“I think I will read to you,” added Rachel, “the last page or two of the letter, that you may see what views are now being held by those immediately about Jesus as to his person and work.” She read:
“Now we all know that my thought was right—that his death was an atonement for the sins of all men; and that the victims which have been offered from the beginning were only types of this great Victim. And I say to myself, What must be the nature and dignity of him whose death can atone for all human sin? Must he not be Divine as well as human? Must he not be God manifest in the flesh? Who else could make so mighty an expiation?—who else save he of whom it is written, ‘And the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the Everlasting Father,’ and who has said of himself, ‘I and my father are one?’
“I cannot return home just yet—much as I wish to see you and others. This great opportunity of seeing and hearing for a brief time longer the Redeemer of the world is too precious to be sacrificed. Besides, the successive tides of grief and joy have so shaken me that I am unfit to travel.
“Read what I have written to your dear grandfather. Oh, that he were here—his fairness of mind and penetration would be sure to place him on the side of Jesus.
“Of course I have written the same things to your dear father and brothers at Rome—hoping that amid their great schemes of business and ambition they will find room for faith, my faith. May they not be among ‘The rulers who take counsel together against the Lord and against his Anointed?’ As to you I have no doubt, even though the lot of Esther”—the maiden broke off abruptly with a flush and a shudder, and busied herself for a little in adjusting the leaves of the manuscript.
This letter led to a long conversation; I should say to long conversations. Daily, for many days, Aleph came to his friends; and daily the great theme was Jesus the Christ. Seti never failed to be present, and never failed to be silent—save when a brief inquiry could bring light. But, the day before the trials were to begin, he was absent, arranging last things with his lawyer. Miriam also was absent.
The unfailing and unwearying topic of topics again came up; and after a delightful talk about the past and the future of the Messianic history, Aleph inquired about the attitude of Seti.
“My own impression has been,” said he, “that it was better for a mind like his, so fair and penetrating and judicial, to be left largely to feel its own way to the truth. So I have made no formal effort to commend our own faith to him—save by shaping my inquiries of Miriam and our talks with each other so as to furnish answers to questions which a great and philosophic mind would naturally ask on its way to a just conviction. Have I been right in this?”
“I think so,” she answered. “Such men, my father says, must convince themselves. The most we can do is to get the material for judgment within their reach. And I think we have done this successfully in the case of my grandfather. His mind is open to evidence from all quarters. He has no national or race prejudices. He married a Caucasian princess; and was willing that my mother should marry a Hebrew. Signs are not wanting to me that his judgment is slowly but surely settling in favor of Jesus, not only as a divine messenger, but even as an incarnation of the One God. And yet I do not think that he has any idea of relinquishing his position as primate of the Egyptians.”
“I see no reason why he should,” returned Aleph. “He holds the original Egyptian position in matters of faith; also that of the higher priesthood all through the Egyptian history. He fairly represents the religion of the land as it was when his office was established: his predecessors have wrongfully used their power to change the ancient faith and practice; he can rightfully use his power to restore it. Meanwhile, he is acting no part; he is perfectly frank and outspoken as to his views and objects; his function requires of him no endorsement of idolatry or even a refusal of the Hebrew Scriptures and their Messiah. He could, to-day, say to his College of Priests, not only that, like the far-back fathers, he believes in one Infinite God who only is to be worshipped with Divine honors, but also that he believes that this God has just appeared in the person of Jesus—he could freely say all this and his subordinate priests would not be stumbled. So I think that no law, human or divine, requires him to surrender the advantages of his position in favor of some one who would promote the national apostasy instead of reforming it.... But I could wish to see him pronounced in favor of Jesus before I leave the country.”