Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-11-23
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%NBIBIEt STUDIES
ARRAiGNED AS A BLASPHEMER.
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AS A BLASPHEMER.
Matthew 26:57- 68-November 81.

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who when he was revilcd. reviled not
again" l Peter 2.23.
We cannot do better at the opening
of this study than quote the words of
Mr. Chandler. He said MANY re-
nlarkabie trials have characterized the
judicial history of mankind. The trial
of Socrates, before the dicastery OF
Athens. charged with corrupting the
Athenian youth, with disappearing the
Olympic gods and seeking to destroy
the constitution of the Athcnian Re-
public, is still a sublime and thrilling
chapter in the history of wonderful
people.
"Thc trial Of Alfred Dreyfus is still
fresh in the memories of men. The
French Republic is still rent by con-
tending factions. His friends gay that
DreyfuS was Il PrumctheuS who was
chained to an ocean-girt rock while
the vult'rr of exile prcyed upon his
heart. His enemies still assert that
he was a Judas who betrayed. not
God noI Christ, but France and the
Fathcrland. But these trials. one and
ali, were tame and commonplace COM
pared with the trial and crucitiXion of
the Galiican peasant, Jesus Of Naza-
rcth.'
In Defense Of the Jews
1t is not for us to say that the jews
were wholly sXcu%allc in their course
OF injuries toward Jesus in causing lis
rruciiNion by the Romans. On the
| other hand. it is not proper for us to
consider every thing that could be
thought of calculated to mitigate the
severity of our judgment regarding
the injuSticcS there practised. And it
is proper also that We should consider
what, from their standpoint, would.
| seem to be- -cxtenuating circumstances.
This is everywhere recognized as just
treatment The attorney, defending q
criminal who has plead guilty to the
| charges against him, is considered to
&c only his duty by his criminal client
When nc presents whatever in the cir
cUmStanccS Of the case would tend TO
prove tia: HE culprit had cause, or
| thought that. he had a reason for his
miS.lamcanor.
Viewing the Jewish people Of nearly
nineteen centuries ago from this stand
point we get more reasonable view
VI INC StludliCJl lIidit 10 Oliitk " lSt l'oS-
sible. We hearkcn first to ST. Peters
words respecting the transaction. He
said, Il Wot that through ignorance We
did it. as did also your rulers Had
they known. they would not have kill
ed the Prince of life tActs iii. 12-1D.
The Jews did not for one moment
suppose that the great Messiah. fore
told to be their Prophet Priest and
King-lille unto Moses. but greater;
| like unto David and solomon, but
greater; like unto Mclchisedek. but
grea ter-would appear as "a man OF
sorrows and acquainted with grief.
| Although those very words were writ
ten of him by the Prophet, they We're
/ hidden from their eyes of understand
ing by the glorious things related of
him in other prophecies. They saw
the glories. They saw not. under
standingly, the sulferings. TO this day
/ they interpret the sutfcrings of their
nation as being those which will ulti-
mately inure to their advantage. The
prophetic descriptions are net concen-
trated, nor collected, but scattered
/ here little and there little" sc
written that they could not be under
stood at the time; nor We're they I'M
dcrStood even by the Lords disciples
until after bis resurrection from the
dead, when he explained them. and
subsequently. by the holy Spirit en-
abled them still more fully to under
stand that thus it was written in the
/ prophets and thus it behooved the Son
of Man to suffer before entering into
his glory-bcforc beginning the work
OF blessing Israel and the world. Yea
today many Christians are as deeply
confused on this matter as are tho
I Jews. Many hove rejected entirely the
thought of Messiah'S glorious King
dem reign for the general blessing
and uplifting of Israel and all human-
| ity- From their standpoint. if the
sufferinys Of Christ" were intended to
prepare tie way and usher in his
Kingdom at glory. then the program
must have failed or else his Kingdom
of glory is to be a heavenly one and
not. as they believe. in accord with
the prayer taught by our Lord, THY
Kingdom come; thy will b" done on
earth The trouble is that they will
not "calizc that where the SuifcringS
of Christ, til" Head. ended. the suffer
ingS of the 'RodN Of Christ" bcgail--
til" suttcrings of the Church, which is
! his i;ody"-iilling up the measure of
the Affections Of Christ. which the be-
| hind (Colossians i. 20. AS soon as the
! Church. the Body of Christ. shall
have finished the bearing OF the cross,
after him, following III his steps to tho
end Of ehc journey. then the Kingdom
glori"S will be uehercd in. ISracl's
blindness will be turned away and the
| blessing Of the Lord will begin to fill
the whole earth
The Jews, who caused the crucitixon
of Jesus. certainly did 50 in much
the same spirit which led st. Paul
then Saul of Tarsus-to cause the
stoninS of st. stephen, AS Saul was
forgiven. 50 Israel is to be forgiven:
as the Scriptures declare. THE Lord
will nonr upon them the spirit of
prayer and supplication.' and then
they Will see. with the eyes of their
understanding, him whom they
pierced and they will all mourn for
him" (Iechariah xii, 10). and their
mourning will be turned into joy: for,
as Joseph forgave his brethren. 50
will this great anttypical Joseph Of
the throne of earth freely forgive those
who caused his crucifiXiOn.