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268 difficult to grasp? Could they understand a Christ, but not a perfect man, not a suffering, tempted, sympathising sorrower?

And Jesus answered almost with a cry, one last appeal to them to try to believe while yet they lived.

Was it all to be of no avail, this mission upon earth? The wearying thirty years? The miracles, the awful death? All wasted, all poured out for naught? Was the sacrifice of the Creator for His own creation to be in vain?

"Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest the darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have the light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of the light."

Then, wearied and disappointed, His heart heavy at the future of horror these people were preparing for themselves, the Nazarene walked through the crowd, and, as if by magic, disappeared.

"Surely He hath been caught up," said some, "for, though we look down the road, we cannot see aught of Him. Therefore said He, 'If I be lifted up from the earth.' "

But, notwithstanding this fresh miracle, notwithstanding the voice from heaven, still very few believed in Him as the Christ that should have come. It was as Esaias the prophet had said, "He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and that I should heal them."

Then, while the wondering crowd was debating, squabbling, pondering, scoffing, musing, working