"It is a dream," I said, impressed by his burning eyes, his glowing face, as he drifted on almost in a rhapsody.
"Yes—a dream; but it might come true if all—if you and all like you—I mean all educated and trained people, would unite to bring it about. Your leader preached it, you profess the principles now, but do not practise them. The State has been against it—the Church equally. It is full of sham."
"It was Jerusalem that stoned the prophets," I interrupted. He swept on with a gesture.
"Yes, yes—I know—I am not speaking now as a sectarian."
"But, at least, as a Jew," I said, laughing.
"Yes, perhaps. I hardly know. I know about Hannan the High Priest. He tried to stand in with Pilate. He thought he was doing his duty when he was only fighting for his caste. But what an Iliad of woes he brought on his people—through the ages. But now they know, they profess, and yet stone the prophets. Your church, founded to fight riches and selfishness and formalism, is the greatest exploiter of all that the world knows. Two generations sanctify the wealth gotten by the foulest means. The robber, the murderer, the destroyer of homes are all accepted, and if one protests he is stoned to-day as if he were a blasphemer of the law. If the Master to whom your churches are erected should come to-day and preach the doctrines he preached in Judea nineteen hundred years ago, he would be cast out here precisely as he was cast out there." He spoke almost fiercely.
"Yet his teachings," he added, "are nearer those of the people I represent than of those who assail them. Why should we not act on it? Possibly, some others might see our good works, and in any event we shall have done our part. John Marvel does."
"I know he does, but he is a better Christian than I am, and so are you."
"I am not a Christian at all. I am only a Jew."
"Will you say that His teachings have had no part in forming your character and life?"