Pure Gold: Or Truth in Its Native Loveliness (1855)

Simon of Cyrene had one desire in life, to be a good father to his sons Alexander and Rufus. Fame, fortune and notoriety were not a part of his plan; providing for his family and raising his children up in the Jewish faith was. It was his desire to be a good father that put Simon in a position to be thrust into historyas spotlight. Arriving in Jerusalem on the morning of the crucifixion, Simon is forced to carry the cross of a man named Jesus to the place of public execution. In Bearing the Burden, Simon delivers to us the account of the only person involved in the crucifixion of Christ who did not want to be thereahim. In his harrowing tale, Simon tells us how the events of that day affected his views on religion, and his people. He tells us how that day changed his life.