prepared in the rock in my garden."

But before they could wrap him in the winding sheets, Salome came near,
and kneeling, raised to her lips the pierced left hand of Jesus saying,
"O, best of Masters! One more loving tear upon thy lifeless body."

Then came the Magdalene on the right hand, and kneeling down, stooped
low and kissed the right hand, saying, "O, let me once more kiss the
hand which has so often blessed me."

Then said John, "We shall see him again."

"Help me," said Joseph to Nicodemus, "to bear him into the garden."

"Blessed am I," said Nicodemus, "that I may lay to rest the remains of
him who was sent from God." Then taking up the body they bore it away.

Then said John to Mary and the other woman, "Let us follow the dear,
the divine friend."

"It is the last honor," said Mary, "that I can do my Jesus."

* * * * * *

On the morning of the third day since Jesus had been crucified, before
the sun had arisen, the four soldiers who were appointed to watch the
grave sat outside the tomb where the body of Jesus had been laid. One
of them awaking, cried, "Brothers, is not the night nearly over?" Then
said Titus, "The sky is already reddening in the east; a beautiful
spring day is beginning to dawn."

Hardly had he said these words when there was a great earthquake.
Pedius springing up exclaimed, "Immortal Gods! What a fearful shock!"
"The earth is splitting," cried Rufus. Then there was a peal of
thunder. Titus called out, "Away from the rock; it is tottering; it is
falling!" and the stone which had been rolled up into the mouth of the
sepulcher fell down with a crash.

Jesus arose. For a moment he appeared at the mouth of the sepulchre,
radiant in white apparel, while the watch fell on their faces to the
ground crying out, "Ye gods, what do we see? A fire from heaven is
blinding our eyes!"

Jesus then passed out through the door of the sepulchre and went down
into the garden and out of sight.

After awhile the soldiers, who were lying prostrate on the ground said
to each other, "Brother, what has happened to us?" Then said one of
the soldiers, "I will not stop here another moment."

But Titus looking up said, "The apparition is vanished," and grasping
his spear he rose to his feet saying, "Brothers, take heart; we have
nothing to fear, as we have done no wrong." They then stood up and saw
the open door of the sepulchre from which the stone had fallen.