The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1889-06-05
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
ENTERTAINING DISSERTATION ON
SERIOUS SUBJECTS.
A Pleasant, Interesting, and Instructive
Lesson and Where IL May he Found-A
Learned and Concise Review of tho


same.
The lesson for Sunday. June D. may be
found in Mark XIV. 1-20.
INTRODUCTORY.
The trial OF Christ is continued: this time
he appears before the Roman tribunal The
very fact that he so appears Is proof OF the
desperate intent OF the Jews. Had one oil
the lesser forms of punishment satisfied
them. they could have disposed OF this case
in their own court OF the Sanhedrim. But
they are bent upon taking the life OF their
prisoner, and 50. by the law OF the day, they
must needs appear with the one upon whom
they wish the penalty OF death inflicted. be-
fore the Roman authorities. This is what
Christ before PLATE signifies. Ii means
that the Sanhedrim have already passed
the death sentence upon him. IL remains
only for them 10 get the formal permit OF
the governor. And for this they wrestle as
for scepter; they will have nothing else
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
Strdi0hticdy IN the morning. They were
bounding Jesus TO his death. There were.
as Stout In his studied work on The Trials
and Crucifxion OF Christ" Cincinnati Stan
dard Publishing Co... says. seven distinct
trials in all i. Before Annas. recorded
mainly by John. 2. Before Caiaphas Mat
thew and Mark. 3. Before the sanhedrim
proper Mark and Luke. A. Before PLATE.
preliminary John). s. Before Herod Nuke).
q. Before PLATE prior TO the scourging
(Mark-the lesson before us). Z. Before
With what meekness Christ met the whole
protracted indignityl For consider him
that endured such contradiction of sinners
against himself" 1t is by considering sucf
strong. John Cennick. of l. Gland 1850.
who wrote for us those beautiful hymns:
Jesus my all TO heaven is gone"
Children OF the Heavenly King"
10, he comes with clouds descending"
preaching In the open air. was set upon by
a dissolute mob who beat drums. threw
dirt and stones and muddy water. At last
John Cennick said TO me. What harm dc
we doy Why are you so furious against
US? We only come 20 tell you that Christ
loved you and died for you" The man only
stepped back Tor room. and threw a bucket
OF water full in the preachers face. MY
dear man." said John Cennick, when he had
recovered himself. IF God should pour his
wrath upon you, what would become OF
you? Yet tell you that Christ loves you
The man let fall the bucket, trembled and
turned pale. When he parted from the
evangelist he was under deep conviction.
II was the might of mercy.
Deiirered him 10 Plate. Yet il Is not
Christ but PLATE. that is on trial. And
tried and found tcdhting. is the verde.
Cursed be the day on which / succeeded
Nalerius Gratus In the government OF
Judea." reads an old document in the Vati-
can Library at Rome, purportng to have
come from the pen of PLATE in his report to
Iiherius Caesar. Well might he rua the
day. with the vision Of that guiltless though
devoted Face before him. DR.. Farrar calls
our attention 10 the revenges OF history
in connection with the trial Of Christ.
Judas died i'm the horrors of n loathsome
suici ie. Caiaphas was deposed the wear
following. Herod died in infamy and exile
PLATE, wearsd out with mis- ortunes. died
OF suicide and Punishment. leaving behind
him an cXecrated name. The house OF
Annas was destroyed a generation later by
an infurated mob. and his son was dragged
through the streets. and scourged and
beaten TO his place OF murder" II was not
the Christ. but themselves. whom they
delivered" to destruction.
Arr thou the hHG OF the Jel1sl IL was
such a test only q cd could meet. King
OF the Jews-they have disowned him: will
he acknowledge them? The question is
not. viii he assert his legal rights?- But
will he condescend TO own such a people I:
Truly there is something contemptuous in
the query There they were hooting. howl
ing. The priests treading on each others
gowns in their eagerness to accuse him.
and Hate knows IL Is for envy" the high
priest standing out there at the door for
lear OF deillement. yet ready this moment
10 mbrue h hand in innocent Blood the
Jewish rabble lifting their hands in the air
with the merciless cry, Cruelty himi" OIL
Of God. l. this thy people? Wilt thou ac-
knowledge such baseness. blood-thirsty-
ness. brutishness? Art thou the hin0 Of
the Je,cSy" See. he is about 10 answer. II
is the same eye that looked upon "A dying
Peter. the same face that bent to receive
the kiss OF betraying Judas: and the
same voice that presently speaks from be-
tween the arms of cruel cross. Father
70 give them. Hear him now calmly. as
suredly. Thou sayest. Brother, there is
all the love and the might Of God in those
two words. Whilst they stand on the pa ge
OF the gospel is there not hope through
faith for the vilest?
4 crotrn Of thorns. Thorns for cruelty; a
crown, but in contempt. Christ came with
hands fun of blessing and "a heart full OF
love. How did man receive him2 With q
disdainful chaple.. What had earth to give
her benefactor in return for his favors
There in the manger OF the inn some prick
! ly blades OF grass-lay his infant body in it.
! Here by the wall OF Pilates court some
ragged, rasping punches of the dwarf bush
--Nubk by name-take it and make him q
| diudem. Yes. press IL on his tender brows;
it will cling all the closer for the sharp
thorns in it. Earth had for her Lord gift.
! Two nails for his hands. one for his fe [, a
CROSS for his back. Nan hath crown for
| him. but tho crown hath ever its thorn
Yea, there was the sharpness OF death
even in loves alabaster box. The crown
! with which earth gifted him was never
else than a crown OF thorns. He made il
one OF glory. with each thorn a star-lt dia.
| mond.
Put his olcn clothes on him. He Is goinn
| TO his death, and he must be clad in the
! NeSluTe Oi nus SlU1Dle OnflStIlneSS. 1ncre AZ
| the cross he stands forth shorn of every
! thing but the garments o. love and holiness,
in his own personal identity. his sheer god.
had Aid Of man. there is none. His Own
disciples have forsaken him and fed. The
rohe OF mockery falls away from him. The
seamless dress OF his earthly pilgrimage.
/ symbol OF his incarnate righteousness. mus,
! find the shadow of the cross. One by one
! he has been putting all things Of earth away
from him In the hasting days of his passion;
] and now in his own person and garb as the
/ God man he climbs the hill of sacrifice.
! Twas I'm that vesture we saw him last i'm the
! closed room and on Olives glorious sum
nit. In that garment shining forth amidst
the mantling clouds. we wait for his appear
! ing. Aye, IN that fashion we see him. by
faith : vision: ''alwav"-tll he come.
The healing of the seamless dress
Ia by our beds OF pain;
We touch him in LIES throng and press,
And are made whole again"
NaNt TnQGnn-ss TruoffiaI IL