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At first； no doubt； the LEGENDARY theory seems a little TOO far…fetched。 There is a fashion in all these things； and it MAY be that there is a fashion even here。 But when you reflect how rapidly legends grow up even in these days of exact Science and an omniscient Press； how the figure of Shakespeare； dead only 300 years； is almost completely lost in the mist of Time； and even the authenticity of his works has become a subject of controversy； when you find that William Tell； supposed to have lived some 300 years again before Shakespeare； and whose deeds in minutest detail have been recited and honored all over Europe； is almost certainly a pure invention； and never existed； when you rememberas mentioned earlier in this book＇1＇that it was more than five hundred years after the supposed birth of Jesus before any serious effort was made to establish the date of that birthand that then a purely mythical date was chosen： the 25th December； the day of the SUN'S new birth after the winter solstice； and the time of the supposed birth of Apollo； Bacchus； and the other Sungods； when； moreover； you think for a moment what the state of historical criticism must have been； and the general standard of credibility； 1；900 years ago； in a country like Syria； and among an ignorant population； where any story circulating from lip to lip was assured of credence if sufficiently marvelous or imaginative；why； then the legendary theory does not seem so improbable。 There is no doubt that after the destruction of Jerusalem （in A。D。 70）； little groups of believers in a redeeming 'Christ' were formed there and in other places； just as there had certainly existed； in the first century B。C。； groups of Gnostics； Therapeutae； Essenes and others whose teachings were very SIMILAR to the Christian； and there was now a demand from many of these groups for 'writings' and 'histories' which should hearten and confirm the young and growing Churches。 The Gospels and Epistles； of which there are still extant a great abundance； both apocryphal and canonical； met this demand； but how far their records of the person of Jesus of Nazareth are reliable history； or how far they are merely imaginative pictures of the kind of man the Saviour might be expected to be；＇2＇ is a question which； as I have already said； is a difficult one for skilled critics to answer； and one on which I certainly have no intention of giving a positive verdict。 Personally I must say I think the 'legendary' solution quite likely； and in some ways more satisfactory than the opposite onefor the simple reason that it seems much more encouraging to suppose that the story of Jesus； （gracious and beautiful as it is） is a myth which gradually formed itself in the conscience of mankind； and thus points the way of humanity's future evolution； than to suppose it to be the mere record of an unique and miraculous interposition of Providence； which depended entirely on the powers above； and could hardly be expected to occur again。
＇1＇ Ch。 II。
＇2＇ One of Celsus' accusations against the Christians was that their Gospels had been written 〃several times over〃 （see Origen； Contra Celsum； ii。 26； 27）。
However； the question is not what we desire； but what we can prove to be the actual fact。 And certainly the difficulties in the way of regarding the Gospel story （or stories； for there is not one consistent story） as TRUE are enormous。 If anyone will read； for instance； in the four Gospels； the events of the night preceding the crucifixion and reckon the time which they would necessarily have taken to enact the Last Supper； the agony in the Garden； the betrayal by Judas； the haling before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin； and then before Pilate in the Hall of judgment （though courts for the trial of malefactors do not GENERALLY sit in the middle of the night）； thenin Lukethe interposed visit to Herod； and the RETURN to Pilate； Pilate's speeches and washing of hands before the crowd； then the scourging and the mocking and the arraying of Jesus in purple robe as a king； then the preparation of a Cross and the long and painful journey to Golgotha； and finally the Crucifixion at sunrise；he will seeas has often been pointed out that the whole story is physically impossible。 As a record of actual events the story is impossible； but as a record or series of notes derived from the witnessing of a 〃mystery… play〃and such plays with VERY SIMILAR incidents were common enough in antiquity in connection with cults of a dying Savior； it very likely IS true （one can see the very dramatic character of the incidents： the washing of hands； the threefold denial by Peter； the purple robe and crown of thorns； and so forth）； and as such it is now accepted by many well…qualified authorities。＇1＇
＇1＇ Dr。 Frazer in The Golden Bough （vol。 ix； 〃The Scapegoat；〃 p。 400） speaks of the frequency in antiquity of a Mystery…play relating to a God…man who gives his life and blood for the people； and he puts forward tentatively and by no means dogmatically the following note：〃Such a drama； if we are right； was the original story of Esther and Mordecai； or （to give their older names） Ishtar and Marduk。 It was played in Babylonia； and from Babylonia the returning Captives brought it to Judaea； where it was acted； rather as an historical than a mythical piece； by players who； having to die in grim earnest on a cross or gallows； were naturally drawn from the gaol rather than the green…room。 A chain of causes； which because we cannot follow them mightin the loose language of common lifebe called an accident； determined that the part of the dying god in this annual play should be thrust upon Jesus of Nazareth； whom the enemies he had made in high places by his outspoken strictures were resolved to put out of the way。〃 See also vol。 iv； 〃The Dying God；〃 in the same book。
There are many other difficulties。 The raising of Lazarus； already dead three days； the turning of water into wine （a miracle attributed to Bacchus； of old）； the feeding of the five thousand； and others of the marvels are； to say the least； not easy of digestion。 The 〃Sermon on the Mount〃 which； with the 〃Lord's Prayer〃 embedded in it； forms the great and accepted repository of 'Christian' teaching and piety； is well known to be a collection of sayings from pre…christian writings； including the Psalms； Isaiah； Ecclesiasticus； the Secrets of Enoch； the Shemonehesreh （a book of Hebrew prayers）； and others； and the fact that this collection was really made AFTER the time of Jesus； and could not have originated from him； is clear from the stress which it lays on 〃persecutions〃 and 〃false prophets〃things which were certainly not a source of trouble at the time Jesus is supposed to be speaking； though they were at a later timeas well as from the occurrence of the word 〃Gentiles；〃 which being here used apparently in contra… distinction to 〃Christians〃 could not well be appropriate at a time when no recognized Christian bodies as yet existed。
But the most remarkable point in this connection is the absolute silence of the Gospel of Mark on the subject of the Resurrection and Ascensionthat is； of the ORIGINAL Gospel； for it is now allowed on all hands that the twelve verses Mark xvi。 9 to the end； are a later insertion。 Considering the nature of this event； astounding indeed； if physically true； and unique in the history of the world； it is strange that this Gospelthe earliest written of the four Gospels； and nearest in time to the actual evidence makes no mention of it。 The next Gospel in point of time that of Matthewmentions the matter rather briefly and timidly； and reports the story that the body had been STOLEN from the sepulchre。 Luke enlarges considerably and gives a whole long chapter to the resurrection and ascension； while the Fourth Gospel； written fully twenty years later stillsay about A。 D。 120gives two chapters and a GREAT VARIETY OF DETAILS！
This increase of detail； however； as one gets farther and farther from the actual event is just what one always finds； as I have said before； in legendary traditions。 A very interesting example of this has lately come to light in the case of the traditions concerning the life and death of the Persian Bab。 The Bab； as most of my readers will know； was the Founder of a great religious movement which now numbers （or numbered before the Great War） some millions of adherents； chiefly Mahommedans； Christians； Jews and Parsees。 The period of his missionary activity was from 1845 to 1850。 His Gospel was singularly like that of Jesusa gospel of love to mankindonly （as might be expected from the difference of date） with an even wider and more deliberate inclusion of all classes； creeds and races； sinners and saints； and the incidents and entourage of his ministry were also singularly similar。 He was born at Shiraz in 1820； and growing up a promising boy and youth； fell at the age Of 21 under the influence of a certain Seyyid Kazim； leader of a heterodox sect； and a kind of fore…runner or John the Baptist to the Bab。 The result was a period of mental trouble （like the 〃temptation in the wilderness〃）； after which the youth returned to Shiraz and at the age of twenty…five began his own mission。 His real name was Mirza Ali Muhammad； but he called himself then