The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-02
DEATH on THE cross.
How II Was Indicted I'm the Time OF
the Romans.

From the New York Herald.
II was only natural that the early and
medieval Christians. finding the cross
symbol Of life among the nations of antq-
uity. should look curiously into the Old
Testament TO see whether there We're not
foreshadowings in It Of the wood where
by righteousness cometh."
Now was their search unrewarded. In
Isaac leaving the wood Of the sacrifice
they saw prehgured both Christ and the
cross They saw the cross ia Moses with
arms expanded on the mount; IN the pole,
with transverse bars, upon which was
wreathed the brazem serpent; in the two
sticks gathered by the widow of Sarpeta.
But plainest Of all they read In Ezekial
tx 40. Go through the midst OF the city,
through the midst of Jerusalem and set
mark upon the foreheads OF the men" that
are TO be saved from destruction by the
sword. The world here rendered 'mark"
In the Vulgate stigma thau." The thau
was the old Hebrew character shaped lik-
ed a cross, which was regarded as the
sign of life felicity and safety.
Yet the cross was not always symbol
OF honor. Among the Phoenieians and
Syrans, and later among the Romans, II
was punishment inflicted on slaves, rob
bers, assassins and rebels-among which
last Jesus was reckoned, on account OF
His proclaiminR himself king, or Mes
siah The person sentenced to this pun
ishment was stripped OF his clothes ex-
cept a covering around the loins. In a
state Of nudity he was beaten with whips.
Such was the severity of this fiagellation
that numbers died Of It. Jesus was crown
ed with thorns and was made the subject
Of mockery, but insults OF this Kind were
not common. In this instance they were
owing 10 the petulance Of the Roman sol
diers.
The criminal, having been beaten, was
condemned to the further suffefings of
carrying the cross to the place of punish
ment, which was commonly a hill near
the public highway and out of the city.
The place of crucihXion at Jerusalem was
a hill to the northwest of the city. The
cross otherwise called the post" THE
unpropitious or ominous tree--consisted
OF n piece of wood erected perpendicularly
and intersected by another one at right
angles near the top. The crime for which
the culprtt suffered was inscribed on the
transverse piece, near the top of the per-
pendicular one. There Is no mention
made by the ancient writer's of anything
on which the feet of the cG1lcifed person
rested 1t is known, however, that near
the base Of the perpendicular beam there
projected a piece of wood on which he sat
and which answered as a support to the
body, since the weight of the latter might
have otherwise torn the hands by the nails
driven through them.
The cross. when driven firmly in the
ground, rarely exceeded ten feet in hight
The victim was elevated and his hands
were bound by a rope around the trans
verse beam and nailed through the palm.
His feet were also nailed. He thus re-
manned fastened until death ended his
Sufferings. When he exhibited any signs
of life he was watched by guards; but
they left him when 1t appeared that he
was dead. II there was no prospect that
the victim would die on the day of execu-
ton, the executioners FASTENED the end by
kindling a fire at the foot of the cross, so
tn m ar nv
letting loose upon him wild beasts; or oc-
casonally, when in particular haste by
breaking his bones upon the cross with
mallet, as upon an anvil.
1t was at one time customary to offer
the criminal before the commencement
of his sufferings, mediated drink. COM
pounded Of wine and myrrh. The object
of this was to produce intOxlcatlon, and
thereby lessen the suffering
Crucifxion was not only the most igno-
minious, but by far the most cruel mode
of punishment. The victim sometimes
lived until the seventh day. The thieves
who were executed at the same time with
our Saviour were broken with mallets on
the same day, and in order to ascertain
the condition Of Jesus lance was thrust
in His side, but no signs OF life appeared.
Cicero says the very name Of the cross
should be removed afar, mot only from
the body, but from the thoughts, the eyes
the ears of Roman citizens, for of all
these things, not only the actual occur
renee and endurance, but the very con-
tingency and expectation, nay, the men
ton itself, are unworthy of a Roman cit
izen and a free man" Hence the force of
St Pauls frequent allusion to the humil-
iation which Christ endured when He suf-
fered death upon the cross.
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 be-
came their glory The instrument of
Christs passion, by His death upon 1t, be-
came hallowed for all time.
Attorneys December and January are