Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1905-05-27

already taken place Nothing in the
ages past, nothing in the ages TO come
is, or can be, comparable to it. That
was the focus toward which every
thing from the foundation of the
world converged. That was the full
crum -Archimedes could not find,
for the long lever that could move the
universe. The results of that event
Will yet have direct and personal ef
feet upon every individual inhabiting
this planet. For that stupendous, far
reaching and revolutionary event was
TIE crucif,xion of Jesus Christ.
TIE world las seen some awful
tragedies: but that was earth's great
est tragedy. The world has seen some
dark Gays; but Ltsc was earth's dark
est day. The world has seen some
terrible earthquakes; but never one
before or since that burst tombs open
and brought sheeted dead to life The
world has seen some strange myster-
les; but never one before or since like
the invisible power that ripped the
wonderful veil of the temple from top
To bottom, exposing the Holy OF
Holes to every curious eye.
The world has seen some great bat
tle-fields; but never any like that
green hill-top-Calvary Other con-
flicts settle the destinies of cities. OF
nations, of continents; this conflict
settled the future of a world. One
Friday, in the month of April, outside
the walls of Jerusalem, in the pres
ence of men, angels and devils, heav-
en- STOPPING from above, hell swarm
ing up from beneath, great nature
turning out the lights of the sun to
add to the horror of the scene, the
Second Adam, fought the great fight
of redemption, and won the victory
for all men everywhere, to the last
syllable of recorded time.
The ordinary view of the Crucifixion
is to dwell upon the sufferings of the
victim, to stand awe-stricken at the
spectacle of physical distress, and to
stop there. But that is not the teach
ing of Calvary. To count the suffer
er's wounds, of head, and hand, and
foot, and to go not further, is to put
low estimate on the issues of that day.
To sympathize and to pity the Bozrah
Conqueror is all wrong. He does not
ask for pity. He wants no sentimental
tears shed over Him. as though He
were a felon executed against His
will Hear His glorious declaration.
81 lay down my life of myself; no
man taketh it from me; have power
to lay it down, and have power to
take it again" Christ is not mar
tyr, dragged to the cross and executed
in spite of himself.
He was a victor on that battlefield.
He was a victor when he shouted, ut
IS finished!" And he lay down to rest
in the new tomb in the garden, like
conqueror on the field sleeping the
sleep of peace. 1t is a mistake as
wide as the universe to use the cross
to excite the lachrymal glands. Christ
was nobody's victim. He was victor.
The cross stands for suffering certain
ly. keen, awful, mysterious, but that
is not by any means the chief lesson
of the crucifixion.
Up to that April afternoon the cross
was the emblem of shame and dis
grace. But this conqueror transformed
IL. and the cross now, always and
everywhere stands for victory. That
is what Constantine thought of it, as
he saw il emblazoned on the midnight
sky, with it's significant prophecy, BY
this sign We shall conqueri" That is
what Peter the Hermit thought of it
as he bore 1t aloft over Europe, until
he infiamed a continent with the am
hilton to rescue the Holy Sepulchre.
Men. women and children fiocked to
that standard and put the holy en-
blem on their shoulders, shouting, "It
is the will of Godi" That cross is
mightier today than fleets and armies.
Before it, all other signets bow.
And the cross does not represent a
battle fought by one who was arbi-
trarily selected and forced onto the
firing line. because Justice would be
satisfied with nothing short of an IN
finite sacrifice. Christ was not lifted
to the cross by an infinite Shylock
demanding His pound of flesh The
crucifxion is an exhibition of infinite
love planning a rescue, infinite love
consenting to the method, infinite love
working out the details, infinite love
conouering the obstacles. infinite love
sacrificing itself for the world.
There is a wonderful picture in the
Dore gallery in London. 1t is called
'The Dream of Pilates Wife, and is
remarkable as being the artists con-
ception of the true meaning of the
cross. The dreaming woman is repre-
sented as standing in a balcony and
looking up a valley which is crowded
with figures. 1t is the vale of the GEN.
turtles and the figures are generations
OF the church which is yet to be.
Immediately in front is the Savior
himself bearing his cross: behind and
around him are His twelve apostles
and their counts; behind these, the
church of the early centuries, with
the great fathers; further back. the
church of the Middle Ages, with the
majestic forms of the crusaders ris.
ing from its midst; behind these, the
church of modern times with its
heroes: then multitudes upon multi.
tudes that no man can number press
ing forward in broadening ranks, till
far aloft. in the white and shining
heavens. 10. tier on tier and circle
upon circle, with the angels of God
lhovering above them and on their
hanks: and in the midst, TRANSPORTED