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16 this library, or at least most of them were, but I also knew that the Talmuds of Jerusalem were not. I knew that when the Romans conquered the Jews and destroyed their Holy City, temple and all, all the sacred treasures were taken by the Romans and, I supposed, preserved.

Another historian says Gregory IX. burned all the sacred records. I found that this Roman bishop was a strong believer in Christ, as were all the Catholic Church. They follow not us, and we forbid them. Why should they burn these records? There is no Church more strongly in favor of Jesus Christ; he is their corner-stone, their foundation rock, their only hope. They have a different way to approach him. This does not destroy their Saviour; he remains the same, but they have different ways of using him as their Saviour.

Other historians said the Jews destroyed these records, although it is strange that the Jews should destroy all their sacred records at the time, to get rid of an impostor, as they believed him to be. It is more likely they would have preserved them to vindicate their actions in the future, provided they should be needed. The Jews were honest in all their dealings with Christ; they thought both he and John the Baptist were destroying their nation, and, as their nation and religion were one and the same, the course Jesus was pursuing jeopardized all their hopes, religious and political. This is seen clearly in the defence of Caiaphas, as set forth in this book (see his defence before the Sanhedrim in