Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-23
CHAPTER XXI.

THE NAZARENE NOT TO BE FOUND.
At all events, from whatever cause, and
whether or not the calamity could have been
prevented, Lazarus was dead. His sensitive
life had gone out like candle quenched by
a breath in the midst of the feast. The
torch-bearers stared in each others faces and
glanced into the darkness behind them with
the sick horror that sudden death always
produces, and more than any other, the death
OF a young and vigorous man. 1t is some
how particularly expected of the young and
popular that they go on living. The emf
nence of Lazarus made his death matter of
deep public interest. His social position,
his influence, and his wealth added many a
mourner to the crowd who poured into Beth
any to pass with the sisters, Martha and
Mary, the days OF formal sorrow, by which
it was the custom of their people to bewail
the dead.
Mary did not see the neighbors. Mary
could not She had followed her brother to
the family sepulchre, and had stood with
bowed and veiled head while the body of
Lazarus was entombed. The burial ac-
cording to the habit of the country, took
place upon the day of the death. Mary was
stunned by the terrible swittness with which
everything had happened. 1t seemed to her
that death had literally made snatch at
her and torn the very heart out of her life.
Mary did not weep. She could not. She
was rigid with grief The love OF sister to
brother, when it excels its kind, is one Of
the strongest as it is one OF the purest in
the world. The love OF Mary for Laz-
arus was a womanly, unselish and
now pitiiul thing. Mary had no life of
her own. She had never known one. Since
Lazarus was little fellow and they played
together in the court, the gentle girl had
existed only for and only In her younger
brother. Mary was the saddest girl in
Judea that day. No, not the saddest There
was one, but who remembered her? Who
comiorted her? In hours like these, what
cries go up to heaven from the last and
deepest anguish of unrecoguized love?
From the palace OF Annas nothing was
heard. Jerusalem throbbed with the death
of Lazarus; but the palace gave no sign.
The easements were closed. Doors were
curtained. Servants were dumb. The
High Priest was invisible. There were
rumors that slave had been punished or
tortured in his princely family. These
changed into report that slave was miss
ing-whether murdered or fled, who knew?
And who cared? In the general excitement
and sorrow the palace was dumb.
For the cruelest of the gossip that buzzed
in Bethany, the tongue of Malachi was re-
sponsible.
This Jesus-this prater-this boaster and
sorcerer-now we have the nature of the
fellow put to test. What was our eminent
neighbor Lazarus? His patron and his
friend. How hath the famous healer dealt
with him? Look ye, my neighbors, did he
answer the call OF mortal need? Did he
come to the dying bed of Lazarus? Did he
stretch forth that mighty power we hear so
much about and prevent this important
death which has left sorrow in all our
country? Where was Jesus of Nazareth
that Lazarus OF Bethany lies dead?"
Alas, where was he? More than Malachi
cast this significant question upon the
agitated discussion of the week.
The state OF public ceiling and opinion
concerning the Nazarene had intensified
rapidly, we may say, terribly, during the
months of that memorable winter. The emost
bitterly hated and the most tenderly loved
man in Judea and its surrounding princi-
palities had now become the most perplexed
and imperiled. Those VINO loved him most
intelligently and courageously, and who
shared the risks and excitement of his mis-
sion were, in fact, agreed to prevent him
returning to Jerusalem, if they could. His
gentle and merciful career had now passed
the stage of philanthropy, and taken ON the
hard name of political adventure. No
longer was he looked upon as q harmless ia
matte, an amiable sorcerer, a dabbler in
healing, an excellent missionary. Sanhe-
drin and Throne had scrutinized the man.
Priest and Prince watched him. The dam
gerous title of revolutionist had become at
tached to him.
(To be Continued Nert Sunddy)