Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-09-26
TRADITION Sot HISTORY.

a coffosp nJent of the NEWS says
he has come acfoss statement some
where that tue very hcagnena al.
mitltd the fact that PLATE wrote TO
Emperor ribsrlus assuring him that
Christ, who was a very extraordinary
person ani vino had been put 10 death
at JefufaIem, was risen again; olso
that Tibefius proposed 10 the senate al
Rome that His usms shoulI DO en-.
rolled among the humber Of their
gods.
foe correspondent presumably
| wishes ~ elicit some Comment on
these statements. Il IA tcyond doubt
thst Plate, the governor Of Judea, had
10 mske n report u the tidal aud CON
domination u Chrsi, 10 the Roman
emperor 10 IL also clear from the
bfitf narrative VI those events 10 the
gospels, that PLATE was thoroughly
convinced VI the innocence Of this
victim aud that his consent to the OK.
eculion was given chiefly because hu
feared that denial would be- repre-.
sonted Ia Rome by his enemies ~
treason, since the political charge
against J,sus was that lie aimed at
Kingly authority la Jerusalem. There
are not, NJ lar ~ known, auy authen-
TO records Of tho u5fftBpyndenCo be-
tween Pllble ani Rome ON
tho subject, but considering
the facts referred 10, n fea.
sonablo conclusion would be that
It was In the Interest OF tue governor t.
rptesent Christ 10 tho emperor a.
dangerous and fanalical c0nspirator,
whose death was necessary 10 the peace
of the country. lie might personally
have entertained IN trcut opinion,
but hc could hardly have Justified him.
self 10 proclaiming the death sentence
and refusing 10 exercise tho executive
citmeucy he extended 10 u convicted
outlaw, n he had officially admitted
not ouly the Innocence Of the Icrse-
cuted Prophet but still more His divin.
ny, ~ attested by His exit from the
grave after having buun put T. dsath.
Tue probability Of such course
By Plate IL too tomitp to
TO credited. unless tue strongest
evidence should 10 produced for the
genuinsntss Of the records IN which
the proceedings are said To be found.
There are a great many traditions con.
ccrning the transactions of the leading
men Of those remote ages, but ON in-
vcstigation most Of them are found to
DO unsupported by authentic dDcu.
monIary evidence.
THIS does not change In tho least the
foundations upon which the Christian
faith rests. The evidences for the
divinity Of Christ 10 not Affected by
anything His cxeoutionors may have
said or not said " Him, any more tuan
tho mission OF Joseph the Prophet IL
Affected by the opinions promulgated
by those who were Responsible Tor his
martyrdom.
A. TO the second statement II Ia we'll
known that II was the policy OF the
Roman cmperofs 10 give tho duitius VI
all the conquered dependencies a place
amou their own gods. This was done
In order 10 avoid religious contentious.
Al same time the conquered Poop e.
were required to almost worship thu
emperor Of Rome. Tho statement has
been made shat at an early time
tho question was seriously considered
Of giving Jesus a place among all the
other deities, but II Ia sslfeyident that
that idea would necessarily have TO be
abandoned, since the Christians could
never oo.otdinateHlmw with pagangods,
On the other hand, 1t IL apparent
to students OF carly history that r. 5mo
never treated the early Chrisllans with
tue liberation accorded 10 other
''seols.O Their position In tho Roman
empire was similar TO that OF the s.iuts
In this age. Gibbons shows that the
early Christians were considered ami
treated Ms atheists, Lecauss they had
M nt.n.a uf ,gnrahIp alfNtI.r D., tt,s.. d, o
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