Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-15
SCENES ON CALVARY.
Lessons Which Dropped From the Lips
of the Patient Sufferer
AS BE HUNG DYING ON THE CROSS.
How the Penitent halefactor Found His
Way Into Paradise.
BE HUNG DYING ON THE CROSS.
PARTING DIRECTIONS TO HIS LOVED
WRITTEN FOR THE prsPArcH.1

| 1t was O'Clock In the morning. The
cross was made ready-two rough timber.
nailed together. It is laid upon the back
of Jesus, that be may carry it. Before Him
goes soldier bearing board on which is
written His accusation, to proclaim it to all
the curious beholders in the streets, and
presently to be fastened above His head,
| upon the cross. The inscription is written
in three languages, in the three languages Of
the civilized world of that century, in
Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin: "This is
Jesus the King of the Jews"
On either side of Jesus is condemned
malefactor, each also bearing a cross, being
led away to die with Him, adding insult to
| His death. About them are the soldiers,
and behind follows the eager, shouting,
pitiiess. and blood-thirsty mob. Here
are chief priests, and elders, scribes
| and Pharisees; here are the rich and the
poor, the high and the low, all set against
| Him. So they 60 in tragic procession
| through the streets toward the city gate.
Christ won't die beyond the city wall. "For
the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is
brought into the sanctuary by the high
priest for sin, are burned without the camp.
Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sane
tify the people with His own blood, suffered
without the gate"
He Asked No Pity
AS they 60 along the way of sorrow, the
voices of women are heard, weeping and la
menting. But Jesus asks no tears for Him.
Daughters of Jerusalem" He says, "weep
not for me, but weep for yourselves and for
your children"
Brave, calm, composed in spirit, strong.
except in body, Jesus asks no pity.
But the flesh is weak. There has been a
long and terrible strain upon 1t. Christ
has had no food and no sleep. He has
endured the angry and bloody sweat in the
garden OF Gethsemane; He has suf-
He had befriended; He has seen His own
disciples forsake Him and flee away. With
hands bound He has been led by the brutal
soldiers to Annas and to Caiaphas. He has
suffered the iIdignity of an unjust trial.
Before Caiaphas, before Herod, before PIlate,
He has been upon his defense and been
forced to hear the insults and accusations of
the mob. He has stood by while one OF the
three men whom, among all others He has
loved best, has denied with execrations that
he ever knew Him. Three times, in the
house of Caiaphas, in the house of Herod,
in the house OF Pilate, He has been derided,
Knocked, beaten and spitted on by menials,
underlings, servants, AFFECTS. He has been
scourged. Bowed down in agony of mind
aud body Jesus falls
Beneath the Burden of the Cross.
Somebody else must carry it. Here is
man coming in out of the country. Simon
of Cyrene shall bear the cross. Him they
compel. And SO the sad procession again
advances. The hill Of Calvary is reached
at last. The cross is laid upon the ground.
Jesus is laid upon it. Through the e1-
tended hands are driven the strong, sharp
nails, and through the feet. Those gentle
hands, laid so often and SO tenderly upon
the sick and the sorrowful; those sacred
feet, weary with going about doing good
thus they pierce them The cross is thrust
into the ground. On either side hang the
two thieves. The crowd of enemies, with
jeering and pitiless faces, stand staring and
looking upon Him.
'They cape upon Me with their mouths
as it were a ramping and roaring lion. I
am poured out like water, and all my bones
are out of joint. My heart also in the midst
OF my body is even like melting wax. My
strength is dried up like potsherd, and
my tongue cleaveth to my gums, and thou
shalt bring me into the dust OF death. For
many dogs are come about Me, and the
Me. They pierced My hands and My feet.
may tell all my bones: They stand staring
and looking upon Me-"
So the long, desperate agony begins.
Father" He cries. forgive them, for they
know not what they do
Refuses the Soothing Drink.
It is the custom in crucif1ion to offer to
the cruciied drink of some soothing mix
ture of wine and myrrh to deaden the pain
of mind and body. The rich ladies of the
city have the providing of this merciful
draught for one of their favorte charities.
This they offer to Jesus, but He will not
drink it. With every sense alert, with |
mind clear, He chooses to face death.
The inscription is fastened above His head |
upon the cross. The soldiers part His raj |
ment and cast lots upon it.
'And the people STOOD beholding. And |
the rulers also with them derded Him, say
ing He saved others, Himself He cannot
save; let Him save himself if He be Christ |
the Son of God" "And they that passed |
by" along the highway leading to the city, |
"reviled Him, waeging their heads and say !
ing, Thou that destroyest the temple and |
buildest it in three days, save thyself. If |
Thou be the Son OF God come down from the |
cross. Likewise the chief priests mocking
Him, with the scribes and elders said, He |
saved others, Himself He cannot save. If |
He be the King OF Israel let Him now come |
down from the cross, and we will believe /
Him. He trusted in God; let Him deliver
Him now if He will have Him, Tor He said, |
I am the Son OF God"
To Save Would Be Surrender.
HE saved others, Himself He cannot
ave" By losing His life, He saved our
lives. He who came mot to be ministered
unto but to minister. and to give His life a
-ansom for many" cannot save himself.
The supreme purpose OF His life forbids it.
No true man can save himself, when that
iafety can be reached only BY the path of
hameful surrender. He only that loseth
lis life, in such case, shall save it. Christ
put our safety before His own, thought of
Is not of himself, for our joy suffered pain,
or our life met death. That mocking sen.
ence voiced the divine truth about the cross.
t was the willing sacrifice. Himself He
ould not, because He would not, save.
Father forgive them, for they know not
What they do.'' For all the pain of soul
md body. for all the bitter piercing with
he nails, or all the shameful reviling and
leriding. Christ asks the blessing of for
.iveness. What an example In world
vhere so many of US find it so hard to be
a significant example!
Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven"
Love your enemies, bless them that curse
ou, do good to them that hate you, and
ray for them which despitefully use YOU
nd persecute you." Forgive us our tres
asses Us we forgive those who trespass
gainst u.s." ''Father forgive them for they
now not what they do. :"
"Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger,
nd clamor. and evil-speaking be put away