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Selected Messages Book 1
blind or drunken men, their faces pale as the dead, they told those they
met of the wonderful scenes they had witnessed. Messengers preceded
them quickly to the chief priests and rulers, declaring, as best they
could, the remarkable incidents that had taken place.
The guards were making their way first to Pilate, but the priests
and rulers sent word for them to be brought into their presence. These
hardened soldiers presented a strange appearance, as they bore testi-
mony to the resurrection of Christ and also of the multitude whom He
brought forth with Him. They told the chief priests what they had seen
at the sepulcher. They had not time to think or speak anything but the
truth. But the rulers were displeased with the report. They knew the
great publicity had been given to the trial of Christ, by holding it at the
time of the Passover. They knew that the wonderful events which had
taken place—the supernatural darkness, the mighty earthquake—could
not be without effect, and they at once planned how they might deceive
the people. The soldiers were bribed to report a falsehood.
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