Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-07-26
Cause of Cl1rfst's Death.

The most remarkable event in the his
tory of the world was the death of Jesus
Christ" said Rev DR.. Thomas 4. Hovt,
pastor of the Chambers Presbyterian
I Church, in beginning a special sermon to
the medical students lis hidden mean
iHgs," he continued, are transcendent.
and II was, without parallel, the most sub
lime tragedy ever enacted" The speaker
had chosen his text from St John xxxiy.
10. John, ne said, stood only a few feet
from the Savior, and subsequently related
what he saw. The subject discussed by the
speaker was, " What was the physical
cause of Christ's death?" Several eminent
physicians had devoted years 10 the study
Of the question, and a book on the subject
had been published by DR.. Stroud, of Edin-
burgh, about tbirty-tive Years ago in which
't7 ascrIbeG Christs death 10 rupture Of the
neart. During q convention OF physicians
IN Scotland several years ago, the deduc-
tons arrived al in this book were presented
for their consideration, and they were con-
firmed. There are the minister said, many
cases on record where death has resulted
from violent passions or Joy or grief Pliny
tells us Of Lacedamonlan who fell dead
from Joy at hearing that his son had won
prize at the Oiympian games.
The speaker read several medical opin-
continued: There is no pretcnse that the
spear thrust into the Sayior's side caused
death In fact he was dead before the
wound was received. Christ was crucitied
ats O'Clock in the morning, and expired at
3 o'clock in the afternoon, or two hours
before the centurion dealt the blow with
his spear. The cruCitled usually lived from
two to three days. and sometimes IS long
as i've days on the cross. There is no evil
dence that disease might have caused His
death, and no reason to believe that He
was not OF perfectly sound health. Some
have thought that lie might have died
from exhaustion, but We are told that lie
was mlTaculously sustained during His
trials. 1t was not weakness. Some de
declare that lie voluntarily gave up life,
but lie did not take His life: lie simply
submitted to the conditions under which
lie died. The answer TO the question,
What was the physical cause Of Christ's
death?' is, Rupture of the heart
caused By mental agony Literally,
He died Of broken heart" The
speaker read extracts from many
letters from eminent physicians giving
their opinions on Dr. Sroud's book ana on
his deduction as to the death Of the Savior.
They eli Endorsed his conclusion that
Christ had died of ruptured heart.
John says" continued the speaker,
- that when the spear was thrust into the
SaYiors SIDE forthwith came there out
blood and water Dr.. Hoyt then pro-
ceeded to explain this from medical point |
Of view. He said that when the spear
head puncturcd the pericariium the blood |
and serum from theruptured heart escaped. |
He said that ali this was simply a fulfill |
ment Of scriptur;i prediction, Is was the |
parting Of His raiment and the casting Of |
lots among the soldiers for His vesture
" But what was this mental anguish that |
broke our Sayiors hears?" asked the |
speaker. 1t was not fear of death for He
ooked toward that with longing. If be
lifted up,' he said, viii draw all men to
me- He anticipated death as the consum-
nation Of His labors Reproach hath
}roken my heart, he said, and thdn died.
lie died for us. The weight Of human
.uilt broke His heart, - philadelphia
'irpqg