The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1872-12-06

The Forums space, or palislng meath
the shade
0fsone grand temple, arch, or rportlcO,
Haze we discussed some knotty point
of law,
Some curious case, whose contradict
ing facts
Looked .Janls-faeed to innocence and
guilt.
l see yOu now arresting me. to note
With quiet feryor and upliihed hand
Some subtle view or fact by me DER
looked,
And urging me, who always strain my
point
Being too much, ] know, a partisan),
10 pause, and press not to the issue so,
But more pait, with less impetuous
zeal.
Survey asfroai an upper floor the facts.
I need yon now to rein me In, too quick
TO ride whim beyond the term Of
'rrWth;
For here a case comes up to which IN
vain
/ seek clue ]; you could clear up my
mind;
But you are absent--so l send these
notes.
The case il one of Judas, Simon's son,
Iscariot calletl--a Jew--and one Of
those
Who followed Christns, held ly some
aGod,
But deemed by Others to have preached
and taught
4 superstition vile. Of which one point
Was worship Of an ass but this is false!
Judas, his follower, all the sect declare,
Bought By bribe Of thirty silver coins,
Basely betrayed his master INTO death.
The question is--Dil Judas doing this.
Act from base motives and commit q
crime?
Or, all things taken carefully in view,
Can he be justified in what lie did?
Here on the spot, surrounded by the
men
Who acted in the drama, have sought
10 study out this strange and tragic
case.
Many are dead-as Herotl, Caiaphas,
And also Pilate--a most worthy man,
Under whose rule, but all without his
fault,
And, as fancy, all against his will.
Christus was cruciiled. This I regret;
His words with me would have the
greatest weight;
The chief Of the Centurions, whose
report
Is to be trusted, as he saw and heard,
Not once, but many q. time and Oft
this man,
His look and bearing, Lysias thus de-
scTibes:
"Tail. slender, not eyect, a little bent;
Brows arched and dark Q high ridged
lofty head;
Thin temples, veinel and delicate !;
large eyes;
Sad. very serious. seeming as 1t were
10 look beyond you, and whcne'er he
spoke
IlluInlne6 BY an inner lamping light
At times, too. cleaning with q strange
wild fire
When tainted BY the rabbIe Iii the
streets;
A Jewish face, complexion pale but
dark;
Thin, high art nostrlls, quivering con-
stantly;
Long nose, full lips, hands tapering,
full of veins;
His movements nervous ashe walked
be seemed
Scarcely to heed the persons whom he
passed;
And for the most part gazcd upon the
ground.
& AS for his followers, knew them
ALL
A strange mad set and full Of fancies
wild
John, Peter, James--aIud Judas best
of all
All seemed to me good men without
Oitrllse--
A little crazed--but who Is wholly
sane!
They went about and cured the sick
and halt.
And gave away their money to the
poor.
And MI their talk was charity and
peace.
IF Chriaus thought and said he was a
God,
Twas harmless madness, not deserv-
ing death.
What most aroused the wealthy Rab-
bi'sEage
Was TINT he set the poor against the
rich,
And, worst Of all, rolindIy denounced
the priests.
With all their rich plIylacteries and
robes
said they were hypocrites who made
long prayers.
And robbed poor widows anddevoured
their means.
And atbest but whited sepuIChres,
And this Il was IlatbrUught him TO the
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