It is worthy of note that both Tertullian, at the
beginning of the 3rd century, and Lucian, the
martyr of Nicomedia, who died in 312, appealed to
the national archives as testimony to the fact of the
supernatural darkness at the death of Christ. " Ex-
amine your own Annals," exclaimed Tertullian to



Cbe dFaurtb WSSiorXs. 47

the Romans, ** and there you will find that in the days
of Pilate, when Christ died, the sun disappeared in
full day, and the mid-day light was interrupted."
Three hours did the darkness last. Three hours
did the awe-struck beholders stand frozen with fear.
Then it passed away. At three in the afternoon
the natural light of day was restored. " And about
the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice,
saying, Eli, Eli, lama Sabacthani ? that is to say,
My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me ? "
It would seem that, for the three hours during
which the sun was darkened, no word was spoken by
our blessed Lord. He suffered in silence. So
also, we cannot doubt, the blasphemies of the Jews
were stayed. Then, about the ninth hour, when
the darkness ceased, Jesus utters these words,
which were spoken in prophecy of Himself, being
witness in the very last moment of His life on earth
to the authority of the Old Testament, and "to
the end " honouring the Fathen Now also do the
words of David find their full significance : " I will
keep my mouth as it were with a bridle, while the



48 Clbe iti^eti Eaiert SKSorlrtf.
