Page:Christianity in China, Tartary, and Thibet Volume I.djvu/28

16 Gondaphorus died; and the king ordered him a magnificent funeral.

"Now on the fourth day, while the obsequies were being performed, suddenly, to the astonishment and terror of all present, the dead man arose, and said to the king, 'That man whom you intended to flay and burn alive is the friend of God. The angels who serve God took me to Paradise, and showed me a superb palace, enriched with gold and silver, and precious stones; and whilst I stood struck with admiration before so much magnificence, they said to me, "That is the palace which Thomas built for your brother the King Gondaphorus, but he has rendered himself unworthy of it; if you wish to live in it, we will pray God to resuscitate you, in order that you may purchase it of your brother, by restoring to him the money he gave for the building of it, and which he thinks he has lost."'

"The king, on hearing these words, rushed to the prison into which he had thrown the Apostle, eagerly released him from his chains, and besought him to accept a robe of honour. 'Dost thou not know,' said Thomas to him, 'that those who wish to have power over things celestial care nothing for those which are carnal and terrestrial?'

"The king threw himself at the feet of the Apostle, and implored his pardon; and when Gondaphorus and his brother had received baptism, Thomas said to them, 'There are in heaven innumerable palaces, prepared from the beginning of the world; and they may be bought at the price of faith and alms: your riches may precede you thither, but cannot follow you.'

"Thomas afterwards traversed various kingdoms of India, preaching the Gospel everywhere, working many