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THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. 103 that a just man by the name of Issa, an Israclite, after having been twice acquitted by the judges as being the mian of God, was nevertheless put lo death by the order of the heathen Governor l’ilate, who feared that Jesus woulil, boy hain grent popularity, loc able to re-
entliche the Kingdom of Israel and cxpcl those who had conqucrcı it.
Finally communications just as incolierent came to us about the teachings of Jesus ainong the Guebres and other leathens. These reports scem to have been brought in the first year that followed the death of Jesus in wliom tlicy took au interest still greater.
One of the accounts given by a merchant speaks of the origin of Jesus and his family, another relates the expulsion of his partisans and the persecutions which they endured.
It is only at the end of the second volume that we find the first categorical affirmation of the chronicler where he says that Issa.is blessed by God and that he is the best of all men, that he is the one in whom the great Brahma had chosen to incarnate His spirit which is separated from the Supreme Being at a period fixed by fate.
After having said that Issa descended from poor parents of Israelite origin, the chronicler digresscs a little with the intention of explaining, according to old narrations, who the song of Israel were. I have arranged all the fragments concerning the life of Issa in chronological order, and I have tricd to give them the character of unity which thcy totally lacked.
I leave to scholars, philosophers and theologians the task of searching for the causes of tlic contradictions that may be found between this version of the life of Issa which I deliver to the public and the accounts of the Evangelists, but I believe no one will hesitate to
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