The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-07-25

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He recognizes that they have not yet
risen into that advanced estate of
human nature where the spiritual is
sovereign over the animal. He sees
that love finds more than its match in
the claims and clamors of the senses.
Striving himself at that very moment,
and in that very prayer that their
souls, locked within the portals of
sleep, had failed to hear, for the tri-
umph of the inward over the out
ward, he found it easy to pardon their
slumber even under that exigency.
But, at length, he awakes them, and
breaks to them the sad message that
"his hour is at hand;" for already
Judas, spurred by lust of gain, leads
on the cruel minions of the High
Priest to the spot where he expects,
and not in vain, the Saviour may be
found.
He calls them to witness the crisis of
his betrayal; to listen to that deceit
full kiss of perfidy that shall sound
through the centuries the deep dis
grace of him who gave it; to see him
torn from them, victim of bigotry
and hate, yet willing sacrifice for
the worlds good. And now the rab-
BILE spring upon the benignant and
unhinching Friend of all his kind.
They hurry him off with vulgar jest
ing and bitter mockery, to the house
of the High Priest, where, in antici-
patton, "the scribes and elders we're
assembled" They "spit in his face;"
they "buffet" and "smite him with
the palms of their hands," And
after brief delay with the waiting
crowd, they 'bind him" in imitation
of their customary usage of criminals,
and send him up to Plate to be tried
nay to be condemned.
Plate finds their accusations ut
terly without foundation. He COM
prehends their false charges and says,
81 can find no fault with this man."
But does he bid them loose his bonds,
and let the man of honor and great
ness go freei No, no. Plate is weak,
ambitious of favor, desires to sit easy
in his high official seat, and so he
yields to the clamor for innocent
blood" He washes his hands, not
thinking his hands were quite too far
from his central life to meet the case,
and surrenders, Jesus to be crucifed.
And eagerly the soldiers, inspired or
bribed by the High Priest, seize upon
him again "put scarlet robe on him."
after the fashion of the day; "braid
crown of thorns" and cast it around
his brow; and lead him away toward
Calvary, forcing him to bear the
heavy cross till strength fails him,
and he falls with exhaustion; and
when he is athirst, instead of allowing
him cup of cooling water. they give
him "some vinegar mingled with
gall"
At length the appointed place is
reached. He is nailed to the cross,
which is raised upright, and the
fearful instrument of torture and
shame is set firm in the ground;
and the tragic scene, aggravated by
every accessory of cruelty, draws to
its close. But mark the glory of the
hour, that brightens like noon in that
fearful night of woe. Jesus does not
hate even his cruel enemies who, I'M
der evil Indictment, have striven to
add Insult to injury" He loves
them. He prays for the Fathers
pardon on their heads. He dies for
them. He sends down the light and
warmth of goodwill upon them, even
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and the gloom of his death, as radiant
lights of sunshine break sometimes
through the dark cloud canopy that
enshrouds the earth! Grace super
abounds. Mercy eliminates. The
growing sweetness and glory of
life of constant gentleness and great
ness ripens, at last, into the full and
perfect flower of divine compassion.
The cross becomes its fitting consum-
nation, since it reveals the energy of
moral greatness and the self-denial
of love.
And do we wonder that this story
has been, and still is, the pride of the
church? that it has touched multi
tudes of lips with the fire of elo-
quence? that it has given inspiration,
beyond all classic precedent, to the
chisel and the brush and the poetic
muse7 and that the missionary to
pagan regions, has found in it the
key that opens most successfully to
the chambers of the benighted soul?
The story of the cross is the worlds
great epic of love and holds now the
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