Page:Chapters From the New Apocrypha.pdf/7

3828  Zarephath that the barrel of meal should not waste nor the cruse of oil fail. But as it was in the days of old it is not now; For the flood cometh alike upon the evil and the good; And the pestilence walketh in darkness, upon the righteous man and the sinner; And the lightning smiteth, and the hail stones, and the stormy wind, both him that doeth good and him that doeth evil. Where now is the Lord our God that He hath not caused His face to shine upon us? Hath He forgotten His people? Hath He remembered them no more in mercy? Jesus, answering, saith unto the Pharisee, There was a man espoused a wife, and she conceived, and bare children; And while they were yet little children both the man and his wife served them and ministered unto them; But when they came to man's estate they went into the fields and fed their flocks; And some went into far countries. Tell me, I pray thee, do the shepherds who feed their flocks see the face of their father at noonday? Nay, but rather they wait until the even. And do they who have journeyed behold their mother while they are yet journeying? Nay, rather they wait until the end of the journey. And then shall they behold the face of both father and mother. Verily I say unto you, even as a father sendeth his children who are no longer of tender years into his fields and upon long journeys, So doth now the Lord thy God deal with His people Israel. Who now shall say unto the shepherd, Thy father hath forgotten thee? Or who shall say unto him that journeyeth, Thy mother hath forsaken thee? Behold I say unto thee: Feed thy flocks, and go thy way on thy journey; for there is a time for all things, but love endureth forever.

Now it was nightfall as Jesus drew near unto a strange city; And there were with him Peter, and James, and John, and certain others of the disciples. And they were overtaken by darkness at the gate of the city, and there was none to guide them unto the house of that disciple with whom they purposed to abide. Then Peter saith unto Jesus, Master, show us the way. But Jesus, answering, saith unto him, Tarry here a while till we find some man to guide us. Then murmured the disciples among themselves, and Peter saith unto him, Master, thou art the way; canst thou not show us the way? Jesus, answering, saith again unto Peter, Tarry here a while. Now while they tarried by the gate of the city, there drew nigh unto them a man bearing a torch. And Jesus saith unto the disciples, Behold, this man shall guide us. But when he was come unto them the disciples perceived that he was a publican. And when Jesus saith unto them, Follow on, they murmured yet again among themselves; And Peter saith unto Jesus, Master, seest thou what manner of man this is to guide thee? Jesus saith unto him, I see. Peter saith again, Master, is it meet that this man should guide us who is a publican and a sinner? Jesus saith unto Peter, Follow on; for it is not the man we follow, but the light. And while they sat at meat in the house of this disciple, Jesus saith unto them: Not every one that beareth the light is of the light; but he that followeth the light, he it is who is of the light.