Letters from Adina - #16b

Letter XVI (ii) The Return of Benjamin

Benjamin is made whole.

... At this moment, a sudden, wild, joyful cry from Mary, ,startled us all, and, looking towards the door, we saw her folded in the arms of a young man whom I had never seen before.

My surprise had not time to form itself into any definite opinion of what I saw, when I beheld the young man, who was exceedingly comely, and of a ruddy countenance,after kissing the clinging Mary upon her cheeks, leave her to throw himself into the arms of Rabbi Amos, crying,

“My father, my dear father!’’

My uncle, who had stood amazed, and gazing on him wonderingly, as if he could not believe what his eyes beheld, now burst into loud outcries of grateful joy, and clasped the young stranger to his heart, fell upon his neck and wept, with scarcely power to sob forth the words:

“My son! my son! Lost, but found again! This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.’’

John also embraced the new-comer, while the ruler stood silent with wonder. Who the young man was whose arrival was producing such joy, and why he should be hailed as a son by my Uncle Amos, I knew not; and while I was looking bewildered upon the scene, Mary ran and said to me, with tears of gladness shining in her dark eyes:

“It is Benjamin, my lost brother, beloved Adina!”

“I did not know you had a brother,’’ I answered in amazement.

‘‘We have long regarded him as dead,” she replied. ‘‘Seven years ago he became lunatic, and fled to the tombs without the city, where he has long dwelt with many others who were possessed with devils.

For years he has been a madman, and has neither spoken to nor known us, and we have tried to forget that he lived, since to remember it made us miserable, for we had no hope that he would be healed.

But oh! now - now behold him! It seems like a vision! See how manly, how noble, how like himself he is, with no madness in his smiling eyes!’’

When he saw their wondering gaze, he said, “It is I, your son and brother, Oh ye dearest! I am in my right mind, and am made whole.”

“Who has done this wondrous work upon thee, oh, my son?’’ asked Rabbi Amos, with trembling lips, while he kept his hand on Benjamin’s shoulder, as if he feared his son would vanish away.

“It was Jesus, the Prophet of the Highest,” answered Benjamin, with solemn gratitude.

“Jesus!’’ we all exclaimed in one voice.

“I could have said so,’’ answered John, calmly. ‘‘I needed not to ask who had wrought this great work upon him.

Rabbi Nicodemus, thou knowest this young man well! Thou hast known him in childhood, and beheld him in the raging of his lunacy, among the tombs.

Dost thou doubt now, whether Jesus be the very Christ?”’

Nicodemus made no reply; but I saw from his face that he believed.

‘‘How was this thing done to thee, young man?’’ he asked, with a deep and visible emotion.

“I was wandering near Bethany this morning,’’ answered the restored one, with meek simplicity, when I beheld a crowd which I followed in my madness. As I drew near, I beheld in their midst a man, upon whom I had no sooner cast my eyes than I felt upon me an ungovernable desire to destroy him.

The same fury possessed seven others, my comrades in madness, and with one mind and will, together we rushed upon him, with great stones and knives in our hands.

The crowd gave way and fell back terrified, and called him to beware. But he moved not; standing alone in a wide circle round him,  he stood calmly awaiting us.

We were within a few feet of him, and I was nearest, ready to strike him to the earth, when he quietly lifted one finger, and-said ‘‘Peace!’’

We stood motionless, without power to stir a foot, while our rage and hatred increased with our impotence to harm him.

We howled and foamed at the mouth before him, for we then knew that He was the Son of God, come to destroy us.

“Come out of the men, and depart quickly!” He said, in a tone of command, as if to us, but really to the demons that held us captive.

At this word I fell at his feet in a dreadful convulsion, and my whole body writhed, as if it had been wrestling with an invisible foe. Jesus then stooped and laid his hand upon my brow, and said, “Son, arise! Thou art made whole!”

‘‘At these words a black cloud seemed to be lifted from my mind; the glory of a new existence appeared to dawn upon my soul, while His voice melted my heart within me.

With joyful tears, the first I have shed for seven years, I fell at his feet and kissed them, and embraced them, wholly overcome with a new sense of peace – a feeling of inward happiness unspeakable.

“Go thy way, and fear God, that thou fall not a second time into this captivity to Satan!” he said, raising me to my feet.

I then followed him, rejoicing and blessing God, until he entered the house of a Centurion, near Bethany, when I hastened hither, to gladden your hearts with the sight of me made whole and in my right mind.”

When Benjamin had done speaking, we all gave glory to God, who had restored him back to us, and who had sent so great a prophet among men.

As the master in Israel took his leave, I overheard him, congratulating the happy father, say, that he should seek an occasion to talk with Jesus; and when my uncle told him that he hoped to receive the mighty Prophet as his guest, the ruler desired permission to visit Him here upon His arrival; ‘‘but let it be secretly,’’ I heard him add, in Rabbi Amos’ ear, as he went away.

For now, that all events that happen concerning the great Prophet Christ, touch us so nearly, I shall write  to you almost daily, that I may give you tidings of all things that come to pass, even as you desired me to do.

The request from you, dear father, that I should do thus, filled me with joy.

May the God of our fathers be with you, and bless you, and the holy people of the promise.

Your loving daughter,

Adina

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LADY DONNA PROGRAM

The new Lady Donna Immersion in Spirituality, Academics and Citizenship @ the "I AM" School will study abridged excerpts of the Letters from Adina taken from Reverend Ingraham's original edited version of 'The Prince of the House of David', published by Cassell & Co. Ltd (1903), that reveal remarkable insights into the Living Etheric Record left by Beloved Jesus's Ministry in the Holy Land.