The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-11-19
Let every kindred. every tribe,
On this terrestrial bail
To Him ail majesty ascribe
And crown him Lord Of all.
III. CHRIST DELIVERED FOB CRUCIFIxION.
I. Data.
We have only one account: st. John, 10 4
Is.
.. Time and Place
See paragraph above.
9 TIE Ft~fs

3 The Facts
Plate seemed anxious % make Christ az pitt
able an object as possible and thus try % mclt
the hearts Of the rabbis into tenderness. Jesus
is led from the Prctorium l}It 90: %, So.
Mark, l5:l6I into the court Of Pilates palace,
his face smcared with blood dripping from his
laceTatcd head, and his body trembling from
the seourging, his face pale and sad See
him" says Plate. How much he has suffered.
Is % not enough? Why not let him 20 now,
poor man p"
The priests and leading Jews we're deter
mined Christ must be crucifed But" saws
PLATE, Il cannot find any fault in him. You
cannot cruelty him by my consent. IL you DO
so, il must be entirely upon your own RESPONSE
biity." But the Sauhedrim we'll knew the
Limitation Of their power as to capital punish
ment. Had the jews been an Independent
Government. they would have executed Christ
on tho charge OF blasphemy. in that he claimed
% be the son Of God LEV, %. 49, This
was a new thought TO Plate. lie wanted 20 be
/ careful in his treatment OF the accused IL it
were true the criminal were the Son Of God.
! SO he led Christ into the Judgment Hall Pre-
| tOriuml, and asked him as TO his pareutage.
Jesus saw the ickeness. want Of principle cow
ardice, political Bringing Of Pllate, and we'll
knew the Governor was only killing time and
was utterly incompetent 20 understand a full
explanation in answer 20 his question and
hence declined reply, and that even though
threatened by PLATE.
Men cannot even do wrong save By the
strength derived from God. The one most
guilty was Judas. No one intimidated him.
lie acted voluntarily. He went 70 the priests
and offered Christ for sale. He was not urged
on By any great political and personal interest.
IL was different with PLATE. He was concerned
| for his position as Governor. He wanted 20 let
Christ 90. He would have refused even to
scOurge only that he imagined he could thus
| appeJse the wrath Of the maddened crowd He
was tho representative Of the Roman Govern
ment, and the prisoner was accused as q traitor.
/ The opponents Of Christ were the leading men
/ OF Judea. There was some apology for PLATE
as compared with Judas.
Somehow PLATE had a tender leaning toward
/ Christ. He bad reports Of his wonderful mira
/ cle5, which, II true, showed he was an unusual
/ character. He remembered the warnings OF
his wife. Then, no saw in Christ such manIi-
/ ness, such sincerity, such beauty Of character,
/ that if he could have done 50 without enraging
/ the pOpulace he would have released him.
I (V. r.
What made PLATE finally consent TO the
/ cruclhxion was the menace Of the people that
/ If he failed TO order the execution Of Christ
/ they would at once report the matter to the
Roman Government and practically prove that
| Plate himself was a traitor. He was appointed
&
Judea toward the Government OF Cesar. This
/ threatening touched Plate in the most tender
/ place. tie could not afford to let Christ 90,
and thus lose bis position and forfeit his in
/ Huenee at Rome. The open court Of the Gov
/ eTnOr's palace was dOorcd with tesselated
marble slabs, and hence was called the Pave
ment. The jews styled the room the Gabbatha
/ which means the elevated place, referring pos
/ sibly 20 the judgment seat therein, aud which
I would be located on a sort Of risen platform
\ Plate appeals once more to the multitude
/ hoping il may rslent. They do not yield, bat
4 are even greatly exasperated az his reluctance.
/ They would seem to tear him in pieces il he do
/ not grant an order for the cIucifxion Of Christ
I Self is first with him. 1t is more important "a
him that be remain in good standing with the
/ Roman authorities and in popularity with the
/ Jewish hierarchy, moro important that he be
I accounted loyal to his office and Government
aud continue in the good will of his subjects
/ than that an innocent man escape the cross
than that be do right regardless Of persona
| cost.
The fatal moment came. PLATE signs thc
decree for the eruCiGxiOn. Christ is handed
over TO the Roman soldiers for execution.
Never waver in right. Be firm in your con
victious. Be not carried away by the masses
| Sacrifice personal ease and popularity to your
sense of justice. Be loyal TO God, even If &C
counted traitor governmentally. Better die
than do wrong.