Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1878-12-02
SUNDAY.SCHOOL LESSON.

The Cross. Luke %, 1916. SUM-
day, Dec. s.
Several important and interesting
events, Christ's agony in the garden of
Gethsemane. his betrayal by Judas,
Peters denial and our Lords trial and
condemnation, happened between the
last lesson and the present one, but are
omitted because they have, previously,
had place in the International course
of lessons. After Jesus had had mock
trial, and Plate had declared that he
found no fault with him, to appease the
great clamor of the Jews, he delivered
him over to the Roman soldiers. who, af-
ter torturing him with scourgings and
mockings of, the crown of thorns and
purple robe, led him forth from the city
to Calvary, the place of public execution,
which was probably, near one of its
gates The word Calvary which has so
long been the keynote of the most sa-
cred associations of thought and feeling.
and which is given in our version only
in Luke, is from the latin, calvaria, the
Vulgate rendering for the Greek, cranon,
the Interpretation given by the four
Evangalists for the Hebrew, golgotha,
(the place of skull.) Two explanations
are given for the name ~ That it was
spot where executions generally took
place and therefore abounded in skulls.
Or (2) it may come from the form of
the spot itself, round and skull like,
and therefore mound in accordance
with the common phrase-for which
there is no direct authority-Mount
Cavalry. This was Roman execution,
and this kind of death was used by
them more frequently than by other
nations and by them inflicted on slaves,
| the vilest criminals. AS the crucifc-
| ton was considered the most horrible
form of death, the emblem of the cross
was naturally looked upon with great
horror This awful mode of punishment
was abolished by Roman Emperor Con-
stantine who after his celebrated vision,
substituted the cross for the eagle on the
Roman standards. Thus the despised
cross was honored and revered by the
Monarch Of the nation whose soldiers
had crucifed the King of Kings.
The body of the condemned was eli
Their nailed or bound by cords to the
cross. in the latter case the victims US
ually died by starvation. Our Lord was
nailed both by his hands and feet, as
the prophets had foretold, a method
more painful at first, but tending to
shorten the torture
To deaden the sense of these tortures
sororifc was usually administered
but our Lord refuses the wine and myrrh
offered him. With him they cruelty
two thieves, thus fulfilling the prophecy
that be should be numbered with the
transgressors Elsa. So, l2.) He observes
the meek silence which Isaiah had
foretold till all the horrid details were
accomplished, and then in the midst o.
his agonies he pours out the compassion
ate prayer: "Father forgive them fol
they know not what they do" Accord
ing to the Roman custom the four sol
diers who guard the cross made divi
sion of the garments. Four parts beins
made, there remained the upper rob
woven without seam, the type of Christ
perfect righteousness and the source 0
healing to many that touched it. As /
would have been spoilt by dividing
: they decided to cast lots for it. Thu
J fulfilling another prophecy: 'sThey part
! ed my raiment among them, and for m
vesture they did cast lots" David de
scribes very infinitely in the 22d Psalr
J the hooking and the challenge of th
} Jews. The chief priests offer to believ
in his divine power if he will com
down from the cross. but they afterward