The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-11-25
9aturday Digit
"oIkc By Rev. F. E. DAWSON
uttAS Rutland, VI
THE KING ON TRIAL.
international Bible Lesson for Nov.
27, 'to-(Matt. 26:57-69).
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truth" is weighed in those delicate
scales. But as a matter of fact, some
OF the greatest outrages OF history
have been wrought in the court room,
virtue punished and vice set free.
Greatest Farce In History.
The greatest farce that was ever
perpetrated in the annals of jurispru-
dence took place in the holy city OF
Jerusalem, where the holest man of
the ages was the prisoner at the bar,
Jewish high priest was one of the
side judges, and the witnesses were
members of the church, in good and
regular standing. Three greater ras-
calls never wore the judicial ermine
than Herod, PLATE and Caiaphas. Wit
nesses never more unblushingly per-
jured themselves than the Jewish
witnesses who swore to a lie. Lynch
law never rounded up more desper-
ate mob of incarnate fiends than the
priests, elders and scribes who crowd.
ed the temple Of justice courts, yell
ing Cruelty! Cruelty HIM"
Revenge the Secret Motive.
Revenge called the witnesses, mas
| querading as justice. The jurors
were bloodthirsty tigers, judging a
lamb Everything was brought for
ward that perjured rascals could hatch
out; everything was suppressed that
could by any possibility favor the
prisoner. The verdict was made up
no bo -
order. The worn and exhausted VIC
tim was dragged from pillar to post,
from one jurisdiction to another, now
in the hands of the ecclesiastical auth
critics, then turned over to the civil
government, but everywhere followed
by the bowling. hooting, blaspheming
mob, who reached out their hands to
drag him from the soldiers that they
might rend him asunder. But the
guard kept their prisoner safe, not
that they might protect his person,
but that they might have the brutal
satisfaction of torturing him, tearing
off his clothes, mocking his royal
claims with old cast off garments. and
crowns of thorns. and scepters OF
reed. They made hilarious sport OF
the accomplishing Nazarine and wor-
ried him as a cat does a mouse be.
fore devouring its prey. And justice,
Roman Justice! Jewish Justice! open.
ed not its lips in condemnation OF such
an outrage and travesty. Jesus Christ
was a victim Of human hate. Jewish
bigotry, envy, ecclesiastical politics,
civil incapacity and cowardice, lynch
law, the voice of the aristocracy and
the voice of the slums, human and sa.
tanic forces breaking in waves OF
wrath over his holy person.
Many limitations Since.
But that unfair trial has had many
limitations. The ermine of the Judge
has often rested upon the shoulders
of the thief, the libertine, the drunk
ard. Many man has reeled into his
seat on the bench and sentenced vir
tue to prison. Perjury and bribery
and chicanery of every description
has put handouts on innocence, and
scattered families, and broken wills
and made sworn enemies OF bosom
friends, and shot the bolts of prisons
and erected scaffolds, and officiated
at executions. Justice has torn the
bandage from the eyes and winked al
the jurors. Shyster lawyers have
pleaded for clients and tearfully eu
logized those whom they know to b,
criminals. Rich rascals have beer
set free for a price and poor unfor
tunates have been given the limit o.
punishment. Wealthy debauchees, ant
notorious females have been giveI
spectacular attention, the court room
crowded daily with gushing women
who send perfumed notes and keel
the heros or heroine's cell fragran
with bouquets, and ignorant and be
sotted prisoners, guilty of the sam,
offences have been railroaded to pris
on without a pause in the proceedings
II the Almighty should suddenly Ut
ter his fiat that all the wrongs OF lif
or a safe deposit vault that woult
not have It's sides blown out Parch
ments would rip, gold would shoot
: mortgages would rend, beggars woul'
get carriages. stock gamblers woul,
go to the almshouse, prisoners woul,
. go out at liberty. and judges and jail
ors would take their places behind tn
bars. Ten thousand revolutions woul
take place in society, the world woul
be turned upside down. which woul
bring 1t right side up.
In view of all thie it is no wonde
, that Tennyson sings;
: Fright forever on the scaffold, wron
[ forever on the throne,
= Yet that scaffold sways the future
l and beyond the dim unknow
5 Standeth God, within the shadow
- keeping watch above Iii
4 own"
e Though the trial OF Jesus was
T mockery and farce. the prisoner g
: the bar had the best of it. Tempo
= airy eclipse was followed by eterni
0 brightness. History has recorded II
A verdict, and has hung up in the pi
A lory OF execration, the judges, tn
witnesses, the mob. The innocent ca