For (the practice) comes from the death of the Lord; which death
albeit it behoves to be commemorated always, without difference of hours
yet are we at that time more impressively commended to its commemoration,
according to the actual (meaning of the) name of Station. For even soldiers,
though never unmindful of their military oath, yet pay a greater deference to
Stations. And so the "pressure" must be maintained up to that hour in which
the orb-involved from the sixth hour in a general darkness-performed for its
dead Lord a sorrowful act of duty; so that we too may then return to
enjoyment when the universe regained its sunshine. If this savours more of
the spirit of Christian religion, while it celebrates more the glory of Christ, I
am equally able, from the self-same order of events, to fix the condition of
late protraction of the Station; (namely), that we are to fast till a late hour,
awaiting the time of the Lord's sepulture, when Joseph took down and
entombed the body which he had requested. Thence (it follows) that it is
even irreligious for the flesh of the servants to take refreshment before their
Lord did.
But let it suffice to have thus far joined issue on the argumentative
challenge; rebutting, as I have done, conjectures by conjectures, and yet (as I
think) by conjectures more worthy of a believer. Let us see whether any such
(principle) drawn from the ancient times takes us under its patronage.
In Exodus, was not that position of Moses, battling against Amalek by
prayers, maintained as it was perseveringly even till "sunset," a "late Station?
" Think we that Joshua the son of Nun, when warring down the Amorites,
had breakfasted on that day on which he ordered the very elements to keep a
Station? The sun "stood" in Gibeon, and the moon in Ajalon; the sun and
the moon "stood in station until the People was avenged of his enemies, and
the sun stood in the mid heaven." When, moreover, (the sun) did draw
toward his setting and the end of the one day, there was no such day
beforetime and in the latest time (of course, (no day) so long), "that God,"
says (the writer), "should hear a man"-(a man,) to be sure, the sun's peer, so
long persistent in his duty-a Station longer even than late.
