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| ON THE WAY TO NAZARETH / BY
JOHN SW INTON
PUBLISHED AND PRINTED PRIVATELY / BY
THE ORIOLE PRESS / BERKELEY HEIGHTS,
NEW JERSEY, U. S. A.
+x ºr -ºx DECEMBER, mcm xxxix


On the ºl)au to Jhazareth
BY JOHN S W IN TON
>k
IT was many years after the crucifiction, when an
aged Judean, while walking along the highway near
Nazareth, saw coming towards him a youthful Gali-
lean.The aged man held in his hands a scroll, which
he read as he walked.
As the twain drew nigh to each other the Galilean
saluted the Judean and accosted him.
“What readest thou?” he asked in agentle tone. -
“The Law,” replied the other.
“Hast seen the gospel?” inquired the Galilean.
"Aye!” he answered in a trembling voice, “But
that is not for me. I am Iscariot!”
“And art thou,” spake the Galilean, “the Judas of
that name that betrayed the Christ?”
“’Twas Il” he cried in agony and with distorted
visage, as he gazed at the Galilean. “But who art
thou?”
“Thy friend,” replied the other.
“I have no friend on earth or in heaven,” said
Judas. “When I read the Law I am affrighted, and
when I pray to the One God I see him frown. I am
Iscariot!”
“Thy friend I am, dear Judas. Look on me.”
The Galilean's voice was gracious as he spoke,
but Judas shook as smitten to the soul. He flung
himself at the feet of the Galilean, who had called
him friend, and kissed them.
"The Gospel is for thee, dear Judas,” said the
friend as Judas lay upon the ground in tears.
“Nay, nay,” said Judas. “I bartered off my soul
and I sold my master, He who was divine. 'Twas
said I hanged myself, and it is true, but I did not
die, though hanged.”
“And yet, dear Judas, know his Gospel is for
\


thee,” said the other with firm voice to the aged
Judean, sunk in despair.
“By what authority speakest thou?” asked Is-
cariot, as he looked into the Galilean's face."Speak-
est thou for Peter, John or other brethren, lost
though yet alive; the men whom once I loved only
less deeply than I loved the Christ? Who art thou?”
cried the aged Judean,"and whence thy authority?”
“The authority, dear Judas, of Him who was cru-
cified and who spoke the words, No one who cometh
to Me shall be cast out.’”
“Those words are not for me,” wailed Iscariot.
“Aye, for thee each word, dear Judas, and for thee
alike the last cry of the Christ, that all might be for-
given I speak for Him.”
“But who art thou?” Exclaimed Iscariot once a-
gain as he saw that love illumined the face of the Ga-
lilean who stood before him.
“It was I who spoke the words while on the cross,
and here I speak them once again to thee.”

“The Christ?” asked Judas. “He whom once I
loved, whom Ibetrayed, for whose loss I wept these
weary years, and for whose betrayal I’ll lave my
heart in tears till death.”
“Thy sins, dear Judas,” softly spoke the Galilean,
“are forgiven. Today thou shalt be with Me in par-
adise.”
Q_^)