The Corner Stone

Reprint of the original, first published in 1873.

Bess Hooper is an ordinary teenager, or so she thinks. Drawn to a nearby abandoned building, she begins to investigate when strange occurrences come to light. Bess experiences visits to the past and ghostly whispers from another lifetime. Strange dreams of another family plague her sleep and as the mystery deepens, confusion sets in. Exploring the archives and her own family history, reveal odd events that seem to be tied to the mystery. With the help of her younger brother Tom, slowly Bess peels back the years layer after layer, to reveal what really happened to the girls of Bishops Hall Independent School, and slowly she solves the mystery of the cornerstone.

Jesus Tradition – early Christian traditions from and about Jesus – plays an important role in New Testament letters, not only in the Gospels and Corpus Paulinum, but also in the seven Catholic Epistles (the epistles of James, I and II Peter, I John, and Jude, which are addressed to the universal Church rather than to an individual or a particular church). This dissertation revolves around the relationship between the Catholic Epistles and the traditions about Jesus that have informed the Gospels. Based on the research, two important observations can be made. First of all, there is a fundamental unity in the witness of the Catholic Epistles regarding their reliance upon and appropriation of Jesus Tradition. The same Jesus can be recognized throughout all Catholic Epistles (with the possible exception of Jude, since its brevity does not supply enough information for clarity about its relation to Jesus Tradition), and this Jesus is not merely a theological construct, but a historical person, very much in line with the Jesus from historical Jesus research. Second, a fundamental unity is observable between the canonical Gospels, Corpus Paulinum and the Catholic Epistles. All three corpora are consciously witnessing to Jesus. Each corpus has its own distinct way of doing this, and the Catholic Epistles can be seen as witnessing Jesus from an apostolic perspective.

The book reveals the physical engraved Cornerstone that was placed in the corner of the Temples of Israel, in Solomons and Zerubbabels Temples. It was refused to be placed in Herods temple modification. Years of preaching has not revealed it. In the story, it is shown how it may have come into existence. The central character is a boy who grows up in Israel during the time of construction of King Davids house and the building of Solomons Temple. He learns of the trade of a stone mason, of the God of Israel and embraces the faith of Israel. He is led to engrave seven eyes on what is to be the Cornerstone.