The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1857-07-02
Miarrllatleuaa RruAiug.
Gethsemane.

The darkness of night shrouded the sleep.
ing city. No moon gilded with silvery
light the spires and domes that by day had
reflected the fiery brightness of torrid sun.
No star sent forth its mild and cheering
beams to releave tue gloom and desolate.
ness that like pail had fallen on the earth
willl, the setting sun. The night wind
moaned hoarsely among the dark cedars
and mournful expresses OF Gethsemane~-sad,
desolate, wild was the scene. There was a
vague .oppressiveness and gloom in the very
stiffness that reigned over that spot. But
see figure clothed in white gides slowly
like spectre and kneels on the cold, damp
sod. Why is he hear? Long since has
sleep sealed the eyes of the thousands that
daily throng the streets, and marts of Judea's
Capitol, and even his most faithful followers
little way off overcome by fatigue, and
heaviness are wrapped in profoundest slurn-
Der. But hark how clearly and sweetly
rise his mournful accents on the still air of
night. 'Tis the voice of son pleading
with father--'tis the voice of the long
promised Messiah--the Prince Of peace
the Saviour of Israel. For. long years had
he borne the murmurings, scofings and
prosecutions Of the stubborn Jews. lie
came unto his own, and his own received
him not" Wearily had he travelled on his
mission Of love, healing the sick, giving
sight to the blind, waking the deaf to hang
with delight on the melting accents of his
own gentle voice, and calling the dead from
the icy embrace of the tomb. lie felt that
now the hour Of sacrifice was approaching,
and sank in agony beneath his fathers
frowD. lie needs not the chilling blast,
too intensely bitter is the anguish of his
spirit. All the energies of his soul are con
centrated and absorbed in the struggle
against tho gloom and agony that crush
him to the earth. And from his brow,
clammy with the night dew of heaven, large
drops of bloody sweat trickle . the ground.
See! the anguish and woe that is depicted
upon every lineament Of his lovely face as
he cries d; |" Father if it be possible let this
cup pass from me- Eegions of shining
angels, unseen by mortal eye, gazed with IN.
tens, st sympathy on the scene, and bright
s@raphs lowering on noiseless wing with
mingled awe and sadness watched the fear
full conflict. Nor were the black fiends of
hel! unconcerned spectators of the struggle
that was to test the weakness of humanity,
and the omnipotence Of God. AS Nature
failed, Deity came to his aid, and with
smile Of resignation he exclaimed in sweetest
accents mot my will but Thine be
done" HelPs dark legions fed aghast, and
angels with tenfold rapture tuned their gol
den harps before the Throne of The Eternal.
Comforted, resigned, he arose and awoke
his drowsy followers to meet the cmbl ace of
the traitor, and to suffer the death of the
cross. The moon threw off her canopy of
cloud, the stars one by one appeared in the
armament and nought remained to tell of
that scene of agony and sorrow. Calvary
received its bleeding victim. Fire, famine,
sword and pillage bowed that devoted city
in the dust Not one stone of its magnif.
cent temple remained to tell the tale of its
departed glory. And the fulilment of pro-
phetic vision sent Israel an outcast among the
nations Of the earth. Centuries have rolled
away, and Gethsemane still remains in its
gloom and Loneliness, a perpetual memento
OF the anguish of the =" man of sorrows."
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