The Crucifixion 
 
 l>y An Eye -Witness 
 
THE CRUCIFIXION 
 
JESUS CHRIST. 
 
 This picture is the oldest known, found 
 
 on a Tomb in the Catacombs. 
 
THE 
 
 CRUCIFIXION 
 
 BY 
 
 AN EYE-WITNESS 
 
 A LETTER. WRITTEN SEVEN 
 YEARS AFTER THE CRUCI- 
 FIXION. BY A PERSONAL 
 FRIEND OF JESUS IN JERU- 
 SALEM. TO AN ESSEER 
 BROTHER IN ALEXANDRIA. 
 
 SUPPLEMENTAL HARMONIC SERIES 
 VOLUME II 
 
 SECOND EDITION 
 
 CHICAGO 
 INDO-AMERICAN BOOK CO. 
 
 1907 
 
 / 
 
Copyright, 1007, 
 r.Y 
 INDO-AMERTCAN BOOK CO. 
 
 Published 1907. 
 
to 
 
CONTENTS. 
 Fkontispiece. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Introduction by T. K 9 
 
 Preface by the Translator 15 
 
 Description of Jesus 23 
 
 Death- War rant of Jesus 27 
 
 PART I. 
 
 Letter from an ^^Esseer'' in Jerusa- 
 lem to his Brethren in Alexandria. 31 
 
 Closing Remarks of the German Trans- 
 lator 129 
 
 PART II. 
 
 The Order of the Essees among the 
 Jewish People 151 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 A brief explanation is due the reader 
 before he proceeds to a perusal of the most 
 interesting Letter which follows the 
 Preface to this little volume. 
 
 The English translation of the ancient 
 Latin copy of the Letter was made by a 
 German. It is evidenced on every page of 
 his translation that he was not sufficiently 
 acquainted with the English language to 
 make a good English translation. 
 
 This suggestion has reference to the 
 literary form of his work as a translator, 
 and not to the substance of the text. There 
 can be no doubt that he has preserved the 
 meaning of the original manuscript with 
 remarkable fidelity. 
 
 But in many places he has made use of 
 English expressions which are crude and 
 quite out of keeping with our present 
 understanding of cultured literary form. 
 11 
 
12 The Crucifixion 
 
 For this reason I have deemed it advis- 
 able to revise his rendition of the text in 
 such manner as somewhat to remove the 
 rough corners of his work, and present to 
 the reader the exact substance of the An- 
 cient Letter in a little better English form. 
 
 In no sense have I changed its meaning, 
 and in many places have refrained from 
 substituting my own method of expression 
 where his rendition is more or less crude 
 and lacking in elegance of diction. My re- 
 vision of his translation, therefore, is not 
 as complete as it might have been made had 
 his method of expression been discarded 
 entirely. 
 
 My purpose has been to place the exact 
 substance of the Ancient Letter before the 
 reader in such language as to make it en- 
 tirely intelligible, and at the same time 
 preserve as much of the translator's own 
 form of expression as possible. I believe I 
 have succeeded. 
 
 No changes whatsoever have been made 
 in the '* Closing Remarks of the German 
 
Introduction 13 
 
 Translator,'' nor in ^'Part II.'' My revi- 
 sion, therefore, is confined entirely to the 
 "Letter" of the Esseer in which he tells 
 his brethren in Alexandria the true story 
 of the Crucifixion, and gives them the facts 
 and incidents connected therewith, as he 
 witnessed them. 
 
 The following additional facts concern- 
 ing the German translation may be of in- 
 terest to the reader in this connection : 
 
 It was published in this coimtry in 1873. 
 For reasons which the intelligent reader 
 will doubtless understand as he proceeds, 
 the book was withdrawn from publication 
 at once upon its appearance. The plates 
 were destroyed, and it was supposed that 
 all the published copies of the book were 
 likewise disposed of. 
 
 Fortunately, however, one copy found its 
 way into the possession of a prominent 
 Mason in the state of Massachusetts. There 
 it remained securely until accidentally dis- 
 covered by his daughter some time during 
 the early summer of the present year 
 (1907). ' 
 
14 The Crucifixion 
 
 This lady, knowing my interest in things 
 Masonic, kindly sent me the copy for ex- 
 amination. I at once recognized its remark- 
 able nature and supreme value and 
 importance. 
 
 Immediately was started an inquiry 
 through a number of the most prominent 
 book houses and publishing concerns, to 
 ascertain if other copies of the little book 
 could be found. At the same time inquiry 
 was made to ascertain if the official copies 
 of the book were still on file in the Con- 
 gressional Library. 
 
 To my surprise, not another copy of the 
 book can be found, after some four months 
 of diligent search. 
 
 The most remarkable phase of the mat- 
 ter seems to be, that the official copies which 
 were deposited with the Librarian of Con- 
 gress, in compliance with the Law of Copy- 
 rights, have also disappeared. At any 
 rate, in reply to inquiry, the report comes 
 back that no such book is to be found in 
 the Congressional Library. 
 
Introduction 15 
 
 If this be true, it would then appear that 
 the copy from which the following revision 
 was made is, without doubt, the only copy 
 in existence. 
 
 To be sure, the Latin MS., from which 
 the translation into English was made, is 
 still in existence, and is in the hands of 
 the Masonic Fraternity in Germany, where, 
 no doubt, it will remain securely guarded 
 from Anti-Masonic vandalism. 
 
 The vital nature of the document cannot 
 fail to impress itself upon the intelligent 
 reader and student of religious history. 
 And it is sincerely to be hoped that it will 
 not suffer another eclipse. 
 
 TK, Author of ' ' The Great Work. ' ' 
 
 Chicago, November, 1907. 
 
PEEFACE 
 
 A member of the Abyssinian Mercantile 
 Company discovered in Alexandria an 
 ancient house, formerly occupied by Gre- 
 cian friars, in whose library — to oblivion 
 abandoned — was found an old parchment. 
 A French literate, accidentally present, at 
 once commenced deciphering it: but a mis- 
 sionary, in the ardor of fanatical ortho- 
 doxy, tried by all means to destroy the 
 antique document. But the efforts of the 
 Jesuit missionary do not seem to have been 
 successful, as a copy of the Latin original 
 was written, which copy, through the Free- 
 masons, found its way into Germany. 
 
 It has been proved from the archeologi- 
 cal discoveries made on the spot, that the 
 house where the parchment was found was 
 owned and occupied by the Order of 
 ^'Esseens.'^ Further, that the document 
 found was the only remains of literature 
 
 17 
 
18 The Crucifixion 
 
 from the once well-filled library of this 
 scientific and religious Order or Brother- 
 hood. 
 
 The French literate, who first conceived 
 the importance and historical worth of the 
 manuscript, tried hard to enrich the French 
 Academy with the original, but, owing to 
 the intrigues of the Jesuit mission in Egypt 
 (bent on destroying a document so detri- 
 mental to their doctrine), he was not suc- 
 cessful; although it was preserved princi- 
 pally through the interference of influen- 
 tial Abyssinian merchants and Pythagori- 
 cal Societies, from whom the copy above 
 spoken of came into the possession of the 
 modern institution of Freemasons, and a 
 society in Germany now possesses, without 
 doubt, the only copy in existence. 
 
 As regards the discovered antique docu- 
 ment, it consisted of a letter which the 
 so-called **Terapeut" (the elder), the high- 
 est esteemed member of the Brotherhood, 
 had written to his brethren in Alexandria, 
 in the name of the Brotherhood in Jeru- 
 
Preface 19 
 
 salem. This letter was written by him only 
 a few years after the death of Jesus, giving 
 a full description of the life, doctrine and 
 death of Jesus, who the letter proves to 
 have belonged to and been a member of 
 their Brotherhood. 
 
 Rumors of his miracles, and finally of his 
 martyrdom, had also reached Alexandria, 
 and as the brethren there had a conviction 
 that he was their brother, preached their 
 doctrines, used their sign of recognition, 
 and lived in accordance with their rules, 
 they manifested a desire to be informed on 
 the subject, as to the real truth of the 
 matter. 
 
 To obtain this information, their leader, 
 or ^ ' Terapeut, ' ' had written a letter to his 
 colleague in Jerusalem, who in reply wrote 
 the letter from which we obtain a clear and 
 truthful account of this important and in- 
 teresting subject. It is a fact, which never 
 has been doubted by those familiar with 
 ancient history, that the Esseers always 
 spoke and wrote the strictest truth; and 
 
20 The Crucifixion 
 
 this, added to their moral and scientific 
 lives, puts an end to any doubt as to the 
 correctness and genuineness of the infor- 
 mation given in the ancient discovered 
 letter. 
 
 Although not at first organized among 
 the Jews, this Order existed already in the 
 days of the ^^Maccabai''; and with them it 
 assumed more of a national outward form, 
 at the same time maintaining most of the 
 ancient pythagoraeical doctrines. Most of 
 the members were agriculturists and gar- 
 deners, and assembled together to promote 
 virtue and wisdom among themselves. Fur- 
 thermore, they devoted themselves, espe- 
 cially in the higher degrees, to the art of 
 healing, induced thereto through their 
 studies of nature and art, and were well 
 acquainted with the effects of most then 
 known plants and minerals for recruiting 
 the human system. This knowledge they 
 made useful by healing and comforting the 
 sick. 
 
 They were true communists, and all put 
 
Preface 21 
 
 their gains into the common treasury. Be- 
 fore sunrise they never spoke to each other 
 of earthly matters, but met in prayer at 
 break of day. Having taken their morning 
 meal and put on a peculiar kind of work- 
 ing clothes, they proceeded to their place 
 of work. At noon they again came to- 
 gether, and, having washed their hands and 
 feet and dressed themselves in clean white 
 robes, they ate their dinner together. 
 
 According to their moral standing and 
 ability, they were divided into four classes 
 or degrees. In the first degree were espe- 
 cially adopted children (the ^^Esseens'' 
 hardly ever married), but in case an adult 
 wished to be admitted into their Order, it 
 was necessary to go through a very severe 
 moral trial for the term of three years. 
 
 It was strictly prohibited for a member 
 of high degree to divulge any of the secrets 
 of his degree to any of lower rank. 
 
 The punishment for such a trespass was 
 expulsion from the Brotherhood. Nothing 
 but a strictly moral life, wisdom, godliness. 
 
22 The Crucifixion 
 
 and excellency in science, entitled to the 
 higher degrees. In their domestic life they 
 exercised hospitality and benevolence, kept 
 the rules of the Order strictly, and never 
 took any interest or part in politics or revo- 
 lutions. Thus they showed a thoroughly 
 peaceable disposition. 
 
 Their greeting and sign of recognition 
 was, ^ ^ Peace be with you. ' * At their meals 
 they broke the bread and passed the cup, 
 and worshipped *^ Jehovah'*; but never 
 made any sacrifice in the temple, but per- 
 formed their ceremonies in their homes. 
 They knew no higher virtue than to suffer 
 and die for their belief. Accordingly, death 
 did not terrify them, as they believed the 
 spirit a prisoner in the body, to be released 
 through death, then to return to the celes- 
 tial glory. Deceit and profanity were con- 
 sidered grave sins (as well as quarreling 
 and vengeance), and looked upon with 
 abhorrence. 
 
 This Order, of which the present Free- 
 masonry is the modern issue, was at the 
 
Preface 23 
 
 time of Jesus widely diffused through PaL 
 estine and Egypt, and had their colonies 
 scattered all over the country. They always 
 kept up a congenial fraternal feeling in 
 their meetings, and gave each other infor- 
 mation about the affairs of the Brother- 
 hood. They counted among their members 
 men of all professions and stations in 
 society, and although comprising a great 
 many learned men and rich persons (who 
 sometimes found it in their interest to keep 
 this secret), they never excluded the poor 
 nor persons in moderate circumstances. 
 
 Thus we have all reasons to credit this 
 letter, dictated by the love of truth, and 
 written by a man who had been an eye- 
 witness to most of the important transac- 
 tions in the life and death of Jesus, who, 
 as a member of their Order, was embraced 
 by them with all the fraternal devotion of 
 the Order. The Tbanslator. 
 
DESCRIPTION OF JESUS 
 
 BY HIS CONTEMPORARY, PUBLIUS LENTULUS, 
 
 WHO WAS THE PREDECESSOR OF PONTIUS 
 
 PILATE AS GOVERNOR OF JUDEA 
 
 A man of noble stature and of very 
 beautiful countenance, in which such 
 majesty resides that those who look on 
 him are forced to admire him. 
 
 His hair is of the color of a fully ripe 
 chestnut, and from his ear down his shoul- 
 ders it is of the color of the earth, but 
 shining. It is parted in the middle of his 
 forehead, after the manner of the Naza- 
 renes. 
 
 His forehead is smooth and very serene, 
 his face free from wrinkle and spot, and 
 with a slight color. 
 
 The nostrils and lips cannot reasonably 
 be found fault with. 
 
 25 
 
26 The Crucifixion 
 
 The beard is thick, and, like the hair, not 
 very long, and divided in the middle. 
 
 There is a look of terror in his grave 
 eyes. The eyes are like the rays of the 
 sun, and it is impossible to look him stead- 
 ily in the face on account of their brilliancy. 
 
 When he reproves, he terrifies ; when he 
 admonishes, he weeps. He makes himself 
 loved, and is gravely cheerful. It is said 
 that he was never seen to laugh, but he was 
 seen to weep. 
 
 His hands and arms are very beautiful. 
 
 In conversation he is charming, but he 
 seldom engages in it; and when he does 
 converse, he is very modest of countenance. 
 
 In presence he is the most beautiful man 
 that could be seen or imagined; just like 
 his mother, who is the most beautiful young 
 person that was ever beheld in these parts. 
 
 In learning he is an object of wonder to 
 the entire city of Jerusalem. He never 
 studied at all, and yet he knows all sciences. 
 
Description of Jesus 27 
 
 He wears sandals, and goes bareheaded. 
 Many laugh at seeing him ; but in his pres- 
 ence, and when speaking to him, they fear 
 and tremble. 
 
 It is said that such a man was never 
 seen or heard in these parts. In truth, as 
 the Hebrews tell me, there never were 
 heard such advices, such sublime doctrine 
 as this Christ teaches; and many of the 
 Jews hold him for divine, and they believe 
 in him, while many others accuse him to me 
 as being contrary to thy majesty. 
 
 It is acknowledged that he has never 
 done harm to any one, but good. All that 
 know him and have had dealings with him, 
 say that they have received from him bene- 
 fits and health. 
 
 The foregoing description is condensed 
 from a letter written by Publius Lentulus, 
 then Governor of Judea, to Tiberius Caesar, 
 Emperor of the Romans. 
 
DEATH-WARRANT OF JESUS 
 
 SENTENCE EENDEEED BY PONTIUS PILATE, 
 
 ACTING GOVEENOR OF LOWEE GALILEE, 
 
 STATING THAT JESUS OF NAZAEETH 
 
 SHALL SUFFEE DEATH ON THE 
 
 CROSS 
 
 In the year seventeen of the Emperor 
 Tiberius Caesar, and the 27th day of March, 
 in the city of the holy Jerusalem — Annas 
 and Caiaphas being priests, sacrificators of 
 the people of God — Pontius Pilate, Gov- 
 ernor of Lower Galilee, sitting in the presi- 
 dential chair of the prsetory, condemns 
 Jesus of Nazareth to die on the Cross be- 
 tween two thieves, the great and notorious 
 evidence of the people saying : 
 
 1. Jesus is a seducer. 
 
 2. He is seditious. 
 
 3. He is the enemy of the law. 
 
 29 
 
30 The Crucifixion 
 
 4. He calls himself falsely the Son of 
 God. 
 
 5. He calls himself falsely king of Israel. 
 
 6. He entered into the Temple followed 
 by a multitude bearing palm-branches in 
 their hands. 
 
 Orders the first Centurion, Quilius Cor- 
 nelius, to lead him to the place of execution. 
 
 Forbids any person whomsoever, either 
 poor or rich, to oppose the death of Jesus 
 Christ. 
 
 The witnesses who signed the condemna- 
 tion of Jesus are : 
 
 1. Daniel Robani, a Pharisee. 
 
 2. Joannus Eobani. 
 
 3. Raphael Robani. 
 
 4. Capet, a citizen. 
 
 Jesus shall go out of the city of Jeru- 
 salem by the gate of Struenus. 
 
 The foregoing is engraved on a copper 
 plate, on the reverse side of which is writ- 
 ten : ^ ' A similar plate is sent to each tribe. ' ^ 
 
 It was found in an antique marble vase, 
 
The Death Warrant 31 
 
 while excavating in tlie ancient city of 
 Aquila in the kingdom of Naples, in the 
 year 1810, and was discovered by the Com- 
 missioners of Arts of the French Army. 
 
 At the expedition of Naples, it was en- 
 closed in a box of ebony and preserved in 
 the sacristy of the Chartem (Certosa). 
 
 The French translation was made by the 
 Commissioners of Arts. 
 
 The original is in the Hebrew language. 
 
PART I 
 
 LETTER 
 
 FROM AN "ESSEER" IN JERUSALEM TO 
 HIS BRETHREN IN ALEXANDRIA 
 
PEACE be with you dear brethren! 
 You have heard of the things that 
 have happened in Jerusalem and Palestine 
 in general. You were right to believe Jesus 
 to be our Brother and a member of our 
 Order, of whom his friends among the Ro- 
 mans and Jewish people relate, that he 
 taught and wrought great wonders, and 
 finally suffered the death of martyrs in 
 Jerusalem. 
 
 He was born in Nazareth, by the entrance 
 to the beautiful valley into which the river 
 "Kisson" rushes down the steep declivi- 
 ties of the Mount Tabor. He was put under 
 the protection of the Order by a member 
 of our Brotherhood, by whom his father 
 and mother found a refuge on their flight 
 to Egypt. There are, as you know, many 
 of our brethren living on the borders of 
 Egypt. 
 
 In fine, Jesus was admitted into the 
 
 35 
 
36 The Crucifixion 
 
 Order at the same time with John in their 
 years of early manhood. He lived then in 
 Galilee and had just returned from a visit 
 to Jerusalem, where he was watched by our 
 Brotherhood. Jutha was the place of his 
 initiation, close by the grand castle of Mas- 
 seda, where the mountains raise their lofty 
 peaks above the surrounding country. 
 
 My dear Brethren, you may all have 
 been convinced that he has been a member 
 of our Order, as well by the doctrines he 
 has taught the people, and his signs of rec- 
 ognition, especially the baptism and the 
 breaking of the bread and passing of the 
 wine, as well as by his being baptized by 
 one of our brethren, John, in Jordan, near 
 the shore of the Dead Sea, in a westerly 
 direction — for baptism, as you know, has 
 been, since time immemorial, a sacred insti- 
 tution in our Order. 
 
 You wonder that the belief in the super- 
 natural and miracles should gain foothold 
 in our midst, when you know that we all 
 have to bear the responsibility for the ac- 
 tions of one of our members. 
 
The Letter 37 
 
 Therefore, you ought to know that the 
 rumor is like a wind. When it commences 
 it drives the pure air far ahead, but in its 
 progress it receives all vapors and mist 
 from the earth, and when it has traveled 
 some distance it creates darkness instead 
 of the clear pure air of which it was at 
 first composed, and at last consists solely 
 of the particles it has received during its 
 progress. 
 
 It is even so with the rumors concerning 
 Jesus and his fate. 
 
 Furthermore, remember that the in- 
 spired men, who have written and spoken 
 of him, were often carried away by the 
 spirit of enthusiasm, and in their devotion 
 and simplicity they believed all the things 
 told them about him by the multitudes who 
 were even more simple-minded and super- 
 stitious than they. 
 
 Bear ever in mind also that, in accord- 
 ance with our rules, the secrets of our holy 
 Brotherhood at all times remained un- 
 known to these writers, and that only our 
 
38 The Crucifixion 
 
 higher members had any knowledge about 
 the secret assistance and protection Jesus 
 received from us. 
 
 And, finally, do not forget that our rigid 
 laws prohibited us from interfering or 
 taking any active part in the councils or 
 plans of the rulers of the land. 
 
 Therefore we have acted quietly and 
 secretly, and have suffered the law to run 
 its course; at the same time we secretly 
 aided and assisted our friend in ways which 
 did not infringe the law and our rules. 
 
 Know then that Jesus was and is our 
 ''Brother,*' and himself vowed, when he at 
 Jutha was made an initiate of our Order, 
 that our Brotherhood thenceforth should 
 be to him as father and mother; and truly 
 we have proved us so in the spirit and the 
 letter of our law. 
 
 I write this to you, my Brethren, in the 
 truth and knowledge of our Brotherhood, 
 that you may know and understand the 
 truth concerning what has come to pass. 
 I tell you only of the things I know, and I 
 
The Letter 39 
 
 have seen it all with mine own eyes and 
 have taken a deep interest and an active 
 part in all these transactions. 
 
 Now, at the time that I write this to you, 
 the Jews have seven times eaten of the 
 lamb of the passover since our Brother was 
 crucified, our Brother whom we all loved 
 and in whom God was glorified. Neverthe- 
 less I have forgotten none of the things 
 I have lived to see come to pass. Indeed, 
 as true as are the words that pass from 
 my lips, and the thoughts that I write, as 
 verily do I believe from the depths of my 
 soul, that Jesus was chosen of God and 
 begotten by the Eternal Spirit. He called 
 himself the son of God, and he proved him- 
 self to us by teaching in the name of God. 
 He also lived a holy life, and was deeply 
 learned in the secrets of all the kingdoms 
 of nature. In all these things we of the 
 secret Brotherhood acknowledge God; and 
 the man among us who can say : ^ ' Behold, 
 I am of God, ' ' verily he is so ; for he that is 
 not cannot say it, not having the word in 
 
40 The Crucifixion 
 
 his heart, and not having learned it from 
 the spirit. 
 
 I will now tell you of the parentage of 
 this man, who loved all men, and for whom 
 we feel the highest esteem, that you may 
 have full knowledge of him. 
 
 He was from his infancy brought up 
 for our Brotherhood. Indeed, he was pre- 
 dicted by an *'Esseer" whom the woman 
 thought to be an angel. This woman was 
 given to many imaginings, delving into the 
 supernatural and into the mysteries of life, 
 and she found deep interest and pleasure 
 in the things she could not explain. 
 
 Our Brother, the **Esseer,'' has acknowl- 
 edged to us his part in these things, and 
 has persuaded the Brotherhood secretly to 
 search for and protect the child. 
 
 And Joseph, who was a man of great 
 experience in life, and deep devotion to the 
 immortal truth, through a messenger of 
 our Order was influenced not to leave the 
 woman nor to disturb her faith in the 
 sacredness of her experience, and to be a 
 
The Letter 41 
 
 father to the child until our Brotherhood 
 should admit him as a novice. 
 
 Thus, during their flight to Egypt, 
 Joseph was secretly protected and guided 
 by our Order and conducted as a guest to 
 the congregated Brotherhood by the Mount 
 ^^Cassius,'' at the slope of the mount, on 
 which the Eomans have built a temple dedi- 
 cated to Jupiter. The ^'Esseers" who 
 lived there were commissioned to intro- 
 duce Joseph, his wife and the child into 
 their congregation, that they might see our 
 way of worshiping and praising God, * ' the 
 Creator of all, ' ' and learn the ceremony of 
 eating the consecrated bread and drinking 
 the holy wine. 
 
 At our request they informed our 
 Brotherhood in Jerusalem how it all had 
 been done. Joseph was placed among the 
 half-circle of men on the right hand, and 
 Mary, his wife, among the women on the 
 left hand. There they, with our Brethren, 
 ate the bread and drank the wine, and all 
 together sang the holy hymns. 
 
42 The Crucifixion 
 
 Further, Joseph here vowed before the 
 elder of our Brotherhood, that he re- 
 nounced forever any claim on the child who 
 was thenceforth to belong to the Order. He 
 was then made acquainted with the saluta- 
 tion and sign of the holy Brotherhood, 
 which would enable him during his travels 
 to make himself known to these. They also 
 directed him which route to take to arrive 
 in safety. 
 
 This route was through a part of the 
 country where there lived many enlightened 
 and learned Jews who were well versed in 
 the Scriptures, and devoted to study. 
 Among these our Order has many mem- 
 bers. These were ordered to protect 
 Joseph and be hospitable to him, even be- 
 fore he arrived among them. This was in 
 the beautiful country of Heliopolis with its 
 splendid forests, and near unto the temple 
 of Jehovah, erected by Onias. 
 
 When the peril in Galilee was over and 
 the Roman ** Warns'* was pillaging in 
 Judea, making that country unsafe, Joseph 
 
The Letter 43 
 
 went to Nazareth, which is situate near by 
 the steep mount of Tabor. 
 
 But soon Archelaus brought new terror 
 over Galilee, and Joseph was persuaded by 
 our brethren to go to Jerusalem — on his 
 way passing ^'Luhem'^ — and there seek 
 protection by our Brotherhood. This was 
 duly accomplished, and at passover they 
 arrived at ''Nisan.'^ 
 
 Here I myself spoke with them. I was 
 then in the lower degree of the Order, and 
 in obedience to the command of the elder 
 carried a message to Joseph. I found him 
 to be a man of candor and wide experience 
 who spoke with great judgment and wis- 
 dom. Indeed, he exhorted Mary to describe 
 distinctly the differences between reality 
 and dreamy imagination, things as differ- 
 ent as the day is from the night, and in- 
 structed her how to quiet her mind through 
 prayer and devotion. 
 
 Her mind was filled with fiery imagin- 
 ings that often lifted her thoughts to heav- 
 enly things and made her indifferent to 
 
44 The Crucifixion 
 
 the things of the earth. In consequence she 
 strongly influenced the mind of her son to 
 the study and contemplation of immortal 
 truths. 
 
 Joseph commended her for her good 
 influence over the child. He also instructed 
 Jesus in knowledge and wisdom, and pro- 
 tected his pure mind against the power of 
 overstrained imagination. 
 
 And when the child Jesus spoke with the 
 scribes concerning holy things his doctrines 
 gave deep offense to the Pharisees in Jeru- 
 salem, in that they considered them dan- 
 gerous and incredible. 
 
 Inasmuch as the Pharisees held rigidly 
 to the traditions and details of the law of 
 Moses, they were deeply aggrieved against 
 every one who did not believe with them, 
 and who did not keep in outward form to 
 the ceremonials of their temple service. 
 
 They gave alms in the sight of the multi- 
 tudes. They taught of *Hhe kingdom of the 
 dead/* of the influence of good angels and 
 evil spirits, and of the future grand eternal 
 
The Letter 45 
 
 destiny of the Jewish people. Although 
 they had many friends among the common 
 people, and exercised great power and in- 
 fluence with them; nevertheless, the Spirit 
 of God dwelt neither in their houses nor on 
 their tongues. 
 
 But Joseph had come to be of our doc- 
 trines, and without figures or mysteries he 
 fixed them in the mind of the growing child. 
 Indeed, the child thus early was touched 
 by the miseries of the people, and they 
 were enraptured to hear him teach the 
 word of God. The Scribes knew him to be 
 from Galilee, and they despised him as 
 they despised the whole people of Galilee. 
 
 But some of our brethren went to the 
 temple, and without betraying themselves 
 through our holy salutation, kept him in 
 their midst, that they might thus protect 
 him. 
 
 When the divine child had spoken pub- 
 licly, in the temple, then were our brothers 
 apprehensive of the dangers that threat- 
 ened him ; for they knew that the Pharisees 
 
46 The Crucifixion 
 
 and the Eabbis were in private council 
 fully determined to banish him from Gali- 
 lee because of his doctrines. They there- 
 fore lured him to the synagogue of 
 Sopherim by manifesting to him an as- 
 sumed interest in the law, for they per- 
 ceived that in all his ardor and enthusiasm 
 he was influenced by nothing else. 
 
 Thus it came to pass that he was lost 
 from his father and mother in the large 
 city which then contained many people 
 from the whole country, because of the 
 passover. 
 
 Our friends, the Esseers, were informed 
 of these things, and they saw that it was 
 not safe nor wise for the child to remain 
 longer among the Pharisees, as much more 
 as a Rabbi, who had become a true friend 
 and teacher to the child, no more could be 
 present to moderate his zeal and ardor, 
 contending as he was with the immoral 
 hypocrites, as the Rabbi had gone on a 
 journey to Jericho. 
 
 Therefore we informed Joseph and his 
 
The Letter 47 
 
 wife, whom we found in double grief inas- 
 much as they at the time also had been in- 
 formed that the husband of Elizabeth, 
 Mary's friend, had died. Thus, for three 
 days Mary had been searching for her son, 
 in deep sorrow, and at the same time she 
 felt a strong desire to go and see her 
 friend. At last, on the fourth day, she 
 found her son at Sopherim, according to 
 the information given her by our Brethren. 
 
 And Nabbin, the Eabbi who had taken 
 such deep interest in the child, was a secret 
 member of our Order, and had received 
 instructions to protect him. 
 
 Thus it came to pass that Mary, her hus- 
 band and her son returned to Jutha. 
 
 Here she found her friend Elizabeth in 
 great grief, with her son, whose name was 
 John. 
 
 Here the two youths were much together, 
 and together they talked much about the 
 sacred and the divine. Oft they wandered 
 into the wildest parts of the mountain re- 
 gions. They grew to be devoted friends, 
 
48 The Crucifixion 
 
 and their attachment ripened into intimate 
 acquaintance with each other in their 
 search for truth. 
 
 John, who was the son of Zacharias, had 
 already received the doctrines of the Naza- 
 renes as regards reservedness, and he knew 
 perfectly the Scriptures and traditions, but 
 comprehended not the beautiful and the 
 exalted in this world, nor the laws of na- 
 ture, as well as Jesus. He felt great dis- 
 like for the customs of the heathens, and 
 despised and hated all tyrants. 
 
 And the time had come when Jesus 
 should be admitted into the first degree of 
 our Order. And in the valley our Order 
 had a Brotherhood, situate near the moun- 
 tain where the castle Masseda stands, and 
 the elder of our Brotherhood met them 
 there, and listened to their conversation. 
 
 He taught them that wisdom and virtue 
 are strengthened by fraternity ; whereupon 
 Jesus, in a transport of great joy, asked 
 that he might be prepared at once for ad- 
 mittance into our holy Order. The exam- 
 
The Letter 49 
 
 pie set by Jesus was followed by John, and 
 the elder offered up a prayer which made 
 Jesus a devotee of God. 
 
 According to the rules of our Order, the 
 elder now said : ' ' You shall be my breth- 
 ren as soon as you, by the next new moon, 
 shall see the glare of the fire on the moun- 
 tain where the temple is built, and where 
 you then will appear. He that is initiated 
 into our Order must at the same time dedi- 
 cate his life to the service of others. Tell 
 your father Joseph that the time is now 
 come for him to fulfil the vow he made at 
 Mount Cassius.'' 
 
 The Esseer then departed. But when the 
 child had returned to his home Joseph was 
 already remembered of his vow and of his 
 duties to our brethren. 
 
 Joseph then, for the first time, made 
 known to Jesus that he was not his father. 
 
 Together they kept secret the admission 
 of Jesus into our Brotherhood, for fear of 
 the Gaulanites. 
 
 At the appointed time they saw, in the 
 
50 The Crucifixion 
 
 evening, the fire signal ascend from the 
 mountain, whereupon they immediately set 
 forth to journey thither. When they were 
 arrived at the temple they were met by the 
 white-robed messengers sent by the 
 Brotherhood. 
 
 According to our rules, Jesus was 
 initiated into our holy Order, after the fol- 
 lowing manner : 
 
 Both were instructed and shown the 
 way to enter into the assemblage, where 
 the brethren were seated in four separated 
 groups, according to the four degrees. 
 Over the scene the crescent shed its lurid 
 glare. The two were placed before the 
 brethren. There they made their vow, the 
 brethren in their white robes placing their 
 right hands upon their breasts, with the 
 left hanging down at the side. And this 
 was done as a token that none but the pure 
 in heart shall see that which is sacred and 
 holy. 
 
 And the two vowed indifference to the 
 treasures of earth, to worldly power or 
 
The Letter 51 
 
 name, and by the brotherly kiss they vowed 
 obedience and secrecy. 
 
 And, in obedience to our custom, when 
 these two had made their vow they were 
 conducted into the lonely cavern where, for 
 three days and nights, they were subject to 
 self-examination and trial. 
 
 In the evening of the third day they were 
 again brought before the assembled breth- 
 ren to answer the questions put to them, 
 and then to pray. 
 
 Having received the brotherly kiss, they 
 were clothed in white robes, emblems of 
 sacred purity, and the trowel, emblematic 
 of the labors of our Brotherhood, was put 
 into their hands. 
 
 Having sung the sacred hymns and par- 
 taken of the feast of love by themselves, 
 according to the custom of our Order none 
 of the brethren participating, they were 
 dismissed. After this they were instructed 
 concerning the trials and the disciplines 
 through which they must pass — living in 
 the loneliness of solitude, separate from 
 
52 The Crucifixion 
 
 the world of mankind, for the period of one 
 year, at a point near the elder of the Order 
 from whom they should receive instruc- 
 tions fitting them for advancement in the 
 higher degrees of our Order. 
 
 Both grew rapidly in divine knowledge. 
 Jesus was frank and hearty of disposition, 
 but John shrouded himself in stern serious- 
 ness and solitude. 
 
 When the year of trial and self-examina- 
 tion was passed, they were again, under 
 the new moon, admitted into the Order, 
 this time as real members, and initiated 
 into the higher science. 
 
 When they had given a full account of 
 their conduct during the preceding year, 
 and acted in obedience to all the rules of 
 the Order, and performed the ceremonies 
 of singing and prayer and partaking of the 
 feast of love, they were conducted to the 
 secret chamber of worship, and there they 
 were instructed and admonished to search 
 the Scriptures. 
 
 Inasmuch as the rules of our Order per- 
 
The Letter 53 
 
 mit the admitted member either to remain 
 with the Brotherhood in secret labor and 
 fellowship, or go out into the world to 
 teach or heal, according to his election, so 
 Jesns chose to go forth teaching, while 
 John chose to become a "Terapeut," or 
 elder. 
 
 Jesus felt himself called by the spirit 
 of God, and longed to preach the doctrines 
 of our Order to the people. 
 
 Thus it came to pass that John returned 
 to Jutha, to live in solitude in the wilder- 
 ness, and Jesus returned to Nazareth. 
 
 Here he proved gloriously his virtue, and 
 fulfilled his vow to the Order. His friend 
 Lazarus had a sister Mary, who loved 
 Jesus; and he, in his heart, returned her 
 love. 
 
 But, according to the rules of our Order, 
 an Esseer is not allowed to take unto him- 
 self a wife, after his own desire, lest the 
 sacred work be thereby retarded. 
 
 And so it was that Jesus overcame his 
 love for this woman by his dutiful devotion 
 
54 The Crucifixion 
 
 to unselfish service of the Brotherhood. 
 But the struggle was hard, and at the hour 
 of their parting both Jesus and Mary wept 
 bitterly. 
 
 I have informed you of all these things, 
 my Brethren, that you shall indeed know 
 that Jesus was our Brother, and belonged 
 to our Holy Order. 
 
 Thus all doubts and imcertainties on this 
 matter must be ended. Jesus, our Brother, 
 willingly suffered death that he might 
 thereby glorify the doctrines of our Order ; 
 and the greatest reward of our virtue is 
 that we may, in like manner, be allowed to 
 sacrifice ourselves for it. 
 
 You have heard the accounts which the 
 Jews and his disciples have given concern- 
 ing him; that they have seen him in the 
 mountains and on the road after they be- 
 lieved him to be dead. 
 
 The divine providence has given us a 
 minute knowledge of these events that is 
 hidden from the people, and it is our duty 
 to inform you of the facts in reply to your 
 questions relative thereto. 
 
The Letter 55 
 
 Even as I write this, my eyes overflow 
 with tears, and I seem to see our Brother 
 in the midst of his torture and in the an- 
 guish of death; and my afflicted mind is 
 anew wounded by the recollection of his 
 majestic courage and self-sacrifice. 
 
 He was sent of God, chosen by the 
 Almighty, beloved of us all, and inspired 
 both in teaching and in the knowledge of 
 nature and its elements. 
 
 Hear then, my Brethren, what occurred 
 in Jerusalem seven passovers ago. I have 
 seen it all with my own eyes, and with my 
 lips I have kept it a secret, that the world 
 should not know it; for the Jews and the 
 heathen believe only in the things they 
 have seen with their eyes. And so they 
 have no faith in God beyond that which 
 they can conceive with their senses. 
 
 Therefore, my dear Brethren, you 
 should give praise to God that it has thus 
 come to pass. We have kept these things 
 a secret from the people, lest their belief 
 in providence should be diminished. For 
 
56 The Crucifixion 
 
 you know there are many pious and excel- 
 lent men who have recorded and remem- 
 bered the life and death of Jesus, but have 
 them only from rumors, augmented and 
 corrupted by superstition ; and from rever- 
 ence and piety they believe what they hear 
 of a beloved Master. 
 
 It was even so with those, chosen from 
 among the people, who were called disci- 
 ples of Jesus. Most of them have heard 
 the story of his life and death only through 
 tradition, as it has been told from man ta 
 man ; although there were others who were 
 present ; but these have given no informa- 
 tion concerning these important events. 
 
 In secrecy I will now inform you of what 
 I and our Brotherhood in Jerusalem have 
 seen and witnessed ; and you know that an 
 Esseer never permits aught to pass his lips 
 save the strictest truth. Every man who 
 has the gift of speech should magnify God, 
 and give manifestation of him, even as God 
 has given unto him a tongue in his mouth. 
 
 We might indeed have saved our beloved 
 
The Letter 57 
 
 Brother from the vengeance of his ene- 
 mies, if everything had not come to pass 
 so quickly, and if our laws had not pro- 
 hibited us from interfering in public 
 matters. 
 
 Nevertheless, we have saved him in 
 secret, as he fulfilled his divine mission in 
 the sight of all the universe. Indeed, that 
 a man die for his faith does not increase 
 the glory of God ; but that he, full of devo- 
 tion and divine confidence, suffer himself 
 to be subjected to martyrdom for his 
 faith; and this resolution, firmly fixed in 
 mind, constitutes the fulfilment of our work 
 in the sight of the world. 
 
 Therefore, pay good heed to what I now 
 tell you, that you may judge for yourselves 
 of the rumors that have reached you hence 
 and from Rome. 
 
 [Here is a large vacant place in the 
 document, caused by the destroying influ- 
 ence of time, the deciphering of which is 
 not possible from the still existing 
 remains.] 
 
58 The Crucifixion 
 
 The procession in which was the doomed 
 Jesus and the two thieves, wound its way 
 out of the entrance to the valley that leads 
 from Jerusalem to Golgotha, the place of 
 execution. 
 
 The women cried loudly when they be- 
 held Jesus almost sinking down under the 
 weight of the cross, and his wounds, from 
 the scourging he had undergone, bleeding 
 profusely. 
 
 Having arrived at the barren mountain 
 ridge ' ' Gileon, ' ' where nothing grows, and 
 which lay on the north side, through which 
 the lonely valley of death winds its way, 
 they halted, and Jesus fell to the ground, 
 his tortured body losing all its strength. 
 
 Meanwhile the Eoman soldiers were 
 selecting places for erecting the crosses. 
 This done, they desired to prove their sym- 
 pathy with the sufferers by giving to them 
 a drink that made them unconscious, ac- 
 cording to the custom before crucifixion. 
 This drink was made from sour wine mixed 
 with wormwood, and was called * * Toska. ' ' 
 
The Letter 59 
 
 But Jesus did not wish to die for his 
 faith and the truth as a drunkard, where- 
 fore he refused to drink of it, having knowl- 
 edge, from our Order, of the qualities of 
 the mixture, which he knew by testing it. 
 
 And the crosses being erected, the time 
 was now come when the punishment was 
 to be inflicted on Jesus. The first cere- 
 mony was to tear his clothes from his body. 
 But in order that this might be done it was 
 necessary to divest him of the soldier's 
 mantle that he wore after the scourging, 
 and put on him his own clothes, which 
 latter were then torn off his body as the 
 law requires. 
 
 Ai the request of the servants of San- 
 hedrim, the cross designed for Jesus was 
 placed in the middle, between those for the 
 two thieves, thereby denoting that his was 
 the greatest crime. They had even dis- 
 tinguished his cross from the others, for 
 although they commonly were constructed 
 in such a manner that the perpendicular 
 beam did not reach above the cross-beam. 
 
60 The Crucifixion 
 
 his was of different form, the perpendicu- 
 lar beam reaching far above the cross- 
 beam. 
 
 They then laid hold of Jesus, and, lifting 
 him up, placed him on the short stake which 
 is always put in front of each cross, that 
 the body of the criminal may rest there 
 while being tied. They tied the arms as 
 usual with strong cords, and so tightly that 
 all the blood went back to the heart, and 
 breathing was thereby made difficult. 
 
 In the same manner they tied his feet, 
 and wound half way up his legs strong 
 cords which also drove the circulating 
 blood back to the heart. 
 
 After this they drove through his hands 
 thick iron nails, but none through his feet, 
 for this was not customary. I note this 
 particularly, my dear Brethren, inasmuch 
 as it has been ruraored that he was nailed 
 through both his hands and his feet. 
 
 Thus the just hung, exposed to untold 
 sufferings, in the heat of the sun, which 
 on that day was extreme and fatiguing. 
 
The Letter 61 
 
 while the soldiers took possession of his 
 clothes, according to the custom. The cloak 
 they cut into four parts ; but the tunic was 
 woven, and could not be torn asunder, 
 wherefore they cast lots for it. 
 
 After the noonday, when the sun had 
 turned, there came throngs of people from 
 the city, drawn thither by curiosity; and 
 there were several priests present, gloating- 
 over their sinful vengeance. They derided 
 him, bowed down as he was with grief and 
 pain, and exhorted the people to mock him. 
 
 Jesus suffered quietly, directing his gaze 
 to the sky. He heard not the women of his 
 tribe from Galilee, who were standing some 
 distance away wringing their hands and 
 lamenting his, as they thought, untimely 
 death. 
 
 These sounds of anguish and lamenta- 
 tion were drowned by the noise of horse- 
 men advancing to the scene. This was the 
 high-priest "Caiaphas" with a large escort 
 of servants, who came to mock and deride 
 the crucified son of God. And even one of 
 
62 The Crucifixion ' 
 
 the crucified thieves joined with them in 
 deriding him, for he had secretly hoped 
 that Jesus would have delivered hoth him- 
 self and them through a miracle. 
 
 Now the Eomans, in derision of the Jews, 
 had fixed a tablet or plate on the cross, over 
 his head, whereon in four different lan- 
 guages they designated him ^'King of the 
 Jews.'' This deeply angered the priests, 
 but, inasmuch as they feared Pilate, they 
 exhausted their wrath by mocking Jesus. 
 
 Darkness descended over the earth, and 
 the people returned to Jerusalem- But 
 Jesus' disciples, his friends and the elders 
 of our holy Order remained on Golgotha, 
 our Order having near by a colony for wor- 
 ship and for partaking of our feast of love. 
 
 And Jesus recognized his mother among 
 the weeping women from Galilee, standing 
 close by the silent John (the Evangelist). 
 Jesus called out loudly, in the anguish of 
 his pain, citing the twenty-second Psalm, 
 praying God thereby to deliver him from 
 his sufferings. 
 
The Letter 63 
 
 There were still a few Pharisees remain- 
 ing on the mountain, who intended mock- 
 ing him, because they had expected and 
 hoped that Jesus would descend from the 
 cross, *'the worldly savior of the people' '; 
 and as this had not come to pass, they felt 
 themselves deceived and were therefore 
 angry. 
 
 The heat grew steadily more intense, 
 more unendurable, and a fire was forming 
 in the earth and air, such as is essential 
 to the purification of the elements. The 
 Esseer brethren, through their knowledge 
 of nature and its elements, knew that an 
 earthquake was coming, as had formerly 
 occurred in the days of our forefathers. 
 
 As the night approached the earth began 
 a terrible shaking, and the Eoman Centu- 
 rion became so terrified that he prayed to 
 his heathen gods. He believed that Jesus 
 was beloved by the gods. Most of the 
 frightened people hastily departed from 
 the place and returned to Jerusalem; and 
 the Centurion, who was a noble man of 
 
64 The Crucifixion 
 
 compassionate nature, permitted John to 
 conduct the mother of Jesus close to the 
 cross. 
 
 Jesus was consumed with thirst. His 
 lips were parched and dry, and the pain 
 was burning in his limbs. A soldier put 
 a sponge dipped in vinegar on a long cane 
 of hyssop, and from this Jesus quenched 
 his thirst. 
 
 As he recommended his mother to the 
 care of John, it was growing darker, 
 although the full moon should have been 
 shining in the heavens. From the Dead 
 Sea was observed to rise a thick, reddish 
 fog. The mountain ridges round about 
 Jerusalem shook violently, and the head 
 of Jesus sank down upon his breast. 
 
 When he uttered his last groan of an- 
 guish and pain, and passed away, a hiss- 
 ing sound was heard in the air; and they 
 of the Jews that still remained were seized 
 by a great fear, for they believed that the 
 evil spirits who dwell between heaven and 
 earth were proceeding to punish the people. 
 
The Letter 65 
 
 It was that strange and unusual sound in 
 the air that precedes an earthquake. 
 
 Soon the mountain began to shake, the 
 surrounding country and the city com- 
 menced to rock, and the thick walls of 
 the temple gave way until the veil in the 
 temple parted and fell from its place. Even 
 the rocks burst asunder, and the hewn 
 sepulchres in the rock were destroyed, as 
 were also many of the corpses kept therein. 
 
 And as the Jews regarded all this as ex- 
 tremely supernatural, so the Roman Cen- 
 turion believed now in the divinity and 
 innocence of Christ, and comforted his 
 mother. 
 
 Although our brethren did not dare to 
 tell the people, as it is a secret with us, 
 nevertheless they well knew the cause of 
 this phenomenon of nature, and believed in 
 their Brother without ascribing to him 
 supernatural powers. 
 
 Dear Brethren, you have reproached us, 
 in that we did not save our Friend from the 
 cross by secret means. But I need only to 
 
66 The Crucifixion 
 
 remind you that the sacred law of our 
 Order prohibits us from proceeding pub- 
 licly, and from interfering in matters of 
 state. Moreover, two of our Brethren, in- 
 fluential and experienced, did use all their 
 influence with Pilate and the Jewish coun- 
 cil in behalf of Jesus, but their efforts were 
 frustrated in that Jesus himself requested 
 that he might be permitted to suffer death 
 for his faith, and thus fulfil the law ; for, 
 as you know, to die for truth and virtue 
 is the greatest sacrifice a Brother can 
 make. 
 
 There was a certain Joseph, from Ari- 
 mathea. He was rich, and being a member 
 of the council, he was much esteemed by the 
 people. He was a prudent man, and whilst 
 he did not appear to belong to any party, 
 he was secretly a member of our sacred 
 Order and lived in accordance with our 
 laws. His friend Nicodemus was a most 
 learned man, and belonged to the highest 
 degree of our Order. He knew the secrets 
 of the **Terapeuts," and was often to- 
 gether with us. 
 
The Letter 67 
 
 Now it so happened that after the earth- 
 quake, and many of the people had gone 
 away, Joseph and Nicodemus arrived at 
 the cross. They were informed of the death 
 of the crucified, in the garden of our Breth- 
 ren, not far from Calvary. 
 
 Although they loudly lamented his fate, 
 it nevertheless appeared strange to them 
 that Jesus, having hung less than seven 
 hours, should already be dead. They could 
 not believe it, and hastily went up to the 
 place. There they found John alone, he 
 having determined to see what became of 
 the beloved body. 
 
 Joseph and Nicodemus examined the 
 body of Jesus, and Nicodemus, greatly 
 moved, drew Joseph aside and said to him : 
 *'As sure as is my knowledge of life and 
 nature, so sure is it possible to save him. ' ' 
 
 But Joseph did not understand him, and 
 he admonished us that we should not tell 
 John of what we had heard. Indeed, it was 
 a secret which was to save our Brother 
 from death. 
 
68 The Crucifixion 
 
 Nicodemns shouted: ''We must imme- 
 diately have the body with its bones un- 
 broken, because he may still be saved''; 
 then, realizing his want of caution, he con- 
 tinued in a whisper, ''saved from being 
 infamously buried. ' ' 
 
 He persuaded Joseph to disregard his 
 own interest, that he might save their 
 Friend by going immediately to Pilatus, 
 and prevailing upon him to permit them 
 to take Jesus' body from the cross that 
 very night and put it in the sepulchre, hewn 
 in the rock close by, and which belonged to 
 Joseph. 
 
 I, understanding what he meant, re- 
 mained with John to watch the cross and 
 prevent the soldiers from breaking the 
 bones of Jesus. 
 
 No corpse is allowed to remain on the 
 cross over night, and the next day being 
 Sunday, they would now take him down 
 and bury him early. 
 
 The Jewish council had already demand- 
 ed of Pilate an order to the soldiers to 
 
The Letter 69 
 
 break the bones of the crucified, that they 
 might be buried. 
 
 Soon after Joseph and Nicodemus had 
 departed, each one on his sacred mission, a 
 messenger arrived bringing the order to 
 the Centurion to take down the corpses and 
 bury them. I myself was greatly agitated 
 by this information, for I knew if he were 
 not handled with great care he could not be 
 saved, and still less if his bones were to be 
 broken. 
 
 Even John was dismayed, though not 
 from fear of the plans being frustrated, for 
 of these he did not know ; but he was deeply 
 grieved at the thought of seeing the body 
 of his friend mutilated. For John believed 
 that Jesus was dead. 
 
 As the messenger arrived I hastened to 
 him, thinking and hoping that Joseph al- 
 ready might have seen Pilate, a thing of 
 which there in reality was no possibility. 
 
 ''Does Pilate send you?'' I asked of him. 
 
 And he answered, "I come not from 
 Pilate, but from his Secretary, who acts for 
 
70 The Crucifixion 
 
 the governor in such unimportant mat- 
 ters. ' ' 
 
 The Centurion, observing my anxiety, 
 looked at me, and in the manner of a friend 
 I said to him: ''You have seen that this 
 man that is crucified is an uncommon man. 
 Do not maltreat him, for a rich man among 
 the people is now with Pilate to 
 offer him money for the corpse, that he 
 may give it decent burial. ' ' 
 
 My dear Brethren, I must here inform 
 you that Pilate often did sell the bodies 
 of the crucified to their friends, that they 
 might thus bury them. 
 
 And the Centurion was friendly to me, 
 inasmuch as he had conceived from the 
 events that Jesus was an innocent man. 
 And therefore, when the two thieves were 
 beaten by the soldiers with heavy clubs and 
 their bones broken, the Centurion went 
 past the cross of Jesus, saying to the sol- 
 diers : ' ' Do not break his bones, for he is 
 dead.'' 
 
 And a man was seen rapidly approach- 
 
The Letter 71 
 
 ing along the road from the castle of An- 
 tonia to Calvaiy. He advanced to the 
 Centurion and brought to him the order 
 that he should quickly come to Pilate. 
 
 The Centurion then questioned the mes- 
 senger to learn what Pilate wanted of him 
 at so late an hour of the night. The mes- 
 senger answered, that Pilate desired to 
 know if Jesus was indeed dead. 
 
 '^So he is." said the Centurion: ''there- 
 fore we have not broken his bones.'- 
 
 To be the more sure of it. one of the sol- 
 diers stuck his spear into the body in such 
 manner that it passed over the hip and into 
 the side. The body showed no convulsions, 
 and this was taken by the Centurion as a 
 sure sign that he actually was dead: and 
 he hurriedly went away to make his report. 
 
 But from the insignificant wound flowed 
 blood and water, at which John wondered, 
 and my own hope revived. For even John 
 knew, from the knowledge of our Brother- 
 hood, that from a wound in a dead body 
 flows nothing but a few drops of thickened 
 
72 The Crucifixion 
 
 blood ; but now there flowed both water and 
 blood. 
 
 I was deeply anxious that Joseph and 
 Nicodemus should return. At last some 
 Galilean women were seen approaching on 
 their return from Bethania, whither they 
 had brought Mary, the mother of Jesus, in 
 the care of the Esseer friends. 
 
 And among the women was also Mary, 
 the sister of Lazarus, who had loved Jesus, 
 and she wept loudly. But before she could 
 pour out her grief, and while John was 
 gazing intently at the wound in Jesus' side, 
 heeding naught else, Joseph and Nicode- 
 mus returned in great haste. Joseph 
 through his dignity had moved Pilate, and 
 Pilate, having received information as to 
 the death of the crucified, gave the body to 
 Joseph, and without taking pay therefor. 
 
 For Pilate had a great reverence for 
 Joseph, and secretly repented of the execu- 
 tion. When Nicodemus saw the wound, 
 flowing with water and blood, his eyes were 
 animated with new hope, and he spoke en- 
 
The Letter 73 
 
 couragingly, foreseeing what was to 
 happen. 
 
 He drew Joseph aside to where I stood, 
 some distance from John, and spoke in a 
 low, hurried tone: ''Dear friends, be of 
 good cheer, and let us to work. Jesus is 
 not dead. He seems so only because his 
 strength is gone. ' ' 
 
 "Wliile Joseph was with Pilate I hur- 
 ried over to our colony and fetched the 
 herbs that are useful in such cases. But I 
 admonish you that you tell not John that 
 we hope to reanimate the body of Jesus, 
 lest he could not conceal his great joy. 
 And dangerous indeed would it be if the 
 people should come to know it, for our 
 enemies would then put us all to death with 
 
 him.'^ 
 
 After this they hurried to the cross, and, 
 according to the prescriptions of the medi- 
 cal art, they slowly untied his bonds, drew 
 the spikes out from his hands, and with 
 great care laid him on the ground. 
 
 Thereupon, Nicodemus spread strong 
 
74 The Crucifixion 
 
 spices and healing salves on long pieces of 
 * ^byssus ' ' which he had brought, and whose 
 use was known only in our Order. 
 
 These he wound about Jesus' body, pre- 
 tending that he did so to keep the body 
 from decaying until after the feast, when 
 he would then embalm it. 
 
 These spices and salves had great heal- 
 ing powers, and were used by our Esseer 
 Brethren who knew the rules of medical 
 science for the restoration to consciousness 
 of those in a state of death-like fainting. 
 And even as Joseph and Nicodemus were 
 bending over his face and their tears fell 
 upon him, they blew into him their own 
 breath, and warmed his temples. 
 
 Still Joseph was doubtful of his recovery 
 to life, but Nicodemus encouraged him to 
 increase their efforts. Nicodemus spread 
 balsam in both the nail-pierced hands, but 
 he believed that it was not best to close up 
 the wound in Jesus' side, because he con- 
 sidered the flow of blood and water there- 
 from helpful to respiration and beneficial 
 in the renewing of life. 
 
The Letter 75 
 
 In the midst of his grief and sorrow, 
 John did not believe that life would return 
 to the body of his friend, and he did not 
 hope to see him again until they should 
 meet in ' ' Scheol. ' ' 
 
 The body was then laid in the sepulchre 
 made in the rocks, which belonged to 
 Joseph. They then smoked the grotto 
 with aloe and other strengthening herbs, 
 and while the body lay upon the bed of 
 moss, still stiff and inanimate, they placed 
 a large stone in front of the entrance, 
 that the vapors might better fill the grotto. 
 
 This done, John, with some others, went 
 to Bethania, to comfort his grief-stricken 
 mother. 
 
 But Caiaphas, although it was the Sab- 
 bath day, had sent out his secret spies. He 
 was anxious to know who were the secret 
 friends of Jesus. His suspicions had fallen 
 upon Pilate because of his having given 
 Joseph of Arimathea the body without any 
 pay, he being rich, a Eabbi and member 
 of the high council, who never had ap- 
 peared to take any interest in the case of 
 
76 The Crucifixion 
 
 Jesus previously, but who now had given 
 his own place of burial for the crucified. 
 
 And so it was that Caiaphas anticipated 
 secret plans between the rich Joseph and 
 the Galileans, and knowing that they in- 
 tended to embalm the body, he hoped there 
 to catch them, as the idea had occurred to 
 him that Joseph and Pilate were plotting 
 against the Jews. 
 
 Fear of this caused him great anxiety, 
 and for this reason he hoped to discover 
 some secret means of accusing Joseph and 
 having him thrown into prison. He be- 
 trayed this fact himself by sending late in 
 the night a number of his armed servants 
 to an obscure valley close by the grotto in 
 which lay the body of Jesus. Some dis- 
 tance from them was stationed a detach- 
 ment of the temple guard, to assist the 
 servants of the high-priest, if necessary. 
 
 But the rumor has told you that this 
 guard were Roman soldiers, which was not 
 the case. The high-priost even distrusted 
 Pilate. 
 
The Letter 77 
 
 Meanwhile Nicodemns had hastened 
 with me to onr brethren, and the oldest 
 and wisest came to confer as to the best 
 means of restoring Jesus to life. And the 
 brethren agreed immediately to send a 
 guard to the grove. Joseph and Nicode- 
 mus hurried to the city, there to fulfil their 
 further mission. 
 
 After midnight, and towards morning, 
 the earth again commenced to shake, and 
 the air became very oppressive. The rocks 
 shook and cracked. Red flames burst forth 
 from the crevices, illuminating the red 
 mists of the morning. 
 
 This was, indeed, a dreadful night. 
 Beasts, horrified by the earthquake, ran 
 howling and crying in every direction. 
 Through the narrow opening the little lamp 
 in the grotto threw trembling shadows into 
 the horrible night, and the servants of 
 the high-priest were full of fear, listening 
 to the hissing in the air and the roaring 
 and rumbling in the earth. 
 
 One of our brethren went to the grave, 
 
78 The Crucifixion 
 
 in obedience to the order of the Brother- 
 hood, dressed in the white robe of the 
 fourth degree. He went by way of a secret 
 path which ran through the mountain to 
 the grave, and which was known only to 
 the Order. 
 
 When the timid servants of the high- 
 priest saw the white-robed Brother on the 
 mountain slowly approaching, and partial- 
 ly obscured by the morning mist, they were 
 seized with a great fear, and they thought 
 that an angel was descending from the 
 mountain. 
 
 When this Brother arrived at the grave 
 which he was to guard, he rested on the 
 stone which he had pulled from the en- 
 trance according to his orders ; whereupon 
 the soldiers fled and spread the report that 
 an angel had driven them away. 
 
 When the Esseer youth had set himself 
 down upon the stone, there came a new 
 earth-shock, and a draft of air passing 
 down the grotto blew out the lamp and 
 gave place for the morning light. 
 
The Letter 79 
 
 Thirty hours had now passed since the 
 assumed death of Jesus. And when the 
 Brother, having heard a slight noise within 
 the grotto, went in to observe what had 
 happened, he smelled a strange odor in the 
 air, such as often occurs when the earth is 
 about to vomit forth fire. 
 
 And the youth observed with inexpressi- 
 ble joy that the lips of the body moved, and 
 that it breathed. He at once hastened to 
 Jesus to assist him, and heard slight 
 sounds rising from his breast. The face 
 assumed a living appearance, and the eyes 
 opened and in astonishment gazed at the 
 novice of our Order. 
 
 This occurred just as I was leaving with 
 the brethren of the first degree, from the 
 council, with Joseph, who had come to con- 
 sult how to bring help. 
 
 Nicodemus, who was an experienced phy- 
 sician, said, on the way, that the peculiar 
 condition of the atmosphere caused by the 
 revolution of the elements was beneficial to 
 Jesus, and that he never had believed that 
 
80 The Crucifixion 
 
 Jesus really was dead. And he further 
 said that the blood and water which flowed 
 from the wound was a sure sign that life 
 was not extinct. 
 
 Conversing thus, we arrived at the grot- 
 to, Joseph and Nicodemus going before. 
 We were in all twenty-four brethren of the 
 first degree. 
 
 Entering, we perceived the white-robed 
 novice kneeling upon the moss-strewn 
 floor of the grotto, supporting the head of 
 the revived Jesus on his breast. 
 
 And as Jesus recognized his Esseer 
 friends, his eyes sparkled with joy; his 
 cheeks were tinted with a faint red, and he 
 sat up, asking : ' ' Wiere am I ? ' ' 
 
 Then Joseph embraced him, folded him 
 in his arms, told him how it all had come 
 to pass, and how he was saved from actual 
 death by a profound fainting fit, which the 
 soldiers on Calvary had thought was death. 
 
 And Jesus wondered, and felt on him- 
 self; and, praising God, he wept on the 
 breast of Joseph. Then Nicodemus urged 
 
The Letter 81 
 
 his friend to take some refreshments, and 
 he ate some dates and some bread dipped 
 in honey. And Nicodemus gave wine to 
 drink, after which Jesus was greatly re- 
 freshed, so that he raised himself up. 
 
 Then it was that he became conscious of 
 the wounds in his hands and in his side. 
 But the balsam which Nicodemus had 
 spread upon them had a soothing effect, 
 and they had already commenced to heal. 
 
 After the ' ' byssus ' ' wrappings had been 
 taken off and the muckender was removed 
 from his head, Joseph spoke and said: 
 **This is not a place in which to remain 
 longer, for here the enemies might easily 
 discover our secret, and betray us." 
 
 But Jesus was not yet strong enough to 
 walk far, wherefore he was conducted to 
 the house belonging to our Order, that is 
 close by Calvary, in the garden, which also 
 belongs to our brethren. 
 
 Another young Brother of our Order 
 was dispatched at once to assist the novice 
 who had been watching by the grave of 
 
82 The Crucifixion 
 
 Jesus, to annihilate every trace of the 
 byssns wrappings and the medicines and 
 drugs used. 
 
 When Jesus arrived at the house of our 
 brethren he was faint and weak. His 
 wounds had begun to cause him pain. He 
 was much moved, in that he considered it 
 all as a miracle. 
 
 * * Grod has let me rise, ' ' he said, * ' that he 
 may prove in me that which I have taught, 
 and I will show my disciples that I do live. ' ^ 
 
 And after a little while the two young 
 men who had gone to put the grave in 
 order, came hurriedly back and brought 
 the message that the friends of Jesus soon 
 would come to seek him. 
 
 And they related how they had heard a 
 noise, when at work in the grotto, as of 
 many people coming to the fence that sur- 
 rounds the garden. When they had retired 
 yet further into the grotto, there came a 
 woman on the road from Jerusalem, and 
 when she saw that the stone had been 
 rolled away from the grave she manifested 
 
The Letter 83 
 
 great fear. She thouglit that something 
 had happened to the body, and hurried 
 away to Bethlehem. 
 
 But soon thereafter other women came 
 from Jerusalem, and approached the 
 grave. Wondering greatly, they had en- 
 tered the grave, and one of them, on look- 
 ing for the body in the place where it had 
 lain, beheld our Brother, and in terror 
 pointed him out to her companions. Wlien 
 the other Brother also came in view, the 
 women fell upon their faces, and thought 
 they had beheld angels. 
 
 And the brethren spoke to them as they 
 had been ordered by those of the first de- 
 gree, and one of them said to the women ; 
 ''Jesus is risen. Do not look for him here. 
 Say to his disciples that they will find him 
 in Galilee.'' And the other told them to 
 gather the disciples and conduct them to 
 Galilee. 
 
 This was devised by the wisdom of Jo- 
 seph, for he would not that they should 
 look for Jesus at Jerusalem, for his safe- 
 
84 The Crucifixion 
 
 ty's sake. And the brethren went out of 
 the cavern by the rear entrance, and ob- 
 served that some of the women hastened 
 on the road to Bethania, whereupon the 
 young Brothers hurried to us in the house 
 to tell us of what had come to pass. 
 
 Thus the Esseer friends pleaded with 
 Jesus to remain in concealment, for his 
 safety's sake, and to recover his strength. 
 But Jesus was moved b}^ a great desire to 
 prove to his friends that he still lived. Im- 
 pelled by this desire, and feeling himself 
 refreshed and strengthened, he asked for 
 clothes, that he might go forth among his 
 friends. He was immediately clothed in 
 the Esseer working-garb, such as our 
 brethren wear when at work. In this dress 
 he appeared as a gardener. 
 
 In the meantime the two young Brothers 
 had gone again to the grave, as their work 
 there was not yet completed. While there 
 they saw the same woman return who came 
 first to the grave, as John and Peter mean- 
 while had made known among the disciples 
 what had come to pass. 
 
The Letter 85 
 
 This woman, thus returning to the grave, 
 thought the two novices were angels guard- 
 ing the empty grave, and she wept. 
 
 One of the novices, of kindly disposition, 
 in a gentle and soothing voice spoke to the 
 woman and asked her why she wept. This 
 woman was Mary, whom Jesus had loved 
 and had been obliged to leave in accordance 
 with the laws of our holy Brotherhood. 
 
 And as she was lamenting that Jesus did 
 not lie where he had been placed before the 
 Sabbath, Jesus stood behind her, dressed in 
 the garb of a gardener. 
 
 Animated by the desire to see again those 
 he loved, and to proclaim to them that he 
 still lived, he had disregarded the advice 
 of the brethren that he remain in conceal- 
 ment, and, leaving the house, he had taken 
 the path through the garden to the rock 
 where the grave was hewn. 
 
 When Mary saw him she thought him to 
 be the gardener. But Jesus knew her, and 
 rejoicing in her love he spoke to her. Still, 
 in his weak and suffering condition, she did 
 
86 The Crucifixion 
 
 not know him. Biit when he exclaimed, * ^ O 
 Mary!" she knew him and longed to kiss 
 his feet and thereafter embrace him. 
 
 But Jesus, feeling the pain in his hands 
 and side, feared to embrace her lest he 
 might thereby injure his wounds. He there- 
 fore moved back from her as she ap- 
 proached, and said: 
 
 ^ ' Touch me not. Though I still live, yet 
 soon shall I go to my Father in heaven ; for 
 my body is become feeble and soon shall be 
 dissolved, that my death may be fulfilled. ' ' 
 
 As the woman knelt down, and with great 
 excitement fixed her eyes upon him, Jesus 
 heard the sound of approaching footsteps, 
 and, careful for his safety, hastened back, 
 placing himself behind the garden wall not 
 far from the garden of our friends. 
 
 And the two youths who were charged to 
 guard the grave, and who had been in- 
 structed to thwart the enemies' spies who 
 were seeking to find Jesus, had seen and 
 heard all this. 
 
 Meanwhile Joseph, Nicodemus and the 
 
The Letter 87 
 
 other brethren had come from the house 
 into the garden to look after Jesus and take 
 due care that he was not in peril because of 
 his great weakness. This Nicodemus feared 
 inasmuch as he had seen that the wounds 
 were more inflamed and the flesh where the 
 strong cords had been was now dark of 
 color. 
 
 When we had arrived at the entrance of 
 the garden we beheld Jesus standing behind 
 the wall and resting against it as if he could 
 go no further. 
 
 It was about this time that John hastened 
 from the city, and looking into the grotto 
 had found it vacant. For the two youths 
 had made their way to our garden through 
 the secret entrance to the grotto. 
 
 Peter also arrived, and both together 
 searched throughout the grotto for signs of 
 the body. Entering the inner part of the 
 grotto they found the muckender where the 
 novices had thrown it, whence they had fled 
 at the arrival of these two strange persons. 
 In earnest conversation the two disciples 
 hurried back into the city. 
 
88 The Crucifixion 
 
 And Jesus had slowly walked along the 
 wall until he had reached the little gate that 
 opens to the valley of Mount ''Gihon.'' 
 There he listened to the conversation of 
 some women outside the wall. When he 
 came forth and the women had beheld him 
 they believed that they had seen an appari- 
 tion. But Jesus spoke to them in order that 
 they might know that it was indeed him- 
 self. 
 
 And inasmuch as the youth in the grove 
 had said to the women that in Galilee they 
 should see him, one of them remembered 
 this and said to him : * ' Lord, shall we obey 
 the word of the angel, and see thee again 
 in Galilee?'' 
 
 This question astonished Jesus, for he 
 did not know that the brethren had in- 
 structed the novice to mention that part of 
 the country. But after consideration he an- 
 swered her and said: '*Yes, inform my 
 friends and tell them that I go to Galilee 
 and there you shall see me." 
 
 His weakness being increased, he desired 
 
The Letter 89 
 
 to be left alone, and the women departed. 
 And then it was that we, his secret protect- 
 ors, went to him and conducted him back 
 to the house that he might there rest and 
 be refreshed. 
 
 Nicodemus again tied up his wounds, 
 gave him a medical draught and admon- 
 ished him to rest himself in quiet. But 
 Jesus feared not death, and was buoyant of 
 spirit. Nevertheless his strength was gone, 
 and he soon fell into a profound sleep, 
 whereupon Joseph, Nicodemus and the 
 brethren counseled together as to how they 
 might care for his safety. For this pur- 
 pose they sent some of the brethren into 
 the city that they might learn the rumors 
 of Jesus among the people. 
 
 And strangely the rumors had told of 
 many miracles in the city. The fleeing 
 guards having tried to conceal their cow- 
 ardly fear, had circulated reports of terri- 
 ble events that had come to pass, and of 
 spirits that had burst open the grave. 
 
 And the high-priest had been told of 
 
90 The Crucifixion 
 
 these things, and he knew not what to 
 think. He feared lest the miracle would 
 excite the people, for the women, and even 
 the men, had been too excited thereby to 
 keep it a secret, and the people already 
 were busy discussing the subject. 
 
 Therefore, Caiaphas gave the guard 
 money, that they should report that his 
 friends had stolen the corpse, that they 
 (the disciples) might say he was risen, and 
 thus delude the people. 
 
 And all day Jesus remained in his pro- 
 found slumber, and was thereby filled with 
 renewed life. It was evening when he 
 awakened. His wounds were now less pain- 
 ful, inasmuch as the balsam which Nico- 
 demus applied had produced a soothing ef- 
 fect. He was in good spirit, and with 
 thankful heart he saw that his friends 
 watched over him. Without assistance he 
 rose from his couch, and, being hungry, 
 asked that he might have food. 
 
 Having refreshed himself, he said : 
 **Now that I am strong again it behooves 
 
The Letter 91 
 
 me that I no longer remain in concealment. 
 For a teacher should be among his people, 
 and a son embrace his mother.'' 
 
 Joseph answered him and said: ''The 
 Brotherhood is father and mother to thee 
 now, according to its promise to thee, and 
 it is therefore the duty of the Brotherhood 
 to protect thee as its beloved child. ' ' 
 
 And Jesus said: ''I fear not death, for 
 I have fulfilled it, and the enemies shall 
 acknowledge that God has saved me, and 
 wills not that I die eternally. ' ' 
 
 Then one of the elders of the Brother- 
 hood said: *'Thou art not safe in this 
 country, for they will search after thee. 
 Do not, therefore, go any more among the 
 people to teach, for what thou hast taught 
 will live among thy friends forever, and 
 thy disciples will publish it to the world. 
 Eemain, I pray thee, dead to the world. 
 The Brotherhood has brought thee back to 
 life through its secrets, therefore live 
 henceforth for our holy Order to which 
 thou art bound. Live in the seclusion of 
 
92 The Crucifixion 
 
 wisdom and virtue, unknown to the world. 
 "We will secretly teach and assist the dis- 
 ciples among the people, and they shall re- 
 ceive encouragement and help from the 
 holy Brotherhood. And if the time shall 
 come when thou shouldst again go out 
 among the people, we will send for thee 
 and inform thee." 
 
 But Jesus, in the ardor of his sacred en- 
 thusiasm, said : ' ^ The voice of God is more 
 powerful within me than is the fear of 
 death. I will see my disciples once more, 
 and will go to Galilee. ' ' 
 
 Then the elder said: ^'Be it so, as God 
 has called you; but it behooves men that 
 they be wise and cautious in good things. 
 Therefore, some of our brethren shall go 
 with thee, and protect thee through the 
 power of our connections in Galilee.'^ 
 
 But Nicodemus did not approve of this 
 journey, for he knew that the body of Je- 
 sus was weakened, though his soul was 
 strong in its courage. And the faithful 
 physician therefore entreated him not to 
 
The Letter 93 
 
 go lest he thereby make impossible his re- 
 covery. 
 
 But Jesus answered: "Be it fulfilled 
 that is to be.'' And Joseph wondered 
 greatly at the spirit of Jesus, and more 
 than ever believed in his great promises. 
 
 When evening had come Jesus started on 
 his journey, and he wished to go alone. 
 It being cold, the brethren gave him a warm 
 mantle in which he wrapped himself that 
 the officers of the city might not recognize 
 him. 
 
 And the brethren admonished him to 
 stop only with the Esseer friends, and be- 
 cause of the feast not to travel on the high- 
 way. Therefore Jesus was persuaded to 
 go by the way of Bethania and the Ephra- 
 imitical mountain, where Samaria borders 
 on upper Galilee to the north. 
 
 Jesus went forth upon his journey, and 
 when he was gone the brethren blessed his 
 undertaking; but, advised by Joseph, they 
 sent a novice to follow him and on the way 
 secretly inform the Esseer friends. 
 
94 The Crucifixion 
 
 Of all that has come to pass our friends 
 have kept us fully informed. 
 
 While Jesus was journeying on the road 
 to Emmaus, a few hours ' travel hence, his 
 soul was filled with inspirations over the 
 new life, and he spoke in a loud voice, so 
 that our messenger could hear that it was 
 of the prophecies of Daniel he was speak- 
 ing. 
 
 Two men were traveling the same road 
 from Jerusalem, and as they walked more 
 rapidly than Jesus, they soon overtook him. 
 
 Jesus said to them: ** Peace be with 
 you.'* At first he believed them to be Es- 
 seer friends, but soon thereafter he rec- 
 ognized them as two of his own friends 
 from among the people, who often had 
 heard him teach. They gave no heed to 
 the quiet traveler. But he heard them 
 speak of his death, and of the deep de- 
 spair of his disciples. And from their 
 words he conceived that his doctrine and 
 his teachings were in danger of being de- 
 stroyed and lost, by reason of the despair 
 
The Letter 95 
 
 of his friends, who were without a leader 
 to keep them from being scattered. 
 
 When one of these travelers lamented 
 that the prophecy had not been fulfilled 
 and that Jesus had not risen from the dead, 
 Jesus spoke with ardor, and the two dis- 
 ciples were greatly interested in what he 
 said, for it appeared to them that they 
 had heard the same teachings before. 
 
 At the place in their journey where the 
 two disciples stopped they detained Jesus 
 when he desired to go farther on alone and 
 in the night time. And at the common 
 feast of love, in the house where they had 
 stopped, the two disciples recognized Je- 
 sus; but he did not wish to be known in 
 this place. He therefore, unobserved, 
 passed out through the door and went to 
 the house of the Esseer friend to whom 
 he had been recommended. 
 
 Meanwhile the two disciples retraced 
 their steps to Jerusalem to carry to their 
 friends there the news of the risen one. 
 Here they found Peter, and with him John. 
 
96 The Crucifixion 
 
 But the Esseer friends met together and 
 counseled what they were further to do. 
 There was with them also the youth that 
 our Order had sent to follow Jesus. 
 
 And Jesus conceived that he immediately 
 must return to Jerusalem to reanimate the 
 hope of his friends and correct the report 
 given out by the two disciples who so hur- 
 riedly had returned to Jerusalem. 
 
 The Esseer friend gave him a beast of 
 burden that he might mount and thus 
 travel the more easily, and the novice whom 
 we had sent accompanied him and walked 
 by the side of the animal. 
 
 And thus it came to pass that, soon after 
 the arrival of the disciples, Jesus came to 
 the well-known home where our friends 
 used to meet together. Jesus gave the 
 sign by which the bar fell from the door 
 by the hand of the doorkeeper, for the dis- 
 ciples were then in secret council. 
 
 When Jesus heard how his followers 
 spoke of his resurrection, and were consid- 
 ering if it were possible, he came forward 
 
The Letter 97 
 
 among them, and as they did not know him 
 at first, they were alarmed, not knowing 
 that the door had been opened. 
 
 But Jesus spoke to them, comforted 
 them, and proved to them that he was 
 really flesh and bones. Thereupon they 
 joyously surrounded him, touched his 
 hands, and Jesus leaned upon the breast 
 of John, being faint from the fatigue of 
 the journey. 
 
 After he had rested Jesus still more fully 
 proved to his friends that he lived as do 
 other people, by asking for food. Inas- 
 much as the friends had already eaten, 
 there was left some bread, honey and fish, 
 of which he ate and refreshed himself. 
 
 Thereupon he admonished them that they 
 fulfil the work he had undertaken and not 
 give up but be of good cheer. And he 
 blessed them and said to them that he could 
 not disclose to them where he should go, 
 and that he should go alone, but that when 
 they should want him he would come to 
 them, for he yet had much to say to them. 
 
98 The Crucifixion 
 
 Outside the door the novice was waiting 
 with the animal, and when Jesus came forth 
 he directed the novice to conduct him to 
 the quiet dwelling of the Es seers. But an- 
 other Esseer youth had come to seek in- 
 formation of him in Jerusalem, and the 
 two now carried Jesus between them, as 
 he was still weak and faint from the fa- 
 tigue he had endured on his journey. 
 
 After much effort and many difficulties 
 they brought him in the night time to the 
 Brotherhood, to the house of the elder, 
 which is located a few stadis from Jeru- 
 salem and close by Olive Mountain. 
 
 Here Jesus was placed on a soft bed of 
 moss, where he soon fell into a profound 
 slumber. And the Esseer youths hastened 
 to Joseph, Nicodemus and the other Esseer 
 friends to inform them of what had oc- 
 curred. 
 
 Before the dawning of day a council was 
 held that they might further protect Jesus, 
 he having returned to Jerusalem so openly, 
 for the sake of the holy Spirit, that he 
 
The Letter 99 
 
 might strengthen his followers in their 
 work. And with one accord they deter 
 mined that no time should be lost, the 
 priests in the city having their secret spies 
 who were trying even to entrap his dis- 
 ciples. 
 
 It was in council agreed that he immedi- 
 ately must depart hence, that he might not 
 be discovered, and that he should return 
 to the quiet valley not far distant from 
 Jutha and the castle of Masseda, where 
 there is a wild and mountainous country. 
 Here Jesus had lived before, together with 
 John the physician, with whom he was ad- 
 mitted to the holy Order of our Brethren. 
 This was considered also a safe place in 
 that many Esseers lived there. 
 
 ^Hiile they yet were in council consid- 
 ering, Jesus awoke from his refreshing 
 slumbers, and wondered greatly to see 
 that he was surrounded by his brethren. 
 But Joseph and Nicodemus beseeched him 
 that he save himself and not again permit 
 himself to fall into the power of the priests. 
 
100 The Crucifixion 
 
 Joseph even told him that it had come to 
 him that Caiaphas had fixed his suspicions 
 upon him, that he, with the Gralileans, 
 formed a secret plot to overthrow the pres- 
 ent condition of things, and that Caiaphas 
 would demand of him an explanation why- 
 he had laid Jesus in his own tomb. 
 
 He had suspicion even on Pilate that 
 he had secretly contrived with me, because 
 that he had given the supposed corpse to 
 me without receiving pay therefor. 
 
 And as Joseph persuaded Jesus, with 
 much ardor, to comply with his wishes, and 
 as all the elders supported him, Jesus an- 
 swered : 
 
 '^Be it so; but I conjure you to encour- 
 age my disciples. Help and protect them 
 and tell them that they shall have no 
 doubts, for I am with them still in body 
 and spirit. '' 
 
 And Joseph entreated him that he take 
 further rest, as Nicodemus had expressed 
 fear lest the excitement and enthusiasm 
 of Jesus would endanger and not help his 
 
The Letter 101 
 
 martyred body. For even if the wounds 
 in his hands were beginning to heal, and 
 the wound in his side emitted no more 
 humor, his body was still weak and easily 
 affected by the excitement of his mind. 
 But, having slept, he for the immediate 
 present felt himself refreshed. 
 
 After further consideration Jesus said: 
 ^^If my disciples are not convinced that 
 I really live, and if I do not go forth among 
 them, they will think me an apparition 
 and a delusion of their imagination. ' ' 
 
 Joseph answered him and said: "Let 
 us advance John to the higher degrees of 
 our Order, that he may be convinced of 
 thy living, and may execute thy directions 
 and inform the other disciples concerning 
 thee." 
 
 But the elders of the brethren were not 
 willing that John should be admitted into 
 all the secrets, inasmuch as he was yet 
 only in the lowest degree, and they feared 
 that in his ardor he might inform others 
 that Jesus was here. 
 
102 The Crucifixion 
 
 Wliile they were yet in coiincil consid- 
 ering, a novice of onr Order arrived, who 
 had been sent to the city. He reported that 
 John, with his friends, had hastened to 
 Bethania to comfort the women in Lazarus ' 
 house, and inform them that Jesus was 
 yet alive and had rested upon his bosom. 
 
 And John had wondered that Jesus had 
 not directed him to go to Galilee, as he 
 had ordered the women to do. He did not 
 think, therefore, that it was the intention 
 of his Master, and that the disciples ought 
 to wait for coming events. 
 
 And Jesus remained all that day with 
 the Esseer friends; but when night came 
 on we all departed by the secret road — 
 Joseph, Nicodemus and the elders of the 
 Order — and having passed the valley of 
 Eephaim, we arrived at Masseda at the 
 breaking of day; and following a narrow 
 path known only to the Esseers, we came 
 at last to the brethren in that wild valley. 
 
 Here the elder provided for Jesus. And 
 when Joseph and we others were about to 
 
The Letter 103 
 
 depart Jesus gave us his word that he 
 would remain there until the Father should 
 call him to fulfil his mission. 
 
 And each day the brethren sent a mes- 
 senger to us to inform us of the health of 
 our dearly beloved Brother. And we were 
 told that Jesus had rested a number of 
 days, but that his heart was sad and sorely 
 aflaicted with melancholy thoughts. 
 
 This was the same valley where he had 
 wandered with John, his beloved compan- 
 ion, and with whom he had been initiated 
 into our holy Order. 
 
 And Jesus meditated on that John who, 
 as a physician, had founded a school and 
 had baptized, had been slain by the ene- 
 mies, while he had been saved by the hand 
 of God, wherein he saw the command of 
 God that he should not rest, in that his 
 body had been restored to him for some 
 purpose. 
 
 By this thought his mind was oppressed 
 and overwrought, and as he came to the 
 place where he and John had solemnly 
 
104 The Crucifixion 
 
 vowed that they would die for truth and 
 virtue, he felt that he was called to follow 
 the mission in the cause of which his 
 friend had died. 
 
 And Jesus went every day to this blessed 
 spot, and refreshed his body, viewing the 
 splendors of nature. And he selected a 
 place whence he could see the high tower 
 of Masseda toward the west, shielded from 
 the morning and the noonday sun by lofty 
 mountains, whilst on the other side the 
 view was unobstructed and he could see 
 far away over an open country toward the 
 sea and the valley of Sittim. 
 
 But the elder of the Brotherhood left 
 him not alone, inasmuch as he had ob- 
 served that Jesus often would lie in pro- 
 found re very, and that the longing to be 
 among his disciples would overcome all 
 care for his own safety. 
 
 About this time it came to pass that our 
 brethren of the Brotherhood in Jerusalem 
 remembered the promise they had made to 
 Jesus to protect his disciples and strength- 
 
The Letter 105 
 
 en them in their belief in the resurrection 
 of their Master. It had come to them that 
 not all of the disciples were convinced of 
 the resurrection of their Master. And one 
 of them that doubted was Thomas, a deep 
 thinker, who had received his education 
 from the Esseer brethren. Because of this, 
 he possessed profound knowledge in the 
 secret powers and processes of nature. Ac- 
 cording to nature *s laws he explained all 
 the things that had come to pass, and he 
 believed that there was no miracle ; for, as 
 an Esseer, he was raised above supersti- 
 tion. 
 
 Jesus confided in him and told him his 
 mission, and Thomas believed in him and 
 saw that his mission was one of great im- 
 portance. This Jesus did in that Thomas 
 was a man of clear vision and strong rea- 
 son, excitement and passion being unknown 
 to him ; and with jDatience and great perse- 
 verance he tried all things before his mind 
 would be convinced. 
 
 And when the disciples were together 
 
106 The Crucifixion 
 
 in their secret place of meeting Thomas 
 was with them, and he reasoned with them, 
 not believing that a man can rise from the 
 grave. 
 
 But John had himself seen and felt Je- 
 sus and held him on his breast. Neverthe- 
 less, Thomas would not be convinced, even 
 though he believed in the prophecies of 
 the prophets and that they would surely be 
 fulfilled. 
 
 For, dear Brethren, the Jews hoped to 
 see the Messias come in the manner Elias 
 had proclaimed. 
 
 And as our Brotherhood had promised 
 to report all, especially as the disciples 
 themselves did not agree, it was to be feared 
 that their ardor in the good cause would 
 diminish. We therefore sent two youths 
 to the valley at Masseda to inform the 
 brethren that thev might counsel with Je- 
 sus. 
 
 When Jesus heard these things his heart 
 was filled with a great desire to leave the 
 solitude and show himself once more to 
 his disciples. 
 
The Letter 107 
 
 And as the messenger had reported that 
 Thomas would not believe that Jesus was 
 still alive, except he could feel his hands 
 and the wound in his side, Jesus no longer 
 could restrain his desire, and even the elder 
 counseled him to go and convince them. 
 
 This came to pass on the seventh day 
 that Jesus had been in concealment. 
 
 And thus it happened that our brethren 
 went with Jesus. And on the eighth day, 
 when the disciples were together in Jeru- 
 salem, Jesus went forth among them, and 
 Thomas was convinced. 
 
 Having accomplished this, Jesus spoke 
 to his disciples and admonished them, for 
 his own sake, that they were not safe. He 
 also exhorted them to faith and to be of 
 one accord. But he could not tell them 
 when or where to meet him in Galilee, in- 
 asmuch as he had first to consider thereon. 
 
 After this he departed from them in the 
 evening, and John went with him. And 
 outside the house there was an Esseer 
 youth who desired to commit himself to 
 
108 The Crucifixion 
 
 the service of Jesus. And Jesus sent him 
 to report that he was in Bethania. 
 
 Thereupon Jesus crossed Kidron with 
 John as his companion. The night was 
 beautiful and clear, and the moon shed a 
 dim radiance over the scene. 
 
 At Gethsemane Jesus rested by the wall 
 and spoke with John of his martyrdom 
 and sufferings. Having received informa- 
 tion of his disciples, he sent John forward 
 to the house of Lazarus in Bethania, that 
 he might annoimce his coming and learn if 
 he there would be safe. 
 
 Immediately thereafter Jesus went into 
 the house to see his mother and his friends. 
 
 After having thanked God that they 
 were permitted once more to see each oth- 
 er, they ate and refreshed themselves to- 
 gether. On the following day he remained 
 with them, comforting them and exhorting 
 them that they believe in the truth. He 
 warned them of their false expectations, in 
 that they had come to think that he would 
 forever remain with them. 
 
The Letter 109 
 
 He told them that it now was time that 
 he should go, as the night was at hand. He 
 said to them that he would hasten to Gali- 
 lee, there to strengthen his disciples that 
 they persevere in the good work. 
 
 But even while Jesus was inBethania dan- 
 gers were threatening him. Caiaphas, the 
 high-priest, had been informed that Jesus 
 had been seen in Jerusalem. And he had 
 spread the rumor that the disciples had 
 stolen the body of Jesus, and had invented 
 a miraculous story. 
 
 But there were many among the people 
 in the city who believed that Jesus had 
 risen by the hand of God, and these com- 
 menced to complain of the injustice done 
 to him, and to believe in his doctrines. 
 
 And the high-priest feared a revolution 
 among the people, and believed that the 
 Galileans were intending to overthrow the 
 government and set up a new ruler. He 
 was therefore suspicious and watchful. 
 
 In the evening of the same day came 
 Nicodemus to our Brotherhood and brought 
 
110 The Crucifixion 
 
 to us the information that Joseph of Ari- 
 mathea had been arrested, and that they 
 falsely attributed to him criminal pur- 
 poses, in that he had been in secret associa- 
 tion with Jesus. Whereupon great anxi- 
 ety arose among our brethren, for we 
 feared that also Jesus had been arrested, 
 inasmuch as he had not been seen by any 
 of us since the evening when he convinced 
 Thomas. 
 
 Our elders thereupon met in council, 
 wherein it was agreed that we should 
 search for Jesus, and use all efforts to lib- 
 erate Joseph. 
 
 Two of our brethren were commissioned 
 to array themselves in their white holiday- 
 garb and search for Jesus in Bethania, as 
 Jesus had informed the Esseer youth that 
 he would go thither. 
 
 And as they came to Bethania in the 
 evening, and in the moonlight saw the 
 house of Lazarus not far distant, they met 
 with a man on the secret road who care- 
 fully scanned the road. But the Esseers 
 
The Letter 111 
 
 knew him, and they asked of him if Jesus 
 was at his house. For this was Lazarus, 
 and having recognized our brethren, he 
 acknowledged that it was even so, and that 
 Jesus intended that very night to go to 
 Bethania, and therefore he had examined 
 the secret road to see if it were safe. 
 
 The brethren were conducted into the 
 house. Here, in a small secluded room, 
 they spoke with Jesus. And when the 
 brethren had told Jesus of the arrest and 
 danger of Joseph, Jesus recommended him 
 to the protection of the Order, prayed to 
 God, and thereafter sent John to Jerusa- 
 lem that he might warn his disciples of 
 their danger. 
 
 Having taken leave of the women, we 
 were accompanied by Lazarus as far as 
 Gilgad. Thence he went further on alone 
 in the night, and in the early morning he 
 had come to the river Jordan, in the place 
 where through John he was baptized by 
 the Order. 
 
 Our holy Brotherhood in Jerusalem was 
 
112 The Crucifixion 
 
 now planning how to liberate Joseph, 
 whereto we were in possession of many 
 secret means. 
 
 And John had warned his friends, the 
 disciples, as he had been ordered. And 
 the next morning they went in great num- 
 bers to the border of Galilee. Arriving 
 there, they asked, one from another: 
 "Whither shall we go? Our Master has 
 fixed no time nor place." 
 
 And they thought of their homes 
 from which they had so long been sepa- 
 rated, and as they were considering 
 whether they would search for Jesus in 
 Nazareth or in Capernaum, Peter said: 
 ''Let us provide for sustenance, and not 
 be idle ; but let us work till the Master shall 
 call us to a higher labor." 
 
 After hearing what Peter had said, they 
 resolved to resume their former trades, 
 and Peter repaired to Bethsaida, where 
 some of the others also arrived before 
 many days, to assist him and receive his 
 counsel. 
 
The Letter 113 
 
 And Peter was a skillful fisherman, and 
 he invited the others to go with him to 
 sea in the evening. 
 
 Jesus traveled each day but a short dis- 
 tance, and on the way stopped only with 
 the Esseer friends who lived in the valleys. 
 And these brethren were well informed by 
 the Brotherhood in Jerusalem of all that 
 happened to us, and from these Jesus 
 learned that Joseph had been liberated 
 from prison and was on the way to meet 
 him. 
 
 And when Jesus declared that he would 
 go forth in Galilee into the places where 
 he had been known before, the Esseer 
 friends entreated him that he should not 
 do this, and explained the many dangers 
 that were about him. 
 
 . And Jesus heeded them, and reflected as 
 to the place where he would meet with his 
 disciples. And he selected a safe and lone- 
 ly place where he was not known and where 
 there was opportunity for his disciples to 
 dwell. 
 
114 The Crucifixion 
 
 But the Esseer friends had been advised 
 by the elder of the Brotherhood in Jeru- 
 salem to choose for a place of meeting the 
 lonely valley at the foot of Mount Karmel, 
 for the country is beautiful, and there live 
 many Esseers. The valleys abound in pow- 
 erful herbs, and the odors they give forth 
 are healthful to the wanderer. 
 
 From this place our Brotherhood re- 
 ceives the herbs its physicians use in medi- 
 cines. The clear water runs sparkling 
 from the rocks. These rocks contain many 
 caverns in which dwell they who seek the 
 solitude. 
 
 And when the Esseer brethren advised 
 Jesus to go to this country, he remembered 
 how the prophets of old were said to have 
 lived in the same places, Elias as well as 
 Elisha. 
 
 And so it was that his mind was made up 
 to go thither, for there he could teach his 
 disciples without fear that his enemies 
 would find his dwelling place, for in this 
 country lived only members of our Order, 
 our brethren. 
 
The Letter 115 
 
 But Jesus desired that none of tlie breth- 
 ren should accompany him, and so he jour- 
 neyed alone the road to Bethsaida, there 
 to remain with Simon, who was one of his 
 disciples. 
 
 Arriving in the early morning at the 
 shore of the Sea of Galilee, he there found 
 a hut which Peter had built for his own 
 convenience in the pursuit of his trade. 
 And he found there Peter, and with him 
 John, and they were fishing. Here Jesus 
 refreshed himself, partaking with them of 
 the feast of love. Here he learned that all 
 the disciples had agreed to come together 
 in Bethsaida that they might there counsel 
 together what to do. 
 
 But Jesus called them to Mount Karmel, 
 as he had promised the Esseers. And on 
 the evening of the next day Jesus again 
 pursued his journey. 
 
 Having rested and refreshed himself 
 some days at the foot of Mount Karmel, 
 Jesus was prepared to teach again. Here 
 his disciples came, bringing with them 
 
116 The Crucifixion 
 
 many of his followers ; for here in this lone- 
 ly valley they were safe from danger, and 
 the account of the resurrection of Jesus 
 had created great excitement in Galilee. 
 
 But many of those who came were moved 
 only by the spirit of wonder. They had 
 come, therefore, to see Jesus do wonders 
 and perform miracles. Others hoped for 
 the coming of the new kingdom of Messias, 
 and the deliverance of the Jews from the 
 Romans. 
 
 Jesus was sorely grieved in his heart 
 by these interpretations of his mission, for 
 often had he spoken of these things, saying 
 to his disciples that it was not meet that 
 the Son of God should be clothed with 
 worldly power and splendor. 
 
 But the Esseer brethren understood and 
 did not share in these errors, for they well 
 knew that according to the laws of the 
 Order which he had vowed to keep, our 
 brethren can take no part in matters of 
 state, nor aspire to worldly power. 
 
 And the people, desiring much to see Je- 
 
The Letter 117 
 
 sus, were informed by the disciples that 
 the meeting would take place early in the 
 morning. 
 
 Jesus descended from the summit of the 
 mountain, where the fog assumed a red- 
 dish color from the sun. And because he 
 wore the white robe of the Esseer Order, 
 the people believed him to be a supernat- 
 ural being, and they threw themselves 
 down, with their faces to the ground. And 
 many of the people were terrified, and drew 
 aside out of his way. 
 
 And Jesus spoke with a loud voice, say- 
 ing that he had not come to found a school, 
 but the kingdom of God on earth, through 
 wisdom and virtue. 
 
 And he instituted baptism, and disclosed 
 to his disciples the knowledge he had 
 learned from the elders, how to heal the 
 sick, determine the virtues of minerals and 
 herbs as medicines, make harmless the sav- 
 age beasts, counteract the destroying ef- 
 fects of poison, and many other things. 
 
 And the disciples and the people that 
 
118 The Crucifixion 
 
 had come with them, remained many days 
 in the valley, and Jesns taught them how 
 they should live and preach the doctrine 
 in his name. 
 
 But the Esseer brethren were informed 
 by the elder of the Brotherhood in Jeru- 
 salem that the secret messengers of the 
 priests and the grand council had been 
 told of the excitement in Galilee, and that 
 many people had repaired to the valley of 
 Mount Karmel. 
 
 And the brethren warned Jesus of his 
 danger, that he might avoid his enemies 
 and thus fulfil his mission. For they had 
 been secretly informed that Caiaphas in- 
 tended quietly to arrest and assassinate 
 Jesus, in that he believed him to be a de- 
 ceiver. 
 
 Jesus thereupon sent away his hearers 
 and told them that if they would speak 
 with him thereafter they must go thence 
 to Bethabara, where he would await them. 
 
 Having spoken much to the people and 
 taught them, he was weary and in need of 
 rest. 
 
The Letter 119 
 
 And the time came when the Esseers 
 partake of their feast of love. And all the 
 brethren in the valley assembled in the 
 house where Jesus dwelt. Joseph of Ari- 
 mathea and Nicodemus and we the elders 
 of the Brotherhood in Jerusalem departed 
 to be together with him. 
 
 But Jesus was yet weak from his suffer- 
 ing, and his great joy at seeing again his 
 beloved friends, Joseph and Nicodemus, 
 caused him great excitement. And he 
 spoke much concerning his death. 
 
 '^Do not misapprehend me if I have not 
 in everything lived according to the rules 
 of our Brotherhood. For if I had labored in 
 secret, as you have done, the truth would 
 not now be known to the multitudes. 
 
 "Even in public can the wise practice 
 wisdom, the chosen virtue." 
 
 And Jesus exhorted the brethren to lay 
 aside their secrecy and go forth among 
 the people, and unite with his disciples to 
 teach together with them. 
 
 And the words he spoke took root in the 
 
120 The Crucifixion 
 
 hearts of many of the brethren, and there- 
 fore I now find many of them witness for 
 Jesus, and have left their solitude. 
 
 And Joseph spoke to Jesus, saying: 
 
 ^'Knowest thou that the people who do 
 not altogether understand your doctrine, 
 are meditating to proclaim you a worldly 
 king, to overthrow the Romans ? But thou 
 must not disturb the kingdom of God 
 through war and revolution. Therefore 
 choose the solitude. Live with the Esseer 
 friends and be in safety, that your doc- 
 trine may be proclaimed by your dis- 
 ciples.^' 
 
 But the elders of the Brotherhood were 
 reflecting that it would cause great excite- 
 ment among the people if Jesus were thus 
 to disappear like the sun in the evening, 
 and not reappear. 
 
 But Jesus feared that the words of Jo- 
 seph might prove true, and he would not 
 suffer that blood should flow for his sake, 
 nor that revolution should cause destruc- 
 tion. 
 
The Letter 121 
 
 Therefore he consented that he would go 
 into solitude, his body being very weak. 
 And with Joseph and Nicodemus he went 
 to Bethania. On the way they conversed 
 together concerning the secrets of the 
 Brotherhood; and Jesus desired to take 
 leave of his friends in Bethania, and return 
 to the lonely country near the Dead Sea. 
 
 In Bethania he comforted his mother, 
 also the other friends of Lazarus, and ex- 
 plained to them that according to his doc- 
 trine he always was with them and re- 
 mained with them. 
 
 But the knowledge that Jesus was in the 
 vicinity of Jerusalem soon came to all his 
 followers, and many came together and 
 were directed to repair to a secret place at 
 a fixed time. Thither now went Jesus. 
 
 And here many hundred people had come 
 together, and as they made manifest their 
 belief that Jesus would establish a worldly 
 kingdom and liberate the land of his peo- 
 ple from the yoke of the Romans, he in- 
 structed them and taught them that this 
 would not come to pass. 
 
122 The Crucifixion 
 
 But Jesus perceived that it was expe- 
 dient that he should go away again into the 
 solitude, that the people should no more 
 believe that his kingdom was of this world, 
 but that thev should believe in his words 
 and his doctrines as the word of God. 
 
 That day it came to pass that Jesus went 
 to Jerusalem, and his trusted disciples 
 went with him. 
 
 But the high council already had sent 
 out many secret messengers to circulate 
 false rumors, and make Jesus a captive. 
 But Jesus was warned and protected by 
 the Esseer brethren. He was now both 
 faint and weak. His wounds again began 
 to pain him, and his face was pale. 
 
 AVhen Jesus entered the city with Peter 
 and John, his friends conducted him into 
 a solitary house. Here he called to him 
 the elders of the Esseer Order. 
 
 He said to them that his time for rest 
 was near at hand, and instructed them to 
 wait for him at the ''Olive Mount,'' and 
 thence accompany him to the place of soli- 
 tude. 
 
The Letter. 123 
 
 Thereupon he gathered together his 
 disciples, and went through the city and 
 out of the gate that leads to the valley of 
 Josaphat. 
 
 And his soul was greatly moved, and his 
 heart was filled with sadness, for he knew 
 that this would be his last walk. 
 
 Arriving at Kedron, he tarried for a lit- 
 tle while and wept over Jerusalem. Thence 
 he went forward in silence, and his disciples 
 followed him. 
 
 And Jesus led them to the place most 
 dear to him, near the summit of Mount 
 Olivet, where can be seen almost the whole 
 of the land of Palestine ; for Jesus longed 
 once more to look upon the country where 
 he had lived and worked. 
 . To the east was seen Jordan, the Dead 
 Sea and the Arabian Mountains; and to 
 the west shone the fires from the Temple 
 Rock; but on the other side of the moun- 
 tain was Bethania. 
 
 And the chosen disciples believed that 
 Jesus would lead them to Bethania. But 
 
124 The Crucifixion 
 
 the elders of the Brotherhood had silently 
 come together on the other side of the 
 mountain, ready to travel, waiting with 
 Jesus, as had been agreed upon. 
 
 And he exhorted his disciples to be of 
 good cheer, and firm in their faith. As he 
 spoke his voice grew more and more melan- 
 choly, and his mind was absorbed in solemn 
 transport. 
 
 He prayed for the friends he was about 
 to leave, and lifting his arms he blessed 
 them. And the mist rose around the moun- 
 tain, tinted by the descending sun. 
 
 Then the elders of the Esseer Brother- 
 hood sent word to Jesus that they were 
 waiting, and that it was then already late. 
 
 As the disciples knelt down, their faces 
 bent toward the ground, Jesus rose and 
 hastily went away through the gathering 
 mist. When the disciples rose there stood 
 before them two of our brethren in the 
 white garb of our Brotherhood, and they 
 instructed them not to wait for Jesus, as 
 he was gone, whereupon they hastened 
 away down the mountain. 
 
The Letter 125 
 
 But the disappearance of Jesus filled his 
 disciples with new hope and confidence, for 
 now they knew that they themselves were 
 to proclaim the word of Jesus, as he, their 
 beloved, would return no more. 
 
 Therefore faithfully they kept together 
 and daily went to the temple and to the 
 places where he had taught them, and the 
 enemies dared not molest them. 
 
 But in the city there arose a rumor that 
 Jesus was taken up in a cloud, and had 
 gone to heaven. This was invented by the 
 people who had not been present when 
 Jesus departed. The disciples did not con- 
 tradict this rumor, inasmuch as it served 
 to strengthen their doctrine, and influenced 
 the people who wanted a miracle in order 
 to believe in him. 
 
 John, who was present, knew all of these 
 things, but he had not spoken nor written 
 anything about it. Likewise Matthew. 
 There are others who have gathered the 
 rumors thereof into an illustration, which 
 they believed themselves, as they were 
 moved by the spirit to glorify Jesus. 
 
126 The Crucifixion 
 
 Thus, one of them named Marcus wrote 
 to a congregation in Borne and gave an 
 account of this event, but inasmuch as he 
 had not been present, his source of infor- 
 mation was only the rumors among the 
 people. 
 
 Even thus is it with Lucas, who tried to 
 do the same. 
 
 But the disciples were advised by the 
 Esseer brethren to assume the customs and 
 manners of the Esseens for the sake of 
 unanimity. Therefore they formed a soci- 
 ety wherein even the women took an offi- 
 cious part, especially Mary and her friends 
 from Galilee. 
 
 But Jesus was accompanied on his way 
 by the elders of the Brotherhood, likewise 
 by Joseph and Nicodemus ; and in the night 
 time they procured a beast of burden for 
 Jesus, who grew more faint. His mind was 
 greatly moved at leaving his friends, and 
 he felt that his death would soon come. 
 
 When, at the end of their journey, they 
 had come to the Esseer brethren by the 
 
The Letter 127 
 
 Dead Sea, Jesus was in deep suffering, so 
 that only the physicians could care for him. 
 Joseph and Nicodemus remained with him, 
 and having heard his wishes in lengthy con- 
 versations, they took leave of him, promis- 
 ing to inform him minutely concerning the 
 affairs of the congregation in Jerusalem. 
 
 But in Jerusalem none save John and 
 Matthew knew that Jesus had returned to 
 the solitude of the Order, that the people 
 might not proclaim him their worldly king. 
 
 But Joseph and Nicodemus had three 
 times been with him in his place of conceal- 
 ment. And on their return they informed 
 us of him. But his body was not vigorous 
 enough to overcome the sufferings he had 
 endured for want of rest. 
 
 His soul longed for his disciples, and he 
 was anxious that nothing should be neg- 
 lected. His restless mind found no consola- 
 tion in the solitude, and anxiety consumed 
 his vital powers. 
 
 But Joseph and Nicodemus had been 
 with him the last time when the sixth full 
 
128 The Crucifixion 
 
 moon was waning, and they came to our 
 Brotherhood as we were preparing to par- 
 take of the feast of love, and revealed the 
 secret to the elder of the Order. 
 
 And their hearts were sorely grieved, for 
 the chosen one was taken up into the heav- 
 enly dwellings of the Father. 
 
 The Eternal Spirit had gently burst the 
 clay, and tranquil as his life was his death. 
 
 And he was buried by the physician close 
 by the Dead Sea, as bids the regulations of 
 our Brotherhood. 
 
 But Nicodemus enjoined silence concern- 
 ing the death of his friend, to all who did 
 not belong to the highest degree. 
 
 Here, my dear brethren, you have the 
 only true account of our friend, whom God 
 had called to teach wisdom and virtue to 
 the people through parables and noble 
 deeds. 
 
 It is now a long time since then, and the 
 Jews have seven times eaten the passover 
 when I now write this for your informa- 
 tion. And thus you may judge of the truth 
 
The Letter 129 
 
 of the tradition as it is told by the people. 
 
 For I know that many of his new disci- 
 ples tell of miracles, even as they them- 
 selves have wished it might be. And the 
 thoughtful do not contradict them, for the 
 people are not yet wise enough to receive 
 the truth without adding to it that which 
 is supernatural. 
 
 As you yourself have conceived, there 
 are many rumors come from Rome that I 
 need not contradict, for you know yourself 
 what a Brother of our Order has to do and 
 not to do. 
 
 But not only the Jews tell of superhmnan 
 things concerning him that they believe, but 
 also the Romans; for the pagans believe 
 in gods, and these are identified with the 
 miracles told by the Jews. 
 
 And I give you the authority to inform 
 the elders of our Brotherhood in your coun- 
 try, what I have written to you, but not 
 the novices nor those of the other degrees. 
 For his is the glory, the Son of God, whom 
 we all worship more than the others who 
 are removed to heaven. 
 
130 The Crucifixion 
 
 And what Jesus has taught while he 
 lived we ought to promote with good-will. 
 For he has explained the doctrine minutely 
 to everyone. He has revealed the secret, 
 therefore receive everyone friendly who is 
 called by his name ; for his disciples will go 
 to all countries, and you will know them 
 by their greeting, which is the same as that 
 of our Order. And you ought to help them 
 as our Brotherhood in Jerusalem and the 
 whole country has served the Son of the 
 heavenly Father. 
 
 This is what I have to say. And as it is 
 written, thus it has passed. For the elders 
 of our Brotherhood have witnessed these 
 things themselves, and my own eyes have 
 seen him, and my ears heard him, and I am 
 a friend of Joseph who sits in the grand 
 council. 
 
 And forward to the brethren the greet- 
 ing: Peace be with you. 
 
 FINIS 
 
CLOSING KEMARKS 
 
 OF THE GERMAN TRANSLATOR 
 
 FOR an enlightened Christian it will be 
 wholly indifferent whether the life of 
 Jesus, as recorded by the gospel, has an 
 historical foundation or not. It remains a 
 scientific problem whether Jesus really 
 died on the cross, or was taken down only 
 apparently dead, and not a religious one; 
 for in the moral world the very determina- 
 tion to die for truth and virtue ought to be 
 considered as highly as the physical death. 
 
 The intelligent man, that has made the 
 thought clear through science and study, 
 and overcome the superstition of tradition, 
 may be a true defender of the Christian 
 spirit if he even doubts everything in the 
 gospel that appears to him in any way 
 mythical or inexplicable. 
 
 But there are men to whom only that 
 
 131 
 
132 The Crucifixion 
 
 is holy that they cannot explain or compre- 
 hend themselves; and others, again, who 
 will try to lull their own minds into tran- 
 quil faith on undoubted scriptural author- 
 ity ; men- that consider the outward events 
 for the aim of Jesus' life, and keep their 
 minds chained down to a dead literal faith ; 
 further, there are persons who, through 
 their simplicity of mind and education, do 
 not ponder on the subject at all, who con- 
 sider sinful every examination into the 
 ideas prevailing in past centuries. 
 
 There are also persons who keep others 
 in ignorance that they may not examine 
 into the account of the miracles. 
 
 All such persons are not true defenders 
 of the Christian spirit, and the therein con- 
 tained moral liberty of thought. Such per- 
 sons will never take a step toward the im- 
 provement of the Christian spirit in the 
 external life, and it is just therein Chris- 
 tianity ought to appear, not therein that 
 men absorb themselves in their own selfish 
 conceits, expecting the spirit without doing 
 
Translator's Remarks 133 
 
 anything themselves. No, the Christian 
 spirit ought to be introduced into the actual 
 ever changing life, to be modified to the 
 wants of the every-day life. 
 
 These reflections did the translator pon- 
 der upon when he tried to understand how 
 orthodox and superstitious people could 
 imagine every thread in the garb of the 
 Saviour a product of Divinity, or how they 
 in individual impotence or spiritual bond- 
 age, with eager hands, grasp for a pillar in 
 superstition and bigotry, this class of per- 
 sons coming across the old Esseer letter, 
 would necessarily charge it with profanity, 
 and above all with non-genuineness. 
 
 Although it cannot be proven by living 
 witnesses that the original, from which the 
 Latin copy is translated, was a genuine 
 document of the time of which it informs, 
 yet this letter contains so many interesting 
 events, singularly corresponding with the 
 account of the gospel, and recorded with- 
 out any apparent motive of the author, in 
 a pious, simple and in no way excited 
 manner. 
 
134 The Crucifixion 
 
 Just through the simplicity of the author 
 will many inexplicable events and mytho- 
 logical accidents in the life of Jesus appear 
 clear that were leading threads, and there 
 is much that may be explained by the ex- 
 ternal life of Jesus and his spiritual mis- 
 sion. 
 
 And when we minutely examine into the 
 account given by the Esseers, raised as 
 they were above the common superstition 
 of their time and well informed in the 
 secrets of nature, we find effects and con- 
 sequences rationally explained and many 
 things made clear that the gospel surrounds 
 with mystery. 
 
 It is to be regretted that there are in our 
 day people who consider the Christian life 
 profaned by the rational and reasonable 
 explanation and account of the miracles, 
 even when it has the stamp of testamental 
 accuracy, and is placed on a natural foun- 
 dation, although any man possessed of 
 common understanding remains convinced 
 of the non-existence of miracles ; while the 
 
Translator's Remarks 135 
 
 superstitious, in miracle believing, often is 
 brought in situations where he is given to 
 hypocrisy and conceit for to be able to be- 
 lieve. 
 
 It is ju^t this hypocrisy that so often fills 
 the mind of the rational thinker with dis- 
 gust. And in the present, as well as to 
 all times, the religious people have been 
 divided in the same three directions mto 
 which it already was directed at the time 
 of Christ. Even the present time has its 
 **Esseers,'' its ^ ' Sadducees ' ' and its 
 ** Pharisees.'' 
 
 Both then and now the number of the 
 Esseer defenders of the faith are few. It 
 comprises of the free scientific thinkers, of 
 they that search for truth, of they that 
 exercise virtue in every idea of life, of they 
 that can understand and explain the ac- 
 quired wisdom and make it useful. To 
 these, as the old recovered document 
 proves, Jesus belonged ; and this is as much 
 more probable, as the gospel never reports 
 Jesus to have spoken against the Esseen, 
 
136 The Crucifixion 
 
 although in many ways he combated against 
 the doctrines of the Sadducees and the 
 Pharisees. 
 
 Even the present time has its Sadducees, 
 the same class of infidels as now, raised 
 above tradition, gormandizing, worldly 
 rich men, who, unconcerned about eternity, 
 wished to enjoy themselves in this life. 
 
 But to all times the Pharisees have been 
 numerous. From time immemorial has 
 hypocrisy been the handmaiden to embrace 
 every tradition that has characterized 
 them. With them have good and bad 
 angels exercised their undefined influence. 
 The miracles have spurred them to outward 
 piety, outward hypocritical gestures and 
 public benevolent acts, which have served 
 as a cloak for the corrupted soul. 
 
 The translator of the old recovered per- 
 gament views the matter from the Esseen 
 standard, and feels satisfied to know that 
 this view of the matter has got to be a ne- 
 cessity for every free-minded, scientific, un- 
 prejudiced and really intelligent man. 
 
Translator's Remarks 137 
 
 Several efforts have been made already in 
 past times to explain the myths of the gos- 
 pel rationally, and, indeed, penetrating 
 minds have succeeded to give them the 
 character of probability, but they could not 
 be proved through any historical event, as 
 the canonical dictators defined, what was 
 authentical, only that which was service- 
 able to their canonical reign, and declared 
 all such traditions to be apocryphical that 
 will say not useful, which in reality were 
 built on historical foundation, or were not 
 written according to the desire of a holy 
 seer for miracles. 
 
 Even the Esseen letter that we have re- 
 corded above would by them have been con- 
 sidered apocryphical writing. 
 
 If we examine the Esseen letter, that is 
 written to a brother of the Order in Alex- 
 andria to inform him and the other breth- 
 ren of the highest degree of the Brother- 
 hood concerning the wonderful events that 
 transpired in Jerusalem, and which 
 through rumors were made known all over 
 
138 The Crucifixion 
 
 Asia, we will find many points of great 
 interest, that invite to a closer reflection. 
 
 In the first place, it is to be noted that the 
 Esseen brethren in Alexandria doubted the 
 reports of miracles that the rumor had 
 brought them, and that they, to obtain in- 
 formation, wrote to the Brotherhood in 
 Jerusalem to hear their opinion. Thus 
 there were already many people there that 
 were raised above the superstitions of the 
 common people. 
 
 From the letter we also see that Jesus 
 himself, brought up in the school of the 
 Essees, did not believe in miracles, al- 
 though his mother, with her excitable mind 
 and full belief in the Jewish traditions of 
 miracles, had a powerful influence on him 
 in his childhood and youth. 
 
 But the letter also describes that Joseph, 
 his foster-father, had a great influence on 
 the mind of Jesus, as it is said about him 
 that he was a man of great experience. 
 
 The Esseers protected the child in its life 
 until it was old enough to be received into 
 
Translator's Remarks 139 
 
 the Order as a member. According to the 
 letter, this took place in the country near 
 Jutha, where lived then an Esseen Brother- 
 hood. Here it was that he was met by the 
 elder of the Brotherhood, probably calcu- 
 lated by the Essees to prepare him for his 
 reception into the Order. 
 
 It is also told that here he was received 
 into the Order contemporary with his 
 friend John, and further on in th^ letter is 
 recorded that John, who after his becom- 
 ing a member perfected himself for a phy- 
 sician, was killed by the enemies. No doubt 
 hereby is meant John the Baptist, who thus 
 also has been an Esseer. 
 
 It may appear remarkable that Jesus, 
 as a member of the Esseen Order and 
 knowing all the secrets and duties of the 
 Brotherhood, did not live in the solitude 
 and join some particular Brotherhood. 
 But Jesus felt called to preach to the peo- 
 ple, and could not satisfy his active mind 
 by passing his time in the solitude, and 
 not teach the special doctrines abroad that 
 he felt it his mission to proclaim. 
 
140 The Crucifixion 
 
 We even see that the elders of his breth- 
 ren always were desiring him to withdraw 
 into the solitude, and not endanger his life 
 among the people. We also are informed 
 that towards the end of his life Jesus ex- 
 plained to his brethren his motive of not 
 staying more with them than he did, and at 
 last he took their advice and retired into 
 the solitude. 
 
 But of particular importance is the 
 minute record of the sufferings of Jesus, 
 and the way in which he conducted himself 
 on the cross. The gospel records that 
 Jesus really died on the cross, and thereby 
 it stamps his recovery as a miracle, which 
 the intelligent man considers a myth, and 
 from which he extracts the allegorical 
 meaning. But in this letter we are in- 
 formed of events in their simple represen- 
 tation that contains so much that is proba- 
 ble, and with the circumstances corre- 
 sponding, that it actually will be a neces- 
 sity to believe on it. 
 
 The fact that Jesus only apparently died 
 
Translator's Remarks 141 
 
 on the cross does not in the least diminish 
 the sacredness of his mission, for his death 
 for the divine truth was fulfilled thereby, 
 that he, full of resignation, suffered the 
 pain of death till his physical life was ex- 
 hausted. 
 
 In the old letter is recorded that he did 
 not die on the cross, but passed into un- 
 consciousness. Even the way in which 
 Jesus appeared to die on the cross makes . 
 the probability of apparent death possible. . 
 First, he lost consciousness very early, so 
 that even Pilate doubted his death, and be- 
 fore he allowed him taken down from the 
 cross he ordered the Koman Centurio to 
 convince himself thereof. Secondly, by the. 
 then existing mode of crucifixion, was it 
 not uncommon that the crucified could be 
 brought to life. 
 
 We are also informed by the historians 
 of that date that it was not an uncommon 
 thing that crucified criminals were brought 
 back to life after being taken down from 
 the cross. It is also proved that these un- 
 
142 The Crucifixion 
 
 fortunates, among nations that did not 
 have the Jewish custom of not allowing the 
 crucified to hang on the cross over night, 
 often would hang on the cross eight or nine 
 days before death at last put an end to 
 their dreadful sufferings. 
 
 When we examine into the methods of 
 the crucifixion as it was executed on Jesus, 
 we will be convinced that it could not be 
 impossible for life to remain for a long 
 time. Not any of the appliances used were 
 mortal, and first got to be so when they 
 acted for such a long time that the vital 
 power was not able of reaction. Arms and 
 feet were bound with thick and hard cords 
 so tight that not only these limbs became 
 numb, but even the circulation of the blood 
 was almost stopped therebj^ 
 
 That this actually was the case is proved 
 by the description of the old historians, 
 that the piercing of the hands with thick 
 spikes produced no great expression of 
 pain, and only for a while caused bleeding. 
 But the physiological consequence of thus 
 
Translator's Remarks 143 
 
 tightly lacing the limbs would be the forc- 
 ible pushing back of the blood to the brain 
 and heart, whereby would be produced fits 
 of apoplexy and deep swoonings. 
 
 Both the thieves that were crucified with 
 Jesus still lived when he was taken down 
 and showed outward signs of life. Other- 
 wise their bones would not have been 
 crushed, as was the custom, and which was 
 not done to Jesus, as they thought him 
 dead. As he was exliausted already from 
 the scourging, it is easily explained how 
 he so soon passed into a state of uncon- 
 sciousness and apparent death. Even the 
 gospel records that he was very weak — 
 that he sank down under the weight of the 
 cross. 
 
 In the Esseen letter a particular weight 
 is laid on the wound in the side, and the 
 physiological knowledge of Nicodemus, who 
 in this letter is ascribed great secret knowl- 
 edge of nature, and especially in the Esseen 
 science of curing, is indeed to be admired ; 
 for it is recorded that Nicodemus, from the 
 
144 The Crucifixion 
 
 condition of the wound, received new hope 
 that Jesus was not actually dead, and his 
 hope was realized. 
 
 If Jesus really had been dead the wound 
 could not bleed for such a long time, and 
 especially not emit water and blood. An 
 actual dead corpse will not bleed from an 
 external wound that does not sever any 
 arteries, because at the discontinuation of 
 the circulation the blood very shortly will 
 congeal. 
 
 Thus Nicodemus conceived that the cir- 
 culation of the blood in Jesus ' bod^ had not 
 ceased, and therefore, having sent the in- 
 fluential Joseph to Pilate, he hurried away 
 to procure the proper drugs, pretending 
 that he wanted to embalm the body. 
 
 The Esseen letter speaks repeatedly of 
 the wound above the hip. Thus this wound 
 was lower down than what is generally 
 believed and represented. 
 
 If we now take in consideration that the 
 wound with the spear was not made to give 
 Jesus the finishing stroke, but very care- 
 
Translator's Remarks 145 
 
 fully, to see if the corpse would show any 
 convulsions or signs of life, and thereby 
 prove that he actually was dead — if we fur- 
 ther consider that the thrust took effect 
 close above the hip, and from the soldiers 
 standing below would have to be made in 
 an inclined manner in an almost parallel 
 direction with Jesus ' side, it is evident that 
 no vital organ could have been severed, 
 and the spear may only have pierced the 
 skin. 
 
 In the letter this wound is not considered 
 dangerous, and more attention is paid to 
 the wounds in the hands after the spikes. 
 Thus it appears that these were considered 
 more dangerous. It is positively recorded 
 that his feet were not pierced, as this was 
 not the custom at crucifixions. 
 
 Even if the apparent death of Jesus in 
 the old letter was not maintained as a fact, 
 still the existing historical circumstances 
 make it more than probable. 
 
 When we further pursue the letter and 
 compare it with the gospel reports, we will 
 
146 The Crucifixion 
 
 in neither of them find contradiction as 
 regards facts. The only difference is that 
 in the gospel all is transformed into a 
 miraculous Oriental tradition, when the 
 Esseer letter, on the other hand, pays no 
 attention to any supernatural, imdefined 
 and imaginative illustration, but records 
 the facts as they are. 
 
 A dead corpse cannot walk about, for as 
 long as the world has existed God never 
 did contradict himself by overthrowing 
 eternal laws of nature. Even if a single 
 law of nature was set aside, the whole end- 
 less chain of cause and effects, where every 
 law keeps the other in balance, they would 
 fall together in a chaos. 
 
 If Jesus really as a messenger could go 
 about, speak, eat and drink, even other men 
 could do the same. But as the laws of 
 nature do not permit of it, it has not been 
 possible even in the case of Jesus. When 
 ignorant and unintelligent men say, **for 
 God is everything possible, ' ' it only shows 
 their ignorance of the Divine nature; for 
 
Translator's Remarks 147 
 
 no more than God can suffer the east rising 
 sun to rise henceforth in the west, no more 
 can he produce anything else in contrast 
 to his eternal laws of nature. 
 
 The Esseen letter in its representation 
 of these events has therefore the important 
 advantage that it treats with things pos- 
 sible in nature. The recovery of Jesus is, 
 according to this letter, supported by many 
 circumstances that even now can easily be 
 explained. 
 
 Jesus was not, as his companions in suf- 
 fering, beaten with heavy clubs, and the 
 letter even indicates the fear of Joseph 
 and Nicodemus that this would be done. If 
 it had been done no recovery had been pos- 
 sible, and it would have been foolish to 
 attempt it. 
 
 But nature assisted the Essees in their 
 efforts. 
 
 The fact that they carefully took him 
 down from the cross, bound around him 
 leaves that were saturated with salves and 
 liquids that were prepared from the aro- 
 
148 The Crucifixion 
 
 matic herbs of the Orient, and filled with 
 powerful fragrant qualities, the proximity 
 of the grotto, where the body was laid on 
 soft moss, where the spices might evapo- 
 rate, and, together with the smoke of the 
 aloe, necessarily must exercise an animat- 
 ing influence on the benumbed nerves. 
 
 Further, the bleeding of the wound in the 
 side, that was a sure sign of the still exist- 
 ing circulation of the blood, must neces- 
 sarily assist the slumbering life to assume 
 its functions by leading away the blood 
 that during the crucifixion had been forced 
 back to the heart, brain and lungs, and 
 thereby benumbed these organs, so that the 
 circulation of the blood could take place. 
 
 The earthquake exercised a magnetic, 
 electric, animating influence on the nerves, 
 and when at last the shaking of the ground 
 in the direction of the grotto filled the 
 grave with electric gases at the same 
 time that the body shook, it could not but 
 cause him to awake from his slumber of 
 death. 
 
Translator's Remarks 149 
 
 All these circumstances are powerful 
 means of calling back the slumbering to 
 life, especially in the Orient. 
 
 Furthermore, Nicodemus, the expe- 
 rienced physician, and Joseph, the tender- 
 hearted friend of Jesus, hoping the best 
 from the operation of the drugs, went to- 
 gether in the night to receive more minute 
 information of the recovered but still weak 
 Jesus. That the Esseen youths in their 
 white flowing garb of the Order could be 
 considered supernatural beings — angels — 
 is easily explained by the excited state of 
 mind of the concerned persons, and the 
 imaginative mind of the Orientals. 
 
 In the old letter is plainly showed that 
 Jesus was brought back to life only through 
 the exertions of the Essees, and this is 
 easily explained by he vowing that the 
 Order should be unto him as father and 
 mother, and they in their turn fulfilled all 
 their motherly duties. 
 
 The circumstance that Jesus never ap- 
 peared in two places at the same time also 
 
150 The Crucifixion 
 
 speaks against the miraculous representa- 
 tion of his life. But indeed he was sub- 
 jected to time and place like other mortal 
 beings. 
 
 Another miraculous representation is the 
 ascension of Jesus. Men that can believe 
 in the body rising from actual death can 
 also unconditionally believe in the possi- 
 bility of a bodily ascension to heaven. 
 
 But the intelligent man, who from scien- 
 tific and rational reasons considers it im- 
 possible for an actual dead body to return 
 to life, will see in the ascension another 
 Jewish tradition — one of the apotheoses 
 that were usual in olden times, not alone 
 among the Jewish people, to glorify the 
 memory of distinguished persons. With 
 the Jewish people had the religious tradi- 
 tion formed, the firm belief that all 
 prophets ought to ascend to heaven, and 
 the tradition of Elias and his chariot of fire 
 is a side-piece to the one of Jesus* ascen- 
 sion. 
 
 It is not doubted of such that possess a 
 
Translator's Remarks 151 
 
 scientific knowledge of death and its nat- 
 ural course, that Jesus did not bodily as- 
 cend to heaven as Marcus and Lucas report 
 (two men who were not present, and 
 formed their account only from the 
 rumors). Indeed, this representation 
 stands in opposition to the Christian 
 thought that Paul has expressed so glo- 
 riously. Paul says in the first letter to the 
 Corinthians, chap, xv., v. 50: ^^Now this I 
 say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot 
 inherit the kingdom of God, neither doth 
 corruption inherit incorruption. ' ' 
 
 Even if it were a secret, what happened 
 on Mount Olive, the two disciples that were 
 present, Matthew and John, in their 
 writings, do not inform us a single 
 word about the ascension. Even then 
 the Esseen letter's account would be 
 a very interesting one — that Jesus on the 
 Mount only took a usual departure and 
 afterwards fulfilled the duties of the 
 Esseen Order by living a secluded life. 
 
 When we are informed that Jesus retired 
 
152 The Crucifixion 
 
 into solitude, and even from his vow to the 
 Order, that he promised that when his dis- 
 ciples wanted him he would manifest him- 
 self unto them, it is evident that he did 
 not leave the earth. But even with Jesus 
 the traditions of the Jewish people and the 
 old prophecy appear to have had some in. 
 fluence, and instinctively guided many of 
 his actions and parables, for even he was 
 a child of his time and brought up in the 
 traditions of his nation. 
 
 The Esseen letter records that Jesus 
 died in solitude six months afterwards, as 
 a result of his sufferings, that had pros- 
 trated and broken his constitution and his 
 excited mind. It were to be wished that 
 even the place was recorded where he died 
 and was buried. The old Esseen does not 
 give any account of the place, probably on 
 account of being recommended silence on 
 that subject by the Order. 
 
 FINIS 
 
PART II. 
 THE 
 
 ORDER OF ESSEES 
 
 AMONG 
 
 THE JEWISH PEOPLE 
 
 A MANUSCRIPT FOR FREEMASONS 
 
ORDEE OF ESSEES 
 
 "And ye shall he unto me a priestly king- 
 dom, and a holy people.'^ 
 
 —2 M. B., chap. 14, v. 6. 
 
 BY THE time when the greatest teacher 
 of the Word, the great mediator, 
 Jesus Christ, stepped forth among the 
 Jewish people, proclaiming his doctrines 
 of light and heavenly truths, that these 
 his doctrines might spread light and 
 warmth over the earth, and peace in the 
 weary heart of men, had the above spoken 
 of people in general very much deviated 
 from the path of the Lord, from the knowl- 
 edge of him, and from the doctrines of 
 divinity given to Abraham and handed 
 down to Isaac, Jacob and their descend- 
 ants, and afterwards further interpreted 
 and explained by the man of God, Moses. 
 
 The interpreters of the Scriptures in the 
 different ages of the Old Testament, or 
 
 155 
 
156 The Crucifixion 
 
 the Scribes, had contrived to attribute to 
 the holy Scriptures the meaning and exple- 
 eation that was most convenient to their 
 material advantage, estimation among the 
 people, or their own wishes. Indeed, we 
 find in the Scriptures of the Old Testa- 
 ment that holy men of the school of the 
 prophets often stepped forth as the cham- 
 pion? of truth and defenders of light, who 
 severely reproached the people for their 
 sins and vices, and severely warned the 
 false teachers who led the people astray 
 and misinterpreted the laws of the Lord. 
 But the people seldom heeded them, and 
 many of them fell victims and martyrs for 
 the vengeance of the priests, the scribes, 
 and the fury of the people. 
 
 By the time that Jesus Christ and his 
 great predecessor, John, stepped forth 
 among the people, the Jewish people was 
 separated into several religious sects, that 
 each had different views on religion. But 
 even from the day that Moses, according to 
 the command of God, consecrated the peo- 
 
Order of Essees 157 
 
 pie to *'A covenant people to the Lord.'' 
 2 M. B. 19 Chapt. 
 
 There was always among them a certain 
 class by whom the name of the Lord Jeho- 
 vah was worshipped in truth and purity. 
 Already in the time of the first Judges ap- 
 peared this class as a distinct Order or 
 Brotherhood, named "Nazirees," "Naza- 
 rees, " or ' ^ Nazarenes, ' ' and in the time of 
 the Kings we find this Brotherhood under 
 the name of the so-called ''School of the 
 Prophets. ' ' 
 
 The members of this holy union had the 
 design, ' ' To love and worship God in purity 
 of heart, and to the best of their ability 
 work on their own ennobling and perfec- 
 tion; and of all their might to further the 
 happiness and peace of their fellow men. ' ' 
 
 In time of the Maccabai, this interest- 
 ing Brotherhood appears under the name 
 of "Hasidees," eller "Assidees,'' that is, 
 ' ' the holy, " " the pious ' ' ; and afterwards, 
 in the time of St. John the Baptist and the 
 great Master, under the name of 
 
158 The Crucifixion 
 
 ^'Esseers," or ''Essenes/' that is, the 
 * ' children of peace. ^ * 
 
 It is not to be wondered at, that the 
 scriptures of the New Testament do not 
 directly mention this important and sig- 
 nificant Brotherhood, as they lived sepa- 
 rated from the world, as a defined Order, 
 and admitted nobody that had not under- 
 gone a term of trial for three years and 
 sworn not to disclose for any outsiders 
 what took place in their meetings. This 
 Order had a material influence on the cul- 
 ture and enlightening of the age and the 
 ages that were to come. 
 
 In the New Testament there are many 
 expressions and references that directly 
 appear to the thinker and the unprejudiced 
 interpreter of the Bible, that indirectly 
 speak of this Brotherhood; and just by 
 these may be explained many undefined 
 and dark quotations in the Scriptures, and 
 rationally conceived, that otherwise would 
 appear inexplicable and obscure. We will 
 afterwards represent instances of this 
 nature. 
 
Order of Essees 159 
 
 But before we proceed to a more minute 
 illustration of this most remarkable Broth- 
 erhood, we will first pay attention to the, in 
 Jesus' time, most important and differing 
 sects of religion among the Jewish people. 
 
 These, first, the Pharisees, a sect full of 
 hypocrisy and egotism. They distinguished 
 themselves by rigidly observing all the out- 
 ward forms of the Mosaic law, assumed 
 holiness, haughtiness and ambition in uni- 
 son with greedy aim after earthly win- 
 nings, but did care little for the real purify- 
 ing of the heart or true humanity; and 
 combined with these peculiarities great de- 
 sire for dignity and worldly esteem. At 
 public meetings they always endeavored to 
 be the principal ones and aspired generally 
 for the esteem and favor of the people. 
 
 The Master Jesus often severely re- 
 proached them therefor, and warned and 
 exhorted the people to shun their false doc- 
 trines in the sayings : 
 
 ' ^ Take heed and beware of the leaven of 
 the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.'* 
 
160 The Crucifixion 
 
 Math. Evang. Chap. 16, and in the same 
 gospel, Chap. 23, where he four times cries 
 ''Wo'' unto them, he says ''Wo unto you, 
 scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye 
 make clean the outside of the cup and of 
 the platter, but within they are full of ex- 
 tortion and excess." 
 
 It is evident from this and several other 
 quotations of the same kind, where Jesus 
 reprimands them severely and rebukes 
 them, that he considered the Pharisees the 
 most vicious, cunning and dangerous of all 
 Jews. 
 
 Next we have, second, the Sadducees. 
 These were a kind of philosophers who de- 
 nied the immortality of the soul and a life 
 after this, and they t cached that they de- 
 ceived themselves who lived a pious and 
 devoted life and exercised virture, hoping 
 therefor to get their reward after death. 
 
 Such a reward after death there was not, 
 but it always was a necessary duty that 
 men should fulfil to themselves, by living 
 a virtuous and good life, as they then, more 
 
Order of Essees 161 
 
 contented in their mind, could proceed on 
 their way through life, and in consequence 
 thereof would the burden of life be easier 
 to carry. 
 
 This was their peculiar interpretation of 
 the moral meaning of the commandments, 
 but yet it preserved them from the hypoc- 
 risy and the dissembling of the Pharisees. 
 
 The Sadducees showed themselves open- 
 ly to the world such as they in reality were, 
 in a life intermixed with virtues, faults and 
 vices. Toward the Master, Jesus, they 
 never showed such an animosity as the 
 Pharisees. On the contrary, they often 
 with great attention and admiration seemed 
 to listen to his doctrines of wisdom. 
 
 They were more energetic and active 
 than the Pharisees, and as they, like the 
 former, had a great desire for acquiring 
 wealth and worldly possessions, they were 
 generally rich and considered the wealthi- 
 est class among the Jews. The king, 
 '^ Herod,'' belonged to the sect of the Sad- 
 ducees and acknowledged their doctrines. 
 
162 The Crucifixion 
 
 The third sect comprised the Publicans. 
 They are not to be considered as a distinct 
 religions sect, bnt it is evident that they 
 widely differed from the above named 
 sects, and the so-called ^* proper Jews,*^ in 
 their religions belief; and this is even 
 shown by the contempt in which they were 
 held by the common people. 
 
 Bnt we have reasons to believe that this 
 contempt often was unmerited, as they 
 were often kindly received by the Master, 
 Jesus, and he friendly communed with 
 many of them. He speaks thus of himself 
 in unison with them in Math. Chap, xi, v. 
 19: ^^The Son of Man came eating and 
 drinking and they say, behold a man glut- 
 tonous, and a wine bibber, a friend of Pub- 
 licans and sinners.'' But even the life of 
 these he reproached on several occasions. 
 In Math. 5 Chap., v. 46, he says: ''For if 
 ye love them which love you, what reward 
 have ye; do not even the Publicans the 
 same?" 
 
 Every Jew who had knowledge of the 
 
Order of Essees 163 
 
 Scriptures of the Old Testament, shortly 
 everybody that examined into things and 
 claimed to possess the culture of his time, 
 generally belonged to either the Pharisees, 
 Sadducees, or the Essees. 
 
 We know with certainty, and the writings 
 of the Evangelists do not deny it, but to the 
 contrary strengthen this fact, that the Mas- 
 ter's great predecessor, John, from his in- 
 fancy was adopted and brought up in the 
 School of the Esseen Order, and there ac- 
 quired his knowledge and wisdom. 
 
 We cannot here give any information on 
 this subject, of what the higher degrees 
 of the Order did know about it, as this 
 description of the old Essees is written for 
 the benefit of the brethren of all degrees, 
 we will therefore confine ourselves to ex- 
 amining the gospel and other New Testa- 
 mental Scriptures for testimony to prove 
 the same. 
 
 It is evident from the gospel that John 
 neither belonged to the sect of the Phari- 
 sees nor to that of the Sadducees. He re- 
 
164 The Crucifixion 
 
 bnked them both severely for their lives, — 
 as his great successor, — and when many of 
 both the Pharisees and Sadducees came to 
 him at Salem on the bank of the Jordan to 
 be baptized by him, he said to them : "0 
 generation of vipers, who hath warned you 
 to flee from the wrath to come? Bring 
 forth therefore fruits meet for repent- 
 ance. ' ' Math. 3 Chap., 7 and 8 v. 
 
 Herod adhered, as above mentioned, to 
 the doctrine of the Sadducees, and it was 
 this Herod, whom John so severely rebuked 
 on several occasions for Herodias his 
 brother Philip 's wife, and ' ' for all the evils 
 which Herod had done, added yet this 
 above all, that he shut up John in prison. ' ' 
 Luco, iii. Chap. 19-25. 
 
 Lucas the Evangelist relates to us in his 
 iii. chap., 12 and 13 v. : ^ ' Then came also 
 Publicans to be baptized and said unto 
 him, * Master, what shall we do?' And he 
 said unto them, ^ Exact no more than that 
 which is appointed to you. ' ' ' 
 
 John says about himself in the gospel of 
 
Order of Essees 165 
 
 John, 1 Chap. 23 v.: ^^I am the voice of 
 one crying in the wilderness"; and the 
 Evangelists add that this answer did he 
 give to ' ' they which were sent were of the 
 Pharisees.'^ 
 
 Marcus says of John in his 1 Chap., 4 to 
 6 vs. : '^ John did baptize in the wilderness 
 and preach the baptism of repentance for 
 the remission of sins. And John was 
 clothed with camePs hair and with a girdle 
 of a skin about his loins, and he did eat 
 locusts and wild honey ' ^ ; and in about the 
 same words and sense does Matthew speak 
 of John in his third chapter. 
 
 We might cite more instances of the same 
 kind, but these ought to be sufficient to 
 show that the Scriptures of the New Testa- 
 ment give a positive proof for the con- 
 tended point that John did not belong to 
 either the school of the Pharisees or that 
 of the Sadducees. At the same time it 
 gives more than a negative proof for the 
 conclusion that he belonged to the holy 
 order of the Esseers; and the more we 
 
166 Tlie Crucifixion 
 
 study the writings of the Evangelists and 
 interpreters of the Bible, and consider who 
 were the friends of John, and the doctrine 
 he preached to the people, the more are we 
 convinced that he belonged to the Essees. 
 
 By comparing all the above named with 
 the manner of life, ceremonies and funda- 
 mental belief of the Essees, we are thereby 
 convinced that this champion of truth was 
 the messenger of the Brotherhood to pre- 
 pare the way for Jesus and to promote his 
 mission, who indeed had sent him. 
 
 We will proceed to a truthful illustration 
 of this Brotherhood, as we find it related 
 of authentic authors from the commence- 
 ment of the New Testament time, and let 
 these speak for themselves. 
 
 Of all the Gentile authors, none give 
 more authentic and minute information on 
 the subject than the Jewish historian, 
 Josephus, in his work. Be Bello Jiidaico, 
 8 Chap., 2-13 vs.; and especially in his 
 Historia Antiqua Judaico, 3 Book, 5 Chap.. 
 
 He lived both before and after the de- 
 
Order of Essees 167 
 
 struction of Jerusalem by Titus, and as 
 he himself belonged to the Esseen order, 
 and had undergone the ordered term of 
 trial for three years, his accounts merit 
 our belief of its authenticity. Of his admis- 
 sion into this Order he writes as follows ; 
 
 * * When I had reached my sixteenth year 
 did I undertake to examine into our dif- 
 ferent religious sects and their doctrines, 
 that having come to know them I might 
 choose the one that to me appeared the 
 best. I have already mentioned that there 
 were three sects of Pharisees, Sadducees, 
 and Essees. 
 
 ^'Having resolved this, did I at once 
 begin to prepare myself in different ways 
 that I might be found worthy to be admit- 
 ted into the Order of Essees. In order to 
 accomplish this, I turned to a man called 
 Banus, of whom was told that he belonged 
 to the Brotherhood of Essees, and lived in 
 the wilderness, made his clothes out of the 
 bark and leaves of the trees, fed upon wild 
 fruits, plants and herbs, and from holiness 
 
168 The Crucifixion 
 
 bathed several times night and day in cold 
 water. 
 
 ''In this man's company I spent three 
 entire years, undergoing all kinds of trials, 
 temptations and privations, and then re- 
 turned to the city (Jerusalem.) \Vhen I 
 had filled my nineteenth year did I com- 
 mence to shape my life and habits accord- 
 ing to the doctrines of the Pharisees, and 
 this sect is very similar to the Grecian 
 Stoics. '^ 
 
 Of these, Josephus' own words, we are 
 informed that he actually had undergone 
 the, according to the Esseen law, ordered 
 term of trial; and although he afterwards 
 returned to Jerusalem, and in the future 
 obeyed the doctrines of the Pharisees, yet 
 did he continue to remain a member of 
 the Esseen Brotherhood, and was admitted 
 into their meetings as long as he did not 
 transgress the duties of the Order, or in 
 any way did break the oath that he had 
 taken at his initiation. 
 
 It was not before the Jewish kingdom 
 
Order of Essees 169 
 
 was destroyed by Titus, Jerusalem and 
 most of the other cities of the country laid 
 in ashes, and the members of the Esseen 
 Orders widely dispersed, that Josephus in 
 his writings committed to the world what 
 we here will communicate. 
 
 Josephus was of high-priest by descend- 
 ancy, and as it was in the tribe of Aaron 
 that Phariseeism most flourished and had 
 its foundation among the priests, it is not 
 to be wondered that the nineteen-year-old 
 Josephus soon tired of the rigid habits of 
 the Essees, their toilsome work and frugal 
 living, and that when he had gone through 
 his term of trial found more pleasure in 
 the jolly life of the Pharisees, as much 
 more as these by hypocrisy and assumed 
 piety could take part in many worldly 
 amusements without thereby losing their 
 esteem among the people. 
 
 "What we now will lay before the reader 
 is written by himself and ought to be suf- 
 ficient to show that he always harbored a 
 high degree of esteem and admiration for 
 the Brotherhood. 
 
170 The Crucifixion 
 
 ^^The doctrine of the Essees,'^ says he, 
 ^' tends to learn all men that they confi- 
 dently may trust their fate in the hands 
 of God, as nothing happens without his 
 will. They say that the soul is immortal, 
 and they aspire to lead a righteous and 
 honest life. 
 
 Indeed, they send their offerings to the 
 temple, but this they do, not because they 
 consider it in any way meritable, but be- 
 cause they consider it their duty to give 
 their share of the offerings, that the other 
 people shall not for their sake be oppressed 
 and encumbered. 
 
 * ' They are the most honest people in the 
 world, and always as good as their word, 
 very industrious and enterprising, and 
 show great skill and concern in agriculture. 
 
 '^But most of all are those venerated, 
 esteemed and admired who live in the wil- 
 derness, on account of the sense of justice 
 that they ever show and the courage and 
 intrepidity that they manifest in ever de- 
 fending truth and innocence. And this 
 
Order of Essees 171 
 
 trait is not found in such a high degree 
 neither with the Grecian nor any other peo- 
 ple, but it has always characterized the 
 Essees from time immemorial. 
 
 **They exercise justice and equality in 
 their dealings with all people, have all their 
 property common, so that the rich does not 
 consume more of his riches than the poor 
 of his small means. In this way four thou- 
 sand people pass their life. 
 
 ^'They never marry, and keep no serv- 
 ants. They consider that marriage would 
 only create discord and rupture among the 
 brethren, and do not think it right that one 
 should be the slave or servant of the other, 
 as all men are brethren and God their 
 Father. 
 
 ''Therefore do they live entirely sepa- 
 rate from women and serve and assist each 
 other. 
 
 ' ' For accountants for the profits of their 
 agricultural labor and handiwork they 
 choose the most virtuous, honest and pious 
 of their brethren. These also perform the 
 
172 The Crucifixion 
 
 service of priests and provide for all the 
 wants, as food and clothing. They all live 
 the same simple, industrious and frugal 
 life, and may be compared with the 'Pal- 
 istas ' of the * Dacies \ ' ' 
 
 In his work, De Bello Judaico, 8 Chap. 
 2-13 vs., Josephus further writes: 
 
 ' ' The third class of philosophers among 
 the Jews, and the class that is most 
 esteemed for their just and moral life, is 
 the so-called Essees or Esseens, that al- 
 though they certainly descended from the 
 Jewish people, yet show more amity and 
 love for each other than the other Jews, 
 and live a more moral life. 
 
 ^'They shun and despise sensuality as a 
 great sin, but consider a moral and tem- 
 perate life a great virtue, and pride highly 
 the strength of mind and the power to 
 overcome the passions and desires of their 
 nature. 
 
 '* Therefore they subdue the sensual in- 
 stinct, but willingly adopt the children of 
 other people, and especially while these are 
 
Order of Essees 173 
 
 very young, as they tlien are most suscepti- 
 ble to teaching and impressions. 
 
 ' ' They show great kindness to such chil- 
 dren, hold them dear, and teach them all 
 kinds of knowledge and science, morals and 
 religion. 
 
 ' ' They do not reject wedlock, but, to the 
 contrary, consider it necessary for the 
 propagation of mankind; but themselves 
 they want no intercourse with women, as 
 they fear of their unchastity and levity, be- 
 cause they consider that no woman gives 
 her affections to her husband alone. 
 
 ''They despise riches and worldly gain, 
 and the equality of property among them 
 must be admired; therefore none of them 
 are seen to live in abundance nor in need. 
 
 ''The laws of the Order regulate that 
 every one that enters into the Brotherhood 
 gives up to this all his property and wealth, 
 and therefore among them are neither seen 
 haughtiness nor slavish subjection; but all 
 live together as brethren, sharing good and 
 evil. 
 
174 The Crucifixion 
 
 ''The 'Ointment with oil,' which the 
 other Jews praise so highly, they consider 
 to be without any sacred power, or use, and 
 do not therefore use it, but to the contrary 
 cleanse themselves from it if any one of 
 their body should be touched thereby by an 
 accident. 
 
 "For the administration and account of 
 the common property, they elect inspectors 
 and directors, but in every other respect 
 they assist each other. 
 
 ' ' They do not live in any particular town, 
 but in every town the Order has its re- 
 spective ' house ^ where the members take 
 their abode when they on their travels ar- 
 rive, and they are there supplied with all 
 they want. Everything is here to their dis- 
 position, as if in their own houses, and 
 here they are received as the best friends 
 and near relations by persons they never 
 before saw. 
 
 "In every town there is an inspector, 
 who has in his care clothes and other neces- 
 sary things that he graciously distributes 
 to them who need such. 
 
Order of Essees 175 
 
 * ^ The Essees use their clothes until they 
 are worn out and can't be used any longer. 
 They neither buy nor sell among them- 
 selves, but every member willingly gives 
 his brother what he needs of his, and is 
 again supplied by others with the needful ; 
 and even if he thinks he never can repay it, 
 he may without bashfulness receive it, as 
 this is a rule with them. 
 
 ^'The Esseen worship of God is grand, 
 sacred and majestic; and before the sun 
 rises and greets the earth with its beams, 
 they do not speak on earthly matters, but 
 read and send forth their sacred, humble 
 prayers that they have learned from their 
 fathers. The prayer over, the inspector 
 points out the work in which each one is 
 the most skilled. 
 
 ''Having thus worked for five hours, do 
 they again gather, bathe themselves in cold 
 water, and don a white linen garb. Having 
 washed themselves, they proceed to the spe- 
 cial halls of the Order, where no one dare 
 come who does not belong to their Order. 
 
176 The Crucifixion 
 
 "Having gone through the ceremonies 
 that the law prescribes, they proceed, per- 
 fectly cleansed, to their eating rooms 
 with the same reverence as if they entered 
 the holy temple. 
 
 ''Everybody having taken his place in 
 supreme silence and stillness, the bakers 
 of the Brotherhood enter, distributing a 
 bread to each person after a certain order. 
 The cook sets before each one a plate of 
 vegetables and other eatables, and this 
 being performed, one of the priests steps 
 forth and holds a prayer, for they consider 
 it a grave sin to rest or touch food before 
 praying. 
 
 "The meal over, the priest reads an- 
 other prayer, and then the hymn of praise 
 is sung; and in this way they praise and 
 thank God, the giver of all good, both be- 
 fore and after the meal. 
 
 "They then take ofp their white aprons, 
 that they consider sacred clothes, and re- 
 turn to their work, which they pursue till 
 the twilight spreads over the earth. 
 
Order of Essees 177 
 
 ''Then they go to their frugal evening 
 meal again, during which they observe 
 the same ceremonies as at their dinner ; and 
 if members from foreign parts have ar- 
 rived, are they put in the chief places at 
 the table. 
 
 ' ' The meal is taken with the most solemn 
 silence and stillness, no noise nor dispute 
 disturbing the peace of the house. 
 
 "They talk by turns, and in a low tone, 
 which will appear strange to those not used 
 to it. They observe great temperance in 
 their way of living, eat and drink only what 
 is necessary for their want. 
 
 ' ' In general do they not act without tht 
 knowledge and consent of their inspectors 
 and director ; but it is always left to their 
 own free will to exercise benevolence and 
 compassion to all in want, of all classes of 
 society, but it was not allowed them to give 
 any aid to their relatives without inform- 
 ing the inspector. But in other matters it 
 was allowed every member 'To feed the 
 hungry, clothe the naked, shelter the home- 
 
178 The Crucifixion 
 
 less, comfort the sick, visit, assist and com- 
 fort the prisoner, and comfort, aid and pro- 
 tect the widows and fatherless.' 
 
 ^'They never let themselves to be over- 
 come by anger, hatred, vengeance, or ill- 
 will. Indeed, they are the champions of 
 faith, truth and honesty, and the servants 
 and arbitrators of peace. 
 
 ^' Their 'Yea' and 'No' was with them as 
 binding as the most sacred oath, and ex- 
 cept the oath they take at their admittance 
 into the Order, they never bind themselves 
 through an oath, neither in their public nor 
 private life, for oaths and profanity are 
 with them as much shunned as perjury it- 
 self ; and they consider that the man loses 
 his esteem among his fellow citizens whose 
 word is not sufficient without swearing. 
 
 ''They study with perseverance and in- 
 terest ancient writings, and especially pre- 
 fer such that are intended to indurate and 
 strengthen the body and ennoble and sanc- 
 tify the spirit. 
 
 "They have profound knowledge of the 
 
Order of Essees 179 
 
 art of healing, and study it arduously ; ex- 
 amine and are acquainted with the medici- 
 nal herbs and plants, that they prepare as 
 medicine for man and beasts. They also 
 know the use and worth of minerals as 
 medicine, and do a great deal of good by 
 applying these for healing the sick. 
 
 '^Anybody that wishes to belong to the 
 Brotherhood is not at once admitted, but 
 has first to pass a whole year of trial out- 
 side the same, and live according to certain 
 rules and regulations. If he during this 
 time has proved himself worthy through a 
 strictly moral and virtuous life, and tem- 
 perance, is he provided with a spade, an 
 apron, and a white garb; and now he is 
 again subjected to new trials, and, having 
 passed through these, he is sprinkled with 
 water, or 'baptized,' as a sign of his spiri- 
 tual purity and liberation from material 
 things. 
 
 "Having thus proved his chastity, and 
 being further tried in his strength of char- 
 acter and other qualities, and found to be 
 
180 The Crucifixion 
 
 worthy, he is at last admitted an actual 
 member of the Brotherhood. But before 
 he touches any food in the presence of the 
 Brotherhood, does he take this sacred vow : 
 ' Above all things to fear God, of a true and 
 pure heart, exercise justice and honesty to 
 all men; neither of impulse nor influenced 
 by others, harm or hurt any man; during 
 all his life to shun injustice, and ever un- 
 daunted, further truth and justice. ' 
 
 ' ' Further, he vows sacredly ever to obey 
 his worldly rulers, as nobody has the rule 
 without the will of God, and if he become 
 a ruler, does he vow not to misuse power, 
 and to set an example for his subjects by a 
 virtuous life, frugality and plain clothing. 
 He shall always love truth and shun false- 
 hood, preserve his mind from any impure 
 thought or impulse, and never stain his 
 hands with unjust gain. 
 
 **For the third, he vows never to inter- 
 pret or explain anything of the laws of the 
 Order in any other spirit than he himself 
 has received it from the holy fathers and 
 
Order of Essees 181 
 
 faithfully hide and take care of the books 
 and archives of the Order and according 
 to special regulation to keep secret the 
 name of the angels with whom the fathers 
 foi^merly stood in communion. 
 
 ''This was the vow that every member 
 must take and which they considered so 
 sacred that they would rather suffer the 
 most violent death than to break it. The 
 member who broke his vow, or was catched 
 in the act of any crime or vice, or could 
 be proved to have committed the act, was 
 expelled from the Brotherhood, and his fate 
 was to be pitied; for if the Brotherhood 
 showed him no mercy, nor forgave and re- 
 ceived him again, he generally had to 
 starve to death, as the one who once had 
 offered himself up to the service of the 
 Brotherhood and sworn faithfully to sus- 
 tain and obey its laws and regulations, 
 broke his vow, could not receive any food, 
 aid or assistance of any one, but had gener- 
 ally to live in the deserts and forests and 
 there in the open air seek his support of 
 
182 The Crucifixion 
 
 herbs, roots and wild fruit till death put an 
 end to his miserable life. 
 
 *^But often it happened that the leader 
 and brethren of the Brotherhood took 
 mercy upon him and again received him 
 into their meetings in the very moment 
 when this miserable was despairing and 
 near starvation, for they considered that a 
 man who was driven to despair and mortal 
 anxiet}^ was punished enough for his crime. 
 
 *'In their administration of justice they 
 were indeed severe, but sincere and very 
 just. Nobody could be condemned by a 
 court of less than one hundred persons, 
 but a verdict that a majority of these ren- 
 dered was unchangeable in all cases. 
 
 ^'Besides Jehovah, the Creator of all, 
 they all also worshipped highly their 
 'Lawgiver' (This their Lawgiver was not 
 Moses, as many have supposed. The 
 Essees often spoke the name of Moses in 
 their conversations with the Gentiles, but 
 in their law it was strictly prohibited to 
 speak the name of their Lawgiver to any 
 
Order of Essees 183 
 
 uninitiated), and he whoever contemptu- 
 ously spoke his name was punished with 
 death. 
 
 ' ' They had great esteem and veneration 
 for old age, and even considered it right 
 to agree to and respect the opinion of the 
 majority, as many eyes always see more 
 than two eyes. 
 
 They keep the Sabbath more punctually 
 and conscientiously than any other Jews, 
 and do no labor on the Sabbath, for they 
 not only prepare and cook their food 
 beforehand, that they may not be obliged to 
 make a fire on the Sabbath; but they also 
 did not dare touch or move from one place 
 to another the dishes in which was their 
 food and drink. Every time they had per- 
 formed their natural wants they washed 
 themselves, as if they thereby had become 
 unclean or stained. 
 
 **A11 the members of the Brotherhood 
 are grouped in four separate classes. The 
 youngest brethren are considered so in- 
 ferior in comparison with the elder, as re- 
 
184 The Crucifixion 
 
 gards their inward purity, that the latter 
 again have to wash themselves if they hap- 
 pened to come in contact with the former, 
 as if they had been stained by the touch 
 of an unclean or uninitiated. 
 
 "Generally these people grew very old, 
 and I myself know several who have ar- 
 rived to an extraordinary old age; and I 
 presume this fact may be accounted for by 
 their temperate, laborious life, and strict 
 regularity. 
 
 ' ' Their courage and uncommon tranquil- 
 ity cannot be disturbed by the greatest 
 calamities, adversities or troubles, for they 
 can bear suffering and pains with the 
 greatest calmness and strength of mind, 
 and in defense of anything good and just 
 they gladly prefer death for life. 
 
 '^During the Roman war they have in- 
 deed been subjected to great calamities, 
 suffering and excruciations. Many of them 
 have been put to the rack, and, living, 
 crushed by a wheel, burnt alive, or boiled 
 in great kettles, buried alive, crushed with 
 
Order of Essees 185 
 
 millstones. Indeed, all conceivable instru- 
 ments of torture and suffering have been 
 invented and used to make them deny their 
 faith, deride their Lawgiver, or eat such 
 food as was prohibited by their law; but 
 all these efforts have been in vain. Un- 
 shaken in their determination, they have 
 suffered these excruciations in silence and 
 with great endurance; and many of them 
 have in the very pain rebuked their enemies 
 with the sharp sword of the word of truth, 
 and have then, to the great amazement of 
 the bystanders, in a calm mind and joyful 
 mien, given up the spirit in the firm belief 
 to see it again — for they have the firm be- 
 lief and faith that their bodies shall decay 
 and become dust, but that the souls are 
 immortal, and shall live eternally." 
 
 Josephus' words are: ''Opinio ant em 
 apiid Essenos firmata constitii, corrupti- 
 bilia guidem esse corpara, animas antem 
 immortales semper remanere/^ 
 
 ''They say that during the worldly life 
 the spirit is chained to the body like a pris- 
 
186 The Crucifixion 
 
 oner in his cell, but when these chains 
 burst, by wear and decay, then the spirit 
 is freed from the bodily prison, and, al- 
 ready tasting the heavenly bliss, it soars 
 up to the bright kingdom of joy and peace. 
 
 ^'They agree with the disciples of the 
 Grecian philosophers, that the pious 
 spirits, previous to their admission into the 
 joy of heaven, hover in space over the 
 waters, without being affected by rain, 
 snow, cold or heat. 
 
 ^'They maintain that by the doctrine of 
 the immortality of the soul men are pro- 
 moted and encouraged to a virtuous life 
 and shun vice. Many of the Essees have 
 often stepped forth among the people as 
 prophets, and informed of things to hap- 
 pen, which has been easier to do for these 
 holy men, as they from their earliest in- 
 fancy study nature and the doctrine of 
 God; are instructed in goodly books and 
 the writings of the prophets, and grow in 
 wisdom and purity of heart. Their 
 presages often came true, and this in- 
 
Order of Essees 187 
 
 creased their esteem with the people as 
 holy men and prophets. 
 
 ' * There was still another class among the 
 Esseens who, although they corresponded 
 with the description of the Brotherhood in 
 general, as doctrines of religion, laws and 
 ceremonies, differed from them in regard 
 to wedlock. These latter consider that 
 everybody who does not marry hereby con- 
 tracts the propagenation and destination 
 of mankind, as men would soon cease to 
 exist if they lived by such rules. 
 
 ^*But ere the members of this class mar- 
 ried, they put the one they had chosen for 
 their wife on a term of trial for three 
 years ; and if, after this threefold trial and 
 cleansing, the woman was found to be 
 chaste and faithful, and capable of bearing- 
 children, they married her. They never 
 had sexual intercourse with the wife in her 
 pregnancy, thereby to show they had not 
 married from lust, but to fulfil the com- 
 mand of Jehovah, 'Be fruitful, increase 
 and fill the earth.' 
 
188 The Crucifixion 
 
 '^When the women bathe or wash them- 
 selves they are clothed in a linen garb, in 
 accordance with the men, who when they 
 bathe, wear an apron or a belt around the 
 waist. In whatever they do they exercise 
 great order and chastity, and rightly do 
 they deserve to be called an example for 
 the life of other people. ' ' 
 
 Such is the description that the learned 
 elosephus gives of this interesting Brother- 
 hood, their doctrine, customs, ceremonies 
 and lives, according to what he himself has 
 found of his own observances within the 
 same; he having been admitted as a real 
 member after being tried for three years. 
 
 Another learned and authentic author is 
 an old Jewish philosopher called Philo, who 
 lived contemporary with Jesus, and dwelt 
 in Alexandria, who has given to posterity 
 a description of the Order of the Essees, 
 their doctrines, customs and ceremonies. 
 In several of his writings that have been 
 preserved to our day, he speaks of this 
 Brotherhood, and in his work, ^^Quod 
 
Order of Essees 189 
 
 omnis vis prohiis liber sit" — Every truly 
 upright man is free. 
 
 He writes specially about the theoretical 
 Essees, or the so-called Therapeut (the 
 word ''Therapeut" means a physician), 
 and his description of the Order corre- 
 sponding with Josephus, and thus we have 
 two authentic authors that correspond per- 
 fectly in their description of the doctrine, 
 life, customs and ceremonies of this Order. 
 
 According to the account of Philo, ''The 
 'Therapeuts' were Essees who, of their 
 own free will, retired into solitude, and who 
 from love of godliness and heavenly things, 
 passed their time in studying religion and 
 nature. They live in several places in Pal- 
 estine and Egypt, and in this last country 
 their greatest congregation was in the 
 vicinity of the city of Alexandria, in a 
 lovely valley by the Sea of 'Moria,' where 
 the air in this country is very mild and 
 healthy. 
 
 "Here each one lived in their respective 
 houses, or rather huts, but so close to each 
 
190 The Crucifixion 
 
 other that in time of danger the brethren 
 could call to each other and hasten to mu- 
 tual help and assistance." 
 
 Among these Therapeuts there were oth- 
 ers who lived in solitude in deserts and 
 caverns, as, for example, Banus, whom 
 Josephus mentions; and to this class be- 
 longed most probably, John the Baptist, 
 (Luca Evang. 1 Chap. 63 v., Marc. 1 Chap. 
 4, and Matt. 3 Chap., 4 v.), for his habits 
 and mode of life correspond according to 
 the gospel with those of the Therapeuts. 
 
 Like the general members of the Order 
 of Essees he had disciples, whom he 
 brought up and instructed, but that the 
 New Testament does not directly record 
 John as a member of the Esseen Order nor 
 mention the same Order, this may easily 
 be explained by the circumstances that 
 every member of the Order had to take 
 a sacred oath at their initiation never to 
 divulge any of the secrets of the Order 
 to anybody that did not belong to it and 
 not to manifest himself a member of the 
 
Order of Essees 191 
 
 Order in cases where it was not necessary. 
 
 That our Lord and Master, Jesus, took 
 John and his disciples into his service, goes 
 to show that he at least prized the noble 
 efforts of the Esseers for truth and justice, 
 and that their profound knowledge in the 
 science of nature and the scriptures of the 
 prophets, was known to him. 
 
 The Pharisees generally conceived the 
 scriptures of the prophets liberally, and 
 misunderstood altogether the spiritual 
 meaning thereof, as regards the coming of 
 Messias. But the Essees interpreted and 
 conceived the scriptures and prophecies of 
 the coming of Messias allegorical, viewing 
 the divine secrets earnestly and pro- 
 foundly. 
 
 Therefore Jesus chose for his firm and 
 faithful disciples, the pious and unassum- 
 ing Essees, among whom John, the son of 
 Zacharias, was one of the most devoted 
 and best versed in the scriptures, who 
 stepped forth to proclaim the coming of 
 Messias in Christ. And with the most sin- 
 
192 The Crucifixion 
 
 cere love, greatest perseverance, and firm 
 faith, did John seal and confirm this truth 
 through the cleansing by water, through 
 baptism (which with the Essees had the 
 double significance of both bodily and 
 spiritual purifying), and in Christendom 
 considered the first Sacrament. 
 
 Before a Neophite was admitted, or al- 
 lowed to appear before the Brotherhood, 
 having gone through the first trials, he had 
 to pass three days and nights in a lonely 
 grotto, in religious and solemn meditation. 
 For his sustenance he found frugal but 
 sufficient food, consisting of fruits, bread 
 and water. 
 
 When this time was passed he was 
 brought to the Brotherhood in the evening, 
 immediately after the setting of the sun, 
 where certain questions were given him to 
 answer; and when he had there taken the 
 oath of initiation, the brotherly kiss passed 
 the round of the brethren, whereupon the 
 Neophite was dressed in the white garb, 
 as a sacred emblem of his purity of soul, 
 
Order of Essees 193 
 
 as he now having consecrated himself to 
 Jehovah in the cause of truth and light. 
 
 The elder of the Brotherhood then in- 
 itiated him, saying: ''Beloved son, you 
 are consecrated to Jehovah, therefore 
 choose your path after his will; contend 
 ever undaunted for truth and virtue; try 
 and examine everything minutely and con- 
 scientiously, and having tried much, choose 
 the good and useful in life, and use it for 
 the good of yourself and your fellowmen. ' ' 
 
 Then he was given a spade and an apron, 
 and one of the elders of the Brotherhood 
 spoke as follows: ''The Brotherhood is 
 henceforth thy world, thy all, thy father 
 and mother, thy sister and brother; and 
 henceforth it is the duty of the Brother- 
 hood to care for thee, protect thee, and 
 guard thee, for hence thou art its beloved 
 son/' 
 
 Some of the priests then read the prayer 
 of the Brotherhood, and when he had pro- 
 nounced the last word, all the breth- 
 ren shouted in chorus: "Amen! Amen! 
 Amen!*' 
 
194 The Crucifixion 
 
 The usual hymn of praise was then sung, 
 and the brethren sat down to their frugal, 
 brotherly meal, or feast of love, but still 
 the Neophite was not allowed to sit by the 
 brethren's table, but had to take his place 
 by a special table in the presence of the^ 
 brethren. 
 
 Now again came a trial of twelve months,^ 
 and when all the years of trials, three full 
 years, were ended, the Neophite was con- 
 sidered an actual member of the Brother- 
 hood, and then he was initiated and grad- 
 ually instructed in the doctrines and 
 secrets of the Order. 
 
 The Jews in general called this Brother- 
 hood,** The Holy Brotherhood of the Chosen 
 Ones," or **Hasidees," that is, the pious, 
 or the ** Children of Peace," of whom 
 Jesus speaks on several occasions. In 
 Luke, 10 Chap. 5 v., when he says : ** When 
 ye come into a house say first, * Peace be 
 to this house.' And if the son of peace 
 be there, your peace shall rest upon it; if 
 not, it shall turn to you again." 
 
Order of Essees 195 
 
 Likewise Nathaniel says to Jesus: 
 ^'Wlience knowest thou me?" Jesus ans- 
 wered and said unto him, "Before that 
 Philip called thee, when thou wast under 
 the fig tree, I saw thee.'^ Evang. John, 1 
 Chap., 48 v., and also do we refer to the 
 conversation with Nicodemus, John, 3 
 Chap. 
 
 The brethren had their special signs, 
 and thereby recognized each other when 
 they met. These signs were: A certain 
 movement of the right hand, a grip, the 
 brotherly kiss, and the word of salutations 
 — "Peace be with you my brethren"; and 
 it is significant that Jesus, on occasions 
 where he suddenly or unannounced stepped 
 forth among his disciples, always saluted 
 them with the words: "Peace be with 
 you." Luke, 24 Chap., 36 v.; Matt. 20 
 Chap., 19-26 v. 
 
 The Essees represented their doctrines 
 to the younger members and brethren in 
 parables or allegorical form, thereby to 
 form and exercise the mind and sharpen 
 
196 The Crucifixion 
 
 the thoughts, that they might gradually 
 get used to interpret the glorious doctrines 
 and truths that were hidden under the 
 parables. 
 
 Josephus says therefore, ^'Maxima enim 
 philosophic pars apud Essenos, prised ritii 
 per Allegorias traditur^^ ; and we know 
 that the Master, Jesus, often made use of 
 the allegorical representation and parables, 
 when he would impress some moral com- 
 mandment or high idea in the hearts of his 
 disciples or the people, or some sacred 
 doctrine of his divine truths. 
 
 The moral commandments of the Essees 
 appear otherwise to be very much similar 
 to those which the ancient philosophers and 
 wise men teached, but still more similar 
 are they to the doctrines that Jesus 
 preached. 
 
 In my little work '^Palestine in the time 
 of Jesus*' I have, page 88, showed this by 
 several examples. 
 
 Yes, the very fundamental command- 
 ments of the moral law of the Essees con- 
 
Order of Essees 197 
 
 sists of the same words that are quoted 
 in Luc, 10 Chap., where it says: ''And 
 behold a certain lawyer stood up and 
 tempted him saying, 'Master what shall I 
 do to inherit eternal life!' '' 
 
 He said unto him, **"\Vhat is written in 
 the law! How readest thou!'' 
 
 And he answering said, "Thou shalt love 
 the Lord thy God with all thy heart and 
 with all thy soul and with all thy strength 
 and with all thy mind, and thy neighbor 
 as thyself." 
 
 And Jesus said unto him: "Thou hast 
 answered right. This do and thou shalt 
 live." 
 
 Everybody that entered into the Broth- 
 erhood took the solemn vow, ' ' To love God 
 above all, and exercise love and justice to 
 all men." 
 
 The places within the borders of Pales- 
 tine where most of the Essees lived and 
 had their meetings in the time of John the 
 Baptist and Jesus, were the country round 
 Nazareth, the valley Achor near Betha- 
 
198 The Crucifixion 
 
 bara, the country round the castle of Mas- 
 seda, the desert at Ephraim, the moun- 
 tainous country at Igutha, not far from 
 Hebron, the town Bethania by Jerusalem, 
 the valley at Thabor and the country sur- 
 rounding the stronghold Macherous, where 
 John afterwards was a captive and where 
 he by the command of Herod was beheaded. 
 
 Such was this remarkable Brotherhood, 
 within whose sacred association the true 
 God was worshipped and the doctrine of 
 true religion preserved in purity, truth 
 and spirit, in many centuries. 
 
 For this, their pure, unsophisticated 
 worship, this Brotherhood was renowned, 
 before, by, and after the time of Jesus; 
 and useful, indeed, did their firm faith in 
 God prove; for soon after the departure 
 of the Master came the times when they 
 were tempted, and when it was of need to 
 be firm in their faith. 
 
 After Jesus' departure was the Broth- 
 erhood subjected to the most severe 
 temptations, the greatest trials and perse- 
 
Order of Essees 199 
 
 cutions. The Eomans spread war and 
 desolation over the unlucky land of the 
 Jews, and with the horrors of the war 
 followed thousands of miseries. But none 
 were more persecuted than the pious 
 Esseens. 
 
 The Eoman chiefs and soldiers invented 
 all conceivable kinds of tortures and ex- 
 cruciations, to make them mock and deny 
 God, but by none of all their barbaric 
 means did they succeed in shaking the 
 perseverance and firm faith of these pious 
 people. 
 
 In the first fury of the war, many of the 
 Esseens who lived in the cities, had fled to 
 their brethren in the desert and the moun- 
 tains, and here hidden, could they in peace 
 and brotherly love, exercise their worship 
 of God, according to the teachings of the 
 Master, unharmed, in its purity and truth. 
 
 But soon their places of refuge were 
 discovered and traced by their enemies, 
 when they were driven out of their places 
 of concealment, and most of them fell 
 
200 The Crucifixion 
 
 bloody victims to the fury and rage of the 
 Roman soldiers. 
 
 With the greatest calmness, without 
 complaint or murmur, they suffered the 
 lengthened pains of death, and sealed the 
 Master 's teachings with their blood. 
 
 But there were still many who, in spite 
 of the inventive means used by the Romans 
 to trace their ambuscades, remained undis- 
 covered, and thus were saved from a suf- 
 fering death, and these are just the fathers 
 of the Brotherhood, who have preserved in 
 its purity their doctrines, secrets, and the 
 knowledge that they themselves inherited 
 from wise fathers, and handed down to 
 their posterity, and these their doctrines 
 give the truest and greatest manifestation 
 of the greatness, wisdom and power of 
 God, and his inscrutable love to all men. 
 Amen!! 
 
 FINIS. 
 
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 science and philosophy of the Great School. 
 
 These books are not offered as oflBcial expositions of 
 the School of Natural Science, but as valuable literature 
 which supplements the general position and purpose of the 
 School. 
 
 New books will be added and old books revived from 
 time to time so that this series will eventually cover 
 many and varied lines of ethics, history, research and 
 discovery. 
 
 VOLUME I. 
 
 THE GENIUS OP FREEMASONRY and the 
 
 Twentieth Century Crusade. A Sign and a Summons to 
 Masons. An exposition of the spirit and purpose of Free- 
 masonry, showing that the organization is now facing its 
 greatest crisis. It is of equal interest to those who are 
 not Masons. 
 
 By J. D. Buck, author of " Mystic Masonry " and " A 
 Study of Man." 
 
 Bound in Silk Cloth, Gold Stamp, postpaid, Jl.OO 
 
 VOLUME II» 
 
 THE CRUCIFIXION, by an Eye-witness. A manu- 
 script discovered in Alexandria. An ancient letter from 
 a personal friend of Jesus, written from Jerusalem seven 
 years after the crucifixion, to friends in Alexandria, telling 
 the strange, simple and impressive story of the crucifixion 
 of Jesus, of his removal from the cross, his resuscitation 
 and subsequent death, as this friend witnessed the events. 
 
 With an introduction by T. K. author of "The Great 
 Work." 
 
 Bound in Silk Cloth, Gold Stamp, postpaid, $1.00 
 
 INDO-AMERICAN BOOK CO. 
 
 19 North Kedzle Avenue 
 CHICAGO 
 
Some Other Good Books 
 
 A^I^NGE STORY, h^ BuLWER LmoN. 
 
 To the discerning student these books are fascinating 
 foreshadowings of the Harmonic Series and present day- 
 exposition of Natural Science. Although romances, they 
 are at the same time learned expositions of the loftiest 
 principles and the most malign practices of human nature. 
 Bulwer's "Zanoni" and "The Great Work," treating of 
 the Constructive Principle, "A Strange Story" and "The 
 Great Psychological Crime" treating of the Destructive 
 Principle, had a common origin in the School of Natural 
 Science, and in different form, illustrate the same facts 
 and the same principles. 
 
 ZANONI, aoth Bound, postpaid $1.00 
 
 ZANONI. Half Calf, postpaid $1.75 
 
 A STRANGE STORY, Cloth, postpaid $1.00 
 
 MYSTIC MASONABY, By J. D. Buck, M. D.. A. 
 and A. S. R., 32°. The author of "Mystic Masonry" has 
 outlined the philosophy of Masonry and explained many 
 of the ancient symbols. This involves the journey of the 
 human soul and the higher evolution of man. The book 
 is quite apprehensible to the non-Masonic reader, as noth- 
 ing essential to the understanding of the philosophy is con- 
 cealed, and it is designed to be a contribution to the knowl- 
 edge of psychology and the uplift of the human race. 
 
 Cloth, 12mo, 316 pages, postpaid .... $1.50 
 
 THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. 
 
 A compilation from an ancient manuscript discovered by 
 the Russian traveler Nicholas Notovitcn in a Buddhist 
 monastery in Thibet. It throws a new light on the life, 
 education and teachings of the Master Jesus. It corrobo- 
 rates the statements of the Great School. 
 
 Special Indo- American edition, bound in Silk 
 Cloth, Gold Stamp, postpaid $1.00 
 
 INDO-AMERICAN BOOK CO 
 
 19 North Kedzie Avenue 
 CHICAGO 
 
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 Date Due 
 
 1 is 1,11 JUN 2* 
 
 1396 
 
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