FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   250   251   252   253   254   255   256   257   258   259   260   261   262   263   264   265   266   267   268   269   270   271   272   273   274  
275   276   277   278   279   280   281   282   283   284   285   286   287   288   289   290   291   292   293   294   295   >>  
n several localities, the earthquake was severely felt, particularly to the east and north-east of Paneas. In Upper Galilee, many Pharisees found their houses in ruins when they returned from keeping the feast. A number of them, while yet at Jerusalem, received the news of what had happened, and it was on that account that the enemies of Jesus made such very slight efforts against the Christian community at Pentecost. A part of the Temple of Garizim crumbled down. An idol stood there above a fountain, in a small temple, the roof of which fell into the fountain with the idol. Half of the synagogue of Nazareth, out of which Jesus had been drive, fell down, as well as that part of the mountain from which his enemies had endeavoured to precipitate him. The bed of the Jordan was much changed by all these shocks, and its course altered in many places. At Macherus, and at the other towns belonging to Herod, everything remained quiet, for that country was out of the sphere of repentance and of threats, like those men who did not fall to the ground in the Garden of Olives, and, consequently, did not rise again. In many other parts where there were evil spirits, I saw the latter disappear in large bodies amid the falling mountains and buildings. The earthquakes reminded me of the convulsions of the possessed, when the enemy feels that he must take to flight. At Gergesa, a part of the mountain from which the devils had cast themselves with the swine into a marsh, fell into this same marsh; and I then saw a band of evil spirits cast themselves into the abyss, like a dark cloud. It was at Nice, unless I am mistaken, that I saw a singular occurrence, of which I have only an imperfect remembrance. There was a port there with many vessels in it; and near this port stood a house with a high tower, in which I saw a pagan whose office was to watch these vessels. He had often to ascend this tower, and see what was going on at sea. Having heard a great noise over the vessels in the port, he hurriedly ascended the tower to discover what was taking place, and he saw several dark figures hovering over the port, and who exclaimed to him in plaintive accents: 'If thou desirest to preserve the vessels, cause them to be sailed out of this port, for we must return to the abyss: the great Pan is dead.' They told him several other things; laid injunctions upon him to make known what they were then telling him upon his return from a certain voyag
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   250   251   252   253   254   255   256   257   258   259   260   261   262   263   264   265   266   267   268   269   270   271   272   273   274  
275   276   277   278   279   280   281   282   283   284   285   286   287   288   289   290   291   292   293   294   295   >>  



Top keywords:
vessels
 
mountain
 
fountain
 
return
 
spirits
 
enemies
 

occurrence

 

reminded

 

earthquakes

 
imperfect

convulsions
 

possessed

 

devils

 
remembrance
 

Gergesa

 

mistaken

 
flight
 

singular

 
sailed
 

preserve


desirest

 

plaintive

 

accents

 

telling

 

injunctions

 

things

 
exclaimed
 

hovering

 

ascend

 

office


buildings

 

discover

 

taking

 
figures
 

ascended

 

hurriedly

 
Having
 
threats
 

slight

 
efforts

Christian
 

happened

 

account

 

community

 

Pentecost

 

temple

 

Temple

 

Garizim

 
crumbled
 

received