The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-11-06
German Electric Boil Agoncy ?. O. Boz i79 Brooklyn. ~.
8. The Court.

keniion The NatIo-.i TribunA
8. The Court.
The body who tried Christ was practically
tho rabble, the Infatuated multitude. They
overruled the judgment of PLATE, and had
everything their own way. Rev. J. +. G. Well
don, in n sermon to the Harrow Boys" cor
rectly said, Right and wrong are not affairs
of numbers; they do not depend on the will of
tho majority"
o. The Charges
The famous death warrant Of PLATE against
Christ, ow ned by Lord Howard, is not held to
he genuine. We depend for particulars on the
Gospel accounts. OF course Pilot would not
entertain nero ecclesiastic accusations. He
WAS interested in p criminal only as to charges
of political nature. The Sauhedrim we'll
knew this. Hence we see the lines Of inyesti-
CATION differed according to the courts before
which Chri was brought. The accusers be-
fore tAn oanbodrim charged him with bias
phewy o crime punishable by Jewish law with
death. Before PLATE, the criminal is charged
with treason; with perverting the nation; with
forbldding TO give tribute to Cesar; with claim.
ing himself To be King; with stirring up the
people. est. Luke, %: 9, 5, IA
10. The Judge.
The Governor Of Judea was Pontius PLATE
tSt. Matt, 81 p He was the fifth in order Of
trio Roman PrOeurators ruling Judea. He was
auder the President of Syria, who in turn was
auder Cesar. the Roman Emperor. He had
power to inflict capital punishment. the method
ueng crueibxion. After time PLATE fell into
aisnvor and was himself subjected TO iudignity.
- lhe mills Of the gods grind slowly" and
retributiYej justice rs quite certainty. Seven
years go by, and Caligula banished Plate to
Vienna in Gaul. In remorso he committed
suicide. mountain Is there pointed out
named Piatus, indicating the scene of the self
murder. The exGovernOr tossed himself into
tho lake and was drowned.
H. Adrocats
There Is something terrible in Christ's lone
illness and apparent fricndlessness. His ApOs-
ties were not men Of influence. aud could not
appear at his trial TO advantage. There was
orc, however IA woman, Pilates wife, PrOc!a
who dared say word In defense of the pTis-
oner. tSt Mt. q 49, And, curiously enough
The Jui ~ of Christ Plate himself wanted 10
take tho part OF the prisoner, but lacked cour-
age. ffBd PLATE been an " Iron Duke" tho
trial 1ight have been q Waterloo 10 the Sanhe-
drim.
- WiiHesses
Before the Sanhedrim for the purpose of
convicting Christ of blasphemy. his enemies
secured false witnesses. (St. Mt. 70: 60 Com
pare Acts. 3: IL, 49, In the trials before Pr
late and Herod. it seems no attempt was made
to secure any formal legal examination no
witnesses were called upon to give evidence.
The rabble simply arrested and execrated. Pr
late took pains TO question Christ deliberately
as 10 the nature of the charges made by the
multitude and became convinced that Christ
was the victim OF either misrepresentation or
cruehy. tSt. John, lS: 33; ST. Luke. %: IA
Aud Herod attempted kind of formal exam
ination. (St. Luke, % o.
II. Erideuce.
There was some ground for Plate to suspect
Christ somewhat dangerous, in that he evil
| IDENTIFY had influence with the masses; could
| and did stir them up. But no proof existed
that he ever attempted 10 use his power IN a
political sense. lie admitted he was King;
bat he distinctly stated that his subjects were
taught not 90 dght. st John, Is: 80. 81 No
attempt was made at the trial to secure evidence
in legal form ior the purpose of determining
the nature OF Christs tso-ca!led) crime. He
was the victim OF a rabble.
il. Plea.
Jesus admitted the charges, but with explain
| ations entirely satisfactory to the Roman
| Governor. (St. Luke, %: 4, H. ST. Mt, 27 :
| %. pa "He knew that for envy they had
| delivered him." PLATE saw that the Phar-
/ isees could not tolerate religious teacher
so popular as was Christ. The plea, then, of
| Jesus was, Guilty in form, in appearance, in
the Interpretation of the unfair aud enyious !;
but Not Guilty, in fact.
Is. The Finding.
| Guilty" cried the crowd No fault In
| him" said his Judge, PLATE. But justice did
not prevail. (St. Mt, q: 2i.)
10. The Sentence
! The sentence was death. There was a sort
of formal announcement OF the penalty. (St.
John, 10: 6, l6,) The judgment pronounced
was, however. rather the cry of the aecusers
| than the Judgment of the court PLATE as
sented TO the demands OF the opponents of
| Christ. and that in the very face OF justice.
(St. John, 10 g.
IT, The Method Of Execution
The Roman method of capital punishment
WAS crucifxion; the Jewish, stoning to death.
| =" Let him be crucifed" (St. Matt, 81 % }
Plate tried device from which he hoped es-
cape for Christ. He had power to release con-
demned prisoners, and was accustomed at each
Passover to pardon one. He proposed the most
depraved criminal. else Jesus imaging that
the crowd would be disposed to lot Christ es-
cape rather than such desperate. But their
cry was for Barabbas. The die was cast.
Christ must be put to DEATH II was the custom
to scourge victim of capital punishment
prior TO his execution, aud hence PLATE ordered
scourging AS prelude in Chrst's case.
10. Erecutioaers.
The body that put Christ to death was q
detachment of Roman soldiers.
10. Place Of Erecutioa.
Executions were inflicted outside city walls
(Nu., Is; SO; Heb. Is: l2.) The spot where
Jesus was crueifed Is identified as Mt Calvary,
just northwest of Jerusalem.
20. Lessons
]. officers should be true and frm-not like
Plate. (St. Mt, 81 "a; st. Mark, 10 49,
2. The sin of envy. Be pleased if others sue
coed in the good, (St. Mt. 81 49,
3. Women should DO for Christ. Wives of
evil men should try to persuade them to re-
form. (St. Mt, %: 49,
4. Many times husbands err in not needing
warnings of wives.
s. The custom of releasing prisoners on GER
tain festal days is commendable but best pris-
Oners should be- chosen for such favors.
O. What will you do with Christi (St. Mt,
27:22)
z. Clergymen ought to guide the masses
Alright 1t was wicked of the chief priests to
lead their congregations to murder.
q. Do not follow the multitude because they
are the majority. tEx., %: p
8. Do not be tickle, crying Hosanna! |" on
on Monday and Cruelty him !" ON Friday.
10 The good may be falsely arrested, and
| even imprisoned.