Show CARRIED THE SAVIORS SAVIOR'S CROSS Simon of Cyrene Gyrene Pressed Into Service Through Accidental Meeting on That Dread Day There Is la a more or less Jess general belief belief be be- lief that Simon who carried the cross for tor Jesus was a negro While there Is no direct evidence on this point he was probably a white man and a Jew The city of Gyrene Cyrene from which he came was in northern Africa but It was as a Greek city and the Jews were settled there in large numbers Simon was a Jewish name and not likely to have been bo borne ne by a native African an St St. Mark speaks of him a ns as one Simon a the father of Alexander Aexander and Rufus both of whom were yell well known Jews and white The curious thing about Simons Simon's carrying the cross crosson crosson crosson on which Jesus was to be crucified was wall that he had nothing to do with the proceedings before Pontius Pilate aid was forced Into the service e of or carrying the ross cross Matthew after describing the trial and the surrender of ot Jesus to the crowd says And ADd they came out and they found a man of ot Cyrene Gyrene Simon by name him they compelled to bear Ills His cross Mark says And they compelled one Simon a who passed by coming out of the country the father of ot Alexander and Rutus to bear His cross Luke says And as they led Him away TnY they laid laidhold laidhold laidhold hold on one Simon a coming out of the country and on him th they y laid the cross that he might bear It for tor Jesus These accounts Indicate that the crowd met Simon by chance and that he was was pressed Into the service service ice of carrying the cross |