Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-11-25

1t was shortly before o'clock in the
morning of Friday early in April that the
disciples who had been sleeping in the
garden of Gethsemane instead OF watch
ing with their Master, were aroused by
the lurid glare OF torches and the tramp
OF many feet. The moon was full. torches
were not necessary. but the enemies OF
Jesus were determined TO seek every
dark corner and shaded nook OF the
garden to which Judas had told them
He was accustomed TO retire Imagine
their establishment when He stepped out
in front Of them asking them whom
they were seeking. To their answer,
Jesus OF Nazareth" He quietly replied.
Il am He" They so thunderstruck.
so amazed. so awed by the majestic
calmness OF His presence that they step
ped back, they fell to the ground He
showed them in that quiet way that he
could have escaped had He desired; but
did not attempt 10 because he had come
TO give His life for others No man took
Il from Him; He gave il mp OF His own
free will and accord
Passing over the details Of His ar
rest, we follow Him as they turn back
toward the city, enter its gates again,
and went their way toward the direc-
ton OF the temple. until they come
TO the house OF Annas. the former high
priest, who was reckoned such still by
the Jews. although mis- sOn-in-law, Gaia
phas. had been elevated 20 that Office
by the Roman procurator about four
years previously. They reached here
probably about O'Clock in the morn
ing.
BEFORE ECCLESIASTICAL COURTS.
During the three hours intervening IN
til o'clock that morning Jesus was
tried six times; that is. there were the
mockery OF six tribunals. Three of these
were before the ecclesiastical courts. and
three before temporal rulers Let US no
tice them. and Him during them
When brought before Annas He was
questioned as TO His teaching and His
followers. His doctrines and disciples.
They had already preJudged the case;
they were determined to kill Him as
the most dangerous enemy the faith OF
their fathers had ever known, they
thought Their only excuse for atrial
was to find some charge for death 1hey
knew very well what His doctrines were.
and they hoped also to imDlicate some
OF His disciples.
His reply did not help them He had
done His work openly. and He would not
waste words by talking TO deaf ears.
Nor would He implicate His disciples. All
of them had forsaken Him, but He would
not. forsake them He was still as loyal
as ever 10 them One OF the guards
struck Him in the mouth for speaking
thus TO the high priest; but Jesus indig-
nsntly rebuked him. What a travesty
on justice, The very men who were
guardians Of the law, were most brutal
In breaking IL
The trial before Armat amounted TO
noIning for them; they had gained no
point He was taken across the court
yard to the house ofCaiaphas where many
OF the scribes and elders had gathered.
In fact. they had been up all night eager
to see their contract with Judas carried
out They had anticipated the trial by
securing many TO witness against Him.
ley had no real charge TO make. so
there swore 20 one thing and another.
Many we're heard. but. no two agreed,
as the law required Two OF them came
very near to IL by perverting a state
ment they had heard Him make about
His death and resurrection finally
Caiaphas turned to Him and sS1ured
Him TO testify against Himself. No
prisoner was required TO swear against
himself He asked Janus to say wheth-
er he were the Christ. the Son Of the
Blessed. Without hesitation or equiv
ocation he replied in the affirmative.
Sometimes i hear Of one and another
who claims 10 believe that Jesus was
q perfect man. but that He was not God
He was either the Son OF God or else
He was not perfect man They re-
ply that He never claimed to be the
Son OF God Well, He made IL so plain
10 these Jews that this was His claim
that they had no doubt about what He
claimed 10 be. From their viewpoint
this was blasphemy and out OF His own
mouth they condemned Him
whole Sanh edrim was gathered togeth-
err The informal trials before Annas
and Caiaphas formed the basis for this
perfunctory but formal one. the last Of
the three before ecclesiastics. They
wasted no time He was asked again IL
He were the Son OF God. and His affir-
native reply was enough for them The
finding of the court was that He claim
ed to be the Son OF God This they re-
garded as blasphemy and would have
been so IL IL had not been true. Note
that the finding OF the court was true,
but not their Interpretation of it
BEFORE TEMPORAL TRIBUNALS.
II was now between { and o'clock in
the morning. So eager were they TO
have Him condemned that PLATE was
aroused and He was arraigned before
the Roman governor. Note the charge
they preferred was not blasphemy now,
10 WHICH EAi1lc WDAA0 nave pdAu no at
tention. but sedition and treason; He
had been perverting the people and for
bidding them to give tribute TO Caesar.
He had even claimed 20 be Christ,
King, they said
The governor examined Him. asked
Him OF Is Kingdom. and became con-
WINGED that there was no truth in the
charges. 4Ae was about TO liberate Him.
having found Him innocent. when he
learned that He was OF Galilee- Herod.
the puppet king OF that tetrachy. was in
jerusalem at the time Partly TO get
rid Of a troublesome case and partly to
show his contempt for HerOd. whom he
disIiked. PLATE sent Jesus to him.
Before Herod occurred the second part
OF the trial before temporal rulers.
HEROES curiosity was no. gratified, for
although there were no specific charges
and the Jews vehemently accused Jesus.
He answered not one word Herod in
despair and disgust finally sent Him