er. There was only a little band of true
disciples, and among these were none of the rulers and great men of the
people. There is no evidence that one rabbi, one member of the
Sanhedrin, one priest, one aristocratic or cultured Jew, was among the
followers of Jesus during his life.

It would have taken sublime courage for one of these to confess Jesus
as the Messiah, and the cost of such avowal would have been
incalculable. A number of years later, when Christianity had become an
acknowledged power in the world, St. Paul tells us that he had to
suffer the loss of all things in becoming a Christian. For Joseph, a
member of the highest court of the Jews, to have said to his
fellow-members in those days, before the death of Jesus, "I believe in
this Nazarene whom you are plotting to kill, and I am one of his
disciples and friends," would have taken a courage which too few men
possess.

However, one need not apologize for Joseph. The record frankly admits
his fault, his weakness; for it is never a noble or a manly thing to be
afraid of man or devil when duty is clear. Yet we are told distinctly
that he was really a disciple of Jesus; though it was secretly, and
though the reason for the secrecy was an unworthy one,--fear of the
Jews. Jesus had not refused his discipleship because of its
impairment. He had not said to him, "Unless you rise up in your place
in the court-room, and tell your associates that you believe in me, and
are going to follow me, you cannot be my disciple, and I will not have
you as my friend." Evidently Jesus had accepted Joseph as a disciple,
even in the shy way he had come to him; and it seems probable that a
close and deep friendship existed between the two men. Possibly it may
have existed for many months; and no doubt Joseph had been a comfort to
Jesus in many ways before his death, although the world did not know
that this noble and honorable councillor was his friend at all.

The other secret friend of Jesus who assisted in his burial was
Nicodemus. It was during the early weeks or months of our Lord's
public ministry that he came to Jesus for the first time. It is
specially mentioned that he came by night. Nicodemus also was a man of
distinction,--a member of the Sanhedrin and a Pharisee, belonging thus
to the class highest in rank among his people.

A great deal of blame has been charged against Nicodemus because he
came to Jesus by night, but again we must put ourselves back i