The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-26

loose upon him wild beasts: or occa-
slonally. when In particular haste. by
breaking his bones upon the cross with
a mallet. as upon an anvil. 1t was at
one time customary to offer the Grimm
al, before the commencement of his suf-
ferings. q medical drink. compounded
of wine and myrrh. The object Of this
was to produce intoxication. and there
by to lessen the suffering.
Crucifixion was not only the most ig-
nominous. but by far the most cruel.
mode OF punishment. The victim some
times lived until the seventh day. The
thieves who We're executed at the same
time with our Savior were broken with
mallets on the same day; and in order
to ascertain the condition of Jesus a
lance was thrust In his side, but no
siens of life appeared.
Cicero says the very name Of the cross
should be removed afar, met only from
the body. but from the thoughts, the
eyes. the ears OF Roman citizens. for of
all these things, not only the actual
occurrence and endurance. but the very
contingency and expectation, nay. the
mention itself, are unworthy of q Rom
an citizen and free man." Hence the
force of st. Paui's frequent alluslons to
the humiliation which Christ endured
when he suffered death upon the cross.
GLORY FROM SHAME.
1t was precisely this idea which made
the early Christians seize upon the
cross as the emblem of their faith. That
which had been the symbol of shame
now became their glory. The instru-
ment Of Christ's passion. by his death
upon 1t, became hallowed for all time.
The medieval Christians. desiring to
see the cross identified still more close
ly with the Jewish church, inserted a
leeend to supplement the Old Testa-
ment.
The story runs that Seth received
from the angels three seeds CT the
forbidden tree that he saw standing,
though blasted unon the spOt where
Sin had been first cC,pmitted. Taking
the seeds away with him. he put them
| in the mouth of the dead Adam. and 80
buried them. The young trees that
grew from them. on the grave Of Adam
in Hebron, were carefully tended by
Abraham, Moses and David After they
were removed TO Jerusalem the Psalms
were COMPOSED beneath them and fin
ally they slowly grew together and
formed single giant tree. This tree
was felled by the order of Solomon In
! order that 1t might he preserved for
| ever as a beam in the TEMPLE. The
plan failed, however, for the carpent-
ers found they could not manage the
mighty beam.
When they raised It to it's intended
position they found it too long: they
spliced 1t, but to no purpose. they could
not make Il fit. This was taken as o
| sign that 1t was intended for some
other purpose, and they laid it aside In
the Temple. on one occasion it was
improperly made use of as q seat by
| woman named Maximella and she
was at once enveloDed in flames She
| invoked the aid of Christ. and was
| driven from the city and stoned tc
death. In the course OF its eventfu
history the beam became q bridge owe,
Cedron. and, being then thrown into
the stream Of Bethesda, II gave to the
| waters healing virtues Finally from II
was made the cross Of Christ; after the
| crucifixion It was buried in Calvery
and exhumed three centuries later by
the Empress Helena. the mother OF
Constantine. who was miraculOusly di.
rected to the spot where it lay.