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 dead to  life,  was  rejected  for  a  murderer! Then came the scourging,  a  punishment  considered  by  all  so shameful  that  Rome  guarded  by  law  her  humblest  or wickedest  citizen  from  such  indignity. In Christ's case,  then,  the  tender  body  of  the  noblest  of  noblemen was  subjected  to  chastisement  usually  administered only  to  rustics  and  to  slaves. That His  scourging was  excessive,  too,  is  evident,  for  to  such  pitiable state was  He  reduced  that  Pilate  was  led  to  hope  the sight would  move  the  people  to  repent  and  let  Him go. But his  expectation  was  not  realized,  for  the multitude loudly  demanded  that  the  prisoner  be  further punished  with  crown  and  cross. The crown  of thorns  was  a  species  of  torture  altogether  new,  unheard of  before  or  since,  the  devil's  masterpiece. The cross, too,  was  to  the  ancients  what  the  gallows  is to-day — an  object  of  shame  and  horror. Modern justice is  merciful  enough  to  draw  the  black  cap  over the criminal's  head  and  face  to  hide  from  his  eyes  the scaffold, but  Christ  was  made  to  look  upon  His  cross, to embrace  it  and  to  carry  it. He, so  dignified,  so gentle,  so  modest,  made  to  run  half-naked  through the streets,  to  be  exposed  presently  quite  naked  on the  cross! And through  it  all  He  never  uttered  a complaint. Animals that  cry  out  in  pain  do  not excite such  pity  as  the  horses  and  sheep  that  suffer dumbly, and  loud-mouthed  human  sorrow  meets  with scanty sympathy. This is  the  secret  of  the  Passion's pathos,  that  Christ  opened  not  His  mouth,  or  if  He spake  at  all  it  was  but  to  pray  for  His  tormentors,  to sympathize  with  Mary  and  John,  or  to  beg  for  a  little