Volume 2

FROM THE CLOSE OF THE
FIRST PASCH TO THE CONVERSION
OF THE SAMARITAN
WOMAN AT JACOB'S WELL
1. THE LETTER OF KING ABGARUS
From Bethania, where Jesus had for some time remained
in concealment, He went to the place of Baptism
near Ono. The arrangements were still in good order,
owing to the care of its custodians. The disciples gathered
around Jesus, and crowds of people came streaming in.
As Jesus was teaching before the multitude, part of whom
were standing, others sitting on wooden platforms in a circle
around Him, a stranger approached mounted on a
camel. He was followed by six attendants, who rode on
mules. They halted at the tents, some distance from the
place of instruction. It was an embassy from King
Abgarus, who was sick, and who had sent presents to
Jesus with a letter in which he implored Him to come to
Edessa to cure him. He had had an eruption that had settled
in his feet and rendered him lame. Travellers returning
to their honles had told him about Jesus and His miracles,
of the testimony of John, and the wrath of the Jews
at the last Paschal solemnity, all which had excited in him
a great longing to be cured by Jesus.
The young man commissioned to bear the king's letter
to Jesus was an artist, and he had received commands to
bring back Jesus' portrait if He would not come Himself.
I saw him vainly trying to reach Jesus. He pressed sometimes
here, sometimes there through the crowd, both to
hear the instruction and to paint Jesus' likeness. Then
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