Page:Lazarus, a tale of the world's great miracle.djvu/277

Rh His sleeve, they murmured something in His ear. And when the Lord turned round, a group of Greeks was seen approaching.

"They would have speech with Thee," said Philip.

He greeted them, as He did every one, with divine courtesy and love, yet a spasm of pain passed for a moment across His brow, as He answered His disciple: "The hour is come that the Son of God shall be glorified?"

"What meaneth He?" asketh one of another; and Mary, anxious at the look of pain that contracted the Saviour's brow, bent close to Lazarus, and, in terror-stricken accents, gasped: "Surely they come to take the Lord?"

But Lazarus reassured her. "Be not troubled, sister," he replied assuringly, "they are but Greeks, who seek to learn the truth."

"God be praised," said Mary; "but why, then, doth the Master say: 'The hour is come'?"

Then, with sadness inexpressible, Lazarus answered: "The hour is indeed near at hand, and the coming of these Greeks doth signify its nearness; for all nations shall bow down and worship Him together. As Caiaphas hath prophesied, so shall it be; God shall gather together all the children of God into one place, and all divisions shall be ended. The middle wall of partition shall be broken down, and all nations linked together in one common faith. Surely the coming of these Greeks is the first sign that the death of the Master is at hand."

Great tears welled to Mary's eyes. She understood now the grief that rested like a shadow on