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APRIL, 1946
that "there is really no more reason for regarding this spot as Golgotha than any other hilltop near the city.”5 Someone will ask, “Why has the Lord permitted these most important sites to go without positive identifi cation?” The answer has been well stated in words from the pens of two others. “Probably the places where the Lord was crucified and buried were purposely hidden, and it might be said of Him, as of the great prophet to whom He was likened, ‘No man knoweth His sepulcher unto this day’.”6 “It may be that this is as near as we shall get to certainty, and that assured identity is wisely hidden that our thoughts may not be focused on detail, but on the great cardinal truth that Jesus died for us.”7 1. G. A. Barton, Archaeology and the Bible, Philadelphia, 1937, page 253.^ 2. Sir Charles Wilson, Golgotha and the Holy Sepulchre, page 120. 3. R. A. Macalister, A Century Excavation in the Land of Palestin New York, page 93. 4. Ibid, page 89. 5. Barton, page 254. 6. Ada Habershon, Exploring in Ne Testament Fields, London, page 16. 7. T. W. Fawthrop, The Stones Cr Out, London, 1934, page 226. Gifts fora Boy Like any American child, this Korean boy enjoys gifts— at Easter or any other time. And like all children he probably places more value on his little toy than he does on the more precious things o f life. Parents usually see that their kiddies are given food and shelter, education and religious training. The American Mission to Lepers, through cooperation with 25 mis sion boards, does for many chil dren what their parents can’ t do because the parents are victims o f leprosy. This little fellow, and hundreds o f other boys and girls have been saved a life o f misery—
there is not the slightest basis for this in any of the Gospel narratives. Next, it should be observed that the Scripture describes the crucifixion place on a wayside (Mark 15:29). It was customary in Roman times to execute criminals along the public highway as a deterrent from crime. There could hardly have been such a road over the hill as suggested by Gor don. Finally, there is the evidence that the skull-like appearance of the hill is comparatively modern. It was brought to its present state unofficial ly by quarrying, and the two so-called eye sockets are the remains of cisterns which have been exposed by the quar rying operation.3 But what about the tomb? Built un derneath "Skull Hill” is the so-called “Garden Tomb” which some believer to be the true “Holy Sepulcher.” This tomb was accidentally discovered in 1867, and much interest has been shown in it because it so well paral lels the Scripture narrative. Dr. Mac- alister suggests: “The tomb is only one of a large group forming a ceme tery not older than about the third or fourth century A.D. It was a Christian cemetery as inscriptions found within it prove; and a cross painted on the wall of the tomb, shows that it was the tomb of a Christian of compara tively late date.”* Barton observes
Earth's Treasure Heaps (Continued from Page 170) CALVARY AND THE TOMB
"And when they were come to the place called Calvary, there they cruci fied him” (Luke 83:33). “Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre" (John 19:lfl). It is not possible to state with cer tainty the exact place of Christ’s cru cifixion. Two sites, however, present themselves for serious consideration. Near the center of the city of Jerusa lem is the Church of the Holy Sepul cher. It is the modern representative of a church erected by the Emperor Constantine in 336 A.D., and it is sup posed to mark the site for the cruci fixion, burial, and resurrection of our Lord. The present construction was built by the Crusaders in 1099, and is almost identical with that of Con stantine’s basilica. For this location, it may be said that there has been an unbroken line of tradition in its favor since the fourth century. Cir cumstantial evidence presses the date back farther yet. All the Jews were driven out of Jerusalem shortly after the beginning of the second century. Yet Gentile Christians were free to return, and it seems hardly probable that so sacred a spot as this could be entirely forgotten by them. Eusebius, who lived at the time of Constantine, writes that it was well known that a temple' of Aphrodite had been built over the tomb, with the deliberate in tention of defiling the place. If this was the case, then it was only neces sary for Constantine to tear down the pagan temple and substitute a Chris tian church. Thus, there is indirect evidence that the Church of the Holy Sepulcher marks the site of the cruci fixion. However, archaeology offers no Conclusive proof, and we must say in the words of Sir Charles Wilson, “There is no decisive reason, histori cal, traditional, or topographical for placing Golgotha and the tomb where they are now shown. At the same time there is no direct evidence that they were not so situated.”2 The second site, now known as “Gordon’s Calvary,” is to the north of Jerusalem, outside the Damascus gate. This rugged hill was first sug gested as “ the Place of the Skull” in 1849 by Otto Thenius. One is attracted to this high cliff largely because of the natural features in its rocky side resembling the eye sockets, nose and mouth of a human skull. In consider ing the possibility of identifying this so-called “Skull Hill” with Golgotha, several things should be noted. First, though most of us have been accus tomed to speak of "Mount Calvary,”
o f pain and shame, o f hunger and humiliation. Their parents, too, are being cared for— given home life and medical care and, best o f all, are being led into the eternal truths o f the Christian message, into fellowship with the Christ. At this Easter season, you can help these sufferers find a new ness o f life, by filling out the coupon below. AMERICAN M ISSION TO LEPERS, INCORPORATED File 5-A, 156 Fifth Avenue, New York 10, N. Y. Gentlem en: I am happy to m ake an offering to aid people w ith leprosy. Enclosed find $ ................. Name ................................................................................... A d d re ss ............. “ A C hristian W orld M in istry w ith the M ission to L ep ers , L on d on , ¡ftince 18IV 9
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