him"; and He carrying it on Yet "as they they laid hold

From the common hall of the governor's house they "led him away to crucify "went forth bearing his cross his shoulder according to custom. led [or were leading] him away, upon one Simon, a Cyrenian ", and "compelled " him to carry it.

Arrived at the place selected, the cross, consisting of a post with a small beam fastened across it,is laid in a convenient position on the ground; four of the soldiers strip Jesus, and stretch him out, and hold him down upon the post or "tree" part of the cross; his arms are extended, and large nails are driven through his hands into the cross piece, and through his feet into the tree; the structure is reared on end, and its foot placed in a hole dug for the purpose; the earth is filled in and tightened around it; and the crucified is guarded by the band till life is extinct. Two thieves are crucified with him. Jesus prays for his crucifiers, "Father forgive them; for they know not what they do ".

It is a public execution, and is witnessed by persons from all parts of the country, who are in Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover. Mary, the soul-stricken * mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene also, and two other women, with John, the beloved disciple, are allowed to be within the ring of soldiers, near the cross; his enemies, the rulers, the elders, the chief priests, and scribes, stand next outside the soldiery, or mingled with them; the great mass of the people next; and among them his friends and adherents in general; these last, especially the women, are overwhelmed with grief, weeping and bewailing his unexpected and sorrowful fate; while the rulers, the elders, &c.,

* See Luke ii. 35.

echoed by some of the people, taunt and insult him in the midst of his agonies. "Save thyself," say they. "If thou art the Son of God, come down from the cross." "Let Christ, the king of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe." "Let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him." Then, with a practical sneer, and a triumphant toss of the head, "He saved others; himself he can not save". In the midst of all this, Jesus calmly and affectionately commends his mother to the care of John.

He was placed upon the cross perhaps between 9 and 10 A. M.,- our time, on Friday of the week. He released his spirit at a little past 3 P. M.

*

During the last three hours of His sufferings, an unusual obscuration of the sun's light occurred all over that region; and a little before his spirit's departure, he gave utterance, in a loud voice, to the commencing words of the 22d Psalm in the original Hebrew. The ground in the vicinity shakes, as if in sympathy with the sufferer; the veil of the temple is rent in two by an invisible force; and other phenomena evince the propriety of the exclamations subsequently uttered by the Centurion and some of his soldiers, "Certainly this was a righteous man 66 Truly this was the

Son of God."

Just before his exit, he makes mention of being thirsty. Instead of giving him water, a sponge is dipped in vinegar, and reached up to his mouth on the end of a stick. This being done, he cries out once more with a loud voice, exclaiming, "It is

* Matthew tells us that our Lord "released his spirit." The expression of John is that he "surrendered his spirit.' Luke informs us that Jesus said, "Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit;" and that having said thus, "he expired". Mark says simply that "he expired."

finished;" then calmly ejaculating, "Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit," he bows his head, and expires. The Centurion utters his convictions as stated; and the people generally, struck with a sudden and painful convincement, smite their breasts and depart from the scene.

The Sabbath, which commenced at sunset, is now near at hand, and the Jews have requested of Pilate, that the deaths of the malefactors may be hastened, so that their bodies can be taken from the crosses before the arrival of the Sabbath hour. Accordingly, with suitable implements, wielded by strong arms, swift and heavy blows are applied to the legs of the two thieves, breaking and crushing the bones, and of course bruising and mashing the flesh, thus causing an amount of pain almost certain after five or six hours of crucifixional suffering, to produce death in a very short time.

*

Jesus being already dead, the breaking of his legs is omitted. One of the soldiers, however, stabs the yet warm corpse in its side with a spear, and blood and water issue therefrom, thus rendering it perfectly demonstrable; without actual inspection, taking position into the account, that the region of the heart was penetrated by the speara wound which undeniably would have produced death if he had not been dead before.

Joseph, a rich citizen, now goes to the governor, and asks the body of Jesus for interment. Pilate wonders if he is so soon dead; but learning from the Centurion that He has been dead some little time, he grants the request.

The body is taken from the cross, hastily prepared for burial, and placed within a new sepulchre

* John relates this, and affirms it as a thing which he positively saw and knew; and he appears also to have been aware of the value of the fact. John xix. 34, 35.

or tomb, near by, hewn out in the side of a ledge of rocks, in a garden belonging to Joseph. Joseph is assisted by Nicodemus. A large stone, forming the door, is rolled to its place; and his friends depart — all that they have hitherto hoped from him being, as it were, buried with him. Several of the female disciples witness his entombment.

Subsequently, and without the knowledge of His friends, excepting perhaps Joseph," the chief priests and Pharisees," with consent of the governor, cause a seal to be placed upon the doorway and stone in such a manner that the stone can not be removed without detection; and a guard, of disciplined soldiers, is set to watch the tomb till after the third day. His enemies rememberwhat his friends seem to have forgotten - that Jesus predicted he would rise on the third day; so they take these timely precautions "lest", say they, "his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say to the people, " He is risen from the dead."

The Sabbath eve and the Sabbath night, succeeded by the Sabbath morn and the Sabbath day, have now entirely passed. The hopes of the disciples in regard to their late Master, are crushed, scattered, destroyed. He is dead, entombed, gone. That he is about to appear in life again, revealing an other mode of being, enters not into their thoughts.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

OUR SAVIOUR'S RESURRECTION AND HIS APPEARINGS TO HIS DISCIPLES.

THE morn of Sunday is approaching. A considerable number of the female disciples, living or lodging at various places in the city and its suburbs, have agreed to meet at the tomb of Christ early in the morning, and bestow upon his body the customary anointings, which want of time. before the Sabbath had prevented being done on Friday.

The morn is nigh. The women are waiting the dawn to start on their appointed visit to the tomb. They seem to know nothing of any guard having been set there; but they have some anxiety as to how the ponderous stone door is to be removed.

It is daybreak. An angel descends into the midst of the guard, advances to the entrance of the tomb, rolls back the huge stone from the door, and seats himself upon it. Seen in twilight, his face is like lightning, and his clothing as white as is snow. The ground in the vicinity is shaken; the soldiers quake with fear, and are paralyzed at his presence; the angel soon disappears as if having entered the tomb; the guards hastily disperse.

The corpse is released from its envelopments, and becomes resuscitated, the spirit of Jesus re