The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-05-18
Was Judas Iscariot Rlack ms He Is
Paintedy

DAVID O'KEEFFE.
Was Judas Iscarfot ms Rack ms He Il
Painted!
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
During the time OF the Abyssinian war II was dis
covered that the Abyssnans had some notion or
Christianity mixed up with heathenism; that they
held some ofthc doctrines fthe Catholic Church and
retained many its formalitcs were in possession
OF the Bible, and calendar OF saints, the flrst
thereon being that OF the Blessed Virgin the second
that OF Judas Iscarotl
But how strange 1t will appear to some to hear OF
the name OF Judas being placed In such respectable
company! To me there is nothing strange about
it, for take the Scriptura account literally, "that
Judas repented' himself OF his crime, went and
hanged himself" Excess ofjoy and excess of GRIEF
produce insanity. Witness the vile OF the late EN-
peror OF Mexico. Now, against insanity there is
no law: and / have yet TO learn that at the time
Judas committed suicide that suicide was classed
among the category OF deadly sins. But
Judas did repent, for he returned the thirty
pieces OF silver. Would that many of the worlds
millionnares would show such proofs of penitencel
one OF the first acts of contrtion is restore III
gotten goods; and Judas did it. An attempt to
commit suicide by the laws OF this State, is not
punishable, II man be pronounced insane and
very Justly so, too. We shield, provide Tor and
commisserate him.
dors-men who suppose themselves to be doing
the work OF the Evangelsts-lnight make the
death OF Judas q Lively theme for pulpit exhibition.
Might they not draw from the fountain of tears
that swept down the cheeks OF a cruciied Saviour
a powerful argument OF the Savi0ur's mercy ex-
tended to even poor Judasr Alas no; he has
no friends.
Over the stones rattle his bones;
He's u damnable traitor whom nobody owns.
Christ and Judas must have suffered about the
self-same hour Some commentators incline to the
supp0sltlon that Christ suffered first, and that
i 3 sr was the rst n h q the that
cross-"Father, forgive them, for they know not
what they do'-was the immediate cause of Judas
repentance.
1t is not recorded that Christ looked upon Judas
as he did on Peter. He did more; He allowed Him.
kiss Him Is ineXplicabe, unless he intended to par
don him. Christ surely was not playing the traitor;
lie either was or was not. Let us rather suppose
that the noOdgates OF divine mercy were opened
and that the waves of OF forgiveness rolled over
the head and washed the soul of another OF the
been predestined before the foundations OF the
earth were planned to play so important part.
children read Judasl.-.For Judas not being Vet
born, neither having done any good or evil that the
purposes ofGod according to election might stand"
Judas was necessary character to NIL up the plot
as much were POntius Plate, Cephas, the high
priest; Barrabas, the Roman soldiers and the mad
popuace. John, the beloved disciple and the three
Marys. II Christ's blood were shed in vain then
the whole scene OF the Passion and Resurrection
ends in miserable farce. and would seem origi-
nally to have been written such. elevated by
time and antiquity into a stupendous tragedy.
This opinion Is gaining ground. The gentlemen Of
i
believe Judas repented and was forgiven Neither
could all the rhetoric OF a Beecher nor the motley
ing, the anguish, the misery that possessed the
brain OF Judas alter betraying his Lord and Master
for ne went out and hanged himself
JOSEPH BURTON De Kalb avenue, Brooklyn.
The Presbytcry of New York and the
Action of the Board of Trustees Toward
the Pastors.
To THE EDITOR OF TIE HERALD
We must accept the universal conclusion OF mod
ern psychologists, that corporations have no
sous,' and its logical inference, that their only
safety from excessive nagellation lies In the law
for the prevention OF cruelty to animals. Yet,
somehow, it is humaney conceded that the ind
vidual members OF such body polite may possess
the aforesaid Indispensable attribute of humanity,
and consequently may have some intellectual as
well physical comprehension OF the effects OF the
club or the boot. Thus far, however, the persons
formerly composing the Board OF Trustees OF the
Forty street Presbyterian church have sub
mtted without wncing, 10 most vigorous cas-
tigation inflicted them by the Presbytery and the
press; but now, during pause in the operation,
venture to ask, What have we done 10 merit these
terrible denunciations2
In vain we search for the answer in the resolu.
tons OF the Presbytery, published in the Erdngest
pursued by II portion OF the board of trustees dis
affected toward their pastor,' &C.; they ''con-
denim, unreservedly and emphatically, the action
or the aforesaid trustees In their attempt to break
up the pastoral relation &C., but silent as to
any particular act done by the board or by any
member oft. The undersigned is Tree and author
lied to state that all the and all the action
vaguely referred 10 above were the unanimous
course and action OF each ana every member OF the
board, including one elder-except his signing OF
the paper referred 10 below.
In the same issue, March 20, you volunteer your
assistance TO ''restrain the ambition or a few men
who were charged with the temporal interests OF
that church,, and say, that they may confess their
grave error is, doubtless, the wish OF their breth
REM They do not yet confess 1t, for the simple
reason that they have not yet discovered II.
The Christian Statesman philadelphia, March 29)
/ quotes cxultingy from the indeOe1sdent:--''
trustees oil the society appear to have taken the
| government OF the church upon their shoulders.
| and an opposition party, organized by them, has
| demanded the resignation OF the pastor rms re-
/ quest was granted We have known OF several
Migrant cases OF tins sort and we shall be heartily
glad If the Presbytery OF New York shall succeed in
beating It into the heads OF some OF these gentle
| men that there are other considerations besides
| pew rent" &c. We might be philanthropc enough
To undergo limited suffering Just to eonduce to the
happiness OF some fellow mortal, but the indie
pendent man must postpone his rejoicing, on ac-
count OF either the thickness or nduraton of the
organs beaten or the inadequacy OF the weapons
used But we credit the Independent with the
most candor In stating the most explicitly the gst
OF the Indictment against us. We answer, or
ganized no party; no trustee or number OF trus
tees asked or demanded the resignation OF the
pastor.
that we did only our duty as trustees, and as
church members we acted IN accordance with 1.-The
principles OF Presbyterian order.n In the latter
character we had united with the congregation in
calling as our pastor candidate OF apparently at
least average ability as preacher and the Pres
bytery found no fault with the 81, 200 year salary
we promised, Salaries do seem to be graduated,
somewhat at least on the scale OF mental calbre
OF the recipients. For superior or supreme ability
douDle or qulntupe the above may be paid. Now
| " say $1,000 be the minimum for very Indifferent
parts, then we paid oDe-half fer average ability,
anu we had perfect right TO IL, or TO change.
we 90 not say we were deceived, but we were
l nd IH. dan NJ ha
youth OF the church fell or largely and gradually
our oder members to the number or twenty-five
VI more, ny least thirteen OF whom paid Tor lull
pews, resigned their pews
AS trustees we could not shut our ewes TO this.
We asked, Why are you leaving us2 the uniform
fciency OF the pulpit services. Trne. II was
stated TO the Presbytery that from forty