ced him
to place this man on the cross.

As the cross was raised into position the Master cried aloud, "O
Father, forgive them--they know not what they do."

Taunted by the crowds, He hung and suffered the terrible agonies of
the cross. Even one of the crucified criminals reviled Him, asking Him
why He did not save Himself and them? The crowd asked Him why He who
saved others could not save Himself? But He, who could have brought
forces to bear which would have wrought the miracle they demanded,
answered not, but awaited the end.

Then set in the delirium of death in which He cried aloud to the
Father, asking if He had been forsaken in His misery. But the end was
near.

There arose a strange storm--darkness fell over the place--weird
electrical disturbances manifested themselves. The winds abated and a
strange quiet fell over all the scene, which was lighted by a ghastly
glow. And then came the earthquake, with strange groanings and
moanings of the earth; with frightful stenches of sulphur and gas. And
the very foundations of Jerusalem quaked and shivered. The rocks
before the tombs flew off, and the dead bodies were exposed to view.
In the Temple, the veil before the Holy of Holies was rent in twain.

The cries of the people as they rushed to and fro in mortal terror
took the attention of all from the cross. Then the Roman officer in
charge of the execution, glancing upward, saw that all was over, and,
falling before the cross, he cried out, "Verily, this man was a god!"

Jesus the Master had passed out from the body which had served as His
tenement for thirty-three years. His body was borne away for burial,
in a secret place. Embalmed by loving friends, it was carried to a
place of last earthly rest.

* * * * *

And now we come to a portion of the narrative in which the occult
traditions and teachings diverge from the account stated in the
Gospels. We should have said _apparently_ diverge, for the two
accounts vary only because of the varying points of view and different
degrees of understanding of the teachers.

We allude to the events of the Resurrection.

It must be remembered that Jesus had informed His disciples that in
three days He would "rise from the dead" and appear once more among
them. To the ordinary understanding these events seem to indicate that
the Master would once more occupy His physical body, and that His
reappearance was to be so understood. And the Gos