The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-03-29
LAST DAYS OF LENT
GOOD FRIDAY SERVICES HELD IN
MANY CITY CHURCHES
YESTERDAY
FATHER LAWLER breaches
significance of the CrucifiixiOn to
Christians EIOquentIy Set Forth
by the Pastor of the
Cathedral.

Good Friday was celebrated yesterday
with appropriate services in the various
churches in the city. The services at the
Cathedral last night were beautiful and
appropriate and were we'll attended. The
choir from St. PauIs seminary furnished
the music. Rev. john J. Lawler presided
Father Lawler spoke of the significance
of the occasion; it was the anniversary
of the greatest event in the worlds his
tory, as we'll as the saddest. The wall
ingS of jeremiah over the fall of Jeru-
salem foretold the death of sorrow, of the
crucif1Xion Of Jesus, the Messiah. He
said it is impossible for man to compre-
bend the great sorrow and suffering Of
Jesus at the time of his crucifixiOn. Even
Isaiah, aided by the power Of divine in
spiration, did not express the depth Of
sorrow and the intenseness of anguish
which the Master suffered on Calvary
when he prophesied of the sacrifices of
the Messiah.
Christ was able to suffer and die sor
the sins OF the world, said Father Law
Ter, because he was a true man as well
as true God His humanity was deli
cate, intelligent, loving and perfect, and
fer that reason his suffering was greater
than would be that of an ordinary man.
1t is d fact that a man of delicate I'M
derstandings will be hurt by a single
word, while one who is rougher and less
sensitive will bear a Volley of abuse with
out any evidence of pain. AS Christ was
of delicate and sensitive nature, he suf-
fered greatly from the humiliatiOns to
which he was put.
Judas Species Not Extinct.
another sad feature connected with the
story of the crucifxion was the treason
of Judas when he betrayed the Master.
He sold him for the price of a slave, and
did it when he knew that the betrayal
meant the death of Jesus. For thirty
pieces of silver he was willing to betray
his friend and benefactor into the hands
of enemies who were seeking an oppOr-
tunity to STAY him. There are events
| recorded in history where men have
turned traitors and betrayed their coun-
try, but none where the deed becomes so
detestable as it does in this case. 1t Is
worse than a son betraying his father,
In any one has beer deceived by "a fN.end
or a child he can realize what the pain
and suffering over the misplaced conf
dence means And yet there are those
among professeG Christians who are
betraying their Master just as Judas did.
perhaps the next darkest event in the
connection with the crucifiXion was the
preferment of BarrG has. Plate was thor.
oughly convinced in his own opinion that
there was no evil in Christ, and yet ne
lacked the strength OF character which
would lead him to come out and boldly
auuit Jesus before the populace. Instead
he offered either to release him or a
noted criminal, Barrabas, who was rob-
Der and a murderer, vainly hoping that
the people would choose to release Christ
When he gave them their choice they
cried out that Barrabas be freed, and
Christ crucifed. 1t was a sad thing to see
the lowly nazarene borne to calvary and
then put to death by the cruelest tor
ture. while one of the worst characters in
the land who was guilty of most of the
| crimes on the decalogue was allowed his
| freedom
'Jesus finished his work on earth in
sorrow, in fact he was man of sorrows.
In that one finds a beautiful lesson.
There is great deal of pleasure in life
and yet most lives lie along the road
that is lined with weeping willows. There
| is always more or less of sadness and
sorrow that creeps into every life, as did
in that of the Master, and in Him can
those who are sad and bowed with tears
find ready refuge"
| Services were also held in the various
churches of the city which were ap-
propriate to the ocS3sion. In the ritual
istic churches services We're held from II
to o'clock for meditation and prayer.