by John. Now Matthew and John are _supposed_ to have been apostles. If
the ascension happened they must have witnessed it; but both of them are
silent, and the story of the ascension comes from three writers who were
_not present_.

Nor do these three writers agree with each other. Luke informs us that
Jesus ascended from Bethany, a short distance from Jerusalem, on the
very day of the Resurrection, or at the latest the next morning; while
Mark, without any precision as to time, distinctly affirms that Jesus
ascended from Galilee, which was at least sixty miles from Jerusalem.
Now the ascension could not have occurred at two different places, and,
in the absence of corroborative testimony, Mark and Luke destroy each
other as witnesses. The author of Acts agrees with Mark as to the place,
but differs both from Mark and Luke as to the time. He declares that
Jesus spent forty days (off and on) with his disciples before
levitating. This constitutes another difficulty. Mark, Luke, and the
author of Acts must all leave the court in disgrace, for it is too late
for them to patch up a more harmonious story.

According to the detailed account in Acts, Jesus ascended in the
presence of his apostles, including Matthew and John, who appear to have
mistrusted their eyesight. After making a speech he was "taken up, and a
cloud received him out of their sight." He was in a cloud, and they were
in a cloud, and the millions who believe them are in a cloud.

The time of the year is seasonable for an examination of the story of
the Ascension. Would that the opportunity were taken by Christians,
who believe what they have been taught with scarcely a moment's
investigation, and read the Bible as lazily as they smoke their pipes.
We do not ask them to take our word for anything. Let them examine for
themselves. If they will do this, we have no fear as to the result.
A belief in the New Testament story of the supernatural Christ is
impossible to any man who candidly sifts and honestly weighs the
evidence.

If Christians would pursue their investigations still further they
would soon satisfy themselves that the life, death, resurrection, and
ascension of Jesus Christ are largely, if not entirely, mythical. Now,
for instance, when they are preparing to celebrate the ascension of
Christ, they are welcoming the ascension of the Sun. The great luminary
is (apparently) rising higher and higher in the heaven, shedding his
warmer beams on the ear