, 1870-03-20
TWO PLEAS FOR JUDAS ISCA-
RIOT.


JudaR 1ecariot has, undoubtedly, hAd as few
kind words said Of him. ss few charitable
opinions passed On his acts, Is any man who
esenI lived Regarded with indifference by the
Romans, unthanked By the Jess, hated BY
Christians, what a memory is his!
We have in him a man who was never brought
before the bar Of any human tribunal, and
who, notwithstanding, has been pronounced
the guiltieat Of men By Ill the Christian world
for centuries. He has always been held in ut
ter ,deteststion; not theologians alone and
teachers Of religion have et1iven e bring his
poets and painters have employed
their divine gifts, alike in verse
md On. the canvas, to portray him
with repulsire traits, and with the evil looks
to the LAST supper" Jud.z had been regard
ed in any worsc igh: than any Of the other
twelve disciples whom Christ had selected,-a
mere handful Of men,-to DO his special COM
pantons and next friends His having been
made the custodian Of what small resources
the little band possessed, is certainly an indi-
cation Of the estimation in which be VAS held
by them for hustworthiness. Yet al his good
acts, however numerous VIC may cha1itably a.
low them to have been, were swallowed up in
the cruwning deed Of his cAreef.
In these latter days be has not lacked those
who have been willing to SPEAK out boldly and
ably in bis defence Let us review whit hia
two principal advocates advance in attenuation
Of his conduct It ia now some years aimee
Thomas do Quincy, the "English Opium
this, in his opinion, much abused individual.
Following in the track Of the German scholars
who have written upon tho subject, Mr., do
Quincey expresses the beliaf that Jud1s Iscaziot,
sharing The common delutdon Of the Disciples,
thst Christ had come TO establish an earthly
aud speo1lated upon the probable time whom
the decisive blow would be struck, and Won
Gered 1t Cllrist's delay in assuming hia Engly
functions. Finding everything ripe among The
Jews for a popular movement In favor OF their
long promised Messiah, Judas came to the con-
cisiou and want of energy. Thinking then to
agg1andize his master, to free his nation from
tie bondage Of the Romans, and to make his
own fortune. he resolved upon course Of a :
ssble. which should foTcs Christ TO decl1re
himself and his power, and lead 70 his inme-
date assumption of his Engly oHee. Judaa,
Ike al the rest. could not appreciate the faet
that it waa n spiritual, not an ea7h1y kingdom
that Christ enne to establish However vide
from the t1uh this theory Of In Las uay bare
been, howava1 selfish his motives. he cannot
from this view be stisnatized IS q traitor, {ot
he hoped 70 advance, not to. xetA!d, the fate1-
eets Of hia master: to s2iaa thA. MASTER to
power. to The leadership Of his nation, not to
death. 1heconduct Of Judaa must be construed
las arising not out Of: perhdy, hat out q
his sincere belief that eame quickening IN
pulse vaa called for By morbid featura n
CMist'e temperament"
:. In tho greatest and most memorable oi
earthly haEedies," saya Mr.. De- Quiiacey
" Judas Is prominent figure. So long "a Tie
| Garth rayolves he caanot be forgottsn- L.
therefore. there Is doubt Affecting Ma case
I he is entitled to tie benefit Of that Doubt
| and II he has euneted to any e1tent-H aimpl,
| to the extent Of loeing, a pslhatinn> or the
shadow Of = pslkaaon E mean
ought not to reverse meEsly, or simply 10 nit
| isste his sentence> but 10 disrnisa him ftuu
fI,e har, The Germans make It 4 question:
In what spirit the Iscarpt hveda w quastio.
is-ln Hhat spirit be G1ed3 :"
He fnds that Jud3s, shoeknd ut = catas
truphe the most opposite from what he Ia,
anticipated, and hrouget al At once to hi
perception Of the horrible consequences d
his couE<e, drought again tho thirtv pie.,es n
silver to tbs chief pEleAts and elders, sayinr.
have sinped, in that have betrsred the mn
cent blood And be cast down the piecea =
silyer in the temple, and want and hnnca
himself" Out Of Purs anguish that r.
scheme which be meant for Tia nv
den glorihcation Of his master. had reooilo
(accordinX 70 al worldly inte1pxstatior1 in II
utter ruin; that the sudden revolt
ton through democratic morement vh;c
was 70 raise himself and his brother Apoetle
INTO Hebrew Pr1noea hAd ahat4cred them liz
s6eeP without shepherd; !; and that super7dt
e TO tn1A common burden of ruin, ha pa1soI
ally bad 70 bear separate load of consciou
disohedience to God, md fnsupportahle y
spQusahty; naturally enough out OF III th