Watauga Democrat

PEN PICTURE OF CHRIST

The following is the only reliable pen picture of Christ as seen in actual life, and it is an exquisite piece of word-painting. It is taken from a MS. now in the possession of Lord Kelly and in his library. It was copied from an original letter of Publius Lentulus at Rome, it being the usual custom of Roman governors to advise the senate and the people of such material things as happened in their provinces in the days of Tiberius Caesar.

Publius Lentulus, procurator of Judea, wrote the letter to the senate:

"There appeared in these, our days, a man of great virtue, named Jesus Christ, who is yet living amongst us, and of the Gentiles is accepted as a prophet of truth. He raises the dead and cures all manner of diseases. A man of stature somewhat tall, and comely such as the beholder may both love and fear. His hair of the color of a chestnut full ripe: plain to his ears, whence downward it is more orient and curling and waving about his shoulders. In the midst of his head is a seam, a partition in the hair, after the manner of Nazarites. His forehead plain and very delicate; his face without spot or wrinkle, beautiful with a lovely red. His nose and mouth so formed that nothing can be represented. His beard is color like his hair, not very long, but forked. His look innocent and mature. His eyes fiery, clear and quick and luminous. In reproving he is terrible, his eyes piercing—as with a two-edged sword—the greedy, the selfish and the oppressor. but look with tenderest pity on the weak, the erring and the sinful. Courteous and fair spoken. Pleasant in conversation, mixed with gravity. It can't be remembered that any have seen him laugh, but many have seen him weep. In proportion of body most excellent—a man for his singular beauty surpassing the children of men."—New York Press.