In answer to this a certain minister replies that: "Seneca, Diogenes, Laertes, Pausanias, Tacitus, and Marcus Aurelius, were Pagans, who certainly in works of stoic philosophy, travels, and geography would not discourse of Jesus." In answer to this I maintain that it is altogether probable, if not certain, that some of these writers would have recorded the "darkness over all the earth," which lasted some three hours (Luke 23 : 44) and the opening of the graves out of which many of the dead came and went into the city and showed themselves unto many: besides, there were several earthquakes. (Mat. 27 : 51, and 28 : 2, also Acts 16 : 26.) Such marvels, especially the darkness over all the earth, and the earthquakes could not have escaped the pen of all such historians and philosophers. "Each of these philosophers (Pliny the Second and Seneca) in a laborious work, has recorded all the great phenomena of nature, earthquakes, meteors, comets, and eclipses which his indefatigable curiosity could collect; neither of them has mentioned or even alluded to the miraculous darkness at the crucifixion."--Gibbon. The Resurrection of Jesus. Comparing now the several narratives of the resurrection with one another, we find this general result: In Mark Jesus is said to have appeared three times. 1. To Mary Magdalene. 2. To two disciples. 3. To the disciples at meat. Two such appearances only are recorded in Matthew: 1. To the women. 2. To the eleven in Galilee. In Luke he appears: 1. To Cleopas and his companion. 2. To Peter. 3. To the eleven and others. In the last chapters of John the appearances amount to four: 1. To Mary Magdalene. 2. To the disciples without Thomas. 3. To the disciples with Thomas. 4. To several disciples on the Tiberias lake. Paul extends them to six: 1. To Peter. 2. To the twelve. 3. To more than five hundred. 4. To James. 5. To all the apostles. 6. To Paul. "Upon this most momentous question every one of the Christian writers is at variance with every other." (Amberley's "Analysis of Religious Belief," p. 273.) They differ as to the number of women who visited the sepulcher. John mentions only one; Matthew names two, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary. Mark says there were three, the two Marys and Salome. Luke says there were more than three, the two Marys, Joanna, and certain others with them. They differ as to the number of persons in white seen at the sepulcher. Mark mentions one, "a young man." Matthew speaks of one, an angel. Luke says there were two men, and John that there were two angels. They disagree us to what was said by the persons in white. According to Matthew and Mark, they spoke of the resurrection of Jesus and his departure into Galilee, and sent a message to his disciples commanding them to follow him thither. In Luke they simply said that he was risen, and referred to a former prediction of his to this effect. In John they simply asked Mary, "Woman! why weepest thou?"