The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-03-31
Easter lesson

Christian year. The universal human
heart gladly responds to the sum
mons and makes its pilgrimage 10 the
empty tomb near to Calvary. There
immortal hope is rekindled. and the
worlds Dead March changes to a
Hallelujah Chorus. Hail to Easter.
Our first meditation is naturally
on the entombment. 1t should be nc
ted that the deepening gloom in
which the life of Jesus closed is
relieved by several significant
incidents. Loyal affection provided
Him with a suitable room in which
to eat the last meal with His disciples.
An angel supported Him in Geth-
semane; Herod, PLATE, and the Cen
turion affirmed his innocence, His
disciples, with the women and his
mother stood near enough to the cross
for the sufferer to see their tears. But
the climax of these mitigating incl
dents is reached in the attention
which the dead body of Jesus receiv-
ed. 1t would have gratified His i'm
plicable enemies if no discrimination
had been made between the body of
Jesus and the malefactors with whom
He had been crucified; if His corpse,
like theirs, could have been rudely
tossed into some adjacent pit. From
such dishonor the body was unex-
pectedly rescued, and, according to
prophecy, a grave made for him with
the rich.
Joseph of Arimathea-a man of
rank, wealth, influence, Sanhedrist,
but no sharer in the foul crime of the
illegal condemnation of Jesus-sud-
denly throws off the mask of secrecy,
and, to the surprise of his late
associates, reveals himself a disciple.
He goes still further, and, penetrat-
ing to the presence of PLATE, asks the
privilege of doing the last offices for
the Crucified.
The procuratOr would not hesitate
to grant such a small boon to the
body of one. whose pure and lofty
spirit had not failed to make its i'm
press upon even his materialistic ma
ture. He only expresses surprise at
the early death of Jesus, and, calling
the centurion who presided at Cal
vary, has the report officially confirm
ed, thus unconsciously adding an i'm
portant link to the irrefragable chain
of evidence as to the resurrection of
Jesus
Joseph, clothed with an authority
which it would be idle to dispute,
leaves Pilates presence. His servants
are waiting for him in the courtyard
of the palace. Together they hasten
to the scene of the crucifxion. Nico-
demus hearing of Joseph's mission to
PLATE, is moved by the illustrious
example to cast off his disguise also;
and providing himself with myrrh
and aloes, such a quantity as would
serve for kingly burial, he sped his
way with his attendants to Calvary.
The nails may have been drawn,
the body lowered, and the cross left
as it usually depicted in the
or the cross may have
been lifted from its socket, and laid
upon the ground, and the body de-
tached. However that may be, the
body is probably laid upon the bier
which has been brought for the pur-
pose, covered with a sheet, and lifted
to the shoulders of the servants.
Joseph and Nicodemus-nobIe mour-
ners-follow in that funerl procession
The distance is very
short to Joseph's new rock-hewn tomb
in the garden near to Calvary,
In the cool vestibule of the sepul-
cher the bier is set down. Water is
brought from some neighboring pool
or fountain. That precions casket of
clay so marred, is laved with sacred
care. The brow, lacerated by the
thorny crown, the back corrugated
by the merciless scourge, the wound
ed hands and feet, the pierced sides,
the blood-clots and death-sweat, all
dissolved and washed away, and the
body thoroughly dried, they begin to
swathe the limbs and torso with broad
inen bands, sprinkling copiously the
powdered spices in every fold, Last
of all, they cover that serene and holy
countenanee, imprinting it no doubt,
with a kiss of undying affection. The
task being finished, they carry the
enswathed body from the antecham.
Der to the grotto and lay it gently
upon its stony berth in the wall. All
haying come out of the crypt, but one
thing remains to be done-the rolling
of the great milestone against the dool
of the sepulcher, and the placing
against it in turn of the lesser stone
So the body of Him who made eartl
and sky is entombed. Through tn,
Passover Sabbath that holy form
rests on its rocky couch, embalmed il
the fragrance of the flowers of tn,
garden, as well as unguents love haC
provided. On the dawn of the Sab
hath tho foo w !, IA I, n Il o,,.c,,,,,,