ks and Romans believed Hercules,
Castor and other heroes to be sons of their deities. This may be near
the truth; but his soul was moved, his mind was opened; and, once in
the way, he could easily proceed further in the knowledge of Christ.
Tradition says that his name was Longinus, and that he became bishop of
Cappadocia and ultimately died a martyr.

Have we not here the rending of a third veil? There is a veil on the
face of God which requires to be removed; and there is a veil on the
face of eternity which requires to be removed; but the most fatal veil
is that which is on the heart of the individual and prevents him from
seeing the glory of Christ. It was on the faces of nearly all the
multitude that day assembled round the cross. It was on the faces of
the poor soldiers gambling within a few feet of the dying Saviour; in
their case it was a veil of insensibility. It was on the faces of the
ecclesiastics and the mob of Jerusalem; and in their case it was a
thick veil of prejudice. The greatest sight ever witnessed on earth
was there beside them; but they were stoneblind to it.

The glory of Christ is still the greatest sight which anyone can see
between the cradle and the grave. And it is now as near everyone of us
as it was to the crowd on Calvary. Some see it; for the veil upon
their faces is rent; and they are transfixed and transformed by the
sight. But others are blinded. How near one may be to Jesus, how much
mixed up with His cause, how well informed about His life and doctrine,
and yet never see His glory or know Him as a personal Saviour! It is
said that people may spend a lifetime in the midst of perfect scenery
and yet never awake to its charm; but by comes a painter or poet and
drinks the beauty in, till he is intoxicated with it and puts it into a
glorious picture or a deathless song. So can some remember a time when
Jesus, though in a sense well known, was nothing to them; but at a
certain point a veil seemed to rend and an entire change supervened;
and ever since then the world is full of Him; His name seems written on
the stars and among the flowers; He is their first thought when they
wake and their last before they sleep; He is with them in the house and
by the way; He is their all in all.

This is the most critical rending of the veil; because, when it takes
place, the others follow. When we have our eyes opened to see the
glory of Christ, we soon know the Father also; and the dark