The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1906-11-29
Jesus Before PLATE.

name may signify kept hurting
his darts at hierarchy and people.
He brought the Roman eagles into
Jerusalem, hung shields dedicated
to Tiberius there, took money of
the temple treasury to build an
aquaduct? all in defiance of the
religious scruples of the populace.
He mingled the blood of the Cali
leans with that of their sacrifices.
The Jews had already appealed to
Cesar, and not unsuccessfully,
against this tyranny.
Under the circumstance like
these Plate lad come up to keep
the peace during Passover week.
Imagine, then, his feelings when,
the feast being at its height and
the city crammed to its utmost
capacity with a Heterogeneous
throng from every quarter, there
appear at the portal of his palace
mob headed by the high priest,
and all worked to the highest pitch
of religious frenzy. 1t was aggra-
waiting to the last degree. Yet
fear of another appeal to Rome,
whose fixed policy was the con-
citation of the providences, re-
quired at this juncture that these
imperious petitioners should not
be driven unheard from the iudg-
ment seat.
Plate makes, with ill-grace, his
first concession. The Jews will
not enter the judgment hall for
fear of ceremonial deflement. So
the procurator places his curule
outside. Before him, with hands
bound. stands the object of this re-
ligious fury. The accusation is
demanded. Pilates answer is,
Take Him and punish Him &C
cording to your law" This brings
the confession that power to in
fiict capital punishment is no long
er theirs. The charge is that
Jesus is a deciever, encourages the
withholding of tribute, and calls
Himself king.
Plate beckons Jesus and both
retire into the comparative quiet
OF the judgment hall. He asks
Him: Art Thou, poor lone peas
ant, king of the Jews" Jesus
puts the counter question: do
you ask Me whether l am king in
the Roman or Jewish sense of that
work." Plate replies: Am I
a Jew?" Jesus replies; In the
Roman sense l am no king. In
the mistaken Hebrew sense, too, |
am no king. My kingdom is I'M
like any earthly or political sover .
eighty. If it were l would have
trained My followers to arms. -
Are you king in any sense?"
asks the Judge. The answer is:
II am. My realm is truth, My
subjects the lovers of truth. "
Truth! What transcendentalism
is this" Plate announces the in
nocence Of Jesus. Accusations fill
the air like flying arrows. The
ruse of transferring the jurisdic-
ton to Herod Antipas fails.
what shall I do with Jesus?"
asks the jaded governor. Cruelty
Him" is the answer. One more
protest. Why cruelty an inno-
cent man? Let me scourge Him
only" Like a wild sea the vocif-
Grafton breaks about the Gabba-
tina. PLATE washes his hands.
The Jews accept the onus.
Direct from the scourging, deck
cd with mock insignia, his life.
blood giving new tint to the mot
tied pavement, Plate, as last ap.
peal, cries: Behold the man! Is
not this suffering and humiliation
enough?" "Crucifyl' is the only
answer. Then cruelty him if
you will; but He is innocent of any
offense against any law of which
I am cognizant. The priests
answer: "He has violated a Jew
ish law, the penalty of which is
death. He affirms Himself the Son
of God" Plate takes Jesus aside
to ask Him the meaning of the
term. The meaning is beyond his