Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1906-04-18

/ oe4NNAAy Az AoAN thO 8fOuao oaahlu8
beneath his feet, and he was brushed
aside as though he had bsen bit Of
chan. Curses and terrified cries filled
the air. The soldiers were tossed
about like ships on the heaving waters
or the ocean, and went tumbling away
from the tomb.
Then came a fash OF light brighter
than the sun at MONDAY, and the SOL
diers fell down as dead men. Marcus
felt his senses Keeling and after the
first vivid fash in which he saw the
seals OF the Roman power burst asun-
der and the stone rolled back and the
tomb flooded with light he kaew no
more.
How long he lay there he knew not.
save that when he returned to con-
seriousness the first gray streak OF day
were beginning to creep up In The
eastern sky. None of the otney SOL
diers were to be seen, and. rousing
himself, he looked towards tao tomb
There was the great stone resting at
one side of the opening, while the
frayed ends of the tape of the imperial
Roman seal dangled towards the
ground
Slowly he crept towards the mouth
or the tomb and looked In.
| 1t was empty.
He recalled the conversation OF the
night before, and his confused brain
! tried to understand what rising from
She dead might mean. He felt he
wanted to get away from the dreadful
| place, and as he hurried on he looked
apprehensively on either hand. fear.
tul that some spirit or supernatural be-
Ing might appear.
III Jesus has risen, where Is Hep"
he questioned. Was He the Son Of
/ God?" IF He was the Son OF God,
and had power to rise from tho
dead, could We not help his little
daughter"
These and confusion of other like
thoughts came crowding in upon him
He had now entered tbs city and
turned up the street which led to his
home. Suddenly he was reused from
his meditations by a voice which thuu-
dered in his ear:
by Jupiter! is that you, Marcus?
thought we left you for dead at the
tomb"
%'iNiSuo iOOhCu lhlO lue IdCc
of one of the soldiers who had stood
guard with him at the tomb, but be-
fore he could make any response to the
greeting, the other went on with:
Too bad you didn't get away with
| the rest of us. We've made big money
| this day." and he shook his leathern
pouch from which came the chink OF
| golden coin. But it is not too late for
you. Come with mel"
"Where?"
To the high priests house"
Marcus looked at the bag of gold
and then into the face OF the soldier,
and the latter answered, by way OF
explanation, dropping his voice to a
whisper:
1T is hush money! The priests ars
willing to pay well if we will say that
| the disciples came and stole the body
of Jesus"
| The chink of the coin sounded and
! the pressure of the others hand was
upon Marcus arm. What made him
hesitate? He scarcely knew himself.
! The Roman soldiers did not stop, as
! rule to make fine distinctions, AMI
Marcus was no exception to the rule
He was always ready to share in the
gains which often came in irregular
ways to the sos tiers of Caesar. bu,
somehow littls white face came up
before him, now and he heard the
pleading voice saying: "Oh, His face
was so good. l want to be with Him."
What would she say if he took the
gold and lied about the one whom sha
had seen and loved. He recalled the
wonderful manifestations of the night
before. He knew that the disciples
had not stolen the body. Dare he say
that they had? AS these thoughts ran
rapidly through his mind the convic-
ton grew upon him that Jesus was the
Son OF God, and that He had risen al
He had said He would. Would he tako
J the gold, or would he take Jesus?
Come, comet" impatiently OK
claimed the waiting soldier. What IL
| the matter with your"
The chink of the gold sounded again.
and again the vision OF his little girl
! came to him, and her words rang
through his heart. He said, firmly:
II will not take the gold. | Will not
| lie about the Son of Cod
"Ho! ho!" was the derisive laugh.
Would you become one of His dis
ciples? AS thou wilt. AS for me, I'll
take the gold" and he turned and
walked away thinking the gold mer.
rily.
But II Marcus had not the gold, he
had a lighter heart, but as he reared
the house his steps grew slower and
slower, for again the dread of what
he would find on entering seized his
heart. Tears blinded his eyes and
he did not see the little figure that
came founding from the door and ran
towards him.
Was that her voice? Startled ard
| daZed. he looked in the hirnnAio,r ~,