Volume 2

304 Life q{ Jesus ('/1rist
these messengers of John was the son of the widower
Cleophas. I think he was Cleophas of Emmaus, a relative
of Cleophas, the husband of Mary's eldest sister. Another
of these disciples \vas Judas Barsabas, related to Zachary
of Hebron. His parents, though living now in Cana, had
once dwelt in Nazareth. Among these disciples of John, I
still recall others. The sons of Mary Heli, the eldest sister
of the Blessed Virgin, were John's disciples. They were
born so long after their sister Mary Cleophas that they
were scarcely older than her sons. They clung to the
Baptist until he was beheaded, and then joined the discipIes
of Jesus.
The married couple who directed the inn at Bezech
were good, devout people. They observed continence by
virtue of a vow, although they were not Essenians. They
were distant relatives of the Holy Family. During His
stay here, Jesus had several private interviews with these
good people.
All the friends and disciples ate and slept with Jesus in
the newly erected inn. They found ready for them, thanks
to the forethought of Lazarus and the holy women, table
furniture, covers, carpets, beds, screens, and even sandals
and other articles of clothing. Martha had near the desert
of Jericho a house full of women whom she kept busy
preparing all these things. She had gathered together
many poor widows and penniless girls, who were striving
to lead a good life. There they lived and worked together.
All was carried on quietly and unknown to the public. It
was no little thing to provide for so many inns and so
many people and to superintend them constantly-above
all, to send olessengers around to them, or give them personal
attention.
Next morning Jesus delivered a long and magnificent
discourse on a hill in the middle of the city, where the inhabitants
had erected for Him a teacher's chair. The
crowd was great, and among them were about ten