The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1915-08-20

y
l&S* slow men may he
TO hear. he most
delights to tell. And thus he has writ.
ten down, as a part OF Holy Scripture,
certain things that transpired, that,
wherever the story OF the cross
should be told. these things must bo
told In connection herewith.
Let us look at three OF these.
The Place.
First. then. the place OF the cruciflx-
ion will speak 10 US And when
they were come unto place called
Golgotha. that is TO say. the place
or skull" There. at the place OF
n skull'-the utter wreck OF human
wisdom, did they put to death the
wisdom OF God" For OF him are
ye In Christ Jesus who has made
unto us wisdom from God"
The world boasts OF It's wisdom to-
day, boasts OF the achievements OF
science and philosophy. but for the
most real problems-sin and death, It
has found no solution, nor has II
taught us anything about God. The
world by wisdom knew not God"
"And the preaching OF the cross Is TO
them that perish foolishness." Herein
is the offense OF the cross. that II sets
aside all OF mans wisdom forever, as
well as all his glory. The Greeks wero
wisdom worshipers. but at Corinth
the apostle would know nothing save
Jesus Christ and him cruciHed." tho
cross I'm all It's marvellous attractive
ness for hearts enlightened from
above. in all its intolerable repulsive-
ness for unregenerate men. Modern
rationalism despises the cross, but the
humblest believer I'm II has found II
to be what the apostle declares. Tho
power OF God and the wisdom OF
God" "~~
The Crown OF Thorns.
The last king OF David's line TO be
crowned at Jerusalem is crowned with
thorns. In derision they crown him,
but the Spirit OF God writes II down.
for that crown symbolizes the curse
which he has come TO put away. In
Genesis we read OF tho curse pro.
nounced upon creation because OF
mans sin: Cursed is tho ground for
thy sake thorns also and
thistles shall II bring forth unto thee"
Thorns, then, have become the en-
blem OF the curse OF sin, and now we
see them on the Savior's brow. I'm
sorrow" goes on the pronouncement,
shalt thou eat OF It." but the Ono
who wears tho crown OF thorns Is the
Man OF Sorrows" saying, as he goes
TO the cross, Now is my soul exceed
ing sorrowful, even unto death" "In
the sweat OF thy face shalt thou eat
bread" and OF him who hangs on tho
cross IL In written, His sweat was
as II were great drops OF blood falling
from him" SO the thorns are telling
OF what he is made for us: Christ
hath delivered US from the curse OF
the law, being made curse for
US. az II is written. cursed is every
one that hangeth on n tree" Made
curse!" How simple 10 utter the
words; how unutterable the depth OF
their meaningi
The Supernatural Darkness.
THE darkness sought his woes 20
hide" is a beautiful hymn which some
times we sing. but II does not explain
that awful darkness. That darkness
over all the land" IN witness that God.
who In light, has withdrawn his pres
ence from a scene I'm which he can
have no part. And II was a faint out
ward expression OF n deeper darkness
that pressed upon the Savior's soul.
And thus his own cry interprets it:
my God, my God, why hast thou
forsaken me7" And there In no an.
swer from God. Where shall we find
the answer 10 that cry OF forsaken
sorrow? We have but TO turn 20 the
Twenty-second Psalm. from which II
IN quoted, and there we shall find the
Holy Sufferer answering bis own ques-
tion. Thou art holy, oh. thou who
inhabitest the praises OF Israel" God
is holy and he turns away. Thou
art OF purer eyes than 20 behold I'm
iqulty and canst not look upon sin"
Christ I'm the darkness, Christ for.
saken OF God is Christ made sin"
He hath made him 20 be sin for
Us" And this was his anguish To
Calvary they take him, as unft 20
die within the holy city. For the
bodies OF those beasts whose blood is
brought into the sanctuary by the
high priest for sin, are burned with,
out the camp. Wherefore Jesus also.
that he might sanctify the people with
his own blood. suffered without the
gate Christ on Calvary. Christ
abandoned. 10 the true sin Offering.