The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-02-07

pentant CFassW Eieh Opens Gate Of Mercy
Middle Cross Which became Throne.
Rev. DR.. T. De Witt Talmage preached
at the First Presbyterian Church sun
day morning on The Three Crosses
taking for his text Luke. KILLS; Ana
when they were come To the place, which IS
called Calvary. there they crucified HIM,
and the malefactors. one on the Tisht
hand. ard the other on the left Or.
Talmage said:
The most solemn and overwhelming
hour Of my life was the nOon-day hour
when l stood on Mount CALVARY.
"On the way there 1 had sen clay
model OF the mount, nodded by the hands
of Gen. Gordon, of Egyptian AID Chinese
fame.
There is no possible doubt about the
exact place of the Great Tragedy. The
New Testament calls Il the Place OF a
Skull l care not from what place you
look at that hill, you recognize the shape
of the human skull. The cayeTns a little
way beneath the top suggest eyeless
sockets The grOttO underneath is also
the shape of the inside of skull ms
hill is the only hill near Jerusalem that
is at all skull-shaped. For ages 1t had
been the place Of execution for malefac-
tors. The Bible says that Christ was put
to death outside the gate and this nil
is just outside the Damascus gate.
"On that hill, which is about twice the
height of this church building, and on a
projecting bluff, which is about wide
enough for three crosses, l read, or tried
to read. aloud the words of my text: but
1 failed. 1 defy any one on that spot to
read with firm voice and consecutive ut
terance the description of the mightiest
scene of all the ages Indeed a visit 10 the
Holy Land is cOnhrmatOry. DIT. Jessup,
the scientist and Assyrian missionary,
told me that he met at Joppa, the chief
Port of Palestine, a noted Infidel The
doctor said: What are you doing here,
the Holy Land? l thought you
did not believe in the sacred places The
reply was: don't. l am going through
to show that the Bible story is a sham
l am going to write this matter up and
as far ] can put an end to the imposition
which Christianity is practicing on the
human race.
"A few months after DR.. JeSsup saw the
infidel at Beyrout, as he was coming out
from his explorations, and said to him,
Well, how did you find things IN the
Holy Land% The man replied, The Bi-
bic is true. l went into Palestine an in
ddel and l have come out a Christian
So, my hearers, the contour Of the region
round about Jerusalem reiterateS the
truth of the Scriptures
The Crucsfixion Scene.
ION the day described by my text three
persons are TO be executed, Christ and
two bandits. Publius Lentulus, in a let
ter to the Roman Senate, describes Christ
as a man of stature somewhat tall; His
hair the color of a chestnut fully ripe,
plain to the ears, whence downward it is
more orient, curling and waving about the
in the midst of His forehead is
a stream, or partition of His hair; fore
head plain and very delicate; His face
without spot or wrinkle a lovely red;
His nose and mouth so foFked as moth
ing can be represented; HIS beard thick,
in color like His hair-nOt very long; His
eyes gray, quick, and clear The French
Army in Italy found a brass plate on
which was a copy of His death-warrant,
signed by John Zorobabel, Raphael Ro-
bani, Daniel RObani, and Capet
"All this, Notwithstanding He was the
loveliest being the earth ever saw. Love-
" down in the straw of the Bethlehem
khan. Lovely wrapped in His mothers
shawl on the flight to Egypt
Lovely standing in the drenehing
children hanging about His neck
Everywhere altogether lovely Now,
On the bluff l speak of the execution pro-
ceeds. What a mighty assemolaSe. Some
for curiosity 10 hear what the maiefac-
vii gay tn Er.rrs H.arr mill
act. Some of the spectators are vile of
lip and blOated OF cheek. Some look up
with revenge, hardly able to keep their
hands on me sufferers. Some tear their
own hair in a frenzy of grief Some
stand in silent horror. Some break out
INTO uncomfortable weeping. Some clap
their hands in delight that the Offenders
are l. be punished at last. The soldiers
with drawn swords drive back the mob
which presses on so hard. There is fear
that the proceedings may be interrupted.
Let the legion, now stationed at Jerusa-
lem, on horseback dash along the line
and force. back the surging multitude
Back with your is the cry. Have YOU
never seen man die before?
Ihe Orchard of Calvary.
Three crosses in a row. An upright
piece, and two transverse-one on the TOP
On which the hands are nailed. and one at
the middle, on which the victim sat.
Three trees just planted, yet bearing
one at the right bearing poi-
son, the one at the left bitter aloes. the
one IN the middle apples of love. Nor
way pine, and tropical orange, and Ieb-
anon cedar would not make so strange
I grove as this orchard Of Calvary. Stand
ana give a look at the three crosses
just look at the cross on the right
us Ficslm dies scOIiing. More Tremendous
tilaIi ne pnyslcal anguish Is his scOrn ard !
haired OF Him on the middle cross. This !
one on the right turns half around an /
me spikes 10 hiss at the One In the mid /
lie II me scOuer could get one hand /
oose, and ne were within reach he vOuid 3
smlte tEs middle sufferer in the face. He /
mates him with perfect hatred I think
he wishes he were down on the srorInd
mat ne nigh spear Him. He enyies The I
MECHANICS who, with their nails have
nailed Him fast. Amid the settling dark /
-ess, anu louder than the crash Of the /
-Vchs near MIN Jeer out these words, 'Ahi I
an you poor wretch, ] knew YOU We're }
an impostor. You pretended 70 be a God. 4
and yet you let that legion master You
~ was IN some such hate that Eoliaire.
n nls death hour, because lie thought lac 4
saw Christ in his bedroom. got 10 az bie 4
Elbow, and cried out. Crush that wrerchr 1
Nhat had the middle cross done to arouse 4
lp TINS flgnt-hsnd CROSSE Nothing. on.
ne eIiInlty or the natural heart against 4
Christ! The world likes a sentirsenfal
Snrist, or 2 philanthropic Christ, but a
Christ that comes to snatch men from I
-he4r sins-away with Him. On the right +
hand cross to-day / See tynifed The an f
belief OF the world. Men say. Back with .
Him from the heart: Z will not let HIM .
AXE my sins. II He viii die, lei Him die .
.or Himself. rot for me There has az
Ways been war between this right-hand 4
ross and the middle cross, and wherever I
mere IL an unkelleyilg heart there the +
lgnt goes On on, n, when that dylnZ
idleIsctor persisted, the faitkiessuess OF .
nan had persisted, then that tree which 1
Yields poison would have budded and 4
oiossomed with life for al the world.
Rejection of Christ.
Look up into that disturbed counte- /
nance Of the sufferer. and see what q
chastity thing II s. = reject Christ. Be
hold n that awful face. IN that iamenfa-
BE look, IN that unb!e8sed death hour. the
itinss Of the unbelieveFs departure. what
plunge into darkness! Standing hlgh up
'n the cross on the top o. the hill. so
hat al the world may look al him. he
says, Here ! 60 out Of q miserable life
MO 4 WF.fcHstf eternity Ctus.F ssss4-rs rs-s.-.