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For the Index.
The Resurrection of Christ.
BY S. G. HILLYER.
[This lesson is out of the
regular order of lessons as fol
lowed by the Convention publi
cations. Dr. Hillyer was misled
by a lesson list that fell under
his notice. The article is a good
one, however. —Ed.]
It has troubled many good peo
ple, who love and read the Bible,
that the different accounts, given
by the several writers, of the
resurrection of our Saviour seem
to be not in perfect agreement
with one another, in some of the
details of the story. Many at
tempts have been made, by
learned men, to harmonize these
variations; but they are all
based upon suppositions, which,
though possibly true and plausi
ble, are not certain, and hence
do not afford to the reader per
fect satisfaction. Nevertheless,
these hypothetical explanations
are of great value, because they
do make it exceedingly probable
that we could reconcile the ap
parent discrepancies if we only
knew all the facts. The brevity
of the several accounts is such
as to leave room for many de
tails that are not mentioned by
any of the writers. If we knew
all these omitted facts we might
see, at a glance, that the ac
counts are in perfect harmony.
This conclusion is confirmed
when wm consider in how many
particulars the witnesses do actu
ally agree.
Luke’s account of the resur
rection, as given in the lesson
for next Sunday, agrees in all
its important facts with the
other writers. He tells some
things that others omit, and he
fails to mention some that others
have recorded. But they all
testify that Christ rose from the
dead on the first day of the
week. That he was first seen by
certain women who went early
to the sepulchre, and that he as
terwards showed himself by in
falible signs to all his Apostles.
All that we need to know with
certainty, is that Jesus rose
from the dead, and on this point
they are all agreed.
There is, however, one appar
ent discrepancy that I am in
clined to notice; because I do
regard it as the most serious one
in the whole story, and also be
cause I do not think that our
learned men, generally, have
disposed of it as successfully as
they might have done. I allude
to Matt. 28: 1.
“In the end of the Sabbath as
it began to dawn toward the first
day of the week, etc.”
The new version gives it thus:
“Now late on the Sabbath day,
as it began to dawn towards the
first day of the week, e'c ”
And Conant gives it thus:
“And late in the Sabbath, as
it was dawning into the first day
of the w’eek, etc.”
By comparing these versions,
the reader will see that they all
fix the time of the visit of Mary
Magdalene and other women to
the sepulchre, at or near the end
of the Sabbath—about 6 o’clock
on Saturday evening. Notice
too, when they reached the tomb
they found the stone already
rolled away from the entrance
and an angel sitting upon it, who
informed them that Jesus had
risen “even as he said.” So ac
cording to the above transla
tions, Jesus rose from the dead
“late on the Sabbath day.” If
this was indeed the sense or
meaning of Matthew, then he
was in hopeless conflict with the
other Evangelists.
Dr. Broadus’s notes on this dif
ficulty are very fine. He pro
poses several hypotheses that
might relieve the difficulty, and
he admits them to be possible,
but he does not seem to be satis
fied with any one of them. I
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX.
~
therefore veL -o^. ' to suggest an
other translai. % which, if it
can be admitted, will remove the
apparent conflict between
Matthew and the other writers.
The translation which I pro
gose is this: “But late after the
abbath, as it began to dawn to
wards the first day of the week,
etc. * ’
The first word “but” I take
from Dr. Broadus (in loco). The
Greek conjunctive “de” is here
evidently disjunctive, and ex
presses the opposition of mean
ing between this verse and the
closing verses of the preceding
chapter. For the phrase “late
after” I am indebted to Liddell
and Scott's Lexicon, abridged
edition. His unabridged is not
at hand, but I suppose they are
in harmony with each other.
Liddell and Scott, in my edi
tion, give as the first definition
of the Greek “opse” the phrase
“after a long time,” taen follow
the words “at length” and
“late.” These are all found in
the first group or class of mean
ings. In the second class occur
the phrases, “late in the day,”
“late in the season,” etc. This
is the sense adopted by the ver
sions above cited. One of the
examples given to illustrate the
meanings of the word “opse” is
“opse Troikon,” which they
translate “long after the Trojan
w T ar.” Liddell and Scott do not
say “late in the Trojan war or at
the end of the Trojan war; but
"long after the Trojan war.”
Take notice “long after” is
equivalent to “a good while af
ter,” and to “take after.” And
any one of them may be used
which best agrees, in any given
case, with the length of time in
dicated by the context. In the
case before us, guided by the ex
ample above given, I might have
said, “long after the Sabbath,”
or, “a good while after the Sab
bath,” but I prefer to use the
equivalent “late after the Sab
bath” because it agrees better
with the shortness of the time
indicated by the context, a per
iod of rot more than ten or
twelve hours. The translation
that I have given makes Matthew
agree with Mark, Luke and
John, in testifying that Jesus
rose from the dead very early on
Sunday morning.
I have not forgotten that the
subject of our next lesson is the
resurrection ot Christ as given
by Luke. What can I say about
it that has not been said per
haps, a thousand times? And
yet, such is the sublimity of the
subject, that it can never be
come trite or common. The res
urrection of Christ stands before
our mental vision as some stu
pendous structure stands before
our natural eyes. The longer
we gaze upon it, the more per
fectly we comprehend its magni
tude and its granduer.
The resurrection of Christ!
What does it mean? It means
that Jesus is, in realty, all that
he claimed to be, the Son of God
from heaven, the Light of the
world, the Revelation of the Al
mighty God, and the Redeemer
of a lost race.
It means that Christianity is a
system of truth in all its teach
ings, its promises, its warnings,
and in its predictions. His res
urrection from the dead is the
sign manual of the omnipotent
God to the truth of all that
Jesus has spoken. It is the
basal rock upon which is built
the entire fabric of our holy re
ligion.
There is in the human heart
an intuition that spontaneously
recognizes the reality of a super
natural power. But the philoso
pher, lost in the boundless do
main of material and mental phe
nomena, first ceases to regard
his intuitions; then he begins to
doubt, and soon is redqped to
the cheerless condition of a
hopeless agnostic. In all his re
searches he has found no God!
He sought for Him everywhere
along the ways of science, but
failed to find Him.
Now, let that philosopher
come, with a willing -mind, to
the tomb of Jesus, and there
with the same earnest desire to
know the truth, which he feels
when he examines a plant or a
fossel, let him study the evi
dences of Christ’s resurrection.
Is it a mere question of fact?
Did Jesus rise from the dead?
The witnesses were sufficiently
numerous. They were perfectly
concurrent. They gave their
testimony separately and inde
pendently. The several accounts
differ enough, as to minor de
tails, to exclude the idea of col
lusion, -while as to the essential
fact, the combined testimony is
a unit. Again they had no mo
tive to say that Jesus rose from
the dead, if he did not rise. On
the other hand, they voluntarily
testified in the face of ostracism,
persecution, and death, that he
did rise. Ah! could the philoso
pher aforesaid only study this
testimony candidly and fairly, he
would discover that no fact in
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1 MINISTERS, 1.00.1
history is so well attested as the
resurrection of Christ.
But the resurrection of Christ
means also the realty of a future
state, and the ultimate resurrec
tion of all mankind. And it
means a new heaven and a new
earth, and the final separation of
the righteous from the wdcked.
And last of all, it means the re
union with loved ones in the
Heavenly mansions. Parents
and children, husbands and
wives, brothers and sisters, pas
tors and people, there shall
meet—shall meet to part no
more forever.
For the Index.
Christ All and Only.
H. E. TRUEX.
Mr. Moody preaches that sal
vation, through faith, is wholly
a matter of the grace of God,
and goes farther than many by
denying to -works any considera
tion whatever. While in Nash
ville recently his simple, bold
statements on this subject were
assailed vigorously by a goodly
number of ministers, here and
there among the workers. To
my surprise the dissenters were
not a few, and their boldness
worthy of a more tenable posi
tion. They hold what seems to
be a kind of complementary
theory of the atonement, that it
requires both the efforts of
Christ and those of the individu
al to accomplish one’s final sal
vation, not the acceptance of
Christ alone, but accepting and
working for Him in order to sal
vation.
Upon personal inquiry among
my own people, it was found that
the grounds of our victory over
sin and death are but poorly de
fined in the mind of the average
Christian, and of course wretch
edly misunderstood by the alien
unbeliever. A short time ago,
conversing with one on this sub
ject, I said: “Christ wrought out
a complete salvation, independ
ent and regardless of anything
we can do, and all that remains
to make it effectual to the safety
of every person is his appropria
tion of it by choosing Christ.”
He said: “Do you believe that?”
“I certainly do.” “Well sir,”
said he, “1 was brought up in
Sunday schools and have heard
many sermons, and have talked
with many minis ers, but never
heard one take that position be
fore.” “Will you accept that
simple plan—Christ as your sub
stitute?” said I. “No sir. I pro
pose to bear my own sins and
not try to put them off on some
one else. I am going to meet
my fate like a man.” Another
said: “Why, dosen’t a moral
man stand a better chance to be
saved than a rascal? Isn’t God
more apt to save him than a
thief and a robber?” I could
only say, “No sir. The lives of
both are as rags before Him; the
only hope for pardon is the un
compounded merit of the blood
of Christ.’* How widespread is
such sentimeqt? How much
harm has a lack of simple, un
equivocal statement done? May
not the secret of much inef
ficiency be that men check on
their own resources and get—
weakness? Why should one hesi
tate to say that his actions, wheth
er good or bad,bear not t he slight
est relevancy to a saved man’s
security, since God says of that
man that he is dead and his life
is hid with Christ in God? Mind
you, I say, “a saved man’s secu
rity.” What revelation of divine
grace could there be beyond this,
that God saves the believer for
the sake of the blood alone?
“The believer”-one who chooses
Christ, no matter what induces
the choice; whether it be effect
ual calling, circumstances over
which he has no control (as the
fatalists say), importunity of
friends, current of public senti
ment or power of prayers, —
choosing Christ as Lord and
Master is turning the eye to the
brazen serpent and means no
less than life —eternal life. No
human effort can effect this final
result, for that is secured by the
sufferings of Christ, is hid in
God, in the heavens, reserved
for the believers. Now apart
from the law, a righteousness of
God hath been manifested, being
witnessed by the law. and the
prophets; even the righteous
ness of God through faith in
Jesus Christ unto all them that
believe.”
Confusion of thought about
what Christ does for us begets a
debilitated faith-grasp. Many
look to Christ as a means of
safety, to culture for wisdom, to
exercise for growth, to position
for influence. As well might
Sampson have swung dumb
bells, Joseph studied necroman
cy, Solomon political economy,
David poetic-philosophy and
Isaiah astrology, hoping to at
tain what grace bestowed. Faith
in Christ is the only victorious
faith, not because it is faith, but
because it is in Christ. Shall
any one think, by adding his cor
ruptible things, to enhance the
ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY. APRIL 2, 1896.
value of the precious blood?
Shall any offer the very choicest
product of his conduct, toil or
thought to his Maker in pallia
tion of the least of faults, or as
a price of any of the accessions
of salvation, such as wisdom,
knowledge, faith, gifts of heal
ings, working of powers, proph
ecy, discerning of spirits, kinds
of tongues or interpretation of
tongues? A thousand times
more reasonbly might a con
demned villain bri !g from his
cell handfuls of rags as satisfac
tion for his crimes and the price
of his freedom. If there can be
any merit in the unbeliever, it is
in that action of the soul which
turns from the world and chooses
Christ, and this is so drawn over
by the mercies of God and woo
ing of the Holy Spirit that it is
all of grace.
There are multitudes who hope
—and one cannot say, insincerely
—that the wisdom of God will,
in mercy, give large attention to
the odds against them, the mo
mentum of sixty centuries of sin,
and 'that His great father-heart
will in some way rescue them,—
helpless, incompetent, incapable.
They hope, and who shall say
insincerely, to reach the heaven
ly harbor on the old ship De
pravity; but that ship is going
the way they are not looking.
There is no promise to human
meaness and no merit in it;
there is no more miserable sub
terfuge behind which men could
possibly crouch for safety. Can
God forgive a sinner because he
is weak? Look at that lecher
ous wretch whose depravity
makes him a terror to any quiet
neighborhood! Steeped in vice,
may he offer as recommendations
to your clemency his stock of
brutal instincts, deprived ap
petites, lowering looks, confirm
ed habits, wasted abilities?
While you may pity, can you tol
erate? You might pardon, but
could you adopt? Every sense
of justice is so outraged that his
mortal calamity excites no re
gret. There is no hint that God
will look at the pleas of weak
ness, or that He is Father of any
who present them. Too many
cry up ritual, ordinance, theory,
influence, polity, organization,
society, method, reformation,
which often is deformation, as if
«to margin up the v. “T o f the
blood. These thirs r -‘“ dumb
shows, meaningless %ugglery,
deceptive snares and delusions
unless He breathe into and
through them. His merit is our
hope, His blood our plea. He is
our Intercessor and His Spirit
our consolation in sorrow. He
is not only Author of the plan
and specifications, but the Con
tractor and Builder also of our
salvation —this Carpenter.
Do you know that one’s con
viction about the atonement has
a reflex influence on his charac
ter and conduct? There is a
strange affinity between truth
and power. God is pledged to
its permanency. He has said in
physics that water will expand
under the influence of heat, and
to verify this He would rend a
mountain chain with a single
water drop. He is certainly as
careful of spiritual verity. Be
lief of the truth, and not error,
concerning the mission and mer
it of Christ stimulates a whole
some passion, and consequent
efficiency, and an undying devel
opment, for God is in it. I seri
ously doubt if one ought to
preach before “what Christ has
done for us” assumes a definite
shape in his mind, cast in the
language of the unalterable
Book and fruitful in the grace of
humanity. He cannot study,
much less expound, the way of
salvation with his mind in a
state of confusion. Christ is our
All and Only.
For the Index.
Echoes from the Border Land.
BY W. S. WALKER.
Those who watch during the
last illness of -a Christian are
usually repaid in a rich measure
by hearing or seeing something
that makes a lasting impress up
on the mind and life. To wit
ness suffering is not pleasant.
So often we go there entirely
from a sense of duty, and many
are never found at the bedside of
death except when they can
hardly avoid it. Yet who can
ever forget the sunset glow of a
long and useful Christian life?
Physical weakness gives way to
that spiritual strengthening
which comes with the conscious
ness that life has been spent to
the glory of God and the best in
terests of mankind, and that the
risen Savior is near, verifying
His last promise, “I am with
you always, even unto the end of
the world.”
There is an assurance, almost
if not altogether universal, that
one in full view of death is most
apt to express the true senti
ments of the mind, and in the
case of the decided Christian
this utterance never fails to be a
testimony for Christ, and of the
reality of his sustaining pres
ence. And how sustaining is the
thought! How sweet then are
the promises! How precious is
faith! Pain is forgotten in tri
umph; leaving some behind is
not so trying in view of soon
meeting those who have gone
before. The rays from life’s
eternal day dispel the chill and
gloom of earth’s last long night,
while the look of fatigue, help
lessness and suffering gradually
gives way to that of rest. All
that is promised the Christian in
the Bible appears to be fulfilled
in death. Heaven seems real
and close at hand. The Savior
is present, to be seen or else to
be consciously felt as near and
as sustaining with his everlast
ing arms. The Book of God is
understood more clearly in
heaven’s approaching light, and
all the good done in the Mas
ter’s name seems to be near its
complete reward. The last mo
ments of the Christian are fre
quently the occasion of a victory
for Christ over some heart hith
erto unmoved. Who can tell
how much of Saul’s future use
fulness, humility and cor.secra
tion were due to his last look at
Stephen and to his last prayer.
The extracted promise, “meet
me in heaven" has been to many
a wayward child God’s hook of
steel to bring home a wanderer.
Funeral occasions are to so
many the only times -when they
hear a sermon or prayer, and
fortunately nearly everybody
goes. Let us do faithful work
then, not wasting a golden op
portunity in unnecessary eulogy,
but in earnest appeal to the liv
ing, while all hearts are tender
and solemnized in the presence
of the last enemy who is sure to
tread the hall of every home,
and hold us in the firm grip of
his icy hand.
The family room at the old
homestead has witnessed three
scenes like the one described
above. In this room a Christian
mother passed away, the mem
ory of which event has not been
in the least effaced by the
varied experiences of the inter
vening quarter of a century.
Three years ago, in this room, a
Christian father closed a long
and eventful life of “three score
years and ten,” lacking one; and
last week, wife’s mother, in her
eightieth year, passed sweetly
ay in Hie same halkiwqd spot.
The testimony of each was the
same. The Savior was near to
each, and so was heaven with
all its promised realties. The
Christian’s faith was said by
each to be securely placed, near
ly the same farewells were
spoken, and practically the same
hope expressed. Mrs. Mary N.
Mateer, the last named, deserves
more than a passing notice. She
was the mother of four mission
aries to China, all of whom are
now living, three of them doing
important work in that country
now. The desire for the evan
gelization of the heathen was
with her a consuming passion.
Her wonderful faith actuated
her long life and in death was
unabated. Her waking moments
were spent in rehearsing
His mercies and in praising Him
for His goodness. In the midst
of Spring’s increasing loveli
ness, the spirit of this aged
saint took its flight, breathing
a prayer for those about her, and
sending messages of love to the
larger circle of loved ones in the
far North, where most of her
life had been spent. “The path
of the just is as the shining light
(light of dawn) which shineth
more and more unto the perfect
day.”
The Baptist Courier: Nearly
every week some of our ex
changes have something to say
about the proposed pastor-at
large and permanent council of
New York city. Some who dis
cuss the matter are heartily op
posed to this “new thing under
the sun ” among Baptists. Oth
ers think it is only a slight
change in the way of improve
ment on the transient and tem
porary councils so frequently
called by courtesy to settle dif
ficulties, ordain ministers or de
pose the same. One writer says :
“ There was only one church,
meeting in divers places, in Jeru
salem, Antioch, Corinth, Rome.
Our polity w’ould be more Script
ural, and therefore more effect
ive, if by some means there were
only one church each in Boston,
New York, Philadelphia, Chi
cago, with as many congrega
tions in each as may be necessa
ry.” No doubt it will be some
time before Baptists will be per
suaded by this sort of argument.
It is not enough to make bold
statements about the Scriptures
and what they teach. It must
be shown that they do
actually, clearly teach thus
and so. Until Baptist polity
becomes a pronounced failure, a
dismal, unworkable theory, we
ought to proceed cautiously in
modifying it in what seem-to be
vital points.
IN THE DARK.
(LUCY LA ROOM.)
O Thou who art my only light.
The do I follow through the night;
Though home nnd hope are out of light,
Firm truit In thee my spirit hath;
Thou knowest my path.
Although 1 cannot see thy face,
1 feel the warmth of thy embrace
Enfold ire in the dangerous place
Where sin lies waiting to betray;
Thou knowest my way.
n Thou who seest me through and through
The thoughts I think, the deeds 1 do—
Thou knowest I would to thee be true!
O draw me closer to thy side,
My Lord, my guide.
Thou knewest me, lovedst me In the past.
Even when the tempter held me fast;
Thy wanderer has come home at last,
Never again from thee to stray—
it,.. From thee, my way.
I know not what may yet unfold
Beyond the morning’s gates of gold.
This Is my heaven, thv hand to hold.
Thy steps to follow through the night—
My life, my light.
—Selected.
In the Upper Room.
Among the discourses of Je
sus, the one in the Upper Room
stands alone, and a certain cir
cumstance doubles its interest.
It is a conversation, and the con
versations of Jesus have a pecu
liar attraction. There are two
people—Jesus and another—and
the other is my representative.
He has his difficulty, Jesus re
moves it; he falls into some mis
take, Jesus corrects it; he asks
his question, Jesus answers it.
It is my case he states. When
he is satisfied, so am I. lam in
turn Nicodemus and Nathanael.
I am the woman of Samaria and
the youngi ruler. Without these
people, their stupidity, their
earnestness, their agony, their
relief, the Gospels had been
poorer. They gave play to the
patience and wisdom of Jesus;
they called forth his grace and
compassion. Jesus’ chief con
versation took place when he sat
down with the apostles at the
Last Supper. There were twelve
guests, and six spoke by word or
deed. As each comes forward,
one can identify the type and
recognize himself. When all
have uttered themselves, the
Church of Christ is revealed in
miniature, as it has stood before
the world for eighteen centuries.
It comes as a surprise that one
class of religious people is unrep
resented; no disciple is perfect.
With a single exception they
were honest men. who believed
in Jesus, who had followed him
loyally, who loved the kingdom
of God and had given their lives
to its service. But their minds
were darkened by ignorance,
their hearts were beset by sin,
their lives were too sadly domi
nated by self, their wills were
still infirm. They had not fin
ished their battle; they had not
won their race. They were just
beginning to fight—just stripping
themselves for the course. No
man had come to his full height,
not even John. Taking them all
in all —these pioneers of Chris
tendom —they were not conspic
uously wiser, truer, bolder, nor,
even including Judas,more w’orld
ly, false, cowardly than twelve
Christians of to-day. They had
still to be made, and one of them
would break finally,as it appears,
in the firing. They sat with Je
sus in the Upper Room, fairly
well satisfied with themselves,
but they would have to pass
through much discipline before
they sat down at the marriage
supper of the Lamb. One of
them was to fall before he could
learn to stand; one would be
quickly put to the sword —not
the least fortunate; one would be
left alone in his old age—most
tried, most purified, most-loved
of all; some would wander far
and wide beyond our ken. Je
sus would keep every true man
and give him the victory. They
wanted thrones, and Jesus gave
them the cross; but they got
their thrones in the end, that
handful of Jewish peasants, and
are judging* the twelve tribes of
Israel to day. Jesus was not
amazed that they were imperfect;
Jesus was not impatient with
their faults. If perfection be the
condition of discipleship in the
Christian society, then honest
men will be obliged to go out,
beginning at the best down to the
worst. Jesus will be left alone
with the Pharisees.
******
After Judas went out Peter
took occasion to declare that he
would die for Jesus, and after
wards he denied Jesus; but we
must never confound the cow
ardice of Peter with the treach
ery of Judas. This apostle was
a bundle of logical and moral in
consistencies. He confessed Je
sus to be the Son of God, and yet
would give him advice. He
would strike a hasty blow for Je
sus, and yet could not watch with
him one hour. He would go to
meet him on the water, and yet
was afraid he should be drowned.
He saw Christ’s holiness so clear
ly one day that he was confound
ed, but at another time he tempt
ed his Lord like Satan himself.
He was the bravest man of the
twelve in the Upper Room; in
the High Priest’s palace he swore
Jesus was a stranger. If one
were to go by the bare evidence
VOL. 76--NO. 11
of facts.it would be impossible to
prove Peter an honest man; if
one estimates the trend of char
acter Peter cannot be cast out.
Send him after Judas, if you
please, you have not got rid of
Peter; he only remains outside
the door weeping bitterly. He
stands for that enormous class
who are a patent perplexity in
the eyes of the church, the world,
and themselves. The smoke is
driven to and fro by sudden
gusts of wind, and yet, in spite
of all, it is still ascending. The
life is blazing with contradic
tions, but the heart follows
Christ.
Thomas speaks next, who was
a complete contrast to Peter,
both in his strength and weak
ness. This was no creature of
impulses and emotions —first to
confess, to promise, to strike, to
flee; but a strong, silent, re
served, gloomy nature. Very
slowly would this man make up
his mind, and very severely
w*ould he try all the evidence,
but where he took his stand, he
would stand, and there also he
would die. He has vindicated
the right of scepticism within
the church; for he was by virtue
of his questioning nature, a scep
tic, and by virtue of his loyalty,
a Christian. The characteristic
of Thomas is not that he doubted
—that were an easy passport to
religion—but that he doubted
and loved. His doubt was the
measure of his love; his doubt
was swallowed up in love. This
is the reason John understood
Thomas, because they "were both
great lovers of Jesus. He de
clared his belief that if Jesus
went to Bethany he would be
killed, but in the same breath
Thomas declared his intention of
going to die with him. He was
certain that Jesus had not risen
from the dead, but was plainly
broken-hearted on that account.
Confessions he cculd not make.
Neither was he capable of de
nials. He was not good at be
lieving; his strength lay in lov
ing. His views were dim and de
fective, but he clung with the af
fection of a dumb animal to Jesus.
‘Whither I go ye know,’ said Je
sus,’ and the way ye know.’
Thomas protested at once against
such reckless drafts upon his
faith. ‘We know nothing, Lord,
but thyself;’ which may be
enough in the end, for Jesus
said, Thou knowest all, then. I
am the w T ay, the truth and the
life.’
*****
The Upper Room has grown
into a universal church w’ith all
kinds and conditions of men, but
the Host remains unchanged and
is forever thought of as giving
his broken body and shed blood.
Theology has many departments,
but the most fruitful and effec
tual is that which expounds the
death of Jesus. Religious art
has done her best by the Annun
ciation, the Nativity, the Ascen
sion, the Judgment, but has
reached her height in a crucifix
ion. If Christians ask to be de
livered from their sins it is by
the cross and passion of Jesus,
and if they declare their faith it
is in him who was crucified and
who overcame the sharpness of
death. Christian hymnology has
found her deepest inspiration at
the cross and Christian worship
comes to a height in the celebra
tion of Jesus’ death. The church
of Christ has made her home be
neath the shadow of the cross.
Had one questioned the little
band that evening how Jesus’
death would be of any good unto
them or the world, then it is
likely that St. John himself had
been silent. Much has been
written since by devout scholars,
and some of their words have
helped and some have hindered,
and the reason of the great mys
tery of sacrifice has not yet been
declared. After all has been
said the weary heart turns from
learned books to the Upper
Room, where, as he once gave
the signs, so now forever Jesus
giveth himself to all that will
take him and his cross; and this
thing alone is certain, that every
one who taketh him with an hon
est heart is made clean and
strong. There is one modern
crucifixion w’hich is perfectly
satisfying because it leaves ev
erything beyond Jesus and the
soul to the imagination. It is a
space of black darkness, with
some dim strokes of light, and as
you try to pierce the gloom they
suggest the form of a crucified
man. The face is faintly visible
and a ray from the forehead
striking down-wards reveals a
kneeling figure at the foot of the
cross. Within the secret place
of this mystery the human soul
and Jesus meet and become one.
lan Maclaren.
Sins are apt to be multitude: as
one sin in the heart begets other
sins in both heart and life. Those
who do evil are apt to be a mul
titude ; as evil in one person leads
others to indulge and follow it.