by Saul of Tarsus channeled by Alexander Smyth

“This sleep,” added the recluse, “is very different from the ordinary one of mortals. The mind and all the powers of life are totally abstracted from the corporeal senses, and his individual existence is quiescent to all influences, save that of your own. In fact, his body is totally insensible, and his spirit is subject to your will in all respects, as I will convince you.”

The recluse then took a small stick, with which he beat the sleeper over the shoulders and legs, without eliciting any signs of sensibility or motions. Then he gave Jose some directions how to exercise his will-power over him. Jose then stood in front of the sleeper, and with the concentrated energies of his will, commanded the latter to arise and follow him. Immediately the sleeping John arose and stood erect; then, with a fearless step, he followed Jose around the hut, passed out of the doorway, and for a few minutes walked to and fro in front of it; then returning to the hut he was restored to his former position by the side of the fire.

Then Jose, having received instructions from the recluse, by certain counter manipulations restored John to his former state of wakefulness and sensibility. As soon as he had recovered his consciousness he looked around him with astonishment, and said: “Well, this is strange! I really believe I have slept.”

“You have,” responded the recluse.

“But did I sleep from my own nature, or from any power exercised over me by my companion?” inquired John.

“You slept,” answered the recluse, “through the influence of a power possessed by your companion, which was existing in a latent state within him, and which I aroused to action. This power he has exercised over you, causing your body to become insensible to touch, and your mind and life-powers to concentrate themselves, yet to become subservient to his will.”

When the recluse had given this explanation, John raised his eyes to Jose, in which was an expression of reverence and awe; then raising his hands and clasping them together, he exclaimed exultingly, “Glory to the most High! His will is made manifest to me! My suspicions and anticipations are now become realities! The prophets have not spoken in vain assumptions; their words are true!” He then rushed from the hut.

When John had left, the recluse observed “the conduct of your companion is very strange.”

“It is to those who know not his nature as well as I do,” replied Jose. “He is naturally a great enthusiast, which has impelled him to gather up many chimerical and fanciful notions. From what he has just experienced, some new fanciful notion has just started in his mind concerning me; but I will reason with him tomorrow, and check its further growth.”

The recluse and Jose passed some time discoursing upon the nature of the power newly developed in the latter. Full particulars were given by the recluse, according to his experience of its application to the benefit of men; the kind of diseases that would come under its influence; its mode of operation on the mind and body, and many other traits of its nature. To all of this Jose listened with intense interest and joy. Time became far advanced into the night, and as John did not return, they reclined themselves to repose.

About the break of day, John entered the hut, seeming to be much exhausted, as though he had passed the night in wrestling with intense emotions. The two companions then, after thanking their host, took leave of him, and departed for their homes.

As they went along, Jose imparted to John all that had taken place the previous evening concerning the induced sleep of the latter, and some important information he had acquired besides. He endeavored to impress his companion with the idea, that the power he possessed was a natural one, though not possessed by all men. John listened attentively without responding a word, but towards the conclusion of Jose’s explanation, he shook his head, and looked up to his friend with an expression that seemed to doubt what he had heard.

“You seem to doubt what I have been saying,” observed Jose as he caught the glance of his companion.

“I do, in one respect,” replied John. “Your explanation of this mysterious power may be all true, excepting, as I think, your inference that it is natural to man. I doubt that.”

“Then how do you view it?” inquired Jose with surprise.

I have my ideas upon the subject,” replied John, “but I do not wish to state them now. Let us cease to speak of it, and hasten home.”

The two companions then continued their route in silence, each being absorbed in his own thoughts. As they came within a short distance of Nazareth, they entered an humble habitation by the roadside to see one of the neighboring families.

The people were poor, and the wife and mother was afflicted with severe neuralgic pains. As soon as Jose perceived the case of the poor woman, a thought struck him that this would be a good opportunity to test his mysterious power in the cure of diseases, and he therefore resolved to make the attempt. Calling the woman to him he addressed her in a soothing strain touching her malady; and when he perceived that he had wrought her mind to a befitting tone, he manipulated her from head to foot, exerting the full energy of his will to scatter the disease, and gently touched with his fingers the most afflicted parts. In a few seconds the woman declared herself relieved of her pains, and said she was cured. Unspeakable was the astonishment of the family, and great was their joy and gratitude. The eyes of Jose were lit up with great pleasure, while John stood with eyes fixed upon his companion.

“Come, John, let us depart,” said Jose, as he took the latter by the wrist, and broke the spell that was upon him. They then passed into the road; but John, instead of walking by the side of Jose, followed a little in the rear.

“Why do you linger behind, John? inquired Jose of his companion.

“It is not becoming in me to place myself on an equality with you any longer,” replied John, in a troubled voice. “Hitherto we have been familiar companions, bound to each other by the bonds of friendship, but now a line of distinction must be drawn between us. Our companionship must give place to that of master and servant, and my friendship must be replaced by love, reverence and duty.”

“By the Holy of Holies,” exclaimed Jose, as he regarded his companion with the greatest astonishment. “Are you crazy, John? Whom do you take me to be?”

“The truth must no longer be withheld,” replied John seriously. “The Lord has made his will and ways manifest to me this day, and the words of the prophet are come true, when he said,: ‘Behold my servant whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom I am delighted. I have put my spirit upon him.’ Yes, Jose, you are the blessed one of whom the prophet has been speaking. That mysterious power you have of doing good, is supernatural, which is confirmatory of the truth. I can no longer doubt of your being the—-“

John paused, as though he were afraid to utter the next word that would have completed his declaration. Then Jose seized him by the upper part of his tunic, and gazed intently into his eyes for a few moments, and then said, “The what?”

“The Messiah!” responded John, humbly and reverently.

There was a pause in their discourse as the two youths regarded each other for some time with great intentness, the expression of John’s countenance being that of humility and reverence, while that of Jose, in the commencement, seemed to be astonishment and displeasure at what he considered John’s infatuation. but as he continued his gaze the perception broke upon him that John was no longer of sane mind; then the sternness of his looks relaxed, assuming one of commiseration.

“John,” exclaimed Jose at length, as he released hold of the former, “you certainly must be crazy to entertain so preposterous a thought. The foolish books you study have unhinged your mind. I beg of you, if you wish to be my friend and companion for the future, that you will never mention to me or anyone else the like again.”

John made no response, but with a sullen air and dissatisfied feelings he followed his friend on their return to the village.

This event placed a restraint upon the friendly intercourse of the two young men, so that from that time their intercourse was much restricted. John confined himself to his studies, and Jose attended to his father’s business. Nothing was known among the neighbors why the two young men were not so friendly as usual; but by some means it became known that Jose possessed a wonderful power of curing and mitigating certain diseases, which soon spread through the village and around the neighborhood. Jose was accordingly besought to exercise his power to the benefit of the afflicted. The result was, that many who were diseased were made sound, and many others were relieved, and by which he gained many friends bound to him in gratitude. Some persons there were who became jealous of his skill and popularity, and fearful of losing their own influence, thought proper to thwart and misrepresent him, so that while some were giving him all due praise, others were sarcastically hinting that he was a doubtful or bad character.

This state of circumstances surrounded Jose until he had arrived at the age of manhood, when an event happened which very much changed them. Joseph, the carpenter, his reputed father, died. He had been prosperous at his business during his residence at Nazareth, one main cause of which was the industry and general good conduct of Jose, so that he had accumulated some wealth, which he had the good sense to divide between his wife and Jose.

Soon after the burial of his father, Jose converted all his means into money, and with the permission of his mother, he resolved to travel into distant countries to see the world and gain knowledge. His arrangements soon made; but before taking departure he had a friendly interview with his former companion, John. They discoursed long together. John was sorely distressed upon this occasion. He ventured to express once more to Jose that he believed him to be the true Messiah as spoken of by the prophets. He begged Jose to acknowledge himself to be such, and to let him declare it to the world; but Jose remained inflexible to all his beseechings in that respect. At length they parted, with the compromised understanding that after a number of years, when Jose should return from his travels, if they should accord in their general views, they would go forth together, and preach to the world reform and repentance.

Jose then set out upon his travels. He visited Egypt, Greece and Italy, and some other countries. After some years, when he was about thirty years of age, he returned to Judea. When at Jerusalem he met John. They soon after made their appearance in public, under conditions as will be explained hereafter.

************************************************

“I have now, friend Alexander,” resumed the spirit Saul, “given you the early history of Jesus of Nazareth, which was imparted to me by himself at the time he visited me in my exile from the happy Spiritual societies. I shall now with the assistance of Judas give you his after history–that tragic narrative in which Judas and I were the principal actors. I shall not pretend to give you the incidents in detail and in such connection as to form a unity of the whole; but will deliver them as they occur to my memory; nor shall I take up your time in description more than is actually necessary. My intent will be to furnish you all the material facts and scenes, but leave the rest to your own taste, skill, learning and prudence, to make any addition, illustration or embellishment you may think necessary, to produce a united and comprehensive true history, such as will be easy of comprehension and agreeable to the people you live among. When you shall have accomplished this task, you will then issue it to the world, calling upon all Christendom to read it, that they may no longer live in error and misconception of the truths herein stated. The Christian clergy, after reading my historical revelations, will no longer have a just excuse in maintaining a system of baneful doctrines, which I, Saul, expose and denounce.

The task I have assigned to you is a laborious one for a man in your circumstances; but be not discouraged. It is a debt of justice due to humanity that I owe, and shall be enabled to pay through your labors. You will confer great benefits upon your fellow men, and though you may not meet with a just reward in your mortal life, be assured that you will obtain it in the world of spirits.”

“Before I proceed to my task, I wish to ask a question,” I said to my communicating spirit.

“What is it?” demanded Saul.

“I wish to know,” I said, “what has become of the spirit Jesus.”

“After his kind visit to me,” replied Saul, “in which he made me acquainted with many secret points of his history that was not known to any other spirit or mortal, he took leave of me, and soon after was translated to the highest sphere of beauty and bliss; since then, I have not seen or heard of him.”

************************************************

According to the desire and commands of the spirits, Saul and Judas, I had about forty communications with them, in which they presented me a series of facts and incidents concerning the history of Jesus during the latter part of his career on earth, and the parts they performed therein.

These communications were given to me by the spirits taking possession of my mind about one hour each day, when, usurping all my mental powers and functions, they produced a series of visions similar to beautiful and well connected dreams. Scenery, characters or personages, dialogues and actions transpired in regular succession and order, like a performance upon a theatrical stage. I was the only spectator, though I had no other conception of myself than that of a conscious perceptive essence, with the power of perceiving the hidden feelings and unspoken thoughts of the visionary personages before me, the medium.

Excerpt from The True Life of Jesus of Nazareth: The Confessions of St. Paul

See Part I here.

See full book download here.