The New York herald., 1875-03-26
GOOD FRIDAY.

THE SUFFERING IN THE GARDEN, THE BE-
TRAYAL AND cRUc1F1x1oN OF cHRIsT-sER-
MON BY DIR. ARMrTAGE.
Dr. Armitage preached'the sixth Of his series OF
dlscourses during Holy Week, at the Fifth avenue
Baptist church, last evening, from the following
passage, found in the twenty-seventh chapter OF
Matthew, first and second verses :-"Wnen the
morning was come all the chief priests and elders
OF the people took counsel agansJ Jesus to put
him to death. And when they had bound him.
they led him away and delivered him to Pontlus
Plate the Governor" He satd:--The day of
Christ's death is known by all nominally Christian
nations as Holy Friday. but among ourselves 1t Is
usually known by the familiar title OF Good FRI
day. No DOUBT by general consent this name bears
on the divine side OF the day and not the human
mines and torments, each in itself an excess Of
cruelty and crime. The love OF Good Friday
imbosoms the heart OF Infinite goodness and
summons the forces OF nature 20 aid in Its full
expression. The human side OF the day abandOns
the Son OF God to torment betrays Him by His
friends. delivers Him up 10 the rage or His foes,
tears His body in deep gashes, fastens His limbs
to disgracetul tree, crowns His temple with
thorns. drenches His mouth with gall and pierces
His heart with spear But the divine side pre-
sents the molly OF holes to US IN Its grandeur,
nan OF redemption, love which converted the
tragic crimes OF men into the means Of their saliva
tlon. The Jewish day commenced with sundown
and ended with sundown. Reckoning their hours
from sunset to sunrise their sixth hour OF the day
corresponds 10 our twelve O'Clock at no0ntide.
1t Is fair to conclude that our Lord and His dis
ciples lett the supper about midnight, and passing
through what is ST. Stephens gate, retired
into the Garden OF Gethsemane, at the IoOt OF
THE MOST APPALLING TRANSACTION
In the history OF suffering took place. 1T was the
great climax oil the great sufferer, outwardly and
lnwardly-Hls hour OF deepest physical, mental
and moral midnlgnt. Peter, James aud John had
during lhe TRANSPORTATION, and now He tooE the
same three who mad been witnesses OF His
HIS bloody sweat. Overwhelmed WIN his suffer-
lngs. He cries out to these confidential friends,
my soul is exceedingly sorrowiul even unto
suiierings In the garden and the lessons taught
by them, and. proceeding with the narrative,
said :-Returning 10 HIS sleeping disciples Ior the
last time lie says arise, let us be going; 10, he
that betrayeth me is at nand' While He was yet
speaking the tramp OF a great multltude
came nearer and nearer, including soldiers
from the Roman tower OF Antonia. Jesus,
quiet and calm, says, "Whom seek yer'
rejoined, al am he" IL could not have varied
much from three O'Clock on Friday morning when
Jesus was brought TO Annas, VINO plays the part
OF an examining magistrate. TO questions asked
Hun concerning HIS doctrines and His disciples
Temple, ana have SAID nothing IN private" Con-
trary TO all decency aud law Jesus was then sent
bound o the court Of Cal0phas the High Priest.
Here ridiculous charges were made against Him
that the appearance o. justice might be preserved,
and as witness alter witness breaks down, Jesus
uisdained TO answer word. Exasperated Dy His
silence the High Priest auJures Him Dy the Living
God to answer whether or not DE Is the Christ.
Things being brought to
THIS SOLEMN ISSUE
Jesus replied, IL am' lie was then, amid the
widest excitement, pronounced guilty OF BIAS
phemy and worthy of death. the lndi2ntles
heaped upon the son OF Man In the court room
and the story OF PETERS denial were Aere recited,
alter whcn the speaker continued Tine Roman
authority Dad reserved TO itsell the right OF ln-
nlctlng capital punishment. and so IL was neces.
sary 10 take Him before Plate, tue Governor, VINO
must be lnduced TO give judgment at once; Tor
this was the last day on whlcn a court OF justice
would sit TIL the end OF the Passover, eight davs
hence, 50 he must be put to death before suG-
down tnat afternoon. Ihe result OF the examna-
fed tnat Jesus an innocent man; out the
clamor OF the Jews and their desperate allegation
that II Plate released Him they would mold MIN
responsible as the enemy oI the government
alarmed PLATE, and as a temporary expedient ne
sent Jesus to Herod, VINO was In Jerusalem at the
time. lie speaker then sketcned the scenes
wnicn followed up 70 the time the Holy one, the
Price or Peace, was naiied TO the cross. Inc
various incioents wnlch occurred were also re-
ierfed 10, bringing the narrative TO the sixth
hoar. waen supernatural oarSness SET
ninth hour. Then. after three hours OF 81.
leuce, lie shrleked out, "My God, my God
why hast thou Ivrsaken me ~ Tue lever ana
loss " blood superlnduc0d @ Quonculosa tnlrst I