For the Temple | Page 6

accepting the doctrines which the members of this sect hold, as
to their founder being the promised Messiah who was to restore Israel."
"I, too, have talked with many of the sect," Simon said; "and have
argued with them on the folly of their belief, seeing that their founder
by no means saved Israel, but was himself put to death. From what I
could see, there was much that was good in the doctrines they hold; but
they have exaggerated ideas, and are opposed to all wars, even to
fighting for their country. I hear that, since there has been trouble with
Rome, most of them have departed altogether out of the land, so as to
avoid the necessity of fighting."
"They are poor creatures," Solomon Ben Manasseh said, scornfully;
"but we need not talk of them now, for they affect us in no way, save
that it may be that Josephus has learned somewhat of their doctrines,
from Banus; and that he is thus unduly and, as I think, most
unfortunately for the country, inclined too much to mercy, instead of
punishing the evildoers as they deserve."
"But nevertheless, rabbi, it seems to me that there has been good policy,
as well, in the mercy which Josephus has shown his foes. You know
that John has many friends in Jerusalem; and that, if he could accuse
Josephus of slaughtering any, he would be able to make so strong a
party, there, that he could obtain the recall of Josephus."
"We would not let him go," Solomon said, hotly. "Since the Romans
have gone, we submit to the supremacy of the council at Jerusalem, but
it is only on sufferance. For long ages we have had nothing to do with
Judah; and we are not disposed to put our necks under their yoke, now.
We submit to unity because, in the Romans, we have a common foe;
but we are not going to be tyrannized. Josephus has shown himself a
wise ruler. We are happier, under him, than we have been for
generations under the men who call themselves kings, but who are
nothing but Roman satraps; and we are not going to suffer him to be
taken from us. Only let the people of Jerusalem try that, and they will
have to deal with all the men of Galilee."
"I am past the age at which men are bound to take up the sword, and

John has not yet attained it but, if there were need, we would both go
out and fight. What could they do, for the population of Galilee is
greater than that of Judah? And while we would fight, every man, to the
death; the Jews would, few of them, care to hazard their lives only to
take from us the man we desire to rule over us. Still, Josephus does
wisely, perhaps, to give no occasion for accusation by his enemies.
"There is no talk, is there, rabbi, of any movement on the part of the
Romans to come against us, in force?"
"None, so far as I have heard," the rabbi replied. "King Agrippa
remains in his country, to the east; but he has no Roman force with him
sufficient to attempt any great enterprise and, so long as they leave us
alone, we are content."
"They will come, sooner or later," Simon said, shaking his head. "They
are busy elsewhere. When they have settled with their other enemies,
they will come here to avenge the defeat of Cestius, to restore Florus,
and to reconquer the land. Where Rome has once laid her paw, she
never lets slip her prey."
"Well, we can fight," Solomon Ben Manasseh said, sternly. "Our
forefathers won the land with the sword, and we can hold it by the
sword."
"Yes," Martha said quietly, joining in the conversation for the first time,
"if God fights for us, as He fought for our forefathers."
"Why should He not?" the rabbi asked sternly. "We are still his people.
We are faithful to his law."
"But God has, many times in the past, suffered us to fall into the hands
of our enemies as a punishment for our sins," Martha said, quietly.
"The tribes were carried away into captivity, and are scattered we know
not where. The temple was destroyed, and the people of Judah dwelt
long as captives in Babylon. He suffered us to fall under the yoke of the
Romans.

"In his right time, He will fight for us again; but can we say that that
time has come, rabbi, and that He will smite the Romans, as He smote
the host of Sennacherib?"
"That no man can say," the rabbi answered, gloomily. "Time only will
show but, whether or no, the people will fight valiantly."
"I doubt not that they