The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1911-05-25

Jesus has been brought to Calvary.
The chosen place has been reached
and the soldiers settle TO their work.
The cross Is gotten ready The up
right beam is laid upon the ground
handy to the hole into which the end
viii slip. Jesus liz laid upon the
beams and sharp pointed spikes are
driven through the palm OF each hand.
and through the feet Then strong
hands seize the upper end and shift
the cross into place: and as he Is lift
ed up on high the first words from
the sufferer are: Father forgive
them. for they know not what they
do"
Standing by through the whole OF
the crucifxion was the centurion,
whose duty IL was to see that every.
thing was properly done II Is not TO
be assumed that he was any better
than his fellow officers. but II may
be assumed that he did not relish his
days work When a soldier IL called
To war and wounds he is proud. for
that Is his calling: but when he is
detailed to guard an execution he is
flled with disgust. for this is a humili-
alton.
With his company this centurion
had gone on duty In the morning at
Pilates palace. and II was late after.
noon before they we're released. He
had heard the trial OF Jesus. and
helped TO keep the bowling rabble
back. lie had handed Jesus over to
his men for scourging and looked on
with callousness born OF rough
life. He had escorted Jesus and the
malefactors through the streets and
taken care that they were kept safe
for legal punishment. He had select.
ed the site for the crosses and seen
that they were firmly set And as the
rabble passed by mocking Jesus, and
as his men gambled for his garments.
the centurion had sat on his horse
silent. watchful. immoyabie.
When the criminals were proved TO
be dead. and the bodies had been dis.
posed OF he gathered his company to-
gether and marched them back TO the
barracks. lie went 10 his room and
removed his heavy armor which had
been like a fiery prison in the hot sun.
II had been a long day for the cen.
turion and a sorry days work. and he
was glad In hts soul that IL was over.
Yet the centurion knew that this
day would never pass from his mem.
DRY. Perhaps he had assisted AT many
cruciiixions. but he had never had
prisoner Ike Jesus. As he stood be-
fore PLATE there was about him a
certain dignity OF manhood and
bravery OF soul. which neither bonds
nor insults could obscure. Ordinary
men had been degraded by tho mock.
ings and scourging. this man left the
degradation with his enemies Com.
man men had cried out In their pain
as they were fastened to the wood.
this man had lifted up his voice in
prayer for those who were torturing
him. From the cross this man had
cared for his mother and his last
words had been words OF triumph as
II a great task had been accomplished
This spectacle OF moral heroism had
its effect upon the blunt and honest
soldier. and II needed not the dark.
ness and the earthquake TO call forth
his confession. Certainly this was a
righteous man; truly this was a son
Q God"
The excellency Of our Master comes
out after the same fashion to every
soul. but has various avenues OF ac-
cess To some he comes by the ave-
nue. OF intellect. To some he comes
by the avenue OF the heart and the
emotions. There are others to whom
the Lord has come as the revelation
and incarnation OF duty They are
practical people and they receive the
Master with their conscience. For
years they have been doing their duty
by the best light they had They have
also certain unrealized ideals One
day they find them fulfilled In tho
and henceforth no becomes
their model and their Lord
What a multitude OF men there arc
In every land whose one Idea Is not to
save their souls or 20 earn a reward.
but to do faithfully the work which
God has laid TO their hand. They
make provision for those whom they
love. or who are left to their charge:
they help where they can any worthy
cause and unfortunates In trouble.
They are honorable merchants. work.
men. sailors or soldiers, and upon
unremittlng labor de-
ponds the welfare OF society. Often
they have hateful and heavy work. In
the mines and mills and furnaces. or
under the blazing sun like the cen
turion. Yet who commends them for
doing their duty? No one but Christ,
who says Well done good and faith
full servant" This Is the class OF men
among whom Christ worked and TO
whom his gospel should come with the
power. and one day they will
see that Jesus Is the ideal and ex
ample OF all men who labor