"For me," Paul said, "I never truly knew
My Master while He lived among us here,
Almighty God incarnate in the form
Of servant—glory and blessing to His name!—
Though after He in triumph from the dead
Rose, and ascended far above all height
Into the heaven of heavens to be with God—
Whence he had stooped the dreadful distance down
To His humiliation among men—
Then He revealed Himself in power to me,
And I beheld His face and heard His voice,
And knew Him for co-equal Son of God.
But thou, besides that in this power and glory
No man may see Him save He show Himself,
Wouldst wish a picture of the life He lived,
The manner of man He was, while still on earth,
The death He died, and how He died His death.
There is one here among us well can draw
The living picture thou wouldst look upon,
For she was with Him when He walked the ways
Of Galilee and Jewry doing good;
She saw Him suffer when by wicked hands
His blindfold yet more wicked countrymen—
Alas, among them I!—put Him to death.
With early morning at His sepulcher,
His emptied sepulcher, she weeping stood
And saw—but what she saw and all her tale
Of Jesus as she knew and loved Him here,
Is Mary Magdalené's right herself
With her own lips and is her joy, to tell."
"Lord Buddha would not let a woman teach,"
Indulging so much of recoil concealed
As might consist with utmost courtesy
Said Krishna; but, with wise avoidance, Paul:
"And Mary Magdalené will not teach,
But only in simplicity with truth
Bear testimony of eye-witness how
Immanuel Jesus lived His life on earth."
While thus they talked a movement on the deck,
Words of command and bustle to obey,
Betokened that the purpose was to leave
The sheltered anchorage of The Havens Fair
And tempt the dangers of the winter deep.
Paul saw it and suddenly broke off discourse
With Krishna, saying to him: "They err in this;
Surely we here should winter. Let me speak
A moment with the master of the ship."
Krishna with such surprise as disapproved
Dimly in his immobile features shown,
Watched while this intermeddling strange went on;
Strange intermeddling ventured, strangely borne,
Captive to captor bringing advice unsought;
For Paul to the centurion also turned
When now the master and the owner both
Agreed against him; but that Roman chose
Likewise his part with them to sail away.
BOOK XIII.
SHIPWRECK.
A violent storm occurs and the vessel is wrecked. Krishna, having carefully noted the part that Paul takes in the rescue of the lives of all on board, and having noted besides the miracles performed by Paul on the island of Malta where they come safe to shore, brings himself to signify now his willingness to hear from Mary Magdalené her story of Jesus Christ. A company assemble, including, with the Christians, Julius as well as Krishna, and Mary begins her narrative. This after a time is interrupted by a peremptory summons from Felix to Paul, to which Paul responds in person.