St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-06-24
DARKNESS AT MONDAY.
DIR. Burrell breaches an Eloquent
Sermon ON That Subject.

DIR. Burrell breaches an Eloquent
Sermon ON That Subject.
DIR. Burrell took for his text yesterday
the words of Mark, xvi. SO: "And when
the sixth hour was come there was dark
ness over the whole land until the ninth
hour" and spoke substantially as fol-
lows: 1t was 8 o'clock in the morning
when Jesus was nailed to the cross.
Three hours of torture followed. in
which priests, soldiers and common
people We'd with each other in adding
insult to injury, when, suddenly a
strange thing happened. The sun, just
crossing the meridian, began to pale {:
it touched the polished shields and
spear-pOints of the soldiers with pale
glow like moonlight; it grew fainter and
fainter; it went out! The SOOTHING
crowd was silenced by the supernatural
occurrences; little was heard save the
plaintlve moan of the wind,
the football of the guard, or their
muttered curses as they jOstled in
the dark, an occasional cry of pain from
the three crosses, or the SObblng OF the
faithful women who still fingered near.
Three hours this darkness continued.
Then it was rent by loud cry, and the
night was lifted. The sun shone again
on the three crosses, but the figure on
the central cross was dead, dead with a
look of triumph on his blOOd-stained
face.
What was the meaning OF this dark
neSS-at noon?
BY some it is thought to have been an
eclipse, but two considerations make
this impossible. 1t occurred at the time
of full moon, and it lasted three hours.
The mystics regarded it as manifes-
tatiOn of the sympathy OF nature with
her agOnizing Lord. "Well might the
sun in the darkness hide and shut his
glories in. when God. the great Creator,
died for man, the creatures SIM"
1t may, furthermore. be viewed as a
token of Gods wrath against sin. This
tragedy of Calvary was the dire climax
and contamination of mans evil pro-
pensity. All sin is hateful in the divine
sight, but no other is comparable
with that Of rejecting and putting to
shame the only begOtten and well-be-
loved Son of the Father. This is the
objectionable sin.
We may also regard this supernatural
darkness as an announcement OF the
temporary triumph of the evil one. 1t
was the hour of the prince OF darkness.
For the time being he seemed TO have
doubt there was rejoicing in the in
fernal regions. "Jesus is dying! His
hated power IS we'll nigh over! Fling
out the banners of nightn ltwas, how
ever, but a brief triumph. The return
ing sun did indeed shine upon a dead
Christ, but it Illuminated also the in
scription ~. N. X. I."-Jesus of NaZ-
areth, king of the whole Israel of God.
The chief significance, however, of
this phenomenon lay in its exposition OF
the priestly function of Christ. AS the
high priest on the great day Of atone
ment went into the holy of holes mot
without blood" to make atonement for
the sins of the people, so does the cur
tain now hide the expiatOry work of
Jesus. Alone in the darkness He bears
the worlds sin, making His soul an Of
fering for it. He drains the very dregs
of penalty, as it is written in the apOs-
ties creed, He descended into hell"
Thus our pardon is healed in His blood.
There is no more condemnation to them
that are in Christ Jesus. He was
wounded for our transgresslOns,H He wa S
bruised for our iniquities; and by His
stripes we are healed.
aHO OCoduSC xxC OAC0 LII OSOuy oHN
shame. forsaken of men and God, we
die surrounded by friends with the Fa-
theirs face shining upon us. o, DEATH
where is thy sting! o, grave. where is
thy victory! Thanks be to God which
giveth us the victory through our Lord
Jesus Christ.
It is the ninth hour of the day. The
people, having seen the last Of the
great tragedy, betake themselves to
their homes. The evening lights are
just being kindled in Jerusalem. One:
last look at Calvary; three crosses
against twilight sky; OH the middle
cross the dead Saviour of the world!
Let us take with us, into our home life
died we shall never die, and because He
liveth again we shall live forever more
i'm him