THE LAST SUPPER.
O Judas, art thou blinded quite
By untamed greed of gold and gear?
And would thou sell thy master dear
For base gain? Shudders not thy soul in dire affright?
Thy lot has passed into the night,
Already doth thy doom appear.
"'Tis one of you that shall betray,"
Three times the Lord thus spoke to him—
Who's purposed his own soul to slay—
Yet is his conscience dull and dim,
For Satan rules his heart within
And lust for gold that's won by sin.
"Oh Judas! but one moment stay.
Oh! finish not this foulest deed!"
But no! for deaf and blind with greed,
To the council Judas hastes away,
And there repeats in evil trade,
The bargain once with Dathan made.
And it came to pass that when Peter and John were still on their way to Jerusalem, Baruch, the servant of Mark, came out into the street with a pitcher of water, which he went to get filled at the well.
As he went he said to himself, "There is a great deal of business today, there will be no lack of work this Passover; from the great crowd of pilgrims we can expect nothing else. My master must expect many guests as he is already making so much to-do in the house." When he was drawing the water John and Peter came upon him.
"See," said they, "there is someone at the well."
Baruch, not noticing them, went on drawing the water, saying, "There must be something exceptional at this Passover, seeing the way in which the rulers of the council hasten about hither and thither."
As he lifted the pitcher and turned to go Peter said, "This is he who carries the pitcher of water that our master gave us for a sign."
Then said John, "Let us follow him."