The Centurion's Story

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  THECENTURION'SSTORY

  DAVID JAMES BURRELL

  AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY150 NASSAU STREET, NEW YORK

  COPYRIGHT, 1892 and 1911,By AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY

  THE CENTURION'S STORY

  I am an old man now; the burden of fourscore years is resting upon me.But the events of a certain April day in the year 783 A.U.C.--fullhalf a century ago--are as fresh in my memory as if they had happenedyesterday.

  At that time I was stationed with my Hundred on garrison duty at theCastle of Antonia, in Jerusalem. I had been ordered to take charge ofthe execution of a malefactor who had just been sentenced to death.Accordingly, on the morning of the day mentioned, I selected twelveof my men, such as were hardened to bloody deeds, and with them Iproceeded to the Praetorium. All was hurry and excitement there. Asit was the time of the Jewish Passover, the city was thronged withstrangers. A multitude of people had assembled and were clamoring forthe death of this man. On our arrival he was brought forth. He provedto be that Prophet of Nazareth whose oracular wisdom and wonder-workingpower had been everywhere noised abroad. I had heard much about him.

  He claimed to be the Messiah for whose advent the Jews had been lookingfrom time immemorial; and his disciples believed it. They called him bysuch well-known Messianic titles as "Son of Man," "Son of David" and"Son of God." He spoke of himself as "the only-begotten Son of God,"declaring that he had been "in the bosom of the Father before the worldwas," and that he was now manifest in human form to expiate the world'ssin. This was regarded by the religious leaders as rank blasphemy andthey clamored for his death. He was tried before the Roman court, whichrefused to consider the charge, inasmuch as it involved a religiousquestion not lying within its jurisdiction; but the prisoner, beingturned over to the Sanhedrin, was found worthy of death for "makinghimself equal with God."

  I remember him well as he appeared that day. From what I had heard Iwas prepared to see a hard-faced impostor or a fanatic with frenzy inhis eyes. He was a man of middle stature, with a face of strikingbeauty and benignity, eyes of mingled light and warmth, and auburn hairfalling over his shoulders. It was not strange that he looked pale andhaggard; for he had passed through three judicial ordeals since thelast sunset, besides being scourged with the _flagellum horrible_ andexposed to the rude buffeting of the midnight guard. He had beenclothed in the cast-off purple of the Roman procurator and wore aderisive crown of thorns. But, as he issued from the Hall of Judgment,such was his commanding presence that the multitude was hushed andseparated to make way.

  The cross, constructed of transverse beams of sycamore, was brought andlaid upon his shoulders. About his neck was suspended a titulum onwhich was inscribed, _Jesu Nazaret, Rex Judaeorum_. I was told thatthe Jewish leaders had objected to his being called their King; butPilate, by whose orders the titulum was prepared, was for some reasoninsistent and answered them shortly, "What I have written, I havewritten." It was easy to see, however, that they bitterly resented it.

  At the accustomed signal my quaternions fell into the line and theprocession moved on. I rode before, clearing the way. The peoplethronged the narrow streets, crying more and more loudly as weproceeded, "_Staurosate! Staurosate!_ Crucify him!"

  The Nazarene, weak from long vigils and suffering, bowed low under hisburden. A woman in the company, by name Veronica, pressed near andwiped the dust and blood from his haggard face. It was reported thatthe napkin when withdrawn bore the impress of his face, marred, butdivinely beautiful. Whether this be true or not I cannot say.

  As the multitude surged onward toward the Jaffa gate, a cobbler namedAhasuerus, as if moved by a malignant spirit, thrust his foot beforethe prisoner, who stumbled thereat and fell. In punishment for thatcruel deed he is said to be still a wanderer upon the earth with norest for his weary feet. This, too, is a mere legend; but certainly Ihave found, even in the grim business of a soldier, that retributionlike a fury pursues all pitiless men.

  We passed through the Jaffa gate and entered upon the steep roadleading to the place of execution. The sun flamed down upon us; we wereenveloped in a cloud of dust. The prisoner at length, overborne by hiscross, fell beneath it. We seized upon an Ethiopian who chanced to bein the throng and placed the burden upon him. Strange to tell, heassumed it without a murmur; insomuch that by many he was suspected ofbeing a secret follower of Jesus.

  As we surged on with din and uproar a group of women standing by thewayside rent the air with shrill lamentations, on hearing which Jesussaid, "Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but for yourselves andyour children; for behold the days come when they shall say to themountains, Fall on us! and to the hills, Cover us!" It was a weirdprophecy, and ere a generation passed it was to the letter fulfilled.There were those in that company who lived to see the Holy Citycompassed about by a forest of hostile spears. Its inhabitants werebrought low by famine and pestilence, insomuch that the eyes of mothersrested hungrily on the white flesh of their own children. On thesurrounding heights crosses were reared, on which hundreds of Jewishcaptives died the shameful death. Despair fell upon all. And in thosedays there were not a few who called to mind the ominous words of theNazarene, "Weep not for me, but for yourselves and for your childrenafter you!"

  The road we journeyed has since been known as Via Dolorosa. It led tothe round knoll called Golgotha, from its resemblance to a skull. As wedrew nigh we perceived two crosses, already reared, on which twothieves of Barabbas' band had been suspended in agony for some hours.Their twisted bodies stood out grimly against the sky. Our prisoner, asan added mark of obloquy, was to be crucified between them.

  Our spears and standards were lowered, and Jesus, being stripped of hisouter garments, was laid prostrate upon his cross. A soldier approachedwith hammer and spikes, at sight of whom the frenzied multitude ceasedtheir revilings for the moment and pressed near. The prisoner preservedhis calm demeanor. A stupefying draught was offered him; but he refusedit, apparently preferring to look death calmly in the face. Hestretched out his hands; the hammer fell.

  At the sight of blood the mob broke forth again, crying, "_Staurosate!_"But not a word escaped the sufferer. As the nails tore through thequivering flesh his eyes closed and his lips moved as if he wereholding communion with some invisible One. Then with a great wrench thecross was lifted into the socket prepared for it.

  At this moment the first word escaped him. With a look of reproach andan appealing glance to heaven, he cried, "Father, forgive them; theyknow not what they do!" It was as if he were covering our heads with ashield of prayer. In this he did but practise his own rule of charityand doctrine of forgiveness, "Love your enemies, bless them that curseyou, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefullyuse you."

  His prayer, however, seemed but to rouse anew the fury of his enemies.They cried out in mockery, "Come down! come down from thy cross. Thouthat boastest of destroying the Temple and rebuilding it in three days,save thyself!" The priests and rabbis, standing by, joined in themockery, saying, "Aha, he saved others, himself he cannot save! Let himcome down if he be the Messiah, the chosen of God!" My soldiersmeanwhile disputed as to the apportionment of his garments; I noted therattling of dice in the brazen helmet wherein they were casting lotsfor his seamless robe.

  The thieves on either hand joined for a time in the mockery; butpresently a change came over the one upon the right, whose name wasDysmas.

  This man, like his fellow, had belonged to a notorious band of robberswho infested the road to Jericho. His life had been passed in bloodywork; but the patient demeanor of Jesus touched his heart and convincedhim that He was indeed the veritable Son of God. The other thief joinedi
n the mockery, but Dysmas remonstrated with him, saying, "Dost thounot even fear God? We indeed are condemned justly, receiving the duereward of our deeds; but this man hath done nothing amiss." Thenpresently, turning his pain-racked eyes toward Jesus, he entreated,"Lord, remember me when thou comest in thy kingdom!" The Nazarenestraightway turned upon him a look of compassionate love, saying,"To-day thou shalt be with me in paradise!"

  An hour later this robber's head sank upon his breast; but in death hisface wore a look of indescribable peace. The time came when the word ofpardon addressed to this man was a message of hope and comfort to othergreat sinners. He who saved Dysmas in the article of death, pluckinghim from the edge of the abyss, was thenceforth believed by Hisfollowers to be able to save even unto the uttermost all who would comeunto Him.

  Not far from the cross stood a company of women wringing their hands