An Easter Disciple: The Chronicle of Quintus, the Roman KnightSanford, Arthur Benton
Religion
An Easter Disciple: The Chronicle of Quintus, the Roman Knight
Sanford, Arthur Benton
Easter stories
With his soldier's cloak about him, in protection against the
winter's chill, Quintus is away to Jerusalem. The national Feast
of Dedication attracts his notice. A courteous Hebrew explains to
him that the joyful festival commemorates the cleansing of the
Temple after its profanation by Antiochus Epiphanes, two hundred
years before. The procession of pious Jews, carrying their palm
branches and marching to the heights of Moriah, the chanting of the
great Hallel within the imposing fane, the ascription of praise to
Jehovah all impress the keen-eyed soldier.
The enthusiasm of it all! Though of other blood, Quintus clearly
feels the thrill of patriotism that stirs the multitude about him;
and he understands in some measure their impatient waiting for the
coming prince who shall deliver Israel.
But is this all? Instead it is only the beginning of the wonders
which the serious Quintus is to witness. Forth he passes to the
eastern cloister of the Temple, known then among the Jews as
Solomon's Porch, in memory of their illustrious king. The
bystanders tell Quintus that it is built of a fragment of the first
Temple which Nebuchadnezzar had left standing. As the soldier
looks down the far-reaching aisle, he sees a quadruple row of white
Corinthian columns, one hundred and sixty in number, and extending
a length of many hundred feet. The vista is most amazing.
Accustomed though he has been all his days to the magnificence of
the Roman architecture, he yields in willing admiration to the
splendors of the Solomonic porch.
Then--he sees the Christ! Walking through that forest of massive
columns is the superlative Jew of his times, and of all times. For
now--when the voices of that winter day are still, and Solomon's
Porch has vanished where stood those blessed feet--there is no
earthly measurement by which to estimate the Man whom Quintus saw.
Among the throng that surround him hostile Pharisees challenge him
to tell them plainly if he be the foretold Messiah. With impatient
hearts they have waited long for their redemption. Let him say if
their deliverer has now come. Then shall they throw off the yoke
of the detested Roman rule and renew their ancient monarchy with
enlarging influence and increasing splendors.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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