wo Marys,
Cleopas, and the disciples from whom Joseph and Matthias the
candidates for Judas Iscariot's apostleship were selected,
consisting probably of most of the seventy. If the evidence of any
number of men ought to convince us of the alleged event, then,
under the existing circumstances, that of twelve ought. Important
matters of history are often unhesitatingly received on the
authority of a single historian. If the occurrences at the time
were sufficient to demonstrate to a reasonable mind the reality of
the resurrection, then the unanimous testimony of twelve men to
those occurrences should convince us. The oaths of a thousand
would be no stronger.

These men possessed sufficient abilities to be trusted, good
powers of judgment, and varied experience. The selection of them
by Him who "knew what was in man," the boldness and efficiency of
their lives, the fruits of their labors everywhere, amply prove
their

1 The opposite view is ably argued by Bush in his valuable
treatise on the Resurrection.

2 Sherlock, Trial of the Witnesses.

3 Ditton, Demonstration of the Resurrection of Christ. For a
sternly faithful estimate of the cogency of this argument, it must
be remembered that all the data, every fact and postulate in each
step of the reasoning, rest on the historical authority of the
four Gospels, documents whose authorship and date are lost in
obscurity. Even of "orthodox" theologians few, with any claims to
scholarship, now hold that these Gospels, as they stand, were
written by the persons whose names they bear. They wander and
waver in a thick fog. See Milman's "History of Christianity," vol.
i. ch. ii. appendix ii.

general intelligence and energy. And they had, too, the most
abundant opportunities of knowledge in regard to the facts to
which they bore witness. They were present in the places, at the
times, when and where the events occurred. Every motive would
conspire to make them scrutinize the subject and the attendant
circumstances. And it seems they did examine; for at first some
doubted, but afterwards believed. They had been close companions
of Jesus for more than a year at the least. They had studied his
every feature, look, gesture. They must have been able to
recognise him, or to detect an impostor, if the absurd idea of an
attempted imposition can be entertained. They saw him many times,
near at hand, in the broad light. Not only did they see him, but
they handled his wounded limbs a