The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1896-02-01


He is also prophet, and knows what
viii be the events of the next few days.
The description on Calvary is unlike
the description in the Bible. The God
bead of Christ is accented more than
His humanity. Marie Corelii always
portrays Him as He appeared at the
/ TRANSPORTATION, .swhen the fashion of
His face was altered and His raiment
was white and clustering" There is
/ always an halo about His head. This
weakens the force of the sacrifice. 1t
is the human Christ in His very human
agony that wrings our hearts. and
when this humanity is lost sight of.
the crucifixion is only a mysterious
spectacle of horror. There is no real
suffering in it.
The portrayal OF Mary Magdalene, of
the Virgin Mary and of Joseph of
Arimanthea, ere most beautiful and
just. The scene in which Mary, the
Mother of Christ, goes to the sepulchre.
is all bathed in the white light of
ideality. One fancies her spirit, fair
and pure. with her snow like garments,
her sanity tace. and the cold, chaste
lilies in her hand.
| But Marie Corelli's estimate of
Simon Peter is as illogical and insult
ing as her estimate of Judas Tscariot
is illogical and fattering. The Apostle
Peter, she considers the worst of
towards; one who does not onIy faid in
crises, but tries to excuse himself,
and to taunt others that have siuned
and are weak. The author considers
him as a type of perverted, stained
christianity. That she should paint
him thus is sin against history, and q
sin against great mans memory. That
Peters denial of Christ was an act of
cowardice. all of us concede. He
was soldier and afeared," and none
felt the ignominy of his failue more
than did he himself. But the author
must needs to remember that when the
traitors came to the Garden of Geth-
semane, 1t was Peter who struck with
his sword, one of the enemies of his
Master. 1t was Peter only of all the
deciples, who followed Him to the
house of Caiaphas. 1t was Peter that
preached The doctrine OF Jesus
Christ of Nazareth throughout all
Judea, and for the preaching OF
this doctrine, was despised of men,
was imprisoned in Jerusalem, and
finally was crucifed head downward
upon the cross! Surely man whom
Christ so loved. that His last word to
him was, s'Feed my sheep;" man on
whom the Son of Man bestowed the
| gift of healing and Of knowing the
word, surely be must needs to have
been a. character worthy of His
| Masters trust-a character most noble,
generous and warm, albeit, it was in
enc instance weak. Marie Carelli has
faisifed the character of Peter. She
told the truth. but not the ach0le
truth, and oftentimes half truth is
more harmful than deliberate false
hood.
Likewise is her description of Judas
distorted and unreal. In The Bible we
have full length portrait of this
man. Once we see him in the house
at Bethany, when Mary pours upon
the feet of Jesus the ointment OF spike
wood. and Judas says. why was not
this ointment sold for 800 pence and
given to the poor?'' This he said, not
that he cared for the poor, bit because
he soas thief and had the bag and
bare achat scos put therein.
A man that thus could be hypocriti-
cal in the presence Of the Christ whom
4 he was following, did not have to
change his nature in order to fully be-
tray His Master. The besetting sin of
Judas Iscariot was covetnousness, and
it was this sin which caused his name,
throughout all the ages, to signify
| Traitor.
Marie Carelli ignores the facts of the
Bible. She makes Judas but mere
tool in the hands of his sister Judith,
and Judith the tool of Caiaphas, thus
shifting the blame entirely from the
real 5etrayer. and making him "a man
more sinned against than SHINING"
Indeed, she excuses his act altogether
by assuming Jadas betrays Christ from
motive of Jealous enthusiasm, to
prove beyond doubt that Jesus is d.
vine, and therefore, even though the
chief priests should try to cruelty
Him, they would fail in their efforts.
and so the divinity wonld be estab-
lished. But in spite of these two grave
errors, Barabbas is one Of the greatest
books we have. The story is most ar
tistic. There is in 1T continuity of
thought and feeling that sooths one
like music: There is nothing fragmen-
tary, rough or abrupt about it. The
entire idea is rounded and completed.
The crucifxion of Christ is followed
by His resurrection; the first scene of
the story opens with the enraged Bar
abbas cursing in the dungeon; the last
scene closes with The Christ softened;
Barabbas praying In the dungeon.
Each seed develops into its flower and
the flower gives place to the fruitage.
Caiaphas hardens into villain.
Judith Iscariot runs her mad course of
passion, selfishness and blasphemy,
Thus violating all the bans of peace.
Her end is insanity.
| Simon of Cyrene carries tie cross OF
shame up the rocky hill of Calvary; and
] long after the Resurrection he kneels
on that same hill and sees IN a vision,