Page:Light and truth.djvu/227

Rh circumjacent buildings of the temple, a light equal to the brightness of the day; which continued for the space of half an hour."

2. "About the sixth hour of the night, [says Josephus,] the eastern gate of the temple was found to open without human assistance." This gate was of solid brass; and so large and heavy, as to require twenty men to close it. And Josephus says, " it was secured by iron bolts, and bars, that were let down into a large threshold consisting of one entire stone." The Jews themselves concluded, from the miraculous nature of this event, that the security of their temple had fled. When the procurator was informed of it, he sent a band of men to close the door; who with great difficulty executed their orders.

3. Again, the same celebrated Jewish author says: "At a subsequent feast of Pentecost, while the priests were going by night into the inner temple, to perform their customary ministrations, they first felt, as they said, a shaking accompanied by an indistinct murmuring; and afterwards voices as of a multitude, saying in a distinct and earnest manner: " Let us depart hence." How striking was this miraculous premonition. It commenced with a shaking, to call and fix the attention of these Jewish priests. Then was heard an indistinct murmur. This would make them listen with all possible heed. Then they heard the distinct voices, as of a multitude in great earnestness and haste;—"Let us depart hence!" And their last fatal war with the Romans commented before the next season for celebrating this feast.

4. Another sign was the following. The same author says; "A meteor, resembling a sword, hung over Jerusalem, during one whole year." This could not have been a comet, for it was stationary a whole year, and seems, from the words of Josephus, to have been much nearer than a comet, and appeared to be appropriated to that city. This reminds one of the sword of the destroying angel, stretched out over Jerusalem, (I Chro. xxi. 16.) This stationary position of the sword for a year, was a lively indication that the impending ruin was fatal.

5. Josephus says again, "As the high priests were leading a heifer to the altar to be sacrificed, she