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It is most appropriate
that Good Friday this year, 2009 should be at the time of a full
moon.
Not only because it precedes the celebration of the Easter Sunday
‘Resurrection’ but because it foreshadows the ‘Resurrection’ of ‘Native
Ned’, in 2010, as the ‘aboriginal’ or ‘god-particle’ of our native and
national identity as Australians.
Previously on January 2 2005,
the sesquicentenary of Edward Kelly’s birth was celebrated at,
Beveridge, Victoria, by the local community flying this nation’s iconic
Cross of Australia, on the peak of Mt Fraser, overlooking the place of
his birth and the character forming landscape of his childhood.
On Australia Day 2005,
besides unfurling the Cross in the presence of representatives from
Ballarat, the place where the Cross was first made and unfurled as the
symbol of our national identity, descendants of the Kelly family joined
in an inspection of Ned’s maternal grandparents cottage and the
church/school, where he both worshipped and was instructed.
"The charges brought
against Jesus were primarily of
blasphemy
for claiming to be God, claiming to be the
King of the Jews,
and for allegedly violating various laws under the laws of
Moses,
which governed Jewish life." (Wikipedia)
Yet it cannot be
denied that Ned was as much a prophet as Jesus, even if he did not claim
to be the Son of God, as he was likewise sentenced for blasphemy.
TRANSCRIPT: THE SENTENCING OF EDWARD KELLY at the Supreme Court
Melbourne.
Below is a
transcript of the exchange between Ned Kelly and Justice Redmond Barry
at the final sentencing of Ned Kelly on 30th October 1880.
The
court crier having called upon all to observe a strict silence, while
the Judge pronounced the awful sentence of death:
His Honour said: Edward Kelly, the verdict pronounced by the jury is
one, which you must have fully expected.
The Prisoner: Yes, under the circumstances.
His Honour: No
circumstances that I can conceive could have altered the result
of the trial.
The
Prisoner: Perhaps not from what you now conceive, but if
you had heard me examine
the witnesses it would have
been different.
His
Honour: The facts are so numerous, and so convincing,
not only as regards the original
offence with which you are charged, but with respect
to a long series of
transactions covering a period of eighteen months,
that no rational person
would hesitate to arrive at any other
conclusion but that the verdict of the jury
is irresistible,
and that it is right. I have no desire to inflict on you any
personal
remarks.
It is not
becoming that I should endeavour to aggravate the sufferings with
which your mind
must be sincerely agitated.
The
Prisoner: No: I don't think that. My mind is as
easy as the mind of any man in this
world,
as I
am
prepared to show before God and man.
His
Honour: It is blasphemous for you to say that.
You appear to revel in the idea of having
put men to death.
The
Prisoner: More men than I have put men to death, but
I am the last man in the world
that would take a man's life.
Two years ago - even if my own life was
at stake - and I am confident,
if I
thought a man would
shoot me - I would give him a chance of keeping his
life and would part with my
own; but if I knew that through him innocent
persons' lives were at stake, I certainly
would have to shoot him if he forced
me to do so;
but I would want to know that he was
really going to take my [sic]
[an] innocent life.
His
Honour: Your statement
involves a cruelly wicked charge of perjury against a phalanx of
witnesses.
The
Prisoner: I dare say; but a day will come, at a bigger
Court than this, when we shall
see
which is right and which is wrong.
No matter how long a man lives he
is bound to come to judgement
somewhere, and as well here as
anywhere. It will be different the next time
there is a Kelly trial;
for they are not all killed.
It would have been good for the Crown
had I examined the witnesses and I
would have stopped a lot of the reward, I can assure
you and I don't know, but I
won't do it yet if allowed.
His
Honour: An offence of
this kind is of no ordinary character.
Murders
had been discovered,
which had been committed under
circumstances of great
atrocity.
They
proceeded from motives other than those which actuated you.
They
had their origin in many sources.
Some
have been committed from a sordid desire to take from others the
property they had acquired; some from jealousy,
some from a desire of
revenge,
but yours is a more aggravated
crime, and one of
larger
proportions;
for, with a party of men, you took arms against
society,
organised as it is for mutual protection and for
respect of law.
The
Prisoner: That is
how the evidence came out
here.
It appeared that I deliberately took up arms, of my
own accord and
induced the
other three to join me, for the purpose of doing nothing,
but shooting down the police.
His
Honour:
In new communities,
where the bonds of societies are not so well linked
together as in
older countries, there is unfortunately a class which
disregards
the evil consequences
of crime.
Foolish, inconsiderate, ill-conducted, and
unprincipled youths unfortunately
abound
and
unless they are made to consider the consequences of
crime,
they are led to imitate notorious felons,
[outlaws] whom they regard as self
made heroes.
It is right, therefore, that they should be
asked to consider and
reflect upon what the life of a
felon is. A felon,
who has cut himself off from all
and who declines all the affections, charities
and all the obligations of society,
is as helpless and as degraded as a
wild beast of the field;
he has nowhere to
lay his head;
he has no one to prepare for him the comforts of life;
he suspects his
friends, and he dreads his enemies.
He is in constant alarm, lest his pursuers should
reach him and his only hope
is that he might
lose his life, in what he considers a glorious struggle for
existence. That is
the life of an outlaw or felon and it would be well for those
young men, who are so
foolish as to consider that it is brave of a man, to
sacrifice the lives of his fellow
creatures in carrying out his own wild ideas, to
see that it is a life to be avoided by every
possible means and to reflect that
the unfortunate
termination of the felon's life is a miserable death.
New South Wales joined with Victoria is providing
ample inducement to
persons to assist
in having you and your companions apprehended;
but by
some spell, which I cannot understand -- a
spell which exists in all lawless
communities more or less and
which may be attributed either to a sympathy
for the outlaws, or a dread of the consequences
which would result from the
performance of their duty
-- no persons were found who
would be tempted by
the reward, or love of country, or the love of
order, to give you up.
The love of obedience to the law has been set
aside, for reasons difficult to
explain and there is
something extremely wrong in a country,
where a lawless
band of men are
able to live for eighteen months, disturbing [???] society.
During your short life you have stolen
according to your own statements
over 200 horses.
The Prisoner: Who
proves that?
His
Honour:
More than one witness has testified that you made
that statement on
several occasions.
The Prisoner:
That charge has never been proved against me and it
is held in English law
that a man
is innocent until proven guilty.
His
Honour:
You are self-accused.
The statement was made voluntarily by yourself
that you and your
companions
committed attacks on two banks and appropriated there
from large sums of
money
amounting to several thousands of pounds.
Further, I cannot conceal from myself the fact
that an expenditure of 50,000
pounds has been rendered
necessary in consequence of acts with which you
and your party have been connected.
We have had samples of felons, all of whom have
come to ignominious
deaths.
Still the effect expected from
their punishment has not been
produced.
This is much to be deplored
When such examples as those are so often repeated
society must be
reorganised, or it must
soon be seriously affected
Your unfortunate and miserable companions have died a
death which
probably you might rather envy,
but you are not offered the opportunity.
His Honour
then sentenced the prisoner to death in the usual form, ending with the
words:
May the Lord have mercy on
your soul.
The Prisoner:
“I will go a little
further than that and say:
I will see you there
when I go.”
And when you read the 4
Gospels.....
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Mark 14 |
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55 Now
the chief priests and the whole council
sought testimony against Jesus to put him to death; but they found
none.
56 For many bore false witness against him and
their witness did not agree.
57 And some stood up and bore false witness against him,
saying,
58 "We heard him say, 'I will destroy this temple that is made
with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with
hands.'"
59 Yet not even so did their testimony agree.
60 And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus,
"Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify
against you?"
61 But he was silent and made no answer. Again the high priest
asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?"
62 And Jesus said, "I am; and you will see the Son of man
seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of
heaven."
63 And the high priest tore his garments, and said, "Why do we
still need witnesses?
64 You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?"
And they all condemned him as deserving death.
65 And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to
strike him, saying to him, "Prophesy!" And the guards
received him with blows.
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Matthew 26 |
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59 Now the chief priests and the whole
council sought false testimony
against Jesus that they might put him to death,
60 but they found none, though many false
witnesses came forward. At last two came forward
61 and said, "This fellow said, 'I am able to destroy the
temple of God, and to build it in three days.'"
62 And the high priest stood up and said, "Have you no
answer to make? What is it that these men testify against
you?"
63 But Jesus was silent. And the high priest said to him, "I
adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ,
the Son of God."
64 Jesus said to him, "You have said so. But I tell you,
hereafter you will see the Son of man seated at the right
hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven."
65 Then the high priest tore his robes, and said, "He has
uttered blasphemy. Why do we still need witnesses? You have
now heard his blasphemy.
66 What is your judgment?" They answered, "He deserves
death."
67 Then they spat in his face, and struck him; and some
slapped him,
68 saying, "Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it
that struck you?”
Matthew 27
1When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of
the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death;
2 and they bound him and led him away and delivered him to
Pilate the governor.
11 Now Jesus stood before the governor; and
the governor asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?"
Jesus said, "You have said so."
12 But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders,
he made no answer.
13 Then Pilate said to him, "Do you not hear how many things
they testify against you?"
14 But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge;
so that the governor wondered
greatly.
17 So when they had gathered, Pilate said to
them, "Whom do you want me to release for you, Barab'bas or
Jesus who is called Christ?"
18 For he knew that it was out of envy that they had
delivered him up.
19 Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat,
his wife sent word to him, "Have nothing to do with that
righteous man, for I have suffered much over him
today in a dream."
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Luke 22 |
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52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests
and officers of the temple and elders, who had come
out against him, "Have you come out as against a
robber, with swords and clubs?
53 When I was with you day after day in the temple,
you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour,
and the power of darkness."
.
63 Now the men who were holding Jesus mocked him and
beat him;
64 they also blindfolded him and asked him, "Prophesy!
Who is it that struck you?"
65 And they spoke many other words against him,
reviling him.
66 When day came, the assembly of the elders of the
people gathered together, both chief priests and
scribes; and they led him away to their council, and
they said,
67 "If you are the Christ, tell us." But he said to
them, "If I tell you, you will not believe;
68 and if I ask you, you will not answer.
69 But from now on the Son of man shall be
seated at the right hand of the power of God."
70 And they all said, "Are you the Son of God,
then?" And he said to them, "You say that I am."
71 And they said, "What further testimony do we
need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips."
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Luke 23 |
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1 Then the whole company of them
arose, and brought him before Pilate.
2 And they began to accuse him, saying, "We
found this man perverting our nation, and
forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and
saying that he himself is Christ a king."
3 And Pilate asked him, "Are you the King of the
Jews?" And he answered him, "You have said so."
4 And Pilate said to the chief priests and the
multitudes, "I find no crime in this man."
5 But they were urgent, saying, "He stirs up
the people, teaching throughout all Judea,
from Galilee even to this place."
13 Pilate then called together the chief priests
and the rulers and the people,
14 and said to them, "You brought me this man as
one who was perverting the people; and
after examining him before you, behold, I did
not find this man guilty of any of your charges
against him;
15 neither did Herod, for he sent him back
to us. Behold, nothing
deserving death has been done by him; |
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John
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12 So the band of soldiers and their captain
and the officers of the Jews seized Jesus and bound him.
13 First they led him to Annas; for he was the father-in-law
of Ca'iaphas, who was high priest that year.
14 It was Ca'iaphas who had given counsel to the Jews that
it was expedient that one man should die for the people.
19 The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples
and his teaching.
20 Jesus answered him, "I have spoken openly to the world;
I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where
all Jews come together; I have said nothing secretly.
21 Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me, what I
said to them; they know what I said."
22 When he had said this, one of the officers standing by
struck Jesus with his hand, saying, "Is that how you answer
the high priest?"
23 Jesus answered him, "If I have spoken wrongly, bear
witness to the wrong; but if I have spoken rightly, why do
you strike me?"
24 Annas then sent him bound to Ca'iaphas the high priest.
28 Then they led Jesus from the house of Ca'iaphas to the
praetorium. It was early. They themselves did not enter the
praetorium, so that they might not be defiled, but might eat
the passover.
29 So Pilate went out to them and said, "What accusation do
you bring against this man?"
30 They answered him, "If this man were not an evildoer,
we would not have handed him over."
31 Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and judge
him by your own law." The Jews said to him, "It is
not lawful for us to put any man to death."
32 This was to fulfil the word which Jesus had spoken to
show by what death he was to die.
33 Pilate entered the praetorium again and called Jesus, and
said to him, "Are you the King of the Jews?"
34 Jesus answered, "Do you say this of your own accord,
or did others say it to you about me?"
35 Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the
chief priests have handed you over to me; what have you
done?"
36 Jesus answered, "My kingship is not of this world; if
my kingship were of this world, my servants would fight,
that I might not be handed over to the Jews; but my
kingship is not from the world."
37 Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered,
"You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for
this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the
truth. Every one who is of the truth hears my voice."
38 Pilate said to him, "What is truth?" After he had
said this, he went out to the Jews again, and told them, "I
find no crime in him.
39 But you have a custom that I should release one man
for you at the Passover; will you have me release for
you the King of the Jews?"
40 They cried out again, "Not this man, but Barab'bas!"
Now Barab'bas was a robber.
John 19
1 Then Pilate took Jesus and scourged him.
2 And the soldiers plaited a crown of thorns, and put it on
his head, and arrayed him in a purple robe;
3 they came up to him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" and
struck him with their hands.
4 Pilate went out again, and said to them, "See, I am
bringing him out to you, that you may know that I find no
crime in him."
5 So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the
purple robe. Pilate said to them, "Behold the man!"
6 When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they
cried out, "Crucify him, crucify him!" Pilate said to them,
"Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no crime
in him."
7 The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and by that law
he ought to die, because he has made himself the Son of God."
8 When Pilate heard these words, he was the more afraid;
9 he entered the praetorium again and said to Jesus, "Where
are you from?" But Jesus gave no answer.
10 Pilate therefore said to him, "You will not speak
to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you, and
power to crucify you?"
11 Jesus answered him, "You would have no power over me
unless it had been given you from above; therefore he who
delivered me to you has the greater sin."
12 Upon this Pilate sought to release him, but the
Jews cried out, "If you release this man, you are not
Caesar's friend; everyone who makes himself a king
sets himself against Caesar."
13 When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and
sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The
Pavement, and in Hebrew, Gab'batha.
14 Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was
about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, "Behold your
King!"
15 They cried out, "Away with him, away with him, crucify
him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?"
The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar."
16 Then he handed him over to them to be crucified.
17 So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own
cross, to the place called the place of a skull, which is
called in Hebrew Gol'gotha.
18 There they crucified him, and with him two
others, one on either side and Jesus between them.
19 Pilate also wrote a title and put it on the cross;
it read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews."
20 Many of the Jews read this title, for the place where
Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written
in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek.
21 The chief priests of the Jews then said to Pilate, "Do
not write, 'The King of the Jews,' but, 'This man
said, I am King of the Jews.'"
22 Pilate answered, "What I have
written I have written." |
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