Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-02-07

we must approach this lesson with
treat reverence. for we are treadlng on
molly ground. The voluntary death OF
our saviour Is the greatest event In
nc worlds history. The only event.
indeed Tor without IL the worlds his
Tory would be only Il passing show Il
'nockcry q dcsolation. That Christ
hied and rose again must mean the
salvation OF the world by Him Who
,nadr the world. and the promise OF
mai blessedness for all who accept that
salvation by acknowledging Christ as
NihS. we are therefore called upon
|" contemplate the scene which stands
~ the centre OF human history--more
important than the creation, more I'm
p"r'ant than the end OF the world;
Tor the creation would be awful IL II
meant an entrance into misery, and the
ehd OF the world would spell disaster
II there were no entrance through the
cross to everlasting life.
CREATED LITTLE INTEREST
IN ROME Or GREECE:
The first impression we receive as we
read the gospel story of the CrucifiXion
IS that II was all so local, so uuet SO
apparently unimportant to those who
IlNcd ana rcigned ut the time. Rome
me mistress of the world, cared not for
~ and hardly knew of It, The Greeks.
u they heard of II. scorned tho event
IL stumbling block TO their idea of
me Messiah who was, they thought to
ne Il uelirercr from the power OF the
Itomans and Il buldcr-up of their ma
Noh. Coo was in the world and men
cared not. The world was being re-
"eemed. and none knew II. So the AL
mighty is ever working quietly. When
men repent. II Is the still, small voice"
calling them. When the gospel is
Preached 1t Is done quietly. here and
there. When the church grows II Is
IKE the lcaven working in the meal
When we worship. II is not the fervor
of our prayers nor the enthusiasm Of
our praise that impresses heaven,
though fervor and enthusiasm are
good, but the sincerity OF the hear,
which only God and we can know
love TO think of the Quietness of the
cruci'lS!on as we read the story. II
was like the birth OF the Christ. for
while angels sang on the hills of Beth
Ichen, and wise men followed the star.
the world was not stirred So when
hey led The dear Lord to a death which
was only possible because He allowed
1t. there was no tumult, only a little
local stir
WORLD WAS IN IGNORANCE
OF ITS GREATEST EVENT
Tho world was ignorant OF 1t all and
would remain ignorant until the Lords
servants came and told the story.
Bishop Alexander makes the quiet story
so Impressive. IT Is a good hymn TO
leara by heart:
There is Il green hill far away
Without a city wall
Where the dear Lord was crucifed
Who died TO save us all.
Again, we are touched by the sup
pressed emotion OF those who loved
Christ. We would naturally expect the
disciples 10 have fought in the defense
of their Master. We ask. instinctlvely,
where are the thousands whom Jesus
fed when they were hungry, and the
thousands whom He had helped in their
troubles? Where was Nicodcmus. and
where Nathaniel. and whore the blind
man who was made TO see, and the i'm
potent man who was made to walk?
Where were all the faithful women
who m!nistercd to the Christ, and where
the mothers whose children He had
blessed? Not cry raised in remon-
STRANGE. not - blow struck, save Peters
foolish cndeavor in the Garden; not an
appeal lifted to Iicrod or PLATE, 4 few
women weeping as lie passed on His
way TO Calvary: John at the foot OF
the cvoss-that Is all. Something must
have impressed them all-fear, or won
der. or sorrow-or else the hand OF God
must have restrained them. Well II is
not by rebellion or strife that we ac-
compl!sh the most for our King
~ QUIETNESS AND
CONFIDENCE LIES STRENGTH
We. too, are awed in the midst Of the
horrors which surround us Mt times
and when the mystery Of pain or death
comes we arc silent. 1t Is the most elo-
1uent testimony to our belief In God
and Ills rule. In quictness and conf
dence lies our strength. 1t is all too
big. too incom preh ensible for our feeble
reinonstrance. We feel but the feel
ing cannot be expressed. Every great
emotion has the hand OF repression laid
upou 1t lest the pettiness OF n human
cry mar the dignity, the sacredness of
the hearts hunger. There is something
auc In ii all. We say sometimes that
we are stunned. David said: IL am so
'roubled that I cannot speak" psalm
'"Yyil, ~ IT Is the presence Of God
tNr' makes us still.
ct il Is upon the dear Lord Himself
~ our eyes are chiefly fixed. No
Of complaint escapes His lips
20 90. Is silent. From the moment
the cruel nails were forced
lgh hands and feet-those feet so
| 4 In deeds Of mercy, those hands
I tender and healing in their touch
spoke only seven times. and the
words were the dearest He ever spakc,
and they are full OF comforting mean
ing. We record them here and read
them with bowed heads and silent
prayer:
/. Father. forgive them. for they
know not what they do"
:? To-day shalt thou be with Mo in
Paradise"
3 Woman. behold thy son. Be
hold thy mother"
{. MY God. My God, why hast Thou
fcrsaken Me-"
= II thirst"
. at Is finished"
:. Father, into Thy hands com
rund My Spirit"
Tho whole Gospel. the whole divine
ruth. is contained In these few words.
Eternity Will be too short for the full
study OF them. But they ought to he
craven In our hearts. so that we can
never forget them. They are precious
rncssagcs from tho Cross of Christ
which towers DER the wrecks of time:
ressaGes which tell of peace and