The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-12-02
THE SENTENCE OF JESUS.
The Purported Decree of Pontius PLATE
Shown To De Forgery.

10 tno ihltor OF the Appear
Slr-The following article has appeared
in many newspapers purporting TO be "a
correct transcript OF the sentence OF death
pronounced by Pontius Plate upon Jesus
Christ"
A correspondence of Notes and Queries extmcs
from the no aische Zeiiag what Is called "a cor
rect transcript OF the sentence OF death pro-
nouncod against Jesus Christ" The following is
a copy Of the most memorable Judicial sentence
which has ever been pronounced In the annals Of
the world-ndmelyi that OF death against the
savior, with the remarks that the journal Le Droh
has collected, the knowledge Of which must be in
tercsllng In the highest degree TO every Christian.
Until now are not aware that IL has even been
made public In the German papers. The sentence
Is word for word rs follows
sentence pronounced by Pontius PLATE Intend
ant OF the Province OF Lower uallee that Jesus OF
Nazareth shall suller death by tho cross. In the
seventeenth year OF the reign OF the Emperor Tibe-
RUS aud on the 23th Of the month OF March, In the
most holy city OF Jerusalem, during the pontlh-
cate Of Annus and Caaphas, Pontius PLATE, In
cndant Of the Province OF Lower Galiee, sitting In
Judgment in the presidential scat Of the PrrtOro,
sentences Jesus Christ, Of Nazareth, TO death on
notorious testimonials OF the people prove. ~
Jesus T. n mislcader ~ He has excited the people
| 10 scdltun. CD lie. IL an enemy 10 the hMs, ~
| lie calls himself the Sou Of God. co. He calls him
self The King OF israel tGl lie went into the Tenn
| pie followed by a multitude carrying palms In
| their hands Orders The first centurion. Quin
|
ton, iorbids all persons rich or poor, TO prevent
| the execution oil Jesus. The witnesses who have
signed the execution against Jesus are: Q) Daniel
| RObani. CD CupeL Jesus 10 be taken out OF Jeru-
| salem through the gate Of Tournes,"
| The sentence Is engraved on plate OF brass In
| the Hebrew language and ON It's sides are the fol-
| lowing words. "a smiling plate has been sent 10
each tribe" IL was discovered in the year 1870 In
| the city of Aquill (Aquilla0 In the Kingdom Of
! Naples, 10y search made fox the discovery OF 10
| man antiquities, and remained there until Il was
| found by the CommissArles OF Art In the French
| Army OF Italy Up TO the campaign In southern
| Italy Il was preserved in the sacristy OF the Car
thuslnns. near Naples, where IL was kept In box
| Of ebony Since then tho relic has been kept In
| the chapel OF Oascrta. The Cnrthusians obtained
| Il By petitions that the plate might he kcptby
| them, which was an acknowledgement OF the SIC
| rfccs which they made for the French army The
Frcuch translation was made literally by members
| OF the COmm!ssion Of Arts Demon had lac
| smlc 81 tho ulRte engraved, which was bought by
| Lord Howard on the sale Of his cabinet for 2.MO
| francs. There seems 10 be no historical doubt rs
| o. the authenticity OF this, Tho reasons OF the
sentence correspond exactly with those OF the Cos
| pes
You may possibly find space in your col
umns 10 permit me, In the interests OF the
truth upon so solemn and momentous a
subject, 60 say, and briefly TO show, that
such an estimate OF the character OF the
document is altogether erroneous; and
that so far from being authentic, II Is
merely a clumsy fabrication, by n singu-
larry unskilled hand, and capable OF i'm
posing upon no one but the most ignorant.
The forgcr did not even know the clement
AIRY outlines Of the document he imagined
he was skillfully imitatingl
The document is one Of those which ap-
pear in print with sort Of pcriodicity, II
| appeared some years ago in the English
"No,es and Queries, and a copy OF 1t as
| therein inserted, is before mo rs | write.
II Is one Of two distinct copies" or YER
sions Of Pilates Pendence, in different
terms, alleged TO have been discovered. al
separate times, at the same place, Aquila,
in Naples No satisfactory, or even plausi.
bic explanation has ever been given OF the
circumstances OF their discovery, nor as "a
how such locality came TO be the exclu.
siye repository Of the only existing copie:
of document OF such transcendent inter
est Neither has any explanation eve'
been given how the two copies" Of the
same document should differ In their
terms. nor as to the grounds upon which
one copy" is preferred TO the other!
The document processes 20 be an accu-
rate transcript OF the ycritable sentence
pronounced by PLATE upon our Savior; IN
other words, an exact copy oi the sentenc,
pronounced by q Roman Procuraior ant
judge, under the forms Of Roman pro
yincinl law, upon prisoner charged Will
a capital oiicnse. We do not require 10 g,
beyond the limits Of is own face 10 show
that Il docs not possess single iealur,
that does not belle IT, prricnsOns.
I. 10 blundcrs In is date. which was,
and always is. one Of the most vital and
particular elements Of n criminal sentence
The date stated In the document is 9Th,
10Th day Of the month March, whereas I
Is beyond the possibility OF 'hisiorica
doubt that the real date alike ol the con
dcmnaiion aud tho crucihNion OF ou
savior, was Friday, the 18th day Of th'
Jewish month Nisn, or the 9Th day o
April, Ia the year Of Rome ( \. U. O. 1S3
2. liz description Of the locu Of the tria
u not such as would appear in any Roman
judicial decree. 1t dosignatos Joru
siicm as "lhe most holy city,
Natural as such an expression
might have been In the judgmcn
Of a purely Jewish court or judge. the idc
OF iH insertion in tho written judgment o
Roman procumtor Is simply absurd
, Aud thc absuriity is tcniold increase,
when We know that the procuraior repre-
sonlcd 10 have thus solcmnly cmployc,
tho phrase Is rontus Plato. Ofall th
men commissioned by Rome 10 govern Ju
dca, there was not one who oqualcd, o
even approached, Plate In contempt f.
tho anciity Of the "lloly CITY, or in wan
ton disregard ior the religious SUSCEPTIBLE
ties OF is inhabitants In opposition &
the deepest feeling Of the people, and &
the example OF all his predecessor ~
transferred the headquarters Of The ROma
army from Cusaria 10 JCru alcm, an
planted the Roman ensign with the idola
iUus pictures of the pagan Emperor upol
Lcni, ihc liill OF Cod. Ca morc than on
occialon hc ~ laguntly outraged th
deepest and dearest convictions 81 Oh
people ~ 10 drive them 10 Oh
I very verge Of revolt Apart, altogether
therefore, from the fact that such nj
, expression would never have crpt int
{ thc sentence of any Roman judge Al all
. iH ascripiion 10 ponlius Filatc involve
too severe strain upon oven the mos
. charitable Imagination.
g. Tho "sCnicnou' PROCESSES 20 be pro
nounccd "undcr the ponlclcaic Of Anna
and Cainphas.
The hrst objection 10 this h that, even
Il were true. Us assertion Ia the scnionc
, | h contrary To The actual form and pfaclic
, Of Roman law Judicial and official docu
mcnls under Roman law, al over her wild
Empire. invariably bone, as IN ossenil.
element OF their validity. the date Of ih
year. counting from the foundation Of 'th
city, "a. u. &. D, aud 10 thls. during th
Empirr, there was lupcmddH Il thc year q
the rsisn oi the particular Emperor the
on the Imperial throne. No regard whal
ever WIS had or notice taken. IN such do,
70 | umcnia o. any mcnly local arrangement