ping him; and the crocodile deceives his prey by crying like a child. So Herod was like a crocodile. LUCIA. A tiger-hearted murderer. EMMA. Very revengeful and cruel. EDWARD B. He was like a hyena, a very great abomination. NATHAN. A deceiver and a thief. MR. ALCOTT. What did he steal? NATHAN. Children. EMMA. I think after the children were killed, Herod was sorry, though he felt glad at first. MR. ALCOTT. Who else think he was sorry? (See Note 126.) (All but three held up their hands.) JOSEPH. I thought of the angel that came to Joseph in Egypt. MR. ALCOTT. shape? Did the angel come in an outward EMMA. I think of angels with shapes; yet I do not think they have shapes. FREDERIC. I think it was bad enough for Herod to kill Jesus; but to kill so many children!! SAMUEL R. I think if the wise men had come back and told Herod the truth, he would have killed Jesus and no other, and that would have been bad enough. MR. ALCOTT. What does it mean by Herod's being "mocked of the wise men "? CHARLES. To mock seems to mean to slight. MR. ALCOTT. "He was wroth." What is wroth? MR. ALCOTT. Who think Herod believed in Astrol ogy? (Many did.) (See Note 127.) VOL. I. 10 Sense of (Mr. Alcott here described a similar scene to the massacre as taking place in Boston, and their brothers and sisters the victims. He then asked some questions to find out whether the children thought they should be filled more with pity for the children, or anger for the men; and how much they would think of punishing the men, and what their feeling about punishment was. My record is too confused for me to give the details.) (Some conversation ensued on punishment Punishment. in school, and Mr. Alcott asked who felt pleasure when they saw other boys punished.) SEVERAL. When they have troubled us, we do. JOSIAH. I feel pleasure in seeing boys punished. I don't know why. WILLIAM B. Is it the pleasure of revenge? EDWARD J. I do not know, but I take pleasure in it. MR. ALCOTT. Who think the feeling wrong ? (All rose.) (See Note 128.) Prejudice. SEVERAL. MR. ALCOTT. Why did Joseph distrust Because he was Herod's son. (Mr. Alcott here made some remarks on hereditary and family character; on family prejudices, &c.; on prejudice in general, and then closed by reading a paraphrase, and referring to the next conversation. CONVERSATION XIV. GENIUS OF SPIRIT. CHILDHOOD. Jesus with the Doctors in the Temple, from the Sacred Text.-Wisdom of Childhood. Idea of Jesus with the Doctors. - Inspiration of Childhood. - General Inspiration. Genius of Childhood. Parental Instinct Idea of Childhood. - Misapprehension of Childhood. MR. ALCOTT. There is no account given us of the time between two years old and twelve of Jesus' life. (See Note 129.) But when he was twelve, something occurred, which I will now read. He then read the account of JESUS WITH THE DOCTORS IN THE TEMPLE. Before the Vulgar Era, 7. Julian Period, 4720. Jerusalem. * Deut. xvi. 1. LUKE ii. 41 to the end. Wisdom of 41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem * every year at the feast of the Passover. 42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. 43 And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. 44 But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. 45 And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. 46 And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. 47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. 48 And when they saw him, they were amazed and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. Before the 49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me ? Vulgar Era, 7. wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? Julian Period, 4720. Jerusalem. 50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. 51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. Mr. Alcott asked what interested them most? Idea of Jesus with the Doctors. NATHAN. Jesus talking with the ministers. HALES. I thought about Jesus with the ministers. JOSIAH. I thought about his parents returning and looking for him. They travel in that country on an ass's back, with a basket on the ass to ride in. Jesus and his mother were in the basket when they went up, and the people were walking all round, but Jesus was not there when they were returning. SAMUEL T. Jesus was stting with the doctors, he was in the pulpit. EDWARD J. I had no thought, but I heard it all. JOHN D. Jesus knew a great deal more than the doctors who stood round him listening. JOSEPH. I thought Jesus ought to have told his father and mother that he was going to stay behind. MR. ALCOTT. Well, how do you explain that he did not? JOSEPH. Perhaps he did not know when they went. MR. ALCOTT. What do you suppose he was doing all that time? JOSEPH. He was talking with the ministers. MR. ALCOTT. Should you have liked to talk with them, had you been in his place? JOSEPH. Perhaps I should, but I don't know. WELLES. When you were reading, I thought, that Jesus knew his father and mother had gone, but still that he thought he would stay and teach the doctors a little while. JOHN B. I imagined Jesus going into the temple where a great many ministers were teaching people to be good. But Jesus did not see his parents go out, and they thought he was following behind, till bye and bye, when they were almost home, they looked round and found he was not there so they went back and found him teaching people to be good, which is what God is doing all the time. This was what interested me most. FREDERIC. I thought of Jesus arguing with the doctors. He was trying to make them think that what he was saying was true, and they were trying to make him think that what they were saying was true. But Jesus' arguments were the best. AUGUSTINE. I thought they were trying to say something which Jesus could not answer, to try him. But he answered every one, without any trouble. GEORGE B. I think of him asking questions to teach the doctors. LEMUEL. I understand the answer he gave to Mary. It was God's business. MR. ALCOTT. What is God's business? LEMUEL. Being good, and talking and teaching about good things. (See Note 130.) ALEXANDER. I think of him preaching to the doctors; but I really think it was wrong for him to stay there without telling his parents. MR. ALCOTT. You mean that you do not see how it was right? ALEXANDER. No; it seems to me it was wrong. MR. ALCOTT. Are any more perplexed with this thought? (Several raised their hands.) |