A Thrilling Oriental Narrative Concerning Two Brothers.
Translated from the original in Greek by Ad. F. Eoll, Herrliberg, near Zurich, Switzerland,
A NUMBER of years ago there happened something so strange, so wonderful, and so thrilling that I really must recount it.
There lived together in an Oriental city two brothers. The younger one led a wild and dissolute life; from early morning till late at night he was bent only on the enjoyment of sinful pleasures and seemed to be without the slightest desire to break with them.
The elder brother, on the contrary, was a God-fearing man, humble and devoted. Actively engaged in honorable pursuits, he was not to be tempted by anything sinful. Being much grieved about his brother, he often—and that with tears—appealed to him. The younger one, however, heeded neither his appeals nor his tears, but went on in his wild career, ruining himself soul and body. Day after day his wretched mode of life was repeated; he simply “amused” himself far into the night, whilst his elder brother would often remain awake waiting for his return, the while beseeching God on his behalf.
Once, after midnight, the elder brother heard a sudden sharp knocking at the door of their dwelling. He opened speedily, and the younger one rushed in, quite pale and trembling, and with his clothes all blood-stained.
“Save me! Hide me!” he cried. “The police are after me!... I have murdered a man!... Oh, just look at all this blood!... ‘Tis his blood!... Oh, horrors!!!”
But how could he possibly be so hidden as not to be discovered by justice?
Love is ingenious! Without wasting a word the elder brother removed his brother’s blood-stained clothes and donned them himself. Then he clad him in his own clean garments, and pushing him quickly into a side chamber, closed the door and awaited events.
He had not to wait long before he heard quick footsteps, and suddenly the police entered. “Just as we guessed; here’s the murderer!” called out one of them to the others.
“Our suspicions for a good deal else besides point to this same house!”
They stepped up close to the supposed culprit and scanning him sternly one of them asked: “Are you the murderer?” ... but he answered not a word!
“Why lose time in asking him?” interrupted another officer; “just look at his clothes, they tell his guilt. Let us take him along!”
So they pinioned the unfortunate man and “took him in tow” for a long distance along unlighted streets, and brought him to the jail, where they put him into a dark hole until the morning. During the whole time the prisoner never uttered a sound, In the morning they came to examine him, but his only-answer was: “I know that I must die for this crime, and the sooner the better.”
Some days later he was brought before the court. The judge gazed on his blood-stained clothes and said: “There is no need of further witness in this ease―it is all very evident.”
“Have you an advocate?”
“No, I have not,” replied the accused.
“Do you wish to say anything in your defense?”
“No, I do not,” he answered, in a clear, decided voice, and the noble brother bowed his head so that his eyes might not betray his innocence.
They speedily concluded the trial and sentenced him to death.
On the eve of the execution, the prisoner quite unexpectedly began to speak. He begged that the governor of the prison might visit him. When the governor entered his cell he pleaded: “Will you be so kind as to comply with the last request of one whose life is nearly done? I need some paper, ink, and a pen, that I may write a letter, and also some sealing-wax, so that I can seal it; and will you promise me, before God, that you will not break the seal but let this letter be sent, after my death, to the one to whom it will be addressed? Rest assured that there is no evil intention in it — my soul will tomorrow appear before God, and I cannot utter an untruth in my last hour.”
The governor carefully observed the face of the condemned man. He did not dare to distrust his words, and he had not the heart to refuse his petition. It seemed as if his whole soul were poured into that request. He was so calm, so meek, and a bright, supernatural light seemed to shine in his eyes.
The governor himself brought all the prisoner desired and promised to fulfill faithfully that which had been entreated of him by the man facing death. In the evening, when the inspection of the cells was made, they stopped at the cell of the condemned man and silently took over the sealed letter.
The night passed; a night of rest for many, of pain or of sin for others — but a night without sleep, though full of peace, for the imprisoned man, who kneeled in his cell as one who, nearing the threshold of eternity, already could gaze clearly into another world.
Day dawned. People commenced their labors, also those that should lead him to his death. An hour later... all was over!!
Shortly Afterward a messenger was despatched bearing a letter in his hand. He knocked at the door of the house of the “two brothers.”
A young man with a pale, anxious countenance came to open it, and took the letter. After staring blankly at it for some time, as if it were wrongly addressed, he at last broke the seal.
He read... and... broke out into painful cries.... He rushed to the door... then back into the room, as if demented! His whole body was quivering whilst be moaned and lamented!
Whatever did that letter contain?
Not very much, only a few words! They ran as follows:
“Tomorrow, clothed in your garments, I die in your stead, and you, clad in my clothes, will, in remembrance of me, henceforth live justly and holily.”
“I die in your stead!”... He was conquered. The words stirred, yea, overwhelmed the young man to the depths of his heart, which before had been, as it were, frozen or petrified by sin and fear. Now, as if suddenly awakened, he called loudly: “I die in your stead! Perhaps he is not yet dead!”
He rushed out in order to save his brother, as he thought. He came to the prison. There, however, he was stopped. But he begged hard to see the governor, and that so fervently and repeatedly that the guard took pity on him and: conducted him to the governor.
“I die in your stead,” These words, as he read them, also stirred the heart of the governor to its depths. He remembered the earnest pleading of the condemned man, and his quiet steady look which he could not resist... and with great emotion he conveyed the letter to the judge. He too, read the letter and began to question the true culprit, who thereupon confessed everything — his past life — his latest crime, his fears and his shameful silence, and then concluded with the agonizing plea: “Kill me, for I deserve to die”
But the word of the elder brother who had died already, had not lost its meaning. It was sacred to the judge, sacred in its fullest degree. His sacrifice was a tribute due to justice, and should by no means become invalid or be lost! Thus with peculiar sympathy the judge eyed the one who had been the object of such great love, and he felt he had not even the right to imprison him, not to speak of sentencing him to death!
Life and liberty were thus assured him.
With that letter in his hand the pardoned culprit returned to his dwelling, where, with his heart wholly bowed under his sins, he cried aloud to God whilst telling out to Him his sorrow and his repentance.
He prayed earnestly and with tears: “Lord, my God, let me not die, in my sins! Another has died for them. Help me against sins Make me worthy to wear the clothes of him who died for me! Help me, that I keep them free from all spot, and protect Thou me from all sin!”
From that time onward people did not recognize him, he was so changed. He walked amongst them as a stranger, although he was filled with love and sympathy for them.
At first his former comrades sought to win him back to his former mode of life, and that he should follow them to the haunts he had formerly frequented. But to all he gave the same meek but firm answer: “Clothed with these: garments I cannot come. My brother would never go to such a place; I, as a Christian, cannot go either.”
Gradually they gave up tempting him. They found out that it was fruitless. Some abandoned him, but others became more friendly, and looked with respect upon his garments and the one who wore them. They noticed with esteem his holy, God-devoted life, and not only that, but they, too, turned from sin and chose his mode of life.
Years passed by. His labors bore much fruit.
Then God saw fit to answer that despairing cry, which formerly he had expressed far too soon: “Let me die!”
When this earthly life is cut off, the never-ending life begins.
The time came also for the two brothers when they should meet in eternity, never more to be separated.
In accordance with his wish, the younger brother was buried in the clothes of his elder brother who had given his life for him. What this meant his friends and those who learned of it could never forget!
This story has come to an end but its significance remains, and is of importance in every part of the world even today. It has a particular meaning, too, for every human being individually and also for you who read these lines.
Perhaps you often had the opportunity of having the gospel in your hands or of hearing it spoken or read. But when you heard it, perhaps it was merely as so many sounds that reached the surface of your soul without sinking down deeply into it. I pray you to consider very carefully the teaching of Holy Scripture in what it testifies of the life and death of Christ, the Saviour. As deeply as He loved thee, so much did He suffer for thee. He gave His life for thy life, not only to save thee from the coming judgment and eternal death, but also to free thee from sin — both from its guilt and also from its power — and to strengthen thee that thou canst live by the Truth. He died for thee, so that thou, cleansed by His blood, dad with His righteousness, born again, and strengthened by His Spirit, spotless, pure and free from sin, should’st be a child of God (Phil. 2:1313For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13)).
Consider all this with sincerity of heart, and say whether these words are not words of the Lord to thee!
Consider how, clad with thy garment, laden with thy sins. He died for thee! so that clad with the garment of salvation, thou mightest live to His praise, in righteousness and holiness.