The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-04-05

I'd n piece of wood. on which he sat.
and witch answered ~ u support 10 the
body since the weight Of tho latter
might have otherwise torn the hands by
the nails driven through thom
The or0na, which was driven llrInly In
the ground, rarely exceeded ten feet IN
height The Victim WIS elevated, md
hts hands Were b0iad by n rope around
Tho transverse beam ana nailed through
tho palm, Hts feet were also nailed
Ne thus remained fastened until death
ended his HunsrlngH while be exhibit
I'd any signs OF lifn he WAS watched by
guards, but they left him whom n ap.
prnred no was dead n there we're ma
prospect that thu Victim would lilo on
the day OF execution, the eHooutlonera
FASTENED the end by klndllnR n iro NJ
tho foot ~ the cross. 10 as 10 SURROGATE
him with smoke. or by letting loose upon
him Wild beasts. or occasionally, when
IN particular haste. by breaking his
homes upon the cross with n innliot, m
upon an anvil, II was NJ one time
customary Ia 0ner the criminal. before
tho commencement Of his HUfforingn. a
mpdlontsd drink. compounded NJ wine
and myrrh Ths object ~ this was %
produce intorioatloD. and thereby 10 les
son tho suffering,
CrncinHion WAS not only the most ~.
nOmlnlouu. but by far the most cruel,
mode ~ punishment Tho victim lived
until tho seventh day sometimes The
thieves Who were executed at the same
time with out Savior were broken with
mailetH on the same day. and In order
20 ascertain tho condition % Jesus u
lance Was thrust into lila aide. but no
sigma of life Appeared.
Cicero AayH the very name OF the cross
should ha removed afar. mot only lrum
tho body. hut from the thoughts she
ayrs. The ears ~ Roman eitisous. FOR ~
all these things. not only tho acual oc-
curfeuce and endurance, hut The very
contingency and expectation. nay. The
mention itself. ara unworthy " = Roman
citizen ana a free man Hence tho
force Of ~, pAuI'a frequent illusions 20
tho humiliation which christ endured
when lie suffered death upon the cross.
GLORY FROM SHAME
Il was precisely this idea which made
Tho early Christians soisr upon the cross
az tho emblem 81 their faith 'rhr,
which had hrrn tho symbol Of shame
nov became their glory, Tho lnstru-
mont Of Christ'a passion, by lite death
upon IT, became halluwcd by al time
rho medieval Christians. desiring TO see
the cross identified stu more closely
with the Jewish church. inherited a lc-
send 60 supplement the old Testament
The story runs that Seth received
from tho angels three seeds pf the for
hidden tree that h. saw standing. though
blasted. upon the spot where sin had
been nrut committed, Taking the Hecdn
away with him, h. put them into the
mouth Of tho lead Adam. n ~ buried
him. The young trees that grow from
them. on the grave OF Adam IN Hebron,
were carefully attended by Abraham.
MoAos aud David. Af'er hoy were 70.
moved 10 Jerusalem tho Psalms were
composed beneath them. and nnally they
slowly grew together and formed a hiaElc
giant tree. rhin tree was f"llrd by the
order ~ Solomon. Ia orlcr that II might
he preserved forever ~ n hoam In the
lrnplr The plan failed. however. for
the carpenters found they could not
u tho mighty beam.
when they raised Il 20 itH intended
position they found u too long. then
thoy sawed II. and II proved too short:
they spiicri II. but TO no purposr. they
could not make II ht This was taksn
au u slEa that Il was intended for soms
other purpose. m they laid II aside IN
tho temple. On one occasion II was
Improperly made use OF Ne n seat by n
woman named Maximclia. and she was
At once onvelopod In nameA She in
vokrd the aid OF Christ and was driven
from tho city and stoned to death, In
the course OF It's ovcutfui history the
h"am became a bridge over ccdron. and.
being then thrown into tho stream OF
t'rlhsvda. Il gave 20 the waters healing
virtucr Finally from { vas made the
oTosH of Christ. and after tho c%rucinxion
Il was buried IN Calvary, and rGhumod
THREE centuries later by tho Empress
Helena, the mother OF Constantine. who
WAS m~irHcnlouaiy directed 20 the spot
whrru II lay.