELS OF 
 
 therefore, with his disciples, left Capernaum, 
 and proceeded to Jerusalem. This was the 
 first regular religious feast he appears to have 
 attended after entering on the duties of his 
 public ministry. 
 
 Was he fond of attending these feasts? not 
 a few individuals may be inclined to ask. By 
 no means. To be fond of feasting, in itself, 
 and for itself considered — that is for the sake 
 of the mere animal gratification it afforded — 
 would be sinful. But the Saviour, I again 
 say, was without sin, entirely so; though he 
 was exposed to all sorts of temptation. I 
 quote, for once, the language of an apostle 
 who speaks of it, that it may be remembered. 
 " Who was in all points tempted as we are, 
 yet without sin." 
 
 But if not fond of feasting, in itself consid- 
 ered, why did he attend feasts? Most un- 
 questionably for two reasons. One was that 
 he might fulfil all righteousness; or, in other 
 words, comply with all the laws and regularly 
 constituted observances of the religion of the 
 nation to which he belonged. It was for this 
 very same reason that he had waited till the 
 beginning of his thirtieth year, before entering 
 on his priesthood. For the same reason again, 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 49 
 
 he had submitted to the baptism of John, at 
 Bethabara. The Jews had their religious 
 baptisms, to which they submitted both before 
 and at the time of John; though they were 
 not exactly like ours. But there was another 
 great and important reason why Jesus attend- 
 ed the Jewish feasts. It was that he might 
 do good; for which there was always at these 
 feasts a fine opportunity. 
 
 I have said that these feasts afforded a fine 
 opportunity for doing good. This must have 
 been the case, as a matter of course, in so 
 large a city as Jerusalem and where so large 
 a multitude of people were assembled. Jeru- 
 salem alone, according to some historians, con- 
 tained at this time, several millions of inhabi- 
 tants; and, according to all accounts, was very 
 populous. Then think of an addition to these 
 numbers, of all the people in the nation, or 
 almost all, above the age of twelve years. 
 What a multitude there must have been often 
 seen in the streets, as well as about the tem- 
 ple, at these festivals! 
 
 One thing more may be mentioned to show 
 
 that the crowdof people, on these occasions, was 
 
 very great. Though not found in the Bible, 
 
 it is stated as a fact by those who ought to know. 
 
 5 
 
50 TRAVELS OF 
 
 It is that 250,000 lambs were sometimes offered 
 up in sacrifice at one of these anniversaries. 
 
 Those who brought lambs, doves, &c, to 
 Jerusalem to sell at the festivals, had, in the 
 time of our Saviour, fallen into the practice 
 of taking them into the temple, as they would 
 into a market-house, and of exposing them 
 for sale there. This brought all sorts of sec- 
 ular or worldly business into a place for which 
 it was never intended. The temple of the 
 Most High God was never erected that its sa- 
 cred courts should be disturbed with the din 
 of buyers and sellers and money-changers. 
 
 Our Saviour, grieved at such a profanation 
 of holy things, resolved to put an end to it. 
 With this view, having, as the Scripture ex- 
 presses it, made a whip of small cords, he 
 drove all the dealers out of the temple, giving 
 them, at the same time, the reason for his 
 conduct; which was that his Father's house 
 was never designed to be a house of merchan- 
 dize, but to be devoted to sacred purposes. 
 
 When I was quite young, like some of my 
 readers, I used to wonder how these buyers 
 and sellers came to submit so tamely to be 
 driven out of the temple by a single individual. 
 I wondered, too, that the Saviour should thus 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 51 
 
 assume the appearance of violence and sever- 
 ity. And it is quite possible, that the minds 
 of some of my readers may have been dis- 
 turbed in like manner. 
 
 But it should not be forgotten or overlooked, 
 that though neither the people of Jerusalem, 
 nor those of any other city or country where 
 Jesus traveled, perfectly understood his char- 
 acter, yet it was generally known, ere this, 
 that he was a most remarkable personage. 
 They took him to be, at least, a prophet. 
 Now a prophet had great authority among 
 the Jews. He was regarded, of course, in 
 the light of a reformer; and not only as dis- 
 posed to reform existing errors and abuses, 
 but as having full power to do so. Hence it 
 was that they submitted to his requirements 
 and commands. It was not that they were 
 afraid, in the present instance, of the Saviour's 
 simple instrument of attack. This was not, 
 probably, intended to be used, but only car- 
 ried in the hand as an emblem of the authori- 
 ty, which, as a prophet of God,— for a prophet 
 indeed he was, — he was about to exercise. 
 
 I do not mean to say that the Jews never 
 did, in any instance resist the authority claimed 
 by their prophets. On the contrary, as is 
 
52 TRAVELS OF 
 
 well known, they did very often resist them. 
 Many of the prophets were, in fact, not only 
 resisted, but cruelly persecuted, and some 
 were slain. Yet they were also sometimes 
 treated with deference and respect, in the 
 first place; and it was not till the prejudices 
 and the passions of the populace became ex- 
 cited by their leaders, that a mob was raised 
 against them, by whose influence and effort 
 it was that they were ill treated or destroyed. 
 It seems, however, that some of the Jews 
 who were present on the occasion of which I 
 have been speaking — though perhaps it was 
 not the buyers and sellers themselves — ven- 
 tured to question Christ's authority. They 
 asked him to give them proofs of it. Proph- 
 ets were, in those days, considered as fully 
 authorized to act as such, when they had the 
 power of working miracles, and these Jews 
 seem to have expected, in asking Jesus for a 
 sign of his authority at this time, that a miracle 
 would be wrought by him. And what they ex- 
 pected seems to have been granted; though not 
 till something else had been done, in the first 
 place. " Destroy this temple," said he, "and 
 in three days I will rear it up; 55 referring to 
 his crucifixion, through the instrumentality of 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 53 
 
 the Jews, and to his resurrection by his own 
 power. — After this, he proceeded to work 
 miracles among them though we are not told 
 particularly of what kind they were. 
 
 It was during the stay of the Saviour in 
 Jerusalem, at this very Feast of the Passover, 
 that a Jewish doctor or Rabbi, by the name 
 of Nicodemus, came to him in the night, and 
 desired instruction. Whether he came in 
 the night because he was ashamed or afraid 
 to come in the day time, or because he could 
 not spare any other time for the visit, or 
 whether it was for some other reason, is not 
 known. The interview was an interesting 
 one, and the conversation between them, as 
 recorded in John, 3d chapter, is one of the 
 most instructive to be found in the Bible. 
 There is reason, moreover, for believing that 
 it was a means of great good to the Rabbi, 
 Nicodemus; for, whatever may have been his 
 motives in coming to Christ by night at first, 
 he was not ashamed or afraid to confess him 
 openly and in the day time afterward, as we 
 find from the seventh and nineteenth chapters 
 of the same gospel. 
 
 Not long after the interview with Nicode- 
 mus, the Saviour, accompanied by his disci- 
 
54 TRAVELS OF 
 
 pies, traveled about in various parts of the 
 province of Judea, teaching and preaching, 
 and endeavoring to reform people wherever 
 he went. Those who were converted, were 
 also baptized; but it would seem from the 
 fourth chapter of the gospel of John, as 
 well as from other accounts in the record, 
 that the new converts were baptized by the 
 disciples of the Saviour, and not by the Sa- 
 viour himself. 
 
 Whether he had any more interviews with 
 John the Baptist, at this time, we are not told. 
 We are informed, however, that John was 
 still preaching and baptizing, in the neigh- 
 borhood of the river Jordan, and that he was 
 greatly rejoiced to hear of the labors and suc- 
 cess of Jesus. 
 
 We have spoken, above, of the travels of 
 the Saviour in Judea. The reader will per- 
 ceive how difficult it is to form any thing like 
 an accurate estimate of the extent of our Sa- 
 viour's travels in these excursions — whether 
 he traveled hundreds of miles merely, or thou- 
 sands, and the still greater difficulty of pre- 
 paring a chart of these travels — a thing which 
 was at first intended. Of what service would 
 it be to attempt to determine, at this day, the 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 55 
 
 route pursued by the Son of God on these oc- 
 casions! Who would be the wiser for it, 
 where all must, at best, be nothing more than 
 conjecture? Maps and charts are of inesti- 
 mable advantage, especially to the young, 
 when they teach certain truth; but they are 
 worse than useless in inculcating what is 
 merely conjectural, especially in regard to 
 the travels of the Son of God. 
 
 At length the Saviour was ready to return 
 to Galilee. His disciples accompanied him 
 thither. Their journey led them through Sa- 
 maria. It is true they could have gone anoth- 
 er way, but the distance would have been 
 nearly twice as great. They therefore chose, 
 generally, in passing from the province of 
 Galilee to that of Judea, and in the contrary 
 direction, also, to cross the province of Sama- 
 ria, which lay between. 
 
 You probably know, already, that there 
 was enmity, in those days, between the real 
 Jews and the Samaritans, who were a mon- 
 grel sort of Jews; and that the ill feeling 
 often went so far that they would scarcely 
 speak to each other. Nay, their hatred some- 
 times proceeded so far that the one party 
 were hardly willing to have the other go 
 
56 TRAVELS OF 
 
 through their villages or travel their roads. 
 Indeed, there was no period of their history 
 when a Jew and a Samaritan were willing to 
 hold any friendly intercourse, or, above all, 
 to eat or drink together, or borrow of each 
 other. 
 
 Jesus and his disciples probably reached 
 Shechem, or Sychar, at nearly noon, the day 
 after their departure from Jerusalem. The 
 distance was about thirty-five miles. Sama- 
 ria, the capital of the province of Samaria, 
 was about six or eight miles still farther on, 
 and was a much more magnificent place. 
 
 I have said that they reached Shechem 
 about noon. Christ does not appear to have 
 yet gone into the city himself. He had 
 stopped at Jacob's well, which was on the 
 road just before they entered into the city. 
 Here he was alone, resting from the fatigues 
 of his journey, and perhaps, too, of the ex- 
 cessive heat, while his disciples were gone 
 into the city to buy and bring back some pro- 
 visions. As there was no better seat for him, 
 Jesus sat resting on the side of the well, or 
 on what we should perhaps call the well-curb. 
 
 While sitting there, a Samaritan woman 
 came from the city of Shechem with her water- 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 57 
 
 pot, to draw water from the well. Jesus, as 
 if regardless of customs which he well knew 
 existed, asked her for a draught of the water. 
 She was surprised at this, and could not re- 
 frain from asking how a Jew — for a Jew she 
 saw plainly he was — should ask a Samaritan 
 for drink. This led to that long conversation 
 between her and the Saviour, which we find 
 so admirably related in the fourth chapter of 
 John. It also led to the conversion of many 
 of the Samaritans, who had collected together 
 during the conversation; and perhaps to that 
 of the woman herself. 
 
 The whole of this conversation at the well, 
 not only of Jesus and the Samaritan woman, 
 but of Jesus and his disciples, is exceedingly 
 important and interesting. Perhaps no part 
 of it, however, is more truly instructive than 
 the conversation between Jesus and his disci- 
 ples. When they first came back from the 
 city with provisions, their confidence in him 
 was not a little staggered, in consequence of 
 finding him talking with an obscure and per- 
 haps vicious Samaritan woman; and they 
 could hardly help manifesting their surprise; 
 though they did not venture, at first, to utter 
 any direct complaints. 
 
58 TRAVELS OF 
 
 At length, however, hungry probably them- 
 selves, and supposing he must needs be hun- 
 gry also, they begged him to eat something. 
 " I have meat to eat," said he, {C that ye know 
 not of;" and lest they should not even then 
 fully understand him, he added; " My meat 
 is to do the will of him that sent me, and to 
 finish his work." 
 
 So great was the interest Jesus awakened 
 among the Samaritans of Shechem, that they 
 insisted on his remaining with them awhile; 
 and he accordingly spent a day or two there. 
 After which he resumed his journey, and in 
 due time, arrived with his disciples in Galilee. 
 
 It was now the beginning of winter. He 
 had spent his summer in traveling about Ju- 
 dea — in teaching and preaching and doing 
 good. 
 
 It appears that the Galileans, his country- 
 men, received him at first, with great joy. 
 They had heard what he had done, at the 
 Feast of the Passover, at Jerusalem, and 
 were probably anxious to witness some of his 
 mighty works. The miracle of turning the 
 water into wine, though performed among 
 them, few of them had witnessed. It could 
 have been witnessed only by the guests. 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 59 
 
 Why Jesus, upon his return, did not go 
 directly to Nazareth, it may be difficult to say. 
 He seems, however, without stopping there, to 
 have gone directly along to Cana in Galilee. 
 Here he rested awhile, but not long. There 
 was to be little more rest for him, while he 
 lived. As he had devoted his life to doing 
 good to the souls and bodies of men, in a 
 world where there is so much to be done, it 
 was morally impossible for him to remain 
 quiet a great while, unless he hid himself. 
 One writer of the "Life of Christ " seems to 
 be of opinion that he lay still, as we should 
 call it; that is, did nothing, or almost nothing, 
 in one instance, during a whole summer;* 
 but, from the very nature of the case, it seems 
 to, me next to impossible to believe such an 
 opinion to be correct. If he was much among 
 
 * It is a singular fact that this writer belongs to a class of our 
 community who seem to believe that they best obey the great 
 command, " Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to 
 every creature," when they spend a pretty large proportion of 
 their time in the society of relatives and friends, endeavoring to 
 make them happy. Now I do not object to the general idea 
 herein advanced ; but it unfortunately happens that those who 
 make the most of it seem to do very little for their fellow-men, 
 either at home or abroad ; but that, on the contrary, they grad- 
 ually fall into a state of what I call refined selfishness ; and what 
 is still worse, endeavor to sustain themselves in it, as it appears 
 from this instance, by the example of our Saviour. 
 
60 TRAVELS OF 
 
 his friends, at Nazareth or Capernaum, why 
 should they so eagerly embrace every oppor- 
 tunity of his arrival any where near them, to 
 go out and meet him? It appears to me, that, 
 instead of indulging himself even in the socie- 
 ty of dear friends, he denied himself in this 
 respeet, almost continually, and was ever on 
 the alert to do good, leaving his friends 
 and relations, while they were in health, to 
 provide for their own wants, at least their 
 temporal ones. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Jesus heals the son of a nobleman at Capernaum — Goes to Naz- 
 areth—Attends worship at the Jewish synagogue — Gives of- 
 fence — They seize him and drag him away to destroy him — He 
 escapes, and goes to Capernaum — Calls several of his disciples 
 — Casts out a devil— Cures Peter's wife of a fever — Multitude 
 of the sick brought to him — Jesus's habit of early rising — His first 
 regular tour of Galilee^— Sermon on the mount — Crowds of people 
 to hear him — Teaching from the ship — Miracle of the fishes — 
 The leper cured — Cure of the paralytic — Matthew called. 
 
 While Jesus and his disciples were at Cana, 
 a message came to him requesting his imme- 
 diate presence at Capernaum. The occasion 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 61 
 
 of the message was this. There was a noble- 
 man, at Capernaum, whose son was at the 
 point of death, who, having heard of the Sa- 
 viour's miraculous power, ventured to beg of 
 him to come and restore his son. Jesus, to 
 try his faith, hesitated a little; but, finding it 
 strong and unwavering, he bade him go home in 
 peace, for his son would recover. The no- 
 bleman obeyed at once, and while going home, 
 his servants met him, and told him that his 
 son was already fast recovering. On asking 
 them when he began to amend, they told him 
 the fever left him at a particular hour the day 
 before. It turned out that the favorable 
 change took place precisely at the time of day 
 in which Jesus told him his son would live. 
 The nobleman and his whole household be- 
 came, in consequence of the miracle, disci- 
 ples of Christ. 
 
 Sometime afterward, the Saviour returned to 
 Nazareth. On the Sabbath after his arrival, 
 he repaired, as was his custom, to the syna- 
 gogue, to join in its religious exercises; prob- 
 ably also to improve any opportunity that 
 might offer of giving public instruction to his 
 countrymen. 
 
 It seems that the Jews, in their synagogue 
 6 
 
6*2 TRAVELS OF 
 
 worship, were accustomed to have several 
 different persons read to them from the Scrip- 
 tures — some say no less than seven. Nor 
 was it uncommon for them to ask this service 
 of distinguished persons who happened to be 
 present. Either on this account, or else be- 
 cause our Lord, as some suppose, had been 
 accustomed to perform this exercise, in this 
 synagogue he was presented with the book of 
 Isaiah, and requested to read it. He com- 
 plied, selecting such passages as he chose. 
 Some of these were so obviously applicable 
 to himself, while others set forth so plainly 
 the fact that God was about to show favor to 
 the Gentiles, that the prejudices of his hearers 
 were so greatly excited, that they became 
 quite angry with him. They rose against 
 him, even on the Sabbath, and in the syna- 
 gogue, and with all the customary violence of 
 a mob, they seized him, determined to take 
 his life. To such extremity, however, not- 
 withstanding the violence of their rage, they 
 did not probably dare to go within the limits 
 of the village, but they were determined to do 
 it somewhere, and somehow or other. 
 
 A little to the south of Nazareth, on the 
 side of the mountain or range of mountains 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 63 
 
 on which the place was situated, was a steep 
 declivity or precipice. Towards this precipice, 
 they hurried him along, intending to throw 
 him off, head foremost. Had they succeed- 
 ed in accomplishing their wicked purpose, he 
 must inevitably have been dashed in pieces; 
 for the height of the precipice was not less 
 than fifty feet. 
 
 But his hour had not yet come; and, though 
 the whole world had been in arms against 
 him, he would have found means to escape. 
 Ere they came quite to the brink of the prec- 
 ipice — or brow of the hill, as the evangelist 
 calls it — he turned himself about, and though 
 armed with no weapon but innocence, he 
 passed through the midst of the furious mob, 
 and went away. 
 
 Were they blinded? Did he palsy their 
 arms or their hands, by an unseen power? 
 Or were they so overawed by some singular 
 exhibition of his holiness, that they had no 
 power to retain him, and no disposition to fol- 
 low him till it was too late? In any event he 
 escaped, and went, forthwith, to Capernaum. 
 
 Where were the disciples during the riot? 
 If present, were they not in danger? And if 
 in danger, did they go away with their Lord 
 
64 TRAVELS OF 
 
 and Master? These are all questions which 
 I cannot answer. It is hardly probable, how- 
 ever, that they had, as yet, become so identi- 
 fied with the Saviour as to be much exposed 
 to the hatred, or at least to the violence of 
 those who both hated and persecuted him. 
 They had, as yet, for the most part, been mere 
 hearers of his preaching, teaching, and con- 
 versation — mere scholars. They had their 
 day of persecution for the sake of the truth, 
 but it does not seem to have, at this time, 
 quite arrived. 
 
 I have said that the Saviour, after he was 
 treated thus ill at Nazareth, went to Caper- 
 naum. At this place, instead of Nazareth, 
 he took up his abode. Nor was it far from 
 this period, that he heard the unwelcome in- 
 telligence, that his friend John the Baptist, 
 at the command of king Herod, had been im- 
 prisoned. 
 
 Notwithstanding his reception at Nazareth, 
 and though Capernaum, his new residence, 
 was little more than half a day's journey dis- 
 tant, the Saviour did not hesitate to appear 
 boldly in the city, and indeed in the adjacent 
 country, and proclaim every where the gos- 
 pel of the kingdom of God. "The time is 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 65 
 
 fulfilled," he would say, f£ and the kingdom 
 of God is at hand; repent ye and believe the 
 gospel." 
 
 Hitherto, though Peter and Andrew and 
 perhaps a few others had been introduced to 
 him, and been much in his company, they do 
 not appear to have been set apart as his con- 
 stant companions. But the time had at length 
 arrived, when he thought it proper to have 
 them continually with him. 
 
 Peter and Andrew were fishermen, and 
 made it their home at Capernaum. One day 
 as Jesus was walking along the shore of the 
 sea of Galilee, where they were toiling with 
 their nets, he bade them leave their employ- 
 ment and follow him, and become, as he 
 called it, fishers of men. They left their nets, 
 at once, how dearly soever they loved the em- 
 ployment in which they had been brought up, 
 and by means of which they had been accus- 
 tomed to obtain much of their subsistence and 
 that of their families, and henceforth became 
 his constant associates. James and John, the 
 sons of Zebedee, by employment fishermen, 
 were at the same time invited to follow him 
 and be with him; they also immediately left 
 their employment, their father, and their other 
 6* 
 
66 TRAVELS OF 
 
 relatives, and became, like Peter and Andrew, 
 his intimate companions and friends. 
 
 While in Capernaum, the Saviour, in ac- 
 cordance with his early habits, attended the 
 Jewish worship on the Sabbath, at their syn- 
 agogues. Here he was not only a public 
 reader, but, at times, with the permission of 
 the elders or rulers of the synagogues, a 
 preacher. Here it was, that, as he was 
 preaching one day, he encountered a noisy, 
 turbulent spirit which had possessed an indi- 
 vidual there, and cast him out, to the great 
 amazement of all the bystanders: a circum- 
 stance which did more to spread abroad his 
 fame through all that region than any previ- 
 ous action or miracle. 
 
 It was here, too, during his early residence 
 in the place, and soon after Peter, Andrew, 
 John and James had become his regular and 
 constant associates, that he cured Peter's wife 
 miraculously of a fever; which circumstance, 
 together with that mentioned in the last 
 paragraph, proved the occasion of having 
 almost or quite all the sick in the city brought 
 to him to be healed. So numerous were his 
 patients — especially one Sabbath evening, for 
 they would not often bring them to him on 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 67 
 
 the Sabbath till after sunset — that it is said, 
 on one occasion "all the city was gathered 
 together at the door," either to be cured 
 themselves, or to witness the cure of others. 
 
 It was during his residence in Capernaum 
 that we first find from the sacred record that 
 he was accustomed to early rising. Doubtless 
 it was the habit of his early youth; but it is 
 no where so stated. He not only rose early — 
 " a great while before day," but he sometimes 
 engaged — perhaps generally — at this early 
 hour, in prayer. 
 
 At this period in the history of the Saviour, 
 we find it first recorded of him that he made 
 the complete tour of Galilee. This, if we may 
 credit the Jewish historian Josephus, was no 
 inconsiderable task. True Galilee was a 
 small territory, not twice as large, I suppose, 
 as the little State of Rhode-Island; and yet 
 Josephus says it contained no less than two 
 hundred and forty cities and towns, the least 
 of which contained 15,000 inhabitants. This 
 alone, to say nothing of smaller places, would 
 make out a population of more than 3,000,000. 
 
 I suppose, however, that when the Bible 
 says the Saviour went about all Galilee, it 
 does not mean to affirm positively that he 
 
68 TRAVELS OF 
 
 went into each of its cities, towns and villages. 
 It is indeed possible that such is the meaning 
 of the evangelist who makes the statement, 
 but not very probable. The most probable 
 opinion is, that he went into all parts or quar- 
 ters of the province, and into the principal 
 cities. Among these last, besides those which 
 I have already mentioned incidentally, were 
 Tiberias, Chorazin, Bethsaida, Nain, Cesa- 
 rea, Philippi, and Ptolemais or Acre. 
 
 But his labors, in teaching, preaching, and 
 curing the sick, were not confined to the in- 
 habitants of the province of Galilee, even 
 while he was traveling there. The people 
 of Syria which lay to the north of Galilee, had 
 heard of his fame, and they, too, brought their 
 sick to him. So did the people of Jerusalem, 
 and of the whole province of Judea, as well 
 as of the country which lay eastward of the 
 river Jordan. In short, the demand upon 
 him for instruction and aid began to be exces- 
 sive, so that had he not been something more 
 than mere man, and had he bestowed his la- 
 bors without any interruption, he must have 
 been soon worn out by the consequent ex- 
 citement, exhaustion and debility. 
 
 It was at this juncture, however, that in 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 69 
 
 view of the crowd who pressed upon him, he 
 resolved to retire a little while to a favorable 
 hill or mountain, not far perhaps from Caper- 
 naum — though the place is not certainly- 
 known — where, if he could not wholly escape 
 the throng, he might at least spend some time 
 in more familiar instruction and conversation. 
 So having ascended the mountain, followed 
 more closely by a few disciples, but more re- 
 motely by the multitude who had collected 
 together to hear him, he there delivered to 
 them that very remarkable discourse, known 
 in all ages by the name of the Sermon on the 
 Mount. 
 
 When his sermon was finished and he had 
 come down from the mountain, both the curi- 
 osity of the multitude and their desire for in- 
 struction remained unsatisfied. They still 
 pressed upon him to see and hear him. He 
 resorted to a new device, which was to get into 
 a ship,* and after pushing it away from the 
 shore a little, to sit in it and instruct the crowd, 
 as they collected around the water's edge. 
 
 * It is called a ship in the Bible, as indeed almost every thing 
 was which was made to float on the water, from the largest ves- 
 sels to the smallest boats. It is, however, most probable that the 
 ship alluded to here, was a mere fishing-boat. 
 
70 TRAVELS OF 
 
 It was probably at the close of one of his 
 discourses thus delivered from a fishing-boat, 
 that Jesus wrought his splendid miracle of the 
 fishes. Peter, who occasionally followed his 
 old employment still, with a companion or 
 two, having been fishing all the preceding 
 night without success, was ordered by the 
 Saviour to cast his net once more. Doubtful 
 at first, he hesitated; but soon concluded to 
 obey. The consequence was a haul of fish 
 so large that the net began to break, and Pe- 
 ter and his companion were obliged to call 
 on James and John to assist them: and though 
 we may suppose that many of the fish escaped 
 through the broken net, they filled two boats 
 to the water's edge, with what remained. 
 Peter was astonished, beyond measure, at the 
 event, and so were James and John; and 
 their confidence in the Saviour, from that 
 hour, was greatly increased. 
 
 There are doubts in the minds of some 
 writers and commentators about the historical 
 order of the events here mentioned. By a 
 few it is supposed that the circumstances al- 
 luded to in the last two paragraphs took place 
 before delivering the Sermon on the Mount, 
 rather than after it. I have followed my own 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 71 
 
 judgment, aided by what I conceive to be the 
 best authorities; and yet it is quite possible, 
 after all, that I may have erred. 
 
 Shortly after this, an individual who was ex- 
 ceedingly afflicted with leprosy — a disease 
 which is generally regarded as incurable — 
 was brought to Jesus to be healed. It is not 
 quite certain that the people had before 
 thought of bringing lepers to him, though it 
 is probable they had, as we are told that he 
 cured cc all manner of sickness, and all man- 
 ner of disease; 5 ' and leprosy was quite com- 
 mon in that country. 
 
 The crowds of people still increased upon 
 him, especially after the cure of the leper, to 
 an extent which rendered it almost impossible, 
 at times, for him to pass through the streets 
 of the large cities. On this account he spent 
 a part of his time in wild, uncultivated places 
 — deserts as they were then called; both for 
 the sake of quiet, and in order that he might 
 give himself to meditation and prayer. But 
 there was no entire escape for him, in desert 
 or city. 
 
 The Saviour's wonderful popularity, not- 
 withstanding the toil and trouble it brought 
 with it, could not fail to awaken the prejudices 
 
72 TRAVELS OF 
 
 and the envy, and wound the pride, of men 
 who thought themselves far better than he; 
 among whom stood foremost the Pharisees and 
 learned Jewish doctors. The following will 
 afford a specimen of the spirit they manifested. 
 
 One day when the Saviour had been out 
 awhile — probably in some desert — he entered 
 Capernaum, apparently unobserved, and re- 
 paired to his accustomed lodgings. But as it 
 was soon discovered that he was in the house, 
 and the crowd began to collect at the door, 
 he did not refuse to preach to them. In the 
 mean time, the friends of the poor man who 
 was suffering from the palsy, found means to 
 get him tb the top of the building and to let 
 him down into the opening or court within, 
 which, as I have elsewhere told you, it was 
 customary to have in Eastern dwelling-houses. 
 Here it was that on account of the great faith 
 he exhibited, Jesus publicly forgave him his 
 sins. 
 
 At the idea of forgiving his sins, the Phar- 
 isees and other learned men immediately took 
 offence, and accused Jesus of blasphemy. 
 "Who is it," said they, "can forgive sins, 
 but God?" Jesus, however, pursued his own 
 course, not only assuring them that he had 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 73 
 
 full power to forgive sin, but also to cure the 
 most obstinate disease; and that it was no 
 blasphemy or wrong, in him to do either. He 
 then proceeded at once to heal the disease, 
 so that the man walked away to his own house, 
 as well as ever he was in his life. The 
 Pharisees at this knew not what more to say; 
 and for the present ceased to trouble him; 
 though there is no doubt that much envious, 
 not to say malicious, feeling continued to ran- 
 kle in their bosoms. 
 
 Again the Saviour went out and taught the 
 people by the sea-side, as before. Here he 
 added another to the number of his disciples. 
 It was Matthew, a publican or tax-gatherer. 
 This man left his employment — which was 
 probably more profitable than fishing, and 
 some say it was even lucrative — with as much 
 readiness as the poor fishermen had left theirs; 
 and followed Jesus as perseveringly as they 
 did. He was sometimes called Levi, the son 
 of Alpheus. 
 
 I have now mentioned, very briefly, most 
 of the more important events which took place 
 during our Saviour's first course of travels, 
 in the performance of his public ministry in 
 Galilee. Not that I have related half that he 
 7 
 
74 TRAVELS OF 
 
 said and did, even of what is mentioned in the 
 Bible. For, besides the Sermon on the Mount, 
 which is quite a long one, there are several 
 parables omitted, as unnecessary in a book of 
 this kind; to say nothing of the details of ma- 
 ny events of his life, of greater or less impor- 
 tance. 
 
 Moreover, the Bible itself contains but a 
 mere sketch of what Jesus said and did, as we 
 are expressly told by John, one of the evan- 
 gelists, who speaks as if it would take, as it 
 were, a world full of books to contain every 
 thing! — Have you ever thought how much 
 space would be required for recording all the 
 sayings and doings of a busy man even for 
 one day? How much more then for a month! 
 And how much more still for a year! — But 
 who was ever so busily or industriously en- 
 gaged, in speaking or acting, as our Saviour 
 was, during the great part of his public min- 
 istry ? 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 75 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Jesus goes to Jerusalem, at the Feast of the Passover — Miracle 
 at the pool of Bethesda — Opposition of the Jews — They seek to 
 kill him — Traveling through the corn-fields — Healing on the 
 Sabbath — Rage of the Scribes and Pharisees — Jesus returns sud- 
 denly to Galilee — Teaching again from a boat — The twelve 
 apostles ordained — Character of Judas Iscariot — A sermon on 
 the plain — Jesus goes to Capernaum — Heals the son of the 
 centurion. 
 
 Our Lord was at this time, as it is generally 
 believed, about thirty-one years of age; or 
 perhaps a little more; having preached not 
 far from a year. Another Passover was now 
 approaching, which he was anxious to attend. 
 With this view, and accompanied by his dis- 
 ciples, he made a second tour to Jerusalem. 
 
 It was on this occasion, and probably not 
 long after his arrival in the holy city, that he 
 performed the miraculous cure of a man at 
 the pool of Bethesda. The man had been 
 sick thirty-eight years; and from the account 
 which the Bible gives of his case was probably 
 poor and helpless. "Rise, take up thy bed 
 and walk;" said the Saviour; and the man 
 was healed in an instant. 
 
76 TRAVELS OF 
 
 These Jewish beds, as I ought perhaps 
 here to say, were not exactly like our beds, 
 but much more simple, and therefore much 
 more easy to carry about. They consisted, 
 merely, of one or more suitable coverlets 
 which they wrapped or rather rolled round 
 themselves, when they wished to sleep, and 
 in which, wherever there was a convenient 
 place, they lay down. Perhaps they some- 
 times lay on bedsteads; indeed it appears 
 quite evident that they did; but a bedstead 
 was by no means considered as indispensably 
 necessary. 
 
 The cure of the poor sick man, at Bethesda, 
 was performed on the Sabbath. The Jews, 
 who thought a great deal of keeping the Sab- 
 bath day with rigid exactness, could not put 
 up with this; and they complained, most bit- 
 terly, about it, though they did not venture to 
 make their complaints directly to Jesus. He 
 knew their thoughts, however,and perceiving, 
 as we may readily suppose, that they might 
 possibly attempt violence, # he left them and 
 
 * One strong evidence of the divine character of our Saviour may- 
 be gathered from the fact, so continually alluded to by the evan- 
 gelists, that he knew the thoughts of those around him. Now, who 
 can thus see through that external shell, as it were, in which men 
 often wrap themselves, but he that is omniscient] and who is om- 
 niscient but God ? 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 77 
 
 went away. What was expected, actually 
 came to pass. The irritated Jews pursued 
 him, and sought to kill him. 
 
 In one instance, on this occasion, they met 
 with him, and a conversation ensued, which, 
 though intended to calm their feelings, by es- 
 tablishing his authority to work miracles when 
 and where he pleased, only seemed the more 
 to exasperate them. In the conversation, he 
 incidentally claimed to be the Son of God; 
 thus, as they justly regarded it, placing 
 himself on an equality with Jehovah. To do 
 this, was in their view blasphemy; and they 
 sought with more earnestness than ever, for 
 a secret opportunity to murder him; but his 
 time was not yet come. 
 
 It was in these circumstances, and during 
 a conversation which now took place between 
 him and the Jews, that he asserted more 
 plainly than he had ever done before, his di- 
 vine nature and character, showing that he 
 held the eternal life and salvation of all men 
 in his own hands; and that, if they wanted 
 either, they must come to him for it, or at 
 least, must seek for it through him. This the 
 Jews doubtless thought to be high-handed 
 blasphemy; and nothing, in all probability, 
 7* 
 
78 TRAVELS OF 
 
 but the general opinion of the people that he 
 was a prophet, and therefore to be treated 
 with some degree of open respect, prevented 
 them from murdering him on the spot. It was 
 in this conversation, also, that he appears to 
 have first taught the great and glorious doc- 
 trine of the resurrection of the body, to be a 
 companion of the soul beyond the grave. 
 
 Another instance of what they regarded as 
 a violation of the Sabbath, occurred not long 
 after the foregoing circumstances. The Sa- 
 viour and his disciples were walking one Sab- 
 bath, through the barley-fields* and his disci- 
 ples, being hungry, plucked some of the ears 
 of grain, and after rubbing them in their 
 hands to separate the kernel, began to satis- 
 fy their hunger with them. At this supposed 
 renewal of Sabbath day abuses, the Jews 
 complained outright, and to the Saviour's face. 
 But he defended the conduct of his disciples, 
 showing that the Son of man was Lord of the 
 Sabbath, or could suspend its authority, and 
 that under the existing circumstances the con- 
 
 * The Bible, indeed, calls the fields through which they were 
 passing corn-fields; but corn was the general name, among the 
 Jews, for all sorts of grain of which bread was made, especially 
 wheat and barley. In the present case, Dr, Doddridge supposes 
 the grain was barley. 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 79 
 
 duct of his followers was perfectly correct. 
 Though we have no reason to believe the 
 Jews were satisfied with his defence, yet we 
 do not hear that, as yet, any violence was 
 attempted on his person. 
 
 But now a new transaction took place. 
 While he was walking about the province of 
 Judea, teaching and preaching and healing 
 the sick, as he was accustomed to do, they 
 brought to him, one day, to be healed, a man 
 whose hand was not only palsied, but greatly 
 shrunk and withered. This, too, was on the 
 Sabbath, and there was quite a number of 
 Scribes and Pharisees watching to see how 
 he kept the day. 
 
 So when the palsied man was brought for- 
 ward, they thought within themselves, Now 
 we shall have a fine opportunity to test his 
 determination about obeying the law respect- 
 ing the Sabbath. They even ventured to 
 propose to him the question whether the cur- 
 ing of the sick on the Sabbath was lawful. 
 
 Jesus, knowing what their most secret 
 thoughts about him were, and how anxious 
 they were to get something against him which 
 they could take hold of, instead of making an 
 immediate reply to their question, bade the 
 
80 TRAVELS OF 
 
 man who wished to be healed, to stand up in 
 the midst of them. He then went into a full 
 argument on the nature of the subject, and 
 showed them most clearly, not only that it was 
 lawful for him to do good to the bodies and 
 souls of men on the Sabbath day, but that 
 in so doing he was going no farther, nor even 
 so far, as they themselves were accustomed 
 to do. They would not hesitate, he said, to 
 rescue a domestic animal that had fallen into 
 a pit on the Sabbath, rather than leave it to 
 suffer and die there; and were we not justi- 
 fied, he asked, in manifesting as strong a 
 sympathy with human suffering, and being as 
 prompt to relieve it, as the sufferings of the 
 brute creation? 
 
 There was no answering him, or getting 
 away from the face of his arguments. The 
 man was commanded to stretch forth his hand, 
 and, at the word of the Saviour, it was made 
 as whole as the other. 
 
 And now it was that the Pharisees were 
 more enraged than ever. Men, though si- 
 lenced by argument, are not always satisfied. 
 Nay, more; I have sometimes thought that 
 the idea of being overcome in the argument, 
 by wounding their pride, only tended to make 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 81 
 
 them more vexed, or angry with their oppo- 
 nents. It is, therefore, by no means improb- 
 able that this was one reason why the Phar- 
 isees complained more now than ever that Je- 
 sus was a Sabbath-breaker; and were more 
 angry with him than ever on account of it. 
 They were lc filled with madness," as the Bi- 
 ble says, " and communed one with another 
 what they might do to Jesus." They also 
 stirred up the sect of Jews, called the Hero- 
 dians, and endeavored to get them to assist 
 iu bringing about his destruction. 
 
 Is it not a wonder how he could escape all 
 their plans and devices? But escape them 
 he certainly did, in one way or another; for 
 he was not killed in a long time afterward. 
 In the present instance, he withdrew himself 
 from Judea, and proceeding to the neighbor- 
 hood of the sea of Galilee, went to preaching 
 and healing there. Not that this province 
 was so far off, but that they might have pur- 
 sued and seized on him, even there; but I 
 suppose they were not in the habit of doing 
 such things out of their own province, and 
 Galilee, as I have already told you, was not 
 only a separate province from Judea, but 
 there was even another province — Samaria — 
 lying between them. 
 
82 T R A V E L S F 
 
 But though they did not follow him, to seize 
 him as a criminal, they actually did follow 
 him, in great multitudes, even from Jerusalem 
 and the other parts of Judea. More even 
 than all this; great multitudes followed him 
 from the region of Idumea, which was much 
 farther off than Judea, and lay quite to the 
 south and south-east of it; other multitudes 
 from the countries eastward of the river Jor- 
 dan, and not a few even from the cities of 
 Tyre and Sidon which lay to the northward of 
 Galilee, in Syria. Indeed so great was the 
 throng, that he was obliged to have recourse 
 to his former practice of getting into a ship, or 
 fishing-boat, and after pushing it off from the 
 shore a little, of sitting in it, while giving his 
 instructions to the people. 
 
 His habit of early rising for prayer, &.c, has 
 already been mentioned. It was not far from 
 this period of his ministry, that, according to 
 the evangelist, he went, in one instance, even 
 farther than this; he continued in prayer all 
 night. Whether the meaning is that he 
 prayed all night, however, or only that he 
 was all night in a place or house of prayer, is 
 not quite certain. The occasion was, at any 
 rate, a remarkable one; whether he really 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 83 
 
 prayed all night or not. It is not probable 
 that he would be out in the woods and fields 
 all night, in any ordinary circumstances. 
 
 But what was the remarkable occasion to 
 which I have alluded? He was about to at- 
 tend an ordination — a Christian ordination — 
 the first of the kind which had ever been at- 
 tended. It was the ordination of the twelve, 
 who were his most constant disciples or fol- 
 lowers, to be apostles. The Scripture says 
 they were ordained that they might " be with 
 him," and that he might lt send them forth to 
 preach." 
 
 Soon after their ordination they went into 
 a house, as the Scripture expresses it, proba- 
 bly to make the necessary arrangements for 
 their future labors as missionaries. Perhaps 
 Judas Iscariot was at this time set apart as 
 their treasurer, or to carry the bag, as it is 
 said; a most sad affair to a person of his cast 
 of character. Handling money very often, in 
 certain dispositions proves the means of devel- 
 oping a love of money, even in those who be- 
 fore cared very little about it. 
 
 In this case all was done right, for it was 
 done under the eye and direction of the Sa- 
 viour himself. The disposition of Judas was 
 
84 TRAVELS OF 
 
 probably had before, and it is not impossible 
 that less evil would result to the community 
 by exposing a man to temptation whose char- 
 acter was already spoiled, than one who had 
 hitherto kept himself pure. 
 
 When all the arrangements were made, Je- 
 sus and his apostles came down and stood in 
 the plain, where he delivered to them quite a 
 long sermon. It is so much like the Sermon 
 on the Mount, or that recorded in the fifth, 
 sixth and seventh chapters of Matthew, that 
 many suppose it to have been the very same. 
 Yet when we remember that the sermon men- 
 tioned by Matthew was delivered on a moun- 
 tain or hill, that it was evidently preached 
 much earlier in his life, and was much longer 
 than the one of which I am now speaking, is 
 there not good reason for believing that the 
 latter was quite a different discourse, or at 
 least delivered on a very different occasion? 
 You will find this second long sermon in the 
 sixth chapter of Luke. 
 
 Jesus now returned to Capernaum, his 
 adopted home. Here, as before, he was soon 
 met by the cry of distress. A certain centu- 
 rion—a Roman officer, set over an hundred 
 men — having a servant very sick and appa- 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 85 
 
 rently about to die, sent a deputation of Jew- 
 ish elders to him, beseeching him to come 
 and heal his sick servant. Jesus, according- 
 ly, went with them. 
 
 Before he came quite to the house, how- 
 ever, the centurion sent out other friends to 
 meet him, requesting him to heal the servant 
 without coming in; alleging that he was 
 unworthy to have the Saviour enter his 
 house, especially as a word from his mouth 
 would answer just as well. Jesus, perceiving 
 his great faith, did not hesitate. Go your 
 way, he said to those who came to meet him, 
 as you have believed, so be it done unto you. 
 The servant was immediately in a better 
 state; and before the persons who met Jesus 
 had arrived at the house, he had fully recov- 
 ered. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Jesus journeys to Nain — Raises a young man to life there- 
 Receives messengers from John the Baptist — Woes pronounced 
 — The penitent woman and proud Pharisee. 
 
 How long the Saviour remained at home, 
 in Capernaum, before he made another long 
 8 
 
86 TRAVELS OF 
 
 excursion into Galilee, does not plainly appear. 
 There is no reason, however, for believing 
 that very much time could have elapsed. 
 Such a person as he was could not be hid, 
 even if he were to attempt to hide himself. 
 One thing, however, is certain; he made 
 many short excursions, not unlike some of 
 those noticed in the preceding chapter. One 
 of the most interesting of these was to Nain, 
 a small place some fifteen or twenty miles 
 south-west of Capernaum, a little to the south 
 of Mount Tabor, where he performed one of 
 the most stupendous miracles which the world 
 had, at that time, ever witnessed. It was the 
 very next day after he performed the miracle 
 of healing the son of the centurion, mentioned 
 in the last chapter. 
 
 We are not told that he was sent for on this 
 occasion; neither do I believe that he was. 
 How, then, came he to make the journey? 
 you may perhaps ask. How came he to reach 
 the city just at the favorable moment for 
 making such a glorious exhibition of his 
 miraculous power? Was it a mere accident? 
 Or did he, having all knowledge, as well as 
 all power, go there because he knew all the 
 circumstances of the distressed mother, for 
 whose relief he performed the journey? 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 87 
 
 But to relate the story. As the Saviour 
 in traveling along, accompanied by his apos- 
 tles, approached the gate of the city to which 
 he was going, he met a large crowd of people 
 assembled at a funeral. It was the funeral of 
 a young man, an only son; and his mother 
 was a widow. Probably he was her only 
 hope, as the staff and support of her old age. 
 It is quite obvious from the affecting account 
 of the case, as given by the evangelist Luke, 
 that the circumstances were peculiarly dis- 
 tressing. For £C when the Lord saw her " — 
 the widowed mother — says the evangelist, 
 " he had compassion on her." 
 
 But how did he show his compassion? Was 
 it expended in mere words? Or did he do 
 something to prove that he really pitied her? 
 Many people, with whom words are very 
 abundant and cheap, will say a great deal 
 about their sorrow for others, when they will 
 not lift a finger to show by their works of 
 charity or love that their sorrow is genuine or 
 sincere. 
 
 Such, we may be assured, was never the 
 sorrow of our Saviour. He usually did some- 
 thing to show his compassion for mankind, as 
 well as to express his grief in words, or even 
 
88 TRAVELS OF 
 
 in tears. His was an active sympathy that 
 led him to do something. 
 
 Do you say the young man was dead, and 
 what, therefore, could he do? Yes, he was 
 dead; but Jesus had power over death and 
 the grave, as he proved most abundantly in 
 the end. Indeed, he had but to speak the 
 word — had he chosen to make the experiment, 
 and had there been occasion for it — and all 
 the dead would have been raised to life in an 
 instant. But was he disposed to exercise this 
 power while on earth, in any degree? Let 
 us see. 
 
 " And he came," says Luke, " and touched 
 the bier: 55 that on which the body was sup- 
 ported as it was borne along towards the 
 grave; " and they that bare him stood still. 
 And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, 
 Arise. And he that was dead sat up and be- 
 gan to speak. And he delivered him to his 
 mother. 55 
 
 What a most interesting scene was this, 
 not only to the poor widowed mother, but to 
 all present! As for the mother, though the 
 evangelist does not attempt to describe her 
 feelings, it seems as if she must have fainted 
 with joy. Excessive joy not only produces 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 89 
 
 such effects, at times, but has been known 
 even to produce instant death. 
 
 The effects of such a sight on the spectators 
 are more fully described. (e A great fear" 
 came over them all; and no wonder. To see 
 a dead man start up from the very bier on 
 which they were carrying him to his grave, 
 and begin to converse, as if in health, and to 
 see him restored to the bosom of his afflicted 
 family — who would not have been frightened ? 
 I do not know that such an event had happened 
 before, from the days of Elijah and Elisha. 
 
 Concealment on the part of the Saviour 
 now seemed no longer possible. It was re- 
 ported every where, not only in all the prov- 
 inces of Palestine, but even in the adjacent 
 countries, that a man had been raised from 
 the dead; and it was now more fully under- 
 stood than ever before, that a " great proph- 
 et" had risen up among them, and that God 
 was visiting in mercy his people. 
 
 Whether the Saviour returned to Caperna- 
 um immediately after working this miracle, 
 we do not know. The next event which is 
 particularly recorded of him, is his reception 
 and treatment of some messengers of John the 
 Baptist. This man, though in prison, had 
 
90 TRAVELS OF 
 
 been told by his disciples — who appear to 
 have had the privilege of occasionally visiting 
 him — what Jesus was doing, and either for 
 his own information or for the sake of satisfy- 
 ing his disciples respecting the real character 
 of Christ, he had sent out two of them to 
 make certain inquiries of him. 
 
 With these messengers Jesus held quite a 
 conference; but what was more satisfactory 
 to them, as I have no doubt, he wrought many 
 miracles before them, such as restoring to 
 sight the blind, casting out evil spirits, and 
 healing palsies, leprosies, and other diseases. 
 
 This gave to the Saviour a fine opportunity 
 after the messengers were departed, for 
 explaining to the multitude around him the 
 nature and character of John's mission, and 
 the relation which it bore to his own. He also 
 took occasion, from the comparison between 
 John and himself, to draw r forth and present 
 many lessons of moral and religious instruc- 
 tion. 
 
 It was not long after this, probably while 
 Jesus remained in Galilee on this excursion — 
 that he pronounced his woes on the cities 
 Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, because 
 they still refused, as a general thing, to 
 believe in him, and even dared to oppose him. 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 91 
 
 Chorazin and Bethsaida were small but 
 interesting cities, lying on the western or 
 rather on the north-western shore of the sea 
 of Galilee; and Jesus, as it is believed, had 
 not only spent some time there teaching and 
 preaching, but had also wrought in them some 
 of his more important and striking miracles. 
 
 He also delivered to the multitude around 
 him a short but most impressive discourse, 
 after pronouncing the woes, accompanied by 
 a prayer. In the discourse he took occasion 
 to state, in few words, the mysterious nature 
 of the Godhead, and to show that the doctrine 
 of his own near relation to the Father, 
 however difficult to be comprehended, is nev- 
 ertheless true, and must be received. 
 
 And now follows, in the seventh chapter of 
 the gospel of Luke, a most affecting account 
 of the conduct of a penitent woman. It was 
 at the house of a Pharisee, by the name of 
 Simon, who had invited Jesus to dinner. 
 Some have supposed this story to be the same 
 as that which Matthew relates, in his twenty- 
 sixth chapter, but this cannot, as is most evi- 
 dent, be a correct opinion. 
 
 While Jesus was sitting or rather reclining 
 at dinner, as was the eastern method of 
 
92 TRAVELS OF 
 
 receiving meals, a woman of the city came 
 behind him, and after washing his feet with 
 tears and wiping them with her hair, she 
 poured upon them a box of costly ointment. 
 This Simon disliked very much; and he told 
 the Saviour so. From this circumstance, 
 Jesus took the opportunity of giving the proud 
 Pharisee much valuable instruction. He 
 also forgave the poor woman her sins, and 
 bade her go home, in peace. 
 
 It was not Simon alone, however, to whom 
 Jesus gave offence, on this occasion. Some 
 of the guests were still more offended, es- 
 pecially when he forgave the woman her sins. 
 Jesus, however, went forward in the work of 
 his mission, their clamors and complaints to 
 the contrary notwithstanding. 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 93 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Jesus again travels through Galilee— His companions — The 
 crowds — Trouble from the Pharisees — A grand moral lesson 
 inculcated — His Parables — Attempt to cross the Galilean sea 
 — Storm — Their peril — Rescue by Jesus — They land near Gada- 
 ra — The demoniac — Jesus re-crosses the sea, and returns to 
 Capernaum — Dines with Matthew — Heals a woman who had 
 been sick twelve years — Restores to life the daughter of Jairus 
 — Restores sight to the blind — Was Jesus a man of sorrows? — 
 Why was he so. 
 
 Our Saviour now made a second tour 
 through Galilee. Luke says in the first verse 
 of the seventh chapter of his gospel, that he 
 went through every city and village. It is 
 difficult to conceive how he could have time 
 in one year, or part of one year, to go through 
 every city of Galilee, and yet stop long enough 
 to do the people very much good; and yet it 
 appears from the record, that such was the 
 fact. Perhaps, Josephus, the Jewish histori- 
 an, whose opinion I have mentioned elsewhere, 
 may have been a little mistaken after all as to 
 the number, size, &c, of the Galilean cities; 
 though there can be no doubt that the whole 
 province was very populous. 
 
 In the excursion of which I am now speak- 
 ing, the Saviour was not only accompanied 
 
94 TRAVELS OF 
 
 by his twelve apostles, but also by many oth- 
 er persons, some of them persons of distinc- 
 tion; and a number of them females. Among 
 these last was Joanna, the wife of Herod's 
 steward, and Mary Magdalene, or Mary of 
 the city of Magdala; the latter of whom he 
 had dispossessed of seven demons or devils. 
 Another person, spoken of as being in the 
 company, was Susanna, but there were also 
 many more whose names are not given. 
 
 The business of these female friends dur- 
 ing the long tour of Jesus through Galilee, 
 seems, as stated by the evangelist, to have 
 been to minister to him of their substance. 
 With their aid, he and his twelve apostles 
 could devote themselves to their labors with 
 less anxiety than otherwise. Or they may 
 have attended him principally for the purpose 
 of hearing his instructions, and witnessing 
 his miracles; for it does not seem to have 
 been expected of them that they would attempt 
 to teach publicly. 
 
 Again the multitude which followed him 
 began to press upon him with such force as 
 almost to obstruct his passage; and so great 
 was the work of preaching and healing which 
 devolved upon him, that, notwithstanding the 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 95 
 
 assistance which was afforded them, neither 
 he nor his apostles seemed to find time to 
 take their accustomed meals. So zealously 
 in fact, did he pursue his work, and so little 
 did he attend to the wants of his animal frame, 
 as regards eating, drinking, sleeping, Sec, that 
 some of his friends began to think him already 
 deranged, or at least in great danger of be- 
 coming so. 
 
 One trait in the Saviour's character is par- 
 ticularly worthy of remark in this place; 
 which is, that though he was willing to subject 
 himself to the annoyance of the crowds for 
 the sake of doing good, he was naturally of a 
 quiet and retiring spirit. "He always with- 
 drew at once," says Abbott, in his Corner 
 Stone, "from the crowd, when his work was 
 done. He sought solitude, he shrunk from 
 observation; in fact, almost the only enjoy- 
 ment which he seemed really to love, was his 
 lonely ramble at midnight for rest and prayer. 
 He even spent whole nights thus, as we are 
 told by the evangelists. And it is not surpri- 
 sing, that after the heated crowds and exhaust- 
 ing labors of the day, he should love to retire 
 to silence and seclusion, to enjoy the cool and 
 balmy air, the refreshing stillness and all the 
 
96 TRAVELS or 
 
 beauties and glories of midnight, among the 
 solitudes of the Galilean hills; — to find there 
 happy communion with his Father, and to 
 gather fresh strength for the labors and trials 
 that yet remained." 
 
 But now arose new trouble with the Phar- 
 isees. Jesus having cast out an evil spirit, 
 some of the Pharisees and Scribes who were 
 present charged him with being possessed by 
 a demon himself. This charge he repelled, 
 however, in a course of reasoning which they 
 could neither gainsay nor resist. 
 
 Again the Pharisees and Scribes demanded 
 of him a miracle in proof of the authenticity 
 of his mission — a sign from heaven; as they 
 called it. Fully aware that the request was 
 made as much to gratify curiosity as for any 
 other purpose, he refused to grant it. "An 
 evil and adulterous generation," said he, 
 "seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign 
 be given it but the sign of Jonas the prophet." 
 
 As he continued his discourse to the Scribes 
 and Pharisees in the great central opening 
 or court of the house where he was, word 
 was sent him that his mother and brethren 
 were without in the street and wished to speak 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 97 
 
 with him.* Here, perhaps you will say, was 
 a fine opportunity to test the goodness of his 
 heart. Yes, it was indeed so; but the result 
 was not exactly what might, at first thought, 
 by many be expected. 
 
 Instead of rushing forth to embrace them, 
 which he might naturally be inclined to do, he 
 seizes the golden opportunity to convey to the 
 vast multitude around him a lesson of be- 
 nevolence, self-sacrifice, and devoted piety. 
 " Who is my mother?" said he, and "who 
 are my brethren?" Then, looking round in 
 various directions upon the dense crowd of 
 people, he added; "Behold my mother and 
 my brethren! For whosoever shall do the 
 will of my Father which is in heaven, the 
 same is my brother, and sister, and mother." 
 
 Young reader, how much there is to be 
 learned from this single incident in the life of 
 the Saviour! As in the case of his delay in 
 the temple, there was, after all, no real evi- 
 dence of any want of filial affection, so it was 
 
 * It appears that the friends of Jesus having, from time to time, 
 heard that he was preaching so near them, took that opportunity 
 to call on him, both to converse with him and to hear him preach. 
 I think it not unlikely that Joseph his father was by this time 
 either dead, or so decrepid that he could not come to see him, 
 with the rest. 
 
 9 
 
98 TRAVELS OF 
 
 in the present instance. Jesus did not thus 
 speak to make light of the duties he owed to 
 his earthly parents and friends, but to convey 
 in a striking manner, an important moral 
 lesson. It was, as if he had said; " Though 
 the ties of earthly affection bind me as much 
 as they do others, and though I feel the 
 strongest desires to go forth to the embrace of 
 those whom I hold dear, yet, after all, my 
 business is chiefly with you. My meat and 
 my drink is to finish the work of him that sent 
 me; and to lead you all to the love and 
 service of God. All mankind are brethren— 
 my brethren — all are children of one common 
 Parent. But especially are you my friends — 
 my brethren and my parents — if you do what 
 I command you to do. To effect the salvation 
 of men, I am ready to forego every earthly 
 desire, and every earthly attachment. I 
 forego Nazareth; I forego the pleasures of 
 home and of fixed society every where; and I 
 give myself over to perpetual exile; I forego, 
 at this moment, the pleasure of rushing forth 
 to the embrace of friends, that I may devote 
 myself further to you. For whosoever shall 
 do the will of my Father who is in heaven, 
 even though he were the meanest individual 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 99 
 
 of this whole crowd, the same is my brother, 
 and sister, and mother. 
 
 In another instance — I believe it was some- 
 time afterward — he expressed this same sen- 
 timent, of comparative disregard to earthly 
 parents in another and a very different manner; 
 a manner which has sometimes given great 
 offence to those who do not seem to under- 
 stand him. "If any man," said he, "will 
 come after me, and hate not father and moth- 
 er, he cannot be my disciple." By hating his 
 relatives, there is not the slightest reason for 
 believing he meant any thing more than to 
 overlook them, and deny ourselves the pleas- 
 ure of their society, when a greater and more 
 glorious object is in view, and likely, by a 
 little effort, to be obtained. 
 
 We have no reason to believe, that the 
 mother and brethren of the Saviour loved him 
 any the less on account of his devotion (thus 
 expressed) to the eternal salvation of others, 
 even the whole human race. On the contrary, 
 if they were the true children of God, they 
 must have loved him the better for it. Every 
 one who bears the image of God, loves every 
 other individual of the same description, in 
 proportion to the exactness of the resemblance 
 he bears to that image. 
 
100 TRAVELS OF 
 
 We have abundant reason, however, for 
 believing that the Saviour did not spend a 
 large amount of time, in visiting with his 
 friends; for on the same day that the events 
 of which I have been speaking occurred, he 
 is said to have gone out of the house, and to 
 have sat and taught again by the sea-side: 
 taking his usual position in a boat, while the 
 whole multitude stood on the shore. 
 
 It was on this occasion that he put forth the 
 famous parable of the sower; and gave, first 
 to his apostles, and afterward to the surround- 
 ing multitude, his explanations. Several oth- 
 er parables were also spoken, at the same 
 time; among which were the parable of the 
 treasure hid in a field; of the merchant seek- 
 ing goodly pearls; and of the fisherman with 
 his net, gathering in fish of every kind. 
 
 When these parables were finished, with 
 the accompanying remarks and explanations, 
 the Saviour attempted to go ashore and pro- 
 ceed along the road, but the crowd was so 
 great that it was quite impossible. In this 
 condition, although it was now nearly night, 
 he proposed to those about him to get rid of 
 the multitude by crossing to the east side of 
 the lake. 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 101 
 
 It was in these circumstances, and just as 
 Jesus was going on board, that a scribe came 
 to him and declared his determination to fol- 
 low him wherever he went; and it was to this 
 scribe that the Saviour made the reply re- 
 specting his own poverty; "The foxes have 
 holes, and the birds of the air have nests; 
 but the Son of man hath not where to lay his 
 head." It was at this time, also, that, when 
 he requested one who professed to be a disci- 
 ple to go with him, the latter begged permis- 
 sion to go first and bury his father. We are 
 not told that either of them ever beeame his 
 hearty followers. The Saviour wishes for 
 disciples who are ready to do what he requires, 
 without hesitation, and without reserve. 
 
 A boat being made ready for crossing the 
 little Galilean sea, the Saviour and his disci- 
 ples entered it, and proceeded on their jour- 
 ney. The boat was a large one, and would 
 hold quite a number of passengers. They 
 were also accompanied by many of the crowd 
 in a number of smaller boats. 
 
 This sea or lake of Galilee, on which our 
 
 Saviour now was, is formed as follows. The 
 
 river Jordan, rising in Mount Lebanon in 
 
 Syria, and passing through a very small lake 
 
 9* 
 
102 TRAVELS OF 
 
 called lake Meron, at the distance of about 
 sixty or seventy miles from its source, falls 
 into the lake or sea of Galilee. This is six- 
 teen miles long, and has an average breadth, 
 from east to west, of about six miles. Its 
 outlet is a continuation of the river Jordan, 
 which, after running perhaps seventy or eighty 
 miles farther, flows into the Dead Sea. 
 
 I have already informed you that it was 
 nearly night, when our Saviour concluded 
 to take passage across the sea. By the time 
 they were fairly out in the middle of the water, 
 it was probably dark. Exhausted by the labors 
 of the day,- — for so much speaking, especially 
 to a great multitude, is very fatiguing indeed, 
 — our Saviour procured a pillow and reclined 
 at the hinder part of the boat, where he soon 
 fell asleep. 
 
 Small as this little inland sea of Galilee is, 
 it is sometimes quite rough. It was becom- 
 ing so now, though calm, perhaps, when they 
 started. It grew more and more rough, every 
 moment. Finally it blew quite a tempest. 
 In vain did they wish themselves across; 
 they were still at a considerable distance from 
 the shore. The darkness, too, in all probabil- 
 ity, was very great. 
 
OUR SAVIOUR, 103 
 
 The storm became at length so violent, that 
 the very boatmen were alarmed for their safe- 
 ty. The waves beat at times completely over 
 their little bark, and were fast filling it. 
 Wondering, no doubt, that the Saviour could 
 sleep at such a time and in- danger so immi- 
 nent, and supposing, perhaps, that he could 
 do something, either miraculously or other- 
 wise, to rescue them from their peril, they 
 awoke him, gently reproaching him, at the 
 same time, as if he were sleeping on regard- 
 less of their danger. " Carest thou not, 
 Master," they said, (( that we perish? Lord, 
 save us?" 
 
 The only reply he made to their reproaches 
 was, fc Why are ye so fearful? Where is 
 your faith?" There was indeed, to all human 
 appearance, great danger. Not so, however, 
 in reality. He who holds the winds in his 
 grasp could still the little sea of Galilee in a 
 moment, when the time should come for him 
 to put forth his almighty power. 
 
 Man's extremity has sometimes been said 
 to be God's opportunity. Whether the say- 
 ing is correct or not, as a general rule, it was 
 certainly so in the present instance. Not 
 only the boatmen but the apostles also, seve- 
 
104 TRAVELS OF 
 
 ral of whom had been bred to the sea, were 
 almost in despair. One raj of hope, indeed, 
 remained. This was in the assistance of the 
 Saviour. 
 
 The time for him to interpose had at length 
 arrived. " Peace, be still!" said he; but 
 that was all. No more was said or needed. In 
 an instant the wind was hushed; the agitation 
 of the waters began to subside, and, in a little 
 while, there was a perfect calm. 
 
 This was astonishing to them all; but es- 
 pecially to the boatmen. They were greatly 
 amazed, and scarcely knew what to think of 
 it. "What manner of man is this," they 
 said, "that he commandeth even the winds 
 and the sea, and they obey him!" 
 
 The storm and the danger over, and the 
 darkness somewhat diminished, they found 
 no difficulty in effecting a landing on the 
 eastern shore of the sea, whither they were 
 bound. They were now in the country of 
 the Gadarenes and Gergesenes; being part of 
 a tract of land which fell to the. lot of half the 
 tribe of Manasseh, and which was sometimes 
 called Trachonitis. 
 
 The Saviour, though he had escaped from 
 one multitude, was not destined to be long 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 105 
 
 alone. No sooner was it day,* and he was 
 fairly on shore, than he was met by two men 
 possessed by demons, coming out of the sep- 
 ulchres, which were, as it is conjectured, in 
 a burying-place, near the city, and appear- 
 ing so fierce as to frighten every one whom 
 they approached. One of them, as it appears, 
 was a great deal worse than the others. So 
 perfectly unmanageable was he, that even 
 fetters and chains could not be made to hold 
 him. He wore no clothes, nor would he dwell 
 in any house, by night or by day. The moun- 
 tains or the sepulchres were his favorite places 
 of resort; but even there he was never quiet 
 a moment; and if he had nothing else to do, 
 he was continually torturing himself by cut- 
 ting or lacerating his flesh with sharp stones. 
 These two men, thus afflicted, the Saviour 
 was called to encounter. They were not 
 long troublesome, however. They were soon 
 dispossessed. The evil spirits which harassed 
 them, especially one of them, were driven 
 
 * The evangelist does not say it was now day, neither are we 
 told that it was quite dark when they crossed the sea. I have 
 in this respect, and for once, given the reins to my own imagina- 
 tion. What I have imagined, however, seems to me quite prob- 
 able, if not almost certain. N 
 
106 TRAVELS OF 
 
 out; and suffered to occupy the bodies of a 
 herd of two hundred swine near by, the story 
 of which, in the fifth chapter of Mark, you 
 have all doubtless read, and to which I must 
 refer you for particulars. The people of that 
 region — the Gadarenes — were excessively 
 frightened when the news of the miracle was 
 spread among them, and they came together 
 almost in a mass, and begged him to leave the 
 country. 
 
 I say they were all frightened; but there 
 was one exception. The man who had been 
 so sadly afflicted, and whom Jesus had so 
 wonderfully restored, was exceedingly delight- 
 ed with the change in his condition, and asked 
 permission of the Saviour to remain with him, 
 but it was not thought expedient. On the 
 contrary, Jesus sent him back to his house 
 and friends. The man, however, could not be 
 satisfied with this. He was determined to do 
 something; and accordingly began to travel 
 up and down the country and relate the story 
 of the w r onderful cure which had been wrought 
 on him. He not only spread the strange in- 
 telligence through his native city, Gadara, 
 but also through a group of ten cities, lying 
 near the southern extremity of the sea of Gal- 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 107 
 
 ilee, and called by the general name of De- 
 capolis. 
 
 The Saviour did not remain long in the 
 region of Gadara, but complied at once with 
 the request of the people, that he would leave 
 them. A boat was at hand, and, entering it, 
 he soon found himself in his own city, Caper- 
 naum. 
 
 Here, as soon as he landed, he was again 
 thronged. Multitudes, as it seems, had never 
 yet returned home since his departure; and 
 other multitudes had collected, to hear him 
 and witness his miracles. Jesus, however, 
 left them for a short time, to attend a feast at 
 the house of Matthew, one of his apostles; 
 for Matthew had invited not only his fellow- 
 apostles, but also, as a matter of course, his 
 Lord and Master. 
 
 While they were at dinner, a great number 
 of publicans also came in and sat down, hav- 
 ing probably been invited by Matthew, as his 
 old friends and associates in the office of tax- 
 gathering. As these publicans had the repu- 
 tation of being bad men — and as some of them, 
 no doubt, were, for they are often called sin- 
 ners, or are at least closely associated with 
 them in the New Testament — the Scribes and 
 
10S TRAVELS OF 
 
 Pharisees, ever on the watch, made a great 
 complaint to the apostles against the Saviour's 
 conduct. How is it, said they, that he eat- 
 eth and drinketh with publicans and sinners! 
 
 To these complaints, which the Saviour 
 overheard, he made a long but patient reply, 
 explaining the reason of his conduct, and en- 
 deavoring to show the complainants that it 
 was sinners whom he came into the world to 
 save; that good men, if there were any such, 
 were not in perishing need of his instructions. 
 
 While he was continuing his discourse at 
 Matthew's table, and the crowd, as I suppose, 
 at the door, waiting for him to come out, Jair- 
 us, a ruler of the synagogue at Capernaum, 
 came in, and begged the Saviour to go with 
 him to his house, and see his daughter, about 
 twelve years of age, who appeared to be dy- 
 ing. Jesus complied at once with his request, 
 and, accompanied by his apostles, as well as 
 followed by a numerous crowd of people, he 
 proceeded towards Jairus's house. 
 
 As he was going along, however, surround- 
 ed and hardly pressed by the multitudej a 
 poor woman, who had been afflicted with a 
 troublesome disease for twelve years, which 
 none of the physicians of that region could cure, 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 109 
 
 though she had spent all her property on them 
 and their medicine, believing that if she could 
 but get to the Saviour and touch his clothes 
 she should recover, found means to effect an 
 opening through the dense crowd, and just 
 to touch the border of his outside garment; 
 when the event which she expected, actually 
 happened. In an instant the hemorrhage or 
 flux, with which she had been so long afflicted, 
 wholly ceased, and she felt perfectly well. 
 
 Though the Saviour did not see her, he 
 knew, of course, what had happened; and 
 willing to exhibit the poor woman's faith as 
 an example to the spectators, he turned round 
 and inquired who touched his clothes, — to 
 which Peter replied — not knowing, perhaps, 
 what had actually taken place — that it was 
 only the multitude as they crowded along that 
 happened to hit him; seeming not a little sur- 
 prised that the Saviour should notice so par- 
 ticularly what must be happening almost every 
 moment. But Jesus, not satisfied with the 
 reply, continued his search, and directing 
 his eye at length to the woman herself, she 
 came up to him, and confessed what she had 
 done, and gave, in full, the reason why she had 
 taken so much liberty. S( Daughter," said the 
 10 
 
110 TRAVELS OF 
 
 Saviour, before them all, "be of good comfort; 
 thy faith hath made thee whole ; go in peace and 
 be whole of thy plague." 
 
 All this, and the pressure of the crowd, 
 caused delay, and in the mean time the daugh- 
 ter of Jairus had expired. Some of the peo- 
 ple of the house, coming out, observed that it 
 was unnecessary to trouble the Saviour any 
 farther, as the young woman was dead. But 
 Jesus, who heard it, encouraged Jairus not to 
 lose his faith; and they proceeded together to 
 the house. 
 
 When they arrived, Jesus went immediately 
 in, but suffered nobody to go in with him, 
 except Peter, James and John, and the parents. 
 There were, indeed, many persons already in 
 the house, among whom were the near rela- 
 tives of the deceased, and the customary 
 musicians.* But these were soon directed to 
 
 * Not only the Jews, but many other nations, made use of mu- 
 sic, either vocal or instrumental, or both, on occasions like this. 
 The musicians— minstrels they are often called in the Bible — 
 were, I believe , usually hired. Several kinds of instruments were 
 used, but the flute was among the more common at the death of 
 children. The object was to soothe the feelings of the mourners, 
 and prevent their grief from becoming excessive. A worthy ob- 
 ject, whenever there is need of it: but it is seldom,! believe, 
 in our day that it is so. God calls us to grieve, at the death of 
 friends ; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made 
 better. 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. Ill 
 
 go out, except the persons whom I have just 
 mentioned; that is, just enough for witnesses. 
 With these witnesses he entered the room 
 where the dead body lay, and taking hold of 
 one of the hands of the deceased woman, bade 
 her arise. In an instant she revived, rose up, 
 and walked; and was able to receive suste- 
 nance. 
 
 Notwithstanding the faith of the father in 
 the Saviour's power to heal the sick, it does 
 not appear that he had the least idea, when he 
 first went in pursuit of him, that he could 
 raise the dead; for if so, why should he have 
 been greatly astonished, as the evangelist says 
 both he and his wife were? And yet, one 
 would think he must have heard of the miracle 
 at Nain. 
 
 Be this, however, as it may, they were 
 almost overjoyed at what had happened, and 
 though Jesus, with his usual modesty, asked 
 them to conceal the event, they could not de- 
 ny themselves the pleasure of relating it, 
 wherever they were, till it was spread abroad 
 through all the country. 
 
 Jesus now left the house of Jairus, to go, 
 as I suppose, to his own lodgings. As he 
 went along, he was not only followed by a 
 
112 TRAVELS OF 
 
 crowd as usual, but he was particularly beset 
 by two blind men, crying out to him, and 
 saying, " Son of David, have mercy on us." 
 
 When he was come into the house to which 
 he was going, the blind men followed him in, 
 and Jesus made inquiries of them respecting 
 their faith. He asked them, especially, if 
 they fully believed he was able to grant the 
 favor which they asked; and finding they did 
 so, he proceeded to grant it. 
 
 And what was the process? Nothing more, 
 to be sure, than simply to touch their eyes, 
 and say, " According to your faith, be it done 
 unto you." As soon as these words were 
 uttered, their sight was restored to them, and 
 they went forth, proclaiming to the world the 
 miracle. 
 
 A man was next brought to him, who was 
 not only possessed by an evil spirit, but was 
 dumb. A word only from the Saviour was 
 necessary; for in an instant his speech came 
 to him, and he was completely rescued and 
 restored. This miracle, as was usually the 
 case in these circumstances, excited the 
 amazement of people generally, though it 
 roused the opposition of the Scribes and Phar- 
 isees. The latter charged him with casting 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 113 
 
 out the demons or devils, by the assistance of 
 Beelzebub, the prince of the devils. 
 
 The Bible says, in the fifty-third chapter of 
 Isaiah, that the Saviour was a man of sorrows 
 and acquainted with grief; and who that reads 
 over his history, does not perceive, that if 
 severe, and long continued labors, many cares, 
 and meeting with perpetual hatred and oppo- 
 sition tend to make a person sorrowful, Jesus 
 must have been a man of sorrows indeed. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 The Saviour goes to Nazareth — Boldly teaches in the Synagogues 
 — Goes through other parts — The apostles are to be sent out as 
 missionaries— The Saviour's instructions and directions — They 
 go forth — Jesus follows them at a distance— Death of John the 
 Baptist — The apostles return from their mission. 
 
 Jesus now left Capernaum and proceeding 
 
 westward, came to Nazareth, his native city. 
 
 In this tour, as in most others, v/hich had 
 
 hitherto been made, the apostles accompanied 
 
 him. Whether he expected the people of 
 
 Nazareth had forgotten their rage against 
 
 him, or whether he was determined to brave 
 
 the storm again, if it became necessary, is 
 
 difficult for us to conjecture. 
 
 10* 
 
114 TRAVELS OF 
 
 When the Sabbath had arrived, he again 
 entered boldly into the synagogue, and when 
 an opportunity offered, he did not hesitate to 
 teach those who were present. They were 
 astonished at the wisdom which he manifested, 
 and at his mighty power. "Is not this the 
 carpenter's son?" they said. "Is not his moth- 
 er called Mary ? and his brethren James, and 
 Joses, and Simon and Judas? And his sis- 
 ters, are they not all here with us? Whence, 
 then, hath this man all these things?" 
 
 So perplexed were the multitude at Naza- 
 reth, to reconcile such wisdom and power 
 with so humble an origin, that they derived 
 very little benefit from his public instructions 
 or his miracles. As to the latter, he only 
 performed a very few while in Nazareth at 
 this time; partly because they had no confi- 
 dence in him, but partly also, as I suppose, be- 
 cause Nazareth and its immediate vicinity 
 were in general uncommonly healthy. 
 
 When Jesus found he could do but little in 
 Nazareth, on account of their unbelief and 
 the consequent stupidity which prevailed there, 
 he left the place, and commenced another tour 
 through the province. The Bible account of 
 this tour, though it must have been one of 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 115 
 
 many months, is in few words. It is as fol- 
 lows. 
 
 "And he went round about the cities and 
 villages, teaching in their synagogues, and 
 preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and 
 healing every sickness, and every disease 
 among the people." 
 
 How short an account of the travels of our 
 Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and his twelve 
 apostles — and a nobler band of men, of the 
 same number, never lived or walked — through 
 a country embracing millions of inhabitants, 
 and hundreds of cities! Why, such a mission- 
 ary tour, by thirteen missionaries, on foot, 
 and extending through a period of several 
 months — their adventures, conversations, lec- 
 turing, preaching, cures of the sick, and their 
 other miracles — would embrace more of inter- 
 est than a dozen of some of our modern books 
 of travel. Yet the whole is comprised within 
 the short space of three or four lines! 
 
 There is, however, an item or two more 
 recorded — not of the journey, but in relation 
 to certain reflections which the journey served 
 to elicit, in the Saviour's mind. He saw the 
 multitudes following him about, and excited 
 by his native compassion at their needy, per- 
 
116 TRAVELS OF 
 
 ishing condition, scattered abroad as sheep 
 without a shepherd, he set himself to devise 
 means for their relief. 
 
 The first means to which his mind turned — 
 that which should always be attended to first, 
 when any great work is to be accomplished, 
 or any great want to be provided for — was 
 prayer. In this he expects his apostles at 
 once to engage. " The harvest truly is plen- 
 teous," said he, "but the laborers are few. 
 Pray ye, therefore, the Lord of the harvest 
 that he will send forth laborers into his har- 
 vest." 
 
 But though the work was to be commenced 
 with prayer, it did not end with it. Prayer 
 should be accompanied by effort. Jesus now 
 began to develop the rest of his plan — the 
 means he had selected for accomplishing his 
 purposes. It was to send out his apostles, 
 two by two, on separate missionary excursions 
 through all parts of the country. They had 
 been long enough with him, by this time, to 
 know something of his purposes, to learn 
 something of his manner of teaching, and to 
 imbibe much of his spirit. 
 
 So calling them together, he proceeded to 
 prepare them for the mission. The first part 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 117 
 
 of this preparation was to empower them to 
 work miracles; to cast out evil or unclean 
 spirits, cure diseases, &c. The second was 
 to give them particular instructions where to 
 go, how to proceed, and what to teach. The 
 third was to give directions in regard to their 
 support. 
 
 They were allowed and required to go into 
 the various cities of Israel, that is, as some 
 understand it, into the provinces of Galilee 
 and Judea; but they were not allowed to go 
 among the Samaritans, or into Syria, Idumea, 
 Arabia and other adjoining countries — whose 
 inhabitants were called Gentiles; for, though 
 Christ had in one instance condescended to 
 teach the Samaritans, and in many instances 
 to cure the Gentiles, the set time to favor 
 either the Samaritan or the Gentile world in 
 any considerable degree, had not yet arrived. 
 
 It is supposed by some, as I have already 
 observed, that they were permitted to go any 
 where in Judea or Galilee; but I am strong- 
 ly inclined to believe that whatever might 
 have been the intention of the Saviour re- 
 specting them, they did not actually go out 
 of Galilee, but spent their time in that prov- 
 ince. 
 
118 T RAVE L S OF 
 
 The slender preparation, in another respect, 
 they were required to make, is surprising. 
 They were to go forth without provision, and 
 to have none provided beforehand at the pub- 
 lic houses or cities through which they were 
 to pass. Neither were they to take any mon- 
 ey with them to pay their expenses; nor but 
 one suit of clothes. They were to depend, 
 almost solely, on the charity — justice rather — 
 of the people among whom they traveled. 
 " The workman," said the Saviour, " is worthy 
 of his meat." Nor do they seem to have 
 been allowed to carry or use any weapons of 
 offence or defence. They were to be wise as 
 serpents and harmless as doves; but they 
 would not have appeared very dove-like, had 
 they been armed with swords or other war- 
 like weapons. 
 
 But the particular instructions which were 
 given them, though curious and interesting, 
 are too numerous to be mentioned here. 
 Suffice it to say, that they went out and fol- 
 lowed, to the best of their ability, the Sa- 
 viour's directions, preaching every where the 
 glad tidings of the kingdom of God, and urg- 
 ing people, by repentance and faith in Christ, 
 - — who was to follow them — to enter it. 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 119 
 
 When the twelve were gone forth, Jesus 
 followed them at a distance, preaching, teach- 
 ing and healing in the cities of Galilee — prob- 
 ably in the very cities which the apostles had 
 just passed through before him. Thus would 
 they prepare the way for his coming, and open 
 a door, humanly speaking, for his success. 
 
 It was, probably, while Jesus was on this 
 tour that he heard of the death of John the 
 Baptist. He had long before been impris- 
 oned, as I have already told you. Finally, 
 however, at the order of Herod he had been 
 wickedly beheaded. His head had been taken 
 away; but his body was left to his disciples, 
 who buried it and then went into Galilee and 
 informed Jesus what had happened. 
 
 After some time had elapsed, the apostles 
 returned from their mission and gave to the 
 Saviour a full account of their teaching, 
 preaching and working miracles; and, as far 
 as they knew what it was, of their success. 
 It must have been an interesting and joyful 
 meeting. 
 
120 TRAVELS OF 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Jesus is still oppressed by the crowd — Leaves them, and crosses 
 the sea to a desert near Bethsaida— Is followed — His instruc- 
 tions — the people hungry — Jesus feeds them miraculously — 
 They attempt to make him a king — To avoid this he resolves 
 to return to Capernaum. 
 
 The news of what Jesus and his apostles 
 were doing reached Herod about this time, 
 and he was quite anxious to know more about 
 them. He was particularly anxious to see 
 the Saviour. Of this anxiety Jesus had re- 
 ceived information about the time of the re- 
 turn of the apostles. On this account, but still 
 more, perhaps, on account of the crowd, and 
 to give the apostles a little while to rest, he 
 proposed to them to retire from the public 
 gaze and from the public persecution, too, to 
 a wild, unfrequented place, or, as it was then 
 called, a desert; and to this they cheerfully 
 assented. 
 
 But whither could they go to escape the 
 multitude ? Entering a boat, they crossed 
 the sea of Galilee, and proceeded to a desert 
 which lay near the city of Bethsaida. Now 
 Bethsaida, though on the east side of the sea, 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 121 
 
 was just at the north end of it, and it was 
 very little farther from Capernaum to that 
 place by land than it was by water. 
 
 Jesus and his disciples, though they were 
 easily separated from the crowd by getting into 
 a boat, were not separated from them any con- 
 siderable time. Observing the direction of the 
 boat, and judging, perhaps, that he would stop 
 at Bethsaida, or near it, the multitude followed 
 him by land around the north end of the sea. 
 It was four miles to Bethsaida by water, and 
 it may have been about five by land, certainly 
 not more. It was not difficult, therefore, if 
 they made great haste to get there before the 
 boat, which, as we are informed, they actually 
 did. 
 
 Jesus always full of compassion, could not 
 but be greatly moved at the anxiety of the 
 multitudes to see and hear him. He had not 
 the heart, therefore, to order them away from 
 his presence, or to escape miraculously, or 
 by further flight. Accordingly he consented 
 to instruct them a little longer. 
 
 In order to do this, however, with most ef- 
 fect, he went up to the top of a hill or moun- 
 tain, and there with his disciples sat down, 
 while the multitudes again gathered round 
 11 
 
122 TRAVELS OF 
 
 them. It was, indeed, a pleasant season for 
 instruction out of doors, or under the trees, 
 as it was probably late in March; and the 
 spring in that region is at this time very far 
 advanced. Here he continued his instruc- 
 tions till it was nearly night. 
 
 When the day drew to a close, the apostles 
 reminded the Saviour that as there was nei- 
 ther provision nor lodging there for the mul- 
 titudes, it might be well to dismiss them, and 
 let them go either to their home, or to some 
 other place where they could be accommo- 
 dated. 
 
 But the people were already hungry, and 
 Jesus, who knew all things, perfectly under- 
 stood it, and forthwith began to contrive for 
 their relief. Turning to Philip, he asked him 
 in what way bread could be procured. Philip 
 observed that it would take at least two hun- 
 dred pence worth to give them all but a mor- 
 sel, as it were, apiece. 
 
 Reader, have you ever thought what a multi- 
 tude this must have been, from the fact here 
 mentioned in regard to the bread ? A penny was 
 equal to about fourteen cents; therefore two 
 hundred pence would be twenty-eight dollars. 
 Now if money was worth, at that time, about 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 123 
 
 ten times as much as it now is, or, in other 
 words, would buy about ten times as much — 
 which I consider as very probable, and if 
 bread is reckoned at four cents a pound, then 
 twenty-eight dollars would buy about seven 
 thousand pounds of bread. Yet this bread, 
 could it have been obtained and divided among 
 the many thousand persons present — for there 
 were five thousand men, besides the women 
 and children — would, in all probability, have 
 given no more than a good substantial meal to 
 each. But the two hundred pence were not 
 to be employed for this purpose, even if Ju- 
 das, the treasurer, had so much money in his 
 hands, and if so much bread were to be had. 
 A miracle had been resolved on by the Sa- 
 viour, and a miracle was actually accom- 
 plished. 
 
 He first assured Philip that it was unnec- 
 essary for the people to go away without their 
 supper, and requested him to make immediate 
 provision to supply them. Philip, not at once 
 comprehending his meaning, wished to know 
 how it was to be done. " Shall we go and 
 buy two hundred pennyworth of bread for 
 them?" he now inquired. Jesus asked how 
 much provision there was in the company. 
 
124 TRAVELS OF 
 
 Andrew replied, saying that there was a lad 
 present who had five barley loaves and two 
 small fishes; " but what are they," said he, 
 " among so many?"* 
 
 Jesus commanded them to be brought to 
 him. Then causing the whole multitude to 
 be formed into rows, some by fifty in a row, 
 and some an hundred, he required them to sit 
 down on the grass, and receive what should 
 be distributed to them. When they were 
 set down, he asked the blessing of heaven 
 upon the loaves and fishes, and then, having 
 broken up the loaves, he directed his apostles 
 to distribute them among the multitude. 
 
 While he was breaking the bread, or while 
 they were distributing it — for we know not, of 
 course, precisely when it was done — the Sa- 
 viour, by his miraculous power, had so in- 
 creased its quantity, that, instead of being a 
 scanty supply for them, it fed the whole mul- 
 titude, in the most liberal manner, and they 
 even had some of it left. Some, did I say? 
 They had more left, in fact — much more — than 
 
 * A twenty-fifth part of an ounce, perhaps, to each — the wo- 
 men and children not included ! A morsel as large as a good 
 sized pea, or if there were as many women and children as men, 
 not more than half as much. 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 125 
 
 they had when they began the meal; for, in- 
 stead of five loaves, they had twelve baskets 
 full of fragments of the bread and of the fish. 
 Of course, we do not know the size of these 
 baskets; but we know that any ordinary bas- 
 kets used to collect fragments of bread and 
 other food would hold more than a loaf of 
 bread each; and yet there were many more 
 baskets than loaves. 
 
 A trouble now arose. Some of those who 
 had witnessed the miracle of the loaves and 
 fishes, being assured that Jesus was the great 
 Messiah, who had so long been expected to 
 come and deliver and rule the Jewish nation, 
 were for laying hold of him and compelling 
 him to be their king, whether he was willing 
 to be so or not. Jesus, on the contrary, was 
 determined to avoid such a result to the ut- 
 most. The best way to do this, humanly 
 speaking, was to return to Capernaum. 
 
 Before he returned, however, he wished to 
 send the multitude away. So he requested 
 his apostles to get into a boat and cross the 
 creek or bay which separated the desert in 
 which he now was, from the city of Bethsaida, 
 at which place he would join them. The 
 apostles therefore proceeded to do as they 
 were commanded. 11* 
 
126 TRAVELS OF 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 Jesus on the mountain at prayer — The apostles driven out to sea 
 — Jesus walks to them on the water— Peter attempts to come 
 to him — The consequences. 
 
 When the apostles were gone and the mul- 
 titude had retired, and the shades of night 
 had begun to appear, Jesus, as was his cus- 
 tom, retired a little way to a hill or mountain 
 for prayer; where, as it afterwards appears, 
 he must have spent several hours, or, as some 
 suppose, the greater part of the night. 
 
 But where were the apostles all this time? 
 Had they anchored their boat at Bethsaida, 
 and were they waiting for him there? It 
 seems, on the contrary, that in attempting to 
 get over the small body of water which lay 
 between the desert where the miracle was 
 wrought and the city, they had been driven 
 out to sea by a contrary wind, and that, instead 
 of getting towards Bethsaida, they were now 
 being driven towards Capernaum on the oppo- 
 site side of the sea. This must have been a 
 great trial to them, as Jesus was not with 
 them, and they probably knew not where he 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 127 
 
 was. True the distance by land was not 
 great, and he could walk thither; but as he 
 was expected to overtake them at Bethsaida, 
 they probably concluded he might be at that 
 place, all this while, waiting for them. 
 
 However great their anxiety may have been 
 to reach the port of Bethsaida, it was not 
 possible; for they were already in the very 
 middle of the sea: the wind also was against 
 them; and the sea, for so small a body of 
 water, was very tempestuous. 
 
 Those who have never been in similar cir- 
 cumstances can have but a faint idea of the 
 trials of poor seamen, when encountering ad- 
 verse winds, and driven away from the very 
 port to which they are bound, and which per- 
 haps was just before in sight. But in the case 
 of the apostles, their greatest trial was on ac- 
 count of the Saviour. Had he been in the 
 boat, they would willingly have yielded them- 
 selves to the wind which would have at once 
 wafted them home to Capernaum. 
 
 Jesus, who knew all things and events, 
 knew very well, though it was dark, what were 
 the circumstances and feelings of his compan- 
 ions. Perhaps he intended to delay coming 
 to them; and, by means of his miraculous 
 
128 TRAVELS OF 
 
 power, to put their faith in him to a severer 
 trial than it ever had been before. Whatever 
 may have been his intention, they certainly 
 were sorely tried. 
 
 As I have already said, in spite of all their 
 efforts, they were, by this time, in the middle 
 of the sea, two or three miles from land. It 
 seems also to have been quite late in the night. 
 And yet, faithful to the interests of their Mas- 
 ter, and desirous of reaching Bethsaida if 
 possible, they were still rowing against the 
 wind, and trying to reach the port. 
 
 In this time of distress, somebody approach- 
 ed them, walking on the very surface of the 
 water. This was a new sight to them. Who 
 could it be? Was it some celestial messen- 
 ger sent forth for their relief, or to bring them 
 intelligence? They do not appear to have 
 thought at the time, that it could possibly be 
 the Saviour. "It is a spirit," was the gene- 
 ral cry: and some of them were frightened 
 exceedingly. 
 
 But their fears were destined soon to sub- 
 side. It was Jesus! He spake to them in 
 his gentlest manner, and told them it was he, 
 and they might be quiet and take courage. 
 The individual was now come to them, who 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 129 
 
 could command both the wind and the waves, 
 as he had given abundant proof, on a former 
 occasion. 
 
 As they knew his voice, their fears began 
 to subside, and the warm-hearted Peter, al- 
 ways foremost in every thing which required a 
 little extraordinary boldness or bravery, and 
 to show forth, perhaps, his faith, proposed to 
 come and meet Jesus on the water. One can- 
 not help thinking that another motive had 
 weight with Peter at this time — the desire of 
 doing what Jesus was doing, or perhaps the 
 desire of doing something a little extraordi- 
 nary; something which every one could not 
 do. Whatever his motives may have been, 
 however, his request was granted; and he 
 stepped forth at once upon the troubled sea. 
 It sustained him; and for a moment he went 
 forward to meet his Saviour. 
 
 But he had not proceeded far, before the 
 roughness of the water and the violence of 
 the wind began to alarm him, and he found 
 himself sinking. It was a perilous moment 
 to him; a little help from the Saviour, or he 
 was lost. In the agony of his soul, he cried, 
 Lord, save me! 
 
130 TRAVELS OF 
 
 We have no evidence that any individual, 
 in any circumstances whatever, who believed 
 himself in danger as to body or soul, and 
 cried mightily to Jesus, as Peter did, for 
 relief, was ever neglected. But however this 
 may be, the cry of Peter was not vain. Jesus, 
 who by this time was near him, had but to 
 stretch out his hand and take hold of Peter's, 
 and he was safe; and the water became as 
 solid to him as it was to his divine Master. 
 
 Jesus, after gently reproaching him for his 
 want of perseverance and faith, accompanied 
 him into the boat, to the great joy, no doubt, 
 of the rest of the apostles and of the crew. 
 They had now nothing to do but to yield 
 themselves to the wind and guide the boat a 
 little, and they were soon on a landing place 
 near Capernaum. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Jesus and his apostles land at Capernaum — Are followed by the 
 multitude — The Saviour's instructions — His great plainness — 
 Some leave him — Close questions to professed believers. 
 
 As it was probably now daylight, it was 
 impossible to conceal their arrival. No sooner 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 131 
 
 were they on shore, therefore, than they began 
 to have a crowd about them as usual — some 
 to hear him, some to see a miracle, if by 
 chance he should perform any; some to bring 
 their sick, and some to be cured themselves. 
 
 One cannot help wondering at the patience 
 of the Saviour in these circumstances. Go 
 where he might, as every reader may easily 
 perceive, there was no getting away from the 
 people, except by miracle, hardly long enough 
 to eat or sleep. Does the Saviour fret him- 
 self on this account? Never; so far as we 
 know. It is true he used every human means 
 of evading the crowd, especially at times, 
 but then he never complains. He teaches 
 and preaches and heals, as fast as he can; 
 and he perseveres in so doing. This was the 
 life to which, in leaving the bosom of his 
 Father and descending to this lower world, 
 he had devoted himself. He came not to be 
 ministered unto, but to minister, that is to 
 serve. He came not to please himself, nor 
 to be pleased; but to please others, or at least 
 to do good to others. He was ready at all 
 times, and in all circumstances, to give up 
 self and selfish feelings — every thing, in short, 
 which could advance his own happiness, in 
 
132 TRAVELS OF 
 
 any form whatever, for the good of others. 
 He was willing even to die for others, should 
 it become necessary, as the event fully proved. 
 
 Will a person whose object is to " spend 
 himself and be spent" in the service of others, 
 be found complaining of a little fatigue or 
 vexation? Will he not, on the contrary, be 
 willing to toil on, as long as he has strength, 
 and be content to wear himself out in that 
 toil? Will he shrink from the discharge of 
 labors and duties the most arduous and severe ? 
 
 And may not mankind — those of us who 
 profess to be the Saviour's followers — learn 
 an important lesson from his remarkable ex- 
 ample? Are we not universally inclined to 
 be selfish — to seek to gratify ourselves rather 
 than yield any thing which might make us 
 comfortable for the good of others? Are we 
 not more willing to be "ministered unto" 
 than to i( minister" — to be served than to serve. 
 In short, are we not, in every respect, the 
 very contrary, in our character — I mean as 
 we are naturally inclined — to Jesus Christ? 
 It seems to me that this is, or should be, one 
 of the tests of Christian character. In pro- 
 portion as we are like Christ, we shall give 
 up our own native selfishness, and live for 
 the good of others. Is it not so? 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 133 
 
 Yet how can we be regarded as the follow- 
 ers of Christ, unless we are like him? Can 
 we follow him, and yet not follow him? Can 
 we be like him, and yet be exactly unlike 
 him? Can we at one and the same time 
 make it the great business of our lives to 
 please ourselves, and to please or to do good 
 to others? Are the two things possible? 
 
 What then is to be done ? No one suppo- 
 ses we are called to please others, to do good 
 to them, or to serve them in the same way, 
 exactly, as our Saviour did. We are in dif- 
 ferent circumstances, from those in which he 
 was placed, and sustain different relations. 
 This, however, does not alter the case, as to 
 principle. But the same spirit which attracted 
 him— the disposition to live for others, instead 
 of living for ourselves — must actuate us, and 
 influence all our movements, and constitute 
 the leading trait of our characters ; or, depend 
 upon it, reader, whatever we may think, or 
 whatever we may flatter ourselves to the con- 
 trary, we cannot be his, here or hereafter. 
 
 But to return to our Saviour's travels. As 
 
 the boat which the apostles had entered on 
 
 the eastern side of the sea, was the only boat 
 
 which the multitude whom Jesus sent away 
 
 12 
 
134 TRAVEL S O F 
 
 had seen about there, and as they knew the 
 Saviour did not get into that which his apos- 
 tles entered, many of them, though upon his 
 dismissing them they had retired a little way, 
 returned to the spot the next morning, hoping 
 to find him still there, or somewhere in the 
 neighborhood. 
 
 But when they had reason to believe he 
 had gone back to the western side of the sea, 
 they took the first opportunity of either com- 
 ing around or of crossing over to him. When 
 they arrived, they asked him how he came 
 there — (C Rabbi, when earnest thou hither?" 
 Jesus replied by charging them with that sel- 
 fishness, of which I have just been speaking. 
 (e Ye seek me, not because ye saw the mira- 
 cles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, 
 and were filled." 
 
 Here he went into a long course of instruc- 
 tion and reproof.* He endeavored to divest 
 
 * I have said instruction and reproof; but the truth is, after all, 
 that all instruction of a moral kind, if received at all, is apt to be 
 regarded as reproof. It is humiliating to proud man to be in- 
 structed j and he is apt to regard moral instruction as a sort of 
 reproach of his ignorance. We should therefore endeavor to be 
 as gentle as possible in our instructions, and to assume as little 
 as possible the appearance of superiority. We can seldom assume 
 the tone of our Saviour, even were it prudent or best, for we have 
 not his authority. 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 135 
 
 them of their low, narrow, selfish views; to 
 show them his own true character; and to 
 enforce his claims as their prophet, priest, 
 and king, and to demand their farther love 
 and confidence. This conversation is one of 
 the most interesting in the whole record of 
 his life. 
 
 It does not seem, however, to have been 
 satisfactory. It was too spiritual for them. 
 He told them that except they ate his flesh 
 and drank his blood, they could not have a 
 particle of spiritual life in their souls; and 
 that he was the flesh or bread which they 
 must eat — the bread which came down from 
 heaven. Sometimes their dissatisfaction with 
 his conversation broke out into open murmurs; 
 sometimes it was concealed or suppressed. 
 
 Strange as it may seem to us at this distant 
 day, his very disciples — not the twelve, but 
 others who followed him almost constantly — 
 some of them at least, could not understand 
 him. This is a hard saying, one would think 
 within himself; and another, perhaps, would 
 utter his sentiments aloud. It was for want 
 of spirituality, and Jesus plainly told them so, 
 and even expressed his belief, that some of 
 them — alluding, perhaps, more particularly to 
 Judas Iscariot — had no faith in him. 
 
136 TRAVELS OF 
 
 This was the sorest trial to which they had 
 ever, as yet, been subjected. In following 
 him about, they had gone through many diffi- 
 culties, and been tried, as they supposed, in 
 almost every way already. To have their 
 love or their confidence doubted, however, 
 was not so easy to brook. But Jesus was re- 
 solved to deal plainly with them, and if they 
 could not stand it, it was better, perhaps, that 
 they should leave him. One selfish man — one 
 Judas — in his company, was doubtless quite 
 enough. 
 
 This severe, searching process of our Sa- 
 viour had its intended effect. Some of those 
 whose consciences plead guilty to a want of 
 faith as well as of spirituality, to a want, in 
 short, of likeness to him — and who knew in 
 their own hearts that it was the loaves and 
 fishes they were after, rather than the bread 
 of heaven, now went away, and traveled no 
 more with him. 
 
 Jesus saw them departing, and in view of 
 the powerful influence of example, said to the 
 twelve apostles, "Will ye also go away?" 
 Simon Peter answered him, by saying, "Lord, 
 to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words 
 of eternal life. And we believe and are sure 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 137 
 
 that thou art that Christ, the son of the living 
 God." Have not I chosen you, the twelve, 
 said Jesus, and yet, notwithstanding this mark 
 of favor, is not one of you a very demon for 
 wickedness? He referred to Judas Iscariot, 
 whom he foresaw would be his betrayer and 
 murderer. 
 
 How many a time during my early youth, 
 as I have read the Scriptures of divine truth, 
 especially this striking account of the selfish 
 disciples leaving Jesus to return to him no 
 more, perhaps, till covered with confusion of 
 face they returned to say to him, in vain, 
 Lord, Lord, open unto us; — how many a time 
 I say, I have shuddered! Leave the Saviour, 
 I have said, when they had experienced kind- 
 ness, heard his most blessed instructions, and 
 seen his miracles! How could they do so? 
 
 But how little did I know, at that time, of 
 the nature of the human heart! How little 
 did I perceive its want of spirituality — nay, 
 my own want of it! How little did I see, 
 what was undoubtedly true, that my own dis- 
 position was the same with that of these very 
 Jews, at whose conduct I so much wondered! 
 
 And yet, I have not the slightest doubt, at 
 the present moment, that such was the fact. 
 12* 
 
138 TRAVELS OF 
 
 I was as destitute of spirituality as these apos- 
 tatizing Jews, and could have borne no better 
 his searching, sifting process. I thought, in- 
 deed, that I saw beauty in his character; and 
 so I did. But the moment the world, with its 
 pleasures and allurements, came in competi- 
 tion with my regard for the Saviour, the latter 
 was permitted — nay, required — to step aside. 
 
 Was I alone? Were there not others — 
 are there not now others — who are in the 
 same situation? Nay, are there not some of 
 the disciples of our Lord and Saviour — pro- 
 fessed disciples, I mean — who are in the same 
 condition? Suppose they were tried by the 
 severe tests which were presented by our Sa- 
 viour himself — would they stand the trial? 
 
 Suppose the Saviour — it is not irreverent 
 to make the supposition — were now to pass 
 through our New England cities and villages, 
 as he once did through the cities and villages 
 of Galilee, and for a similar purpose. Sup- 
 pose him to appear, not indeed precisely in 
 the same style of dress and with the same man- 
 ners as then, but in a style as plain and sim- 
 ple, in comparison with the fashions and re- 
 quirements of the present times, as he did 
 eighteen hundred years ago, in comparison 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 139 
 
 with the times, as they then were. Would 
 our young people, especially the gay and 
 fashionable young men and young women 
 who are just entering with interest into mat- 
 rimonial life, or engaging in business, or are 
 wholly devoted to amusements and pleasures 
 — would they be willing to hear his instruc- 
 tions? Would they be willing to be seen in 
 his company? Would curiosity, which is 
 always very strong — the desire to witness 
 his miracles — induce them to appear in his 
 train? But suppose he should go farther, and 
 call upon them by name, and request them to 
 follow him, is there a doubt that they would, 
 at once, make good their retreat? 
 
 Suppose he was even to call on some among 
 us who now profess to be friendly to him, and 
 request our constant attendance, would his 
 request be complied with? Should we dare 
 to be seen with him? Not that we should be 
 willing to make our objections, openly, against 
 his plainness of appearance, or confess our 
 own want of spirituality. But how many ex- 
 cuses would be made — business engagements, 
 poverty, our own families, the times, &c. 
 Suppose we were called to give up all for his 
 sake — houses, lands, merchandize, family, 
 
140 TRAVELS OF 
 
 yea, and life, if necessary — and go, as the 
 apostles of old did, and spend our whole time 
 in teaching, preaching, and working miracles; 
 ridiculed, persecuted, and murdered as they 
 were. Do you think we should do it? 
 
 I greatly fear that multitudes of those who 
 are called by the Christian name would be 
 too proud to be seen in the Saviour's compa- 
 ny; too selfish to share his poverty, and too 
 lazy to persevere as he did in doing good in 
 spite of opposition, especially when they had, 
 like him and his twelve apostles, — some of 
 them at least — -quiet and peaceful homes, and 
 happy families, to which they could retire. 
 
 But I must return from these digressions. 
 It was not far from this time that the Saviour 
 held a long conversation with the Pharisees 
 about washings, &c. The latter, as it appears 
 never allowed themselves to eat without first 
 washing their hands; and finding among the 
 vast multitudes of those who were called the 
 disciples of Christ a few that did not attend to 
 this ceremony, they made their complaint 
 about it to the Saviour. He took advantage 
 of the occasion to inculcate on them the im- 
 portance of internal cleanliness, or, in other 
 words, moral purity; and after many long dis- 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 141 
 
 courses with the Pharisees and with the peo- 
 ple in general, he gave private instructions 
 to the twelve on the same subject. It was 
 his custom to explain to the twelve, in private, 
 many things which were mysterious to the 
 multitude, and which perhaps it was not in- 
 tended they should understand fully at the 
 time they were spoken. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 Travels of the Saviour into Syria — The Syrophenician woman 
 meets him — He heals her daughter — Heals a deaf and dumb 
 man — Miracle of feeding the four thousand — Jesus and his apos- 
 tles sail for Dalmanutha and Magdala — They return soon — Come 
 to Bethsaida — Jesus heals a blind man — He and the apostles go 
 to Cesarea Philippi — The Transfiguration — Cure of a lunatic — 
 Tribute demanded — Another miracle — Dispute of the apostles 
 about precedence — The Saviour's gentle yet efficient rebuke — 
 Uncharitableness also rebuked — Forgiveness of injury inculca- 
 ted. 
 
 Hitherto, it is not known that the Saviour 
 had been out of Palestine, except in his infan- 
 tile journey into Egypt. The inhabitants of 
 the adjacent countries of Syria, Idumea, and 
 Arabia, as I have already told you, were con- 
 sidered as Gentiles, and were regarded as 
 unfit or unworthy, or at least unprepared for 
 
142 TRAVELS OF 
 
 the gospel. It is true he had occasionally 
 healed some of their sick; though, as it is 
 believed, not very many. 
 
 But now it was, in order to screen him- 
 self, for a time, from the multitude, or for 
 some reason unknown to us, that Jesus, ac- 
 companied by the twelve, went forth, for a 
 little while, into the borders of Tyre and Si- 
 don. These two places lay on the shore of 
 the Mediterranean Sea, in the western or rath- 
 er southwestern borders of the province of 
 Syria. # It is said that he attempted conceal- 
 ment at first; but concealment here, as else- 
 where, was impossible. 
 
 It has been observed that he went just with- 
 in the limits of the region about Tyre and Si- 
 don; but some think he only approached them 
 as if he was going to enter. I do not know 
 how this was. Of one thing, however, are 
 we certain, which is, that if he did not enter 
 the country, he taught and healed some of 
 its inhabitants. 
 
 * Some of my readers may be a little surprised that I speak of 
 Tyre and Sidon as belonging to Syria. They are put down on 
 most of our Sabbath school maps as belonging to Palestine; being 
 within the limits of the tribe of Asher. But although they do 
 not appear to have ever been subdued by the Israelites, they seem 
 to have afterwards constituted, practically and really, a part of 
 Syria. 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 143 
 
 For, as he was passing along through these 
 regions, he was met by a woman from the 
 neighborhood of the cities just mentioned 
 whose daughter was possessed with a devil. 
 Approaching him — for it seems she knew him 
 — and putting herself in a posture of supplica- 
 tion, she implored him to have mercy on her 
 daughter, and restore her to health. The 
 apostles advised him to send her away; think- 
 ing, in all probability, as they did of the wo- 
 man of Samaria, at the well of Jacob, that it 
 was not for her, a poor Gentile, to be bene- 
 fited or to expect to be benefited by their 
 Master's labors. 
 
 The Saviour himself seemed disposed at 
 first to pass her by; and gave, as the reason, 
 that he was sent only to the lost sheep of the 
 house of Israel, and not by any means to the 
 Gentile nations. But the Syrophenician wo- 
 man for such she was called, was importunate, 
 and would not be refused; and Jesus seeing 
 her great faith in him, at length condescended 
 to grant her request, and her daughter was 
 made whole. 
 
 The Saviour did not tarry a great while in 
 these regions, but turning back, he proceed- 
 ed along the western coast of the Sea of Gal- 
 
144 TRAVELS OF 
 
 ilee, toDecapolis, or the "ten cities/' which, 
 as I have elsewhere said, lay a little to the 
 south of that sea. Here, having ascended a 
 mountain, he sat down there, probably to rest 
 himself and perhaps also to teach; for it seems 
 to have been quite customary in those days to 
 teach in a sitting posture. 
 
 While he was in this region the inhabitants 
 brought to him a deaf and dumb man, beg- 
 ging that he too, among the rest, might be 
 cured. Jesus made no objection to this; be- 
 ing now in his own country, among his own 
 nation of the Jews — the lost sheep to whom 
 he was sent. So after taking him aside, he 
 put his fingers into his ears and spit, then 
 touched his tongue, and at the same time 
 looking upward and sighing, said Ephphatha, 
 which meant "be opened." No sooner was 
 this done than both his deafness and dumb- 
 ness left him to the great astonishment of the 
 spectators, as well as to the great joy of the 
 poor sufferer. 
 
 Here also in this region of southern Galilee, 
 Jesus performed another stupendous miracle 
 of feeding the multitude around him. They 
 had been with him about three days; and as 
 it would seem, without food, or almost without 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 145 
 
 any; and, as many of them lived a great way 
 off, Jesus thought it necessary, before sending 
 them away, to feed them. 
 
 Whether the apostles had forgotten the for- 
 mer miracle or not cannot now be known; 
 but certain it is that they acted as if they had. 
 They made the same objections, or rather 
 presented the same sort of difficulties, which 
 Philip had brought, when Jesus was about to 
 feed the crowd near Bethsaida. tc Whence," 
 said they, as soon as the subject was agitated, 
 cc should we have so much bread here in the 
 wilderness, as to feed so great a multitude?" 
 
 On inquiry how much they had, it was found 
 that they had, in all, seven loaves of bread 
 and a few small fishes. This, for the Sa- 
 viour's purpose, was enough. Almighty pow- 
 er could indeed have made one loaf and one 
 fish satisfy the multitude as well as seven 
 of either or each. Or, if the miracle consist- 
 ed in adding to the quantity of the bread, 
 which I suppose was the case, the same pow- 
 er could add to one loaf the necessary quan- 
 tity, as easily as to a dozen. 
 
 The multitude to be fed at this time was 
 about four thousand men, besides women and 
 children. They were arranged in rows on the 
 13 
 
146 
 
 TRAVELS OF 
 
 ground, as in the former instance; and the 
 same forms or ceremonies, or nearly the same, 
 were observed, and with the same results. 
 All were fed, and well fed, and seven baskets 
 full of fragments remained. 
 
 When all had eaten and were satisfied, Je- 
 sus sent them away. As soon as they were 
 gone, he and his apostles having procured a 
 boat, went on board, and set out for the cities 
 of Magdala and Dalmanutha. 
 
 Here he again encountered the pride and 
 craft of the Jews who dwelt there, especially 
 the Pharisees and Sadducees. They demand- 
 ed signs from heaven, or, in plain language, 
 miracles, in proof of the truth of his mission. 
 But these, for reasons which he freely gave 
 them, were refused. He does not appear to 
 have staid long at this time in these places; 
 but with his apostles he soon recrossed the 
 sea and went into his native region. 
 
 After they had thus returned, and had be- 
 gun their journey along the western shore of 
 the sea in another direction, they came to 
 Bethsaida. There were two places called by 
 this name, one of which has been mentioned 
 in other chapters. The one at which the Sa- 
 viour and his apostles had now arrived, was 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 147 
 
 not far from Tiberias, at a considerable dis- 
 tance southward from Capernaum. 
 
 Having come into the city, a blind man 
 was brought to him to be cured. Jesus ever 
 ready to all good works of the kind, healed 
 him, in a manner similar to that in which he 
 had healed the deaf and dumb man in Decap- 
 olis. 
 
 Leaving Bethsaida and journeying north- 
 ward, without stopping long — if indeed they 
 stopped at all — at Capernaum, they came, 
 after a journey of about two days, to Cesarea 
 Philippic This was quite the northern part 
 of Galilee; forty miles at least north of Ca- 
 pernaum; and lay near the foot or base of 
 Mount Hermon. It was then a city of con- 
 siderable size. At present it is a village of 
 only about 150 houses, and is called Banias. 
 
 It would appear that while Jesus and his 
 apostles were journeying along to Cesarea 
 Philippi, they stepped aside at times, a little 
 way from the road, for prayer. On a certain 
 occasion of this sort, a conversation took place, 
 
 * I believe this city was on the site of the ancient city of Dan, 
 so often coupled with Beersheba. Thus, from " Dan to Beershe- 
 ba," meant from the northern, quite to the southern extremity of 
 the land. 
 
148 TRAVELS OF 
 
 in which the Saviour endeavored to ascertain 
 the views of Peter, in regard to his own char- 
 acter, Here it was that he uttered the re- 
 markable expression, Thou art Peter; and 
 upon this rock I will build my church; and 
 the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 
 A statement the more remarkable on account 
 of the promise it contains of the perpetuity of 
 Christ's church. Let him whose fears have 
 been awakened, for the moment, in regard to 
 the safety of the church, remember this prom- 
 ise of the Saviour and take courage. 
 
 This statement of the Saviour, made to Pe- 
 ter, has been rendered more remarkable still by 
 the improper use made of it by the Papists. 
 The word Peter, in Greek, signifies a rock or 
 stone. Now a stone or rock may be employed 
 as an image of perpetuity, because it is so 
 enduring and indestructible. Hence, Christ 
 turns his thoughts as he does on the mention 
 of Peter's name; giving the assurance, and 
 making the promise he does, in relation to his 
 church. But the Papists have vainly ingraft- 
 ed on this circumstance the doctrine that Pe- 
 ter is the head of the church, and that the 
 popes, as his successors, are the vicegerents 
 of God, and as such are sacred and infallible. 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 149 
 
 We are not told what happened while Je- 
 sus and the apostles were at Cesarea Philippi, 
 nor with what success they preached there. 
 Perhaps they did not make a long stay in the 
 city. It was probably while they were there, 
 or during their return to the southern parts 
 of Galilee, that Jesus gave the apostles the 
 first exact information in regard to the man- 
 ner of his death; and it was in one of his con- 
 versations on this unwelcome subject that Pe- 
 ter took his Master in hand, and actually re- 
 buked him for saying such things of himself. 
 It was to Peter's unmerited rebuke that the 
 Saviour replied, with a severity to which he 
 was unaccustomed, "Get thee behind me, Sa- 
 tan!" It was also at the close of one of his 
 discourses on this occasion, that the Saviour 
 first predicted, with any considerable plain- 
 ness, the coming unhappy fate of Jerusalem 
 and the destruction of the Jewish policy; and 
 observed that all which he predicted would 
 happen during the life-time of some of those 
 who stood by and heard him. 
 
 We come now to the transfiguration of the 
 
 Saviour. By the transfiguration, is meant the 
 
 surprising change in his appearance which 
 
 took place on a certain occasion when only a 
 
 13* 
 
150 TRAVELS OF 
 
 few of his apostles were with him. The cir- 
 cumstances were as follows. 
 
 Either on their return from Cesarea Philippi 
 or soon afterward, while the Saviour and his 
 disciples were traveling along, they came 
 near a mountain of considerable size. Some 
 suppose it was Mount Tabor, but it is not 
 certainly known what mountain it was. On 
 coming near it, the Saviour, selecting Peter 
 James and John for his special companions, 
 ascended the mountain and retired for prayer. 
 
 While he was praying, a change in his ap- 
 pearance took place, corresponding to our 
 earthly notions of celestial or angelic purity. 
 His face shone like the sun, and his raiment 
 became also as white as snow, and glistened 
 and shone in the same manner. Moses and 
 Elijah also made their appearance, and entered 
 into conversation with Jesus. Under these 
 new and amazing circumstances, and at the 
 same time transfixed, as it were, with aston- 
 ishment, hardly knowing what he said or did* 
 Peter proposed to build three tabernacles 
 there, one for each of the two visiters, and one 
 for the Saviour. 
 
 This circumstance, which Jesus, in speak- 
 ing of it calls a vision, the three disciples were 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 151 
 
 required to keep a profound secret, till after 
 his resurrection. Though they were exceed- 
 ingly puzzled to know what he meant by his 
 resurrection, and were apparently unwilling 
 to ask him about it, they kept the secret, ac- 
 cording to his request. 
 
 Here, on this mountain, they appear to 
 have staid about twenty-four hours. It is 
 said by some writers that there were houses 
 for prayer in the more retired places on the 
 mountains of Palestine; and if so, it is not im- 
 probable that Jesus and his companions oc- 
 cupied, during the night, one of these houses. 
 Where the rest of the apostles were it is dif- 
 ficult to say; or how the people of the coun- 
 try round about so soon and so generally 
 heard of the return of the little company from 
 the north. Certain it is, however, that they 
 had heard of it; for Jesus and the three apos- 
 tles no sooner descended from the mount of 
 transfiguration, than they were met in great 
 numbers by the multitude; who began to 
 crowd upon them as usual. 
 
 Here a lunatic was brought to Jesus to be 
 healed of his malady. It was a young person 
 — a child as he is called — and his case was a 
 most obstinate one, so much so, that it was 
 
152 TRAVELS OF 
 
 represented to the Saviour that his apostles 
 could not cure him. Jesus, however, after 
 gently reproving the apostles for their want 
 of faith, effected the complete restoration of 
 the lunatic, and delivered him sound again to 
 his father. 
 
 We have already seen that up to this period, 
 though the Saviour had traveled most in Gal- 
 ilee, he had not wholly abandoned Judea. 
 Especially had he traveled there about the 
 time of the feasts. But so troublesome to 
 him had the people of Judea now become, 
 especially when set on by their leaders, the 
 priests and scribes, that he resolved to spend 
 the remainder of his days chiefly in his native 
 province of Galilee. Here, indeed, he had 
 trouble enough; and his life, by reason of the 
 multitudes that thronged him, had become as 
 it were a burden to him, or would at least 
 have become so had he been nothing more 
 than human; yet he was not here in such im- 
 minent danger, every hour, of losing his life, 
 as in Judea. 
 
 He now began, more frequently than for- 
 merly, to give his apostles information about 
 his approaching crucifixion, and to prepare 
 their minds and hearts for the event. They 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 153 
 
 did not, it is true, fully understand him. So 
 firmly riveted still, was the notion that he 
 was yet to be a temporal as well as a spiritual 
 Messiah or deliverer, that they could not 
 clearly comprehend what he said to them on 
 the subject. 
 
 One day, as he and his apostles came into 
 the city of Capernaum, they were met by the 
 collectors of the sacred tribute — a tax which 
 was collected every year for the support of 
 the services of the temple at Jerusalem, and 
 which was half a shekel, or about twenty-five 
 or twenty-six cents. Does not your Master 
 pay tribute ? one of them asked Peter. He 
 replied, Yes. 
 
 When the matter was mentioned to the Sa- 
 viour, he showed to Peter, very plainly, that 
 for himself, he was under no obligation to pay 
 the tribute. However, as his refusal might 
 be misconstrued by a class of persons, who 
 are often disposed to shelter themselves in 
 their neglect, under the example of somebody 
 or other, and as it was a small sum, he con- 
 cluded to pay it. A miracle was wrought, 
 however, for the purpose. A fish was ordered 
 to be caught with a hook, in whose mouth, 
 after it was caught, was found a shekel of sil- 
 
154 TRAVELS OF 
 
 ver, with which Peter was required to pay his 
 own and the Saviour's proportion of the trib- 
 ute. 
 
 As they were traveling along one day, 
 about this time, and the apostles were partly 
 by themselves at a little distance from the Sa- 
 viour, a dispute arose among them who 
 should be the greatest in their Master's king- 
 dom; for, as I have just told you, they could 
 not yet get rid of the fond idea that he was 
 to be a temporal prince among them, and have 
 a temporal kingdom. 
 
 But Jesus perceiving the thoughts of their 
 hearts, and the unchristian disposition they 
 evinced, called them to account at the next 
 house where they stopped. It was done in a 
 way so striking, that they could not but remem- 
 ber the lesson it was intended to inculcate. 
 
 Having called them all around him, and 
 told them that if any one desired to be first, 
 it was fitting he should be last, he took a little 
 child and deliberately set him in the midst of 
 them. After the lapse of a few moments, to 
 give opportunity, no doubt, for reflection, he 
 took the child up in his arms, and observed, 
 that unless they were converted to the confi- 
 ding temper and unambitious character of 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 155 
 
 childhood, they could not enter his kingdom — 
 the kingdom of heaven — and that if there 
 were ranks in the kingdom of heaven, those 
 would be considered first who were most hum- 
 ble, like infants and young children. He 
 even repeated the sentiment; " Whosoever 
 shall humble himself as this little child, the 
 same is the greatest in the kingdom of heav- 
 en." 
 
 The instructions he gave to the apostles on 
 this occasion are exceedingly interesting. 
 Some of his remarks were moreover peculiar- 
 ly affecting; especially when he told them to 
 beware lest they fell into the habit of despis- 
 ing little children. "For I say unto you," 
 says he, "that in heaven their angels do al- 
 ways behold the face of my Father which is 
 in heaven." 
 
 Jesus took the following opportunity to re- 
 buke the spirit of uncharitableness or exclu- 
 siveness. The apostles informed him, one 
 day, that they had seen a person who did not 
 follow the Saviour casting out devils; and 
 though he did it in his name, they had thought 
 proper to forbid his doing so. This the Sa- 
 viour did not approve. "There is no man," 
 said he, " who shall do a miracle in my name, 
 
156 TRAVELS OF 
 
 that can lightly speak evil of me." "For 
 whosoever shall give you a cup of water," he 
 added, "in my name, because ye belong to 
 Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not 
 lose his reward." 
 
 Among the instructions given in the same 
 connection with the foregoing, were those in 
 regard to the settlement of difficulties between 
 brethren, the forgiveness of injuries, &c. 
 Peter inquired on the latter point, "Lord, 
 how oft shall my brother sin against me, and 
 I forgive him; till seven times? Jesus said 
 unto him, I say not unto thee, until seven 
 times, but until seventy times seven." Ex- 
 cellent lesson! How few of us forgive to 
 the four hundred and ninetieth time! Let us 
 take shame and confusion of face to ourselves, 
 on this account, and from henceforth begin to 
 cultivate a better spirit. 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 157 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Jesus goes to Jerusalem at the feast of the tabernacles — His in- 
 structions in the temple — The Jews dissatisfied — They conspire 
 to seize him, but are not permitted — Continues his instructions 
 — Goes out at night to lodge — Why — The woman who had been 
 accused of adultery brought to him — How he disposed of her — 
 Resumes his instructions — They attempt to stone him — He ef- 
 fects his escape — Cure of a man born blind. 
 
 Another feast at Jerusalem — the Feast of 
 Tabernacles — was at hand. As Jesus had 
 been for some time traveling up and down 
 Galilee, his relatives were desirous he should 
 now go to the feast. The reasons they gave 
 for it, however, were not their strongest rea- 
 sons. His disciples in Judea, they observed 
 — those who had been partly converted by 
 him — needed his presence, that their faith 
 might be strengthened and confirmed by hear- 
 ing his instructions and seeing more of his 
 mighty works. 
 
 This, I say, was the reason they gave; and 
 perhaps it had some weight in their minds. 
 There was, however, another reason, grow- 
 ing out of their own unbelief, which was prob- 
 ably more operative. They could not under- 
 14 
 
158 TRAVELS OF 
 
 stand how it was, that a person who claimed 
 to be the real Messiah, and was entitled to 
 make such a claim, should neglect to raise 
 himself and his family to those stations to 
 which during the reign of the true Messiah 
 they would be entitled. They were therefore 
 anxious to get him a little nearer to Jerusa- 
 lem, the seat of temporal power. 
 
 Jesus did not wholly object to going to the 
 feast, but only said that he was not yet ready. 
 He urges his friends to go, however, and by 
 no means to wait for him. 
 
 It seems that they followed his advice and 
 concluded not to wait for him. They set out 
 on their journey, at once; while he remained 
 a little longer in Galilee. After a few days, 
 however, he followed them, not openly, but 
 rather privately, with the least possible com- 
 pany, and with little ceremony or noise. 
 
 As it was expected by the Jews at Jerusa- 
 lem and in Judea generally, that Jesus would 
 be present, there was quite a search for him 
 during the first days of the feast. Both friends 
 and enemies expressed great surprise that he 
 did not make his appearance; the former 
 wishing to see him and to have him on the 
 spot to render his assistance in promoting the 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 159 
 
 good cause of truth, while the latter, believing 
 him to be a bad man, pretended to be more 
 confirmed in the belief that he was a deceiver 
 than they ever had been before. 
 
 About the middle of the feast time Jesus 
 arrived and made his appearance in the tem- 
 ple. Here he commenced, at once, his pub- 
 lic course of instruction. The Jews marvelled 
 at him; expressing at the same time great 
 wonder at the extent and depth of his learn- 
 ing, not having been bred at any of their large, 
 important, and highly distinguished semina- 
 ries. " How knoweth this man letters," said 
 they, <c having never learned?" 
 
 The replies of Jesus to these inquiries are 
 all interesting and full of his accustomed wis- 
 dom, but I must pass them over. Suffice it 
 to say, that the Jews were not satisfied. Some 
 of them charged him, among other things, with 
 having a devil; and finally attempted to lay 
 violent hands upon him. But his hour had 
 not yet arrived. They were not yet permitted 
 to assail him with success, as long as more 
 work remained for him to do. 
 
 Jesus, therefore, continued his instructions 
 in the temple with the greatest freedom and 
 boldness; some approving, others disapprove 
 
160 TRAVELS OF 
 
 ing. The opposition party was steadily in- 
 creasing, however, and a band of officers was 
 actually ordered out, at length, to seize him 
 and bring him to trial. But these officers 
 were so abashed and awed by his presence, 
 that they dared not, for a time, to take him. 
 Perhaps, too, they were afraid of the indigna- 
 tion of the multitude ; for, as we have already 
 seen, there were sometimes mobs in those 
 days as well as now. 
 
 When the officers who were to have taken 
 the Saviour went back to the Sanhedrim or 
 high court, under whose orders they acted, 
 and the court perceived they had not brought 
 the offender with them, they inquired the rea- 
 son why. " Never man spake like this man," 
 they answered. 
 
 How full of meaning their reply ; and how 
 true! No mere man since the world began, 
 we may say even now, ever spake like the 
 Saviour. More than this might in fact be 
 said. Never man will speak like him. 
 
 We are not told what were the consequen- 
 ces of that official neglect of which I have 
 been speaking, except that the Sanhedrim up- 
 braided the delinquents, and charged them 
 with being deceived by the Saviour's artful 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 161 
 
 and popular address. Perhaps more would 
 have been done with them had not a difficulty 
 arose — a sort of word quarrel — among the 
 Sanhedrim themselves, which ended, for the 
 time, in breaking up their proceedings; the 
 judges going home and the officers going about 
 their usual business. 
 
 Jesus, towards evening, went out to the 
 Mount of Olives, in order to spend the night, 
 as some suppose, in prayer. Or, it may be, 
 that he went out as far as Bethany, a little 
 beyond the highest part of the mount, and tar- 
 ried with Lazarus and his sisters Martha and 
 Mary who resided there. The last I think 
 the more probable conjecture of the two. 
 Perhaps, also, personal safety may have had 
 some influence with him, in doing it. His 
 hour had not yet come, I must observe once 
 more; and until it had, he must use every 
 natural means of safety as much as if he had 
 been merely human. 
 
 One thing, at any rate, is quite obvious, 
 which is, that the Saviour disliked the city. 
 Do you ask, why, then, did he have so much 
 to do with it? To benefit its inhabitants, is 
 the appropriate reply; to effect a moral 
 cleansing; to purify it. Bad as Jerusalem 
 14* 
 
162 TRAVELS OF 
 
 was in many respects, it was a sort of nervous 
 centre to Palestine; and such as were the 
 sympathies of this centre, such in no small 
 degree were the state and condition, for the 
 time being, of the whole Jewish nation. 
 
 It is usually supposed that the population 
 of Jerusalem, at the period of which I am now 
 speaking, was immense. If it really contained 
 three millions of people and several hundred 
 synagogues, as some have supposed, it must 
 certainly have been the theatre of much good 
 and evil. The latter would not, it is believed, 
 be diminished at the feast times. Such a bus- 
 tle as must have been produced by the meet- 
 ing together of a whole nation, as it were, at 
 its capital, three times a year, and holding 
 their sessions seven or eight days, could hard- 
 ly be favorable to the virtue of the citizens, 
 or their visitants. No wonder the Saviour 
 seemed hardly willing to stay in it during the 
 night, especially on such occasions of tumult, 
 and so very glad to get out to the Mount of 
 Olives, or to Bethany. 
 
 I do not know at how early an hour the 
 temple was opened for the morning Jewish 
 service; but Jesus, who seems to have been 
 always an early riser, came back betimes 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 163 
 
 from his place of lodging, and renewed his 
 public instructions. Nor were his labors con- 
 fined to a small, stinted number of hearers 
 there; for whatever their motives may have 
 been, the multitude still continued to gather 
 round him when he spake, whether in the 
 temple or out of it. It is said that, at the time 
 of which I am now speaking, " all the people 
 came unto him. 55 This all the people cannot 
 of course mean to include all the city; for the 
 temple would not have held them; but only 
 all those who were there for morning worship; 
 though it is probable the expression was de- 
 signed to indicate that the number was very 
 great. 
 
 While the Saviour sat there engaged in 
 teaching, the Scribes and Pharisees brought 
 to him a woman who they said had been taken 
 in the act of adultery ; wishing to know what 
 he would have done with her. Moses, they 
 said, required that such criminals should be 
 stoned; but what were his wishes? This was 
 an artifice of these wicked men, by means of 
 which they intended to get him into difficulty. 
 For, if he should pronounce her innocent, they 
 meant to accuse him to their rulers, as hav- 
 ing no regard to the laws of his country; 
 
164 TRAVELS OF 
 
 whereas, if he pronounced her guilty — a thing, 
 by the way, which as a mere human being it 
 did not belong to him to do — they meant to 
 complain of him to the Roman government. 
 Thus, in one way or another, they were de- 
 termined to entrap him. 
 
 But Jesus knew the human heart too well 
 to be so easily ensnared as they supposed. 
 Stooping down, he wrote on the ground, for 
 some time, with his finger, as if he did not 
 hear them. Meanwhile they continued, at 
 intervals, to interrogate and to importune him; 
 till he at last replied; "He that is without 
 sin among you, let him first cast a stone at 
 her." 
 
 When he had said this, he continued his 
 writing on the ground, leaving the Scribes 
 and Pharisees to their reflections. They, poor 
 men, were now in a most sad condition, en- 
 snared by their own devices, and foiled with 
 their own instruments. It is conjectured by 
 some, that they were all guilty, in a greater or 
 less degree, of the very crime they had charged 
 on the woman, and that Jesus meant to inti- 
 mate as much when he said, "He that is 
 without sin among you," — meaning the sin of 
 adultery. 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 165 
 
 Worse than all, too, conscience, that pow- 
 erful but bold accuser of secret crime, coming 
 against them, they could not brave it out. 
 Convicted of sin and ashamed, as it were, to 
 look each other in the face, they stole away 
 out of the temple, one after another, the older 
 in years and in sin first, and the younger af- 
 terward, till Jesus and the woman were left 
 alone in the midst of the crowd of spectators 
 which had surrounded them, so anxious to 
 know the results. 
 
 When they had all retired, Jesus ceased 
 his writing and rose up. Seeing that the ac- 
 cusers of the woman had all disappeared, he 
 said to her, " Where are thine accusers? 
 Hath no man condemned thee?" She told 
 him, no. " Neither do I condemn thee," he 
 rejoined; cc go, and sin no more." 
 
 It may seem to some of my readers, as if 
 Jesus regarded this flagrant crime too lightly. 
 But there is no evidence of this; none at all. 
 It was not his business, I say again, to con- 
 demn her, as an earthly Judge. With earthly 
 trials for crime, earthly acquittals and earthly 
 condemnations, he had, as a matter of course, 
 nothing at all to do. It is reserved for Him 
 to pronounce sentence at the judgment of the 
 great tribunal — the tribunal of the last day. 
 
166 TRAVELS OF 
 
 The closing piece of advice he gave her is 
 sufficient to show that he did not make light 
 of her transgression. "Go, and sin no more/' 
 implies that she had sinned; and he no doubt 
 regarded her guilt as of a dye as much deeper 
 than any human eye has ever regarded it, as 
 Infinite Purity exceeds that purity which even 
 in a John or a Peter was but the purity of a fi- 
 nite and imperfect being; and would still need 
 washing in the atoning blood of the Redeemer. 
 
 Jesus continued his instructions in the tem- 
 ple — occasionally interrupted, however, by the 
 inquiries and opposition of the Pharisees and 
 others. It must be quite obvious to those who 
 have paid much attention to these discourses 
 of the Saviour, that they differ very essentially 
 in their character from modern sermons, re- 
 taining more of the character of familiar but 
 free and energetic discussion. Some of them 
 were, undoubtedly, of great length, perhaps 
 longer than any of our sermons; but generally 
 they were not so; and many of them were 
 short. Instead of being presented in the form 
 of reflections or comments on a text or pas- 
 sage of Scripture, they were usually suggest- 
 ed by some passing event either ordinary or 
 extraordinary. Perhaps his preaching from a 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 167 
 
 text, in Nazareth, at the commencement of his 
 ministry, may indicate that he did not wholly 
 neglect this mode of preaching. But even if 
 he did not, he often discoursed otherwise, as 
 I have already told you. 
 
 These discourses or discussions in the tem- 
 ple were by no means in vain. Like truth, 
 when properly and faithfully presented — re- 
 ligious truth, I mean — it had the effect to sun- 
 der mankind, as with a sword, as Jesus some- 
 times expressed it. Some believed what he 
 said, while others arrayed themselves against 
 him, and would have laid hands upon him, but 
 that " his hour" for departure to his Father, 
 " was not yet come." 
 
 One charge was made against him at this 
 time, which, so far as I can learn, was never 
 made by his enemies at any other time, either 
 before or afterward. It was that he was a 
 Samaritan. They charged him also with hav- 
 ing a demon or devil; but this was nothing 
 new. They had made this charge repeatedly 
 before. 
 
 I have said that they were not permitted to 
 lay violent hands on him at this time; but 
 they came very near it. Happening to speak 
 of himself as existing before Abraham, they 
 took offence immediately, and when he insist- 
 
168 TRAVELS OF 
 
 ed on it, that he was really before Abraham, 
 they could refrain from violence no longer. 
 They had even begun to gather stones to 
 stone him, when Jesus, finding it proper to 
 avoid their attack, passed out from among 
 them, concealed in some way — perhaps mirac- 
 ulously—from their sight, and so for the pres- 
 ent made his escape. 
 
 The next thing we hear of him was his mi- 
 raculous cure of the person born blind. He 
 made a species of clay, and applied it to his 
 eyes, and bade him wash in the pool of Silo- 
 am, and he returned seeing.^ This individual 
 became ultimately a disciple of the truth, and 
 of the Saviour. 
 
 * The question has arisen, in the minds of many, why our 
 Lord, in the performance of his miracles, made use of instrumen- 
 talities. It is sufficient, perhaps, in general, to say that such was 
 his sovereign will and pleasure ; and yet I am disposed to present 
 a more particular answer, which I find in Bloomfield's Testament, 
 in a note to page 187, of vol. I, Boston edition. The author, in 
 speaking of this very miracle of curing the blind man, thus re- 
 marks : 
 
 " The reason " (why our Lord used these means) " was, no 
 doubt, that assigned by most recent commentators, viz., that Christ 
 was pleased, in condescension to human weakness, to use external 
 actions significant of the cure to be performed; and thereby to 
 strengthen the faith and confirm the hopes of the sick persons 
 and those who brought them ; and, moroever, to show them that 
 the power he was about to exert, resided in himself. Our Lord 
 adopted these actions, and also the usual one of laying his hands 
 on the sick, in order to show that he was not confined to any 
 one particular mode." 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 169 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 Feast of the dedication — Jesus attends it — Is again persecuted — 
 Flies to Bethabara — Is sent for to go to Bethany — Raises Laza- 
 rus from the dead — Is again persecuted and obliged to retire — 
 Another interview with the family at Bethany — The mission 
 of the seventy disciples. 
 
 How much time elapsed between the events 
 of the last chapter and those of the following, 
 I find it difficult to determine. Nor is it per- 
 haps of much importance that we should know 
 the precise amount. The Saviour, during the 
 intervals, was probably employed somewhere 
 in the province of Judea; perhaps chiefly in 
 the very neighborhood of Jerusalem. 
 
 At length, however, another feast was to be 
 held. It was the feast of the dedication, as it 
 was called. The Saviour was present. He 
 walked — as the evangelist says, and probably 
 gave instructions just at this time, while 
 walking — in the porch of the temple. 
 
 Here the Jews again came around him, and 
 
 importuned him to tell them plainly whether 
 
 he was the Messiah. Jesus assured them 
 
 that he had already told them, but that they 
 
 15 
 
170 TRAVELS OF 
 
 would not believe him; and after saying many 
 things against them on account of their unbe- 
 lief, he repeated his statements respecting his 
 character, and closed his remarks by saying, 
 " I and my Father are one. 53 
 
 Upon this, they boldly charged him with 
 blasphemy, and notwithstanding his most mas- 
 terly defence, they attempted again to stone 
 him. Finding it impossible to do any thing 
 more in Jerusalem, at present, he left the 
 place and repaired eastward to Bethabara, on 
 the river Jordan, where he had been baptized; 
 where for some time he remained. It appears 
 that he did not by any means discontinue his 
 instructions while he remained there; for it is 
 said expressly that many of the people believed 
 on him. 
 
 I have spoken elsewhere of the possibility 
 of his having become acquainted, before this 
 time, with Lazarus and Martha and Mary, at 
 Bethany. One of the reasons for this belief 
 will now appear. 
 
 While he was at Bethabara, on the present 
 occasion, word was brought to him from 
 Martha and Mary, the two sisters, that Lazarus 
 was sick. The message in the Scripture 
 language was, " Lord, behold he whom thou 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 171 
 
 lovest is sick." A most manifest proof of an 
 attachment to the family which must have 
 arisen somehow and at some time or other. 
 Those who are entire strangers to each other 
 do not send such messages as this. 
 
 The distressed family did not ask the Sa- 
 viour to come and see them, so far as it 
 appears. It was enough to let him know their 
 situation. A thousand requests, in such a 
 case, would add little to the force of the 
 errand. If he really loved the sick man, as 
 is taken for granted, the message was suffi- 
 cient. He would come just as quickly, to see 
 him, as if much more had been said. 
 
 The object of Martha and Mary — their 
 expectation rather- — in all probability was, 
 that Jesus would come and heal Lazarus, and 
 that he would do so immediately. But he did 
 not think it expedient to go immediately. 
 Why he did not, cannot be told. There were 
 good reasons for his delay, most undoubtedly. 
 His apostles, we know, remonstrated against 
 his going at all, on account of the danger from 
 the Jews; but we cannot well suppose this, 
 with him, was a cause of delay. 
 
 Bethabara and Bethany may have been 
 about thirty miles apart. Jesus remained at 
 
172 TRAVELS OF' 
 
 Bethabara, where he was, two days. The 
 third day he set out on the journey, and 
 probably arrived at the place either that day 
 in the evening, or on the morning of the day 
 following. 
 
 When he arrived with his apostles, he 
 found the family in the deepest grief. Laza- 
 rus was dead; and it was now going on four 
 days since he had expired. The affectionate 
 and open-hearted Martha reminded Jesus, as 
 soon as she saw him, of his delay, saying, 
 "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother 
 had not died." This shows with what expec- 
 tation the Saviour had been sent for. Her 
 faith, as it appears, however, was not yet 
 wholly gone. " I know that even now," she 
 added, "whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, 
 God will give it thee." 
 
 Lazarus had been buried away from the 
 village a little way — near the public road; for 
 it was not customary with the Jews — and 
 should not be with any class of people — to 
 bury their dead in the town or village. The 
 place of interment was one of those little caves 
 with which not only Mount Olivet but most of 
 the hills and mountains of Palestine abound. 
 A large stone had been placed at the mouth 
 of it, after the burial. 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 173 
 
 Jesus had assured Martha almost as soon 
 as he arrived, that her brother should rise 
 again; but whether it was perfectly understood 
 by her that he would be raised at this time, 
 is not quite so clear. It is, however, most 
 likely that it was so; for the Saviour and his 
 apostles, and the two sisters, and a great 
 concourse of spectators, were now leaving the 
 house, and proceeding towards the grave. 
 
 There was, indeed, one natural obstacle in 
 the way of his being raised again; at least it 
 would occur to the friends as an obstacle, and 
 appears to have been mentioned as such by 
 Martha. This was that, as he had been dead 
 several days, the body would by this time be 
 corrupted. To this difficulty, however, if 
 indeed she presented it as a difficulty, Jesus 
 gave an appropriate and encouraging reply, 
 and then proceeded to accomplish his work. 
 
 They were arrived at the spot. The sisters 
 were weeping, Mary especially; and her 
 Jewish friends were weeping with her. The 
 scene was an affecting one. Who would not 
 have wept ! The Son of God was himself 
 affected, even to tears. The Bible assures 
 us of it in the most brief and yet most 
 comprehensive language, " Jesus wept." 
 15* 
 
174 TRAVELS OF 
 
 The stone, at the Saviour's request, was 
 now removed from the grave; Jesus offered a 
 prayer. It was a prayer of few words ; but 
 it was full of meaning. It was, moreover, an 
 accepted prayer, as the prayers of Jesus to 
 his Father always were. 
 
 When it was finished, the spectators were 
 privileged to behold one of the most wonder- 
 ful scenes — surpassed only by those at Sarep- 
 ta and Nain, and those were private rather 
 than public — which the world ever saw. 
 " Lazarus, come forth!" said the Saviour, in a 
 commanding tone of voice. The command 
 was heard and obeyed. He who had been 
 dead came forth; and having been released 
 from the habiliments of the grave, was re- 
 stored sound to his sisters and friends. 
 
 Such an event could not be without effect. 
 Many of the Jews gave up their prejudices, 
 and became the Saviour's disciples. Others, 
 however, were only so much the more har- 
 dened. Their first concern was to inform the 
 Pharisees — probably their leaders — what had 
 been done, who, having collected the high 
 court or Sanhedrim, held a consultation forth- 
 with, to decide what was to be done. They 
 acknowledged that Jesus did many miracles; 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 175 
 
 but there were other difficulties with them. 
 "If we let him thus alone," they said, " all 
 men will believe on him; and the Romans 
 shall come and take away both our place and 
 nation. " 
 
 The result of the proceedings of the Sanhe- 
 drim, as might have been expected from what 
 had been the result of some of their former 
 meetings, was, they declared that the Saviour 
 ought to be put to death. Of this result he 
 was probably soon apprised; for he left the 
 neighborhood, and went to Ephraim, a city 
 somewhere in the vicinity of the river Jordan, 
 where he remained with his disciples a long 
 time. 
 
 This is not the last, however, which we 
 hear of the family at Bethany. There is rea- 
 son to believe that the Saviour made their 
 house his home, whenever he was in Jerusa- 
 lem afterward. On one occasion, when he 
 called there, it is particularly mentioned that 
 he found Martha greatly troubled about her 
 household concerns, as well as somewhat fret- 
 ful at her sister Mary, because she did not as- 
 sist her enough in managing her domestic 
 concerns. Jesus gave her much appropriate 
 and very useful instruction; such as ought to 
 
176 
 
 TRAVELS OF 
 
 have cured her of her worldly-mindedness; 
 and which, perhaps, did so. He also met a 
 part of the family on another occasion at a 
 feast in the same town of Bethany, not long 
 before his death. But this will be mentioned 
 in its place. 
 
 It was not far from the time of the miracle 
 at Bethany, of which I have just been speak- 
 ing, that Jesus paid one more visit to Galilee, 
 his native region. Here he made new efforts 
 for the conversion of his countrymen and with 
 new success. 
 
 The number of permanent disciples in his 
 company had by this period of his ministry 
 considerably increased. In addition to the 
 twelve, whom he had long since ordained to 
 be apostles, there were about seventy others, 
 who were prepared to execute important mis- 
 sions. They are called in the gospel narra- 
 tive emphatically the seventy. 
 
 As eighty-three effective men could accom- 
 plish the tour of a country much sooner than 
 a smaller number, and as the time for Jesus 
 to be offered up was now at hand, and what 
 was done under his particular direction must 
 be done quickly, he proceeded to send 
 out the seventy disciples to be missionaries 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 177 
 
 before him, just as he had formerly done the 
 twelve; and accordingly he gave them all 
 necessary instruction. Their instructions are 
 preserved and recorded in the tenth chapter 
 of the gospel according to Luke. 
 
 They executed their mission, in preparing 
 the way for the Saviour, and in thus expedi- 
 ting his progress, to their own satisfaction, as 
 well as to the satisfaction of the Saviour. 
 They returned, it is said, with great joy; and 
 their commission to preach, work miracles, 
 and make converts, was renewed. 
 
 We do not know in what particular regions 
 they traveled afterwards. If Luke was one 
 of them we know something of his labors, as 
 an individual; and the same might be said of 
 the labors of several other individuals who are 
 also supposed to have been of the number. 
 But as to their labors, two by two, in Galilee 
 or elsewhere, during the remainder of the time 
 while our Lord lived, the divine record is 
 silent. 
 
178 TRAVELS OF 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 Jesus sets out for Jerusalem — Passes through Samaria — The 
 Samaritans oppose him — Proposal of James and John—Conduct 
 of our Saviour — Anecdotes and Reflections concerning him. 
 
 The time was now fast approaching when 
 the Saviour was to be offered up a sacrifice 
 for the sins of the world. This sacrifice was 
 to be made in Jerusalem. It was, however, 
 to be made in a particular way; and in order 
 to effect it, there were to be agencies or in- 
 strumentalities. 
 
 In leaving Galilee the Saviour and his apos- 
 tles, as was their more usual custom, passed 
 through the province of Samaria. Coming 
 near one of the Samaritan cities, on a certain 
 occasion, and the apostles being a little in ad- 
 vance of the Saviour and having announced 
 his approach, the people would not let him 
 pass. 
 
 What was now to be done? A proposal 
 was made by James and John, at which, had 
 it come from Peter, we should not, in all 
 probability, be much surprised; though we 
 should not so soon have expected it from the 
 milder and more calm sons of Zebedee. 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 179 
 
 But what was the proposal? Nothing less, 
 to be sure, than to call down fire from heaven 
 to destroy the opposition; something in the 
 manner of Elijah in treating with the enemies 
 of God at Mount Carmel. A most singular 
 plan, under the gospel dispensation, to be 
 formed by men so thoroughly imbued with 
 the gospel spirit! It serves, it is true, to 
 show that men are still but men — for some 
 time, too, fallible men — even after a genuine 
 work of grace has been begun in their hearts. 
 
 Was the proposal of James and John ac- 
 cepted by the Saviour? Far enough from it. 
 Not only was it not accepted, he even rebuked 
 the two apostles for proposing it, assuring 
 them, in his plain but forcible manner, " Ye 
 know not what manner of spirit ye are of. 
 The Son of man is not come to destroy men's 
 lives, but to save them." 
 
 And as he spoke and felt so he acted. The 
 Saviour did not say one thing by his words, 
 and another by his actions. # Instead of at- 
 
 * Most men, even of the better sort, live two lives, as it were, 
 at the same time ; one external, the other internal. The internal 
 is that of the feelings and thoughts, which is often hid from the 
 world, and known only to God. The other is external, and may- 
 or may not correspond to the internal, according as the man is 
 or is not what he seems to "be. Both the external and the inter- 
 nal, in our Saviour, exactly corresponded. 
 
180 TRAVELS OF 
 
 tempting to force his way directly through 
 the village, as some would have done, espe- 
 cially with the power he possessed, he turned 
 aside with his company, and passed through 
 another village. Excellent lesson for us all 
 to study; and in our journey through life, may 
 we ever be governed by the same spirit! 
 
 It was at about this period of the life and 
 travels of our Saviour, that a lawyer came to 
 him one day, and begged him to tell him what 
 he ought to do to gain eternal life He was 
 told by Jesus to keep the commandments. 
 It was on this occasion, that, in explanation 
 of the term, neighbor — Jesus having required 
 him to love his neighbor — the parable or sto- 
 ry of the good Samaritan was related. 
 
 The form of prayer, given by our Saviour, 
 and commonly known by the name of the 
 Lord's prayer, was probably taught to the 
 apostles during this journey upward to Jeru- 
 salem. It seems from the general tenor of 
 the sacred narrative, that the Saviour and his 
 company did not attempt at this time to go 
 through Samaria; but crossing the river Jor- 
 dan, through Decapolis, they passed along 
 the eastern side of that river. It also appears 
 that he did not go directly to Jerusalem, but 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 181 
 
 lingered some time in the neighborhood of the 
 Jordan, or in the more remote, eastern parts 
 of the province of Judea, teaching, preaching, 
 and working miracles, as before. 
 
 One day he was invited to take dinner with 
 a Pharisee. He accepted the invitation, and 
 sat immediately down, without complying with 
 the Jewish custom of washing. At this the 
 Pharisee wondered, and even manifested a 
 disposition to complain. The Saviour em- 
 braced the opportunity to give to the Phar- 
 isee a just view of the general character of 
 the sect to which he belonged; showing him 
 that they were not only superficial and proud, 
 but also hypocritical. "Ye make clean," 
 said he, -"the outside of the cup and platter, 
 but your inward part is full of extortion and 
 excess;" and then proceeded to pronounce 
 upon them, for their sins, a series of woes so 
 terrible as almost to make one's blood run 
 cold. 
 
 What! was he so impolite, some one may 
 perhaps ask, as to come out in this way upon 
 the Pharisees, just after one of their sect had 
 kindly invited him to dine with him ? He 
 certainly was so. He did not personally 
 abuse the Pharisee, proud as he undoubtedly 
 16 
 
182 
 
 TRAVELS OF 
 
 was; but he dealt plainly with him— very 
 plainly. Besides, he was aiming at his nation 
 more, much more, than at the particular indi- 
 vidual whose hospitalities he was sharing. 
 
 A lawyer* who was present, observed to 
 the Saviour that by some of his remarks he 
 seemed to cast reproach upon him and his 
 brethren. The Saviour did not deny it. Nay, 
 even more than this; he immediately pro- 
 nounced a series of woes on the lawyers of 
 the day— the Jewish lawyers, of course — and 
 endeavored to show, and that with entire suc- 
 cess, that they were a set of exceedingly bad 
 men; and needed complete and thorough re- 
 formation. 
 
 Again the crowd of people that followed 
 him became so large, as to prove not only an 
 annoyance to him and his apostles, but to 
 each other. It was so very great, and so ex- 
 ceedingly dense and confused, that, as the 
 sacred narrative expresses it, they actually 
 trod upon one another. To make the con- 
 fusion, if possible, still worse, the Saviour was 
 perpetually assailed by all sorts of inquiries, 
 
 * The young reader should have been informed, before now, 
 that among the Jews, a lawyer was one who made it his busi- 
 ness to study the moral and ceremonial law — the Mosaic law, I 
 mean, and not, as with us, the law of the land merely. 
 
OUR SAVIOUB. 183 
 
 wherever he went; as well as involved in all 
 sorts of discussions. 
 
 The leading object of one class was to 
 catch something out of his mouth, that they 
 might be able to accuse him; of another to 
 be healed of infirmities, or obtain favors of 
 one kind or another for friends either present 
 or absent; of another to learn his doctrines; 
 and of another still to obtain his advice, in 
 the settlement of petty disputes and quarrels. 
 
 All his answers, when answers were given, 
 were not only adapted, with incomparable wis- 
 dom, to the cases of the individual or individ- 
 uals for whom they were directly intended; 
 but they were also so framed as to convey 
 useful moral instruction to all who heard 
 them, and even, by means of the record of 
 them, to us, at this distant period, as well as 
 to all our race down to the end of time. 
 
 More than even this was accomplished. 
 As a general rule, the questions which were 
 asked, with the replies made, and perhaps 
 the conversation too which followed, were 
 the introduction to other valuable instruction; 
 sometimes to the extent, almost, of a sermon. 
 Of course, as I have repeatedly said, it is no 
 part of my purpose to insert them; not even 
 
184 TRAVELS OF ' 
 
 in every instance, so much as sketches of 
 them. The parable of the barren fig-tree; 
 the resemblance of the kingdom of heaven to 
 mustard seed, leaven, &,c, and the conversa- 
 tion and event which occurred at the cure of 
 the woman who had been infirm eighteenyears, 
 are instances of the kind in question. 
 
 The Saviour was still journeying slowly 
 onward towards Jerusalem. The scripture 
 language respecting him at this time is, " He 
 went through the cities and villages, teaching, 
 and journeying towards Jerusalem. " 
 
 Some of the Pharisees who were in the 
 crowd, in view of the fact that he was now 
 so near Jerusalem, admonished him, one day, 
 of his danger from Herod, to which the Sa- 
 viour replied; ** Go ye, and tell that fox, Be- 
 hold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to-day, 
 and to-morrow, and the third day I shall be 
 perfected. Nevertheless, I must walk to-day, 
 and to-morrow, and the day following ; for it can- 
 not be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem!'* 
 
 What severity on the nation of which Je- 
 rusalem was the proud capital! Yet this was 
 not all. It was on this occasion that he ut- 
 tered those terrible woes against Jerusalem 
 as having stoned and killed the prophets 3 , 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 185 
 
 which no person, adult or child, who has once 
 read them, can ever forget — woes, however^ 
 which were literally fulfilled. 
 
 Several of the acts of our Saviour, while on 
 his present journey, were performed on the 
 Sabbath. These always awakened more hos- 
 tility—much more— than those which were 
 performed on other days, and involved him, at 
 times, in more immediate danger. These 
 last, however, it was not so difficult for him to 
 avoid, as the still more terrible storm which 
 was rising upon him at a distance, and 
 which he neither expected nor wished to es- 
 cape — a storm which he had descended from 
 heaven to earth in due time to encounter. 
 
 It was on this journey — so I believe, that 
 he gave forth the parable of the supper, of 
 the hundred sheep, of the ten pieces of silver, 
 of the repenting prodigal, of the unjust stew- 
 ard, and of the unjust judge. It was also at 
 the commencement of this journey that he 
 met and cured the ten lepers, had a long con- 
 versation with the Pharisees about marriage, 
 compared the kingdom of heaven to a house- 
 holder, &c, &c. 
 
 It was also in the progress of this journey, 
 and as they were approaching Jerusalem, that 
 16* 
 
186 TRAVELS OF 
 
 the apostles are represented as being amazed 
 and also afraid. Why they were so is not 
 expressly said; probably it was because the 
 Saviour persevered in going up to Jerusalem^ 
 in view of the dangers which were now star- 
 ing him in his face, and with which they well 
 knew he was perfectly acquainted. He took 
 them aside, indeed, from the multitude and en- 
 deavored to explain the matter to them; but 
 they did not fully understand him. How could 
 they? It is a mystery which we at this day r 
 the wisest of us, hardly understand. Rather, 
 as perhaps I ought to say, there are mysteries 
 connected with the subjects of the Saviour's 
 death, which to us eighteen hundred years 
 later, are almost as inexplicable, as they were 
 to the twelve apostles. What we do not un- 
 derstand now, however, we hope to under- 
 stand hereafter. "Let us then hold fast the 
 profession of our faith," as James says, 
 i( without wavering." 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 187 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 The Saviour comes near Jericho— Cures two blind men — Story 
 of Zaccheus — The company go on to Jerusalem — People come 
 out to meet them — The multitude manifest their joy — Jesus 
 rides into the city — The whole city in motion. 
 
 The Saviour and his company were now 
 near Jericho. Jericho was about twenty 
 miles a little north of east from Jerusalem, on 
 the road from the river Jordan to the latter 
 place; and though it had fallen from its for- 
 mer greatness, it was still a city of considera- 
 ble size, even as late as the times of our Sa- 
 viour. 
 
 Here the Saviour cured a blind man. This 
 blind man was particularly remarkable for the 
 faith he manifested in the Being who had re- 
 stored him. The miracle made a great noise, 
 and the multitude of the people that followed 
 him, whether from Jericho or elsewhere, gave 
 much praise to God. 
 
 Jesus, continuing his journey, passed 
 through the city of Jericho; but as he went 
 out of the city at the western gate, another 
 blind man cried after him. His name was 
 
188 TRAVELS OF 
 
 Bartimeus. He had heard that Jesus of Naz- 
 areth was passing by; and in spite of the 
 multitude, who did all they could by the force 
 of persuasion, to stifle his cries, he was deter- 
 mined to be heard. The Saviour called him, 
 and finding his faith strong, he healed him. 
 This man appears to have afterwards become 
 one of his permanent followers. 
 
 Reader, have you ever thought how impor- 
 tant it is, that you should persevere in your 
 endeavors to obtain of the Saviour that spirit- 
 ual sight which you so greatly need? Learn, 
 O learn, then, from this passage, the amazing 
 importance of earnestness and importunity. 
 The Saviour is the same yesterday, to-day, 
 and for ever; and is as ready to-day as he was 
 eighteen hundred years ago, to grant a favor- 
 able answer to all who seek with earnestness 
 to have their spiritual eyes opened. 
 
 Another circumstance of importance took 
 place while Jesus was at or near Jericho. 
 There was a man in Jericho, whose name 
 was Zaccheus, who was not only a man of 
 distinction— a chief of the publicans — but he 
 was also quite wealthy. He, too, like many 
 other persons, was anxious to see the Saviour, 
 but could not well do it on account of his small 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 189 
 
 stature, and the difficulty of passing into the 
 interior of the crowd. Perhaps he was anx- 
 ious to see him at first, as a matter of -mere 
 curiosity; for such, in fact, was the case with 
 many who, like him, became afterwards our 
 Saviour's faithful disciples. 
 
 At all events he was determined to see him. 
 On the road where he expected he would 
 soon pass, was a large sycamore tree. This 
 tree Zaccheus was resolved to climb, and 
 there, without being annoyed by the crowd, 
 await patiently the Saviour's arrival. If 
 some of the people of the city smiled to see as 
 great a man as Zaccheus climbing a sycamore 
 tree to look down upon a crowd of travelers, 
 as very possibly they did, still this considera- 
 tion did not deter him from executing his pur- 
 pose. 
 
 Jesus, in the midst of the dense crowd, at 
 last approaches. Zaccheus's curiosity is 
 gratified in beholding him. But this is not 
 all. He who has in his hands the destinies 
 of all men, has touched the secret springs of 
 the publican's heart. Jesus bids him come 
 down, and he will stop, for the day, at his 
 house. Zaccheus accordingly descends from 
 the tree, and receives him with great joy. 
 
190 TRAVELS OF 
 
 From what followed during the interview, 
 there is every reason to believe that Zaccheus 
 became a converted man. One evidence of 
 this is found in the fact that he forthwith gave 
 away, for the benefit of the poor, half his 
 property and made restoration in large meas- 
 ures, for every wrong which in the prosecu- 
 tion of the duties of his office he had inflicted. 
 His sincerity and repentance seem also to 
 have been acceptable; and to have been ap- 
 proved by the Saviour. 
 
 After leaving the house of Zaccheus and 
 proceeding on his journey, Jesus related to 
 his followers the interesting parable of the 
 nobleman, who, on going into a far country, 
 left with his servants different sums, to be ap- 
 plied in trade during his absence, some hav- 
 ing ten pounds, some five, some two, &,c. 
 The results are well known, and need not be 
 repeated; but I beg every young reader to 
 study the parable and think of its meaning 
 and intention. It is one of no ordinary inter- 
 est and importance. 
 
 The whole company were now rapidly ap- 
 proaching Jerusalem. What must have been 
 the feelings of the Saviour, knowing as he did, 
 perfectly well, that his hour was now near, and 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 191 
 
 that he was traversing the road from Jericho 
 to Jerusalem — this remote part of it, at least, 
 — for the last time! 
 
 Had there been any one of his whole num- 
 ber, even of the twelve apostles, to sympathize 
 with him, the painful circumstances of his sit- 
 uation — viewing him as human merely — would 
 have been somewhat mitigated. But his dis- 
 ciples could none of them sympathize much 
 with him, for they did not as yet fully under- 
 stand him. 
 
 The feast of the passover was at hand, and 
 as very many of the Jews came together at 
 Jerusalem, a short time beforehand, to purify 
 themselves, the question arose among them, 
 whether Jesus would or would not dare to 
 make his appearance. They were the more 
 in doubt, because a strict charge or decree 
 had been issued by the chief priests and Phar- 
 isees, to have any individual who knew where 
 Jesus was give them the information, that he 
 might be apprehended. 
 
 But Jesus was now drawing near to Jerusa- 
 lem, having passed with the crowd, quite be- 
 yond Bethany. Many of the people at Jeru- 
 salem, who were there to make preparation for 
 the feast, when they heard that he was com- 
 
192 TRAVELS OF 
 
 ing, took branches of palm-trees, and went 
 forth from the eastern gate to meet him, cry- 
 ing, "Hosanna;" and saying, " Blessed is 
 the king of Israel, that cometh in the name of 
 the Lord." 
 
 As the Saviour drew still nearer to Jerusa- 
 lem, having reached that part of the mount of 
 Olives which is crossed by the road from 
 Bethany toBethphage,he sent two of his apos- 
 tles into a village that lay near by for a beast 
 to ride on; for though he generally — I might 
 almost say always — walked, yet was he re- 
 solved to enter Jerusalem, at the present time, 
 in a public, triumphant manner. The animal 
 sent for was procured, at length, and when 
 they had laid proper garments upon it, they 
 sat Jesus thereon, and in this way he advanced 
 towards the city. 
 
 As he proceeded along the road and was 
 now not far from Bethphage and in full view of 
 Jerusalem, the multitude which were about 
 him — many of whom in all probability still 
 thought he was entering Jerusalem as their 
 king — began to show their respect by throw- 
 ing down their very garments in the path be- 
 fore him. A larger number, however, content- 
 ed themselves by cutting down small branches 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 193 
 
 of trees,* and procuring flowers and strewing 
 them along the road. Anon, moreover, they 
 begin to shout, and to say with a loud voice, 
 t( Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is he 
 that cometh in the name of the Lord," &c. 
 
 One reason why the people came out of the 
 city to meet Jesus was, that they had heard of 
 the miracle at Bethany, which had taken place 
 some time before, and wished to know the 
 truth of it. To this not a few of those who 
 were present in the company, could testify; 
 for they had witnessed it. 
 
 The chief priests and Pharisees, quite out 
 of patience with what took place, said among 
 themselves, " Perceive ye how ye prevail 
 nothing? Behold, the world is gone afterhim!" 
 Thus it often is with those who persecute their 
 fellow-men. The more they do, the more the 
 mass of the people sympathize with those on 
 whom the persecution falls. It is of less 
 consequence to the multitude, in general, who 
 are right or who are wrong than who is the 
 sufferer; for their sympathies will usually go 
 
 * These branches of trees, many of which were branches of 
 the palm, were such as in those days it was customary to procure 
 in honor of a victorious general or prince. They were therefore 
 deemed, by the multitude, exceedingly proper on the present oc- 
 casion. 
 
 17 
 
194 TRAVELS OF 
 
 with the persecuted, let their character, in 
 general, be what it may.* 
 
 Some of the Pharisees, finding they could 
 make no impression by speaking to them to 
 be silent, requested the Saviour himself to do 
 it; " Master," they said, iS rebuke thy disci- 
 ples." Though as little fond of display as 
 any individual that ever lived, he did not 
 choose to comply with their request. " If 
 these should hold their peace," he observed, 
 i( the stones would immediately cry out." 
 
 In descending mount Olivet, to cross the 
 valley of Jehosaphat, which separates that 
 mountain or hill from the city of Jerusalem, 
 the latter is in full view, and the prospect is 
 grand and imposing. As Jesus beheld the 
 city, he wept over it; and it was here that he 
 predicted that destruction by the Romans 
 which should not leave one stone of the tem- 
 ple upon another; a prediction which was in 
 due time literally fulfilled. 
 
 Jesus at length arrives at the city gate, and 
 
 * As feeling, mere feeling, undirected by reason, is usually 
 blind, so is sympathy. We ought, indeed, to be very thankful to 
 God for both of these inestimable gifts — the power to feel for our 
 fellow-creatures, and the power to sympathize with them. But 
 we ought to do one thing more ; which is to be very careful that 
 our sympathies do not mislead us. 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 195 
 
 enters the city. So remarkable was the man- 
 ner of his appearance, and so great was the 
 crowd which accompanied him, that the whole 
 city seemed moved; and the inquiry every 
 where was, Who is this? Who can it be 
 that enters our city with so much pomp, and in 
 the midst of such acclamations? The multi- 
 tude informed them that it was Jesus of Naza- 
 reth, the individual whose fame, especially 
 as a worker of miracles, had been so long 
 noised among them. 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 The Saviour curing the blind and lame — The fig-tree cursed ; 
 and why — He again drives the buyers and sellers out of the 
 temple — Discussions with the Scribes and Pharisees and Sad- 
 ducees — The Scribes and Pharisees denounced — The benevo- 
 lent widow. 
 
 When the Saviour had fairly entered the 
 city,, and all was quiet, he went into the tem- 
 ple, and again commenced his miracles and 
 instructions there. Among other things, he 
 wrought the cure of the blind and lame who 
 were brought there for the purpose. 
 
196 TRAVELS OF 
 
 These cures and the cries of Hosanna to 
 the Son of David, which were renewed at in- 
 tervals, offended the chief priests and scribes; 
 but as yet they made no attempts to seize 
 him. 
 
 At the close of the day, he repaired, with 
 the twelve, to Bethany, probably to the house 
 of Lazarus, Martha and Mary; and there re- 
 mained for the night. * Early in the morning 
 they returned again to the city. 
 
 As they were returning — setting out, as 
 perhaps they did, before breakfast — the Sa- 
 viour was hungry, and seeing a fig-tree at a 
 distance, he sought for fruit on it, but as it 
 was not the season for fruit he found none. 
 
 I have alluded to a barren fig-tree, in an- 
 other place; but the circumstances, though 
 they strongly resembled those to which I now 
 refer, were yet somewhat different. It was 
 in the present instance that Jesus is said to 
 have appointed the tree to perish, and that it 
 was found on the following day actually to 
 have withered. 
 
 Some of those persons who are ever ready 
 to find fault with the Bible — its doctrines and 
 its instructions — have complained of the con- 
 
 * See page 161. 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 197 
 
 duct of our Saviour in the present instance. 
 But they misunderstand the whole matter. 
 The act was unquestionably emblematical of 
 the decay which awaited the Jewish nation, in 
 consequence of their unfaithfulness and spirit- 
 ual barrenness. No serious injury can be 
 said to have been done to the fig-tree, unless 
 we suppose it to have been endowed with sen- 
 sation; besides, had not the Being by whom 
 it was created, a right to destroy it, especially 
 when he could, in so doing, inculcate a valu- 
 able moral lesson? 
 
 I do not doubt that the destruction of this 
 fig-tree was also intended to convey a moral 
 lesson to every one of us. Here we have 
 lived for years and years — some of us for tens 
 or scores of years — in the vineyard of our 
 Lord and Master. Have we brought forth 
 the appropriate fruits of Christianity in a holy 
 life and conversation? If not, is not the de- 
 struction of the fig-tree emblematical of the 
 destruction that awaits us? 
 
 The Saviour now entered upon his second 
 day's work in the temple. The first business 
 of this morning was to clear the temple, as he 
 had done on a former similar occasion, of 
 business men and business. Not only did he 
 17* 
 
198 TRAVELS OF 
 
 stop all the traffic in lambs, doves, &c, but he 
 went further, and overthrew the tables and 
 seats of the traders and traffickers, and would 
 not permit a vessel of any sort to be carried 
 through the temple. "Is it not written," said 
 he, "My house shall be called of all nations 
 the house of prayer? but ye have made it a 
 den of thieves. 53 
 
 The scribes and chief priests grew more 
 and more offended both with him and his doc- 
 trine; but it was difficult for them to seize 
 him, on account of the singular attachment 
 of the mass of the people. Besides, these 
 wicked men were aware of the excellence of 
 his doctrine, and the holiness— the mingled 
 majesty and meekness of his character, and 
 awed by his personal appearance. They 
 were, in fact, afraid of him. Such power and 
 authority have truth and goodness, especially 
 when they come from the fountain head, when 
 manifested directly by their divine Author. 
 
 Jesus and his apostles, at evening, went 
 again out of the city — without doubt, to the 
 house of Lazarus at Bethany. Here they prob- 
 ably resorted every night till the very night 
 in which, by the treachery of Judas Iscariot, 
 he was betrayed to his enemies. 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 199 
 
 The next morning — the morning of the 
 third day of the feast — Jesus and his apostles 
 came again to Jerusalem. While walking 
 about the temple, conversing and preaching, 
 he was met by some of the chief priests, sent, 
 no doubt, by the great Jewish council, or San- 
 hedrim, to take him. They were afraid, 
 however, as I have already told you, to exe- 
 cute the decree of the Sanhedrim, on account 
 of the people. It became necessary, there- 
 fore, to contrive some sort of accusation 
 against him, which would so far satisfy the 
 people, that he could be taken without raising 
 at once a mob, and perhaps involving even 
 the temple itself in danger. 
 
 Accordingly they employed agents to ques- 
 tion and cross question him in the temple, in 
 the hearing of all the people; in order that if 
 he made any blunders, apparent or real, they 
 might observe it. 
 
 They asked him the following questions; 
 "By what authority doest thou these things; 
 and who gave thee this authority?" Jesus, 
 perceiving their design to entrap him, replied 
 in such a way as entirely defeated their pur- 
 pose. He would answer their question, he 
 said, if they would answer him a question re- 
 
200 TRAVELS OF 
 
 specting the baptism of John Baptist; viz. 
 Was it from heaven or of men? This ques- 
 tion they were unwilling to answer; he there- 
 fore refused to reply to theirs. 
 
 But this was not all. He censured them, 
 in the presence of the very multitude to whom 
 they hoped to have exposed him, on account 
 of their neglect of the instructions of a man 
 whom they professed so strongly to regard. 
 
 It was here that he recited that most solemn 
 parable, which shows how the various dispen- 
 sations of God towards the Jewish people were 
 abused; how his only Son had at last been 
 sent to them; and the dangers which were in 
 reserve for them, if, in like manner, they re- 
 jected him. They understood his meaning, 
 and were greatly enraged; but, as yet, they 
 dared not to destroy him. 
 
 But they did not relinquish their original 
 purpose of f£ entangling him in his talk. 55 
 Many and curious were their devices for this 
 purpose. Among the rest was their question, 
 whether it was lawful to pay tribute to Caesar. 
 We must all have observed how dextrously 
 he managed that matter; and with how much 
 disappointment they gave up, for that day, 
 their object. 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 201 
 
 When the Pharisees had left him, however, 
 he met with a company of Sadducees. The 
 Sadducees were a sect of the Jews who denied 
 the doctrine of a future resurrection, a future 
 state, &c, and held that there was no such 
 thing as an angel or a spirit. They brought to 
 him a question about marriage in the future 
 state, but this the Saviour soon disposed of. 
 
 Again the Pharisees assembled round him. 
 In his turn, however, for surely his turn had 
 now come, he proposed perplexing questions 
 to them. They were soon glad to leave him, 
 for they could not answer his questions with- 
 out being caught in the very same sort of 
 snare which they were perpetually laying for 
 him. 
 
 The common people, we are told several 
 times, heard the Saviour gladly. It was their 
 leaders, as a general thing, that made the 
 trouble he had to encounter. Sometimes, in- 
 deed, they contrived to enlist the multitude, 
 under their banner. On the present occasion 
 the Saviour addressed himself particularly to 
 this class of people, but not till he had first 
 cautioned the common people against them in 
 the following manner. 
 
 "The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses's 
 
202 TRAVELS OF 
 
 seat. All therefore whatsoever they bid you 
 observe, that observe and do; but do ye not 
 after their works; for they say and do not. 
 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to 
 be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; 
 but they themselves will not move them with 
 one of their fingers. But all their works 
 they do to be seen of men; they make broad 
 their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of 
 their garments, and love the uppermost rooms 
 at feasts, and the chief seats in the syna- 
 gogues, and greetings in the markets, and to 
 be called of men, Rabbi! Rabbi! — But be not 
 ye called Rabbi: for one is your master, even 
 Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call 
 no man your father upon the earth; for one is 
 your Father which is in heaven. Neither be 
 ye called masters; for one is your master, 
 even Christ. But he that is greatest among 
 you shall be your servant." 
 
 Thus did the Saviour, for once, caution the 
 multitude against their leaders. But he had 
 not yet done his work. Turning to the Scribes 
 and Pharisees themselves, in the presence of 
 all those who chose to hear him, he denounced 
 them, in an address, than which, as it has been 
 justly said, " nothing more fearfully tremen- 
 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 203 
 
 dous is recorded in the whole history of elo- 
 quence." The denunciation may be seen at 
 full length in the 23d chapter of Matthew; 
 from which I only make a few extracts. 
 
 " But wo unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, 
 hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, 
 and for a pretence make long prayers ; therefore 
 ye shall receive the greater damnation. Wo 
 unto you, Scribes, and Pharisees, hypocrites! 
 for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against 
 men, for ye neither go in yourselves, neither 
 suffer ye them that are entering to go in. 
 Wo unto you, Scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites! 
 for ye compass sea and land to make one 
 proselyte; and when he is made, ye make 
 him two fold more the child of hell than your- 
 selves. Wo unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, 
 hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of 
 the cup and the platter; but within they are 
 full of extortion and excess. Wo unto you, 
 Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; for ye 
 are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed 
 appear beautiful outward, but are within full 
 of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. 
 Even so ye also appear outwardly righteous 
 unto men; but within ye are full of hypocrisy 
 and iniquity." 
 
204 TRAVELS OF 
 
 The boldness, the personality, the prophet- 
 like tone of this urgent yet unimpassioned re- 
 buke, as it has been well observed by anoth- 
 er writer, " impart to it such a power that it 
 can hardly be read without trembling, and 
 must have made it unspeakably awful in the 
 delivery. It seems to have been listened to 
 in deathlike silence. No one presumed to 
 interrupt or reply to it. Scribe, Pharisee, 
 Sadducee — all, all were alike, as there can 
 be no doubt, overwhelmed, not only by the 
 eloquence of the speaker, but by the truth 
 which he uttered." 
 
 Indeed, I cannot help thinking there was 
 something in the manner of this address in- 
 finitely above mere eloquence. There was 
 eloquence, it is true; but there was more. 
 There was holiness, holiness embodied, as it 
 were — acting and reproving where reproof 
 was known and felt to be deserved. No won- 
 der, I again say, at the impression he was wont 
 to make by these addresses. No wonder 
 those who heard him sometimes said, " Never 
 man spake like this man." 
 
 Jesus now proceeded to teach the astonished 
 hearers a lesson of a very different kind. As 
 he sat where he could observe those who cast 
 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 205 
 
 their offerings into the treasury for the use 
 and support of the temple, he could not help 
 noticing the strange inequality with which 
 these matters were managed. The rich he 
 saw cast in, as it is usually called, liberally; 
 yet were they not at all impoverished or in- 
 convenienced by their contributions. There 
 still remained, to them and their families, not 
 only every necessary of life, real or supposed, 
 but every luxury. At length along came a 
 poor widow, with all she had in the world for 
 her support in her hand. It was a single Ro- 
 man farthing, or about four mills. This, 
 though her all, as I have said, was also cast 
 in. Our Saviour reminded those around him 
 of the circumstance, and told them that while 
 others had indeed given something from their 
 abundance, she had given more than they all. 
 She had given what was really needed to sup- 
 ply the necessities of the giver; but this not 
 one of them had done, notwithstanding all 
 their wealth and all their supposed liberality. 
 O how sadly will many men, who have all 
 along through life supposed themselves char- 
 itable and liberal, be disappointed, when they 
 come to find that as things are estimated in 
 the sight of God they have really given just 
 18 
 
206 TRAVELS OF 
 
 nothing at all. They have never, once in 
 their lives, put themselves to any real incon- 
 venience by their charities. They have de- 
 nied themselves nothing; they have made no 
 sacrifices. Where, then, is any evidence of 
 real benevolence? Where any evidence that 
 they possess the spirit of the Saviour? 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 The Saviour in going to Bethany stops at mount Olivet — Views 
 the city — Pronounces judgments on it, and gives his apostles 
 much instruction— Foretells more particularly his death— Pro- 
 ceeds to Bethany — Attends a feast there — The box of ointment 
 — Judas Iscariot — His character and conduct. 
 
 *One evening, as the Saviour and his apostles 
 were proceeding as usual to their lodging 
 place in Bethany, having crossed the brook 
 Kidron which runs through the valley of Je- 
 hosaphat, and ascended the mount of Olives, 
 where from a point, somewhat elevated, there 
 is a fine view of Jerusalem, they sat down 
 awhile to take a survey of this magnificent 
 but devoted city. 
 
 While sitting there, Peter, James and John 
 came to the Saviour, and without intending the 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 207 
 
 rest should hear what was said, asked him to 
 tell them when the destruction of the city and 
 of the Jewish policy should take place, and 
 what would be the sign of the Saviour's com- 
 ing, for that purpose, and of the end of the 
 world. They believed, most undoubtedly, 
 that the Messiah, whom they had so long ex- 
 pected, was to establish a new dispensation or 
 age, upon the introduction of which the old 
 one, or that of Moses, would cease. 
 
 The answer of the Saviour to these queries 
 is of very great length, and cannot here be 
 repeated. It is sufficient perhaps that I give 
 a mere outline of it; for if the reader has a 
 clear idea of the face of the country about 
 Jerusalem and of the relative position of that 
 city and mount Olivet, and will picture to 
 himself, by aid of a lively imagination, the 
 circumstances, under which the remarks of 
 the Saviour were made, he will hardly need 
 any thing else to deepen the impression made 
 by what the Saviour uttered. 
 
 He warned them, in the first place, not to 
 be deceived by the false Christs or Messiahs 
 who would arise among them. In the second 
 place, he foretold the commotions and wars 
 which would take place before the destruction 
 
208 TRAVELS OF 
 
 of Jerusalem should be effected; and in the 
 third place, he prophesied, with the exactness 
 almost of an historian, respecting the events 
 which should take place at the time of the 
 siege and desolation of the city of Jerusalem 
 by the Roman army. 
 
 He urged them, moreover, to be prepared 
 for the event. To deepen their impressions 
 of the importance of faithfulness, fidelity and 
 perseverance in Christian duty, as the most 
 important preparation for that great day of 
 national trouble, as well as for all the smaller 
 troubles of life, he gave them many striking 
 admonitions, and interesting and instructive 
 parables, among the last of which was the 
 parable of the ten virgins. Finally, he passed 
 from the destruction of Jerusalem and a due 
 preparation for that great event, to the de- 
 struction of the world in which we live and 
 the judgment of the last day; and spoke of 
 the proper Christian preparation for a scene 
 so awfully tremendous and so unspeakably 
 important. 
 
 I have been the more inclined to give this 
 outline, because it is believed to have been 
 his last public discourse. Here on the west- 
 ern side of mount Olivet, but near its summit, 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 209 
 
 in the midst of his apostles and perhaps many 
 more individuals — for though the conversation 
 began with only three of them, I cannot think 
 the rest were long absent — here, I say, on 
 that hill, which he had so many times ascend- 
 ed and descended, and in full view of the city 
 for which he had labored and prayed and 
 wept so much and so long, and in the heart of 
 which he was so soon to bleed for its millions 
 and the other millions of the world in all ages 
 and nations; here, in full view of Jerusalem, 
 I say, its strong walls, its splendid palaces, 
 and its magnificent temple illuminated and 
 perhaps gilded by the lingering rays of the 
 setting sun, the Saviour of mankind uttered 
 his last public counsels before his crucifixion. 
 Here was heard from the lips of him " who 
 spake as never man spake," his last fearful 
 warning, and to a guilty nation and an impen- 
 itent world, his most terrible predictions of 
 judgments here or hereafter. 
 
 The Saviour's discourse being ended, he 
 reminded his apostles that it was now but two 
 days to the feast of the passover, at which 
 time he should be betrayed and put to death. 
 And yet, in spite of his frequent admonitions, 
 it appears from circumstances which will be 
 18* 
 
210 TRAVELS OF 
 
 noticed hereafter, that as yet they but imper- 
 fectly understood him. 
 
 But as night was now drawing on, they 
 proceeded again to Bethany. In the evening 
 they were invited by one Simon a leper, as 
 he was called, to a public feast or supper. 
 Simon's hospitality was accepted, and Jesus 
 and his company attended. Who the other 
 guests were, except two or three, is not so 
 certain; though it is probable from what fol- 
 lowed this event, that a considerable number 
 of Simon's Jewish friends were present. 
 
 I have alluded to two or three of the guests. 
 These were Lazarus and his sisters. For 
 though it was not customary, in that country 
 and in those days, for females to sit at the 
 same table with males, yet they sometimes 
 served, as it was called: and on the present 
 occasion the honor of serving was committed 
 to Martha. 
 
 Nor was Mary unoccupied. For while they 
 were in the midst of the supper, she came 
 boldly to Jesus with a box of very costly oint- 
 ment; and having broken the seal, she poured 
 the contents at once on his head; at the same 
 time anointing his feet with it, and wiping 
 them with her hair. 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 211 
 
 This method of anointing would not seem 
 strange to us if we knew the customs of the 
 country and of the times. For anointing with 
 oil was quite common, though it was not usual 
 to do it with such costly ointment. The box 
 of ointment, it is said, might have been sold 
 for three hundred pence, that is for above forty 
 dollars. 
 
 Who will wonder,then,to hear that the time- 
 serving and money-loving Judas Iscariot was 
 ready to complain of it as a waste? It might 
 have been sold, he said, and given to the poor. 
 True; but so might many of the things they 
 were perpetually using; and some of those, in 
 all probability, of which Judas himself was in 
 the daily use. Christ would not — and I would 
 not, of course— be found justifying prodigality 
 or waste. But is there not something of in- 
 consistency in crying out against an occa- 
 sional anointing of the living body of one so 
 eminent and precious as the Saviour, while 
 we are daily contributing to a far greater 
 waste on living as well as dead bodies? 
 
 The truth, however, is, that this plea in be- 
 half of the poor — when any thing is applied in 
 a manner which may seem to us even a little 
 extravagant — is not made chiefly because we 
 
212 TRAVELS OF 
 
 are so much opposed to a little waste; but for 
 other reasons. Give us but the handling of 
 the money or property thus wasted, as we call 
 it, and though we might not handle it in the 
 same way, it is ten to one but we should spend 
 it in a way quite as selfish. And so it was, no 
 doubt, with Judas. He was a selfish man, 
 like other selfish men; only, as we have rea- 
 son to believe, a little more distinguished for 
 his selfishness than most of us. 
 
 The Saviour defended the conduct of Mary, 
 in this instance, until the complainers were 
 at length silent. But Judas, though silent, 
 was not satisfied. He was, as I have said 
 again and again, the treasurer of the compa- 
 ny; and though they do not seem to have 
 been at this time in immediate want, he would 
 gladly have replenished the purse he carried 
 with a sum of money, which, for those days, 
 would have been quite considerable. Nor 
 was this all; he was anxious, in all probability, 
 to gratify himself to a greater extent than their 
 small funds would at all times enable him to 
 do, even with the addition of that species of 
 pilfering with which one of the Evangelists 
 charges him. Nor is it at all improbable that 
 the remarks of our Saviour, on this occasion. 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 213 
 
 instead of doing him good, as they ought to 
 have done, served to urge him onward in a 
 course of selfishness and dishonesty, till it 
 ended in treason or in the betrayal of his con- 
 stant companion — his professed [friend- — his 
 Lord and Master. Good instruction and 
 counsel, if they do not prove a savor of life, 
 always become a savor of death to us all. 
 
 And now it was that Judas was ready, by 
 and with the assistance of the grand adversa- 
 ry of all good — the arch traitor against Heav- 
 en — to hearken to a proposal of the wicked 
 leaders of the Jews, to give up Jesus into their 
 hands. The man who has begun a course of 
 wickedness, if it is only a little stealing now 
 and then, knows not where the matter will 
 end. 
 
 The leaders of the Jews had just now as- 
 sembled together to concert new plans for se- 
 curing Jesus, the old ones, it seems, having 
 failed. Just at this time Judas appeared 
 among them, and inquired how much they 
 would give him to deliver the Saviour up into 
 their hands. A bargain was soon struck. 
 The sum agreed on was thirty pieces of silver; 
 a little more, perhaps, than fifteen dollars. * 
 
 * About $15|, to be exact; so it seems from the authority of 
 Calmet. 
 
214 TRAVELS OF 
 
 A small sum, indeed, for delivering up his 
 and their and our Lord and Master and Re- 
 deemer! 
 
 From this time forth Judas watched for an 
 opportunity, when the multitude was absent, 
 to give up the Saviour to those who for aught 
 he knew were to be his murderers. Was 
 there ever wickedness so premeditated? Was 
 there ever a traitor so foul? Was there ever 
 a man so deserving of being execrated? To 
 whom is not the very name Judas (and espe- 
 cially the two names together, Judas Iscariot) 
 an offence? Who would venture to call a 
 member of his family by this name ? At all 
 events, who has ever done it? 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 Preparation for the Passover — Manner of keeping it — Institution 
 of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper — The Saviour washes 
 the apostles' feet — Adventure with Peter— Judas leaves the 
 company — Discourses of the Saviour — They depart from Jeru- 
 salem — Go to the garden of Gethsemane— What took place 
 there. 
 
 The day of the passover was now rapidly 
 approaching, and Jesus began to make prepa- 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 215 
 
 ration for it. He wished to keep it by him- 
 self, having none present at the time but his 
 twelve apostles. The Passover, as you are 
 aware, must be eaten in Jerusalem. Accord- 
 ingly, he sent Peter and John from Bethany 
 to procure a room and make the necessary 
 preparation. 
 
 The circumstances of the journey of those 
 two disciples, though somewhat singular, it is 
 unnecessary for me to relate. I must confine 
 myself, as much as possible, to incidents and 
 events more directly connected with the Sa- 
 viour himself. It is only needful to observe 
 that they secured a large upper room, already 
 well furnished for their purpose; and that 
 they immediately made ready the unleavened 
 cakes, the lamb, the herbs, &c, usual on such 
 occasions. 
 
 In the evening, when the proper hour had 
 arrived, for commencing this feast — to the 
 Jews so sacred — Jesus and his apostles pro- 
 ceeded to the place made ready for them by 
 Peter and John, and there sat down together 
 at the table. 
 
 The first thing to be eaten — to comply 
 with the customs of the Jews — was the 
 bread and bitter herbs. After these came 
 
216 TRAVELS OF 
 
 the lamb. Or to be a little more particular, 
 — it was customary for the master of the fam- 
 ily about to celebrate the passover — who in 
 the present case was the Saviour — to begin 
 the feast with a cup of wine; which having 
 blessed in a solemn manner, he passed among 
 the guests at the table. After this, he washed 
 his hands, and then proceeded to other duties. 
 
 When the master and the rest of the com- 
 pany had tasted the bread and herbs, it was 
 usual for some younger person present to ask 
 the meaning of the peculiarities of this feast 
 of the passover. After an explanation of the 
 same, the master of the feast arose, took 
 another cup of wine, and again washed his 
 hands. 
 
 The eating of the lamb, which properly 
 constituted the feast of the passover, was fol- 
 lowed by another cup of wine. This was suc- 
 ceeded by serious but friendly conversation; 
 after which was a fourth cup, followed by a 
 psalm of praise, which ended the solemnity. 
 
 In the present instance, it appears that at 
 the time when it was usual for the lamb to be 
 eaten, the Saviour gave to each of his apos- 
 tles, as they were collected around him, a 
 piece of bread, either in place of a piece of 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 217 
 
 the lamb, or immediately after it; and the 
 wine which he drank and distributed as the 
 sacrament, corresponded to the fourth cup of 
 the Passover. 
 
 In any event here was the origin of the 
 Sacrament of the Lord's Supper — which con- 
 sists essentially in receiving bodily sustenance 
 in a social manner, in remembrance of the 
 sufferings and death of Him whose body, the 
 day after he last partook of the Passover at 
 Jerusalem, was broken on the cross to atone 
 for the sins of a perishing world; and when- 
 ever this sacrament is partaken of, to the end 
 of the world, it should bring these facts into 
 grateful remembrance. 
 
 It has been already mentioned that the 
 apostles, in one or two instances, were found 
 by the Saviour at variance in regard to prece- 
 dence. Here, strange to say, at this very 
 supper, or rather at one of the intervals of 
 the supper, the same old strife, which should 
 be the greatest, again recurred. To effect a 
 final and complete cure of these dissensions, 
 and especially to present, as it were, his dying 
 testimony against them, the Saviour, on rising 
 from supper at its close, adopted the following 
 method. 
 
 19 
 
218 TRAVELS O F 
 
 Laying aside his upper or loose garment, 
 and fastening a towel around him, he pro- 
 ceeded, without apology and without much 
 ceremony, to wash the feet of his disciples, 
 and to wipe them afterward with his towel. 
 It was not long before he came to Peter. 
 But Peter disliking the idea of having the Sa- 
 viour perform so menial an office for him, ex- 
 pressed his surprise. "Lord," said he, "dost 
 thou wash my feet?" The reply of Jesus, 
 that though he might not be able to under- 
 stand just now, the meaning of the ceremony, 
 he would probably understand it better after- 
 ward, did not satisfy him. He even refused 
 to suffer the Saviour to proceed. This called 
 forth the following appropriate and just reply; 
 "If I wash thee not," replied the Saviour, 
 " thou hast no part with me." 
 
 This was enough for Peter. Quick as 
 thought, the whole current of feeling was 
 changed. He was not only willing to have 
 his feet washed, since it concerned his salva- 
 tion, but also his hands and his head. The 
 Saviour assured him that no more was neces-* 
 sary than to wash his feet in order to answer 
 every purpose which he himself had intended 
 by the ceremony. 
 
 
OUR S AVI OUR. 219 
 
 The purpose of the Saviour was to teach 
 his disciples humility; the lesson too was a 
 beautiful one, and we cannot doubt made its 
 intended impression. The ceremony was fol- 
 lowed by quite a long and interesting discourse 
 from our Saviour, explaining his object, and 
 giving his apostles much collateral and use- 
 ful instruction. 
 
 During the supper, the Saviour also fore- 
 told again his betrayal, and almost pointed 
 out to them his very betrayer. But either 
 they did not very fully understand him even 
 now, or else they could not fully believe that 
 Judas was capable of such great and aggrava- 
 ted wickedness. 
 
 But Judas was now ready for any thing, 
 however diabolical in its nature, provided it 
 would accomplish his purposes. He was bent 
 on having the money which had been prom- 
 ised him; and as is the usual effect of money, 
 in a greater or less degree, even the thinking 
 of it both blinded and hardened him. 
 
 The supper now fairly ended, Judas, who 
 was evidently impatient to accomplish his 
 schemes, left the company at the table, and 
 went out. Where he went we shall see in 
 another place. 
 
220 T K A V E L S OF 
 
 As soon as he was gone, the Saviour pre-* 
 dieted again his own speedy removal, and ob- 
 served that he should so make his departure 
 that they could not follow him. Peter in- 
 quired why they could not follow him; ob- 
 serving that in so far as danger was con- 
 cerned, there was no difficulty; for he was 
 ready, for one, to follow him wherever he 
 went, and even lay down his life for him. 
 Yet, notwithstanding Peter's great confidence, 
 the Saviour who knew his heart better than 
 he himself did, expressed his doubts. Nay, 
 he even assured him, that instead of carrying 
 out into action the boldness he professed, the 
 cock would not crow twice, the next morning, 
 before he would three times utterly deny him. 
 
 In another conversation, a little while af- 
 terwards, Peter expressed the same confi- 
 dence as before, only in different words; 
 "Lord, 5 * said he, " I am ready to go with thee 
 both to prison and to death." Jesus assured 
 him he was mistaken, and repeated to him the 
 same prediction in regard to his speedy denial 
 of him. But Peter could not believe it. He 
 probably felt somewhat as king Hazael had 
 done long before, who said, when his wicked- 
 ness was foretold, Is thy servant a dog, that 
 he should do this great sin? 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 221 
 
 The supper and the conversation seem to 
 have been concluded by a hymn, after which 
 they all soon went — Judas excepted — towards 
 Mount Olivet. It was late, however, ere they 
 went — as some suppose, near midnight. 
 
 It was probably at the close of the supper, 
 and while they were going to Mount Olivet, 
 that the Saviour gave those interesting and 
 affecting discourses which we find in the gos- 
 pel according to John, and which, for affec- 
 tionate interest and benevolent regard, it is 
 beyond the art of man to imitate. The whole 
 was concluded by a remarkable prayer. 
 
 By this time they were arrived at the brook 
 Kidron, in the valley east of the city. But 
 whither were they going? The evening was 
 somewhat advanced, and would they go, thus 
 late, to Bethany? There was no special ob- 
 jection, so far as I know, to their going there 
 at this hour, had they chosen to do so. But 
 this was not their object. The Saviour was 
 going to the garden of Gethsemane,* a little 
 beyond the valley, at the foot of Mount Olivet; 
 and the eleven apostles — Judas now fyeing on 
 
 * This pleasant little garden— apparently a chosen retreat of 
 our Saviour— contained, it is thought, about three-fourths of an 
 acre of ground j and besides shrubbery had in it many olive trees. 
 
 19* 
 
222 travels or 
 
 another errand— were following him ; perhaps 
 without knowing or presuming to ask what 
 his object was. 
 
 As they were walking along, and before 
 they had reached the garden, the Saviour 
 foretold how they would that very night be 
 " offended" on account of him, and would de- 
 sert him; and alluded again to his crucifixion. 
 "But," added he, " after I am risen again, 
 I will go before you into Galilee." 
 
 Here again Peter, with his usual self-con- 
 fidence, repeated his strong assertions of loy- 
 alty to his Master; saying, that though all 
 the rest of the company should be offended 
 on account of him, yet he should not. It was 
 on this occasion that Jesus, for the third time, 
 repeated his prediction of Peter's denial of 
 him, and that Peter as strongly as ever- — and 
 more so— affirmed he would sooner die than 
 be guilty of such conduct. The rest of the 
 apostles also assured their Master, with almost 
 as much confidence as Peter did, of their 
 entire loyalty, firm adherence and faithful 
 affection,. 
 
 They arrive, at length, at the garden, and 
 enter it; but no sooner had they entered it, 
 than the Saviour separated the company into 
 
OUR SAVIOUR* 223 
 
 two parties; the one of four persons, the oth* 
 er of eight. The latter were requested to 
 stay near the entrance of the garden, where 
 they then were; but the other — who were Pe- 
 ter, James, John and himself— went farther. 
 Perhaps you will remember that these three 
 apostles were the very men w r ho had been se-* 
 lected on a former occasion, to be witnesses, 
 on the mount, of his remarkable transfigura- 
 tion, 
 
 As he proceeded with them to a more re- 
 mote part of the garden, he began to show 
 symptoms of great sorrow, and even of the 
 keenest anguish. He said to his disciples, 
 "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even 
 unto death ;" bidding them at the same time, 
 to continue where they were and watch. 
 Pray for yourselves, moreover, he added, 
 that ye enter not into temptation. 
 
 For himself he proceeded a little farther 
 still, and then placed himself on his face in 
 the usual Eastern attitude of devotion. How 
 long he remained in this posture, we are not 
 told. We are only informed that while there, 
 he uttered among others, the following short 
 but remarkable prayer; "Abba, Father, all 
 things are possible unto thee; take away this 
 
224 TRAVELS OP 
 
 cup from me; nevertheless, not what I will, 
 but what thou wilt." 
 
 When the prayer was ended, he rose from 
 the place where he was, and returned to the 
 three apostles, who, notwithstanding his strict 
 command that they should watch with him, 
 were fast asleep. " Simon," said he, address- 
 ing himself, as he was apt to do, to Peter — 
 perhaps because he was always among the 
 most forward of them to promise well, and 
 indeed for the most part to perform well, also 
 — " Simon, sleepest thou? What! could ye 
 not watch with me one hour?" 
 
 And was it not strange that when they saw 
 his agony, they could not keep awake longer? 
 Surely but little time had elapsed after his 
 departure, ere he found them in this condition. 
 It could not have been an hour, or any thing 
 like it. 
 
 The Saviour put them to a further trial. 
 About to leave them again, in the same man- 
 ner, he repeated his exhortations to them to 
 watch and pray against that temptation, 
 which, whether they understood it or not, was 
 speedily coming on them. 
 
 When he had once more sufficiently cau- 
 tioned them against sleeping, he went away 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 225 
 
 and prayed in the same manner as before; 
 but again, though only absent a short time, he 
 found them on his return as sound asleep as 
 ever. 
 
 There is an exhausted condition of the hu- 
 man frame in which it is next to impossible 
 to refrain from sleep, even when the will is 
 most resolute to refrain from it. Sorrow, in- 
 stead of diminishing this tendency, sometimes 
 increases it. Such, we may reasonably sup- 
 pose, was the condition of Peter and James 
 and John, in the present instance. 
 
 Having roused them once more, he retired 
 for prayer, in the former manner, and with 
 nearly if not exactly the same form of words. 
 When he came to pronounce the last part 
 of his prayer, viz., " nevertheless, not my 
 will, but thine be done," " there appeared to 
 him," so says the Evangelist Luke, " an an- 
 gel from heaven strengthening him," as well 
 as encouraging and animating him to endure 
 the struggle. 
 
 Yet, notwithstanding all this assistance from 
 on high, his agony, while he prayed, was ex- 
 ceedingly great. So intense was it, that the 
 perspiration of his body stood upon his skin 
 in great drops, like drops of blood — and some 
 
226 TRAVELS OF 
 
 even suppose from the record of the Evange- 
 list, that he actually perspired blood itself. 
 Be this as it may have been, we have every 
 evidence that his agony was excessive, be- 
 yond human conception, and almost beyond 
 endurance. 
 
 He rose from prayer at length the third 
 time; and again, the third time, repaired to 
 the place where he had left his three disci- 
 ples. Finding them still fast locked in the 
 arms of sleep, he did not at first attempt to 
 rouse them, but said ; " Sleep on now, and 
 take your rest; the hour is come; and the 
 Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sin- 
 ners." Recalling himself, as it were, how- 
 ever, he said to them, "Rise, let us be going; 
 behold, he is at hand that doth betray me." 
 And so it proved, as we shall see in the next 
 chapter. 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 227 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 Gethsemane — Judas and his band arrive there — Jesus betrayed 
 and seized — The apostles propose resistance — The Saviour re- 
 fuses — Peter's resistance — Rebuke of Jesus — He is bound and 
 taken to Jerusalem — Brought before Caiaphas, and the Sanhe- 
 drim — The apostles, except John, make'their escape — Jesus is 
 tried — They pretend to convict him of blasphemy — He is de- 
 livered to Pilate — End of Judas — Jesus sent to Herod — Re- 
 turned to Pilate — Pilate scourges him — Gives him over to the 
 soldiers — Pilate's wife's dream — Examination of the Saviour 
 — Pilate wishes to liberate him — Finally gives him up, but pro- 
 tests his own innocence. 
 
 I have already said that the garden of 
 Gethsemane was a chosen retreat of our Sa- 
 viour and his apostles. This, Judas well 
 knew; but whether he knew with certainty, 
 that Jesus was there at this time, I cannot 
 say. Perhaps it was his intention to pursue 
 him, if necessary, as far as the house of Laz- 
 arus at Bethany; thinking it best, however, 
 to call at places on the road which Jesus was 
 accustomed to frequent, and among the rest 
 at the garden of Gethsemane. 
 
 In any event he came there; and his arri- 
 val in the garden was at the very moment 
 when the Saviour came, the third and last 
 
228 TRAVELS OF 
 
 time, to his three sleeping apostles. But Ju- 
 das came not alone. He had with him a band 
 of officers and soldiers sent from the chief 
 priests; and though it was full moon at this 
 season, and, of course, not remarkably dark, 
 yet to make sure of finding him, they were well 
 fitted out with lamps and torches; and to be 
 certain of securing him, should there be any 
 resistance from him or his companions, they 
 were furnished with weapons. 
 
 It was while the Saviour was in the very 
 act of speaking to his three companions, that 
 his assailants arrived. It seems that Judas 
 had given them, for signal, a kiss, saying, 
 Whomsoever I shall kiss, the same is he 
 whom you seek; hold him fast. 
 
 Suffer me tointroduce here, by way of com- 
 ment on Judas the betrayer of the Saviour, 
 the following beautiful extract from Abbott's 
 Corner Stone: 
 
 "The wretched man went at midnight to 
 the place of rendezvous; and while he and 
 the soldiers who were to accompany him, 
 were receiving their directions, and forming 
 their plans in the city, the Saviour was bend- 
 ing under the burden of those intolerable but 
 mysterious sufferings which have thrown an 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 229 
 
 eternal gloom over the garden of Gethsemane. 
 Upon what a scene the moon, which was al- 
 ways full at the time of the Jewish passover, 
 must have looked down, at this sad hour! 
 
 " It is midnight; the moon is high, and 
 the streets of Jerusalem are deserted and 
 still, except when the footsteps of some 
 solitary passenger re-echo a moment upon 
 the ear, and then die away. Beyond the 
 walls, even deeper silence and solitude reign; 
 every bird is at its rest, and in the still night 
 air we can hear the brook murmuring 
 through the valley. In the garden, on the 
 other side, too, the consecrated place of pray- 
 er, every zephyr is hushed, every leaf is in 
 repose, and the moon is silvering, with its 
 cold light, the outlines of the foliage, and 
 brightening on the distant hills. 
 
 "It was midnight — the hour of stillness 
 and rest — but yet the whole scene was not 
 one of repose. The scattered disciples of 
 Jesus waited for their Master, who was bend- 
 ing down in his lonely retreat, under the 
 weight of suffering which we can neither ap- 
 preciate nor comprehend. And in some lurk- 
 ing-place in the silent city, the rough soldiers 
 were lighting their lanterns, and girding on 
 20 
 
230 TRAVELS OF 
 
 their weapons, and forming their plans. Pres- 
 ently they issue forth, and pass on from street 
 to street, now in light, and now in shadow, 
 stealing along probably in careful silence, 
 lest they might arouse some of the people 
 and provoke the interference which their 
 masters dreaded. At this moment, what a 
 spectacle must the whole scene have present- 
 ed to any one who could have looked down 
 upon the whole. The dark betrayer, walking 
 in advance of his band with cautious steps, 
 half fearing, and half rejoicing in his anticipa- 
 ted success — the careless soldiers following, 
 to execute a work which they probably did not 
 distinguish from any other similar deed which 
 they often performed — the disciples, scattered 
 through the valley, and in the garden, some 
 probably anxious and unhappy, and others 
 sunk in sleep — Jesus Christ struggling in 
 solitude, under the pressure of sufferings 
 which overwhelmed him with indescribable 
 agitation, and almost unnerved his soul. 
 There must have been something uncommon 
 in an anguish, which could carry the Saviour's 
 fortitude to its utmost limit. On the cross he 
 was calm." 
 
 When Judas and his company of officers 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 231 
 
 approached the Saviour, the traitor, with the 
 most consummate impudence and treachery, 
 came forward and kissed him, calling him at 
 the same time, in his usual friendly but affect- 
 ed way, Master! Of what is the human heart 
 composed! 
 
 Jesus asked him several questions. ' 'Friend, 
 wherefore art thou come?" " Judas, betray- 
 est thou the Son of man with a kiss?" &,c. 
 Addressing himself, moreover, to the whole 
 company who assailed him, he said unto them, 
 "Whom seek ye?" To the questions put to 
 the perfidious Judas, no answer was given. 
 To the question, "Whom seek ye?" they re- 
 plied, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said 
 unto them, " I am he." 
 
 No sooner, however, had he said this than 
 they drew back from him and fell to the 
 ground as quickly as if it had been the effects 
 of lightning. But soon recovering again, they 
 renewed their efforts and approached him 
 once more, when once more he repeated the 
 inquiry, "Whom seek ye?" The answer was 
 still the same; "Jesus of Nazareth," "I 
 have told you," said the Saviour, "that I am 
 he; if, therefore, ye seek me, let these go 
 their way," alluding no doubt to his compan- 
 ions, the apostles. 
 
232 TRAVELS OF 
 
 It is not likely that they cared to seize the 
 apostles. Their great object was to secure 
 our Saviour; and to do it in such a manner 
 that the multitude of the common people — the 
 rabble, as no doubt they were called at that 
 time — would not be excited. I have already 
 told you that mobs were common in those 
 days as they are now; and that rulers and 
 other great men were as cautious about stir- 
 ring them up, as they now are. 
 
 The Saviour, in short, was taken. This 
 roused the apostles. It was an event which, 
 notwithstanding so many warnings, they seem 
 not to have expected; and supposing, per- 
 haps, that Jesus would, by his miraculous 
 power, make up in strength what they wanted 
 in numbers, proposed resistance. "Lord," 
 they said, <c shall we smite with the sword?" 
 But this Jesus would not permit. 
 
 Is it surprising to any of my readers how 
 these individuals came to carry swords? 
 Apostles of the Prince of peace as they were; 
 disciples of one who never used any other 
 sword but the sword of the Spirit, why should 
 they go about armed; and, above all, why 
 should the Saviour permit such a thing? 
 
 The Saviour took men, no doubt, as he 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 233 
 
 found them. I mean to say that he did so in 
 some good measure. Finding his apostles in 
 the habit of wearing a particular dress, and 
 also of carrying a particular kind of weapon 
 for defence, he did not at once make a war of 
 offence on that particular habit. He sought, 
 rather, to establish principles, which should 
 lead, ultimately, to the removal of this and of 
 every other improper or unchristian practice. 
 
 The apostles, however, excited and perhaps 
 enraged— for they were unquestionably men 
 of like passions with ourselves, especially Pe- 
 ter — did not wait for an answer. Peter's 
 sword was already drawn from its scabbard, 
 and his strong muscular arm had already lev- 
 elled a blow with it. The blow fell upon 
 Malchus, a servant in the family of Caiaphas, 
 the Jewish high priest, and cut off his right ear. 
 
 The Saviour seeing to what an extent things 
 were going, now interfered. He not only put 
 a stop to all resistance, but ordered their 
 swords to be sheathed at once; and, in addi- 
 tion, he healed miraculously the wound which 
 had been already made; assuring them that, 
 as a general fact, they who are most ready 
 to take up arms against their fellow-men are 
 among the first to fall by them. 
 20* 
 
234 TRAVELS OF 
 
 He then turned to Peter, whom we may 
 suppose to be somewhat amazed at this dec- 
 laration, on the part of our Saviour, of the 
 doctrine of non-resistance; and addressed 
 him thus; " Thinkest thou that I cannot now 
 pray to my Father, and he shall presently 
 give me more than twelve legions* of angels? 
 But how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled, 
 that thus it must be? The cup which my 
 Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?'* 
 
 I have no doubt that Peter and the rest of 
 the apostles were satisfied with this statement 
 and these questions of our Saviour; and that 
 they submitted, with comparative cheerful- 
 ness, to what seemed to be the will of high 
 Heaven. 
 
 The reader will indulge me in one more 
 extract from Abbott's Corner Stone: 
 
 "It seems to me that the history of the 
 world cannot exhibit an act of higher, nobler 
 courage, than our Saviour performed, in com- 
 ing down to meet Judas and the armed band, 
 the night before he was crucified. Just im- 
 
 * A legion of Roman soldiers consisted of various numbers at 
 different times j but at the time of our Saviour is supposed to 
 have consisted of six thousand men. Twelve legions of angels 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 235 
 
 agine the scene. On the eastern side of Je- 
 rusalem, without the walls, there is a sudden 
 descent to a stream, which flows through the 
 valley. x4cross this stream, on the rising 
 ground beyond, was a quiet and solitary place, 
 where Jesus very often went for retirement 
 and prayer. He understood, very well, his ap- 
 proaching torture and crucifixion; hehadtaken 
 the evening before his last sad farewell of his 
 disciples, and with the day of agony and death 
 before him, he could not sleep. It was a cold 
 night, but a sheltered dwelling in the city was 
 no place for him. He asked his three dearest 
 friends to go with him that he might once 
 more cross the valley, and for the last time 
 take his midnight walk upon the Mount of Ol- 
 ives. Oppressed with anxiety and sorrow, he 
 fell down alone before God and prayed, that 
 he might be spared what was to come. He 
 had gone on firmly thus far, but now his heart 
 almost failed him. Six long hours of indescri- 
 bable agony seemed too much for the frail 
 human powers which must necessarily bear 
 the whole. He prayed God to spare him, if 
 it could be possible. 
 
 "But it could not. His strength failed 
 under the exhaustion produced by his mental 
 
236 TRAVELS OF 
 
 sufferings, and by the more than death-like 
 perspiration, which the night air, so cold at 
 this season that even the hardy soldiers need- 
 ed fire, could not chill. Mysterious help 
 from heaven restored him a little, but though 
 refreshed by heavenly sympathy, we must 
 remember that it was human powers that had 
 this trial to bear. 
 
 " At last there is heard through the trees, 
 at a distance down the valley, the sound of 
 approaching voices. Lights are seen too; 
 and now and then a glittering weapon. They 
 are coming for him. Fly! innocent sufferer,fly ! 
 Turn to the dark solitudes behind you, and 
 fly for your life! No. The struggle is over. 
 The Saviour, collected and composed, rises 
 and walks on to meet the very swords and 
 spears sent out against him! We must re- 
 member that there was no one to encourage 
 him, nobody to defend him, or to share his 
 fate. It was in the darkness and stillness of 
 night, the very hour of fear and dread; and 
 the approach of those whose dim forms and 
 suppressed voices arrested his attention, was 
 the signal not of danger but of death— nor of 
 death merely, but of protracted and unutter- 
 able torture. Still he arose and went forth to 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 237 
 
 meet them. - Whom seek ye?' said he, — 
 ' 1 am he. 5 We have read this story so often, 
 that it has lost its impression upon us; but 
 could we come to it afresh, and really appre- 
 ciate the gloomy, dreadful circumstances of 
 the scene, we should feel that the deserted 
 Saviour, in coming down under these circum- 
 stances, to meet the torches and the weapons, 
 which were to light and guard him back to 
 such enemies and to such a death, exhibits 
 the loftiest example of fortitude which the 
 world has ever seen. There was less noise, 
 less parade, less display, than at Thermopylae 
 or Trafalgar; but for real sublimity of cour- 
 age, the spectacle of this solitary and defence- 
 less sufferer, coming at midnight to meet his 
 betrayer and his band, beams with a moral 
 splendor which never shone on earth before, 
 and will probably never shine again." 
 
 But Jesus was bound as a criminal, and 
 conveyed from Gethsemane to Jerusalem. 
 As they went along, he expressed his surprise 
 that instead of taking him when he was, as it 
 were, completely in their power, they should 
 come out against him in the night, as against 
 a thief, armed with swords and staves. But 
 this, he added, must be so, in order that the 
 Scriptures may be fulfilled. 
 
238 TRAVELS OF 
 
 Notwithstanding the condition which the 
 Saviour insisted on, when he surrendered to 
 the officers, viz., that his companions should 
 be permitted to retire unmolested, it appears 
 from the Scripture narrative that they did not 
 leave him immediately. Perhaps they fol- 
 lowed him well nigh to the gates of Jerusa- 
 lem; though this is only conjecture. Be it, 
 however, as it may, they finally forsook him; 
 the bold and courageous Peter among the rest. 
 
 The Saviour was taken first to the house 
 of Annas, the father of the high priest Caia- 
 phas, who without unloosing him, sent him to 
 Caiaphas. Here were assembled the Jewish 
 Sanhedrim, consisting, as I might have told you 
 before, of seventy-two of the great men of 
 their nation, into whose presence the Saviour 
 was introduced. 
 
 It should not be forgotten, that it was now 
 late in the evening — probably midnight or la- 
 ter, as I have already said — an hour when the 
 Sanhedrim ought not to have been holding a 
 session. Did they not know what was going 
 on? Was it not a part of their general plan 
 to have the trial in the night, lest, if it were 
 done at any other hour, the public sympathies 
 might be enlisted in the Saviour's favor? Is 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 239 
 
 not the night, usually, the season for vice 
 and crime? 
 
 It has been said that the apostles forsook 
 him and fled, before he entered Jerusalem. 
 One of them, however, as it appears from the 
 Scripture narrative, soon relented and re- 
 turned, and not only returned, but followed 
 the Saviour into the court house or palace 
 where he was to be tried, and sat there with 
 him, during the trial. 
 
 Now who should this bold disciple be? 
 Was it Peter, who had been so ready, as he 
 said, to die with his Master, rather than deny 
 or desert him, and who had even drawn his 
 sword in his defence? Far from it. It was 
 a man of very different character. It was 
 the mild, lovely John; the most timid, as we 
 should naturally judge — that is, constitution- 
 ally so — of the whole number of the apostles. 
 
 Peter, however, could not forget Jesus, 
 although he had not so much boldness, in the 
 hour of trial, as his companion John. He 
 followed; but it was at a distance. The trial 
 was in the palace of the high priest. Peter 
 did not venture to come nearer than the door. 
 He did not dare to enter, at least at first. 
 At that hour of the night, even as late in the 
 
240 TRAVELS OF 
 
 season as it now was, the air of Palestine is 
 sometimes quite chilly, and Peter seems to 
 have shivered with the cold. John, discov- 
 ering him, brought him into the hall where 
 the servants were; who had a fire, and he sat 
 there for some time. 
 
 Meanwhile the Saviour was undergoing an 
 examination before Caiaphas. The examina- 
 tion was short but direct; and the answers of 
 the Saviour equally so. In one instance, his 
 plainness was construed by the excited officers 
 into disrespect, and he received a blow with 
 the hand. 
 
 Attempts were made to induce men to 
 swear falsely against him; but for a time 
 without success. It is true, indeed, that men 
 were not wanting to testify; but their testimo- 
 ny did not agree. 
 
 At last they pretended to convict him of 
 blasphemy; not indeed by witnesses, but by 
 his own confession. Hereafter, the Saviour 
 had told them, they should see the Son of man 
 sitting on the right hand of power, and com- 
 ing in the clouds of heaven. This, Caiaphas 
 said, was blasphemy; and on inquiring of the 
 Sanhedrim what they thought about it, they 
 decided at once that it was truly so, and that 
 he was guilty of death, 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 241 
 
 And now it was, that they began to treat 
 him with every species of rudeness and in- 
 sult. They spit in his face; they buffeted 
 him, and some of them mocked him. Among 
 other things which were done, they blindfold- 
 ed him, and after having done so, they struck 
 him on the face; and, as if to make light of 
 his claims as a prophet, as well as to gratify 
 their own spirit of revenge, they bade him 
 prophesy who it was that struck him. No 
 species of abuse, so far at least as language 
 was concerned, was too bad to heap upon 
 him. The servants, even, were permitted to 
 come into the palace, and to strike him with 
 the palms of their hands. 
 
 I have told you that John, the beloved apos- 
 tle, was with Jesus all this while. How must 
 his tender heart have been pained at the in- 
 dignities which were offered to his Master! 
 Peter, too, knew what was going on, though 
 he strove to remain in concealment. Where 
 the other apostles were, at this time, is not 
 known. One might naturally conclude, had 
 it not been for the experiment in the garden 
 of Gethsemane, that they did not sleep much 
 during the night. 
 
 Peter, as I have said, strove to be con- 
 
 
242 TRAVELS OF 
 
 cealed, but concealment was difficult, not to 
 say impossible. While the trial of his Mas- 
 ter was going on, and he was sitting among 
 the servants at the fire in the hall, a female 
 servant who kept the door, discovered him to 
 be a Galilean, and as not only Jesus himself 
 but many of his followers were known to be 
 natives of Galilee, she suspected him at once 
 to be one of that particular company, and 
 made known her suspicions. But Peter de- 
 nied it, and said he was not even acquainted 
 with Jesus. At this moment the cock crew; 
 but Peter, excited and fearful as he was, does 
 not appear to have noticed it. 
 
 The maid was by no means satisfied with 
 Peter's reply, and insisted that he was cer- 
 tainly one of Jesus's companions. Some of 
 the servants, therefore, mentioned to Peter 
 their suspicions; but he denied the truth with 
 the same boldness as before. Again, the 
 third time, the charge was made, and one of 
 them asked Peter, if he did not actually see 
 him in the garden of Gethsemane, at the time 
 when Jesus was apprehended. Peter grew 
 angry at this, and entirely forgetting himself, 
 he recurred for a moment, to those habits 
 which he had probably acquired while a fish- 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 243 
 
 erman — the habit of fishermen and of the 
 country in general — and began to curse and to 
 swear, and to say, the third time, that he knew 
 nothing at all about Jesus. 
 
 The last or third denial was hardly out of 
 his mouth, before the cock crew the second 
 time — for the night was already far advanced, 
 and morning was now evidently fast approach- 
 ing. Jesus who seems to have been, at the 
 moment the cock crew, in view of Peter, cast 
 his eye upon him. This, for Peter, was 
 enough. He remembered his Master's pre- 
 diction that before the cock should crow twice, 
 he would thrice deny him. He remembered 
 it, I say, and his heart at once relented. "He 
 went out, and wept bitterly." 
 
 But to return to our Saviour. The morn- 
 ing was fast approaching. The Sanhedrim, 
 having gone by themselves, consulted togeth- 
 er, in what way they should proceed with Je- 
 sus. I have already told you that they had 
 pronounced him guilty, but as their nation 
 was at this time a conquered nation, and held 
 in subjection to the Roman government, they 
 could not execute a criminal without a war- 
 rant from the governor. 
 
 The acting governor of Judea, at this time, 
 
244 TRAVELS OF 
 
 was Pontius Pilate. To him, therefore, the 
 Saviour was soon brought, and delivered up 
 as a state criminal. Pilate asked them what 
 he had done. They answered that if he had 
 not been a malefactor — a notorious one — they 
 should not surely have troubled him with him. 
 Pilate, who, living in Jerusalem as he did, 
 must have known more of the matter and of 
 their prejudices than his language to the 
 world would seem to imply, and probably 
 quite willing, to say the least, to get rid of 
 so troublesome a case, told them to take him 
 back again, and judge him in their own way, 
 and according to their own law. 
 
 They then told him — what indeed he must 
 have known full well before — that it was not 
 lawful for them as Jews to put any individu- 
 al to death, whatever his crime might be, with- 
 out his concurrence; and as they had found 
 the prisoner guilty in the Sanhedrim, all that 
 they wanted now was his sentence. 
 
 Pilate inquired again, of what crime Jesus 
 had been found guilty. Reluctant, as it 
 seems, to tell him it was blasphemy, they told 
 him it was sedition or treason. He had been 
 found perverting the nation, they said; for- 
 bidding people to give tribute to Caesar; and 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 245 
 
 saying that he himself was a king. To this* 
 however, they added the crime of blasphemy 
 and probably many others. 
 
 The Saviour, during the whole time, re-» 
 mained silent. Pilate at length inquired of 
 him if he had nothing to say, but he did not 
 choose to reply. Pilate was somewhat sur- 
 prised at his continued silence; and, as the 
 Scriptures assure us, he marvelled. 
 
 Perhaps I ought to tell you in one word, 
 what became of the traitor Judas. When he 
 found that the chief priests had condemned 
 the Saviour, his heart relented. Perhaps he 
 thought, at first, that Jesus would rescue him- 
 self by a miracle, but he saw now it was oth- 
 erwise. He returned the money to the chief 
 priests, and told them his fault; and when 
 they refused to take it back again, or pay any 
 attention to his confessions, he left it in the 
 temple and " went and hanged himself; and 
 falling headlong, he burst asunder in the 
 midst, and all his bowels gushed out."* 
 
 Pilate not quite satisfied with the silence 
 of the Saviour, called him again before him 5 
 
 * I have quoted this, as if it stood thus in the Bible; because 
 I conceive this is the natural connection, although part of it is 
 found, not in the Evangelists, but in the Acts. 
 
 21* 
 
246 TRAVELS OF 
 
 and inquired whether the charge, that he set 
 himself up as a king, was or was not just. 
 After much conversation and explanation, on 
 the part of the Saviour, and many curious 
 questions on the part of Pilate, the latter sent 
 him to Herod the king, for further examina- 
 tion. 
 
 Here, too, as before, he was closely ques^ 
 tioned, and with the same results— he was si- 
 lent. His silence, however, was not borne 
 by Herod as well as it had been by Pilate. 
 The latter had some sentiments of respect 
 for him, but Herod appeared to despise him; 
 and with his men of war, or as I suppose is 
 meant his life guard, he mocked and derided 
 him, and having M arrayed him in a gorgeous 
 robe," he returned him to Pilate. 
 
 Pilate now calls the chief priests and rulers 
 of the Jews together — -those individuals who 
 had been most forward in accusing the Sa* 
 viour — and told them, that notwithstanding all 
 their charges against him, neither he nor 
 Herod had been able to find any fault in him. 
 He proposed, therefore, merely to chastise 
 him, and then set him free. 
 
 It appears that it was customary with Pilate, 
 the Roman governor, to release to the Jews, 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 247 
 
 at their feast of Passover, every year, one 
 criminal. How such a strange custom came 
 to prevail is hard to conceive; but so it was. 
 The people usually agreed on some individual, 
 and the individual on whom they were agreed, 
 whatever might have been his crime, was lib- 
 erated. 
 
 At the time our Saviour was arraigned be*- 
 fore Pilate, there was in the custody of the 
 latter a noted prisoner whose name was 
 Barabbas. This man, in company with some 
 other ruffians who now lay bound in the same 
 prison with him, had been guilty both of 
 making an insurrection in the city and of 
 •committing murder. 
 
 When, therefore, the people became clam- 
 orous, as usual on these occasions, to have 
 one of the prisoners given up to them, Pilate 
 inquired if it should not be Jesus. At first 
 he had hoped that this would be the result, 
 well knowing, as he did, that it was the envy 
 and ill-will of the chief priests and other 
 ringleaders of the people, that brought him 
 there. 
 
 But these wicked men had now at length 
 so effectually won over the mass of the people 
 to their views and induced them to conform 
 
248 TRAVELS OF 
 
 to their desires, that it had become the 
 general wish to destroy the Saviour and pre- 
 serve Barabbas. Pilate reminded them that 
 the matter lay in their own hands; that they 
 could save the life of just which individual 
 of the two they desired. But having fixed 
 their minds, according to the prompting of the 
 chief priests and rulers, there was no turning 
 them. The universal cry was; We will not 
 have Jesus, but Barabbas. 
 
 Pilate inquired, what then should be done 
 with Jesus. The answer was, Let him be 
 crucified. Now to crucify was to fasten the 
 criminal on a large cross, erected for the 
 purpose, by means of cords, Slc, &c, and to 
 suffer him to remain there in an unnatural and 
 painful posture till he died.* It was a Roman 
 method of punishment and not a Jewish one; 
 though it was sometimes practised both by the 
 Jews and other nations. 
 
 Pilate, still reluctant to consent to the 
 crucifixion of the Saviour, inquired again 
 whether it would not be well for him to liber- 
 
 * I have represented the criminal as having been usually fast- 
 ened to the cross by means of cords. Of this, however, I am not 
 quite certain* We know a different method was pursued in the 
 case of our Saviour,, as we shall see in its appropriate place. 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 249 
 
 ate Jesus, and crucify Barabbas. But there 
 is no moving a mob — because it is a body of 
 men which, as <i body merely, acts without 
 reason, — and notwithstanding all his entreat- 
 ies, the cry was still against Jesus, " Crucify 
 him, crucify him!" 
 
 Pilate now took the Saviour and scourged 
 him. Is it here asked why he should torture 
 him before his crucifixion, especially if he 
 was rather inclined to be merciful to him? 
 Perhaps he thought that a moderate scourging 
 would in some measure satisfy the general 
 cry for vengeance, and abate the public rage; 
 and that the mob might in this way yet be 
 induced to spare him. This, however, is not 
 very probable. There is another reason 
 which is more so. It was the Roman custom 
 to scourge prisoners just before they were to 
 be put to death; and Pilate probably gave 
 orders to scourge Jesus, as a mere matter of 
 course, or custom. 
 
 The soldiers of the governor, considering 
 themselves as now fully licensed to treat 
 Jesus with every indignity they pleased, took 
 him into the Praetorium, or common hall, and 
 having collected the whole band to which they 
 belonged, they began, forthwith to insult and 
 
25a 
 
 TRAVELS OF 
 
 torment him, in various ways. They firsfc 
 stripped him of the gorgeous robe which 
 Herod had put on; and in place of it put or 
 a robe of purple, with a scarlet one over it^ 
 that he might appear somewhat in the dress 
 of a prince; and as if to ridicule him for pre- 
 tending to be the king of the Jews. They 
 next prepared a crown of thorns, and put that 
 on his head; and for a sceptre they put in his 
 right hand a reed or cane. 
 
 Having thus arrayed him, they began to* 
 salute him as if he were a king, kneeling and 
 pretending to reverence him as they would a 
 young prince or king whom they had just 
 crowned. Not satisfied with this, they pro- 
 ceeded to other measures; one and another 
 crying out — Hail, king of the Jews! At the 
 same time advancing towards him as if to offer 
 him some present or to kiss his hands or feet, 
 they struck him in the face. 
 
 What a scene was this! The Lord of 
 heaven and earth — the King of kings — the 
 Being by whom all worlds and all their inhab- 
 itants were made — the Being who with a 
 word could have crushed legions of soldiers 
 beneath his feet, in an instant — submitting 
 without a word or look of resistance to such 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 251 
 
 indignities as these! Who can bear to think 
 of it without shuddering! without wondering, 
 too, and admiring! 
 
 And yet ail this meant something! The 
 Saviour did not tread this thorny path and 
 drink this bitter cup of the wrath of God, at 
 the hands of guilty men, for nothing. Far 
 enough from that. There is a deep meaning 
 to all these sufferings, which the meek and 
 blessed Jesus endured; and that meaning is 
 for you, reader, and for me — for every one 
 that has an immortal spirit. 
 
 But the Saviour's cup of suffering was not 
 yet full. There were trials of the severest 
 kind still in reserve. The soldiers seemed to 
 vie with each other, who should be the most 
 abusive. Some of them went so far, even, as 
 to spit on him; while others, snatching the 
 reed out of his hand, smote him with it on the 
 head. This last indignity was the more 
 painful to be endured, as every blow would 
 probably thrust the sharp thorns, deeper into 
 his temples. 
 
 A curious circumstance now occurred. 
 The wife of the governor just at this time, 
 sent a message to her husband about a dream 
 she had just had. We are not, indeed, 
 
252 TRAVELS OF 
 
 informed what the dream was; but only the 
 conclusion to which her own mind was led, as 
 the consequence. This was that it was 
 unsafe for her husband to have any thing to 
 do in the condemnation of so just a man as 
 Jesus was. 
 
 Whether the dream and message had any 
 effect on the mind of Pilate, is not known. 
 To me, however, it seems quite probable that 
 it had. The people of those times appear to 
 have paid more attention to their dreams than 
 they ought to have done, and more perhaps, 
 than we do, in modern times. 
 
 Our reason for believing that Pilate's fears 
 and superstitions were roused by his wife's 
 message, is the fact that he declared again to 
 the Jews, immediately afterward, that he must 
 §till consider Jesus as an innocent man; at 
 the same time bringing him out escorted by 
 a band of soldiers and bidding them to behold 
 him. 
 
 Such a sight, instead of moving them to pity 
 or causing their hearts to relent in the least 
 degree, only served to render them so much 
 the more infuriated; and they cried out with 
 more violence than ever, Crucify him! Cru- 
 cify him! To this Pilate only repeated his 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 253 
 
 former statement, that for his part he deemed 
 him an innocent man; and that if they were 
 determined on his destruction, they might 
 indeed have him crucified; though if he should 
 yield his assent, they must still take upon 
 themselves the responsibility, and bear the 
 blame. 
 
 The Jews spoke of his blasphemy, as they 
 called it. He had publicly declared himself 
 to be the Son of God, they said; and this 
 with them was a capital crime. Such conduct 
 they thought was quite enough to condemn 
 him to the cross, had he been guilty of noth- 
 ing else. 
 
 This last information — that Jesus claimed 
 to be the Son of God — frightened Pilate ex- 
 cessively, and, taken in connection with the 
 dream which has been mentioned, inclined 
 him more than ever to try to release Jesus, 
 although he well knew that to reverse his sen- 
 tence would at least be a very unpopular 
 measure for himself. 
 
 In this state of mental confusion and re- 
 proach of conscience, he went to Jesus, and 
 taking him aside asked him with more ear- 
 nestness than he had even done before, of his 
 origin. Jesus, however, knowing that his 
 22 
 
254 
 
 TRAVE L S OF 
 
 innocency was already sufficiently manifest, 
 refused to make him any reply. 
 
 Pilate was dissatisfied with his silence, and 
 reminded the Saviour of the fact, that he 
 held in his hands the power of life and death 
 to persons in his circumstances, and that if 
 he pleased he could yet release him. This 
 called forth an answer; "Thou couldst have 
 no power at all against me, except it were 
 given thee from above." 
 
 From this time forth, Pilate was more dis- 
 posed than ever to release Jesus. But the 
 Jews, too, were more resolutely than ever 
 bent on his destruction; and when they 
 found how anxious Pilate was to recall his 
 sentence and set him free, they actually began 
 to predict evil to Pilate himself, not indeed 
 the loss of liberty or life, but loss of influence, 
 if not indeed of his office. For as the em- 
 peror Tiberius Caesar had numerous spies in 
 his provinces, who would be likely to report 
 every thing done by the governor which 
 looked at all like interference with his laws 
 or his authority, Pilate knew how cautious he 
 must be; and it was only necessary for the 
 Jews to remind him, that if he let Jesus go he 
 was unfriendly to Caesar, to stir up in him not 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 255 
 
 only a due regard to his own safety, but that 
 undue regard to popularity, which, to most 
 men in office, leads to the commission of much 
 error. # 
 
 Pilate at length brought Jesus out and sat 
 down on his judgment-seat in a place called 
 the Pavement. On taking his seat he said to 
 the Jews, " Behold your king!" 
 
 It was now about nine o'clock in the morn- 
 ing. The Jews were as clamorous as ever 
 to have Jesus delivered up to them to be cru- 
 cified. Pilate, still reluctant, said, Shall I 
 crucify your king? We have no king but 
 Caesar,! they answered. 
 
 The popular clamor became now so great 
 that Pilate resolved to resist it no longer. So 
 taking some water, and washing his hands, 
 
 * Since the above was written, I have seen an article going the 
 round of the newspapers, purporting to be the trial of the Saviour 
 before Pilate the Roman governor of Judea. It is most unques- 
 tionably a fabrication ; but the remarks of Mr. Noah, a learned 
 Jew in New York, in regard to Pilate, found in some of the papers 
 in connection with it, correspond almost exactly with those above. 
 
 f What is meant, then, some will say, when it is said that Pi- 
 late sent Jesus to Herod? Was not Herod a king? Yes j he 
 was the king or tetrarch of the province of Galilee, but he had 
 no power in the province of Judea, of which Jerusalem was the 
 capital. Herod, it would seem, however, must have been at Je- 
 rusalem during the feast j for Jesus could not have been sent into 
 Galilee— I mean there was not time for it. 
 
256 TRAVELS OF 
 
 he deliberately observed to the murderous* 
 multitude, " I am innocent of the blood of 
 this just person; see ye to it." The multi- 
 tude answered, as with one voice, "His 
 blood be on us, and on our children." 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 Jesus in the hands of his murderers — Their indignities — The cross: 
 — Jesus led to it — Bears a portion of it — Relieved by Simon the- 
 Cyrenian— The Saviour at the cross — Intoxicating drink offer- 
 ed to him — Nine o T clock in the morning — He is nailed to the 
 cross— The malefactors with him — His sufferings — His Raiment 
 — The title over him — Further abuses and insults — The peni- 
 tent malefactor — The mother of Jesus — Slow hours — Jesus'a 
 cries — He thirsts, and is offered vinegar — Twelve o'clock — The 
 darkness — The earthquake, and its effects — The females who* 
 remained at the cross — Disposition of the Saviour's body — Jo- 
 seph's tomb offered — The body is wrapped and laid in it — The 
 tomb closed — The Sanhedrim place a guard over it. 
 
 Jesus was now delivered up to his infuriated 
 murderers. They first mocked him as long 
 as they pleased, then they stripped him of his 
 purple robe, and having put his own raiment 
 on him, they led him away, accompanied by 
 two malefactors, to be crucified. 
 
 The place they had fixed upon, for his cru- 
 cifixion, was called Calvary, or Mount Cal- 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 257 
 
 vary, or sometimes Golgotha, i. e., the place of 
 a skull. It was a little beyond the city walls, 
 to the north-west. Though sometimes called 
 a mount, or mountain, it was a mere hill. 
 
 It was customary for those who were sen- 
 tenced to be executed on a cross to carry the 
 cross, with them, to the place of crucifixion; 
 not indeed the whole of it, but only, the up- 
 per or transverse portion. The cross, as per- 
 haps most readers know, consisted chiefly of 
 two pieces, an upright part or post and a cross- 
 piece. Both, united, bore some resemblance 
 to the letter T. Only the middle portion ex- 
 tended a little higher than the cross-piece. 
 
 The Saviour, as it seems, found it difficult 
 to carry so heavy a piece of timber; faint as 
 he was from the blows and fatigue to which 
 he had been subjected all night and all the 
 morning; and after proceeding a little way, a 
 substitute was provided. This was one Si- 
 mon, of Cyrene, in Africa. He was, of 
 course, a dark colored man ; and was, per- 
 haps, selected on account of his being very 
 strong, as almost all the native Africans now 
 are, and probably were in ancient times. 
 
 Among the multitude of spectators that fol- 
 lowed our Saviour to witness his crucifixion, 
 22* 
 
258 TRAVELS OF 
 
 were quite a number of women.* These 
 females, several of whom had been his follow- 
 ers, were deeply affected by his sad fate, and 
 gave vent to their feelings in wailings and 
 lamentations. But he who never beheld sor- 
 row with a heart unmoved, fatigued and 
 exhausted as he was, and ready to sink, so far 
 as his human nature merely was concerned, 
 addressed himself to them as he passed 
 along, and thus endeavored to comfort them; 
 "Daughters of Jerusalem/' he said, "weep 
 not for me; but weep for yourselves, and for 
 your children." 
 
 He then proceeded to foretell the miseries 
 which were ultimately — -nor that very remotely 
 either — to fall on the Jewish nation. These 
 miseries were to be so great as to render life, to 
 many of them, a burden. Such was to be 
 the distress from famine, pestilence, and the 
 sword combined, that those individuals would 
 be almost envied who had no children or 
 
 . * It is worthy of observation in this place y that our Saviour in 
 his remarks to these females, does not once hint at that idle — I 
 may say wicked — curiosity which often draws people of both 
 sexes together at public executions. May we not reasonably hope 
 that among the crowd of females present, of whom mention is 
 here made, there were no such characters ? May we not hope 
 that infuriated as the mob was, the female heart universally 
 was moved to sympathy ? 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 259 
 
 friends about whom it was needful for them 
 to be concerned or anxious. 
 
 It is hardly necessary to repeat to those 
 who have read history— especially the Jewish 
 history by Josephus — that all the evils which 
 our Saviour foretold were completely fulfilled, 
 about thirty or forty years after his crucifixion; 
 Jerusalem being so entirely destroyed, that 
 not one stone of its temple or walls, was left 
 upon another. 
 
 But our Saviour, with his cross-bearer and 
 his murderers have now reached Calvary — » 
 the place of execution. There is the fatal 
 spot. The hole is dug for the main post or 
 support of the cross. Here is Simon, the 
 Cyrenian, panting to be set free from his 
 cumbrous load. Here is the Saviour ready 
 to be fastened to the accursed wood. Pale 
 though he is, yet is he firm. Not a nerve, so 
 far as we know, is agitated; not a muscle 
 quivers. The crowd, around, are in busy 
 motion; but are kept in order by the Roman 
 soldiers who attend. 
 
 Where are the apostles? Where is Peter, 
 especially ? No trace of them can be found, 
 save the affectionate John. He, as ever, 
 remains near* Here, too, among other fe- 
 
260 TRAVELS OF 
 
 male friends, is his aged mother. Is not her 
 cup of affliction now full? Is not her heart 
 ready, literally, to burst with anguish? Or 
 is her mind so enlightened in regard to the 
 character of her son, and her faith so strong, 
 that even under the infirmities of age the worst 
 condition of a dear child cannot move her? 
 Or, once more still, does she indulge the 
 secret hope, after all, that with a power not 
 unlike that which he once exercised at Naza- 
 reth's hill top, he will pass away from the 
 crowd, and by timely flight to some other 
 province or country, carry on a little longer 
 the business of his mission? 
 
 But his mission is now at a close, or nearly 
 so. His time of departure is near at hand. 
 He has already been led as a sheep to the 
 slaughter, and he is now about to be sacri- 
 ficed. Nothing can save him. The tears 
 and entreaties of friends, are of course, 
 without effect. The malice and fury of 
 enemies must be gratified: but more than 
 this, the will of his Father — the purpose of 
 his mission — must be accomplished. 
 
 It was customary, in those days, — so we 
 are informed, — to give dying criminals a dose 
 of strong wine, mingled with spices of some 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 261 
 
 sort, to make them less sensible to their suf- 
 fering. Indeed, a practice not unlike this is 
 sometimes adopted in our own days. In the 
 present instance, however, instead of afford- 
 ing him that mitigation of his sufferings which 
 a little cordial was supposed to produce, the 
 unfeeling wretches only seemed desirous to 
 add to his woes by giving him a mixture of 
 vinegar and gall, — not only extremely bitter, 
 but in the highest degree nauseous. He 
 refused, however, to do more than just to 
 taste of it. 
 
 It seems that he was determined not only 
 to avoid drinking any bitter or nauseous drugs, 
 but the use of any thing at all. His friends 
 who were present offering him wine, with 
 spices, he refused even to taste it. He was 
 resolved, as I doubt not, to have his head 
 clear and his body and mind both in a natural 
 state to the last. Is it not strange that any 
 dying Christian or penitent criminal can feel 
 otherwise ? Is it not strange that any such 
 person should diminish his sensibility in the 
 last moments of life by that which will intox- 
 icate or benumb ? When the last rays of this 
 world's light are shining upon us, is it not 
 strange that we should darken every window, 
 
262 TRAVELS OF 
 
 and close up every avenue to the soul, as if 
 to hasten ourselves into utter darkness ? 
 
 It was now fully nine o'clock, which, with 
 the Jews, was the third hour of the day. Not 
 a moment was to be lost. The Saviour was 
 fastened to the bloody cross, and lifted up 
 into the usual position; his arms fastened to 
 the cross-piece, and his feet and body attached 
 to the main post or pillar. There hangs the 
 Son of God, bleeding, suffering, and, in the 
 end, dying, not only for his very murderers, 
 but for the world! 
 
 It has been said, in another place, that the 
 more usual method of attaching the feet and 
 hands to the cross was by means of cords. It 
 was only to those who were regarded as the 
 worst of malefactors that further indignities 
 were offered. 
 
 It was the lot of our Saviour to be thus re- 
 garded—that is, to be regarded and treated 
 as the vilest of malefactors; and it was prob- 
 ably this which led to a departure from the 
 usual mode of attaching the limbs to the cross. 
 Instead of being fastened by cords, his hands 
 and feet were nailed! A cruel process, in- 
 deed; but yet he must endure it! Who does 
 not know that the hands and feet abound with 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 263 
 
 very sensible parts — nerves, blood-vessels, 
 tendons, &c. — and that to suffer them to be 
 pierced with huge nails or spikes, is to under- 
 go a most exceedingly painful operation? 
 
 On each side of our Saviour were other 
 crosses, erected at the same time; and each 
 had its victim, who were robbers, or, as 
 the sacred narrative expresses it, thieves. 
 Was it not enough that the Saviour must die 
 in a manner so ignominious, but must he die 
 in such company? 
 
 There is no evidence, however, — nor is 
 there any reason for suspicion on the subject 
 — that the Saviour made the least resistance 
 in word or deed, to what was going on. 
 Though the nails pierced a thousand nerves, 
 and other tender parts of those exquisitely 
 sensible members, the hands and feet; though 
 the limbs were stretched out, and his body 
 suspended in a way which could not but be 
 exceedingly distressing at the beginning, and 
 in the end almost intolerable, not a word of 
 reproach escaped him. Ay more, much more 
 than all this can be said. He not only did 
 not complain of any individual, he interceded 
 for every one, and above all, for his murder- 
 
264 TRAVELS OF 
 
 ers. cc Father, forgive them," he said; "for 
 they know not what they do," 
 
 1 am sometimes led to think that we attach 
 too much importance, comparatively, to the 
 mere bodily sufferings of our Saviour, in his 
 last hours, and too little to the sufferings of 
 his mind. I have a thousand times endured 
 that inward anguish which it was as much 
 more painful for me to endure, than to endure 
 the pain of torn and bleeding hands, as can 
 well be conceived. In like manner, great as 
 was the physical anguish of the suffering 
 Son of God, I am in no wise sure, it is worth 
 speaking of in comparison with the mental 
 anguish to which he was subjected. And yet 
 he bore the whole, — no groans, no sighing, 
 no tears. Hour after hour of quiet endurance 
 passed away without even — so far as we know 
 — the large, bloodlike drops of perspiration 
 which had been seen at Gethsemane. 
 
 My readers must pardon me, if I stop here 
 to meditate a little on the sufferings of Christ. 
 If he was susceptible of suffering at all — if 
 he was, in this respect, human — and I know 
 not who will for a moment doubt it — his men- 
 tal sufferings in behalf of mankind must have 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 265 
 
 been infinitely beyond any thing of which we 
 can at present conceive. 
 
 The Scriptures repeatedly assure us, that 
 he knew what was in man; must he not, 
 therefore, have known all his disease, igno- 
 rance and impiety? Must he not have seen, 
 at a single glance, all the consequences of all 
 the transgression, physical and moral, which 
 ever have fallen, or ever will fall upon the hu- 
 man race? Yet what a sight must it have 
 been! What merely human being, with a 
 clear view of a thousandth part of the mise- 
 ries to which our race subject themselves by 
 their disobedience of God's laws, natural and 
 revealed, would not sink into the very earth, 
 under the incumbent weight? 
 
 A friend of mine — a person of no more 
 than ordinary sensibilities, perhaps — was 
 lately mourning over the sufferings of a young 
 woman reduced to the borders of the grave 
 by errors in regard to dress, exercise, &c; 
 and the thought of her distress, with a con- 
 sciousness of his inability to relieve it, made 
 him for a time quite miserable. The follow- 
 ing thought struck me very forcibly. Now, 
 said I to myself, if a single person, from 
 sympathy with a fellow-being, suffers so much, 
 23 
 
266 TRAVELS OF 
 
 what must have been the sufferings of the 
 Saviour, from sympathy with our whole race ? 
 For he knew not only the sufferings of the 
 youthful individual with whom my friend sym- 
 pathized so strongly, and knew and lamented 
 with at least equal sincerity, the physical 
 transgression which led to it, but he knew 
 also all her other transgressions physical and 
 moral, with their consequences, in time and 
 in eternity. And not only did he see, as with 
 a single glance, all the suffering of that indi- 
 vidual, throughout the whole period of her 
 existence, here and hereafter, but he also saw 
 the sin and suffering of every individual that 
 ever has lived or ever will live. He not only 
 saw all this immense amount of sin and suf- 
 fering, but he sympathized deeply, too, with 
 the sufferers. And if my friend, for a few 
 moments, was torn with anguish by sympathy 
 with the suffering of one person, what cre- 
 ated mind on earth — I was going to say, in 
 heaven itself — can conceive of the amount of 
 his suffering who saw and sympathized with, 
 and in a sense bore the sorrows of thousands 
 of millions! 
 
 I wish my readers would run through this 
 train of thought with much attention. Minds, 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 267 
 
 I know, are not constituted — or rather, are 
 not habituated — alike; nevertheless, I cannot 
 help thinking that no mind, however habit- 
 uated, can avoid deriving benefit from such a 
 train of reflection. But let us now return to 
 our subject. 
 
 The body of Jesus, according to the cus- 
 tom of those times, had been stripped of its 
 clothing; and his garments fell, by the same 
 Jewish custom, to the executioners, of whom 
 there were four. They divided them into four 
 parts, and to determine which should belong 
 to each individual, they cast lots. 
 
 The vest* of the Saviour seems to have 
 been, in its structure, a little peculiar. It 
 had no seam, but was woven from top to 
 bottom, in one piece. For this, as they were 
 unwilling to divide it, they cast lots, to deter- 
 mine to whom of the four it should fall. The 
 relation of these circumstances might not be 
 very important, were it not to show how 
 exaetly was fulfilled the prophecy of David 
 
 * The vest of those times was properly a coat ; and was the 
 principal garment, except the outside covering or cloak. It was 
 sometimes a straight garment, with openings only for the head 
 and arms. Such was our Saviour's vest, or vesture, or coat, 
 here alluded to. 
 
268 TRAVELS OF 
 
 concerning the matter, "They parted my 
 garment among them, and for my vesture did 
 they cast lots." 
 
 The soldiers who performed the office of 
 executioners, appear also to have constituted 
 a guard for the protection of the criminals, to 
 see that they were undisturbed before their 
 death, either by friends or foes. Having 
 disposed of the garments, they therefore re- 
 mained on the spot. 
 
 The reader must be aware, from the very 
 nature of the case, that criminals thus extend- 
 ed on a cross do not die immediately. They 
 usually live many hours, — sometimes, if they 
 are very strong, perhaps a day or so. The 
 wounds with the nails — where nails are used 
 — are not inflicted on parts so essential to life 
 as the lungs, the brain, the stomach, the 
 heart, &,c. It is a long time before the in- 
 flammation which is produced both by the 
 nails and by the unnatural position and con- 
 dition of the limbs, can so affect the whole 
 system as to cause death. Wounds made 
 with nails, moreover, do not bleed much, to 
 cause faintness from the loss of blood, or at 
 first any degree of fever. 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 269 
 
 A title or superscription having been writ- 
 ten by Pilate, the governor, it was now 
 placed on the cross, directly over the head of 
 Jesus. It was the following: " Jesus op 
 Nazareth, the King of the Jews." It was 
 written in three languages, viz., Hebrew, 
 Greek and Latin. 
 
 Some of the Jews objected to the idea 
 suggested in the title that he was the king of 
 the Jews, and proposed to Pilate that he 
 should alter it so as to have it merely affirm 
 that he claimed to be the king of the Jews. 
 But Pilate refused to do this, saying, " What 
 I have written, I have written." 
 
 But was the ground deserted by the spec- 
 tators, now that their end was gained? Sat- 
 isfied with what was done, did they return to 
 their own homes? Or did they remain on the 
 spot, still gazing, and insulting, and deriding? 
 We are informed that the latter was the fact. 
 Even those who passed by reviled him, nod- 
 ding their heads, and saying, " Ah! thou that 
 destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three 
 days, save thyself. If thou art indeed the 
 Son of God, come down from the cross." 
 The chief priests, and scribes, and elders, 
 and rulers, quite as much as the common 
 23* 
 
270 TRAVELS OF 
 
 people, made the same remarks, or those 
 which were similar. " If he be the King of 
 Israel," said they, " let him now come down 
 from the cross, and we will believe him." 
 
 One of the criminals, at the side of the 
 Saviour, also repeated the same sentiments. 
 " If thou be the Christ," said he, in a scorn- 
 ful and disdainful manner, " save thyself and 
 us." Punishment, as we see, therefore, does 
 not always soften the heart, but sometimes 
 has the contrary effect. 
 
 The other robber was, however, affected; 
 and not only refrained from expressing any 
 resentment, or uttering the least complaint, 
 but even cautioned his companion against 
 doing so. "Dost not thou fear God," said 
 he, "seeing thou art in the same condemna- 
 tion?" He also acknowledged the justice of 
 his sentence, and testified to the innocence of 
 the Saviour; and, in short, gave every exter- 
 nal evidence of true and unfeigned repentance. 
 
 He did more than even this; he manifested 
 the sincerity of his repentance by asking 
 pardon for his offences at the Saviour's hands. 
 "Lord, remember me," said he, "when thou 
 comest into thy kingdom." He obtained a 
 gracious answer to his request. "To-day," 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 271 
 
 said the Saviour, "shalt thou be with me in 
 Paradise." One person in the world who 
 repented in the last hours of his life has been 
 pardoned, if no more. Let no one despair, 
 therefore; but let it be also remembered that 
 the case before us is the only one of the kind 
 mentioned in the whole Bible. Let no indi- 
 vidual, presuming on God's mercy and readi- 
 ness to forgive, delay to a dying hour this 
 great work, the work of repentance. 
 
 While the Saviour was hanging on the 
 cross and the multitude were deriding him, 
 and heaping upon him many indignities, there 
 were also near him some sympathizing friends. 
 Among these were his mother and several 
 other females, and John his beloved apostle, 
 who, as I have elsewhere said, had never, 
 except for a short time at Gethsemane, 
 deserted him. 
 
 And now was witnessed such a scene, as 
 the world has rarely if ever known; such a 
 proof, I mean, of tender affection for an aged 
 parent. If doubts had ever entered the mind 
 of his aged mother whether he loved her or 
 not, during his long and numerous seasons of 
 absence from her, these doubts must have 
 been removed at once, when she heard from 
 
272 TRAVELS OF 
 
 his dying lips the direction, "Woman, behold 
 thy son!" meaning John; and also the equally 
 important direction to the latter, "Behold 
 thy mother!" No wonder the latter took her 
 to his own home, and sustained her during life. 
 Lovely, and living as he was — the dearest 
 object of his heavenly Master's affection — 
 how could he have refused the dying request? 
 How could the mother, moreover, refuse to 
 adopt him as her son? 
 
 The time was passing, but to those in tor- 
 ture, it must have gone slowly. To persons 
 in such circumstances, an hour seems like a 
 month, almost; and a day like a year. And 
 of all torture, except that perhaps by a slow 
 fire, the tortures of crucifixion, in the manner 
 I have described, are the most excruciating. 
 
 Three hours had worn away and the sun 
 had come to the meridian. But was its bright- 
 ness undimmed when its Creator, clothed in 
 humanity, hung on a cross? It had been so, 
 for aught we know, till noon— the sixth hour 
 of the Jews — but now a change took place. 
 A darkness came on, which continued three 
 hours, viz., from twelve to three o'clock in the 
 afternoon. 
 
 What happened during this long darkness, 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 273 
 
 Scripture does not inform us. Did Jesus 
 endure his agonies in silencer Or was he 
 giving counsel and instruction to those around 
 him, a part of the time, and especially to the 
 penitent malefactor? In any event, we may 
 suppose his thoughts were in active employ. 
 It could not have been otherwise. 
 
 When the darkness had continued about 
 three hours, Jesus cried with a loud voice, 
 "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabaehthani," that is to say, 
 being interpreted, "My God! My God! why 
 hast thou forsaken me?" 
 
 At the words Eloi, Eloi, some of the Jews 
 pretended to believe he was calling for Elias, 
 i. e. } Elijah, to come and relieve him; upon 
 which they took occasion to renew their 
 abuses and insults. 
 
 At lengthhis system, enfeebled and enflamed, 
 his blood as it were dried up, and his spirit 
 almost ready to bid farewell to its suffering 
 tenement, the Saviour complained, for once, 
 of thirst. 
 
 It was customary at the crucifixions in those 
 days, to place near the cross a vessel con- 
 taining a species of vinegar. When the 
 Saviour complained of thirst, some of those 
 who stood by filled a sponge with vinegar, and 
 
274 TRAVELS OF 
 
 after fastening it to a stalk of hyssop, applied 
 it to his mouth to relieve his thirst, now 
 become extreme. Others, however, were 
 unwilling to afford him even this poor palliation 
 of his sufferings; but advised to let him 
 entirely alone, and to wait and see whether 
 Elijah would come to his relief. 
 
 But the last scene, the scene of scenes, 
 was now approaching. The Saviour had 
 received the vinegar, and all the prophecies 
 respecting the manner of his death were now 
 fulfilled. With a loud voice, therefore, he 
 pronounced the words, "It is finished." 
 
 But he had much strength of body, and of 
 lungs, especially, yet remaining. His life, 
 though he was greatly tortured, and humanly 
 speaking, greatly exhausted, was not to be 
 taken from him; but he was about to yield it, 
 or lay it down. And now in a loud but dis- 
 tinct voice, he cried, " Father, into thy hands 
 I commend my spirit." When this was said, 
 he bowed his head, and expired. 
 
 Were we to witness such a scene and the 
 convulsions of nature which followed, I know 
 not but we should think the dissolution of all 
 things was about to take place. Let us re- 
 view the particulars of this great transaction. 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 275 
 
 The sun was darkened; not by an eclipse, 
 for it was full moon, and an eclipse of the sun 
 cannot happen in such circumstances. It 
 was by a miracle. It was by the mighty 
 power of God. 
 
 There was an earthquake. Palestine, on 
 the sea-coast, is sometimes rather subject to 
 earthquakes; but here was an earthquake at 
 this very instant, just as the Saviour was dis- 
 missing his spirit! No doubt, this, too, was 
 a miracle, and a most stupendous one. 
 
 The rocks were rent in sunder. This 
 was one effect of the earthquake. Rocks 
 are often cleft in this manner. How far 
 this particular earthquake extended beyond 
 Jerusalem, is not known. 
 
 The vail of the temple, which separated 
 between the holy and the most holy place, was 
 also torn from top to bottom, so as to expose to 
 view what was usually regarded by the Jews 
 as sacred. This, too, must have been mirac- 
 ulous. It proves, also, if it were caused by 
 the earthquake, how great that earthquake 
 must have been. An earthquake which shall 
 produce such an effect, must have been almost 
 or quite sufficient to throw down the temple 
 itself. 
 
276 TRAVELS OF 
 
 The tombs were opened, and many bodies 
 of saints, long before deceased, were raised 
 to life. Here again was a miracle, indepen- 
 dent of the earthquake — a miracle of a most 
 astonishing character too. After the resur- 
 rection of the Saviour, many of these holy 
 persons or saints came out of the tombs and 
 were seen about the streets of Jerusalem. 
 
 This spectacle affected the whole multitude; 
 and now not only those who had sympathized 
 all along with the Saviour, but probably too, 
 some of those who had at first derided him, 
 smote their breasts in amazement and sorrow. 
 The guard also who attended, said, " Truly 
 this was the Son of God." The Roman cen- 
 turion who commanded the guards was more- 
 over heard to make a similar confession; 
 "Certainly, 55 said he, "this was a righteous 
 man. 55 
 
 I have also told you that there were some 
 sympathizing friends near the cross. A little 
 farther off, were many. Not only were the 
 very women there who traveled with Jesus 
 and his apostles in Galilee, "ministering to 
 them of their substance,' 5 as was mentioned 
 in its place, but also, as Luke tells us, all his 
 acquaintance. Extended as his acquaintance 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 277 
 
 must have been, this would include quite a 
 multitude. 
 
 Among these individuals are particularly 
 noticed, Mary Magdalene, and Salome, and 
 Mary the wife of Zebedee, and mother of 
 James and John, sometimes called James the 
 less. How much bolder these women were, 
 than the apostles! Not one of them were 
 present that we know of, but John, and perhaps 
 the penitent Peter. 
 
 The body of Jesus still hung on the cross. 
 But as the Sabbath — -the Jewish Sabbath, 
 which was the same as our Saturday — was now 
 approaching, and the Jewish law did not per- 
 mit malefactors to remain on a cross on the 
 Sabbath, the executioners were required by 
 Pilate, at the request of the Jews, to hasten 
 the death of their criminals by breaking their 
 legs. 
 
 They accordingly proceeded to perform 
 what was required. They came first and 
 broke the legs of the two robbers, after which 
 they approached the Saviour to break his also; 
 but finding him already dead they deemed it 
 unnecessary. One of them, however, in a 
 wanton, inhuman manner, pierced his side with 
 a spear; upon which there came out of the 
 wound a quantity of blood and water, 
 24 
 
278 TRAVELS OF 
 
 It was now nearly night. I have already 
 said, bodies were not allowed to remain on the 
 cross during the Sabbath, which began with 
 the Jews on Friday evening. Of course the 
 body of the Saviour must be in some way 
 disposed of. What should be done with it, 
 was no doubt an important question at this 
 time with the friends of Jesus. 
 
 At this juncture, one Joseph, a wealthy 
 gentleman of Arimathea, or Ramoth — a friend 
 of the Saviour — came forward, and interceded 
 with Pilate for the body. This request was 
 granted, and the body was taken down from 
 the cross, wrapped in cloths and spices, and 
 laid in a new sepulchre, which Joseph hap- 
 pened to own in that vicinity. This sepulchre 
 was in a garden, and was hewn in a solid rock. 
 
 I have said that the body was wrapped in 
 cloths and accompanied by spices. This, 
 however, was only a temporary embalming. 
 It was merely to preserve the body in a prop- 
 er condition till the Sabbath was over, after 
 which it was intended to embalm it in the usu- 
 al Jewish mode. For this temporary embalm- 
 ing, however costly, provision had been made, 
 from another Jew, who was also, in all prob- 
 ability wealthy, I allude to Nicodemus. 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 279 
 
 More bold than he once was, when he first 
 came to see Jesus by night, he did not scru- 
 ple now to be seen at his tomb in the day time; 
 and to bring to his interment a mixture of 
 about a hundred weight of myrrh and aloes. 
 These were used at his request, in wrapping 
 the body preparatory to its interment. 
 
 When all this was done, the tomb was 
 closed, by the application of a very large 
 stone to its mouth. The female friends of 
 the deceased Jesus, who had been present at 
 the cross all day, and had seen that the body 
 was properly deposited in the tomb, now 
 returned to their own homes, or to those of 
 their friends in Jerusalem; and, after making 
 what preparation they had time to make, 
 before the Sabbath came on, for effectually 
 embalming the body when the Sabbath was 
 over, they ceased from their labors, and 
 rested, as their law required. 
 
 The next day, however, though it was the 
 Sabbath, it occurred to the members of the 
 Sanhedrim to do one thing which, as it would 
 seem, they had till now forgotten. They 
 recollected how Jesus had said that after 
 three days he would rise again. They there- 
 fore thought among themselves that perhaps 
 
280 TRAVELS OF 
 
 the apostles, or some of the rest of his disci- 
 ples, might steal the body out of the grave, 
 and then say the Saviour had risen. So, 
 after consulting with Pilate, and obtaining 
 his permission, they sealed the stone, as they 
 termed it, which was placed at the mouth of 
 the tomb; and, not satisfied with this, set a 
 considerable guard around it, to see that no 
 person approached it. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 The morning of the first day of the week— The women visit the 
 sepulchre — The earthquake and its consequences — Peter and 
 John informed of what had happened — They run to the grave — 
 The women there again — The two angels — Mary meets the 
 Saviour — The other women also meet with him — Skepticism 
 of the apostles — Story of stealing the body — The Saviour 
 appears to Peter— To Cleopas and his companions— To the 
 eleven at Jerusalem — To the eleven the second time — The 
 incredulity of Thomas— Meeting with some of them, in fishing, 
 on the sea of Galilee — Meeting at the mountain — Jesus again 
 at Jerusalem — His instructions. 
 
 The Sabbath was now over, and the female 
 friends of Jesus, having arisen at the earliest 
 dawn, or much sooner, were preparing to 
 embalm his body, as they had before contem- 
 plated. Meanwhile, some of them thought 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 281 
 
 they would go to the tomb or sepulchre, and 
 see if all was right; but who would remove 
 the stone for them, they thought within them- 
 selves. And, surely enough, this was a very 
 natural question. 
 
 But the stone was already removed, not- 
 withstanding the guards. Just before the 
 arrival of the women, an earthquake had 
 occurred, which not only, in all human prob-* 
 ability, awakened the guards, if any of them 
 were really sleeping, but excessively fright- 
 ened them. It was, moreover, followed by 
 very strange appearances. An angel of the 
 Lord descended from the heavens, and, in the 
 full face and defiance of the guards, rolled 
 away the stone, and sat upon it. This shocked 
 the guards still more, and, from the circum- 
 stances which followed, it is reasonable to 
 believe they fled, for we hear no more of 
 their being near the spot. 
 
 The female visitants to the tomb, therefore, 
 found the stone removed, though the angel 
 had disappeared. Surprised at the unexpect- 
 ed sight, and probably fearing the body of 
 the Saviour was stolen or otherwise removed, 
 they went and told Peter and John of it, who, 
 running to the sepulchre and looking in, saw 
 24* 
 
282 TRAVELS OF 
 
 indeed that the body was missing. The 
 clothes, however, on looking closely, did not 
 present that appearance of disorder which 
 indicated robbery; and, on examining still 
 more closely, they found every thing folded 
 and put in order, as much so, almost, as if 
 the place had been a bed-chamber, and the 
 person who had slept there had but just left 
 it. It was now, for the first time, that John 
 saw fully the whole character of the Saviour, 
 and can be fairly said to have believed on 
 him, and that he was indeed alive. But 
 where was he ? Believing, yet wondering, he 
 returned, with Peter, into the city. 
 
 But Mary Magdalene, who had been one of 
 the first at the tomb, and had hastened to 
 inform John and Peter, having now arrived 
 again at the spot, looked, weeping, into the 
 tomb, and, to her surprise, saw something 
 more than the clothes. Two angels were 
 there, dressed in white, sitting in the place 
 where the dead body had so recently been, 
 who inquired of her why she wept. "Be- 
 cause," said she, " they have taken away my 
 Lord, and I know not where they have laid 
 him." 
 
 In the meantime, however, the Saviour was 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 283 
 
 not far off, just behind her. Hearing a noise, 
 perhaps, she turned her head to look, and 
 saw a person standing there; but, for some 
 reason or other, she did not at first suspect it 
 was the Saviour. He, too, addressed her, 
 asking why she wept, but still she did not 
 recognize him, but supposed him to be the 
 gardener; for I have already told you that 
 the tomb was in a garden. Addressing her- 
 self to him, in her haste and anxiety, she 
 told him that if he had removed the body of 
 her Saviour from the tomb, and would tell 
 her where it now was, she would proceed at 
 once to take care of it, in the usual manner, 
 preparatory to its final burial. 
 
 But how great must have been her surprise 
 when the Saviour, with a peculiar inflection 
 of the voice, — one which she could not mis- 
 take, — and, in his usual familiar manner, 
 called her by her name, and said to her, 
 <c Mary." How quickly did she turn herself 
 fully round, and look at him in the face, and, 
 with a joy unknown to her before, — I had 
 almost said unknown before to any mortal in 
 any circumstances, — once more call him, in 
 her former familiar manner, "Master." 
 
 It seems, from the narrative, that, in a 
 
284 
 
 TRAVELS OF 
 
 transport of joy, she was ready to embrace 
 him, but a most remarkable but yet tender 
 reply prevented it. " Touch me not," said 
 he, " for I am not yet ascended to my Father; 
 but go to my brethren and say unto them, I 
 ascend unto my Father and your Father, and 
 to my God and your God." 
 
 Once I wondered what the Saviour here 
 meant, when he told Mary this. I could not 
 think how it was that he should assign it as a 
 reason why she must not approach him that 
 he had not yet ascended to his Father. Here, 
 before he had ascended, seemed to me to be 
 the time and place for him to receive his dis- 
 ciples, and manifest friendship by the usual 
 tokens of regard. But I misunderstood the 
 passage entirely. He meant, most evidently, 
 as much as this: "We have no time, now, 
 Mary, for these salutations, and other tokens 
 of affection; there will be time enough for 
 this before I ascend to my Father. At pres- 
 ent, you cannot do me a greater kindness 
 than to go and announce my resurrection to 
 my disciples." Does not this give a new 
 and clear view to the whole passage? But, 
 to return to the narrative. 
 
 Other persons as well as Mary had infor- 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 285 
 
 mation from heavenly messengers, in respect 
 to the Saviour; and some of them were re- 
 minded, by these messages, of the Saviour's 
 promise to meet them again in Galilee, when 
 he was with them there, and was foretelling 
 to them his death and resurrection. 
 
 Nor was this all. In the hurry and agita- 
 tion of the morning, while the females were 
 so anxiously running to and fro, and giving 
 information of what they had seen and heard, 
 and perhaps consulting with Peter and John 
 about it — I mean Mary the mother of Jesus, 
 Salome, Joanna, &c. — the Saviour appeared 
 to them also, and addressed them familiarly, 
 saying, "All hail!" They also paid their 
 respects to him — which, however, he did not 
 repel — by holding him by the feet, and as the 
 Scripture expresses it, "worshiping him." 
 
 Perceiving the confusion of their minds 
 , from the joy mingled with surprise they felt, 
 he endeavored to quiet them by assuring them 
 that there was no need of fear; and, also, by 
 bidding them to remind his brethren of the 
 promised meeting in Galilee, and of his read- 
 iness to fulfil his promise by meeting them 
 there. 
 
 It seems, however, that this interview, like 
 
286 TRAVELS OF 
 
 that with Mary, was very short, and that Je- 
 sus soon disappeared. They brought the in- 
 telligence he had requested them to carry to 
 the eleven apostles; but they seemed at first 
 hardly to credit it. Even Peter and John, 
 who just now seemed to believe, had half re- 
 lapsed into their former skepticism. 
 
 Perhaps they were not a little perplexed by 
 a story already in circulation, with whose or- 
 igin they might not have been as yet acquaint- 
 ed. For though they knew full well that they 
 were not guilty of the charge it contained, 
 they could not be quite sure that none of the 
 rest of his disciples might not have been. I 
 allude to a story fabricated by the Sanhedrim, * 
 that the disciples of Jesus had stolen away his, 
 body while the guards were asleep. This 
 was in itself a most unlikely story ; how could 
 they know what was done when they were 
 fast asleep? Besides, it was death for a Ro- 
 man soldier to be found sleeping on guard; 
 but the Sanhedrim had promised to protect 
 
 * The guard had told the Sanhedrim about the earthquake and 
 the removal of the stone from the mouth of the tomb ; and the 
 Sanhedrim had not only promised to screen them from harm, but 
 actually bribed them, by means of money, to tell the story ever* 
 against their own reputation as soldiers. 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 287 
 
 the soldiers, should they be brought to account 
 for their conduct. The story, however, 
 passed current for a while, and probably stag- 
 gered, in the confused state of their minds, 
 some of the disciples, and possibly some of 
 the apostles themselves. 
 
 The Saviour's next appearance, was to Pe- 
 ter, but we are not told exactly when it was, 
 or where. About the same time, however, 
 he appeared to two of his disciples, in com- 
 pany, on the road to Emmaus, a village about 
 seven miles northwest of Jerusalem. Cleo- 
 pas, or Alpheus, the father of James the less, 
 and another whose name is not known, being 
 in conversation together on the road thither 
 about the Saviour, the latter came along and 
 fell in with them and traveled with them a 
 considerable distance without their knowing 
 him. 
 
 This interview was the more remarkable 
 from the fact that he not only traveled with 
 them and entered into conversation with them 
 — and that, too, about himself and his own 
 character and conduct as it had been exhibited 
 to them recently — yet they did not know him. 
 They knew indeed that he was " mighty" in 
 the knowledge of the Scriptures, and they 
 
238 TRAVELS OF 
 
 felt their hearts burn within them, as it were, 
 while they heard his remarks; and yet their 
 eyes being holden, as the Scripture says, they 
 did not recognize him. 
 
 Nor did they know him in fact till he came 
 to sit down and eat with them; and then the 
 veil which seems to have been over them was 
 taken away. Having arrived at Emmaus, he 
 had consented, at their request, to stop with 
 them there, and tarry awhile; and when the 
 supper came on, he proceeded to bless the 
 bread in the usual manner, which opened 
 their eyes. But no sooner did they behold 
 him full before them, as the Saviour, than he 
 disappeared. 
 
 Whether the two disciples had intended at 
 first to pass the night in Emmaus, is not said; 
 but they were so much surprised and over- 
 joyed at the circumstance which had happened, 
 that they went away directly to Jerusalem and 
 announced the welcome intelligence to the 
 eleven apostles that they had seen Jesus, 
 while they heard from them also, at the same 
 time, that he had appeared to Peter. 
 
 Where the apostles, except John, had been 
 all this while, we are not informed; but they 
 had been, it seems, so situated that they had 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 289 
 
 been readily drawn together by what had ta- 
 ken place, and were in consultation what to 
 do. 
 
 Doubtless this interview, was a Very joyful 
 one to them all. The day which had now 
 come to a close, had been the most eventful 
 day of their lives; and they probably enjoyed 
 the evening in talking over what they had 
 seen and heard. The eleven were assembled, 
 as it appears, in a very retired chamber; for, 
 as the story was out, that they or the rest of 
 the disciples had stolen the Saviour's body> 
 and as their old fears that came upon them at 
 Gethsemane and subsequently, were not yet 
 probably all gone, they were disposed to hold 
 their interview as secretly as possible. 
 
 Here, then, in this secret chamber, they 
 were recounting the events and wonders of 
 the day, with the doors closely shut, and I 
 presume firmly fastened. They were taking 
 some refreshment, and had probably nearly 
 finished their repast, when, to their very 
 great surprise and utter amazement, the Sa- 
 viour, with the mighty power he had to pass 
 bars and bolts, if he chose to do so, made his 
 appearance in their midst, and with his usual 
 familiarity said, "Peace be unto you." He 
 25 
 
290 TRAVELS OF 
 
 may have intended by it also to dispossess of 
 fear, and calm their minds for the interview 
 intended. 
 
 I have spoken of their surprise and amaze- 
 ment; but I might say more; they were ex- 
 ceedingly frightened; and from the manner 
 of the Saviour's coming in, they appear to 
 have regarded him, at first, as a spirit. But 
 he soon calmed their fears by showing them 
 — besides his salutation of peace — his hands, 
 and feet, and side; and bidding them to test 
 the reality of his presence by touching him. 
 He also satisfied them still farther, by eating 
 before them; for though, as I have already 
 said, they had probably nearly finished their 
 supper, yet on inquiry it appears they had 
 left a small piece of fish and a little honey of 
 which he partook as usual; thus convincing 
 them that he had a real body, as much as be- 
 fore his death. 
 
 Before he left them — he seems to have been 
 absent from them the v/eek following — he 
 gently complained to them of their unbelief 
 and slowness to receive the abundant evidence 
 which had been afforded them of his resur- 
 rection; but concluded his upbraidings with 
 his usual kindness and forgiveness ; and by 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 291 
 
 pronouncing, in a solemn but tender manner, 
 the words, " Peace be unto you." 
 
 He also, at the same time, confirmed his 
 former commission to them as apostles. "As 
 my Father hath sent me, even so send I you." 
 It was, moreover, at the close of this inter- 
 view, that he breathed on them, as the evan- 
 gelist calls it, and said, "Receive ye the 
 Holy Ghost;" at the same time remitting 
 their sins, and giving them power, as his 
 apostles, to remit the sins of others. 
 
 I have spoken as if the eleven apostles 
 were together at this interview; and yet it 
 seems that Thomas was absent. When he 
 returned, late in the evening, after the Saviour 
 had retired, they told him Jesus had been 
 there, and related the circumstance of their 
 interview with him. But Thomas was still 
 more incredulous than they had been. He 
 said he would not believe he had risen, till he 
 could actually examine, with his own fingers, 
 the prints of the nails in his hands and feet. 
 Is not such slowness of belief exceedingly 
 unaccountable? 
 
 This interview of the Saviour with the ten 
 apostles was on the evening of the first day of 
 
292 TRAVELS OF 
 
 the week, as I have already said; or, as we 
 should call it, Sabbath evening. 
 
 In just a week afterwards, the apostles 
 were again present together and Thomas with 
 them. The doors being shut where they 
 were and fastened as before, Jesus again 
 appeared to them and with the same salutation 
 as before, " Peace be unto you." And now it 
 was, after having said this, that he approached 
 the incredulous Thomas, and gave him the 
 opportunity he had wished for. ' 'Reach hither 
 thy finger, and behold my hands, 5 ' said he, 
 " and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into 
 my side, and be not faithless but believing." 
 
 This was sufficient. Thomas could not 
 resist the evidence of his senses. "My Lord 
 and my God!" was the exclamation he made; 
 after which, and a few remarks to him, gently 
 reproaching him for his incredulity, the Sav- 
 iour again disappeared. 
 
 It will be remembered, perhaps, that when 
 the Saviour was, one day, while in Galilee, 
 foretelling his sufferings and death, he told 
 his disciples that he should not only rise 
 again, but that after he had risen he would 
 again meet them — i( go before them," is the 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 293 
 
 Bible language — in Galilee. It appears also 
 that he was to meet them there on a certain 
 mountain; one, in all probability, with which 
 they were familiar. It will likewise be re- 
 membered that the angelic messengers, in 
 announcing his resurrection, adverted also to 
 the same fact. It was not very long after his 
 interview with the incredulous Thomas, that 
 he appears to have set out on his journey 
 thither. 
 
 His first interview with them there, was on 
 the sea-shore — the sea'of Galilee — rather than 
 on the mountain. Peter, Thomas, James, 
 John and two other apostles, accompanied by 
 Nathaniel of Cana in Galilee, were fishing 
 there. While busily engaged, for once more, 
 in this their old employment, the Saviour made 
 his appearance on the shore; though they did 
 not at first know him. 
 
 It was now morning, and about time for 
 breakfast; and the Saviour, unknown to them 
 either by his voice or manner, inquired if 
 they had any thing to eat? They told him 
 they had not; for though they had been toil- 
 ing all night, they had not caught so much as 
 fish enough for a single meal. 
 
 The Saviour, knowing their ill success^ 
 25* 
 
294 TRAVELS or 
 
 directed them to cast their nets in a particular 
 place and manner, and they would then meet 
 with better success. He was soon recognized 
 by Peter, and his directions being complied 
 with, they caught such an abundance of fish, 
 and of such an unusual size, that they could 
 hardly drag them in. They, however, at 
 length succeeded, and some of the fish being 
 cooked at a fire which the Saviour had pre- 
 pared on the shore, and a little bread being 
 procured, they partook, with the Saviour, of 
 a morning repast. 
 
 I have called the meal a morning repast, 
 but the evangelist John calls it a dinner. 
 Perhaps it was as late as ten or eleven o'clock 
 in the forenoon; and if so they would naturally 
 call it a dinner. The Jews, I believe, were 
 accustomed to dine at eleven o'clock. 
 
 This was the third interview which the 
 Saviour had with any considerable number of 
 the apostles after his resurrection; and it was 
 one of the most interesting and important 
 which he ever had with them, if we except 
 the ttour of his ascension. 
 
 It was at this interview that he held a con- 
 versation with Peter about feeding his sheep 
 and lambs; a conversation which we may be 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 295 
 
 sure Peter never forgot. In the same con- 
 versation, be foretold, rather indistinctly, the 
 manner of that apostle's death; viz., by vio- 
 lence. The long life of John — the fact that 
 he would live to witness the destruction of 
 Jerusalem — for this was what was sometimes 
 meant by Christ's coming — was also foretold 
 at this same precious and interesting interview. 
 
 Soon after this, they had the meetings 
 already several times alluded to, on a moun- 
 tain in Galilee. There are two reasons for 
 supposing that the collection of people there 
 was very large. 1. Because we are informed 
 that some who were there worshiped him, 
 while others doubted* whereas, we cannot 
 believe that any doubts now lingered in the 
 minds of the eleven apostles. 2. Because it is 
 said in one of Paul's epistles, that the Saviour 
 was on a certain occasion seen of above five 
 hundred brethren at once; and I know not 
 where this could have been, except in Galilee, 
 
 Within a little time after this meeting in 
 Galilee, we find him in Jerusalem again, 
 giving to his apostles and disciples, from time 
 to time, various important instructions. He 
 was with them, in the whole, after his resur-* 
 
296 TRAVELS OF 
 
 rection, forty days, all of which time we may 
 be assured was spent in the most profitable 
 manner. It is true, the sacred record is silent 
 in regard to the manner in which much of this 
 time was spent, especially the first week; 
 still, we cannot believe that the Son of God 
 would misspend a single day or hour. 
 
 One thing which seemed to be a prominent 
 topic in the Saviour's instruction, after his 
 resurrection, was the interpretation of the 
 Scriptures of the Old Testament, and their 
 application to himself. "Then opened he their 
 understanding," it is said, in one instance, 
 "that they might understand the Scriptures. 5 ' 
 Their understandings, however, after all, 
 never were fully opened till subsequently to 
 the Saviour's ascension to heaven; as we 
 learn from the first chapter of Acts. 
 
 Among other things expressly enjoined by 
 our Lord on his apostles, during his stay upon 
 earth, was that they should do their utmost 
 to extend the blessings of the gospel, not only 
 to all nations of the earth, but to every indi- 
 vidual. They were to preach and teach, or 
 discipher and baptize; and in some circum- 
 stances, as it appears, to work miracles. 
 They were to tarry in Jerusalem, however, a 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 297 
 
 short time, till the coming of the Holy Spirit, 
 the Comforter who was to be sent down after 
 his own departure, to endue them with more 
 special power from on high than they had yet 
 received, and to assist, as it were, in com- 
 pleting the great work of redeeming and 
 sanctifying the world. 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 The Saviour and the apostles go to mount Olivet, near Bethany 
 — Feelings of the apostles conjectured— Reflections on the 
 Saviour's circumstances — He gives the apostles his parting 
 blessing— He ascends — A cloud envelops him — Angelic direc- 
 tions — They return to Jerusalem — Further reflections. 
 
 The last journey the Saviour took on earth, 
 was from Jerusalem to Bethany, or rather to 
 the mount of Olives, which lay between Jeru- 
 salem and Bethany, and extended quite into 
 the borders of the latter. In this journey he 
 was accompanied by his apostles. He led 
 them out, it is said, as far as to Bethany. 
 
 Did the apostles know that this was the 
 last journey they were to take with their Lord 
 
298 TRAVELS OF 
 
 and Master, while on earth? They knew, 
 unquestionably, that he would leave them 
 soon; but did they know any thing of the 
 day and hour? They had traveled with him 
 many thousand miles, since they became his 
 disciples; was this the last, the final walk? 
 
 I have sometimes thought whether the 
 apostles might not have been at this time in 
 expectation of some remarkable event; for it 
 was, I believe, on their arrival at the place 
 of his ascension, that some of them put to 
 him the question whether he was about to 
 " restore the kingdom to Israel." They 
 could not even now wholly relinquish the 
 idea that the Saviour was to be, somehow or 
 other, and in some way or other, concerned 
 in the restoration of the Jews to their ancient 
 temporal privileges, as well as in blessing 
 them spiritually; so strongly had their notions 
 of a Messiah been tinctured with ideas of 
 temporal power. Nor were they wholly 
 unlike all other men in this respect. Who 
 does not know how strongly affected human 
 character is by the love of power? 
 
 It does not, however, appear very evident 
 that they supposed this particular journey 
 towards Bethany was to be their last in com- 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 299 
 
 pany with Jesus. Had they known, what 
 must have been their feelings! They had 
 been with him in comparative prosperity, as 
 well as in adversity; they had seen him in 
 hours of joy and in hours of sorrow; they 
 had been with him in trials of the most dis- 
 tressing kind, and they had heard his instruc- 
 tions on almost every subject, till he was 
 become endeared to them in a manner which, 
 in all probability, can scarcely be conceived 
 by us. True, they had deserted him in his 
 last and most severe trials; and this must 
 have stung them to the heart. Did the Sav- 
 iour lead them out at the eastern gate of Jeru- 
 salem, and over the brook Kidron, and near 
 the garden of Gethsemane, and up the ascent 
 of mount Olivet, to the borders of Bethany, 
 that with the last interview they might asso- 
 ciate their ill treatment of him and their con- 
 sequent ill desert, and thus be kept, in time 
 to come, in proper humility? 
 
 But they are now arrived at the spot whence 
 the Saviour is to take his flight from this dark 
 world to bright, celestial regions. He is now 
 to complete his course as a traveler on earth. 
 No splendid, triumphant royal car, however, 
 
300 TRAVELS OF 
 
 awaits him; no retinue of attendants proposes 
 to accompany him. He needs not, by whom 
 the world was made, the aid of any of its 
 chariots or horses, even those of fire! He 
 needs not, who can command legions of 
 cherubs and seraphs into his service, any 
 convoy to the world of bliss — the heaven of 
 heavens — his original, his eternal, his final 
 abode. He needs nothing for his journey but 
 his own power, — almighty power being his, 
 in heaven and in earth. 
 
 Hitherto, for thirty years and more, has 
 he been an inhabitant of a single corner of 
 one little province of the Creator's vast 
 domain. He has walked among the sons of 
 men, and been himself a man of sorrow and 
 acquainted with grief. If his eyes have been 
 raised at times to those bright worlds whence 
 he came, still his more immediate intercourse 
 has been with this world. Day after day, 
 month after month, year after year, has seen 
 him familiar with the abodes of poverty and 
 ignorance, and of vice and crime; not to 
 catch the disease, but to cure it. Wherever 
 there has been imperfection or suffering, 
 there has he been ready, with a warm heart, 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 301 
 
 and kind voice, and strong arm, to afford 
 instruction or relief; usually both. 
 
 But the scene is soon to change. He is to 
 travel a brighter and more cheerful road than 
 any on this fallen earth. He is to be among 
 suns and stars. He is to mount up to the 
 heaven of heavens, — where he once was, — 
 and seat himself, as before, on the eternal 
 throne, at the right hand of the eternal 
 Father. 
 
 His instructions are all given; his explan- 
 ations to his disciples are all made. They 
 are not, indeed, satisfied; but, having re- 
 ceived full assurance that new light will be 
 shed on them, a few days hence, by the power 
 of the Holy Ghost, they are, on th$ whole, 
 content to await the appointed time. 
 
 And now, for the last time, he lifts up his 
 hands, — those hands which, though scarred 
 with the accursed nails, have been the instru- 
 ments of so much good, within the last three 
 years, — and, in his usual solemn manner, 
 commands a blessing upon them all, and com- 
 mits them to the care of his and their most 
 merciful Father. 
 
 But scarcely is the blessing pronounced, 
 ere he begins to ascend! and make his way 
 26 
 
302 TRAVELS OF 
 
 through the thin air towards the skies. Solemn 
 moment! Solemn to those who witness the 
 scene, — solemn to us, even us, who, at this 
 late day, in these ends of the earth, read of 
 the event. He is fast disappearing — the 
 clouds begin to envelop him — he can scarcely 
 be seen — he is gone! 
 
 Even at this very moment, I seem to see 
 the eleven companions of this ascending Sav- 
 iour, with eyes upraised, and hands clasped, 
 silent and motionless as the grave, watching 
 the spot where he was last visible, vainly 
 hoping to get one more distant glance at the 
 object of their affections. But no. They 
 may look while life lasts, — ay, for centuries. 
 No Saviour will make his appearance in the 
 skies any more, till the last trump shall sound, 
 and the universe shall be arraigned at the 
 final bar of judgment. 
 
 What must have been the sorrows — what 
 the feelings in general — of the apostles of 
 our Saviour, at this critical moment! Now, 
 for the first time, as it were, in their whole 
 lives, they were truly alone in the world. 
 They had, indeed, been lonely before, as the 
 world counts loneliness; but what loneliness 
 like this? What could they now do? To 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 303 
 
 whom and where could they preach? Who 
 would hear them? Who would receive them? 
 Who would not even persecute them? And 
 who would there be to sympathize with them 
 in hours of trial and persecution? 
 
 They forgot, for the moment, it is presumed, 
 the promise that he would send the Comforter. 
 They forgot that they were to be endued, ere- 
 long, with power from on high. They forgot 
 that the Saviour, though absent from them 
 bodily, was to be with them spiritually, even 
 to the end of their lives! 
 
 I presume, I say, that they forgot all this 
 for a moment; such is human nature. But 
 the scene soon changes. They are roused 
 from their contemplation by two celestial 
 messengers, robed in white, who give them 
 great encouragement. "Why stand ye gazing 
 up into heaven?" they say. "This same 
 Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, 
 shall so come in like manner, as ye have seen 
 him go into heaven." 
 
 This, I say, gave them courage; and, after 
 worshiping the Saviour, they returned to Je- 
 rusalem. Their melancholy dejection was 
 now fled away, and was succeeded by cheer- 
 fulness. Their sorrow was turned into joy. 
 
304 TRAVELS OF 
 
 Many a parent, at the spiritual departure 
 of a child, — many a husband or wife, at the 
 departure of a companion, — has felt for the 
 moment that the world was to him or her a 
 mere blank. " I have lost my child!" or, "I 
 have lost my companion!" is the feeling, and 
 sometimes the exclamation. 
 
 But the scene soon changes, especially if 
 the bereaved mourner believes in the Saviour 
 and the resurrection which he preached. 
 That earthly friend, so dear and beloved, is 
 regarded, not as lost, but only as gone before 
 to a world which the survivor himself must 
 soon enter. So was it with David. I shall 
 go to my child, he said, but he will not return 
 to me. 
 
 So was it, in a good measure, with the 
 apostles. Jesus was not lost to them, as, in 
 their first sorrowing moments, may have 
 seemed to be the case. He was only gone 
 before them. They had even higher hope of 
 him than is had of an earthly friend. The 
 child whom we love, or the companion of our 
 bosom, will not, by-and-by, descend from the 
 heaven of heavens, with a retinue of angels, 
 to escort us thither. But Jesus will. When 
 the last trump shall have sounded, — when 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 305 
 
 the earth and the sea shall have given up 
 their dead,— when the living millions shall 
 have been changed, and all shall have heard 
 the final condemnation or reward, the right- 
 eous shall be caught up in the air, — so the 
 Scripture expresses it, — to be for ever with 
 their Judge, and Lord, and Master. He 
 ascended alone to the blissful abode of his 
 and our Father; we shall ascend in company. 
 He made the tour of the visible heavens 
 without splendor; but the tour which we shall 
 make, when we ascend to dwell for ever at 
 his right hand, will be in splendor, and glory, 
 and pomp, and majesty inconceivable. 
 
 The Saviour has gone, but he is not lost. 
 He still lives. He is still the same good and 
 glorious Being that he always was. He is 
 still promoting, as he always was, the highest 
 possible happiness of all mankind. He still 
 lives, I say. I might say much more. He 
 still dwells with men. cc Lo, I am with you 
 alway," is still sounding in our ears; and the 
 promise, unless we turn away from the voice 
 that speaketh, is ours as much as it was that 
 of the apostles. Jesus, though absent from 
 us, is yet, in a certain sense, present to every 
 one of his true followers. 
 26* 
 
306 TRAVELS OF 
 
 He is not, indeed, an inhabitant, at the 
 present time, of this vale of tears. He is not 
 walking about in Palestine. He is not, as he 
 once was, preaching in the temple at Jerusa- 
 lem. He is not going from place to place, 
 preaching, in person, to the poor the ever- 
 lasting gospel. He is not feeding with tem- 
 poral loaves and fishes the thousands who 
 follow him to hear what he says and see what 
 he does. He is not raising to life the tem- 
 porally dead. He is not flying from the 
 persecutions of the Jews. He is not at 
 Gethsemane. He is not on Calvary. 
 
 But he still exists, as I have said. If he 
 dwells with good men on earth, as we know 
 there is a sense in which he does, yet he 
 dwells in a more striking manner elsewhere. 
 Let us not be over anxious to know the place 
 or the mode of his existence. It is sufficient 
 for us to know that he exists somewhere; and 
 is always with his disciples wherever two 
 or three only are gathered in his name; that 
 he has a place for us, if we are indeed his 
 disciples; that in his Father's house are many 
 mansions, and that, be the mode of existence 
 what it may, if we love him and continue in 
 his love, we shall see him; if we are like him, 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 307 
 
 we shall be where he is, let the place be as it 
 may. Where he is, as he expressly assured 
 his followers, there they will be also. " Who 
 worship God shall find him. 5 ' 
 
 I have heard a few good men advance the 
 idea that some of the glorious worlds which 
 we call planets, into which sin, perhaps, has 
 never entered, or that still more glorious 
 world, the sun, or, perhaps, the other suns, 
 called fixed stars, with which the visible fir- 
 mament is studded, and with which the invis- 
 ible is equally replete, might be the future 
 abode of the redeemed of this world. It may, 
 indeed, be so; though of this we know just 
 about nothing at all. These speculations 
 may be pleasant, even though they should not 
 be profitable. Still I repeat once more — and 
 it seems to me sufficient — the language of the 
 poet, "Who worship God shall find him." 
 Or the still more appropriate language of the 
 Saviour himself, " In my Father's house are 
 many mansions. I go to prepare a place for 
 you; that where I am there ye may be 
 also." 
 
 The Saviour still lives. Not, however, as 
 on earth, in poverty. The universe is now 
 
308 TRAVELS OF 
 
 his, and he uses it; both the world of matter 
 and of mind. Is not he rich who has such 
 absolute and illimitable sway, — who holds all 
 beings and all property in his hands, and 
 makes a glorious use of all? 
 
 He lives, and is eternally active. Not, 
 indeed, in the way of walking about, confined 
 to a body of flesh, and subject to infirmity. 
 His is now a celestial body, that prevents not 
 his flying from world to world with a speed to 
 us inconceivable, in accomplishing purposes 
 of infinite love and goodness. 
 
 He is still, I say, executing the purposes 
 of his immeasurable love. He may be going 
 about doing good, in some form or other, in 
 some world or other, but his labors are not, 
 as once, confined to Palestine. His dominion 
 is an everlasting dominion, and his plans are 
 as unlimited as his being is infinite. 
 
 He is not preaching now to the hundreds 
 and thousands who once crowded to hear him. 
 And yet his instructions, recorded in that 
 blessed book of life, which his mercy and his 
 providence have put into our hands, are 
 spreading the everlasting gospel every day, 
 among not only thousands, but millions; and 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 309 
 
 they are destined to reach hundreds of mil- 
 lions; yea, to embrace the whole human 
 family. 
 
 I say the Saviour is not preaching now; 
 and yet this is more than we can know. Mr. 
 Dick, who has written many conjectures about 
 the future state, supposes the Saviour may be 
 employed, from time to time, without inter- 
 ference with his great work of intercession 
 for us before the throne of his Father, in 
 giving instruction in the form of lectures, or 
 in some manner not unlike it, to countless 
 myriads of celestial learners. 
 
 The Saviour is not now feeding with loaves 
 and fishes, as once, the thousands whose 
 temporal wants render his interference neces- 
 sary. True, he gives us all, day by day, our 
 daily bread; but not directly, nor in a mirac- 
 ulous manner. But he still gives us, as he 
 always did, the bread of life, if we ever re- 
 ceive it. No person can come to God the 
 Father, as the Saviour has expressly told us, 
 even for common blessings, — much more for 
 spiritual ones, — except through him. 
 
 He still causes the deaf to hear,- — but it is 
 those who are spiritually deaf. Bodily deaf- 
 
310 TRAVELS OF 
 
 ness, indeed, if curable at all, comes to pass 
 through the medium of laws which God our 
 Saviour has established. But the spiritually 
 deaf are more directly operated upon, than 
 those who are only deaf bodily. 
 
 He causes the blind to see. O, how many 
 are blind to the requirements of God's law, 
 as well as deaf to the voice which utters it! 
 Yet there is here and there one, blessed be 
 God, who can say, as did one of Palestine, in 
 days of old, <c Whereas I was blind, now I 
 see." 
 
 The paralytic and the leper are still cured 
 by the agency of our Saviour; but I refer 
 here to those who are affected with the lepro- 
 sy of sin, and whose moral powers are palsied 
 by long disobedience to the laws of their 
 Heavenly Father. 
 
 The dead are raised. How many who 
 were once dead in trespasses and sins, have 
 been quickened, through the agency and 
 assistance of God's Holy Spirit, and through 
 his mercy in Jesus Christ our Intercessor and 
 Saviour, to rise to spiritual life and health, 
 and to hope for a resurrection at the last day 
 still more glorious! 
 
OUR SAVIOUR. 311 
 
 The Saviour still lives; and because he 
 lives, we, if we are his true followers, shall 
 live also. Let us, then, boldly follow him, 
 while the journey of life lasts, through good 
 report and through evil, till the hour of our 
 dissolution approaches; and then let us cross 
 the dark valley of the shadow of death, still 
 fearing no evil, till we arrive where he is, to 
 dwell for ever in his blissful presence. 
 

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