South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-08-09
DEF INES SYMBOL
Of THE CROSS
Rev. Howard Clifford Gives
Vivid Picture of the Cruel
fixion of Christ.

The cross of Calvary is Gods an
swer to the lOngings, aspirations and
prayer OF a sin-cursed race" said
Rev. Howard Clifford. associate pas
tor of the First Presbyterian church,
Sunday morning in his sermon on
The Crucifixion of Christ"
In telling the story of the cruel
fixion, Rev. Clifford said:
The preliminarles Of the crucifiX-
ion are soon arranged, and Jesus and
the other two are nailed 10 the
crosses they have been bearing, which
are then set upright and fixed. Jesus
occupies the central position and on
either side the malefactors are placed.
Let US place ourselves before the cen
trail cross on Golgotha's summit and
seek the meaning of IL all-its sig
nifcance.
What is there to suggest as the
cause of the tragedy we here see?
What great question is moving the
thoughts and minds OF men, which
may perhaps throw some light upon
this apparent miscarriage of justice?
why the cross, and why its victim
For many centuries the cross was
known as an instrument of punish
ment-the penalty for wrong doing
the most degrading method of pun
ishing slaves and such as were the
offscouring OF the earth.
World in Darkness.
I'VE are told that the whole world
was, at this time, in condition of
spiritual darkness. Black darkness
that could be felt. The Hebrew, with
the divine knowledge given TO him.
through continuous revelation, recog-
niZed the fact of sin the most deeply.
He realized that sin springs out of
the depths of human personality in
- &c IN
its nature destructive and leads to
death, and that by it misery comes
upon men. The Jew, of all people,
knew that righteousness exalteth a
nation but that sin was (and is) a
reproach to any people-and through
the ordinances and feasts and SYM
bols, were endeavoring to get forgive
ness for his sin, while looking for a
deliverer who was promised to take
away his sin forever, in the person of
the Messiah.
I'm Persia and India men were
thinking deeply and earnestly of these
things. and in Greece sincere minds
were seeking for a salvation, as Sys-
tenn of philosophy, which neither
Grecian art, culture. religion or phil
osophy had so far revealed. This
great quest of the age, which men
were ignorantly pursuing, was to be
the Lord Jesus Christ.
Looking for DeIiverer.
Here then was the pivotal ques-
ton: How to escape the guilt and
penalty of sin. The Jew was looking
for a deliverer and mediator, Persian
dualism was promising the ulti-
mate victory of right over wrong, the
final disappearance of evil from the
world, while Greece was continually
sacrificing to its many deities, to ap-
pease their anger and regain their
favor. for they all felt, behind all the
activities Of life and all the play of
dramatic passion. there was a stern
background of righteousness, which
could by no means clear the guilty,
n shadowy terror overhanging all
wrong doing and a curse which could
not be turned away pursuing the Of
fender
I'm the cross of Jesus we have
Gods answer to all the groanings and
supplications and prayers of race
Travelling in the bitterest bondage.
The crucial hour has arrived when
humanity shall be freed from the
guilt of sin. when the darkness shall
begin to pass away, and the true light
shall shine 1t is the death struggle
between the hosts of light and the
powers of darkness. For he who
knew no sin was there made sin for
us, having spoiled principalities and
powers, plotting out the handwriting
of ordinances against us, and con-
trary to us. taking it out of the way
and mailing it to his cross
Herein is love, not that we loved
God, but that He loved us, and sent
His Son to be the Precipitation for
our sins"