the great controversy-第6部分

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immense　bars　of　iron　fastened　deep　in　the　pavement　of　solid　stone；　opened　at
midnight；　without　visible　agency。Milman；　The　History　of　the　Jews；　book　13。

For　seven　years　a　man　continued　to　go　up　and　down　the　streets　of　Jerusalem；
declaring　the　woes　that　were　to　come　upon　the　city。　By　day　and　by　night　he
chanted　the　wild　dirge：　〃A　voice　from　the　east！　a　voice　from　the　west！　a
voice　from　the　four　winds！　a　voice　against　Jerusalem　and　against　the　temple！
a　voice　against　the　bridegrooms　and　the　brides！　a　voice　against　the　whole
people！〃Ibid。　This　strange　being　was　imprisoned　and　scourged；　but　no
complaint　escaped　his　lips。　To　insult　and　abuse　he　answered　only：　〃Woe；　woe
to　Jerusalem！〃　〃woe；　woe　to　the　inhabitants　thereof！〃　His　warning　cry　ceased
not　until　he　was　slain　in　the　siege　he　had　foretold。

Not　one　Christian　perished　in　the　destruction　of　Jerusalem。　Christ　had　given
His　disciples　warning；　and　all　who　believed　His　words　watched　for　the
promised　sign。　〃When　ye　shall　see　Jerusalem　compassed　with　armies；〃　said
Jesus；　〃then　know　that　the　desolation　thereof　is　nigh。　Then　let　them　which
are　in　Judea　flee　to　the　mountains；　and　let　them　which　are　in　the　midst　of
it　depart　out。〃　Luke　21：20；　21。　After　the　Romans　under　Cestius　had
surrounded　the　city；　they　unexpectedly　abandoned　the　siege　when　everything
seemed　favorable　for　an　immediate　attack。　The　besieged；　despairing　of
successful　resistance；　were　on　the　point　of　surrender；　when　the　Roman
general　withdrew　his　forces　without　the　least　apparent　reason。　But　God's
merciful　providence　was　directing　events　for　the　good　of　His　own　people。　The
promised　sign　had　been　given　to　the　waiting　Christians；　and　now　an
opportunity　was　offered　for　all　who　would；　to　obey　the　Saviour's　warning。
Events　were　so　overruled　that　neither　Jews　nor　Romans　should　hinder　the
flight　of　the　Christians。　Upon　the　retreat　of　Cestius；　the　Jews；　sallying
from　Jerusalem；　pursued　after　his　retiring　army；　and　while　both　forces　were
thus　fully　engaged；　the　Christians　had　an　opportunity　to　leave　the　city。　At
this　time　the　country　also

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had　been　cleared　of　enemies　who　might　have　endeavored　to　intercept　them。　At
the　time　of　the　siege；　the　Jews　were　assembled　at　Jerusalem　to　keep　the
Feast　of　Tabernacles；　and　thus　the　Christians　throughout　the　land　were　able
to　make　their　escape　unmolested。　Without　delay　they　fled　to　a　place　of
safetythe　city　of　Pella；　in　the　land　of　Perea；　beyond　Jordan。

The　Jewish　forces；　pursuing　after　Cestius　and　his　army；　fell　upon　their　rear
with　such　fierceness　as　to　threaten　them　with　total　destruction。　It　was　with
great　difficulty　that　the　Romans　succeeded　in　making　their　retreat。　The　Jews
escaped　almost　without　loss；　and　with　their　spoils　returned　in　triumph　to
Jerusalem。　Yet　this　apparent　success　brought　them　only　evil。　It　inspired
them　with　that　spirit　of　stubborn　resistance　to　the　Romans　which　speedily
brought　unutterable　woe　upon　the　doomed　city。

Terrible　were　the　calamities　that　fell　upon　Jerusalem　when　the　siege　was
resumed　by　Titus。　The　city　was　invested　at　the　time　of　the　Passover；　when
millions　of　Jews　were　assembled　within　its　walls。　Their　stores　of　provision；
which　if　carefully　preserved　would　have　supplied　the　inhabitants　for　years；
had　previously　been　destroyed　through　the　jealousy　and　revenge　of　the
contending　factions；　and　now　all　the　horrors　of　starvation　were　experienced。
A　measure　of　wheat　was　sold　for　a　talent。　So　fierce　were　the　pangs　of　hunger
that　men　would　gnaw　the　leather　of　their　belts　and　sandals　and　the　covering
of　their　shields。　Great　numbers　of　the　people　would　steal　out　at　night　to
gather　wild　plants　growing　outside　the　city　walls；　though　many　were　seized
and　put　to　death　with　cruel　torture；　and　often　those　who　returned　in　safety
were　robbed　of　what　they　had　gleaned　at　so　great　peril。　The　most　inhuman
tortures　were　inflicted　by　those　in　power；　to　force　from　the　want…stricken
people　the　last　scanty　supplies　which　they　might　have　concealed。　And　these
cruelties　were　not　infrequently　practiced　by　men　who　were　themselves　well
fed；　and　who　were　merely　desirous　of　laying　up　a　store　of　provision　for　the
future。

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Thousands　perished　from　famine　and　pestilence。　Natural　affection　seemed　to
have　been　destroyed。　Husbands　robbed　their　wives；　and　wives　their　husbands。
Children　would　be　seen　snatching　the　food　from　the　mouths　of　their　aged
parents。　The　question　of　the　prophet；　〃Can　a　woman　forget　her　sucking
child？〃　received　the　answer　within　the　walls　of　that　doomed　city：　〃The　hands
of　the　pitiful　women　have　sodden　their　own　children：　they　were　their　meat　in
the　destruction　of　the　daughter　of　my　people。〃　Isaiah　49：15；　Lamentations
4：10。　Again　was　fulfilled　the　warning　prophecy　given　fourteen　centuries
before：　〃The　tender　and　delicate　woman　among　you；　which　would　not　adventure
to　set　the　sole　of　her　foot　upon　the　ground　for　delicateness　and　tenderness；
her　eye　shall　be　evil　toward　the　husband　of　her　bosom；　and　toward　her　son；
and　toward　her　daughter；　。　。　。　and　toward　her　children　which　she　shall　bear：
for　she　shall　eat　them　for　want　of　all　things　secretly　in　the　siege　and
straitness；　wherewith　thine　enemy　shall　distress　thee　in　thy　gates。〃
Deuteronomy　28：56；　57。

The　Roman　leaders　endeavored　to　strike　terror　to　the　Jews　and　thus　cause
them　to　surrender。　Those　prisoners　who　resisted　when　taken；　were　scourged；
tortured；　and　crucified　before　the　wall　of　the　city。　Hundreds　were　daily　put
to　death　in　this　manner；　and　the　dreadful　work　continued　until；　along　the
Valley　of　Jehoshaphat　and　at　Calvary；　crosses　were　erected　in　so　great
numbers　that　there　was　scarcely　room　to　move　among　them。　So　terribly　was
visited　that　awful　imprecation　uttered　before　the　judgment　seat　of　Pilate：
〃His　blood　be　on　us；　and　on　our　children。〃　Matthew　27：25。

Titus　would　willingly　have　put　an　end　to　the　fearful　scene；　and　thus　have
spared　Jerusalem　the　full　measure　of　her　doom。　He　was　filled　with　horror　as
he　saw　the　bodies　of　the　dead　lying　in　heaps　in　the　valleys。　Like　one
entranced；　he　looked　from　the　crest　of　Olivet　upon　the　magnificent　temple
and　gave　command　that　not　one　stone　of　it　be　touched。　Before　attempting　to
gain　possession　of　this　stronghold；

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he　made　an　earnest　appeal　to　the　Jewish　leaders　not　to　force　him　to　defile
the　sacred　place　with　blood。　If　they　would　come　forth　and　fight　in　any　other
place；　no　Roman　should　violate　the　sanctity　of　the　temple。　Josephus　himself；
in　a　most　eloquent　appeal；　entreated　them　to　surrender；　to　save　themselves；
their　city；　and　their　place　of　worship。　But　his　words　were　answered　with
bitter　curses。　Darts　were　hurled　at　him；　their　last　human　mediator；　as　he
stood　pleading　with　them。　The　Jews　had　rejected　the　entreaties　of　the　Son　of
God；　and　now　expostulation　and　entreaty　only　made　them　more　determined　to
resist　to　the　last。　In　vain　were　the　efforts　of　Titus　to　save　the　temple；
One　greater　than　he　had　declared　that　not　one　stone　was　to　be　left　upon
another。

The　blind　obstinacy　of　the　Jewish　leaders；　and　the　detestable　crimes
perpetrated　within　the　besieged　city；　excited　the　horror　and　indignation　of
the　Romans；　and　Titus　at　last　decided　to　take　the　temple　by　storm。　He
determined；　however；　that　if　possible　it　should　be　saved　from　destruction。
But　his　commands　were　disregarded。　After　he　had　retired　to　his　tent　at
night；　the　Jews；　sallying　from　the　temple；　attacked　the　soldiers　without。　In
the　struggle；　a　firebrand　was　flung　by　a　soldier　through　an　opening　in　the
porch；　and　immediately　the　cedar…lined　chambers　about　the　holy　house　were　in
a　blaze。　Titus　rushed　to　the　place；　followed　by　his　generals　and
legionaries；　and　commanded　the　soldiers　to　quench　the　flames。　His　words　were
unheeded。　In　their　fury　the　soldiers　hurled　blazing　brands　into　the　chambers
adjoining　the　temple；　and　then　with　their　swords　they　slaughtered　in　great
numbers　those　who　had　found　shelter　there。　Blood　flowed　down　the　temple
steps　like　water。　Thousands　upon　thousands　of　Jews　perished。　Above　the　sound
of　battle；　voices　were　heard　shouting：　〃Ichabod！〃the　glory　is　departed。

〃Titus　found　it　impossible　to　check　the　rage　of　the　soldiery；　he　entered
with　his　officers；　and　surveyed　the　interior　of　the　sacred　edifice。　The
splendor　filled　them　with　wonder；　and　as　the　flames　had　not　yet　penetrated
to　the　holy　place；

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he　made　a　last　effort　to　save　it；　and　springing　forth；　again　exhorted　the
soldiers　to　stay　the　progress　of　the　conflagration。　The　centurion　Liberalis
endeavored　to　force　obedience　with　his　staff　of　office；　but　even　respect　for
the　emperor　gave　way　to　the　furious　animosity　against　the　Jews；　to　the
fierce　excitement　of　battle；　and　to　the　insatiable　hope　of　plunder。　The
soldiers　saw　everything　around　them　radiant　with　gold；　which　shone
dazzlingly　in　the　wild　light　of　the　flames；　they　supposed　that　incalculable
treasures　were　laid　up　in　the　sanctuary。　A　soldier；　unperceived；　thrust　a
lighted　torch　between　the　hinges　of　the　door：　the　whole　building　was　in
flames　in　an　instant。　The　blinding　smoke　and　fire　forced　the　officers　to
retreat；　and　the　noble　edifice　was　left　to　its　fate。

〃It　was　an　appalling　spectacle　to　the　Romanwhat　was　it　to　the　Jew？　The
whole　summit　of　the　hill　which　commanded　the　city；　blazed　like　a　volcano。
One　after　another　the　buildings　fell　in；　with　a　tremendous　crash；　and　were
swallowed　up　in　the　fiery　abyss。　The　roofs　of　cedar　were　like　sheets　of
flame；　the　gilded　pinnacles　shone　like　spikes　of　red　light；　the　gate　towers
sent　up　tall　columns　of　flame　and　smoke。　The　neighboring　hills　were　lighted
up；　and　dark　groups　of　people　were　seen　watching　in　horrible　anxiety　the
progress　of　the　destruction：　the　walls　and　heights　of　the　upper　city　were
crowded　with　faces；　some　pale　with　the　agony　of　despair；　others　scowling
unavailing　vengeance。　The　shouts　of　the　Roman　soldiery　as　they　ran　to　and
fro；　and　the　howlings　of　the　insurgents　who　were　perishing　in　the　flames；
mingled　with　the　roaring　of　the　conflagration　and　the　thundering　sound　of
falling　timbers。　The　echoes　of　the　mountains　replied　or　broug