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 confound His  enemies  by  appearing  to  them  too? Brethren, Christ's  life-long  practice  was  to  hide  His glory and  reveal  His  shame. Only three  climbed Thabor, but  vast  throngs  lined  the  slopes  of  Calvary, And justly  so,  for  the  kingdom  He  came  to  found was not  of  earth,  nor  to  be  built  by  means  so  earthly as to  seem  to  rest  on  human  causes. Besides, it  is a  law  of  Nature  and  of  grace  that  all  great  changes and reforms  result  from  the  efforts  of  a  few. The surging masses  cannot  be  converted  instantly,  but  are as plastic  matter  which  skilful  hands  must  gradually work and  mould. Nothing is  so  fickle  as  a  throng. The eleven,  when  they  saw  their  Lord,  believed  and were glad,  but  many  of  the  five  hundred  doubted. The multitude  had  seen  His  wondrous  miracles  but with what  result? To-day they  cry:  "  Hosanna,"  tomorrow, "  Crucify  Him; "  and  if  they  had  refused  to credit  Him  in  life,  neither  would  they  have  believed Him risen  from  the  dead. Still witnesses,  if  need  be, may be  found  even  among  Christ's  enemies,  for  St. Justin,  then  a  Jew,  declares  the  Resurrection  was taken by  all  for  granted. It is  admitted  by  the  Jewish historian  Josephus,  and  according  to  Tertullian  a circumstantial  account  of  it  was  written  by  Pontius Pilate to  the  Emperor  Tiberius. Now are  our witnesses reliable? Certainly their  opportunities  for knowing what  they  testify  were  most  exceptional. Intimately acquainted  with  Our  Lord,  they  had through forty  days  repeated  chances  to  establish  His identity. It was  but  natural  that  at  His  first  appearance they  should  suspect  they  saw  a  spirit,  but  Christ