Birmingham age-herald., 1894-12-02

Among the recent books which have ex- cited profound interest in ecclesiastical as well as literary circles is ''rhe Un- known Life of Jesus Christ from Buddhist Records by Nicholas Notovieh. This book purports to give an account of the years of our Lords life concerning which Saints Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are silent. This period extended from the time Christ as child of 12 years talked with the doctors in the temple to His ap- pearance among His people as teacher and preacher at 30 years of age. This gap in the history Of our Savor's life has been left unexplained in the four gospels, and it has been accepted by Christians as not es- sential to the great lessons taught by Jesns Christ during the three subsequent years of His ministry. Believers, learned aud ua- learned, have accepted the silence of the four evangelists on this point, knowing that it was not necessary for the salvation of mankind that he gap be filled.
 So when NJ. NotoYich comes forward and states that he has discovered in a monastery of ibe Buddhists, in the far east, mann- script which tells of these silent years of our Savior's life, the interest ot the think- ing world IS aroused.
 his book of NJ. Notovich was published several weeks ago and the metropolitan papers contained criticis ms at length upon it. As is well known 10 the reading pub- lie, this book claims that our Lord so- journed from F years of age until 30 in Ipdia, teaching by his life and his sermons the great truths of Christianity. It tells of His study of the Nedas with the Braa- > mins, and of His espousing the cause Of the down trodden Sadras, which provoked quarrel with the Erahmius; His study ot thc Paiic language and the Shastra, which occupied His attention for six years under Buddhist direction; and His impassionel denunciation of the worship of idols, which caused Him to leave India. This book nlso speaks of the missionary preach ing of Christ among the Zoroastrlans, of the zone Invisible God, - and lastly of His return to Judea and His tragic death.
 M. Notov ch claims to have discovered this manuscript in the Buddhist monas tery of II:mis, near Leh, the most i'm portani city of Ladak, and that it was read to him by the priests. while he was recovering from broken leg. The pobli- cation of this book was seriously opposes by tho ecciesiastics of Europe, but seem ingIy to DO purpose. On last Sunday Rev. Owen P. Fitzsimons discussed this much criticised work in a thorough and eloquent way, aud offered most valuable testimony to prove that the book of NJ. Notovich is utterly unworthy 0. belief, and M. Noto. vch himself Il consummate fraud Mr. Fhzsimons gave the evidence of the b-st orientAl scholars, who, having investigated the claims of the "uhknown Life of Jesus Christ, from Buddhist RecorJs,' pro- nounced it to be absolutely untrue, and that all the stories told by M. Notovich about1his sojourn at the monastery arc without the slightest foundation. In other words, that it is simply fiction from be- ginning to end aud NJ. Notovich will go down in literary history as a man of mo! 0 imagination than conscience, and whose ambition to be known in tue world of let. ters has resulted only in his being branded a falsif1cr, who has dRrei to touch the holi- est of all subjects with his proiane and Itn- pious pen. Thus another effort to Improve upon the inspired history of tue Biblo falls into merited oblivion. No manuscripts have been, nor are yet to be found which can add tore lot ur one iitlep to the beauty aud truth of the Book of Books; it has come down through the conflicts of centarieF1ninjured, and each yoar it grows