prodigies were followed by others still more extraordinary. The doors
of the sanctuary flew open of themselves, and a voice was heard to
utter these words: 'Let us leave this place;' and I saw all the angels of
the Lord instantly leave the Temple. The thirty-two Pharisees who went
to Calvary a short time before our Lord expired were almost all
converted at the foot of the Cross. They returned to the Temple in the
midst of the confusion, and were perfectly thunderstruck at all which
had taken place there. They spoke most sternly, both to Annas and to
Caiphas, and left the Temple. Annas had always been the most bitter of
the enemies of Jesus, and had headed every proceeding against him; but
the supernatural events which had taken place had completely unnerved
him that he knew not where to hide himself. Caiphas was, in realty
excessively alarmed, and filled with anxiety, but his pride was so
great that he concealed his feelings as far as possible, and
endeavoured to reassure Annas. He succeeded for a time; but the sudden
appearance of a person who had been dead many years marred the effect
of his words, and Annas became again a prey to the most fearful terror
and remorse.

Whilst these things were going on in the Temple, the confusion and
panic were not less in Jerusalem. Dead persons were walking about, and
many walls and buildings had been shaken by the earthquake, and parts
of them fallen down. The superstition of Pilate rendered him even more
accessible to fear; he was perfectly paralysed and speechless with
terror; his palace was shaken to the very foundation, and the earth
quaked beneath his feet. He ran wildly from room to room, and the dead
constantly stood before him, reproaching him with the unjust sentence
he had passed upon Jesus. He thought that they were the gods of the
Galilean, and took refuge in an inner room, where he offered incense,
and made vows to his idols to invoke their assistance in his distress.