The record-union., 1899-12-25

He hoped Herod would decide the case
When this failed, he tried to shift the
responsibility of decision on the Jews.
Take Him, he said, and settle the mat
ter among yourselves. You have law,
judge Him. The Jews reminded him
that the sentence of death could not
be pronounced, except by representa-
tive of the Roman Government. PLATE
examined the charges against Jesus
and declared He had done nothing
worthy of DEATH Having examined
Him before you / have found no fault
in Him." When they clamored for His
blood he said unto them the third time,
why, what evil hath He done?"
PLATE wanted to decide favorably for
Jesus.
1t was customary to release pris-
oner at the Passover feast. In their
Jail was a notable robber, Barabbas
Plate brought Jesus, the benefactor,
and putting Him alongside Of Barab-
bas, the malefactor, said, (Which of
these two shall release?" They cried
out, Away with Jesus and release
choice. Yet men to-day are making
C4lOlCcS DIS lOOllSl duQ IQluOuS-
PLATE tried other devices He
scourged Jesus. ana appealing to their
pity said, Behold the man." But they
cried for His blood, and PLATE yielded
to their demand. Seeing he could pre-
vail nothing" and willing to content
the people, PLATE gave sentence that
it should be as they required"
Why did PLATE go contrary to reason
and justice and conscience in his de-
cison what to do with Jesus? 1t was
because he consulted polieH rather than
principle. He would rather have done
right than wrong. He wanted to re-
lease Jesus, but he wanted to keep on
good terms with the people and with
Caesar. There is a world of meaning
in that sentence, "Pilate willing to con-
tent the people, delivered Jesus to be
crucified. He hadn't courage to stand
up against public opinion. He desired
to do right, but he chose to do wrong.
There is often wide gulf of difference
between a desire and a choice.
Pilates soul that day was a battle
field where good and evil struggled for
supremacy. He knew that Jesus was
innocent, and that it was his duty to
take sides with Jesus. But he>was afraid
of Caesar and he was afraid Of the mob.
He wanted to be popular with the peo-
pie and retain the favor Of Caesar. The
people knew his weakness. and when
he was parleying and dallying they
cried out, IF thou let this man go,
thou are not Caesars friend" When
Plate therefore heard that saying, he
1,ro Ia1i
to be crucifed PLATE was dependent
on Caesar for his official position. He
wanted to do justice to Jesus, but he
wanted still more to retain the favor
of the Emperor. Conscience babe him
do one thing, the crowd babe him do
the opposite. He went against his con-
science and obeyed the crowd With
the people the choice was between
Barabbas and Jesus With PLATE the
choice was between Caesar and Jesus
The people chose Barabbas, PLATE
chose Caesar, and both discarded
Jesus.
Everyone in the audience sees and
condemns the weakness and wicked
ness of Pilates decision. When he SEN
fenced Jesus he sentenced himself His
character and sealed his destiny
Take the question out of history and
tragedy and bring it into personal ex-
perience. What shall I do with Jesus !?
is our question as well as Pilates.
have to answer it, You have to answer
it. To every man, woman and child
comes the PLATE hour of decision for
or against Christ. Jesus is before US
to be crowned or crucified From His
presence We cannot escape without de-
claring ourselves to be friends or enc
mics. Every person in this audience,
by moral necessity, must decide what
they will do with Jesus.
You may try to evade the question
as PLATE did. You may daily with it.,
postpone it, shirk it, but you cannot
Christian land, reared in a Christian
home, girded round with Christian in
huences, you cannot avoid Christ and
Christianity. You cannot push him out
Of your thought and plans if you would
He is all the time meeting you in
Strange places and strange ways. You
meet Him in the song of the poet, in
the plot Of the dramatist in the CHS
eled marble of the sculptor, in the
glowing canvas of the artist, in the
oratorio of the musician, in the high
deed Of the hero, in the humane labor
of the philanthropist, in the self denial
of the missionary. In all these mani
fold ways you meet the Man of Naz-
areth and are compelled to decide what
you will do with Him.
vic ~ hr1t
the pictured face of Jesus from manager,
cross and throne will peer into your
face, and those mute lips on the canvas
will say: This I did for thee, what
hast thou done for me?" The poet,
the artist, the musician, the philanthro-
pist, the missionary, the reformer, the
hero, will tell you that they are what
they are because of the influence OF
Jesus, and will ask what you will do
with Him.
You cannot evade the question. You
may purposely neglect it. You may
postpone the answer. to more con-
venient season. > You may try to bury
it under pleasure or smother it with
business. You may try to crowd 1t
out of your mind by other thoughts
diiQ HUSH IL " SilC1lCS ny JULIET OCCu-
pations. But you cannot. 1t will con-
front you again and again. In the re-
cesses of the mountain solitude, on the
shores of the restless sea, away out
on the boundless deep, in the solemn
silence of the midnight hour, suddenly
from the sepulcher of memory, will rise
the question, what shall 1 do with
Jesus? In the surging crowd of the
great, busy city you will see that face
divine, and the question will press for