The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-09-25
. Caesars Centurion.

that we're With Rim, watching Jesus, saw
the earthquake and those things that we're 9
done, they feared grently, saying: uIuiy
this was the Son OF God, st. Matthe"
xviii SA. go
This was centurion who had served
among Caesars legions-a man who had
visited many countries, who had watched
the advent Of many so-called eneia1tors
and patriots, only to SEQ tfem vanish INTO
nothingness. He had fcarlessly Witnessed
death among all sorts and conditions OF
men, and IN many battlchclds, and no
here gives us his simple, honest verdict ''
Truly this was the Son Of GOD.
He knew little. IL anything. about TINS
prisoner now undergoing Ills sentence
and possibly cared less. He. with his SOL
oilers, were placed thore to see that Inc
decree Of PLATE was carried out to the
bitter end lie was to guard in every
way the victim SO that no attempt at
rescue should be made. As to the ris Ign
or wrong On question. he was not sup
posed TO investigate that.
But while he watches he learns much
Of the character, life of Him. who hangs
upon the central cross; hears Him speak,
listen to His prayer, secs His sublime pa
thence and love- followed by the most IN
usual signs Of distress in nature. till the
conviction rises in his heart and finds
utterance in ..his words Truly this was
the Son OF God"
Verify all things hang on Him; sAe
Babe that Mary nursed the Man that
John baptized, the Jew Plate crucihed.
He was born to no rank, led no army,
bequeathed to His followers no conquest
nor scin1itar; no great man was ais
friend; no spot on earth could He call
His own. and even His tomb was q loan.
Yet to-day He sways the world. & lf33f,l Il
We have primitive documents called
g"Gospels., They claim to be the memoirs
of man named Jesus, who. close upon
the age OF Augustus Caesar, lived, at
tracted limited attention in small
province OF Rome, and after three years
of activity died. Such In brief is the
work Of these gospels. The writing IS
crude, but they give us the portrait Of
the MAN Christ Jesus. The Roman an.
nails make these statements certain and
Tiberius wished to enroll Him as a God.
Read for yourself these gospels. They
bear the impress Of truth; you will ind
there no anxiety to be belleved; no de-
sire to excite comment: perfectly indif-
ferent whether you accept them or not;
no harshness for their enemies to private
views of anything.s
Two poor fishermen, Gentle ship sur
geon and a tax collector, conspire In the
plan to carry Jehovah through a little
drama of q so5ourn In Judea- This the
view taken by some, but do you read and
Judge for yourself? The gospel is SO sim,
pie, straightforward. artless that it must
be believed
Jesus is a. Jew, but only In blood; no.
hinge Of nationality is found in Him or,
His sayings. Compare Him with ii Soc
Srates-a Greek always and under all cir
cumstances. D1olammed is always an
Arab; Shakespeare always an English
race, great in intellect, Roman In majesty.
Jesus was original and unique. He
leaned On none; He borrowed from none.
He blended strength, wisdom and au-
thorty Of a man; with the tact. delicacy
and Intuition OF woman. Simple as a
little child, Ee was as hardy and courage
Gus as a warrior
He mingled with all sorts OF people. in
! ali sorts Of ways-among friends and muir
derers;s detested and ,applauded: Il offered
i a crown; betrayed; nailed to q cross. He
is always the same-meek, pure. wise,
calm, centred and sublime.
He withdrew no spoken word. When
dealing with those who would entangle
Him, lie did not grope or guess, but gave
the whole. truthful answer, often to their
confusion. st aH Ss
He claimed s!nless perfection, and chal-
lenges any faint OF sin. lie Is watched
and tested before prince and peasant
mobs and in private, by Pharisee. Sad
Educee, soldier and priest. lie ask no for
bearance from His critics. but stands
before them-and all tlme-measured ex-
act tranquil, fluwless No trace OF vanity
or policy or machinery In Him. Every
thing lies open as the day. His life was
lived under the Public Eye, and the po-
lice was not always Ills FRIEND Yet no
fault can be found In Him; innocent as
a lamb. Yet in dignity god. a perfect
character has been painted for us In these
gospels. We must either take this por-
trait or confess that some heavenly liar
4 has given TO the world a most sublime
morality. No mere man could Imagine
Jesus Tho miracle Of all tho centuries.
Admit He Is God and Tiers Is no more
incrnloxty His character Is n seam
less garment and He the constant mira
Gle. His plans move calmly on as the
planets In heir orbit, BY contract the
schemes Of the wisest statesmen are
childish. Blls DEGREES Of conquest are
II YOU'RE SICK
Why don't you try dose at l1ostetter's
G tn,.,o III, IsJt tars hafOra7 each mea l. and