Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-11-29
Chr FREEMAN.
by REV. J. o. SuERBURN.
Dec. 81: After his Death-N1ark 1851.


does not speak of the means by which thu
cruel soidIery were prevented from break
ing the legs Of Jesus a7 they did those o.
the thieves by his side. But from the
scenes on Calvary we are for moment
transferred to the temple which wa
probably in full view from that place,
The veil of this temple which had ever
hidden the most holy place from the eyes
of the people was rent in twain. The
great high priest had offered himself once
for all. and the way into the holiest, into
the Fathers presence, was opened up tc
ALL In the second verse of this lesson We
are as abruptly turned from the temple ia
Calvary as we were before turned toward
the temple The Roman centurion in
charge Of the execution now becomes the
central figure for moment. He is
wonderfully wrought upon by the phenom.
ena attending the death of Christ, and at
once speaks forth the conviction of his
heart: Truly this man was the son Of
conviction had been growing upon him,
but it is certain that at that moment i
became absolute, and we may properly
think honest and intelligent.
This conviction was produced, as Mark
tells Us, by the dying cry which Jesus
uttered Matthew says that the earthquake
and other wonders wrought this change
in The centurions mind. Both are prob
ably correct. All these events concurred
in forcing him TO acknowledge that Jesus
wa, the son of God. More distant from
the cross, perhaps kept from ii by the
multitude that crowded nearer, were the
women who had constantly followed him
and ministered to his necessities. They
g.zad with Il peculiar interest upon the
scenes of the cructixion. They had
listened with The greatest interest to the
do doclaration Christ had made concerning
his suffering and death. They, like the
others, could hardly receive such declara.
lions, and had poorly understood them
hut now the terrible realization comes.
No longer is there any doubt concerning
the meaning of these declarations. In
conservation they now behold the sad
luifllmcnt Of Jesus words. and stand
weeping Mt what is before their eyes.
1t is now evening, and the Jews, ever
careful lest some deiement rest upon
them or their city, begin to desire that the
bodies be removed from the crosses. They
appeal to Plate and he orders the legs of
the victims to be broken, to insure a more
speedy death. When they come to the
cross Of Jesus they lind such barbarism
needless for already he is dead. We are
now introduced 10 another character
whose presence relieves greatly the gloomy
picture Of Jewish hatred to Christ. and
the vile means by which the rulers secured
his death. OF this Joseph of Arimathml
we know but little directly. He was not
priest but an elder, termed an honorable
counsellor. The latter term would indi.
cate that he was Il member OF the Sanhe.
am, and held IN esteem by his fellow
members. John plainly says that he was
disciple of Jesus, but had kept that fact
from the Jews through fear of them.
Luke tells US that "he had not consented
TO the counsel or deed of them" that is
the other rulers. He believed in Christ
as the Messiah and waited for the es al
Of add
This man went boldly in unto PLATE and
asked for the body of Jesus The word
boldly signifies II getting up of courage for
this undertaking. lie had nothing to fear
from Plate who would gladly enough
consent to decent burial for Christ. but
his fear was of the Jews. His act in
him as a follower of the Nazarene, so that
no little courage was demanded for this
step. The coruage which had not been
sufficient to acknowledge Christ while he
was living became sufficient to own him
when lea! This shows, at least, true
devotion. To all human appearance there
WIS now no hope, for the followers of
Jesus He was dead. His enemies had
the field. To own him now seemed both
meaningless and hopeless. But in this
hour the faith and love of Joseph triumph
eLmI when all seemed to be lost he
Still was waiting for the kingdom of God.
H'ti faith is sure to flame up when all
about is darkness. The faith of this hon
orable counsellIr was OF that type, and the
works prompted by that faith have been
published throughout the world rs
memorial Of tho men who stood almost
al me among the rulers of his people as
one who believed in Christ.
Having Obtained the consent Of Plate
TO remove the body of Jesus, Joseph pro-
vdcd for the burial by purchases of bis
own, and by the aid of others who believed
IN Jesus. NiGodemus, who came before
10 learn Of Jesus by night furnished the
sweet spices used in burial, and it may
well be supposed that some of the minis
tering women, before spoken of, aided in
this list proof Of love and devotion. The
indications are that Joseph had prepared
a tomb for himself not far from the place
OF cruclixlon. and in this tomb the body
OF Jesus was laid. This tomb was not an
underground place of burial like a mod
ern grave but Il recess cut into the side of
horizontal ledge or rock, and this was
near the level of the ground or floor of
ne recess in which it was situated. The
l'mbs near Jorusllom and also about
Itlm9 Mern lIkG shnlyns or rncn ssns cnt