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canonized "the Holy Saints, Barlaam and Joasaphat of India, whose wonderful acts St. John of Damascus has described." And to this hour, Buddha is worshiped as a Reman Catholic saint. CHAPTER XXI The Miracles at the Crucifixion of Jesus. Section i. It has not been my purpose to write a consecutive life of either Buddha or Jesus, but only to make some comparisons between them — the two greatest religious teachers the world has ever seen. I have heretofore passed by many interesting events in the life of Buddha, and have followed the same rule concerning the Man of Galilee. But now we reach the last and most important epoch in any one's life — the closing scene. Jesus is now about thirty-three years old, and is on his last visit to that rebellious, priest-ridden, cruel old city — Jerusalem. His bitter enemies, the Scribes and Pharisees, are there in great numbers, watching for the chance to destroy him. The last days of the month of Nisan (March) are passing, the Passover is at hand, and the disciples, as they approach the city, are filled with joy- ful emotions ; they think the Kingdom of God is about to appear, (i) But Jesus is sad; he seems to have a presentiment of his approaching fate ; there is a traitor in his camp. "One of you," he says, "will betray me." (2) (1) Luke 19: v. 11. (2) Matt. 26: v. 21. --v;5 250 A QUESTION OF MIRACLES Yonder, before him, are the indistinct outlines of wicked old Jerusalem. Jesus wept over it (^3) once before; he had said, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! thou that killest the prophets and stonest them which are sent unto thee ; how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and ye would not." (4) He is now at the Mount of Olives, and his Galileans bring a young colt and spread their garments upon it and place their Master thereon, and march forward, decorating his pathway with branches of trees and singing Hosannas as they proceed. Some even salute him as King of Israel. (5) His old enemies, the Pharisees and Sadducees, arc likewise on hand, and they insist that Jesus shall re- buke his disciples for this proceeding. He has chal- lenged the Pharisees as whited sepulchres, beautiful outward, but within, he said, "you are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness ; ye are full of de- ceit, hypocrisy and iniquity." And he added, **Ye ser- pents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?" (6) But the day of their triumph is now at hand. They are to win by treachery and bribery. Judas, a name that will go hissing down the generations — Judas, one of the disciples, an infamous wretch, for a few (3) Luke 19: v. 14. (4) Matt. 23: v. 37. Luke 13: v. 34. (5) John, ch. 12: v. 13. Matt. ch. 21: v. 5 to 10. (6) In this matter Jesus seems to have copied John the Bap- tist. Matt., V. 7. Matt. 23: v. 25 to 33. A QUESTION OF MIRACLES 251 pieces of silver resolved on the betrayal of his Master. Possibly the reproof given him at Bethany, when Mary anointed Jesus' feet, may have offended him. If so, then Judas fell by reason of two contemptible defects of character — the sinful greed of money and that other despicable vice, revenge. (7) Simon Peter, another disciple, as we shall see, was but a small grade better than the traitor Judas. Peter protested to his Lord that he was ready to go to prison and to death with him. Jesus replied : "Peter, the cock shall not crow this day before thou shalt thrice deny me." (8) A little later, when a Jewish damsel pointed at Peter and said, "This man was also with him," he flatly denied it. And when Peter was told that his speech betrayed him as a Galilean, he began to curse and swear (9) that he never knew Jesus. Then the cock crew, and Peter partially redeemed himself by weeping. But Peter was both a coward and a traitor. In short, the twelve apostles were dastardly cow- ards, every one of them, for when the Sanhedrin, as we shall see, sent to arrest Jesus, "they all forsook him and fled." (10) Even Jesus was somewhat shaken in his determination to face death, for there in Geth- semane he prayed, saying : "Father, if thou be willing, (7) John 12: v. 2 to 7. (8) Luke 22: v. 33 and 34. Matt. 26: v. 69. Mark 14: v. 70 and 71; also John 18: v. 17 to 25. (9) Mark 14: v. 17. (10) Mark 14: v. 50. Matt. 26: v. 56. 252 A QUESTION OF MIRACLES remove this cup from me ; nevertheless, not my will but thine be done." And an angel appeared from heaven strengthening him. ( 1 1 ) Section 2. It is now Thursday, the 13th of Nisan, (12) and the plot to murder Jesus under that bloody old Mosaic code is fully matured : he is to be arrested, convicted and slain as a blasphemer, cor- rupter and deceiver, (13) While the chief priests and elders are planning his murder, Jesus is in Geth- semane praying; his disciples are sleeping, but Judas is not there — the Sanhedrin having bribed him, he is leading the mob to arrest and murder his Master. "Whomsoever I shall kiss," said that traitor, "the same is he: hold him fast." (14) Then Judas kissed his Lord, and an armed mob seized and bound Jesus and led him away to Annas, the ex-high priest. (15) There was some show of resistance by the disciples, and Peter here partially redeemed himself, for he drew his sword and smote the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. But Jesus, it is said, touched the wounded ear and healed it on the spot. (16) Very doubtful about the healing of that ear ! Neither (11) Luke 22: v. 42 and 43. Matt. 26: v. 39. Doubtful about that angel. (12) Nisan (March) it must be remembered e.\teuds over into April. Nisan 13th is our April 2nd. (13) Levit. 24: v. 14 and 16. Deut. 13: v. 1 to 5. Matt. 24: V. 24. Matt. 27 : v. 63. (14) Matt. 26: v. 48. (15) John 18: v. 13 to 15. (16) Luke 22: v. 50 and 51. John 18: v. 10 to 14. Very doubtful. A QUESTION OF MIRACLES 253 Matthew nor Mark mention that heahng, and even John in his wild extravagance does not say it was healed. Then all the disciples forsook their master and fled. When brought before Annas, Jesus, on being ques- tioned by him as to his disciples and doctrines, replied : "I spoke openly to the world. I taught in the syna- gogue and in the temple: the Jews heard me. In secret I said nothing. Why askest thou me? Ask them." (17) This answer was considered so imper- tinent that one of the officers struck Jesus a blow. Annas, a warm Sadducee, here now had it in his power to release his prisoner, for he was the father-in-law to Caiphas, another Sadducee, the then high priest ; and a nod from Annas at that moment would have saved Jesus and changed the whole current of West- ern history; there would have been no crucifixion and no resurrection. But instead of releasing him, Annas sent him bound unto Caiphas, at whose house the Sanhedrin was then in session. Peter followed afar off, and it was at this supreme moment that he three times denied his Lord. (18) The Sanhedrin at once set about hunting false wit- nesses to convict their prisoner ; but the witnesses did not agree. (19) Then there came two other false witnesses, who testified : "This fellow said, *I am able to destroy the temple of God and build it in three (17) John 18: v. 19 to 24. Matt. 26: v. 55. (18) Matt. 26: v. 57. Mark 14: v. 53. (19) Mark 14: v. 55 to 64. Matt. 26: v. 59 to 66. If this be true it is the most shameful thing in all history. 254 A QUESTION OF MIRACLES days.' " (20) This implied threat against the temple was blasphemous under the old Mosaic superstition, and was punishable with death. (21 ) A little later the devout Stephen, on the evidence of suborned Jews, was stoned to death upon the false charge of speaking against Moses and the temple. Section 3. The Sanhedrin now made haste to convict Jesus of blasphemy on the perjured testimony offered before it; but it had no power to inflict the death penalty. Yet every member of it voted him "guilty of death." (22) They then blindfolded Jesus and spit in his face, and smote him on the cheek, and asked him to prophesy "who smote thee." (23) All this happened in the night-time, after Jesus was arrested. Meanwhile Judas, we are told, became con- science-smitten, repented, and brought his thirty pieces of silver to the priests and flung them down, say- ing : *T have sinned in betraying innocent blood," "What is that to us?" replied the priests: "see thou to that.