The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-07-31
GIVEN A TREAT.
Chautauqua Closes In Blaze OF
Glory.
VIM. T. Chandler Delivers a
Brilliant Address.
THE TRIAL OF CHRIST.
He Treats 1t From a Lawyers
Standpoint.
Points Out the Error" In the
Case.

lily Ddl, VIM
subiect 1.-The Trial of Jesus From
LAWYERS Standpoint" 1t was a case
of the best for the last. This young
attorney departed from the beaten
path of the platform orator and pre-
scented his audience with something
new in thought and style. His lecture
was a masterpiece of logic he hao
spent ten years in study of his subject
and besides giving a world of interest
ing and valuable information about
the inside facts of Jesus trial by Doth
the Jewish and Roman courts, he
evolved some startling deductions
from the facts and made out Drill
liant case from every angle. With all
reverence toward Christ and His char
acter, Mr. Chandler argued his case
exactly as a lawyer would In court
of law, and unconsciOusly preached
one of the strongest and most con-
vincing sermons ever heard in Topeka.
His lecture was calculated to appeal
to thoughtful man or woman Whether
of religious convictions or not, ana IL
was a delight to every reader in his
audience.
The following are a few of the
stronger paragraphs of this wonderful
lecture:
Il am not going to preach to you.
exactly the same manner that l would
a case in court. What are the factsf
Do the law and the facts meet? The
life of Christ may be written by love
or prejudice, but His trial in a court
of law should be governed strictly py
the facts in the case
I'm preparing this case l have secur-
ed the opinion of Jewish rabbls. Catn-
Ole priests, protestant ministers and
the writer's of both profane and relig-
ious history. L have read forty Works
on the subject.
The greatest work on the life OF
Christ that l have ever read was writ
ten by a converted Jew.
You can find in the first five books
of the Old and the first four of the
New Testament the basis of all the
moral and civil laws in the world.
THE boy or girl who has reached
the age of 16 years and not read the
Bible is to be pitied. l am not talking
as a preacher. A liberal education de-
mands a knowledge of the Scriptures.
If not taste, then self-respect should
demand 1t. The Bible is the guiding
star of youth, the radiance of man
hood and the only hope and support in
the night of death.
Doubtless all present are familiar
with the Bible and have read it's story
of the life, conviction and death of
Christ, but you know little or nothing
OF the Hebrew law as applicable to
that midnight trial of Jesus before the
Sanhedrin.
mo Hebrew court could meet on
the Sabbath. The Hebrew law forbade
a court from assembling at night, or
before the morning sacrifice. A He
brew court could not convict on the
testimony of one witness; two or more
were necessary for the infection of the
death penalty. There were no law
yers among the ancient Hebrews, the
Judges brought out the testimony and
conducted the case, and the custom
was to treat all prisoners with the ut
most courtesy and gentleness. No per-
son could be convicted by their own
testimony in Jewish court and this
plan prevails today in our own courts.
There were II members of the San
hedrin, venera BILE, pious looking men,
and they sat in semi-circle with the
accused before them while holding
court They had three scribes or
clerks Each member cast his vote as
a verdict beginning with the youngest
member and explained that vote in
little speech. but the peculiar part of
the findings Of this court was that
unanimous verdict could not convict
and such a ballot made a new trial
necessary; the ancient Jews believed
that II men could not agree on any
thing and they made It imperative that
the accused have at least one friend
in court. Forty years was the age of
4
hedrin After conviction and even
after the death march to the place of
execution had begun, the accused was
entitled to another hearing if he could
advance a valid reason why his case
should be considered again. Yes, he
had chances to thus stop the death
march five different times and get an
other opportunity in the hall on judg-
ment to plead for his life. No person
could be tried and convicted on a
H. II
court: the law required that the judges
at least sleep over night on it, even
If there was no question of the guilt of
the deceased"
Mr. Chandler then proceeded to set
forth his writ of error. His eloquence
and logic were admirable. He said in
part:
1.-The first blunder: They tried Him
by night. which was forbidden by the
law and thus made the verdict illegal.
Second bunder: No Jewish court
could open without sacrifice and pray
err They neglected these necessary
formalities.
Third blunder: The trial was held
on the eve of the Feast of the Pass
over and this was in direct defiance of
the law.
throw aside the testimony of fake wit
nesses and turn to Christ for the tes-
timony upon which to convict Himself.
Fifth blunder: The high priests
voted first, when the law prescribed
that the youngest members cast the
first ballots.
sixth blunder: The verdict of guilty
was unanimous and therefore illegal
under the law.
Seventh blunder: They finally con-
victed Him on the charge of blasphemy
Now the Jewish law read. He who shall
curse Jehovah. he shall surely die
Yet all the words of Christ were the
sweetest, the purest and tenderest in
the literature of the world. He spoke
OF Jehovah always with the reverent
love Of a son. There was no testimony
otherwise. They declared that He as
sumed to possess divine powers and
claimed to be able to destroy and re-
build the temple in three DAYS Such