The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-07
A New Life of Jesus.


One of the most remarkable books that
has ever been written upon the subject of
which it treats has just been put out by the
Sunrise Publishing Company of New York.
This book is entitled 'Iesat Nassau, or
Jesus the Nazarene." The authors, Peter
V. f. Mamreov, Anna f. Mamreov and B.
A. F. Mamreov, have had exceptional op-
portunities for research and free access to
unusual sources of information upon their
subject. They have lived for many years
in Syria, Palestine and Egypt, having been
born in Jerusalem of Russian parents, who
had taken up their residence in the holy
land for the express purpose of sitting, If
possible, the truth from the varying doc
trines of Christianity, Judaism and Mos
lemism. The story, therefore, is told from
an Oriental standpoint entirely. Strictly
speaking there is no fiction in it. The
characters dealt, with are all historical or
legendary, and the book is founded upon
both Christian and Jewish secular and re-
ligious history, as we'll as upon the various
legends in which all Oriental countries
abound.
The story opens with an account of the
direct ancestors of Jesus, and the account
is interviewer with much that will be new,
and observances, political, social, religious,
of the Jews. The account itself is start
ling to those accustomed to the orthodox
stories of the humble life of the lowly Naz-
arene. According to the Mamreovs the
mother of Jesus, whom they style the Lady
Marya, was of noble Median ancestry, the
daughter of Prince of Adiabene, Nakeeb
of Kharax. These two dignitaries became
converted to Judaism, the wife through
the influence of Jewish peddler, who had
access to the court, the Prince through her.
The pair then took the names of Joachim
and Anna.
After being childless for years, and
under priestly ban on account of it, the
Princess MaTya was at last born to her
parents, who thereupon fell under sus-
picion of dealing in magic, else how else
had Anna become fruitful after so many
years. So, working upon her religious
feeling, the priests succeeded in inducing
Anna to transfer all her wealth so that it
should come at her death to the priestly
office. The little Lady Marya grew up,
cousin Youseph, Shah Baudar, or chief OF
the shipbuilding, fishing and trading asso-
citation of the towns situated on the Lake
of Gennesseret. He was very rich and
powerful Baudar, and according to this
narrative, the famous journey to Bethle-
hem was undertaken in order that the
unborn child of the Princess might be en-
rolled as heir to her estate at Deyar, with
farms, vineyards, ETC., not included in the
entailed property which would come to her
in the death of Anna. Instead of being
lodged in stable, the powerful Youseph
and his spouse had the best the inn
afforded.
The story of the life of the Nazarene,
while following in the main the narrative
of the New Testament, goes into details of
the various plots laid against him by the
Jews, his many escapes and the circum-
stances of his temptations, trial and death
that make the story one of thrilling and
dramatic interest.
The book is written with consummate
skill and is full of Oriental beauty. 1t is
too long and complicated work to adj
NIT of justice being done it in review of
this nature, but it will repay perusal
1t is rendered still more valuable by a
voluminous appendix, which is a compend
! of citations from historical and religious
| writings and traditions of the great creeds
which have dominated the human race.
The book takes no supernatural view OF
the Nazarene. On the other hand, the
various appearances upon earth of Jesus
after his death are described with great
circumspection. He is referred to as the
hottest of men, the great teacher, the Son
of God, and beautiful picture is drawn of
him going about his good work. despised
and rejected of men. New York: The
Sunrise Publishing Company.