The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1906-12-06
Jesus On the Cross.

An unfinished life that sways the world.
james Russell Lowell Cathedrse.
The quadruple description ofthe
crucifxion is a literary marvel.
Though a circumstance of transcen-
dent Importance, the narrative of
it is surprisingly condensed. There
is no spinning out Of details, no
obtrusion of the personal opinions
and sentiments of the narrators.
Here is a suggestion of how we
ourselves should approach Calvary.
1t is not a theme for volubility.
There should be no striving to
magnify its painful horrors, or to
compare the physical suferings of
its victim with those of others. A
spiritual Interpretation is the thing
desirable. 4 personal appropria-
ton by faith is great riches.
Religious romancists have paved
all the way between the Pr9torian
and Calvary with miraculous
incidents. In strong antithesis to
this, the evangelist mentions but
two circumstances At sight of
one on whose brow innocence and
benignty was stamped led to
shocking death, the daughters Of
Jerusalem wept aloud i'll pity.
Jesus turned, and, as if with the
impending siege in plainest view,
babe them not to weep for Him,
but for themselves and for their
children. In those awful days,
barrenness, the disgrace of the
Hebrew woman, would be at a
premium. For if such a cruel
deed as was now being done was
possible, the tree of their national
life being yet green, what horrors
would characterize the extinction
of that life! The fainting strength
Of Jesus makes the impressing of
some one to bear His cross neces-
sary. a foreign Jew, recognized
as such by his Libyan garb, is
compelled to do so. y changed
heart was probably his exceeding
great reward. So goes that most
pitiful procession earth has ever
seen. The centurion, mounted
and in the van; a guard in shining
armor, and numerous enough to
make rescue of the victims i'm
possible; the condemned, with
their crimes recorded in black let
tiers on boards daubed with gyp-
sum, and hung about their neCks;
in therear, slaves carrying refresh
ments for the soldiers, besides
nails, hammers, ropes, etc, nee
essary for the execution; and,
back of all, such motley, unsav-
Dry crowd as a public execution
would draw in Our day.
Following the narrative, we first
have the numbering of Jesus with
transgressors. He was crucihed
between the malefactors, the in
surgent robbers and murderers.
He who could challenge the world
to impeach his sinlessness, was
made sin" He was put to the
extremity of a convicted telon.
With the first shedding of His
blood begins His mediatorial pray
er, Father, forgive them" The
"inventiveness Of love" finds a
palliating circumstance i'll their
ignorance. "They know not what
they do" The prayer sweeps out
to include, not the coarse execu-
TONERS alone, but the cunning con-
spirators who use them as their
tools.
1t is enough to brand it with in
fanny that destroying vice of gamb-
ling, that it obtruded itself at the
crucihxion. The soldiers threw
dice to determine which should
have the most valuable garment of
the sufferer. They "chanced off"
the seamless robe.
He saved others" Uncon-
scious, undersigned encomium
LET Him save Himself" Last
recurrence of the wilderness temp
tation That which is a literal
possibility is a moral inpossibility.