Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-11-23

supervision Of human affairs IS lost
the natural effect is that the losers Of
the faith become more and more policy
men and consider policy the extreme
of human wisdom, particularly i'll the
guidance Of affairs of Church and
State.
Taking history for It, that the lead
ers OF Judaism at the time of our Lord
We're Higher Critical unbelievers (Sad-
ducces), We con readily see that their
policy was to carry favor with the
Roman Emperor and to seek to hold
the common people in subsection to
themselves. TO these. then, it must
have seemed almost a calamity that
poor man, although Of nobl" bifth, Of
the family Of David and the Tribe of
Judah. should gather about him a
handful of nondCScript fishermen, tax
gathcrerS, etc; that he should pro-
nounce himself a king and declare the
setting up of his Kingdom to be near.
and that hy the exercise Of como su-
pernatural power for the healing OF
their diseases he should attract the
common people" to his standard, but
not the learned. We can we'll imagine
their reasoning tIat, il this thing, the
popularity of Jesus. continued to in
crease, il would shortly reach the ears
Of the Roman Emperor and then all
their claims for imperial iavors would
be discounted. and they would bc rated
as Il nation Of rebels.
The riding OF Jesus into Jerusalem.
just before the Passover. on an ass.
after the manner of the kings of Is
rael and surrounded by n multitude
shouting. "Hosanna. to the Son Of Da-
vid ,"ho cometh in the name, Of the
Lord" capped the climax, so TO speak.
and convinced these unbclicvinS Jews,
politicians, occupying religious Offices
that it would be far better that one
innocent man should die than that the
whole nation should be turned into
turmoil and wrecked by the Romans in
consequence How many American
preachers. Judges. officials etc. would
in this enlightened day be inclined
similarly to decide such matter. And
is not this the policy which always
prevails in monarchies? Fancy such a
aommotion in the capital of GERMANY
Italy. France. Austria Russia. Great
Britain, the United States. Fancy
that after such a parade, mimic
though it might appear, the adored
one should go to the temple and exc
cute long-neglected law and in thus
exercising his religious rights, suppose
that he should drive out the money
changers and merchants from the out
or precincts Of their chief religious
Cathedral. What would be done TO
such a person today? DO We not know
that in the most civilized lands he
would be arrested and imprisoned, and
in the more savage lands he would be
beaten or executed When, therefore.
We view the situation from this stand
point we lose any spirit OF antagoEisn
which might have been ours; it turns
to sympathy-that religious nation
should allow itself to get into the
hands of politicians to such an extent.
Brought Before Caiaphas
1t was very courageous on the part
Of St. Peter that, after having Smit-
ten off the ear OF the High Priests
servant Though the wound was healed
by Jcsus). ne followed his Master into
the Court OF that nigh priest to see
what would be done The arraign-
| mcnt was at night, although it vas
tCoIll " jew 1911 Id" u lIN d DtIS-
| oncr at night for any serious offense.
But there was an excuse. This was a
special case; haste was necessary. be-
cause whatever would be done must
be done quickly: the very next day the
junbelicvinS officials perceived that
Jesus and great influence with the
| common people. They believed him
| to be a brilliant but harmless fraud.
He had committed no crime. but h.
was a diSturber of the peace, aud they
felt fully justified in taking his life.
The Feast of Passover was Ut hand
and would last a week and IL would
be contrary to their Law that any cN.
ecUtion should take place during that
week. Besides. they feared the amount
| of influence which Jesus might "xcr4
else during the week. when there
would be from one to two millions Of
people in and around Jerusalem from
all over Palestine. They had already
determined that their action must bc
short. sharp and decisive. This was
decided before the arrest was made.
They were ready and waiting at that
midnight hour to carry ont their muir
IdcrouS designs. for the good of their
nation, as they thought.
The examination WAS merely q pre-
litninary one to get together such evil
dencc rs at the morning Tribunal
could be rushed through rapidly at a
prearranged session
He Was Charged With 6lasphemy
They had difficulty in finding a
charge. For what had Jesus ever done
except acts of Kindness and the utter
ing of words Of wisdom and correction
and hope? BlasphcEy was a serious
charge under the Jewish code. They
would charge him with that as being
the easiest to prove. He had said.
when near the Temple. Destroy this
Temple, and I will rear il up in three
days" But he spake OF the temple
OF his body. Some of those who heard
him understood him to speak Of the
literal temple. This they charged was
blaspheL1y. because it took Years to
build the temple. and for Jesus to re-
build it III three days would mean a
claim on his part Of Divine power. But
the charge did not seem sufficiently
strong, even for those who had pre-
meditated his murder. They wanted
something to give color of Justice at
least. to their findings. SO the chief
priest thought to get Jesus to commit
himself in their presence and said.
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