When the rabble continued clamoring for the death of Jesus, Pilate washed his hands before the accusers, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this just person; his blood is on you." Then he turned him over to the Roman guard to be crucified. THE CRUCIFIXION When the soldiers arrived at Calvary with Jesus, thousands had gathered on the hill, hoping, still, to witness some further miracle. Following Jesus, on the way, were his friends, weeping bitterly, which wailing was taken up by the throng on the hill. Near the brow, his strength failed and he fell on his hands and knees, when one of the executioners struck him a heavy blow, but he could not rise until the cross was removed. When able to stand, he turned to the crowd and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children." Then he sank to the ground and was seized by the executioners, carried and thrown heavily upon the cross, and held while his garments were removed and his hands and feet nailed. Martha groaned and cried, "Oh, the cruel Romans," to which Magdalene voiced in, "Why blame the Romans? These are Pilate's executioners doing their duty; they must be wicked or they would faint. Why blame the brigands who haled him to Pilate; their hearts are hardened, their conscience is seared. These fiends are but the tools in the hands of Caiaphas. The doom of the assassin awaits them, the doom of a coward awaits Pilate, but the doom of a murderer awaits the High Priest of Jerusalem. I go, call me not," as with a startled look, the insane creature smiled and ran away. Kneeling beside the rippling stream she closed her eyes in silent prayer, and then as though awakening from a dream she continued, "But why this darkness in my soul, it cannot be he dies, it cannot be that he comes no more." Then shuddering cold she murmurs, "True, true, he dies and death ends all,--yes, all." Wildly springing across the stream she turns quickly, again gazes on Calvary and smiles a demon's smile, murmuring, "Yes, Jesus is dead, I am dead. Death ends all." As darkness spreads its mantle over the face of nature, a deep gloom invaded the hearts of the people in and around the once beautiful City of Zion. Those who had been instrumental in sending Jesus to the cross, feared that the end had not yet come, while those who had listened to his teachings feared that the end had come. His disciples and immediate friends had no leader, they were entirely at sea and everything indicated that all was a failure and that they must disband and return home. The next day, the Sabbath, was quietly spent by the Galileans, discussing how they might take the body of Jesus to Nazareth. Magdalene all the while contended against every proposition introduced, she did not want to have the body removed, she did not want to go home, neither did she eat or drink, was on her feet all day, often visiting the tomb and kneeling before it. ALONE ON OLIVET