The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1911-05-26

Luke 90, II.
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 10 laid upon the ground
handy to the hole into which the end
will slip. Jesus is 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 it was to see that every
thing was properly done. 1t Is not to
be assumed that he was any better
than his fellow-ofieers, but 1t may
be assumed that he did not relish his
days work. When a soldier Is called
to war and wounds he Is proud, Tor
that is his calling: but when he lie
detailed to guard an execution he lie
filled with disgust, for this is a humili.
alton.
With his company this centurion
had gon OF duty in the morning at
Pilates palace. and 1t was late after
loon before they were released. He
had heard the trial Of Jesus, and
helped to keep the bowling rabble
back. He had handed Jesus over to
his men for sc~ourging and looked on
with a callousness born Of a 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 hooking Jesus. and
as his men gambled for his garments.
the centurion had sat on his horse
silent, watchful, immovable.
When the criminals were proved tc
be dead, and the bodies had been dis
posed Of he gathered his company to-
gether and marched them back to the
barracks. He went to his room and
removed his heavy armor which had
been like a fiery prison In the hot sun.
1t had been a long day for the cen
turion and a sorry days work. and he
was glad in his soul that 1t was over
Yet the centurion knew that thii
day would pass from his mem
DRY. Perhaps he had assisted at many
crucifxions. but he had never had Z
prisoner like Jesus. AS he stood be
fore Plate there was about him
certain dignity Of manhood ant
bravery of soul. which neither bond
nor insults could obscure. Ordinar.
men had been degraded by the mock
ings and scourging; this man left tn
degradation with his enemies. Com
man men had cried out in their pail
as they were fastened to the wood
this man had lifted up his voice Il
prayer for those who were torturin
him. From the cross this man ha
cared for his mother and his laf
words had been words Of triumph q
II a great task had been accomplished
This spectacle of moral heroism ha
its effect upon the blunt and homes
soldier, and 1t needed not the darl
hess and the earthquake to call fort
his confession. Certainly this vas
righteous man; truly this vas a sc
of God"
The excellency OF our Master com
out after the same fashion to evel
soul, but has various venue Of a
cess. To some he comes by the av
by the avenue OF the heart and Il
emotions. There are others to who
the Lord has come as the ~revelatit
and incarnation Of duty. They a
practical people and they receive L
Master with their conscience. F
years they have been doing their du
by the best light they had. They ha
also certain ~unrealized ideals. o
day they find them fulfilled in I
Master, and henceforth he becom
their model and their Lord.
What a multitude OF men there q
in every land whose one idea is not
save their souls or to earn a rewa
but to do faithfully the work viii
God has laid to their hand. tn
make provision for those whom I'll
love-. or who are left to their chars
they help where they can n wort
cause and unf%ortunates in trout
They are honorable merchants, wo
men, sailors or soldiers, and VI
conscientious unremitting labor
ponds the welfare Of society. or
they have hateful and heavy work.
the mines and mills and furnaces.
under the blazing sun like the c
turion. Yet who commends them
doing their duty? 70 n but Chr
who says well done good and ia
full servant" This 10 the class of n
among whom Christ worked and
whom his gospel should come with
greatest power. and one day they
see that Jesus Is the ideal and
ample of all men who labor.