The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1919-10-11


A M cruel nails. That
. - II brow, on which
the dove-in holy symbolism set
her feet, is circled now with crown
Of thorns, and blood-drops trickle
down from a score of CHASTITY wounds
Appalled, nature, gazing upon the aw-
full tragedy, trembles, while over all
the lard a supernatural darkness gath
ers round. Out of that darkness
there rises a cry from the lips of the
Lowly Sufferer: "My God, my God,
why hast thou forsaken me?"
There is clearly a moral connection
between that cry and the darkness,
so that the one must explain the
other. The line of hymn we some
times sing. "The darkness sought his
woes 10 hide" as though the darkness
were but natures sympathy, does not
explain it.
"Gol is Light" it is written, and
this awful darkness is the result and
the proof Of his Withdrawing HIM
self f1om that scene.
The only man who ever dared say
swhy? to God, and the only occasion
In his career that he did so, receives
no answer to his cry, And some who
now hear that cry have heard him
say, HE that hath sent me is with
me-: he Father hath not left me
alone; for I do always those things
that Please him." But now when they
who have hated him without cause
have 1oully murdered him, the heav-
ems turn black above them, not in
anger against them but, as his cry
explains 1.-THE sign that God has
fofsaSen him in the hour of his deep
est nehd.
Oh, For voice to make known to
men tleir personal interest In that
unanswered cry! There is a psalm
that, Ii one short line, tells it all-the
End: lhe psalm of which this cry is
| the oHening line. David wrote it, but
| it is christ who is seen and heard in
every word of it. And in the third
| versel we hear his answer to this
questbn, "Why?" Hear it, Oh, sin
neri but thou art holy" Yes, 'ThoU
art oApurer eyes than to behold evil,
and Sanst not look upon iniquity."
| Sin uton the Sinless One? Yes, but It
| is ydr sin and mine laid on him,
and DID must turn away his face. All,
Chris in the darkness Is Christ "made
sin" jor you and me- Christ forsaken
OF Cd is Christ treated like a sinner
| In yoSr place and rainel
Outside the limits of Israels camp
| a fird was perpetually burning. Upon
| that Ire the bodies of beasts used for
| the ssl-offering were consumed, as the
| apostle says In Heb. ID, "For the
| bodid Of those beasts, whose blood IS
brought into the sanctuary by the
( high briest for sin, are burned with
out the camp. Wherefore Jesus also
| that lie might sanctify the people with
| his dyn blood, suffered without the
gated Out to Calvary do they. take
him b die, as unfit to die within the
| sacreh precincts of the Holy City
Chris on Calvary is Christ, the true
Sin-okering. This is no martyrs OF
! hero's DEATH 1t is the Son Of GOO
~madh SIM for sinners, that they
might be made "the Righteousness OF
God HI him." and out of that awful
darkness comes our everlasting light
out d that forsaking, our assurance
Of hill abiding presence; out of that
cry df anguish, our hymn Of glad
dest braise. To its bitter dress has
he drhined the cup Of divine wrath
against sin, that he might trra u
1 into d cup of eternal bliss for every
one Who will drink. O, soul, drink
md live!
/ IL hhere were no such word II
/ Scripture as, "He thek believeth moi
shall be damned" che that believetf
! not shall not see life, but the wrath
Of God ubideth on him" that supernsf'
/ ural darkness round the cross wouic
Slbe SUFFICIENT warning to oil mer
Answd that question, IL you can: \
God tbrned away his face from hi
! one beloved Son, the very darling @
l,hss hesrt, and infinitely holy because
4 my sid was but imputed to him, VIVA
Twin Ill, do with you whose sins ars
vo,-r Avn bv nature and by practice
when lyou stand before him, as yo'
surely shallg