THE THREEFOLD WRITING ON THE CROSS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5518, 3 December 1878, Page 2

THE THREEFOLD WRITING ON THE CROSS.

Last evening the fifth and last lecture of the course, in connection with the Young Men’s Christian Association, was delivered in the Athenaeum Hall by the Rev, J. W. Habens, Inspector-General of Schools. Professor Kirk occupied the chair, and there was a large attendance. In introducing the lecturer of. the evening Professor Kirk referred regretfully to the causes which had prevented. Sir John Richardson carrying out his promise to contribute a lecture, and spoke thankfully of the kind manner in which the Rev. Mr. Habens had come to the aid of the association. The Rev. Mr. Habens was loudly applauded on coming forward. He expressed regret that Sir John Richardson's health continued to be in so unsatisfactory a condition ; and in some apologetic .remark* said although he might, had time served, have preferred selecting a subject of more present interest, still he could not forget that that which he had chosen was at any rate of permanent interest, for the Cross itself was the central figure and fact in human history. After a reference to the criticisms which sometimes were levelled against the record of the inscription and a reply to them, he dealt with the manifest objects in the minds of those who set up the inscription—their desire to brand Him with a crime in order to justify the crucifixion, and to write the inscription in three tongues so that every man in the motley crowd which at this time thronged Jerusalem might be able to read it. Inquiring into the significance of the use of the three tongues, Hebrew, Greek, and Roman, he suggested that they served to mark successive stages in the history of the chosen people—successive epochs of subjection, while they endured the national penalty of sins against their election. Dealing first with the Hebrew inscription, he pointed out that the Hebrew here used was not the Hebrew tongue proper, not the Old Testament Hebrew, not the language of the Mishna, but a patois , a corruption of the Syro-Arabian family, brought by the Jews out of the Babylonish captivity and spoken by them as a relic of captivity, and was therefore a memorial of what they had suffered. As to the Greek inscription, the claims of this tongue arose out of the influence of Alexander the Great on Jewish politics, philosophy, and literature. He traced the history of the wars of Alexander till he acquired dominion over the Jews ; thence down to the division of the empire between Alexander’s generals, and the government of Judea by procurators; and pointed out that though the mild policy of Alexander might have been beneficial to the Jews, nevertheless it was another stage of their subjection, and the hold the Greek tongue thus acquired was a badge of bondage. So the Latin inscription was a memorial of the Roman yoke, under which the Jews were enthralled at the time of the coming of the Messiah. Secondly, he thought the inscriptions directed attention to the condition of the world at that epoch, marking the one religion, the Hebrew, that was sincerely held, and that contained in itself internal powers of survival; the one language of culture and commerce, and the general medium of universal communication ; the one power supreme in government availing to weld the known world into one vast polity, with parts interdependent, and at peace. This point was elaborated at considerable length. The writings on the Cross also suggested the sources of many of the corruptions of Christianity as well as of the open assaults made upon it. The Jews required a sign, and all externality, dependence on form, and all exaggerated doctrines of the priesthood nowadays, aro*e from the same action as that which caused the Jews to desire a sign. The Greeks sought after wisdom, and their system was now perpetuated by views of creation and divine existence borrowed from philosophy, analogies fancifully pressed, symmetrizing carried too far, contentious logic, the opposition of science falsely so called, the conception of law without recognising that law implied the existence of a lawgiver. Speaking for himself, he said Rome was recognisable at once as the symbol of force and rale. The alliance o! Church and State was little honorable to either at first, and experience had completely . shown that where the secular power had been employed to enforce the will of ecclesiastlcism a wrong had been done to individual consciences, and even to the Cross itself, and that whatever force was brought to bear compulsion to artificial uniformity was quite futile. The three languages also represented the chief spheres in which Christ's power is felt (1) ia religion, (2) in culture and civilisation, and (3) in government. Should they not also see in the threefold inscription a foreshadowing of the worldwide efficacy of that grace which was displayed on the Cross in the salvation of all classes as typified by the tongues of humbled Chaldea, classic Greece, and Imperial Rome 1 Though the inscription was written in scorn and derision, yet all who had studied the Scriptures must hope for and ever look forward to its literal fulfilment. Meanwhile, of the true Israel He was Head, and all the circumcised in heart were his, waiting for his great Epiphany, when not in scorn as crucified, but visibly regnant, he shall be hailed Kiug of the Jews indeed, and more, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The lecturer was listended to with marked attention all through, and heartily applauded at the close. The usual thanks was accorded by acclamation, and only acknowledged. The Chairman intimated that it was probable, though the series of lectures originally arranged had been closed, that one or two more would bo announced if possible. The proceedings closed with singing and prayer.