The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-03-27
The Crucihxion.
(scleotod for Tho Tlmes-D ispatch'')

(seleotod FOR Tho tTlmes-D ispatch)
ITO Is brought rs q Lamb TO the
slaughter. '-Tsu.. lii:7.
All tho old sacrifices; the lambs which
Abel, and after him. tho pntrlnrchs, Of
fercd up; tho pnschal Lamb, slain at the
Passover. and the lambs which were
daily offered to God In tho Worship Of the
temple; all these were bit figures i OF
Christ. They were only tokens Of the
awful. vet loving, law Of God that with
out shedding Of blood there Is no rern fls;
sior Of sin. But the blood or dumb an 1i-
mails could not tnke away sin! II
All mankind had slnned, and it was
therefore necessary that all mankind
should suffer. Hence He suffered. lie,
the Lamb Of God. He, the new Adam
the man Of all men, in whom all mankind
.wero represented and put on now
footing with God. So that hence for
ward, to be man might mean to be
an holy being, a forgiven being being
Joined to God. wearing the likeness OF the
Son Of God. In His human soul and body
sIIc offered UP all human souls and bodies
on the cross.
He was the Word OF God, who walked
in the garden Of Eden and who spoke to
Adam with a human voice, 4 He was the
Lord who appeared to the patriarcls in
d mans figure, who ate and drank in
jAbrahams terri, and spoke to him With
human voice. He was the God of.
Israel whom tho Jewish elders saw With
their bodily eyes upon Mount Sit1at, aid
under His feet a pavement as Il Of a
sapphire stone. {}s's -. '
From Him all the powers Of man
came-lnan's speech and understanding
and reason. All that is truly noble IT.,
man was but dim pattern Of Hin, in
whose likeness man was originally Gre
ated, I;
And when man had fallen and sliined,
SO that Christ's likeness was fading
moro and more out Of him. ard the
likeness OF the brutes growing moro AMI
more in him, then came Christ Himself.
the Head and Pattern of all men, to
claim them for His own again, and to
do III their name what they could never
do for emselves-offer Himself up as
q sacrifice for the sirs of the whole
world. For He is the true and only
real sacrifice. "the Lamb Of God, Which
taketh away the sin of the world. 4
Let us to-day mediate on that holy
and patient Lamb, who, or the cross,
showd Himself perfect in fortltude and
nation. Dwell on Him. who, il HIS utter
love to us. endured the cross despsns
the shame.
And what a cross! Truly said the
prophet. ellis vIsago was Inarrcd more
than any man. ind His form more than
the sons OF men" For In h'h;yer ma
thirst, In tears ard disgrace, bruised ;.nd
bleeding His forehead crowned with
thorns, His bnck torn with scourges Ills
feet and hands gored with nails, Ills
limbs stretched from their sockets, naked
upon the shameful cross. forsaken by
His followers, Knocked by his enemies.
the Son OF God hung lingering towards
the last gasp, In the death Of the fclol.
and tho slave.
1t was tho most shameful sight that
this earth ever saw, and yet the most
glorious! The very sun in heaven yelled
his face rs II ashamed, and the skies
grew black. as IL TO hide those bleeding
limbs from the foul eyes of men and
their bitter taunts. ess.
Yet It WAS the most glorious sight. for
from that cross shone ont the complete
and sclf-sncrificlng love. There was re-
vcalcd the climax Of obedcnt patience,
which could say. mot my Will. but
Thine be done: tho generous forgive