The record-union., 1897-10-24

| iolIl4H5. btSfdeS, on account or the
Passover, there has gathered in the
city a strange, grotesque crowd of re-
| ligious fanatics from all over the ooun-
! try; you can observe them. 1 will or
| der a good position reserved for you
near the crosses. hope the condemned
men viii die bravely. One of them is
a strange character: he says he is the
Son Of God. He is as sweet as a dove,
and truly has done nothing for which
| he could deserve DEATH"
And thou condemnedst him to the
cross?"
I wished to drop trouble from nv
hands, and at the same time not to
arouse the nest of hornets that swarm
around the temple. They are sending
complaints to Rome about me any way.
| Besides, why bother about one who is
| not Roman citfzen?'
He viii not suffer the less on that
account"
/ The Procurator did not answer. and
shortly began to speak, as if to him
self: There is one thing I do not like
| that is, extremism. When this is pro-
claimed to me it robs me of my pleas
ure for the whole day The golden
mean, according to my opinion, is what
common sense commands us to observe.
There is no place in the world where
this principle is more neglected than
here. Oh, how all this tortures mel
Oh, how it tortures me! There is no
quietness, no equilibrium, either in man
or nature: for instance, now it is
spring, the nights are cold, and in the
I n f1xy4iY = r.,
walk on the stones. Noon is far Off
| look how it is! And as for people-let
US not speak Of them! I am here since
L cannot help it-why speak of it? /
would again wander from the subject.
Go and see the crucifixion. / am sure
that this Nazarene will die bravely. I
ordered him scourged, thinking by this
to save him from death. [ am not
cruel man. When he was scourged he
was as patient as a lamb, and blessed
the people.
when his blood was dripping he lift
ed his eyes upward and prayed. He
is the most wonderful man have seen
in my life. On his account my wife
did not give me any peace or one mo-
ments rest. DO not let the innocent
0ICy IIOII1 tic carly QSiN Ia SAAC SCAAobeAlAN-
ly said I wished to save him. Twice
/ climbed the Bima and addressed the
fanatical priests and this unclean
crowd. They clamored with one voice,
throwing back their heads and opening
wide their mouths, Cruelty him! Cru
city him!'' y
And thou didst yield?" said CHINA.
Because in the city would have oc-
CURED turbulent riots, and I am placed
here to preserve the peace. I must do
my duty I do not, like excesses, and
besides, I am very tired; but when
once decide to do something I do not
hesitate to sacrifice for the general good
the life of one man, especially if he is
an unknown man about whom nome
will inquire. It is bad for him that he
is not a Roman citizen"
'"The sun shines not over Rome
alone" whispered Anthea.
Divine Anthea," replied the Procu-
rator, 81 would answer thee that over
this whole earth the sun shines on the
Roman Empire, and for its good it be-
hooves US to sacrifice all, and riots un-
derrnine our dignity. But before all,
I pray thee, do not ask from me that l
change my. decree. CHINA will tell thee
also that it cannot be. and when a de-
cree is once promulgated Caesar alone
could change it. Even if desired l
could not. Is not that the ruth, Calus
''It is so.''
To Anthea these words caused a vis-
ible agitation, and she said, thinking
perhaps of herself:
so. then, it is possible to suffer ana
die without guilt?"
'.No one is without guilt" answered
Pontius. 'HThis Nazarene did not COM
nit any crime. therefore as Procurator
| washed my hands. But as man |
condemned his doctrine. For pur-
pose I conversed with him freely, de-
string to examine him, and / was con-
WINGED he proclaimed unheard of things.
II is difficult! The world must rest on
cool reason. Who denies that virtue
is needed? Certainly not I. But only
the stoics teach us to bear adversely
with serenity, and they do not require
us to renounce everything from our es-
tates to our dinner CHINA, thou art
reasonable man: what wouldst thou
think of me if 1 should give this house
in which thou Invest to the ragged beg
gars who sun themselves at the city
gates? And this is what he requires.
Again he says that we should love all
people equally-Jews the same as Ro-
mans, Romans as Egyptians, Egyptians
as Africans. [ confess I have had
enough of it. At the critical time when
I spoke with him he did not seem con-
cerned about his life, but he behaved
as if the question concerned some one
1l- 1a and Ui1o I
am not called upon to save a. man who
cares little to save himself. Then he
calls himself the Son of God, and de-
stroys the foundation upon which the
world rests, and, therefore, harms men.
Let him think what he pleases in his
own mind, but not destroy AS man
I protest against his doctrine. If I
do not believe, for instance, in the gods,
it's my affair. Yet I acknowledge the
need of religion, and announce it pub
lfcly, since I recognize that religion
for the people is a bride The horses
must be securely fastened. Besides, to
this Nazarene death should have no
terrors, for he affirms that he will rise
from the dead"
Cinua and Anthea looked at each
other with astonishment.
THAT he will rise from the dead?"
''No more, no less; after three days.
So at least announce his disciples
forgot to ask him. That is of little
consequence, as death frees us from
all promises. Even if he does not
rise from the dead he will lose moth
ing, for according to his teachings true
happiness, together with life eternal,
begins only after death He really