Morning journal and courier., 1883-03-24
First M. B. Church.

Good Friday Services-A Large Audience
 Sermon by the Pastor, Rev. Charles
 H. Buck.
 There was large attendance at the union services held in the First Methodist Episcopal church yesterday morning. After the usual opening services Rev. Charles H. Buck, the pastor, preached 8 sermon appropriate to the occasion, selecting for his text Luke 23d chapter and 33d verse t'And when they were come to the place which is called Cal vary there they crucified him. The preacher spoke in substance as follows:
 The grendest week in the history of man is the one VIC now celebrate-the week that began mid the waving branches of Palm Sunday and closes mid the hallelujahs of
 Easter. In it was enacted the marvel of di-
 vine justice and power, sorrow and love-the
 crucifxion and death of the Son of God. We
 cannot think on this fact without profit.
 The story of the Saviour's agony must touch
 our hearts sfresh with the thought of his love to us and cur obligati ions to him.
 At early dawn on that ever memorable day the Ssnhedrim came together and Jesus, who
 had been arrested on the previous night in
 Gethsemane, was led before them. After a trial, which was mere farce he was found
 guilty of blasphemy. By the Jewish law this
 was punishable by death, but the Sanhedrim
 so they led him to the Roman procurator Pontius Pilate. He found no fault in him and endeavored to release him, but in vain maddened crowd clamored for his blood Pilate yielded and condemned Christ to be crucified. He was scourged, arrayed in mock royalty and crowned with thorns. Then he was led along Via Dolorosa to Calvary and there ''they crucified him." The crowd surged around the cross feasting their morbid desires with this scene of blood. Some looked on the suffering Jesus with scorn and triumph; others wagging their heads, taunted him with cruel mockeries while a few timid women gazed on the victim" with unspeakable sadness and undyipg love. If we look on this scene, said MT. Buck, as we ought we shall be inn pressed with the fearful sufferings that Christ endured. Crucifxion is one of the most ter IiJle forms of execution; but the bodily suf- ferings of Christ included but small part of his anguish. Other clements than those noticed by the casual observer entered into the bitterness of that hour and overwhelmed the heart of the dying Saviour. In some in definable way he bore the burden of human guilt, the curse of a violated law, the conscious assertion of the father which wrenched from him the agonizing cry of ''My God my God why hast thou forsak- en me?" This was infinitely more agoniz- ing than the physical bangs of the crucifx- ion.
 These sufferings were inevitable. It must needs be as the redeemer of men as the sub stitute for the sinner he must submit. He must endure the agony of this hour. else the work of redemption is not accomplished, and pardon for sin is not possible. If he saves others, ''himself he cannot save-''
 But standing on Calvary as we do today we think not only of the sufferings of the death of Christ fulfilled the types and ordinances of ancient religions. The legal economy of the Jews. the system of Levitical worship was only the introduc- tion to better dispensation- Without Christ all their rites and ceremonies would have been a pompous but unmeaning institution mere child's play but for their wondrous full fllment on Calvary.
 The crucifxion explains the origin and practices of all nations in offering sacrifices for sin. From the garden of Eden to the end of the earth, in all the length and breadth of human history, has blood flowed for sin Hecatombs have bled on human altars, Heather fathers have even given the fruit I of their bodies for the sin of their souls l the origen of this idea of expiatory sacrifices? Is it not | to be found in a primitive revela- | tion? What is the object of these sacrifices | Is it not to point men to Calvary and pre- pare them to accept the one great sacrifice | The divine Son of God suffering for sinful | humanity, expiating human guilt, can alone | give any solution of the universal idea, any | Significance to the universal practice of ex- | piatory sacrifices. Mir. Buck then enlarged | on the potent influence of the cross of Christ ! n elevating human society, in regenera- ing individual hearts and closed with an l sarnest appeal to his congregation to allow ! gestions of Calyary's tragedy to lead them to | 3 sweeter trust, more unselfish love and 8 | aiviner life.
 On the conclusion of the sermon the sacra- ment of the Lords supper was administered,