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

which chilled the mob into silence.
But the darkness was only a faint
type OF the shadow that was on the
soul of the Crucified one. Every mo-
mGnt il grew darker and darker. until
By and by the very face of his fathe.
was shut ont, and in the language OF
his cbildhood-wfI1ch seemed a
strange tongue to those aroDnd-he
cried My God. my God. why hast
Thou forsaken me?"
lie had reached the climax Of sui.
fering; ana his work WAS done. 1T is
inlshed.'' he cried aloud: then ia
lower tones he added, Father, into
Thy hands ] commend my spirit.
There was il moment of stiffness, aito
then Il piercing Shrek rent the air,
and his head fell upon his breast.
The Heart Of the Lesson.
As ] look upon the cross / am over
whsimed by the thoughts which come
rushing through my brain: but as ]
continue to gaze one thought eciipses
all the rest and | find myself saying
over and over again
What wondrous love is this. q my
Soul,'
And then | can think of nothing
else. For the highest. deepest thing
in the universe is love, and the high
est. deepest love Is here. For the
measure Of love Is sacrifice. aud here
is the highest form of sacrifice that
the mind OF man has ever conceived.
Men have sacrificed themselves for
loved ones. for friends. for country.
but here Is one sacrificing himself
FOR the very men who are pouring
cut his blood We have seen men who
a stain upon their own reputation III
order IN shield a loved one. We have
seen innocent men go To prison rath CT
than expose the wrong doing of their
friends But here IL one who takes
upon himself the stain aud conse-
Quenees of the sings at the whole
world. including the men whe have
undertaken t. destroy him. Isy his
own consent he who knew no sin is
made sin Tor US: h. who had never
transgresst.d any part Of the Law al
lp4s himself ia be lifted UP as chief
among maieia actors a pure man who
lives under suspicion Of impurity dies
a thousand deaths; for him who IL
roo pure IT, behold iniquity To take
upon himself the sins nt the whole
worsd--but the mind staggers under
the thought,
rne whole 4eene ls q drama IF love.
His hear, goes ont toward the sol
diers who are piercing his hands with
the cruel nails The bitterest gibes
of his enemies pass nnnotieed IL Is
eASV II resist the temptation 10 come
down from the cross. Ii rs AZ natural
ft4r him to peak words OF forgiveness
and comfort IL the penitent thief IS
1t is IL make nrasision Ill that last
hour TOR the future care of his
mother. Around The cross hate makes
"A pa1lsienlonium an the cross love
reiens supreme,
The Lesson Illustrated.
L. Tod loves nv, God loves me. :
cried "A fniserab Bile wretch tine whose
heart the wonderful truth had just
come like a surburst. God loves me.
fGod love s me- rang in his ears ali
the day until every sleeping energy
had been awakened. and . new man
was horn within him, There is moth
! Ing thai makes "A man Of a human
being like the consciousness that
somebody loves him. There is moth
ing that makes n man like the Man
af Galiiee Ike the consciousness thai
the man Of tialilee loves him.
,. Jesus il hanging there upon the
cross; because he faves as SO Well tina,
he is willing IL lay down his life foi
cur sake. | have known many moth
. :
f dertlIl il the love of mother,
have known some fathers Who would
d. IT, but how wonderful Is the lovf
OF il father And there are loving
wives who would die fer their hus-
bands. aud husbands for their wives
/ but here Is one who gives his Ifs
for his enemies~~-for the men whs
have spit upon him. for tho VERY
men who are killing him. for you ana
- NJ 7
Il hard To believe that anybody loves
us Ike that. But yonder II the eros.
and there hangs the Crueified One
and Won can make nothing else out ol
s that picture. II the cross does mo-
( mean that II does not mean anything