Year: 1879

Why do you transgress the kings
command and endanger your life 4? Do
you not know that the command has
proceeded from the Emperor of Rome
that the law of Moses and Israel shall
be exterminated, and that the trans
gressor of this command shall certainly
be punished with death ?"


But [ replied to him:


Are you Papus, who are said to be
so wise and clever [ see now that you
are the contrary Let me narrate to you
fable:


The fox once went to the edge of the
sea, and saw the fishes hastily swim
ming forward and backward, when he
said to them:


What ails you, my brothers and
friends, that you increasingly move and
change your places of whom are you
afraid in these peaceful waters p


1--WE are afraid of the fishermen" an
swered the fishes, we are afraid of the
fishermen, who throw their hooks into
the waters, and spread their nets on the
seas"


" If this is the case" replied the fox,
" if this is the case, then come with me
to the dry land and I will be your pro-
tector, and we will dwell together in
peace and harmony, as our ancestors
did"


But the fishes responded


" Are you the fox, the wisest of all the
beasts of the earth? You are not clever,
but foolish Even when we are in the
element OF our lifeWe have to fear death,
much more when we will be in place
where we cannot live many seconds e


So is it with u.s. THE house Of Israel ,
if even when we 4 ady the law, which is
the atmosphere.of nd the breath
of our existence, 4 Ia b rand o3 s7sSf f6s
much more willt ID 'S6 hen We leave
the law and push away from us


Papus shook hiShead, for he did not
believe my words,and went his way. In
few days the agents Of Rufus surpri-
sed me whilst | was preaching salvation
to an immense assembly, they bound me
in iron chains and brought me to their
master. Rufus knew me personally :
for 1 had many times prayed of him to
contrihuta his mffa towards tho cunnor+
of our poor, but Ne always laughed and
jested at me, andlwould answer me:


If your GodTlo the poor, why
does he not support them and provide
them with food and clothing? Let those
fools leave God who hides his counte-
nance from them,and let them follow the
Gods of the Romans; [ will then be kind
to them and raise them to the highest
dignities in the land"


When I was brought to him, bound in
chains, he exclaimed jeeringly and mock
ingly


Old man have you come here to
ask charity for the poor of your nation
or have you come to beg for your life ??


But answered him:


God forbid that I should beg for my
life from a mortal man; for if God does
not desire my death, what can flesh and
blood do unto me? And if he desires my
death, then there are myriads of deadly
messengers ready to fulfill his will. But
you, o enemy of the true and almighty
God you should know that the AL
mighty is kind and merciful to those who
love Him, and to those who love man
kind who are created in His image, but
He also Furnishes those who hate Him
and who hate the human family You
hate God and you hate every man; you
have shed innocent blood plentifully ;
you have murdered widows and stran-
gers you have robbed orphans {; you
have slaughtered saints and holy men,
and you have done everything that is
evil in the sight Of God and man you
even hate in your heart your king, who
has done you SO smany favors, and you
plot even againstshim.'


had not yet flashed my words, when
Rufus became very angry, his face