Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1913-12-18


not penetrate into the bottomless depth. Judas!
Is it wth kiss you betray the Son OF MANI"
And he saw how that monstrous chaos trembled
and stirred. Speechless and stern like death liz
its naughty majesty stood Judas Iscariot and
within him thousand impetuous and fiery voices
groaned and roared.
Yes We betray thee with the kiss of love,
With the kiss OF love we betray tl.ee to outrage
to torture, to death! With the voice of love we
call together the hangmen from their dark holes.
and we place cross-and high the top of
the earth we lift lover. crusifed by love upon a
cross"
Thus stood Judas. silent and cold like DEATH
and the shouting and the noise about Jesus an
swered the cry OF his soul. With the rude r-
resoiuteness or armed force with the awkward
ness OF vaguely understood purpose the soldiers
seized him and dragged him somewhere-their
irresoluteness they mstook for resistance their
fear they mistook for derision and mockery over
them Like herd of frightened lambs the dis
cples stood hudded together not interfering with
anything, yet disturbing everybody and even
themselves. Only few of them resolved to walk
and act separately. Jostled from all sides. Peter
drew out the sword from its sheath with difficulty,
as though he had lost his strength and family
lowered 1t upon the head of one of the priests
without causing him any harm. Jesus who no
ticed il, ordered him TO throw down the unneces-
sary sword, and. cianking family. the sword fell
to the ground.
Thus 1t remained there. until many days later
children at play found it and made toy of it.
When Jesus was led away Peter who
had hidden himself behind the trees came out and
followed his Master in the distance. Noticing an
otter man in front OF him, who walked silently
he >hought that II was John. and he called him
softly:
John, is that you?"
And is that you. Pe;er?" answered the other.
pausing, and by the voice Peter recognized the
Traitor Peter, why did you not away
gether with the others"
Peter stopped and said with contempt:
Leave me, Satan,"
Judas began to laugh, and paying no further at
tention to Peter. he went farther there where the
torches were flashing dimy and where the clank-
Ing or the weapons mingled with the footsteps
Peter followed him cautiously. and thus they en-
tered the court of the nigh priest almost stimuli
taneously and mingled in tho crowd of the priests
who were warming themselves at the bonfires
Judas warmed his bony haCds morosely at the
bonfire and heard how Pete. said loudly some
where behind him.
NO do not know him"
But 1t was evident that they we're insisting
there that he was of the disciples OF Jesus
for Peter repeated still louder But do not un-
derstand what you saying"
Without turning around. and smiling involun-
tarily. Judas shook his head afirmatively and
muttered
That's right. Peter! Do not give up your place
near Jesus to anybody"
And he did not see how the frightened Peter
night until the very death OF Jesus Judas did not
see single one OF the disciples of Jesus near
him. and amid all that multitude there were only
two. nseparable until death strangely bound to-
gether by sufferings-he who had been betrayed
TO abuse and torture and he who had betrayed
him. Like brother, they both the betrayed and
the traitor. drank out of the cup OF suffer
ings, and the fiery liquid burnt equally the pure
and the impure lips
He saw how the soldiers led Jesus away Night
was passing the bonfres dying out and were
becoming covered with ashes, and from the sentry
house came dull cries. laughter and abuses They
were beating Jesus. As though lost, Iscariot was
running around the deserted yard now stopping.
lifting ais head and then starting to run again.
1okmbling upon the bonfires and the walls Then
Jung to the wall OF tho sentry house. and,
ming himself chung to the windows to the
81 ip the doors. and locked greedily to see
1pg within. He saw narrow
ike all the sentry houses in the
ny floors and walls. And he saw
|eaten. They beat him on the face,
hey hurled him like a soft bale from