The National tribune., 1886-10-14
SUNDAY MEDITATION.
Practical Duties Taught bY q STUDY OF the Int,
national Sunday school Lesson Appointed

indicated above. Also read Mt, q 33-i5; Mark, |
Is :22-il; Lu., %: 3}-J6l
1t Is the 18th day of the month of March, A. |
ID. %, being Friday. The trial of Christ was |
ended and the sentence of death was being put |
into effect by crucifxion, which was the Roman |
method of capital punishment.
The final act in Christ's trial was performed |
in Pilates palace. which was probably either in |
or connected with Castle Antonia, north of the |
temple. road led from that place across to
the place of execution. the road being since
known as the Via Dolorosa, meaning the way
full of sorrow. Only victims could know the
horror of that road. The condemned person
was forced to carry his cross from the tower to
Calvary. A detachment of soldiers was ordered
to execute the law. The commander Ia CEN
turion) took charge. Four soldiers besides
were detailed for each cross. ". 23.) Jesus
was made no exception. The account (Mt.,
27:32; Nix, 1871; Lu., 23:26) shows that he
was not able to bear the cross over so long a
distance. There were reasons. We recall his
anxiety at the last passover the night before,
his unspeakable distress in Gethsemane, the
cruel whipping, the annoyances, insults, abuse
during the trial, and do not wonder at his
physical weakness. He must have aid. Simon,
Jew from Cyrene, in Africa CHANGING to be
passing, was ordered by the soldiers to assist
The place OF execution must be outside the
city. (Nu., 1886; Heb, 13:12.) The spot was
known as Calvary. (Lu., 2:I:33. This is the
only occurrence Of the word in the Bible.)
Calvary means a skull. In the common Ian
guage of the Jews. which was the Syro- Chaldee,
the place was named Golgotha, sgnifying the
place of a skull. Two reasons are assigned for
the name: /. The fact the spot was a knoll in
the shape of skull. 2. Because the eorpses of
malefactors being left to be devoured by dogs
and vultures, bones, and prominent among them
skulls, would be seen. 1t was near the city.
John, l9:20.) Ii was Just off leading high
way out into the country. Lu., 23;26) Near
by was garden. John, 191I.) 1t was about
three -fourths of a mile from Antonia. and this
would be about the length of the Via Dolorosa
We have account of three kinds Of crosses,
the st. Andrew, shaped like the letter X the
st. Anthony, resembling the letter T. and the
Roman, like the st. Anthony if the peTpendicu-
lar be carried up about one-half its length
above the horizontal bar All tradition points
to the last as the one on which our Savior was
crucified. One great proof of this is the fact
that the three inscriptions were written on the
upper part of the cross over the head of Christ.
Q9:l9)
Jesus was crucifed (put on the cross) at nine
o'clock a. IN. He continued thereon for six
hours. The hour for offering the daily morn
ing sacrifices in the temple was the third hour
of the day mine q. IN !, and the hour for even
ing prayer was the ninth three p. M When
we remember every sacrifice pointed to the
l&aiilD VI bOu NuO WAS 10 Oh OalVaTY we see
great fitness in the hour Of the crucifxion be-
ing nine a. N.
When one was to be put to death. it was Gus
tomary to offer him wine mixed with various
Supplying drugs to deaden his consciousness.
PRO, 81 : 81 Our Savior declined such favor
He would die in full possession OF all his powers,
since he was to suffer in the interest of human
ity in sense different from that of any merely
human being. We are not TO understand
(thriSt'g rnintpd AGAINST tba ma feal
tice Of administering certain drugs to lessen
pain. 1t was not becoming. Christ thought,
that the Savior should accept an opiate. His
was death having relation to mans salvation,
and he was resolved to endure the cross and
not lessen its virtue by a semi-conscious sacri-
flee. In VS.. 20, 80, we find that when the SOL
diers offered him vinegar unmedicated he did
not decline the draught- When one hung on a
cross his feet would reach nearly to the ground,
so that, with a sponge fastened upon the end Of
hyssOp stalk, it would not be difficult to reach
Christs lips. We notice that cruelty was not so
heartless as TO know no mercy, since it was
probably out of compassion that twice the SOL
ders sought to alleviate Christ's pain. Man is
very far gone in sin, but we can hardly say he
is totally depraved. We cannot but see sug-
gestiyeness in the fact of Christ's inscription
being written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin.
Practically these three represented all human
tongues, and this truth points to the fact Jesus
died for all mankind, and should become King
of the whole world. The Hebrew tongue is the
symbol Of religion, the Greek Of learning, the
Roman of power. Christianity would sanctify
all human capacities, spiritualize religion. ele-
vate culture. and control power. Schools and
governments as well as the Church depend on
Christ
Jews passing the cross saw the inscription,
"Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews" It
maddened them 10 see criminal, dying q dis
graceful death, styled their king. If their
Ruler, he should be in royal dignity, throned
and with a scepter. but this object was on a
cross, struggling, crying, subject to abuse from a
rabble of heathen soldiers mo, no" they say,
that is not our King" They FASTENED 10
Plate and urged him to change the in-
| scription it would read, "He said, / am
| King of the Jews" The Roman Governor
refused to alter the words. lie remembered
| the hierarcy demanded Jesus should be cruel
| fed because he claimed TO be their King. He
seemed to have an idea it was possible Christ
really was the Jewish King. Lu., %: 2, 3;
John, Is: 1888 In V. 81 PLATE all but ad-
mits the genuineuess of Christ's claim Mark,
10: 9. 10. II; John, 10 10, l6.l Would that
| Plate had been as firm at the trial as when
the priests begged a change of the inscription
| Ii was quite common to placard the upper part
| Of the cross with q record of the crime for
which the victim suffered. Now, the real
charge brought against Christ was that he laid
claims in the sense of civil government to Jew
ish sovereignty. PLATE saw through the mis-
cradle subterfuge of the Sanhedrim. He had
| thoughts that Christ wGs innocent. His con-
| science troubled him on account of his unmanly
and wayering attitude at the trial. He was
heartily tired of the whole matter and wanted
to escape any further responsibility.
| Two others, robbers, mt, %: 3S,) were exc
cuted with Christ, he being on the middle
cross. One of these it is quite certain, knew
something beforehand of Christ's works and
| teachings. Then he realized the wondrou:
character of Jesus, even as it was evidenced on
the cross. So affected was this victim that be
actually became one of Chris$ believers, and
dying, accompanied Jesus to Paradise.
Before being nailed to the cross all raiment
was removed from the victim. The cross wa,
placed horizontally on the ground, the man:
feet and hands nailed to il, and then it wa.
raised, its foot being dropped into a socket
holding it erect. The clothing of the victim
belonged to the crucifers, of whom there were
four in charge of the cross on which Christ
died. Accordingly, they proceeded to diyid,
the apparel into four parts. One piece of Jesus
raiment seemed too choice for mutilation, anC
SO they decided by lot which soldier shoulC
have it entire. IL is shocking to think of mel
gambling under such fearful circumstances
It is claimed that the seamless garment taker
from Christ is now in the Cathedral of st
Peter, IN Treves, Prussia, having been giveI
by Empress Helena. It is shown four time
each century, and has wondrous miraculou
power.
Four women stood by the cross: /, Jesus
mother; 2, the sister of Jesus's mother viz
Salome, mother of SITS. James and John 3
Mary, wife of Cleopas (the same as Alpheusl