Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-11-21
In The Religious World
fREveW OF SUNDAY sHOOL LESSON)

mans life were exceeding sOlicitous
to keep ceremonially clean, because OF
the Passover. They seduously con
served their church standing while al
the same time they sought to slay the
man who spoke the truth.
Adroitly, skillfully, they played their
deadly politics, alternately working
upon the unsuspecting rabble and up
on the job-holding Judge. The voice
that cried Away with him! Cruelty
him!" was the voice of the multitude ;
but the words were the words of the
priests and pharisees. Obviously, the
strong man who uses weaker men to
accomplish reprehensible ends is more
guilty than the one who dares to dc
his evil work alone.
With PLATE, the lever that was used
was his overmastering solicitude to
hold his position--still one of the fay
orite devices of the devil. If men
were as much afraid Of offending God
as they are of losing their jobs, there
would be more out-and-out manhood
in public life and in private business,
These crafty old villains from the
temple precincts had only to whisper
IF thou release this man thou are not
Caesars friend" to bring Plate to
heel like whimpering dog. He saw
through their plot, but, being cow
ard, he was helpless.
For the charge that caused Jesus
to be convicted was not one against
himself, but an implied charge against
Plate. Before the Jewish tribunal
Jesus had been charged with bias
phemy. That was no offense against
Roman law, SO before Plate he was
charged with treason. That fell fiat;
so it took hint of charge against
Pilates own loyalty to bring Jesus to
the cross.
The Best Man Can DO.
With a procedure more oriental than
Roman PLATE, after declaring he
found no fault with the prisoner, per
mitted him to be scourged and mock
ed, and ultimately crucified. Craftily
at one stage in the trial he sought to
evade repsonbility by sending Jesus
to Herod, whose court made sport OF
him, without provoking word of re-
Spouse.
Driven to desperation by the rab
ble's choice of a robber to be set free
instead of Jesus (for PLATE had weak
ly put the matter up to the crowd)
PLATE cried, in the helplessness OF a
coward, What then shall do unto
Jesus who is called Christi" That is
the question of questions. 1t is the
most important Interrogation that ever
confronts human being; and every
one of us must face it. Upon our an
swer to that depends our life philoso'
ply and our life-conduct; and our
veal for two worlds.
Place alongside Of Pilates fearful
question the bold affirmation of Jesus:
ITO this end am come into the world,
that | should bear witness unto the
truth" That is the immortal spirit OF
man asserting it's highest prerogative.
No loftier function is possible to nor.
tai or immortal than to bear witness to
the truth. BY word, by pen, by vote.
by life, by suffering, by death, If need
be man must, by a divine compulsion,
bear witness to the highest truth he
knows. In this exercise he may die,
as did Jesus, but he will die crowned.
This passion of loyalty to the truth
needs cultivation, especially among
youth, in these sophisticated, material
days. The glory of suffering ror
truths sake is heritage which Christ
hands on to the world from the judg-
ment hall of PLATE, who loved place
more than he loved truth