Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1889-06-13
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
LESSON FOR JUNE SIXTEENTH.
JESUS CRUCIFIED.-MARK XIV: 21-39.

NOTES.-SimOn Of Cyrene.-This Cy-
rene was a well-known city in Northern
Africa, between Alexandria and Garth
age In it was an extensive Jewish
colony. The Cyrenians had synagogue
of their own in Jerusalem. Alexander
and Rufus, his children, were undOubted
ly well-known Christians in the early
Church. They probably were among
those from Cyrene who founded the
Church at Antioch and were friends of
Paul and Mark there. Simon, being i'm
pressed into this service by the Roman
guard, might easily have been converted
through such service-Wine mingled
IOith myITh.-The common sour wine the
soldiers drank mixed with this powerful
aromatic drug that would act as an anes-
thetic-Ihe third hOur.-Nine in the
neutrality-suspicious. Of his Gcc1tSd-
| tjOR.-A tablet upon which the crime for
which he was crucited was written. In
order to have it perfectly plain and legl-
BILE it was written in the three languages
in common uSe-Latin, Greek and He
brew or Aramaic, the language of the
people.-The King Of the JelCS.-Is
thought by some to have been the inscrip-
ton in Greek, the diplomatic language of
the world, as French is to-day, and that
Johns inscription was the Hebrew one
and Luke's the Latin.-Let us remem-
Der that the crucified one on the cross
had his feet very little space elevated
above the ground. He did not look dorm
upon men, but was literally among them
until his death.-The mOckery lasted
from nine until noon, then darkness set
in.-ElOi, ElOi.-This was spoken in
the Aramaic language, that of the people
in their ordinary intercourse. 1t is close
ly akin to Hebrew, Ps. xxi, 1.-TdH Of
the temple-Whichc concealed the Holy of
Holes from the Holy Place. 1t was sixty
! feet long and thirty feet wide, and thick
as a mans hand. The rending of the
vail was typical of the fact that there
was now nothing longer to conceal. God
no more dwelt there.
| INSTRUCTION.-There are two scenes
in the life of Christ that are too sacred to
dwell upon with prOfane tongue. The
one is the midnight scene of anguish in
the Garden of GethSemane, the other is
the crucifxion. The Gospels give us the
only information we can have and in the
simplest language, therefore the best
Let each teacher pause before he attempts
to narrate the passion of Christ in his
own words. The setting may be vivified,
but the central figure, the pearl of great
price, shines better and truer by its own
evangelical light than by any illumlna-
ton of ours, no matter how reverently it
be manipulated.
1t is not beyond the possibility of fact
that Simon of Cyrene by the very act of
Roman compulsiOn became an enthusias-
tic follower of Christ. We recall to mind
many compulsory study of the Bible in
cur youth which we are thankful for to-
day. Some parents religiously refrain
from influencing their children one way
or another in study of Christianity. They
greatly wrong their offspring. One might
as well cease interesting them in arith-
metic and spelling and history and ex-
pect them to pick it up on the streets, and
turn out all right" The parents duty
is to train, and if necessary compel atten.
ton to spiritual as well as to intellectual
affairs.
There is nothing in all history that moves
people so fundamentally as the story OF
the cross. The Roman centurion felt its
revelation. The act of bodily endurance
always commands respect. The trlum
phant shout that Christ uttered in death
can arouse, and does, our highest devo
ton and enthusiasm for self-sacritice.-
! Were it not for the cross of Christ the
name of Father Damien had not electri
fed the world. Were it not for the place
of a skull millions had not consecrateC
themselves to loneliness and death as Ger
tain though not so dramatic as that Of
the Jesuit Priest. No preacher neeC
despair of material to arouse dormant
Christianity when such lessons as thest
meet them face to face.
1t was not dignified thing for the
chief magistrates of the Jewish people tt
ieer at the crucilied one. Christian digni
ty, the courtesy due to this sect and tt
that, the quality which some lack, anC
which always commands the respect ot
the unbeliever, the quality of tolerattOi
is at the basis of well-bred Christianity.
Well might the vail of the temple reno
} itself in the anguish of that supreme mo
ment. 1t is a fact that which the clOst
observer sees time and again that the re
lection of the Christ as an example to on
lives is at the basis of rents not only IL
character, but of everyday success.