Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1850-11-01
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THE CROSS.

Along the great high road Of Time
there stands no landmark around which
clusters in all its brightness such hight
from the Heavenly world. commingling
with the moral darkness Of earth, as that
which CLEANS from Calvary's Mount. In
the great thoroughfare Of Life. the cross
stands, perpetual and eternal memenfo
Of that agony endured by Heavens own
Son, in which was concentrated to all lis
malignity the deepest, sorest affiiciiou
which the Champion of He'll could con-
ceive, or the hand of Man execute. A.
round that scene Of unutterable distress
in which the expiring Saviour bowed
His head TO the stern demands Of the
Heavenly Parent, and was enslaved for
time by that mighty potenlate, Death,
there dwells cloud OF impenetrable hor-
ror and inconceivable suffering, which
can be computed and felt by the divine
sufferer alone. aae snoa
In that great hour, when the earth
heaved with its mightiest throb, the FIR
mament shrouded itself in mourning, and
the lights of Heaven, bedimmed and lus-
treless, shone no longer with their IRA
diant beauty, and when the congregated
spirits of Eternity trembled as the words
"it is finished" resounded throughout
the area of created and uncreated exis-s
tence, echoed along Earth's distant exs
!. tremes, and dreverberated throughout the
widespread habitations Of Immortality
! then,.it was chrystal tear moistened the
Z eyes of Heavens anxious spectators, as
: !, that portending sigh gave utierance to-
the crowning agonies of dying incaf-
> nate God. Yes! methinks the golden
harp no longer tuned to the seraphie
hamonies Of the Heavenly worship, was
: hung IN silence on the willows branch,
= !. and the Great Father Of Spirits, with a
: heavenly melancholy, rested in silence
& till the dawning of that hour which should
!. proclaim Jesus the resurrection and The
u life. The Heavenly bands went mourn.
ing throughout the Kingdom of Rest;
deep, piercing sadness filled their hearts,
and the Joy and gladness that pervade
the upper Sanctuary were dissipated
h while the beloved Son, the second per-
a. son of the invisible and incomprehensi-
RS BILE Triune, slumbered in the embrace Of
N Death and He'll. The clods of Earth,
r black with the pervading wrath of God,
n enshrouded in their immensiiy the rain.
to bow, which shines with unceasing splen-
dor about the Throne. gss5s. -
v, The rocks of Earth, in the mighty
a crash which followed their upheaving,
he caused the Mount of God to tremble,
$. and the sea OF glass tossed with wild com-
" motion the Spirit barks of Immortality
IL which float upon its. bosom, and there
a. went forth from the seats of the blest
S; many ransomed and glorifed spirit
lg that, reclothed in the yesture of an earth
in ly duration, aud bursting the fetters OF
m the Grave. they might walk in newness
il. of life a ransomed and redeemed world.
II. Then, when the death-pang pierced the
n, soul of Jesus, and went thrilling through
r. the material of the. Goldman, it bid him.
to in the dying moment, cry, ere the Spirit
as shook from itself the mortal covering,
er 'My God, why hast thou forsaken me I"
er Who can tell the distress and suffer-
es ing of which the bleeding Lamb was re-
ok lieved, when Nature yielded up its pow
TO er, and the liberated spirit. cast off the
re chains of temporal servitude I He had
nd taken TO himself the sins Of a world
he mountains of guilt lay heavy on bis
be soul;" but he bore them all, and passed
n under the dominion of Death, that be
lis might fulfil the divine command.
Ter He slept; three days had passed and
of the bound captive awoke from the sleeE
NO of death, and bursting the fetters Of the
d grave brought to light Life and Immor.
ch tality. Then it was that the cloud which
he interviewed between Earth and Heaven
is. was dispelled, and Man, looking up, saw
ch through the Frightening frmanent shin
lg ing serenely in inefabIe beauty, " the
be bright and morning STAR" its rays now
passed beyond the precincts of Heaven
and through the cross its holy light was
,re shed athwart the threshold of world
an, Jesus name had been vindicated, anC
nd the cross was henceforth to stand at the
.ry entrance to the straight and narrow way
i'm Its glory but partakes Of the SPLENDID
op- which floods the Heavenly World. an,
to from this great landmark the regenerat
rst ed soul looks forth over the wilderness:
wn ofTime, and discerns in rapt vision, from
,ht its foot, the high allotments Of Eternity
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