Cañon City record., 1899-03-30

tersected by another one at right an
giles. near the top. The crime for
which the culprit suffered was inscrib-
ed on the transverse piece. near the
top of the perpendicular one. There is
NO mention made by the ancient wit
ers of anything on which the fest Of
the crucided person restsd. It u
known, however. that near the base Of
the perpendicular beam there proseoted
a piece Of wood. ON which he at. and
which answered - . support 70 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 test In
height The victim was elevated, and
his hands were bound By rope
around the transverse beam and nail
ed through the palm. His fest were
also nailed. He thus remained fastsn-
ed until death ended his sufferings.
While he exhibited any signs Of life he
was watched by guards; but they left
him when It appeared that he was
dead. II there was no prospect that
the victim would die ON the day Of
execution the executioners hastened the
end by kindling fre at the foot Of
the cross, SO as to suiiocate him with
smoke: or by letting loose upon him
Wild beasts; or occasionally. when in
particular haste, by breaking his bones
upon the cross with mallet. - upon
an anvil. It was at one time custom
ary to offer the criminal, before the
commencement OF his suiferings, n
medicated drink, compounded of wine
and myrrh. The object of this was to
produce intoxication. and thereby to
lessen the suffering.
Crucinxion was not only the most
ignominious, 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 times with our Savior were brok-
en- 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 Ro-
man citizens. for all these things. not
only the actual occurrence and endur-
ance. but the very contingency and sx-
pectation, nay, the mention itself, are
unworthy Of a Roman citizen and a
free man" Hence the force of st.
Paul's frequent illusions to the bumili-
alton which Christ endured when He
suffered death upon the cross.
1t was precisely this idea which
made the early Christians seize upon
the cross al the emblem Of their faith.
That which had been the symbol Of
shame now became their glory. The
instrument Of Christs passion, BY His
death upon It. became hallowed for all
time. The medieval Christians. desir-
ing to see the cross Identified still
more closely with the Jewish church.
inserted legend to supplement the
Old Testament
The story runs that Seth received
from the angels three seeds of the
forbidden tree that he saw standing,
though blasted. upon the spot where
sin had been first committed. Taking
the seeds away with him. he put them
in the mouth OF the dead Adam, and
30 buried them. The young trees that
grew from them. on the grave Of Adam
In Hebron. were carefully tended by
Abraham. Moses and David. Aftsr
they were removed to Jerusalem the
Psalms were composed beneath them.
and finally they slowly grew together
and formed single giant tree. This
tree was felled by the order Of Solo
mon. in order that II might be pre-
served forever as a beam In the Tenn
pie. The plan failed. however, for the
carpenters found they could not man
age the mighty beam.
When they raised II to Its intended
position they found It too long; then
they sawed II and II proved too short;
they spliced II, but to no purpose. they
could not make 1t At. This was taken
as sign that It was intended for some
other purpose. and they laid II aside
in the temple. On one occasion II
was Improperly made use of as q seat
by . woman named Maximelia. and
she was at once enveloped In naRss.
She invoked the aid OF Christ, and
was driven from the city and stoned -
death. In the course Of its svsneful
history the beam became bridge over
Cedron. and. being then thrown into
the stream Of Bethesda. II gave tc the
waters healing virtues. Finally from
II was made the cross Of Christ: aftsr
the crucinxion II was buried in CAL
vary. and exhumed three centuries IA
ter by the Empress Helena. the moth
er Of Constantine. who was miracu-
lously directed to the spot where It
lay.
nahi,A Cla.ad noo..