The Republican., 1925-03-05
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
Prepared Especially for The Repub-
lican by Rev. L. S. Wright, D. D.
THE SAVIOR ON THE CROSS
SUNDAY, MARCH 8, 1925

Luke 23:33-46.
Read Matt. 27:32-56; Mark 15:21-41;
John 1861.
He that spared not his own Son but delivered
him up for Us all, how shall he not also
with him freely give US all things ROM
ans S:23.
VIA DOLOROSA
What a way of sorrows that was
that led to Calvary. In the early
forenoon the procession took its jour-
ney from the hall of scourging to-
ward the place of execution. There
were the three prisoners carrying
their instruments of torture upon
their shoulders. Two were probably
of the Barabbas banditti who had
been condemned earlier with their
leader whose cross Jesus was carry
ing. 1t had never been meant for our
Lord and only the miscarriage of mob
rule decreed it for Him. 1t is posi-
BILE that the bandit was in the COM
pany. Soldiers were there guarding
the convicted men from any chance of
rescue from their friends. A bowling
rabble that found its pleasure in bru-
tai sport trailed along with the NOV
ing men. Women looked pityingly
upon them and some of them who
knew the Nazarene shrieked their
tears and drew from the drawn lips
the words of comfort that forecast
the sure ruin of the city that had lost
all sense of justice and right. No
mention of the disciples is made and
it is likely that none were present,
since there seemed danger that they
too might be caught in the net of the
priesthood. Some dignifed senators
who had lost their pride Of position
in their hatred of the Christ stalked
along among the shouting throng.
Children and dogs pushed in and out
that they might see all that was going
on and everywhere there was the
thrill of excitement that harried and
hurried them all except the slow
moving men under their dread loads.
AS they were at the gate Jesus
stumbled under the weight. Prodded
by the guards spear a faster step
broke into a stagger that ended in a
crashing fall from whose shock and
murk there was no attempt to rise.
Our Lord lay there, brother of every
soul, that has been compelled to let
drop from hands if not from the
heart the doing of some task of love,
the standing by while others take
up the burden and go on. "Pretty
business" was the word of the SOL
der, "How are we ever going to get
to the hill? Hear you," he called sud-
denly to brawny passer-by, Get
under this cross" There was no
denying the Roman word unless one
wished the Roman spear and Simon
picked up the beam and stepped in
to the procession next the figure of
Jesus. Was there any word? There
is no record but the eyes spoke and
he who lifted, perforce, a load from
the Son of God could not fail to catch
its drip in his soul and sing for Joy in
! the relief he now eagerly offered.
And it was this man who pointed his
boys to the path that still gives op-
portunity for lifting the cross of
Jesus and helping Him redeem a
world.
THE HILL OF CROSSES
Beside the highway where all pas
sers might behold was the place of
execution. Today criminals die in
shut-in yards or rooms that the sight
may not brutalize the on-looker but
that has been one of the by-products
Of Calvary. Exposed to the jeers of
the crowds, to the mud or harder
missile that any hand was free to
hurl, hanging there under sun and
star until death came with welcome
release, and then, unless claimen by
some relative or friend, still hanging
until the cross was needed for anoth-
er or the body had decomposed, the
place of execution was an exhibit of
horrors unequalled until Christian
ingenuity found more gruesome
hurts under the shadows of the time
called rightly, "The dark ages" The
soldiers roughly flung the figures up
on the beams, drove thru flesh and
bone the spikes, lifted the wooden in
strument of torture and let it drop
into the hole that held it upright,
bringing all the weight with sicken-
ing shock upon the bleeding wounds.
There were three crosses. One was
that of selfshness. The bandit rallied
at Jesus and demanded that if He had
power He exercise it and release the
suffering prisoners. Utterly set
against all the world. with hands
bloody already in attacks upon their
rights, he had no regrets except for