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 All Rights, including that of Translation, Reserved. 
 Copyright, 1915, by H. Waldron Latimer. 
 
 JUL -8 1915 
 
 S)CI,A401694 
 
dbe 3i^eunitins ^ilsrimase 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 PAUL CALLED TO JERUSALEM. 
 
 OW it came to pass that after Paul 
 had tarried many days at Rome, and 
 the churches were estabhshed and con- 
 firmed, that his heart burned within 
 him to visit the confines of the West, 
 that there, too, he might preach the 
 Gospel. Whereas great sadness fell 
 over the hearts of the believers, doubting" not but that 
 they should see his face no more. For certain of the 
 members of Caesar's household had aforetimes dwelt 
 in the Northern Islands, who endeavored to dissuade 
 Paul from his purpose, saying that no man might re- 
 turn thence, unless he had great provisions and instru- 
 ments of war; for the men, said they, were exceeding 
 fierce, and the lands wild and desolate. But when 
 Herodion, Andronicus and Junia who were his kins- 
 men, saw that Paul had set his face to depart, they 
 arranged their private affairs that they might go with 
 him; doubting not they should die with him, but Paul 
 comforted them, saying that it had been revealed to 
 him he could not die in any place other than the Great 
 City, after having been a witness unto the Lord in the 
 face of even the uttermost Gentiles. 
 
 5 
 
6 THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 
 
 And it was so that when they departed Aquila and 
 Priscilla and those of the family of Persis and Rufus 
 came to the ship to bid them farewell, and they wept 
 sore, crying aloud. But Paul and his company set sail 
 in a ship bound for the Pillars of Hercules, where they 
 might seek means of crossing the streams of the un- 
 known seas beyond. 
 
 Now it came to pass that during the night a great- 
 storm arose, so that neither moon nor stars were to be 
 seen, no, not for many days. So it came to pass that 
 both Paul and Junia waxed exceeding sick because of 
 the tossing of the waves. And as Paul lay on his couch 
 praying, misdoubting whether it pleased God he should 
 have undertaken so unfortunate a journey, the Word 
 of the Lord came unto him, saying that he must first 
 go to Jerusalem to learn many things concerning the 
 Kingdom of God, so when the ship put in at Melita for 
 repairs we left it, and embarked in a boat, laden 
 with wool, bound for Tyre. And after many days we 
 arrived there, and having comforted the members of 
 the churches, proceeded to Jerusalem, hastening if 
 perhaps we might arrive in time for the Feast of the 
 Passover. And when we had arrived there, we lodged 
 at the house of Herodion, Paul's kinsman, and repaired 
 to the Temple to undergo the purification according 
 to the Law. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 PAUL FINDS THE APOSTLES AND THE 
 BLESSED MARY. 
 
 ND as Paul was praying in the Inner 
 Court of the Temple, he besought that 
 the Lord would make plain the pur- 
 pose of his journey to Jerusalem. And 
 just while he spoke thus, the Lord 
 Jesus stood by him in appearance like 
 to any other man, but that his face 
 shone with a white light, so that Paul being dazzled, 
 covered his eyes and worshiped. And the Lord said, 
 Saul, thou hast done well to follow Me hither. And I 
 will reveal to thy fellow Apostles by -thy means many 
 things which shall comfort and stablish your souls. 
 Yet, for the darkness of the times, see that they keep 
 these Mysteries of the Kingdom secret. For the days 
 shall come when the world shall be ready to see the 
 full light; but the Time is not yet. Go up the Street 
 called the Road of Tiles, and knock at a house cov- 
 ered with two heaps of straw, and it shall be opened 
 unto thee. There ask to be admitted to the bedside of 
 the Blessed Mary who bore me, in the house of John, 
 whom thou shalt see. And when they shall have re- 
 ceived thee, ask her to tell thee and thy fellow Apostles 
 concerning all that is in thine heart, that thou thyself 
 beest at peace, while preaching to others. 
 
 And when Paul looked up he saw none but his fellow- 
 companions, praying devoutly as heretofore. And he 
 rose and trembled violently, and wept, so much so that 
 
 7 
 
8 THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 
 
 Herodion helped him home, Paul being speechless, but 
 for the words, I have seen him, 1 have seen him, and 
 could not tell who it was that he had seen. Then 
 Herodion understood that he had beheld a vision, and 
 forbore to ask him further questions till what time he 
 should be restored. And after they had reached the 
 house, deep sleep fell upon Paul, and he slumbered 
 sweetly as a child from the sixth even unto the twelfth 
 hour, and when he arose they set meat before him, 
 and he strengthened his heart. 
 
 Now when the stars became bright, Paul set his face 
 to go forth, to do the work of the Lord, Now 
 Junia pressed Herodion to go with him, but Paul said 
 he must go alone. And as it was dark, I, Luke, fol- 
 lowed him afar off, doubting whether he would find 
 his way alone, for the many new houses built there of 
 late. And Paul, being rapt in the Spirit, hastened 
 dov^n the Joppa road, and as he turned the corner of 
 the Citadel, three sons of Belial full of wine barred 
 his way, and would have beaten him had I not run up 
 and frightened them by my cries. And when I would 
 have fallen back Paul bade me go with him and guide 
 him to the Road of Tiles. And as we proceeded he 
 told me he was about to ask the Blessed Mary to tell 
 him the Mysteries of the Kingdom, before she should 
 pass away. And when I had entreated, he bade me 
 enter with him, to make record on all she should say, 
 but keeping it secret, lest speaking wisdom among the 
 foolish the Mysteries of the Kingdom take hurt. 
 
 And straightway, as he spoke of these things, we 
 saw a house roofed over above the gateway with two 
 bundles of straw, which was the house of John, who 
 had taken the Blessed Mary to live with him, after the 
 crucifixion of the Lord Jesus. Then Paul knocked at 
 the gate, but the door standing ajar, and none coming 
 to answer, no, not after we had knocked three times, 
 we made bold to enter in and there was nobody in 
 the porter's lodge, there being no light in it. But as 
 
THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 9 
 
 we left it, we heard the sound of weeping; and as we 
 turned towards it, we saw the figure of a man, bent 
 over in the bitterness of anguish. Then Paul went up 
 to him and spoke to him, but he only wept the more, 
 making signs that he should be left alone. But Paul 
 would not leave from him, and inquired whether this 
 was the house of John, where the Blessed Mary lodged. 
 And the man turned upon him fiercely as a dog. 
 
 But when Paul had spoken meekly, the man stood 
 still astonished; and we saw that it was Simon Peter, 
 the apostle of the Lord. Then Paul recognizing him 
 stood back, doubting as to how Peter would receive 
 him; for when they last met at Antioch, they had 
 parted in anger, Paul having withstood Peter to the 
 face for dissembling with the Jews. But Peter, crying, 
 "Paul, Paul," fell upon his neck and kissed him, weep- 
 ing, till the tears came into the eyes of Paul also; and 
 with a husky voice had him sit down, and tell him 
 how it was that he was there. And when Paul had 
 at length told him how the Lord Jesus had called him 
 when he was on board ship, and how he appeared to 
 him in the Temple, Peter rejoiced greatly, and lit a 
 candle, and called a damsel, who chanced to pass by, 
 that she should take word to the other apostles and 
 disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, being at that time 
 assembled in the house, watching by the bedside of 
 the Blessed Mary, who was exceeding sick, and who 
 said that she knew that her hour had come. 
 
 And it came to pass that as soon as the damsel had 
 told those within that Paul had arrived, that many 
 disciples who were in the house came out in great 
 haste to salute him. And among them I saw Bar- 
 tholomew who had gone into Armenia, and Andrew 
 from the shores of the Euxine Sea, whither they had 
 gone to preach the word of the Lord. And recogniz- 
 ing them, they showed to me the other apostles, 
 Matthew and Matthias from Ethiopia, and Philip from 
 Hierapolis, and Mark from Alexandria, and Thaddeus 
 
10 THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 
 
 from Edessa and Armenia, who all greeted me lov- 
 ingly, though the faces of all bore that silent sadness 
 and anxiety which comes from watching by the bedside 
 of the sick. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 MARY WARNED OF HER END. 
 
 ND when we had inquired after James 
 surnamed Justus, and John his brother, 
 and after Simon Zelotes, and the others 
 of the Lord's company, Matthew told 
 us that they were resting, having 
 watched by the Blessed Mary all day. 
 Then Euphoris the damsel brought 
 lights, and while we sat at meat, Mark, who sat next 
 to me, told me how that all the Apostles had been led 
 up of the Spirit from the distant lands where they were 
 preaching the Lord Jesus, and had met here at the 
 house of John, one after another, to listen to the last 
 words of the Blessed Mary, if perchance she might tell 
 them some of the words of Jesus when he had dwelt 
 with her, before his ministry. For the Blessed Mary 
 had treasured all his words and deeds in her heart, and 
 loved to tell of them to those who had followed him in 
 his later years. And though she was now in her eighty- 
 third year, yet was her eye as bright as when she had 
 been a girl of eighteen years, and spent her days pray- 
 ing in the Temple, before Gabriel the man of God 
 came to her, to tell her what should happen. 
 
 For it had come to pass that since the Feast of the 
 Dedication the Blessed Mary had grown feeble in body; 
 and she longed to depart, praying instantly day and 
 night that her hour might come. But as the days 
 lengthened, she grew stronger in body; yet her heart 
 
 11 
 
12 THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 
 
 within her waxed wearier of life. And she prayed, 
 saying, 
 
 Lord, who knowest the sorrows 
 Of all Thy servants; Who heardst 
 The prayers of our forefathers, 
 And answerest them who are sad; 
 Delay not the coming of mine hour; 
 For the times are late, yet sorrow rules. 
 Have I not served thee fully in my day? 
 And all my brethren are beyond. 
 And I alone am left to mourn 
 My own wild grief, and Israel's grief. 
 
 And as she was praying, the man Gabriel stood by 
 her, holding a milk-white Lily in his hand. And he 
 said, 
 
 Hail, Mary, Blessed of God; 
 
 Thy prayer is heard, 
 
 And the days of thy pilgrimage shall cease. 
 
 Only exhort the Brethren, 
 
 That their hearts fail them not: 
 
 For the sacred bulwarks be cast down 
 
 And Israel be trodden under foot of the Gentiles. 
 
 And it was so that Mary spent her days in prayer 
 and fasting, till one might see the sun through her 
 hands. And she would not be entreated, no, not so 
 much as to lay down in the night-season. Then 
 her strength forsook her, and she lay down upon a bed. 
 But not for all the entreaties of Mary of Magdala and 
 the other Mary would she so much as taste food, since, 
 said she, 
 
 My time is drawing nigh. 
 
 And it was so that as she prayed at the rising of the 
 sun the same day that Paul saw the vision in the 
 Temple, that she fell back on the ground, and her 
 spirit left her in a trance; and in vision saw the sixth 
 
THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 13 
 
 heaven, nearest to the Throne of God. And it came 
 to pass that when her e3'es were opened that she 
 caused Mary the mother of James and Joses to call 
 the Apostles to her. For she said, 
 
 My time has drawn full nigh. 
 
 And it was so that during the day, as she lay on her 
 bed, strengthening the hearts of the Apostles and of 
 the Faithful Women, that a light shone from her face, 
 so much so that none durst look at her, or speak to 
 her, but waited till she should speak to them. For 
 there was no need that any should tell her what was 
 in his heart, for she answered the thoughts of each 
 before he could tell them to her. And it came to pass 
 that at sunset, after they had prayed together, and the 
 men had sung a psalm, that she dismissed them, that 
 they might take meat. But she was lifted by Mary of 
 Magdala, and Mary the wife of Cleophas from the 
 upper chamber to the roof of the lodge, that she might 
 say farewell to the sun for the last time. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 MARY PLANTS A LILY. 
 
 ^^^^^?C low the evening air was heavy with the! 
 ST^g^^^ fragrance of the HHes that grew on thej 
 ^^*^Sii9\^ house-top. For when Gabriel the man 
 of God had first come to Mary of Naza- 
 reth to tell her that the Holy Spirit 
 should overshadow her, and that she: 
 should bring forth the child called: 
 Jesus, that as she wondered in her heart at all these' 
 things, the man Gabriel gave her in her hand a lily 
 wonderful to behold, milk white, with golden tendrils 
 sweet as honey, whose buds were ever trembling be- 
 cause overweighted with their own fragrance that rose 
 up in visible clouds like the incense of Arabia. And 
 when Mary had planted it within the court of the house i 
 of her mother Anna, it grew straight and tall, blooming 
 only once every month, on the night of the Feast of thej 
 New Moon. And it always came to pass that the buds I 
 opened at the first breezes of the dusk of the night of' 
 the Feast, and withered away before the breezes of the 
 dawn. And each year, at the time the man Gabriel had] 
 come to her, the lily died, a new one springing up in: 
 its place. i 
 
 But after Mary had come to dwell with John the 
 son of Thunder at Jerusalem, she went to Nazareth tol 
 close the eyes of her mother Anna, and brought back: 
 with her the lily, where it throve so well that it did! 
 not die each year any more, but only sent forth a new! 
 shoot, so that there were now five and thirty lilies: 
 
 14 i 
 
THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. l5 
 
 growing on the house-top near the door of the chamber 
 where she slept, which was an upper one, in order that 
 she might see the sky by day and night. And as the 
 Blessed Mary and the other two Maries were praying, 
 the sun was setting amidst a glory of scarlet and pur- 
 ple clouds over the golden waves of the Great Sea in 
 the far distant west. 
 
 And it came to pass that the scent of the lilies 
 waxed so sweet that Mary of Magdala turned herself 
 towards them, and saw that the heaving buds were 
 breaking open one after another. And when she saw 
 this she raised her eyes to see whether the moon were 
 not full, and behold, she saw it rising over the golden 
 roofs of the Temple from which ascended the smoke 
 of the evening sacrifice in straight columns towards 
 the stars for there was no wind stirring. And when 
 she had told the other Maries, and they had turned to 
 behold the rising moon with the faint stars of God shin- 
 ing all around it, that it happened that the trumpets of 
 the Temple rang over the Holy City, and the fantastic 
 mista of fragrance of the lilies was mingled to the 
 rising and falling waves of the sound of the singing 
 of the priests as they began to sing the great Shiggaion 
 of David that is sung at sunset, and ends only with 
 the rising of the sun again. 
 
 And as the Blessed Mary was bathed in the waves 
 of sound, and fragrance, and light, she fell on her face 
 towards the Holy of Holies lost in silent adoration, 
 drinking in the ineffable beauty of God. And as she 
 remembered that she should soon depart, tears filled 
 her eyes, and she sobbed aloud, so much so that the 
 other Maries wept with her. And behold, as the voice 
 of their weeping rose upwards there came over them 
 a cloud of glory, and a great peace came into their 
 hearts. But they all continued instant in prayer until 
 long after the purple night had risen upwards unto 
 the hearts of heaven, lighting the stars so that they 
 shone gold, and green, and scarlet, and blue, and the 
 
16 THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 
 
 roofs of the Temple grew pale, and the singing of the 
 Shiggaion grew faint, and the lights of the Holy City 
 went out one by one, except the glow in the Court of 
 the Temple, and they began to hear the booming of 
 the waves of the Great Sea far distant, being brought 
 to the garden of lilies by the changeful breezes of the 
 night. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 PAUL PRESENTS HIS DIFFICULTIES. 
 
 TJI^K^^^HjOW when the Apostles had taken away 
 vTbr^J^^^i ^^^ desire of eating they fell to talking 
 ^^^S*^nI about many of the words which the 
 Blessed Mary had uttered, so much so 
 that Peter and Paul slipped away un- 
 noticed from the table, I following 
 them. And Peter led us to the house- 
 top, and took us to where the Blessed Mary was sit- 
 ting amidst her lilies. And when Paul had told the 
 Blessed Mary of his vision, it came to pass that she 
 blessed God, who had led to her all the Saints, that 
 she might say farewell to them before her hour should 
 come. And, rejoicing in the spread of the Gospel, she 
 sang the song of the venerable Simeon, saying, 
 
 Lord, now lettest Thou thy servant 
 
 Depart in peace. 
 
 According to thy Word. 
 
 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation 
 
 Which Thou hast prepared 
 
 Before the face of all people. 
 
 To be a Light to lighten the Gentiles, 
 
 And to be the Glory 
 
 Of thy people Israel. 
 
 Now it came to pass that while she uttered these 
 words the Apostles, one after another, came up, until 
 all those who had sat at meat, and many of the saints 
 who dwelt at Jerusalem, sat down on the house-top 
 
 17 
 
18 THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 
 
 around the garden of lilies in which were the women, 
 the Blessed Mary reclining among them on a carved 
 chair. And it was so that a great splendor shone from 
 the face and body of the Blessed Mary, so much so 
 that a man might see the faces of the men sitting in 
 a circle around her, and tell their faces. And among 
 them I saw many of the saints whom I had known 
 aforetime, and of many of whom 1 had till then only 
 heard, John, Mark and Barnabas pointing out many 
 with whom afterwards conversing I gleaned many of 
 the facts of the life of the Lord Jesus, which I have 
 written down in my Gospel. And I saw there with 
 my own eyes James, surnamed Justus, and James and 
 John Boanerges, and Thaddeus and Thomas, and 
 Simon Zelotes, and Matthew and Bartholomew and 
 Zaccheus, most of them being now well hoary with 
 age. Then Paul, looking steadfastly at the Blessed 
 Mary, and taking courage from her loving glance, said. 
 Behold, Blessed Mary, the Lord Jesus appeared to 
 me in the Temple this very day, bidding me come to 
 thee, to ask of thee many things that have long troubled 
 my heart. And the Blessed Mary, smiling so that the 
 light in her face grew brighter, said. Go on. And Paul 
 lifted up his parable and said. Men and brethren who 
 have companied with the Lord Jesus himself, and since 
 have preached the Gospel, I think to myself that I 
 have not been the least faithful among you to teach 
 how that Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God, 
 taught the words of the Heavenly Father, and did 
 marvellous deeds. And that the Jews crucified him, 
 but he was not holden to Death, ascending to the 
 Father, And though this knowledge be sufficient to 
 lead men to the Light, yet are there many words I 
 would speak of which I nothing know, the Spirit say- 
 ing nought about them. Although I believe that God 
 is just. And John the son of Thunder said, Yea verily, 
 here is the patience of the Saints. And Paul proceeded, 
 Lo, John has well-spoken; but if the ways of God be 
 
THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 19 
 
 equal, then are they so in heaven, not on earth. For 
 here the tears of the afflicted rise by day and nig;ht, 
 crying out that God's ways are not equal with them, 
 and I have no words to answer, but words of faith, 
 which seem belied by facts. Tell us, Blessed Mary, 
 how can we reconcile the facts and the faith, the tears 
 and the hope? Hast thou no word of comfort for my 
 soul? Oh, how can God be just, while well-nigh uni- 
 versal charges of injustice rise from Earth ? O brethren 
 in the Lord, have I not spoken well? 
 
 And it was about the second watch of the night, the 
 Constellation of the Bucket and Scales just rising over 
 the Temple-roof and during the first great Selah-pause 
 of the Shiggaion we all bowed down to worship silently. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 WHY GOD SEEMS UNJUST. 
 
 ND it came to pass that when Paul had 
 done speaking that Matthias answered 
 and said, Paul has well spoken, O 
 Blessed Mary; God's ways are not 
 equal: — I speak but as a man. For if 
 this life be an opportunity of sancti- 
 fication, it should be equal to all. But 
 some are strong and healthy, large and heavy, others 
 are weak and small." 
 
 Then Thomas Didymos spoke suddenly and said, 
 "Yea, and that is not all. Some are poor, laboring 
 and toiling by day and night, so they have no time for 
 devotion; and when the body is under-fed, the soul's 
 judgment is not to be trusted; and soiled garments en- 
 tail degradation of heart. Bitter and servile is the lot 
 of the poor, depending for their very existence on the 
 whims of charity of the rich, instead of on social jus- 
 tice. And the wealthy are fat and well-liking, and have 
 time to worship, and read God's word, and have un- 
 shaken trust in the goodness of the Lord. And they 
 can afford to give alms, and to keep the Temple of the 
 Spirit swept and garnished. And they, in the natural 
 confidence born of accustomed ease can easily, no 
 wonder! speak of the tender love of God for his chil- 
 dren. How can he who is faint with the weariness of 
 labor go and listen to the Gospel, taking it to heart and 
 practising it? " 
 
 James, the son of Alpheus, sat next to Thomas 
 
 20 
 
THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 21 
 
 Didymos, who said to him, "Have I not spoken truth, 
 O James?" And James said, "Matthias and Thomas 
 have well spoken, O Blessed Mary; God's ways are 
 not equal in this life — 1 speak but as a man. For if 
 this life be an opportunity of sanctification, it should 
 be equal to all. Behold, the slave is tool of his master, 
 who at his pleasure forces him to lie and steal, and 
 the slave lies and steals freely, saying this, I am not 
 responsible, 1 am only a slave. How can such a man 
 grow morally self-poised, when at every moment he 
 must amuse the whim, and cower before the anger of 
 an irresponsible tyrant! Even personal service is de- 
 grading; an immortal soul for whom Christ died spend- 
 ing its life as the tool of another, sinful mind ? And the 
 master grows reckless, cruel, impatient, proud. Surely 
 the ways of God are not equal with the servant and 
 the master; surely there is injustice here!" 
 
 And Levi the Publican said, "Long have I desired to 
 understand that of which Paul has spoken, O Blessed 
 Mary. Consider the lot of those born blind and 
 maimed, or who through sudden misfortune are con- 
 demned to lie on their backs for the rest of their life. 
 Consider those who are born with a disease which drags 
 them into the grave while young; — have all these an 
 opportunity for moral growth equal to those who are 
 born healthy, and remain strong all their lives?" 
 
 And Simon Zelotes answered and said, "Paul has 
 spoken well, O Blessed Mary, God's ways are not equal 
 in this life — I speak but as a man. For if this life be 
 an opportunity of sanctification, it should be equal to 
 all. But some learn knowledge easily, while others 
 cannot away with it. Some children seem to be born 
 with as much knowledge as many seem able to acquire: 
 and knowledge yields wisdom." 
 
 And Philip the Apostle of the Lord answered and 
 said, "Paul has spoken well, O Blessed Mary. God's 
 ways are not equal in this life — I speak but as a man. 
 For if this life be an opportunity of sanctification, it 
 
22 THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 
 
 should be equal to all. Consider the soul of the child 
 whose body dies before it be two years old. Can it 
 grow and develop like the soul of the man who lives 
 threescore years?" And when Philip had spoken all 
 were silent, for they knew that Philip's wife Nikeris 
 had died in giving birth to a son, who only survived 
 her a few days. 
 
 Then the Blessed Mary said, "Yea, why speak ye 
 thus, to make me weep, and for to break my heart? 
 Nevertheless have ye well spoken, for these are not 
 fancied griefs. Hard is the lot of those of whom ye 
 have spoken, bitter indeed are their griefs. Have ye 
 more to say." 
 
 And Bartholomew lifted up his voice and wept; and 
 said, "Would God indeed that this were all; but further 
 and deeper is the injustice of this life. Nay, is it worth 
 while to be righteous? If God reward righteousness 
 and punish iniquity, how is it that some are criminals 
 by birth, and some are born saints? Yea, do not many 
 deal only after the manner of their fathers? Does it 
 not seem untrue that it is possible to grow holier? How 
 few actually change themselves, and leave their former 
 sins behind!" 
 
 And the sadness of the plea of Bartholomew pierced 
 the heart of all, so much so that we were all troubled 
 in spirit, nodding one to the other. 
 
 Then Andrew spoke out above the rest, and said, 
 "Alas, that what Bartholomew said is true; would 
 God we might call it a lie! Where is the Justice of 
 Providence? I speak but as a man, heavy at heart, 
 grieving for my fellows. Why happeneth misfortune 
 after misfortune to the righteous, and why are the 
 wicked secure from all disgrace? Why must the 
 righteous suffer, the evil rejoice? " 
 
 And as Andrew spake thus, the heart of one of the 
 Maries, she of Magdala, out of whom had gone seven 
 devils, burned within her, and her eyes flashed, and 
 she said, "Yea, Blessed Mary, I too will speak, I too 
 
THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 23 
 
 will question with thee concerning the ways of the 
 Lord. Behold, men make their sport of women, cast- 
 ing them out to dishonor and starvation, forcing them, 
 if they would not die, to sell themselves to them. Men 
 sin against women; and the men remain well-spoken 
 of in the synagogues, while the women who have only 
 been weak in that they believed the promises of men, 
 are cast out unto shame and hunger, and are considered 
 less than a horse or a dog. Where is the Justice of 
 God.? I speak but as a woman." And it came to pass 
 that when Mary of Magdala had spoken that all re- 
 mained silent for a time, while the gradual psalms of 
 the Mischal floated over the sleeping city up to the stars 
 in the sky. 
 
 Then Lebbaeus Thaddeus said, "O Blessed Mary, 
 suffer me also to speak! If God be just — I speak but 
 as a man — how could he choose unto himself one na- 
 tion above all, giving salvation to it alone, while the 
 great Gentile world lived and died in ignorance and 
 darkness? Is God not the Father of all races? Is one 
 child of his dearer to him than another? We Jews may 
 be grateful, we are the peculiar people of God; but is 
 this just to the numberless Gentiles who have lived 
 as best they could? " 
 
 And Nathanael of Cana said, "Nay, but dear Thad- 
 deus has not said all. If we who knew the Lord Jesus, 
 and have tasted his salvation, have had a great priv- 
 ilege above the Jews who lived before his day, is it just 
 to them that we who sit here, his apostles and dis- 
 ciples, should be saved, while they who are as well- 
 meaning and as earnest as we, should be lost because 
 of wholly innocent ignorance? " 
 
 Then said the Apostle James, the son of Thunder, 
 "Nay, but not even beloved Nathanael has said all. Is 
 it just that two souls that have ever once loved each 
 other should be parted for ever? When a mother in 
 divine love has spent her life in tending her child, is 
 it just she should be taken away before her child can 
 
24 THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 
 
 repay her love by taking care of her in her old age? 
 Tell us, O Blessed Mary, how it be possible that the 
 ways of God be equal, when most that we see of life 
 reveals injustice? Yet we would believe that He who 
 rideth above the Cherubim is just; but must our ex- 
 perience and reason ever contradict our faith in Him? 
 Would God that we might see His hand in the land of 
 the living! So would our sorrows not deaden our souls, 
 and our tears not blind our vision!" 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 APPARENT INJUSTICE EXPLAINED. 
 
 TW^^^J^SOW when the Apostles had done speak- 
 cC^^n^^^^ ing, the Blessed Mary smiled so that 
 m^^Si^nI her face began to resemble that of the 
 Lord Jesus as it was at such times 
 when He had performed some miracle 
 of healing. And the light that shone 
 from her eyes grew brighter than that 
 of the full Moon, which by this time had risen high. 
 Yet none of the Apostles or Disciples were weary with 
 sleep, so eagerly watched they for what the Blessed 
 Mary should say. And she turned her face toward the 
 Temple, and being intent in prayer, raised her hands 
 aloft. And it was so that when she had finished her 
 prayer that she said, "The Spirit of God which led you 
 all up out of the far countries where a few months ago 
 ye were preaching the Gospel, fills my heart with joy, 
 and loosens my tongue that I may comfort your griefs, 
 and stablish you in firm confidence of the Father in 
 heaven, that none of you should fall away, but bring 
 many of the knowledge of Truth. And blessed be the 
 Father of all who has given it to me, his handmaiden, 
 to speak to you all the words of this life!" 
 
 Now as she spake, behold, I became aware that we 
 were no longer alone in the night. For first, I thought 
 the dawn was breaking; but as I looked intently into 
 the darkness around us, I beheld that on the roofs of 
 all the houses around us, as far as eye could reach, sat 
 and stood hosts of the blessed Cherubims, with bodies 
 
 25 
 
26 THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 
 
 of living fire, veiled in shining garments, wonderful to 
 behold, in such great numbers that no man might 
 number them. And near-by I saw the Four Arch- 
 angels of God, Gabriel, Michael, Raphael, Uriel, stand- 
 ing near the Blessed Virgin, listening intently; for they 
 had all come to hear the words the Blessed Virgin was 
 about to utter. 
 
 And the Blessed Mary said, "Paul, and those of you 
 who have spoken, have spoken right words. If this one 
 single life be all the opportunity for development which 
 a soul may have, then indeed are the ways of God not 
 equal. For Justice demands that every soul have equal 
 opportunities to bring forth an equal degree of sancti- 
 fication. Hear, O Israel! The Lord thy God is a just 
 God, Who is no respecter of persons, with Whom there 
 is no variableness, or, shadow of turning! Now, if 
 this be true, two results must follow. Firstly, there 
 must be lives before and after this one we know of, in 
 which the inequalities here apparent shall all be com- 
 pensated. Secondly, these other lives must have oc- 
 curred in this same world, in order that the debts which 
 one soul contracts to another may be repaid; which can 
 only occur when the circumstances of repayment are 
 exactly the same as those of the occurrence. Now 
 both of these conditions would be fulfilled in a rein- 
 carnation on this earth, in which providential arrange- 
 ment each soul would by God be furnished with the 
 necessary circumstances, in wise succession, so as to 
 give each soul a wise and rounded experience; through 
 which she may attain to perfect Godlikeness, and be- 
 hold the beatific vision, until she came into the unity 
 of faith, and experience of the divine sonship of God, 
 unto perfect man, unto the measures of the fulness 
 of the stature of Christ; as it is written, "Upon this 
 Generation shall come all the righteous Blood shed 
 from Abel to Zacharias, because the souls of all those 
 who committed those crimes are all incarnate to-day, 
 awaiting the Judgment, now nigh at hand." 
 
THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 27 
 
 Now it came to pass that when the Blessed Mary 
 had uttered these marvellous words, that the Apostles 
 were astonished with a great astonishment, and were 
 struck dumb, beholding the infinite wisdom of this 
 revelation; and the hosts of the Angels began to praise 
 God, singing and rejoicing, saying. 
 
 Glory to the Father of Souls, 
 Who grants to each the opportunity 
 Of growing like to Him, divine! 
 
 Then the Blessed Mary smiled, and the halo of 
 radiance around her pulsated with glory, while the 
 women near drew back in awe. And she said, "Won- 
 derful indeed are the Mysteries of God. And that ye 
 may undersatnd more fully how this can be, I will tell 
 you all of whdt happened once. 
 
 "It was in the days when God had but lately created 
 the human race. And the anger of God desired to be- 
 hold the new creatures. And at a certain time this 
 Uzziel, one of the Angels of the Throne, came to the 
 boundaries of this Earth, and considered man from the 
 rising to the setting of the sun. Now when Uzziel 
 returned to the Courts of Heaven he told his brother- 
 angel that there was not one race of man, but many 
 races; for, said he, 'I saw some men not taller than 
 three cubits, and some four, and some taller; yea up to 
 fourteen cubits high.' And his brother-angel smiled, 
 doubting. So Uzziel returned to the Earth, and staid 
 there during the whole life-time of Enoch. And be- 
 hold, he then knew that what had appeared to him at 
 first so many races, were only different stages in the 
 development of one race; that there was not one race 
 of children, one of youths, and one of men; but that 
 one and the same soul in the natural course of its de- 
 velopment passed through all those stages successively. 
 And though no difference of growth could be detected 
 during the space of any one day, and though each day 
 was separated from the other by a death-like state of 
 
28 THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 
 
 sleep, yet the swift rolling years showed to him who 
 watched conf.nually the unity that underlay the diver- 
 sity. Likewise," said the Blessed Mary, "is it with the 
 lives of men. One life of man is one day of God; 
 the death of man is but the night of God; and God 
 alone sees the human soul traveling from one house 
 of flesh to another, through the nights of physical 
 death, until the year of God, the whole life of the soul, 
 be accomplished, and she stand before God — her lusts, 
 desires, passions and debts left behind, all pure and 
 strong." 
 
 And it came to pass that when the Blessed Mary 
 had done speaking, that the Host of Angels grew 
 bright as the sun with hymns of delight, so much so 
 that covered our eyes, lest we be blinded. But 
 when their hymns had died away, and all was still but 
 the sacred Shiggaion resounding through the night I 
 thought of a still stream in which the glowing stars 
 and the moon are reflected. 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 DIFFICULTIES ARE RESOLVED. 
 
 ND it came to pass that the Blessed 
 Mary smiled tenderly when she saw 
 the sacred awe that held all the Apos- 
 tles and the Women as with a hand of 
 iron, so that we could neither move 
 nor speak, nor reveal to her the ques- 
 tions we would ask only by the glance 
 of our eyes. And the Blessed Mary said, 
 
 Fear not, ye sons and daughters of men, 
 
 Verily, kings and prophets 
 
 In vain desired to hear and see 
 
 Those things which now ye hear and see, 
 
 Nor saw, nor heard them ever. 
 
 Fear not, for your Father is tenderer in love 
 
 To you, than the mothers who bare you. 
 
 And all this angelic glory is not so much 
 
 The pomp and pride of the Court of Heaven 
 
 As the natural splendor of your own souls 
 
 Albeit while yet imprisoned in the flesh 
 
 They count themselves unworthy 
 
 Of so much spiritual beauty. 
 
 Fear not, dear souls: 
 
 To those who love him and serve him 
 
 The Father hath destined joys and glories 
 
 That eye hath not seen, nor ear hath heard 
 
 Nor heart of man conceived. 
 
 And as the Blessed Mary said these words, behold, 
 the springs of the deeps were opened, and tears of joy 
 
 29 
 
30 THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 
 
 and gladness blinded us. And a great peace fell upon ' 
 
 us all, and the Four Archangels raised their hands i 
 over us in silent benediction. 
 
 And it came to pass that the Blessed Mary, bathing j 
 
 her hands in the lightening perfume of the lilies, lifted j 
 
 up her voice and said, \ 
 
 Sweet human Souls, who here to-night, 
 
 With me watch out the last of nights | 
 
 Of this my earthly pilgrimage, 
 
 O listen while I answer all your questioning 
 
 That henceforth Peace may fill your hearts [ 
 
 Concerning the deep Sorrow of the World. '| 
 
 Dear Matthias, thou seek'st the reason of 
 
 The difference of bodily conditions of men. ' 
 
 Yea, if this life be all. 
 
 Then is Providence unjust. 
 
 But behold, each Soul in different lives 
 
 Possesses bodies strong and weak. 
 
 So that each Soul may learn 
 
 The varying experience of each. 
 
 And so, impatient Thomas dear, | 
 
 It is with rich and poor, the laborer and idler, ' 
 
 The synagogue's devoted worshiper, | 
 
 And laborer who has no time to pray: | 
 
 Each soul has each experience in its turn, ] 
 
 If not in this, then in some other life; i 
 But not by chance — 
 'Tis as each man somewhere, somehow, 
 Deserved it, that results appear to-day. 
 
 And as she spoke, the Archangel Uriel cried aloud 
 for joy, 
 
 Blessed be the Lord and Father of us all, | 
 
 Who hath heard the prayer of the poor. '\ 
 
 And the other Archangel answering cried, \ 
 
 Glory for ever and ever, Amen. 
 
THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 31 
 
 And the Blessed Mary said, 
 
 I need not answer thee at length, 
 O blessed James; 
 The Slave of this life 
 Is the Master of the next. 
 
 Dear Levi, listen; souls that here 
 
 Are born all sick, and maimed and blind, 
 
 Beyond are healthy, whole and clear of sight. 
 
 For lo, of every soul the end 
 
 Is just according to their works. 
 
 So, dear headlong Simon, 
 
 Is it with the wise and the fool. 
 
 The learned and the unlearned. 
 
 As each uses the knowledge he has, 
 
 So will he be given more. 
 
 For the Father is just and faithful, 
 
 Who will let none wander in darkness, that 
 
 Deserves to have the Truth, and keeps it. 
 
 And makes himself incapable of misusing it. 
 
 Loving Philip, be not anxious 
 
 For thy son who passed away a babe. 
 
 He will return to thee. 
 
 When the time has come, in another life. 
 
 Nay, rejoice that he was spared 
 
 The suffering and anguish of this our life 
 
 For that one time at least. 
 
 Nay, he shall return to earth once more, 
 
 When greater opportunities are ready; 
 
 Till when he sleeps in peace 
 
 Upon the breast of his Guardian Angel. 
 
 And the Archangel sang aloud for joy: 
 
 True and righteous are Thy dealings, 
 Glory to thee, O Father, for ever, Amen. 
 
32 THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 
 
 And the Blessed Mary said, 
 
 I will now answer thoughtful Bartholomew. 
 
 Some souls were born criminal, some holy — 
 
 This is the very best proof 
 
 That before our souls entered these bodies, 
 
 They have lived on earth before. 
 
 Nor righteousness, nor sin, is born of Chance: 
 
 For righteousness is born of righteousness, 
 
 And sin is born of sin. 
 
 According to their former lives, 
 
 Are they now born moral or immoral; 
 
 As they live now, will they be born beyond. 
 
 But for this, Bartholomew were right — 
 
 Vain were the struggle to grow holier. 
 
 But the good deed sown to-day 
 
 As habit to-morrow is reaped. 
 
 Despair not, but rejoice, Bartholomew! 
 
 The search for holiness is not in vain! 
 
 Thy question. Blessed Andrew, was 
 Concerning the misfortunes of the good, 
 And the good fortune of the bad. 
 But knewest thou the Lord in spirit, ah! 
 So little, but in flesh alone so much, 
 Thou seemest never to have understood 
 Tis only those He loves He chasteneth? 
 Oh, if this life were all, oh ! then indeed, 
 The righteous should here rewarded be: 
 But there are other, surer, fairer fields 
 Where blossom holier rewards. 
 'Tis only they who out of tribulation came. 
 Whose raiment shines snow-white! 
 
 O Mary dear, of Magdala, take heart: 
 The Father avengeth wronged women! 
 Passed through the crucible of love. 
 Beyond, their hearts of gold shine clear. 
 Had he but known! 
 
THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 33 
 
 The mocker, mocked himself. 
 
 God is not mocked: who sows, shall reap: 
 
 Here is the patience of the saints. 
 
 And the four archangels raised their trumpets and 
 blew four blasts that reached to the host of stars on 
 high; and the Cherubim sang, 
 
 Praise to God the Avenger and Comforter, 
 The Loving Father and Terrible Enemy, 
 Glory for ever and ever, Amen ! 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 MARY PROMISES HER EXPERIENCES. 
 
 ND it came to pass, that as soon as 
 the Angels had done shiging, that we 
 heard all the trumpets of the Temple 
 blowing; for at Midnight of the Feast 
 of the Full Moon, the first part of the 
 Shiggaion ends with the Great Hallelu- 
 jah, in the which every Jew, wherever 
 he chances to be, joins. And when the Blessed Mary 
 heard the sound thereof, she rose to her feet, turned 
 herself to the Temple, lifted up her hands, and took 
 up the Sacred Chant. Now her voice was clear with 
 the clearness of love and sincerity; like unto that of a 
 young girl; so much so that it cut us so much to the 
 heart that while we too rose to take up the Halle- 
 lujah Chant the voice of many was husky, and their 
 eyes shone in the light of the moon, and many turned 
 towards the Great Sea, and were still. But Mary, 
 hearing a sob, cried out, 
 
 Grieve not, dear Children, grieve not; 
 But rather with me rejoice 
 That I so soon shall stand within sight 
 Of the Great King in his Beauty. 
 
 But we grieved all the more; and there was silence 
 for a time. 
 
 Then the Blessed Mary said, 
 
 The Time is short: 
 Have ye aught more to ask? 
 34 
 
THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 35 
 
 Then Lebbaeus, Thaddeus, and Nathanael, and 
 James spoke, reminding- her that she had not yet an- 
 swered their difficulties. And she would have spoken, 
 but that she suddenly smiled, answering, 
 
 Brethren, have patience; 
 
 Another shall answer ye. 
 
 But since I have told you of further existences 
 
 As a theory only, let me relate 
 
 All that I can remember well 
 
 Of whom and of where I have been; 
 
 How I wrought good and ill in other lives. 
 
 Being thereby purified by wisdom's hand. 
 
 And all of us were sore amazed thereat; and Thomas 
 Didymos answered hastily, 
 
 O Mother dear, art making sport of us? 
 
 Thy own past lives? 
 
 Why then remember we not ours also? 
 
 And the Blessed Mary smiled so that it seemed the 
 laugh of a babe, so merry was it, in spite of her age. 
 And she said. 
 
 Impatient yet, yet unbelieving, 
 Thomas dear? 
 
 And she laughed softly and sweetly, and the star 
 that hung over the forehead of each archangel twinkled 
 with merriment, so that Thomas was abashed. 
 
 And hardly had the merriment ceased, and just as 
 the Blessed Mary was about to speak again, when the 
 laughter welled up once more, mingled with pity; for 
 we heard the cries of an obstinate child, and the chid- 
 ing voice of a nurse. But the Blessed Mary's face 
 grew sad with pity, and she besought Mary the mother 
 of Joses to fetch the child. 
 
 And it was so that when Mary the mother of Joses, 
 had brought up the child, she was found to be Euboule, 
 the three-year old grand-daughter of Joanna the wife 
 
36 THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 
 
 of Chuza, who used to minister to the Lord of her sub- 
 stance. Then the Blessed Mary stretched her arms, 
 and took the struggling Euboule to her breast, gently 
 endeavoring to comfort the little soul, but she would 
 not be comforted. 
 
 Until Raphael the archangel, whose duty in Heaven 
 it is to care for all the little children, bent down, gave 
 Euboule one of the fragrant lilies to smell, and kissed 
 her on the forehead. And straightway a smile that 
 resembled the smile of Raphael the archangel, spread 
 over the countenance of little Euboule, who then kissed 
 the Blessed Mary, laying her curly head upon the 
 Blessed Mary's breast and straightway fell fast asleep 
 into peaceful slumbers, so that she moved not, no, not 
 even while Mary the mother of Joses took her away. 
 And it is said that all her life long, on that one night 
 each year, Raphael, the man of God, brought her a lily 
 to smeU. 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 MARY'S FIRST EXPERIENCE. 
 
 ND it came to pass that when Mary, 
 the mother of James and Joses, had 
 returned, and had sat down with the 
 Maries among the fragrant hlies, that 
 for a short space of time all were 
 silent; and so deep was the stillness 
 that we could hear the harmony of 
 the stars, and the lilt of the moon which her Angel 
 sings when she has grown full. 
 
 And the Blessed Mary said, "Dear Brethren, to com- 
 fort and stablish your hearts I now will tell you what 
 I remember of my past lives on this beautiful Earth. 
 The earliest thing that I recall is that my brother Abel 
 and I, who was called Adah, twin-born from the ven- 
 erable Mother Eve, ever tended the sheep and goats 
 of our Father Adam together. And there were no 
 other men on the face of the earth in those days; so 
 much so that we were nearer and dearer unto each 
 other than men and women are in these latter days. 
 And Abel and I loved each other beyond the manner 
 of brother and sister, so that in the first bloom of 
 womanhood my father Adam gave me unto my brother 
 Abel to wife. And before all of us who were alive in 
 those days he lifted up his hands to bless us both, and 
 Eve fell upon my neck and kissed me. And behold, 
 the first day after this great joy it came to pass that 
 Cain waxed envious of Abel, for that we loved each 
 other so devotedly; and having made a pretext, he 
 
38 THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 
 
 slew him in the field, and fled from before the face of 
 Father Adam. The great grief of Abel's death bore 
 me to the ground, and when my spirit returned, I was 
 dumb, and could speak no word for the space of ten 
 journeys of the sun, until what time as I passed away. 
 
 "For, when I was Adah, my soul was still unformed; 
 it was passionate, and hateful and envious, gluttonous 
 and proud, stupid and lazy; but I loved Abel tenderly, 
 and in that I loved him, I was saved. For when the 
 hour to die came, this dear Gabriel who is now standing 
 by me here came to me, and told me not to fear the 
 darkness which was sinking in over me, warning me 
 that Death was only the soul's passing away out of the 
 House of Flesh, and that she should, in God's own 
 good time, travel as a pilgrim to another House of 
 Fesh; and that I should not be separated from Abel 
 forever, in that I loved him still. And 1 was weeping, 
 thinking that I had wasted my life, in that I had lost 
 my Abel so early; but dear Gabriel told me that in- 
 stead of having an existence wasted, it had been a suc- 
 cessful life inasmuch as the sorrow at the death of my 
 virgin twin brother and bridegroom had chastened 
 my heart and had washed out from it the ugly foul- 
 ness of passion with which I had come out of the womb 
 of Eve, so that instead of seven deadly sins that had 
 been mine at birth, I now had only six left. 
 
 "And this dear Gabriel then told me that if I only 
 would be faithful, I should soon be cleansed from all 
 of them, as Providence would so arrange my destiny 
 that I might leave them all behind; and that only then, 
 when I should be free from all of them, I might hope 
 to be reunited for ever to my dear Abel. And then 
 my soul threw its arms around Gabriel's neck, and he 
 bore me away into the Haven of Rest, where I fell 
 asleep for a time." 
 
 And behold, as soon as the Blessed Mary had done 
 speaking, the whole host of Cherubims rose flying into 
 the air like to a great army innumerable of birds, out 
 
THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 39 
 
 of sheer delight, darkening the light of the moon as 
 they flew hither and thither, singing and praising God, 
 and saying, 
 
 "Blessed be the Father of Heaven who sends 
 Childish souls into the school of life, 
 That they may cast behind them 
 The clinging lusts of the flesh, 
 That their eyes may grow pure enough 
 To see while yet in the land of the quick 
 The ineffable beauty of God, face to face!" 
 
CHAPTER XI. 
 
 MARY'S FURTHER EXPERIENCES. 
 
 |ND it came to pass that as soon as the 
 Angels had ceased their songs of de- 
 Hght, that they returned to their former 
 places on the house-tops around us, 
 and the deep stillness of the night 
 sank down upon us once more, save 
 the fitful droning of the Levites in the 
 Temple, singing the Twenty-four-letter Psalm that hath 
 no ending. Then the Blessed Mary smiled gently, 
 saying, "In a few words will I end my story. 
 
 "After a rest of nine hundred and seventy years, I 
 was re-born in the land of Shinar, and was known by 
 the name of Yonah. But the men of that land were 
 wicked, niether feared they God, nor regarded they 
 man, except the man Noah, who went about doing 
 good, and preaching repentance and coming judgment; 
 and I found favor in his eyes, and became his wife, 
 and bore him three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 
 And when the wickedness of the times was full, God 
 sent a flood on all the earth, and every living creature 
 was drowned, except we who abode in the ark. And 
 after the flood I grew compassionate in pity of the 
 death of so many living creatures, whereas before I had 
 been full of hatred of all who would not yield to me. 
 So it was that in this existence I left behind me hatred, 
 having now only envy, gluttony, pride, ignorance, and 
 laziness to work out. Now I loved Noah tenderly, 
 patient and kind man that he was, and when this dear 
 
 40 
 
THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 41 
 
 Gabriel took me away from him, he promised me I 
 should meet Noah once more beyond. 
 
 "Now after a peaceful slumber of fifty years my 
 restless soul sought out a little female body in the 
 land of Mizraim, by the banks of the great Yeor. And 
 while with my parents I tilled the soil, I waxed pass- 
 ing envious of the rich. Then the king of Mizraim 
 made war upon the king of No, and of the captives my 
 father bought as a slave a youth named Khufu, who 
 served in the fields; but when he dared to kiss my feet, 
 with a whip I struck him over the face, and had him 
 chained, so that he dared not look at me. But in my 
 sixteenth year it came to pass that the river rose not, 
 so that our harvest failed, and we and all we had were 
 sold to pay the king's taxes, and we saw no more each 
 other's faces from that day. And my spirit was broken 
 within me, and I ceased to envy the rich, and became 
 very humble in heart. Now it chanced that Khufu 
 was found to be the son of the king of No, who again 
 made war on the king of Mizraim, and prevailed 
 against him and all the princes of the land. And when 
 he died Khufu reigned in his stead. And as Khufu the 
 Pharoah took dinner one day in the house of one of 
 his mighty men of valor, whose slave I was, serving 
 as one of the maids at the table, he recognized me, and 
 bought me straightway, and made me his queen, and 
 I served him as wife and sister all his days both lov- 
 ingly and truly. And Khufu built a great pyramid of 
 stone in the land of the Naphtuhim to teach men 
 righteousness, and the worship of the God of Heaven. 
 And when his days were fulfilled, and he fell on sleep, 
 I, Asenath his queen, tended him, and closed his eyes. 
 Then Gabriel soon came for me also, promising I 
 should meet him once more beyond, having for ever 
 left behind envy. Now this existence had had many 
 sorrows, and I was very weary, and remained in the 
 Haven of Rest beyond a long while, yea, seven hun- 
 dred and four years. 
 
42 THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 
 
 "And it came to pass that Gabriel came to me to 
 wake me from my slumber, announcing that if I de- 
 sired to rid myself of gluttony a favorable opportunity 
 was open to me in the land of the Emim and the Zam- 
 zummims. And I followed his advice, and I took the 
 body of a babe named Margoah. And it was so that 
 the Emims and the Zamzummims feasted on flesh and 
 wine every day. And one day when I was about twelve 
 years old I ate so much that my heart within me grew 
 bitter whensoever I ate; so much so that I lost flesh 
 till I could tell all my bones, but still could not eat. 
 And there lived a physician of great renown in Shalim, 
 on the river Jordan. And my mother took me to him 
 there, but I ever grew worse. And the king of the city 
 was Melchizedek, a priest of the most high God, a 
 teacher of righteousness; and whomsoever he anointed 
 and prayed over grew well. But not even that saved 
 me, so that I lingered for ten years after, treasuring 
 in my heart his godlike face, albeit he never thought 
 of me a second time. And I was vexed at first, but 
 after became patient, praying this dear Gabriel, when 
 at last he came to deliver me from my life-long lying 
 in bed, that 1 might meet Melchizedek the friend of 
 Abraham beyond; for, said I, though he forget me, 
 yet love I him. 
 
 And this dear Gabriel, with tears in his eyes, said 
 that I might. And having lived a good life, I was 
 immediately re-born in the land of the Hivites, in the 
 household of Abraham. But that existence I wasted, 
 when I might in that one time have come to a full 
 knowledge of the true God, and have unburdened my 
 soul of all its remaining sins. But I grew rebellious, 
 and from bad to worse until in mercy Providence gave 
 me an opportunity to close my career there, permitting 
 me to fall into the brook Jabbok, and be drowned. 
 Weary of myself, I lay asleep for one thousand two 
 hundred and ninety years. 
 
THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 43 
 
 "And I chose a female body that was named Pars- 
 handathah, in the land of Ur of the Chaldees, in a 
 rich household, where 1 ate of the fat of the land. And 
 then Zarashustra the captain of the host of the king 
 of Asshur swept our land with fire and sword. And 
 he caused collars of iron to be smithied around our 
 necks, and had us chained together, and for the rest of 
 our days we ground corn for the household of the king 
 of Asshur. By day and night in a damp cellar, none 
 of us being taken out except to die, and be thrown 
 to the dogs. And I heard that Zarashustra went into 
 the wilderness and became a priest, and taught wisdom 
 and righteousness, till he died crowned with a halo of 
 light. Therefore I longed to see him again, having had 
 all my pride burned out of my heart; so that when this 
 dear Gabriel came to fetch me, and delivered me out 
 of the damp prison, he smiled seeing that I now had 
 only two mortal sins left — ignorance and laziness, 
 promising me that I should be dear to Zarashustra be- 
 yond. 
 
 'Thus having lived a successful life, I rested but two 
 years, and was re-born immediately in a body named 
 Yasodhara, the daughter of the rich king of Kali. Here 
 my soul lost all its ignorance, and I learned all truth. 
 Then being found the most beautiful of all the maidens 
 of the land of Kali, I was bethrothed to Gautama 
 Siddhartha, the heir of Suddhodama, king of the 
 Shakyas, and bore to him a son whom I called Rahula. 
 But Gautama grew sad for the sorrows of this suffer- 
 ing world, and renounced all that he had, and forsook 
 me in the middle of the night as I slept, and he became 
 the Buddha, preaching the Path of enlightenment, so 
 that many were turned to holiness. And though he 
 came to see me once more in later years, yet I remained 
 alone, meditating earnestly on all knowledge, till I 
 too became enlightened, knowing all truth. Now 
 when my hour came. Gabriel took me once more into 
 his arms and said, 'Well done, beautiful soul; thou 
 
44 THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 
 
 hast left behind thy ignorance, and hast but one more 
 sin to work out; then shalt thou be forever be united 
 unto thy beloved Siddhartha.' 
 
 "Now after thirteen years I entered a body called 
 Eunike, of a family of honest weavers in Athens. But 
 when my parents fell on sleep, and I was married to 
 the gaoler of the city prison, I preserved my virginity. 
 Now I labored faithfully, looking neither to the right 
 nor to the left, serving my lord lovingly; and I reaped 
 the reward of labor, for I waxed skillful and wise be- 
 yond my years. Now Sokrates the virtuous philos- 
 opher had no regard for any woman; but I looked long- 
 ingly into his face. Then when he was wrongfully 
 accused of corrupting the youth of the city, he was 
 put in the care of my husband Xenon, who would have 
 let him go, but he would not, while I desired that even 
 if I might not look into his face I might close his eyes 
 after he had drunk the hemlock. And he died wisely 
 and nobly, and I closed his eyes and shed tears over 
 his body. But soon this dear Gabriel, who followed 
 and inspired me in all the career of my soul, came to 
 release me for the last time, promising that 1 should 
 be united to Sokrates when the times should be. 
 
 "Saidst thou not so. Archangel dear? " And it came 
 to pass that Gabriel the Strong Man of God bent down 
 and kissed the Blessed Mary on her forehead, and 
 turned, saying, I will finish the story of her soul's 
 career. When 1 took her soul out the body of Eunike, 
 I said to her, "Dear Soul, now shall thou rest for a long 
 time before thy final existence on earth, when thou 
 Shalt meet Sokrates again. Divinely hast thou puri- 
 fied thyself from all thy sins— lust, hatred, envy, 
 gluttony, pride, ignorance, and laziness. Enter thou 
 into the joy of thy Lord. And I sung her to sleep as 
 any mother rocks her baby; and slept sweetly for 
 three hundred and ninety-six years in the Haven of 
 Rest, where she had tarried so often before." now the 
 Blessed Mary blushed like a young girl, and the host 
 of Cherubims raised a shout and sang, 
 
THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 45 
 
 Star of the Ocean of Love, 
 
 Hail Mary, Blessed in Heaven and Earth, 
 
 For Thou hast found favor with God. 
 
 And the wings of the Cherubims raised a wind that 
 beat down the lilies to the ground, for the Cherubims 
 filled all the sky above us, so that we saw neither the 
 moon nor its light, and would have been wholly in the 
 dark, but for the divine light that shone from the 
 Blessed Mary, and from the Four Archangels, and 
 from the faintly shining incense of fragrance of the 
 lilies. 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 THOMAS ASKS A QUESTION. 
 
 ND it came to pass that when the great 
 
 song of the Angels had ceased, that 
 
 Thomas Didymos said, "Hail, Blessed 
 
 Mary, favored of God. To thy words 
 
 we listen as humbly as to the words of 
 
 God Himself. Yet, O Blessed Mary, 
 
 why hast thou not told us these blessed 
 
 words of comfort before, that the justice of God might 
 
 be known to all, supplying to each an all-powerful 
 
 motive to good, and a terror from evil?" 
 
 And the venerable Blessed Mary said, 
 
 Dear Thomas, wise thy heart. 
 Now the Spirit saith expressly 
 That all these things I have revealed to you 
 Are mysteries of the Kingdom 
 To be treasured, not published abroad. 
 For first, although your earnest hearts 
 When thinking of the sorrows of the world 
 By these deep mysteries be comforted, 
 Yet might the careless suffer much thereby 
 For they would say, 
 To-day, oh let us eat, drink. 
 To-morrow will we fast, and will repent! 
 As if the loss of this day's opportunities 
 Were not so many less beyond! 
 The people die, not that they do not know 
 But that they do not live up to their light. 
 For even devils are but angels who forgot 
 46 
 
THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 47 
 
 To live up to the light they had. 
 
 Oh use this existence's opportunities; 
 
 For certain are we only of this present one, 
 
 While fate's decrees may much delay 
 
 Men's memories, and hopes, and theories. 
 
 So doing duty now, the future will 
 
 Attend unto itself, as it doth lie 
 
 Upon the knees of God, who only hath 
 
 All wisdom, love, and power. 
 
 So, brethren, treasure in your hearts 
 
 These words of comfort for the world. 
 
 Exhorting- everywhere that all repent. 
 
 Now in the days of this their mortal life; 
 
 And to believe, in spite of all injustices, 
 
 That God is just and faithful, and will not 
 
 Permit ye to be tempted more than right. 
 
 With every danger making ways to escape 
 
 For those who have the wisdom, strength 
 
 Them to discern, and to embrace. 
 
 He chastens most those whom He loves. 
 
 That He may gather them unto Himself, 
 
 That in His arms, they may forevermore 
 
 Have peace and rest, and happiness divine. 
 
CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 MARY HEARS THE CALL. 
 
 ^ND hardly had Mary uttered these 
 words, that the whole sky became 
 brighter than the sun, and a masterful 
 peal of thunder shook Jerusalem to 
 its foundations. Then a terrific gale 
 came from the west, driving before it 
 inky clouds, whose bosom was rent 
 continually by arrows of lightning and rumblings of 
 thunder. The hurricane almost threw us over into the 
 court, so that in order not to be hurt, we were com- 
 pelled to lie down flat on the house-top, while the wim- 
 ples of the women were carried away and the men's 
 cloaks were lifted from their shoulders, throwing them 
 back over us, so that many struggled for light and air. 
 Now the storm brake off every one of the lilies, tear- 
 ing them apart, and a tongue of fire descended from 
 heaven, and ran in a circle around the Blessed Mary, 
 so that henceforth none durst approach Her. But she 
 alone stood upright, with her arms stretched towards 
 the sky, her eyes set, and her hair streaming, shining 
 like the sun in the midst of the darkness, the Four 
 Archangels standing around, veiling their faces with 
 their wings. 
 
 And after a while it came to pass that the Blessed 
 Mary turned her eyes towards us, and she cried out, 
 
 Haste, haste, the Hour has come! 
 Follow me, beloved Apostles! 
 
 48 
 
THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 49 
 
 And she turned round, and fled down the stairs into 
 the court with the lightness of a doe in spite of her 
 years, the fire dancing round her as she proceeded, 
 Gabriel and Michael preceding her, and Raphael and 
 Uriel following her. 
 
 And, being hurried, many of the Apostles stumbled 
 in the going down of the stairs, because of the dark- 
 ness. And it chanced that as I was furthest of all from 
 the stairs when the hurricane had arisen, I was the last 
 to leave the house-top. And it was so that I stumbled 
 over what had been the bed of lilies but half an hour 
 ago, and fell down, and struck my head against the post 
 of the chair the Blessed Mary had sat on. And as I 
 tried to raise myself, my hands grasped one of the 
 lilies still half attached to its root, and in rising to my 
 feet, I pulled it with my hand. Then I bethought me 
 of keeping it as a memorial of the Blessed Mary, and 
 placed the bud in my pouch under my tunic, and have 
 kept it since, even unto the present day. 
 
CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 MARY IS TRANSFIGURED. 
 
 OW the Blessed Mary went to the Mount 
 
 of OHves, the women following her as 
 
 best they could, Simon Zelotes and 
 
 2 ^^'R^Q I Ph'^'P assisting Mary the mother of 
 
 »*«c-^fisimvifl jaj^g3 g^j-,(j joses. The clouds lowered, 
 
 and the road upiwards led into the mist 
 in which we would have lost sight of 
 the Blessed Mary, but for the fire that ever danced 
 around her in a circle, and for Raphael and Uriel that 
 followed her. At first many of us lost the road, and 
 stumbled over stones and roots in the wet cloud, but 
 after awhile the air cleared, and behold, far above in 
 the sky the stars were shining, and the full moon was 
 sunk towards the west. And behold, beneath us were 
 the clouds, stretched out like an infinite ocean riven 
 by lightnings, and belching thunder, while above us 
 reigned eternal stillness. And the Cherubims who 
 had listened to the words of the Blessed Mary all night 
 were here already before us, innumerable hosts of them 
 being camped on the clouds as far as eye could reach. 
 And as we emerged from the clouds some of the 
 Cherubims beckoned to us sweetly, as if they had been 
 waiting for us. 
 
 Now it came to pass that the Blessed Mary led us 
 to the very summit, near Bethany, from where the 
 Lord Jesus had himself ascended into heaven forty 
 days after his resurrection. And when the Blessed 
 Mary has reached the open ground, she turned towards 
 
 50 
 
THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 5l 
 
 the east, shading her eyes, plainly awaiting something. 
 And behold, even as we were looking, the dawn began 
 to break. But suddenly above the clouds rose a great 
 and a shining light. And looking intently we began 
 to discern hosts innumerable of angels, a Splendor 
 leading them. Now their bodies were of fire, for they 
 were Seraphims. When they had come near, the 
 Splendor beckoned to them that they should not ad- 
 vance further, but himself moved forwards and turn- 
 ing to us all, who fell on our faces trembling, lifted up 
 his hands, and blessed us, and bade us arise. And 
 when the Blessed Mary would have worshiped, he 
 raised her up, and took her in his arms and rested her 
 head upon his breast. And it came to pass that in that 
 he touched the Blessed Mary, that she was transfigured, 
 and her white hair waxed once again dark brown, and 
 her wrinkles disappeared into a fair smooth skin, and 
 her face became creamy white as the face of a bloom- 
 ing maiden, and the knots of her fingers passed away 
 into the frail and slender fingers of a girl, and her 
 garments clung to her and became new again, and she 
 grew to be once more the slight figure she had been 
 when the Archangel Gabriel first announced to her 
 that the Holy Spirit should overshadow her, and that 
 she should bring forth a son called Jesus. And as the 
 Blessed Mary rested in the arms of the Splendor, she 
 looked up into his face with a smile like to that of the 
 archangel Gabriel. And behold the Seraphims gath- 
 ered into a circle around them and us, and they sang 
 hymns which it is not lawful to utter, sounding like 
 the rushing of a mighty wind through a forest when 
 the trees are bare. And they sang praises to the 
 Father who had loved man so much. And when the 
 Blessed Mary had gazed her fill at the Splendor, she 
 turned toward us, and smiled sweetly, so that our eyes 
 were dazzled. And she said, 
 
 Dear souls that have watched with me 
 During this the last night of my 
 
52 THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 
 
 Stay on earth, 
 
 God will repay you your labor of love. 
 
 And were it not that 1 am so near 
 
 To the Heavenly Father, 
 
 I would grieve to be separated from you, 
 
 beautiful souls with whom 
 
 1 have lived and loved, 
 Lo, these many years, 
 
 But He, the hand of the Father, will 
 Protect you from all evil, and 
 Bring you all safe home at the last. 
 
CHAPTER XV. 
 THE ASSUMPTION OF MARY. 
 
 J^ND the Blessed Mary still leaning on 
 the Splendor turned her glance full 
 upon us all. A smile spread over her 
 countenance, transfiguring it so we 
 would not have recognized her, as hap- 
 pens with us common humans at the 
 rare times when we foresee a new 
 
 friendship. Then she said. 
 
 Dear Brethren, before I be removed 
 For ever from among you. 
 If ye have aught to ask concerning 
 The mysteries of the Kingdom, 
 Speak forth freely, that your hearts 
 May be stablished within you, 
 And that ye may preach the truth 
 In the light of knowledge. 
 
 Then James Boanerges answered and said. Blessed 
 Lady Mary, take no offence that I ask for the third 
 time, shall not the souls that have once loved each 
 other meet again in the dim beyond? Behold, I would 
 fain believe it; but lo, when thou didst tell us of thy 
 former lives, although the angel promised thee each 
 time that thou shouldst meet beyond him whom thy 
 soul had cherished, lo, thou didst love each time a 
 different man, first Abel, then Noah, then Khufu, then 
 Melchizdek; and later Zarashustra, and Gautama and 
 Sokrates; and behold, even in this thy last existence 
 
 53 
 
54 THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 
 
 didst thou meet none of these. Sweet Lady Mary, 
 Blessed of God, heart of the cirding fire of heaven, 
 make this plain, and comfort our hearts! And it came 
 to pass that after he had spoken these words that James 
 bowed himself down to the ground. 
 Then spoke the Splendor, 
 
 O slow of heart to believe all that 
 The Blessed Mary has spoken, 
 
 James, my James! 
 
 Hearken, O Apostles, to the Way of God! 
 Open your ears, that ye may understand! 
 Before Abraham was, I am. 
 
 1 am the Pilgrim of the Ages, the Soul of Man! 
 I am not a stranger to her 
 
 Upon the face of the earth; 
 
 For of old I too 
 
 Had lived and loved, 
 
 Suffered and rejoiced. 
 
 Beneath these beautiful skies. 
 
 Hearken! 
 
 It was me she loved, when I was called Abel; 
 
 It was me she loved, when men called My journey- 
 ing soul by the name of Noah; 
 
 Stronger than death was Mary's love, for 
 
 It was me she loved when I was known as Khufu, 
 the Pyramid-Pharoah of Mizraim; 
 
 Behold, I am Melchizdek, the King of Righteous- 
 ness, to whom Abraham brought gifts, and was 
 glad to see my day; 
 
 Behold, I am Zarashustra, and 
 
 Gautama Siddhartha the Buddha am I! 
 
 And I Sokrates the peaceful Athenian! 
 
 Yea, from righteousness to righteousness, 
 
 From birth to birth. 
 
 From death to death, 
 
 Over land and over sea. 
 
 Has the light of my love for Mary 
 
THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 55 
 
 And Mary's love for me, 
 
 Drawn our journeying souls together, 
 
 Not once nor twice, but ever, forevermore. 
 
 For when in the revolution of times 
 
 Preaching the gospel of truth 
 
 Not only to the few and vain Jews, 
 
 But also in times of old foreknown, 
 
 From the foundation of the world till now 
 
 To the people that sat in darkness. 
 
 In the land of Ur, and in Naharaim, and in Mizraim, 
 
 and in Canaan, and in Asshur, and in the land 
 
 of the river Ganges, and in the city of 
 
 Athens. 
 My soul and that of the Blessed Mary 
 Have long left behind the fires of passion, 
 So that this last time we could not 
 Meet as husband and wife. 
 Then none was found pure enough 
 To bring me into the world 
 But she, the spotless soul 
 Of Mary, of Adah, of Yonah, of Asenath, of Mar- 
 
 goah, of Parshandathah, of Yasodhara, and of 
 
 Eunike. 
 And the Spirit of the Highest 
 Overshadowed her, 
 
 That even though only as mother and son 
 Yet should we not be sundered 
 For this the last time upon earth. 
 And she brought me forth 
 That I might end my age long labors 
 And save the world from its sins. 
 As Abel, first, I taught peace and labor. 
 When Noah, I warned man of the coming Wrath 
 
 of God; 
 And as Khufu, sanctifying the exercise of power to 
 
 the enlightenment of the poor. 
 As Melchizedek, I brought healing to the sick, and 
 
 righteousness to them who were afar off. 
 
56 THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 
 
 As Zarashustra, I taught to the soul of men that 
 God is a consuming fire in his spiritual nature. 
 
 As Gautama Siddhartha, teaching the eight-fold 
 path of righteousness, 
 
 Which I as Sokrates deduced from the traveling soul 
 of the youth of Athens. 
 
 But at the last my very life I gave 
 
 That he who obey my words 
 
 Should find the narrow way 
 
 That leads to eternal life. 
 
 And behold, Mary is mine, now as then. 
 
 With me she sorrowed and rejoiced. 
 
 Loved and lived. 
 
 By my side her soul has left her sins behind 
 
 In other climes, and in other ages, 
 
 Till by my side in this last life 
 
 She has shown in her life 
 
 The truth which I preached, until. 
 
 Behold, not even death shall cleave asunder 
 
 Our souls no more twain, but one. 
 
 With me shall she leave this earth. 
 
 Whose lessons both of us have learnt for evermore. 
 
 With me shall she rise to the sun, there 
 
 To behold the faces of Glories and Angels 
 
 Beyond the glories and angels of earth. 
 
 There with me to grow as we grew here, 
 
 Till in the revolution of God's own times 
 
 Both of us inseparable for evermore, 
 
 Shall sit us down together. 
 
 At the right hand of the Father, 
 
 No more two souls, but one soul. 
 
 Perfect at last, and blest forevermore. 
 
 Face to face, heart to heart, knowledge 
 
 To knowledge with the fire of life 
 
 Whose glory is eternity, 
 
 Whose destiny is itself. 
 
 Hail, souls of men, 
 
 We salute you, Mary and |, 
 
THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 57 
 
 Hail, we shall wait for you beyond, 
 
 Ye whose destiny it also is 
 
 To know yourselves 
 
 And to become of God. 
 
 Hail, gods in the flesh, destined divinities, 
 
 Destined Masters of Angles, Rulers of Spirits! 
 
 The joy of us shall not be full until 
 
 Ye shall be one with us beyond. 
 
 Hasten the course of the age, 
 
 Hasten the time appointed. 
 
 Live the regenerate life, 
 
 Teach the inexorable truth. 
 
 Spread the unspeakable love. 
 
 Bring home with you to the face of 
 
 Our Father, brothers and sisters many, 
 
 Even as we brought here you 
 
 To show you that ye are our own. 
 
 Before the unfailing witness of the eternal hosts of 
 the Cherubim and Seraphim, before the face of 
 the Four Archangels, the Blessed Gabriel, the 
 Blessed Michael, the Blessed Raphael, the 
 Blessed Uriel, the North, the South, the East, 
 and the West of Heaven! 
 
 And it came to pass that when the Splendor had 
 uttered these words, that the Cherubims and Seraphims 
 and the Four Blessed Archangels, worshiped, and 
 raised a great hymn, such as no man ever heard, nor 
 ever will hear, a harmony unspeakable, an ocean of 
 glory. 
 
 And the Blessed Gabriel sang, 
 None but the pure shall hear. 
 
 And the host of innumerable Angels sang. 
 Glory to God, for ever and ever, Amen! 
 
 And the Blessed Michael sang. 
 None but the true shall taste. 
 
58 THE REUNITING PILGRIMAGE. 
 
 And the host of innumerable Angels sang, 
 Glory to God, for ever and ever, Amen! 
 
 And the Blessed Raphael sang. 
 None but the strong shall see. 
 
 And the host of innumerable Angels sang. 
 Glory to God, for ever and ever. Amen! 
 
 And the Blessed Uriel sang, 
 None but the kind shall know. 
 
 And the host of innumerable Angels sang, 
 Glory to God, for ever and ever. Amen! 
 
 Then the Four Blessed Archangels and all of the 
 Cherubims and Seraphims together sang. 
 
 Glory to Him who is perfectly holy, 
 Father and lover and guardian of souls! 
 
 And it came to pass that when the angels had done 
 singing, that a great peace fell upon us all, who lay 
 prone on the ground, so still that we heard the beating 
 of our hearts. But when we looked up, behold, we 
 were all alone, and we looked into each other's faces, 
 the hot tears blinding us, but there was none to com- 
 fort us. Then we called aloud on the Splendors, and 
 we wept for home-sickness after them, and for the 
 sorrows we should know before the day we should all 
 meet again in heaven. 
 
 But none answered us. 
 
 So we turned homewards, heavy at heart, losing each 
 other in the mist of the clouds that still hung over 
 Jerusalem, so much so that it grew dark about that 
 time. 
 
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