Page:Lazarus, a tale of the world's great miracle.djvu/115

Rh day? If any man walketh in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of the world; but if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.' "

"And how interpreted thou this saying?" asked another.

Then John, leaning forward, said: "Who can fathom the words and doing of our Lord? Yet, it seemeth to me that He spake that the time was not yet fitting; that, when the hour should come, then the Jews would seek Him out, for He hath told us further—'Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go that I may awake him out of sleep.' "

"If he sleep, he shall do well," said one.

"Yet one hath been from Bethany to-day saying that they have laid him in his grave. Have the physicians so far erred that they take sleep for death? Luke, thou art a doctor, tell us, can such things be?"

"It hath been known that those in a trance have been laid in their grave, and, after many days, have been raised again. But my heart telleth me it is not so in this case. For the glory of God hath it been that our Master was not there; else they that seek to slay Him, or to entangle Him in His talk, would speak of some bedazzlement or trickery. So much the Lord doth love Lazarus that, had He seen him sick, for very love He would have restored him, but now that he hath lain in the grave three days, surely the world will believe, if He do bring him back to life."

"'T is difficult to believe," said Thomas; "for study hath given to each argument an answer."