Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1889-06-06
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
ENTERTAINING DISSERTATION ON
SERIOUS SUBJECTS.

Lesson and Where It May BE Found-A
Learned and Concise Review of the
Same.
The lesson for Sunday. June 0. may be
found In Mark XIV. 1-2O.
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 OF
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 81. 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. 1t means
that the Sanhedrim have already passed
the death sentence upon him. 1t remains
only for them to get the formal permit OF
the governor. And for this they wrestle as
for scepter; they will have nothing else.
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
StrdiOht,rdy in The morning. They were
bounding Jesus to his death. There were.
as Stout In his studied work on The Trials
and Cruciixion Of Christ Cincinnati Stan
dard Publishing Coz. says. seven distinct
trials in all. /. Before Annas. recorded
mainly by John. 2. Before Calaphas MAT
thew and Mark). 3. Before the sanhedrim
proper Mark and Luke. 4. Before PLATE.
preliminary Uohn). 5. Before Herod Nuke).
o. Before PLATE prior to. the scourginR
Mark-the lesson before us). Z. Before
Plate after the scourging John 10: 1-16).
With what meekness Christ met the whole
protracted indignity For consider him
that endured such contradiction OF sinners
against himself" 1t is by considering such
endurance that We ourselves are made
strong. John Cennck. of l. eland Q750).
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 do
we dor Why are you so furious against
us? We only come 70 tell you that Christ
loved you and died for YOU" The man only
stepped back for 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.
1t was the might of mercy.
Delivered him 10 Plate. Yet it is not
Christ. but Pilate. that is on trial. And
tried and found IcanGn0 Is the verdict.
Cursed be the day on which succeeded
Valerius Gratus in the government Of
Judea." reads an old document in the Vati-
can Library at Rome. purporting to have
come from the pen of PLATE in his report to
Tiherius Caesar. Well might he rue the
day. with the vision OF that guiltless though
devoted Face before him. DIR. Farrar calls
our attention 10 the revenges OF history"
in connection with the trial OF Christ.
Judas died in the horrors of a loathsome
suici @. Caiaphas was deposed the year
following. Herod died in infamy and exile
PLATE. wearied out with mislortunes. died
OF suicide and Punishment. leaving behind
him an execrated name. The house Of
Annas was destroyed generation later by
an infurated mob. and his son was dragged
through the streets and scourged and
beaten to his place Of murder" 1t was not
the Christ. but themselves. whom they
delivered" to destruction.
Arr thou the King of the Jetcs? 1t was
such test as only a God could meet. King
OF the Jews-they have disowned him; will
he acknowledge them? The question is
not, -Will he dssert his legal rights?" But
will he condescend to own such people? ?
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 ilate knows it Is for envy;" the high
priest standing out there at the door for
lear OF defllement. yet ready this moment
to imbrue h hand in innocent blood; the
Jewish rabble lifting their hands in the air
with the merciless cry, Cruelty himl" Son
of Col. Is this thy people? Wilt thou ac-
knowledge such baseness. blood-thirsty-
nes.s, brutishness? Art thou tie King of
the Jeus?" See. he is about to answer. 1t
is the same eye that looked upon dying
Peter. the same face that bent to receive
the kiss OF II betraying Judas; and tho
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 page
OF the gospel Is there not hope through
faith for the vilest?
A crolcn of thOTns. Thorns for cruelty; a
crown. but in contempt. Christ came with
hands full Of blessing and heart full OF
love. How did nah receive him? With a
disdainful chaplet. 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 a
diadem. Yes press It on his tender brows;
ii 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 feet, q
cross for his back. Man hath crown for
him, but the crown hath ever it's thorn.
Yea. there was the sharpness OF death
even in loves alabaster box. The crown
with which earth gifted him was never
else than crown OF thorns. He made IL
mond.
Put his o,cn clothes on him. He is going
to his death. and he must be clad In the
vesture OF his simple Christliness. There at
the cross he stands forth shorn of every
thing but the garments of love and holiness,
In his own personal identity, his sheer god
head. Aid Of man. there is none. His own
disciples have forsaken him and fed. The
robe OF mockery falls away from him. The
seamless dress OF his earthly pilgrimage.
symbol Of his incarnate righteousness. must
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 in that vesture we saw him last in the
closed room and on Olives glorious sum
NIT. In that garment. shining forth amidst
tho manJling clouds. we wait for his appear
ing. Aye. In that fashion we see him, by
faiths vision: "alway"-til he come.
'The healing OF the seamless dress
Is by our beds Of pain;
We touch him in lifes thrOng and press,
And are made whole again"