Chapter II - Imposition and Demonstration
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a Judas better than it did a Jesus, and this was another
a Judas better than it did a Jesus, and this was another
point through which to victimize his Teacher, and raise
himself with the people. Judas had all the world's
weapons, Jesus none of them; therefore he chose not
to defend himself before those who understood not that
defence, so "he opened not his mouth." The great
exponent of Truth and Love silent before error and
hate! They to whom he had given the highest proofs
of the science of being, misinterpreted them, and said
deridingly, "He maketh himself as God." Those
"who turn aside the right of a man before the face of
the most high," esteemed him "stricken and smitten
of God," he was "brought as a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep dumb before her shearers," and "who
should declare his generation," who in future should
say whence cometh Truth, and answer the question,
what is Truth?
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The Rabbis could not decide this momentous inquiry;
The Rabbis could not decide this momentous inquiry;
they must wait on the centuries; but the women at the
cross dared say he was right who had inspired their
devotions, winged their faith with understanding, heal-
ed the sick, cast out error, and caused those he sent
forth to say, "Even devils are subject to us through thy
name." But where were the seventy whom he had
taught, were all conspirators, save eleven; had they
forgotten his weary years of explanations and patient
waiting, all his labors of Love as day by day he taught
them the science of Life, and spake to them the Truth
of man; could they not give him even a cup of cold
water in its name, and satisfy for a moment his yearn-
ing for one proof of their fidelity to what he had
taught? From early boyhood, he had been about his
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master's business; and they about theirs; but their
master's business; and they about theirs; but their
masters were unlike; one was Spirit, and the other
matter; one God, the other man; one was Soul, the
other personal sense. He had suffered and experienced
for them, to give liberally his dear-bought bounty unto
their famine; but what was his reward? Forsaken of
all save a loving few, who knelt in woe at the scene of
his crucifixion. Peter would have smitten the enemies
of his master, but he bade him put up the sword, and
take not the world's weapons to defend Truth. Jesus
disdaining artifice or brute courage, when Truth could
not protect him from the false accusation, was able to
submit to a felon's death. His mission was to vindicate
a Principle, and not a person, while their highest ambi-
tion was the applause of man.
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Jesus could no doubt have withdrawn from his ene-
Jesus could no doubt have withdrawn from his ene-
mies, but he permitted them the opportunity to destroy
his body mortal, that he might furnish the proof of his
immortal body in corroboration of what he had taught,
that the Life of man was God, and that body and Soul
are inseparable. The opposite belief was the error he
came to destroy. Neither spear nor cross could harm
him; let them think to kill the body, and after this, he
would convince those he had taught this science, he
was not dead, and possessed the same body as before.
Why his disciples saw him after the burial, when others
saw him not, was because they understood better his
explanations of this phenomenon; he had given them
the Principle of it, in healing the sick; hence the unsat-
isfied malignity of his foes, that he was not dead, but
furnished a higher demonstration than ever of the Prin-
ciple he taught, and for which they had hoped to kill