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The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah Vol 1 - Predestination

The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah Vol 1 - Predestination

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<strong>the</strong> eastern keep or <strong>the</strong> citadel, on <strong>the</strong> steep slope<br />

150 yards up. <strong>The</strong> foundations <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> walls all<br />

around, to <strong>the</strong> height <strong>of</strong> a yard or two above <strong>the</strong><br />

ground, are still st<strong>and</strong>ing. As we clamber over<br />

<strong>the</strong>m to examine <strong>the</strong> interior, we notice how small<br />

this keep IS: exactly 100 yards in diameter. <strong>The</strong>re<br />

are scarody any imnmins <strong>of</strong> it left< A well <strong>of</strong> great<br />

depth, <strong>and</strong> a deep cemented dstern with <strong>the</strong><br />

vaulting <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ro<strong>of</strong> still complete, <strong>and</strong>—<strong>of</strong> most<br />

terrible in-* terest to us—two dungeons, one <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong>m deep down, its sides scarcely broken in, '<br />

with small holes still visible in <strong>the</strong> masonry where<br />

staples <strong>of</strong> wood <strong>and</strong> iron had once been fixed 'I Ab<br />

we look down into its hot darkness, we shudder in<br />

realising that this terrible keep had for nigh ten<br />

months been <strong>the</strong> prison <strong>of</strong> tiiiat son <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> free *<br />

wilderness,' <strong>the</strong> bold herald <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> coming<br />

Kingdom, <strong>the</strong> humUe, earnest, self-denying John<br />

<strong>the</strong> Baptist. Is this <strong>the</strong> man whose testimony about<br />

<strong>the</strong> Christ may be treated as a falsehood ?<br />

We withdraw our gaze from trying to pierce this<br />

gloom <strong>and</strong> to call up in it <strong>the</strong> figure <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> camel-

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