The daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1889-1890, 1889-09-29
CHRIST, THE SAVIOR.
An Ancient Manuscripts Interest
Ing DeSCriptiOm.

Since Christ was born on earth in
human form, lived on earth in human
form, lived on earth with human
wants and habits, and died on earth in
human pains and sutTerings, Christians
can seek without impiety the presenta-
tions or descriptions ofHim as he lived on
earthin fellowship with man. The bias
phemy which fain would picture the
Great God and Lord of All, whom no
human eye hath seen, or can see, does not
apply to the Son, who being equal with
God, for time made himself equal with
man, of like form, hgurc and feature.
The painters Of all ages therefore, have
drawn upon inspired fancy for such
representations as might meet the aspi-
rations for truthful ideal of the God
Man, OF the being, human, yet with the
attributes ofdivinity; human, yet taultless
and noble in form; human, yet with
countenance superhuman beauty, full
of love and also Of commanding force,
and upon which sin and passion never
made trace, but upon which sorrow
had deeply graved it's mark. The great
painters OF the 18th and 10th centuries
Raphael, Michael Angelo, Benvenuto
Cellini, Rubens and many other immor
tai painters, have gwen us ideals SO real
and so sublime that the Savior stands
before the eye of sense as well as faith in
full substantial realism, with such halo
of divinity thrown around face and form
as abashes familiarity and brings the hu.
mility appropriate to the presence of the
Holy One.
In connection with this we attach the
following interesting description of the
Savior, for the authority of which we
are unable to vouch. 1t is at any rate
intensely interesting g;-CTTHEN.
The following description of our Savior
was found in an ancient manuscript sent
by Publius Lentulus, President of Tudea, |
to the Roman Senate:
There riicie ~ ~m7Is al This tt;i;1 t;,i;11 i; Iud1d,
man Of singular character, whose nameis
Jesus Christ. The barbarians esteem
him as prophet, but his followers adore |
him as the immediate offspring of God. |
He is endowed with such unparalleled
virtue as to be able to call back the dead |
from their graves, and to heal every sort
of disease with a word or touch His
person is tall and elegantly shaped his
aspect amiable and reverend. His hair
flows in those beautiful shades which no
united ColOrs can match, falling in grace
tul curls below the ears, agreeably touch |
ing on his shoulders and parting on the |
crown of his head like the head-dress OF
the sect called Nazarites. His forehead |
is smooth and his checks without spot, |
save that of lovely red. His nose and |
mouth are formed with exquisite SYM
metry his beard is thick and suited to |
the hair of his head reaching little be-
low his chin, and parted in the middle |
like fork His eyes are bright, serene |
and clear. Hs rebukeS with majesty, and |
counSels with persuasive language. His |
whole address, whether in word or being, |
is elegant, grave and strictly character
iStic of so exalted being No man has |
ever heard him laugh, but all Judea has
frequently beheld HIM weep, and so per |
suaSive are his tears that the multitudeS |
are unable to restrain theirs from ming |
ling with his. He is very modest, temper
ate and wise Whatever this phenom- |
onOn may be in the end, he now seems to |
be man of strange beauty and divine |
perfection, i'll every way surprising the |
children of men,"