Page:Lazarus, a tale of the world's great miracle.djvu/279

Rh affirmed that a voice had called out from heaven, "I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again."

At the words of His Father an expression of radiant gratitude came over the visage of the Nazarene; and, to leave no doubt in their terrified minds as to whether it was thunder or the voice of God that spoke, He said: "The voice came not because of Me, but for your sakes. Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me."

These words, mystic and ambiguous to many, filled the soul of Lazarus with dismay. How could he live this new life without his Master? His own death and resurrection seemed to have done little towards making people believe. The prospect of his renewed life without the supporting presence of the Christ, to be ended, in all likelihood, by an agonising death, seemed almost more than he could bear.

Then some of the Pharisees and chief rulers, who believed but durst not confess it, lest they should be cast out of the Synagogue, approached Him with the questions that were their endless stumbling-stones; questions of that law which had so wound itself round their hearts and brains that it seemed to stifle spiritual life.

"We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth forever; and how sayest Thou that the Son of man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of man?"

Did the world then mean to spin out its years to the end of time without ever coming any nearer to its God, that the presence of the Son of man was so