The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-07-16

All seemed to me good men without offense-
little crazed but who Is wholly sane
Thev went about and cured the sick and halt,
And gave away their money to the poor,
And all their talk was charity and peace.
| If Christus thought and said he was god,
Twas harmless madness, not deserving death.
What most aroused the wealthy Rabbis rage
Was that he set the poor against the rich,
And cried that rich men all would go to hell,
And, worst of all, roundly denounced the
priests
With all their rich phylacteries and robes
Said they were hypocrites who made long
prayers,
And robbed poor widows and deYoured their
means,
| And we're at best but whited sepulchres;
! And this it was that brought him to the Cross.
Those who went with him and believed in
Were mostly dull, uneducated men,
Simple and honest, dazed by what he did,
And misconceiving every word he said.
He led them with him in a spell-bound awe,
And all his cures they called miraculous.
They followed him like sheep whereer he
went,
With feelings mixed of wonder, fear, and love.
Yes I suppose they loved him, though they
fed
Stricken with fear when we arrested him"
''What all-all fed ?" asked. "Did none
remain p
mot one, he said-''all left him to his fate
Not one dared own he was follower
Not one gave witness for him of them all.
Stop When l say not one of them, / mean
No one but Judas-Judas whom they call
The traltor-who betrayed him to his death.
He rushed into the council-hall and cried,
'Iis | have sinned-Christus is innocent "
And here come to what of all I've heard
Most touched mel for this my letter write.
| Paulus, you know, had only for this man,
! This Judas, words of scorn and bitter hate.
Mark now the different view that Lysias took!
| When, urged by me, his story thus he told:-
''Some say that Judas was base, vile man,
| Who sold his master for the meanest bribe;
| Others again insist he was most right,
! Giving to justice one who merely sought
| To overthrow the Church, subvert the law
| And on its ruins build himself throne.
| /, knowing Judas-and none better knew
| I, caring naught for Christus more than him,
But hating lies, the simple truth will tell
| No man can say ever told lie
1 am too old now to begin. Besides,
The truth is truth, and let the truth be told
! Judas say, alone of all the men
Who followed Christus, thought that he was
| God.
Some feared him for his power of miracles;
Some were attracted by sort Of spell;
! Some followed him to hear his sweet: clear
1
| voice
And gentle speaking, hearing with their ears,
| And knowing not the sense of what he said
But one alone believed he was the Lord
| The true Messiah of the Jews. That one
Was Judas-he alone of all the crowd.
''He to betray his master for bribe!
He last of all. say this friend of mine
Was brave when all the rest were towards
there.
| l. I,11I
Almost to rashness bold, yet sensitive,
| Who took his dreams for firm realities
Who once believing all in all believed
Rushing at obstacles and scorning risk,
Ready TO venture all to gain his end,
No compromise or subterfuge for him,
His act went from his thought straight to the
butt;
Yet with this ardent and impatient mood
Was Joined visionary mind that took
Impressions quick and fine, yet deep as life.
Therefore it was that in this subtle soil
The masters words took root and grew and
howered.
He heard and followed and obeyed; his faith
Was serious, earnest, real-winged to fly
He doubted not, like some who walked with
him
Desired no firstplace, as did James and John
Denied him not with Peter not to him
His master said, Away thou'rt an offense;
Get thee behind me, Satan not to him,
Am l so long with ye who know me not ?
Fixed as a rock, untempted by desires
TO gain the post of honor when his Lord
Should come to rule-chosen from out the
midst
OF six-score men as his apostle-then
Again selected to the place of trust,
Unselfish, honest, he among them walked.
''That he was honest, and was so esteemed,
Is plain from this-they chose him out of all
To bear the common purse, and take and pay.
John says he was thief, because he grudged
The price that for some ointment once was
paid,
And urged 'twere better given to the poor.
But did not Christus ever for the poor
Liftup his voice-'Give all things to the poor
Sell everything and give all to the poor!
And Judas who believed, not made believe,
Used his own words and Christus, who ex
! cused
The gift because Of love, rebuked him not.
Thief ay, he twas, this very thief they chose
To bear the purse and give aims to the poor.
1, for my part, see nothing wrong in this"
''But why, if Judas was man like this,
Frank, noble, honest"-here L interposed-
Why was it that he thus betrayed his Lord /?
''This question oft did revolve, said he,
''When all the facts were fresh, and oft re
volved
In later days, and with no change of mind;
And this is my solution Of the case:-
''Daily he heard his masters voice proclaim
Il am the Lord the Father lives in me
Who knoweth me knows the Eternal God
He who believes in me shall never die!
:" No! he shall see me with my angels come