The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-12-09

Before Christ If visitor FROM
Mars had asked TO be shown the CEN
ter OF the world, he would have beep
pointed to Rome. All roads ted to
Rome. AL roads led from Rome. But
the moment Rome--to please the Jews
---cruclfied Jesus. the center OF the
world was shifted to a little hill out
ade OF Jerusalem; and there it has
been ever since. All roaos lead to
Calvary. All roads lead from Cal
vary. All things are maze worth
while by Calvary. All things are eS-
planned by Calvary Yet calvary 1t
self remains a great mystery. We
don't like to admit 1t. but. our actual
knowledge of the cross IL very small.
We speculate much: We know but
little. Let us go through the story
and try to get clearly III our minds
just what is really known Of this the
most awful tragedy Of history
Light ON the Lesson Text.
Verse 81 go-tha--an AfamafG
word meaning "tho place of n skull.
Our word calvary is from the Latin
word "calvaria," meaning skull The
place resembles a skull, especially cas-
noted by some traVelersb when View
ed in the afternoon from the Mount
OF olives. "a. Vinegar to drink
mingled with gall--myrrh. This was
probably sent by some benevolent
ladies Of Jerusalem who were aecus-
toned to provide this stuDefying po-
ton to deaden the pain of criminals
when being erucitied. He would not
arink-~he had come tn drink the cup
Of suffering which his father had
given him. and he would drink Ii To
the last drop, So. CrRetied hitn--a
horrible form Of punishment used by
The Romans but never by the jews.
Might be fulfilled Psi. -: ~. Part
I'd his garmFnts~~-diSisied his garments
among them ny lot. y. over his head
his accusation written--the userip
tton of the charge against him which
WIS written on "a board and placed
above his head. 1t Was written in
tho Greek. Latin and Hebrew lam
guages, AT least one 81 which could
he understood by every p..>serlts. IN.
Thieves rather. rubher; highway
men. See Isaiah 81; ~ IA. Thou
that deStreysst the temple thus faeg
perverted the words ef Jesus given In
John .: 1927. II theu he the Soa
II God-If yeti are reaitt the Messiah
you pretend 10 bc. sllttw that YOU have
the Massiai4's power, ~ sixth hour
noon, Darkness over all the land
~ th@ extent of this darkness, now
pfnaa ed It's meaning. nothing Is
known. Ninth hour o'clock IN
tti1 Atlsf titt4si. - I'll. teA.1 II iflfsAAA~
lied quotation Of The Hebrew of Psalm
-: /. ~, caileth fer Elis.s--si1ey
fnistook the Significance II Eli and
thought he Has calling tor help. As
And straighiTas~-a Jesus had
cried, I thirst. ,1ohn Igt ash
% \ loud Voic@--Nhcther "a cry NJ
Sudden pain as from the breaking of
the heart Or u shout 81 triumph, $
4ot known.
q
II MAS not far from O'Clock when
she procession reached calvary.
Through the kindness IT wealthy ia-
fi@N OF Jerusalem a narcotic WAS pro-
sided at every execution that the sur
asfings Of the criminals might his
nttigated. This narcotic was offered
IL Jesus. hut Was refused. 1t was mol
ii him to abatt one lot the sufferings
.hich he had como To eadure.
II is easy 10 imagine chat the sol
Oilers were provoked hg the seeming
otstinacy of their prisoner. and tina.
they went about their work With
aendish delight Throwing aside the
aine and gall the brutal eNecutioners
laid hold upon Jesus, and threw him
upon the cross lying Upon the ground.
Then quickly stretching out his hands
and feet. they tied them 10 the erasS.
and tn make them fast huge, rough
nails were driven through the CULVER
ng flesh. Then the cross was lifted,
and dropped into the hole that had
been dug for it, the shock almost
tearing the hands from the nails.
Father, forgive them" he cried.
for they know not what shey de-"
The story Of the Indicators gives
US some idea of the size of the storm
that RACED around the cross. To what
height must the spirit Of the mob have
risen for Il man suffering the horrors
of crucifixion to catch IT. They that
mere crueified with MIN reNiled him"
There were three hours of noise and
then came three hours of darkness