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C, had been organized in several nations — notably the Egyptians, Persians and Hindus; yet the Hebrews gave no heed to it. Not until long after the Babylonish captivity did the idea of a life beyond the grave begin slowly to filter into the reprobate Jewish mind. Even then it was not welcomed with hearty approval or admitted as an article of faith. But about i6o or 170 years B. C, the apocalyptic book of Daniel (i) appeared; and, after telling that fabulous story about three He- brews who were flung into a hot furnace of fire and not a hair of their heads singed, he states in his last (1) The book of Daniel, written about 167 years B. C, is as surely apocryphal as Tobit and Wisdom and Maccabees, Vol. 21. Br. Ency. P. 645. 221 222 A QUESTION OF MIRACLES chapter, that after a time of trouble, many of them that sleep in the dust shall awake, some to everlasting life and some to everlasting shame and contempt. In Tobit. another apocryphal work, angels and devils appear : and Asmodcns, one of those devils, is a great destroyer of the human race, for he killed several newly married men. (2) Then follows Esdras second, wherein he says the Lord will give the discomforted Jews the kingdom of Jerusalem, the everlasting tabernacles, the tree of life, and he will raise the dead and bring them out of their graves; that if they will defend the orphan, give to the poor, clothe the naked and judge for the father- less, the Lord will give them the first place in the resurrection. (3) Still Esdras was not satisfied, for he lamented that we pass "out of this world like grasshoppers, and that our life is an astonishment and fear." But he finally reaches the conclusion that "the righteous shall inherit the immortal fruit of heaven ; but that the ungodly shall perish." (4) Esdras is something of a philosopher, for he tells Uriel, the angel, that it had been better not to have given the earth to Adam, or "else to have restrained him from sinning; for, as it is, men live in heaviness, and after death look for punishment." And he asks, "Why is there prom- (2) Tobit, ell. 3, v. 8. (3) Second Esdras was ■nritten about 80 to 100 years B. C, se* Ch. 2, also Ch. 7. The reader will notice that the Jew has to be paid for defending the orphan, feeding the poor, etc. (4) Ch. 7, V. 17. A QUESTION OF MIRACLES 223 ised an everlasting liope, when we are filled with wick- edness? Why is there a paradise, and medicine, and security, and fruit, that endureth forever, since as we have walked in unpleasant places, we can not reach it ?" Then Uriel, the angel, answered : "This is the condition of the battle: man that is born upon earth shall fight. If he be overcome, he shall suflfer after death; but if he gain the victory, his face shall shine above the stars." And the angel added, "The Most High hath made this world for many; but the world to come, for few. There be many created, but few shall be saved." (5) That there might be no mistake about the many who will be lost, Esdras says, "As a wave is greater than a drop, so there be many more who perish than of them which be saved." (6) And he closes his book with this lurid warning: "Woe be unto them that are bound with their sins, and covered with their iniquities, like as a field is covered with bushes and thorns; left undressed, it is cast into the fire to be consumed." Here is where Jesus found his first Jewish authority (5) We have here the Persian idea of battle. It is the doctrine of struggle. There is no escape from the pit, except to win in the contest. He that overcometh reaches the kingdom; but if he be overcome, hell is his portion. No ante-natal defects will be considered. You must win the fight, or suffer with the damned. He that overcometh shall inherit (Rev., ch. 12, v. 17). But is the rule exactly just? The terrible law of heredity is active, and makes many a soul "blacker than darkness." It is handicapped from the beginning; and thus wages an unequal battle, and is overcome. The ancient Hindu was more wise than Esdras, who ought to have studied Manu. (6) 2 Esdras 9, v. 15. 224 A QUESTION OF MIRACLES for his heaven and his hell. Likewise here is the bud from which sprouted that hateful and abominable doc- trine of forcordination and predestination, preached by Peter and Paul. (7) Section 2. The reason that both Buddha and Jesus failed to graphically describe heaven is because they knew nothing about it. They had never visited it, except in imagination. (8) And even now, with all side lights turned on, there is no certain agree- ment about it. Some think it a kind of high-grade summer resort, where people sit by sparkling foun- tains and watch the birds of paradise in the branches of the tree of life. Others believe that Jesus will stand by Matthew's straight and narrow gate, and shake hands with every fresh arrival. (9) Paul, walking by faith, thought heaven was a great house or temple in the skies, where the just would dwell in peace forever. But before they were certain of their fate, every one was obliged to appear before the judgment seat and receive according to the deeds done in the body. (10) This is all that Paul can tell us, though he says he was caught up into the third heaven, and heard unspeakable words. (11) Jesus follows Buddha in dividing the whole world (7) Second Esdras, ch. 9: v 7 and 8. Romans, cli. 8: v. 29. First Peter, ch. 1 : v. 20. Ephesians, ch. 1 : v. 5 and 11. (8) I place no reliance whatever on John, ch. 3: v. 13, and John, ch. 6: v. 51, unless in chapter 6 we take what is said about the "bread" as figuratively meaning the gospel, the truth, (9) Matt. 7, V. 13. (10) 2nd Corin., ch. 5: v. 4. (11) 2nd Corin., ch. 12: v. 2 to 4. A QUESTION OF MIRACLES 225 into two distinct, wide-apart classes, "the well doer and the wrong doer," and he mentions the meek, the merciful and the pure in heart, who are certain to reach the happy eternal shore. (12) Buddha told his followers that their hearts must be filled with deep- felt love for every one; that pity and sympathy, far- reaching, must pervade them, and that as Brahma (God) was free from anger, free from malice, pure in mind, they, to become united with him at the death of the body, must become like unto him. The riches of this world, as Jesus viewed them, were dross, were dust, not worth caring for; and he said to his followers, "Lay not up for yourselves treas- ures upon earth, but lay up treasures in heaven, where thieves cannot break through and steal." (13) Buddha, centuries before this, had flung away a kingdom and wealth untold. And to his disciples he said, "Seek not to store wealth, or gather gain; ab- stain from the getting of silver or gold ; abstain from the getting of flocks and herds, lands and fields." (14) "Love your enemies," said the man of Galilee. (15) "Be kind to all that live," said Buddha. (16) Jesus desired that his followers should be perfect, even as their heavenly Father was perfect. (17) (12) Vol. 17, p. 100, Sacred Books of the East. Matt., ch. 5. (13) Vol. XI, p. 202, S. B. Matt. 6: v. 19 and 20. (14) Vol. XI, p. 191, Sacred Books of the East. Fo Sho, sec. 2029. (15) How a man can love his enemies is more than I can see. Even God does not love his enemies — he punishes them; and Jesus himself roasts them in a furnace of fire. (16) Fo Sho, sec. 2024. (17) Matt. 5: v. 48. 226 A QUESTION OF MIRACLES Buddha long before tliis had told his disciples to "walk in the perfect way, with steadfast aim." "Keep your hearts," he said, "carefully, and earnestly practice every good work." ( i8) "Seek ye the kingdom of God and his righteous- ness," said Jesus. "Proclaim a consummate, perfect, pure life of holiness," said Buddha. (19) Jesus, after appointing twelve disciples, selected sev- enty others, and he sent the seventy, two and two, "as Iambs among wolves," into all the cities round about, to preach the gospel. And he gave them power over devils; and if they trod on serpents and scorpions, their sting could do no harm; nothing could hurt them. Buddha, when he had sixty-one followers, called them before him and said, "Go ye now, O Bhikkhus, and wander for the gain of the many, for the welfare of the many, out of compassion for the world; for the gain and for the welfare of God and man. Let not two of you go the same way.