The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-11-26
IHG STORY OF CHRIST.

WoFk-A hohiAhse h-seu w. uAe Lhyoi
Jesus.
New York Herald; Mrs. Elizabeth
suar. Phelps has written a singular
and very beautiful, yet not flawless
hoax. entitled "The Story OF Jesus
Christ" which may prove one of the
great successes Of the present publica-
ton series.
In her preface she dlsclaims the In
tentlon of writing a mere romance.
rReautIful romances.' she says, 'haye
,.en written upon the subject which
nose pages venture to approach; but
his Is not fiction, The great historical
facts that revealed the Founder of
christianity to US have been carefully
considered. No important departure
from the outlines OF his only authorized
biography has beguiled the pen which
has here sought 10 portray the Great
story with loving docility. The few,
unfamiliar strokes by which these out
lines have been sometimes filled have
Men reverently and studiously adjust
ed TO the composition Of the picture-it
is hoped without offense to probabili-
tIss. II Is believed that these proha-
bIlItIes are so reasonable that they may
serve TO deepen, not 10 dissipate, III
respect for such knowledge rs we pos
sess concerning the life OF Jesus Christ"
A good idea Of her method may be
gained by her treatment OF the first
great episode In Christ's life. His APP
pearance In the temple,
She describes how Joseph and Mary
brought Jesus with them to Jerusalem,
and how after the great feast which
they had come to honor "a over the
father and mother started back for
home. The boy a not with them.
When they missed him they returned
TO Jerusalem.
White with anguish, Mary tottered
by her husbands side. They searched
the temple for who knows how many
times. How enormous the building!
How endless the courts! How confus-
ing the gates! oh, the wearisome gilt
ter OF gold, Of gems, OF marble, of steps,
OF pIatforms-the tlresome crowds OF
daazllng costumes, the dreary chatter,
the sICkerlng scent Of ~butchered lambs,
the red handed prlestl
1.-THE temple rose, terrace by terrace,
heaughty and splendid. The hot sky
was clear. Some OF the rabbls were
holding, as was their wont at these fes-
tlvals, one Of their intermlnable dis
cussIons, arguing fine points OF the law.
In one OF the open porticos OF the tenn
pie a crowd had thlckened significantly.
Something OF unusual interest wa
plainly happening there. Joseph and
Mary hurried to the court, pushed their
wa, through the crowd. The people
we're unusually still. A young, sweet,
treble voice was speaking; It was the
boys!
There in the covered cloIster. in his
little white tallth, with his head bare,
the chIl5 stood, quite absorbed. The
gorgeous temple lowered behind him.
Gray doctors Of the law sat about him.
rested upon their venerable faces. The
Half amused, half respectful. surprise
rabhis OF Jerusalem were engaged In
open discussion with the country lad;
the scholars Of the temple were talking
theology with a Nazarine child. An
audience OF considerable size hung upon
this remarkable debate.
when had 1t been known in Jewryi
that a child could argue with the rab-
bis? And what an argument! His
questions were as astonishing as his
answers He talked like a man and a
scholar. The expert conversationalists
by whom he was surrounded we're hard
put to II to keep pace with him Such
Intellectual force and moral subtlety
would have made the reputation Of any
gray scribe or rabbi in the land. These
practlced polemists regarded the
iwelve-year-old boy with p~erplexity
and respect. The crowd became denser
around the group. II grew silent. Only
the young voice was heard; 1t rang on
uninterrupted; 1t took on. un%childlike,
priestly tones.
"a low cry broke in upon the little
preachers exhortation; but the child,
absorbed In his theme, did not seem to
hear II. Then the moving heads and
changes Of expression in his audience
distracted him, and, turning, he saw his
mothers face.
AT this point Mary restrained her
self, and, shrinking back in the crowd.
awaited the boys will. He finished his
little discourse with dignity, and step
ped down from the platform on which
he stood.
THE doctors OF the law looked after
the lad soberly: the crowd murmured
about him without laughter; he passed
away from and through them all, and
sought his parents side.
Then the mother .distress broke out
in natural motherly passion OF re-
preach;
%'My sonl Why hast thou left us so?
Why hast thou dealt with us in this
manner? Thy father and l have sought
thee for these three daysl We havd
sorr0wed for theel What didst thou
mean? mat hast thou done?'
she caught him to her, sobbing as
che did so.
Joseph did not join in her r%eproofs;
he stood silently by. Both parents were
as much puzzled as they were troubled.
Ought they to blame the lad? Ought
they not to blame him?
Mary was not a scolding mother, and
her gentle reproaches died away before
the boys quiet and distracted mlen.
He looked at her with perfect self
possession, Nay, truly, the right Of re-
proach seemed. strangely. to rest with
him. He did not speak until he chose,
then:
How is IT, he said, slowly, that we
sought me?'
Mary FASTENED to explain, to expos
tulate; but he regarded her steadily.
belOre ms unboyllke eyes her own
dimmed with the pang that mothers
know when they see tine first signs OF
manly Will and ln%dlyiualism In a
growing son.
KNEW SO not asked the boy, that
must be In my Fathers house? I
must be- he said, peremptority. about
ny Fathers things" -
From this specimen brick a sufficient
idea may be gained Of the name and
method OF the whole edince. Despite
her negatIon, Mrs. Ward has construct
Cd a romance based upon what we know
o. The life OF Christ. Her pretty phrase
mat she has simply added n few un-
familiar strokes to the outlines OF his
authorized biography will not do. She
nae filled up the outlines with her own
inaglnlngs. They are not improbable
IN themselves, especially from people