Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1899-12-01
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
CONSCIENCE THE SUBJECT OF
SUNDAYS DISCOURSE.
He Took Water and Washed His Hands
Before the Multitude, ssyin. II Am
Innocent of the Blood Of This just
Person"-SIatt. -: ~.

| Al ABOUT . CLOCK IN the morning, I'D
| the marble stairs OF palace and
across the floors OF richest mosaic, and
under ceilings dyed With all the spien-
! doris Of color. and between snow banks
Of white and gisteniDg sculpture.
/ passes Il poor. pale. sick young man OF
b. already condemned 10 death. on his
way to be condemned again. Jesus o.
| Nazareth IS his name
Coming out to meet him on this tes-
sel!ated pavement is an INSCRIPTIONS.
compromising. time-serving. cowardly
man. with few traces OF sympathy
and fair dealing left in his composition
Governor Pontius plate Did ever
such oppOsites meet? Luxury and pain.
| selfshness and generosity, arrogance
and humility. sin and holiness. mid
night and midnoon.
The bloated-lipped governor takes
the cushioned seat. but the prisoner
stands. his wrists manacled. In
a semi-circle around the prisoner
are the Sanhedrists, with flashing
eyes and brandished fists. prose-
cutting this case in the name OF
religion, for the btterest persecu-
lions have been religious prosecutions;
and when Satan takes hold OF good
man he makes up by intensity for
breyity OF occupation. II you have
never seen an ecclesiastical court try
ing man. then you have no idea OF
the fOaming infernalism OF these old
religious Sanhedrists. Governor Pr
late cross-questions the prisoner, and
finds right away that he is innocent
and wants to let him go. His caution
Is also Increased by some one who
romes TO the governor and whispers
III his ear. The governor puts his
hand behind his ear. so as 10 catch the
words almost inaudihle. IL is a mes
sage from Claudia Procula, his wife.
who has had a dream about the inno-
cence of this prisoner and about the
danger OF executing him, and she
aNakens from this morning dream In
time 10 send the message to her hus-
band. then on the judicial bench. And
What with the protest OF his wife. and
the voice of his own conscience. and
the entire failure of the Sanhedrists 70
make out their case. Governor PLATE
resolves to discharge the prisoner from
custody
But the intimation OF such thing
brings upon the governor an equinoc-
tia storm of Indignation They will
report him to the emperor at Rome.
They will have him recalled. They
will send him up home. and ne will be
hung for treason, for the emperor has
already a suspicion in regard TO PLATE.
and that suspicion does not cease until
PLATE is 5aDished and commits suicide.
So Governor POntius PLATE compro-
misses the matter, and proposes that
Christ be whipped instead OF assas-
sinated. So the prisoner is fastened
to a low pillar. and on his bent and
barred back come the thongs of leather.
With pieces of lead and bone inter
twisted. so that every stroke shall be
the more awful. Christ lifts himself
from the scourging, with flushed cheek
and torn and quiVering and mangled
flesh, presenting a spectacle OF suffer
ing in which Rubens, the painter, found
the theme for his greatest master
piece
But the SanheGrists are not yet sat
isfied. They have had some OF his
nerves lacerated. they want them sll
lacerated. They have had some OF his
blood; they want all of it, down to the
last corpuscle So Governor Pontius
plate, after all thIs merciful hesita-
ton. surrenders to the demoniacal cry
OF Cruelty him." But the governor
sends FOR something. He sends a slave
out 10 get something. Although the
cCnstables are in haste to take the pris-
Oner To execution and the mob outside
are impa tient to glare upon their vic
tim. a pause is necessitated. Yonder
Il comes, wash basin Some pure.
bright water is poured into 1t. and then
Governor PLATE puts his white. deli
cate hands into the water and rubs
them together. and then lifts them
dripping, for the towel fastened at the
slaves girdle, while he practically
says: II wash my hands OF this whole
homicidal transaction. j wash my
hands OF this entire responsibility; you
will have To- bear it," That Is the
meaning OF my text when II says: He
took water and washed his hands be-
fore the multitude, saying. ! am inpo-
cent OF the blood OF this jus; person:
see ye TO il"
Behold in this. that ceremony
amounts to nothing, If there are not In
it correspondencies OF heart and life
II is good thing 10 wash the hands
God created three-quarters OF the
world water, and in that commanded
cleanliness; and when the ancients did
not take the hint he plunged the whole
world under water and kept II there
for some time Hand washing was a
religious ceremony among the Jews.
The Jewish MiShna gave particular di-
rectiOn now that the hands must be
thrust three times up TO the wrist in
water, and the palm of the hand must
be rubbed with the closed fist OF the
other. All that we'll enough for a sym
Dol, but here in the text is man who
proposes 10 wash away the guilt of
sin which he does not quit aud OF
which he does not make any repent
ance. Pilates wash basin was dead
failure.
Ceremonies, however beautiful and
appropriate, may be no more than this
hypocrtical abiut;On. In fancy We may
be sprinkled from the baptismal font.