The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-07-02
CHRIST BEFORE PLATE
A LAWYERS VIEW OF THE CON-
DOMINATION OF THE
SAVIOR
ANALYSIS OF JEWISH LAW
How Christ's Prosecutors Sought to
Secure n Legal Finding to
Warrant His Exc
cutiOn.

THE Trial of Christ from a Lawyers
Standpoint" was the subject of an ad-
dress delivered by James c. Owens, Of
Seattle. at the Peoples church last even
ing before a good sized audience. Deal
ing, as 1t did, with the events immedi-
ately preceding and following the cruel
flxion of Christ, and illustrated with re-
productions of famous masterpieces, the
discourse held much that was of inter-
est to the churchman and non-churchman
alike, more especially for It's dealing with
the trial Of Christ from legal stand
point. Mr.. Givens said in part:
That Christ was tried and condemned
in courts Of justice does not present
itself at once to the majority of minds
The circumstances of this trial are Of
such q character that the general idea
of mob Or lynch law is prevalent Yet
the arrest, the trial and crucifxion of
Christ were all consummated under law,
and however grossly that law was ad-
ministered, it still has its legal phases
and may be considered from a legal
standpoint
I'm the land of Palestine at the time
Of which l speak there was no village
council, no legislature, no congress. no
/
the power of prescribing rules of civil
conduct Despotism governed and the
despot was the law, the law OF Moses
and the prophets This law was not
human law, but the law of God The
idea of theOcracy dominated Judea until
the Jew, not feeling the force Of human
law, had no respect for human institu-
tons. Law Is always the controlling
force which shapes the conduct Of men,
and whatever may have been the social
position Of the typical Jew of this period
he gave his life 10 the study and OBJ
serVance Of this law as eXpounded by
the rabbis and enforced by the sanhed-
rim. The sanhedrim was an authorized
body Of men possessing political, Iegisla-
tive, judicial, municipal educational and
religious functions, its most important
function being judicial. In Judea there
We're three courts established for the ad-
ministratiOn of justice. The lowest a
local court of three having Jurisdiction
over civil cases and petty offenses, with
power to infict pecuniary penalty for
violation Of law. The next, a higher
court, provisional sanhedrim of twenty
three members, selected by the people
under the authority Of the great sanhed-
rim at Jerusalem"
The speaker followed his opening re-
marks with a review of the events pre-
ceding Chrtst's seizure by the high
priests, and discussing the trial of Christ
Mr.. Givens said:
Questions regarding His disciples and
His doctrines were asked Him by the high
priest, 1nsinuating false doctrine and trea-
son, which Jesus denied, and demanded
proof of His crime. 'Answerest Thou the
high priest thus" said a brawny soldier.
striking Jesus on the mouth Whether
Christ answered or remained silent it was
equally unsatisfactory They sought for
witnesses against Him to put Him to
death, but they found none. They could
prove that He had claimed to be king.
that He had proclaimed laws as a law
glVer, that He had worked miracles II,
His own name, that He had likewise for
gwen sins In His own name vet sl1cb
had been the reserve of Jesus that II
could not be proved that He claimed dis
tlnctiVely divine character The claims
that He made in the secret councils of
| his disciples were then to the public nm
known. The men He cured were forbid
den to tell any man. Evil spirits under
TOOK TO bear testimony, but He siIenced
Them. With a wise caution He had guard
ed against this hour. Witness after wit
ness was brought; false witnesses per-
Jured witnesses. but their Testimony did
not agree. Jesus looked on in absolute
silence while the witnesses contradfcted
edch oller testimony. He took a natu-
raj position far above His judges The
priests and scribes began to feel that their
victim would escape them. At last Gala
phas, exasperated by the humiIiating
spectacle going on in the witness box,
ventured on bold experiment. and put
Christ Himself on the witness box. Aris-
ing from his seat Caiaphas said. Art Tbou
the Christ, the Son Of the BIessed?' fore
ing Jesus to criminate Himself when H
| answered I am What need have we
of more Witnesses said Caiapbas. He
has blasphemed, and Is worthy of death -
Mr.. Givens here made several Dofnts
to prove the illegality, according to Jew
1sh law, Of the trial and condemnation of
Christ
The speaker then told graphically, ac-
eompanied by stereopticon views of the
conflict of feeling which disturbed Plate
and of his referring Jesus to Herod. who
! would have nothing to do with the case
and sent 1t back to PLATE; of Pilates
washing his hands of the blood of Jasus
before the people. The pictures shown,
the journey to the cross and crucifxion
concluded the address.