Chapter 10

‘Of course! But they are riven by sects and parties. It’s the old story of internal feuds and factions stubbornly refusing to co-operate with one another even in the emergency of saving their own skins!’ Mencius was silently thoughtful for a while. ‘You may recall my saying, a few days ago, that the strength of a nation always depends upon the leadership of the one powerful man who has it in him to bind all the discordant elements together—and induce them to follow him! Let him be popular enough and they will share his glory or his shame! Well, the Jews have no such man among them. Each fanatical party has its chieftain, but no one of them can command the loyalty of the whole country. For ages the Jews have been expecting a great leader to appear and deliver them from their enemies. Their prophets have spoken of this fabulous person as the “Messiah.” Now and again, the various sects have burst into revolutionary flames incited by a “Messiah,” but no one of these leaders has lasted very long, not even in the esteem of his own party. They have always ended up in some drab little martyrdom. And within the space of a generation or two nobody remembered what became of the great man’s ashes.’

‘Apparently the real “Messiah,” when he comes, if he comes, will have a big job on his hands,’ surmised Voldi.

‘According to the Jewish prophets, he is to be something of a divine person. That might be greatly to his advantage.’ Mencius’ tone was so ironical that Voldi laughed outright.

‘I gather that you are not very religious, Mencius,’ he remarked dryly.

‘As for the traditional host of deities, no: I have no interest in them, much less any faith in them. If they serve any useful purpose, it is only to frighten small children into behaving themselves.’

A heavily laden caravan was bearing down on them from the north, and they drew aside into a cypress-shaded lane to let the long procession pass. Mencius guessed that it was a cargo of grain for embarkation at Gaza, but Voldi refused to be diverted from the serious discussion they had begun.

‘Surely, Mencius, you do believe in the existence of some Higher Power,’ he said soberly.

‘Oh yes!’ admitted Mencius. ‘It is obvious that a Great Mind—or a group of Great Minds—created the world. Inconceivable that it could have created itself. Whether any High Power is still in control of the world is, in my opinion, doubtful. Humanity’s antics do not indicate that any sensible Overseer is in command…Sometimes, however, I find myself privately worshipping a god whom I think of as the Torchbearer.’

Voldi’s eyes widened with fresh interest. He urged Mencius to explain what he meant by a Torchbearer.