Blue-grass blade., 1892-02-06

from all concurrent testimony,
were the most cruel, blood Thirsty,
and unjust, of all the races.
They were intensely supersti-
tious, great liars, and very bigoted
and selfish.
Their characteristics therefore,
were very unfavorable for histo-
rians.
That part of the Bible called
the New Testament, being of
much later date, is much more
easily understood. There is a
substantial historical foundation,
which is supported by concurrent
testimony, for all the historical
part of the New Testament; all
accounts of any miracle, of course,
being unauthentic.
The central figure of the New
Testament was probably named
Joshua.
1t was Latinized into Jesus.
The word Christ was not a part
of his name. He was called Christ
in derision, from a Greek word
which means "annointed," allu-
sion to royalty and he was so called
in derision, because. though he
was poor man, and a common
laborer, he claimed, or it was
claimed for him, that he was of
royal descent.
OF course he was born, and he
died just as other men are now
born and die. That such a char
acter as Jesus lived; that he was a
teacher OF the morals and of the
theology imputed to him in the
books of the New Testament,
that he was crucified by the Jews,
is too well established, By
the New Testament, and
concurrent testimony, to be fur
ther mooted. At the time of his
birth the Jews were looking for a
man among their own people,
who would throw off the Roman
Yoke, and establish the inde-
pendence of the Jews. They
had looked for such a man for
centuries before Jesus was born,
and they continued to look for
such a man after they had killed
Jesus.
The disciples of Jesus-or some
of them at least-wanted Jesus to
seize the throne of Judea; and
they expected him to do So More
especially was the true of Peter
his chief spokesman, an irrascible
and excitable man, and of James
and John, the, sons of Zebedee,
who were the most lovely two
men of all his disciples, and the
two most loved by Jesus.
Jesus himself hesitated and
vacilliated, as to the propriety OF
taking the throne of Judeah if it
should be given him by acclima
ton; as there seemed great proba-
bility it would be, though Of
course it could moi. have been held
against the Roman arms. There
are some intimations that Jesus
would have allowed his disciples
to use arms in his defense, and
others that he was opposed to It.
The charge of the Jews, by which
they induced the Romans to al.
low them to cruelty him, that he
had designs upon the throne Of
Caesar, was not entirely wothoui
foundation.
The Roman law and govern
ment was, at that time, SO high
and perfect that our law in Amer.
lea is, at this day, founeded upon
it. The Roman rulers in Judes
at that time, as we see in reading
the New Testament, were just and
sensible men, and they knew aboul
Jesus, and, in sentim, mt at least
sympathzed withe him.
Their policy toward the Jews,
as toward all others that they sub
ljugated, was to conciliate them as
far as they could do, consistently
with the Justice and dignity of the
Roman government. Jesus had
a fair trial, and if he had denied
before the Roman tribunal thai
he had no purpose OF assuming
political power. the Romans
would not have punished him
But they asked him cart thou
the Christi ?"-meaning care you
a King?" or "Do you claim te
be a King?" and he did not dis
claim it. His answer was either
evasive, or an admission that be
claimed right to the throne Of
Judea.
Such demonstration as that
which is described in the New
Testament by the publishers ol
the New Testament as "The Tri-
umphal Entry into Jerusalem, .
and which showed that the popu-
lace wanted to make him King 7ol
Judea, gave to the Roman gov
ernment ample reason to suspect
Jesus of completely in what was
liable to result in insurrection
and he was fairly and lawfully
tried, condemned and executed
under the law.
The masses of the Jews, am.
even all the Romans that per-
sonally knew anything about
Jesus, loved him, and loved hin
devotedly.
Women love him to alteration.
A Roman ruler was so touched
with his purity and guilelessness
that when he saw there was nc
chance to save him by law, he Oh
serverd what was probably Gus
tom in such cases, by taking q
basin of water, and washing his
hands, to show that he would not
stand responsible for his punish
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