The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1845-06-26

LED a derlsory act of Submission. He sent
} ms prisoner to me TO pronounce his condem.
nation and secure his execution. / answer
ed him that, as Jesus was a Gaiilean, the af-
fair came within Herod's jurisdiction, and
ordered Jesus to be sent thither. The wily
Tetrarch professed humility, and protesting
his Difference to the lieutenant of Cesar, he
committed the fate of the man TO my hands.
Soon my palace assumed the aspect of a
besieged citadel: every moment increased
the number of the sedilious. Jerusalem YVES
inundated with crowds from the mountains
Of Nazareth, the towns of Galilee, and the
plains of Esdrelon. All Judea appeared to
be pouring into that devoted city.
| had taken to wife a girl from among the
Gauls, who pretended to see into futurity. Wee
PING, and throwing herselfa at my feet, "Beware,"
said che TO me, %s'beware, and touch not that man,
Ter he is holy. Last night, Isaw him in a vision.
lie was walking on the waters-he was flying
on the wings of the wind. He spoke to the temp
esls, TO the palm trees, to the fishes OF the lake
ali were obedlent TO him.. Behold! the torrent of
Mount CedEon aaws with blood-the statues of
Caesar are soiled with the filth Of the gemonie-
the columns of the PretoFium have given way.
aud the sun Is yelled in mourning like a vestal
in the tomb! o, Plate! evil aw ats thee. II
NASN 49, NV AiotCn = IA " VI ny WlIcs
dread the curses OF a Roman Senate-dread the
| fIowns of Cesar!n
By this time my marble stairs groaned under
the weight Of the multitude. The Nazarene, was
brought back to me. ! proceeded to the Hall of
Justice. followed by my guards, and asked the
people IN a severe tone, what they demanded?
The death of the Nazarene,p was their reply.
For what crime? "He has b~lasphemed; he has
prophesied the ruin OF the Temple he calls him
self the Son of God-lls Messlah-the King of
the Jews" Roman justice, said /, punisheth
not such offences with death. ''CrucIty him -
shouted forth the relentless rabble.
The vociferations Of the Infatuated multitude
shook the palace to its foundation. One man
alone appeared calm in the midst OF the tumult
He was like unto the Statue of Innocence plac-
ed in the temples OF the Euminides. 1t was the
Nazarene.
After many ~fruitless attempts to protect him
from the fury OF his merclless Prosecutors. / had
the baseness 10 adopt a measure which, at that
moment, appeared 10 me to be the only one that
could save his lille. 1 ordered him to be scour-
ged; then, calling for a ever. | washed my hands
in presence of the clanIorous multitude, thereby
signItying 10 them my disapprObation OF the
deed.
But In vain. II was his life that these wretch
es thirsted alter. Often, in our civil CONNEXIONS
have l witnessed the furious luminosity of the
multitude; but nothing could ever be- compared
10 WuqL D6H6Iu III TIE present instance. 1t might
have been truly said that, on this OCCASION, al.
The phantOms OF the internal regions had assem-
bled together 81 Jerusalem. The cEowd appeared
not TO walk they were borne off and whirled as
a vortex. rolling along like living waves, from
zion. with howlings, screams, shrieks and Dwaa
lie rs.i or Ia rue runs-.e5ther in
Forum.
By degrees the day darkened ike a winter
twilight, such as had been seen al the death Of
the great julius Caesar. 1t was likewise towards
the ldes Of March. /, the condemned governor
| OF q rebellious province, was leaning against a
column OF my basilic, contemplating ath wait the
dreary gloom, this Theory OF Tartarus dragging
to execution the innocenlN azarene. Alfaround
ME was a desert. Jerusalem mad voInited forth
her indwellers through the funeral gate that
leads to the Gemonie. An air OF desolation and
sadness enveolped me. My guard had Joined
the cavalry, and the CenluIlOn, TO display u shad-
ow of power, was endeavoring TO maintain or
der. / was left alone, and my breaking heart
admoniShed me, that what was passing at that
moment appertained rather 10 the history OF the
gods than 10 that OF men. Loud clamors were
heard proceeding from Golgotha, which borne
lon the winds appeared TO announce an agony
such as never had been beard by mortal ear
Dark clouds lowered over the pinnacle of the
Temple, and their large raptures settled over the
city and covered it as with a veil. SO dreadful
were the signs that were manifested, both in tn c
heavens, and on the earth, that Dionysius, the
Areopaglte,is reported TO have exclaimed. Ell
ther The Author OF Nature il sufierlng, or the Uni
verse Is falling apart.'
Towards the first hour of the night, | threw
my mantle around me, and went down into the
CITY towards the gate oil Golgotha. The sacrifice
had been contaminated. The crowd were re.
turning home, still agitated, it is true but gloomy
sad, ~taciturn, desperate. What they had wit
messed, had struck them with terror and remorse
[ also saw my little Roman Cohort pass by
rlmournfully, the standard nearer having Veiied
his Eagle in token Of grief, and | overheard SONS
Of the soldiers murmurlng strange words which
} did not comprehend. Others were gecountlDg
nrodioles almost similar to those which had sc
often smote the Romans with dismay by the VIII
Of the gods. Sometimes groups oil men and wo-
men would halt, then, looking back towards
Mount Calvary, would remain if motioniess, in
, the expectation of witnessing som new prod
I ICY.
i returned TO the Pretorium sad and pensive
On ascending the stair, the steps of which were
! still stained with the blood OF the Nazarene,
preceived an old man in a supplIant posture, ane
; behind him, several women in tears. He threw
himself at my feet, and wept bitterly.-it u
painful to see an old man weep-''Father," SAT-
| to him m~ildly-"who are you, and what Il
;. yourrequest ?n--"l am Joseph of Arimathea
Q eplied he, sand | I'm come to beg OF you. OF
: my knees, the permission to bury Jesus OF Ndz
e areth $50 our prayer is granted." said 10 MN
|. and, at the same time, ordered Manilus to tax
some soldiers with him, to superintend the inter
" ment, lest it might be profaned. A lew Gay
afterwards, the sepulchre was found empty. In
disciples cE Jesus published all over the coun'
a nv that he had risen from the dead, as he ha
,fl foretold.
q A last duty remained tor me to perform,
was to communicate to Caesar the details OF tn
e deplorable event. 1 did it the same night IN
followed the fatal catastrophe, and had Just nm
ished the communication when the day began :
Is dawn.