IN ONE OF OUR CELEBRATED GREEK TRAGEDIES, ORESTES, WHO HAD SLAIN HIS MOTHER AS A JUDICIOUS ACT BECAUSE, IN CONJUNCTION WITH HER PARAMOUR, SHE HAD MURDERED HIS FATHER, AGAMEMNON,
1. ON HIS RETURN FROM TROY, IS REPRESENTED AS PURSUED BY THE FURIES.
M. IN HIS DISTRESS, APOLLO ADVISES HIM TO GO TO ATHENS, AND PLEAD HIS CAUSE BEFORE THE COURT OF AREOPAGUS––THE SAME COURT BEFORE WHICH PAUL STOOD. (ACTS 17.)
N. THE DEFENDANT IS TRIED, THE JUDGES DROP THE STONES, SOME BLACK, SOME WHITE, INTO THE URN;
O. BUT THE GODDESS PALLAS, WHO IS THE ARBITRESS OF THE TRIAL, DROPS IN A WHITE STONE:
P. THE PEBBLES BEING COUNTED ARE FOUND EQUAL, AND PALLAS DECLARES THAT THE CRIMINAL IS ACQUITTED.
Q. I HAVE MERELY NAMED THIS AS AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE MEANING OF THE PROMISE, "I WILL GIVE HIM A WHITE STONE;" AS MEANING: I WILL SEAL HIS ACQUITTAL. WE ARE ALMOST LIKE ORESTES PURSUED BY THE FURIES OF HELL, AND TRIED LIKE A CRIMINAL FOR HIS LIFE.
S. EVERY SIN WE EVER COMMITTED DROPPED, AS IT WERE, A BLACK STONE INTO THE URN AGAINST US, BUT THE BLESSED LORD, FROM WHOSE DECISION THERE IS NO APPEAL, DROPS A WHITE STONE INTO THE JUDICIAL URN, AND THAT ONE STONE OUTWEIGHS ALL THE BLACK ONES.
T. IN ESSENCE OUR LORD SAYS, "O GUILTY MAN, I ACQUIT THEE; I PRONOUNCE THEE ABSOLVED FROM ALL THY SINS AND OFFENCES. HERE IS THE WHITE STONE; HOLD IT UP BEFORE THINE ACCUSERS, AND KEEP IT TO THE JUDGMENT DAY, THAT WHEN THE BOOKS ARE OPENED THOU MAYEST PRODUCE THE WHITE STONE, AND SAY, THERE IS MY ACQUITTAL FROM THE LORD HIMSELF."