The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-09-23
SUNDAY MEDITATION.
Practical Duties Taught BIZ a Study OF the Inter-
national SUNDAY school Lesson Appointed for
Oct. .. 1T. John, IS: LA.

national sunday school Lesson Appointed for
Oct. .. II. John, IS: LA.
Zone reading these notes should first carefully
study the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures rs
Indicated above. Also read MI, &c 36-66; Nix,
Ia: 3--64; Luke, -: 39-55.l
We now enter on the third quarter of the
year. We find the study oil 81. Johns Gospel
very tender and profitable pursuit. The last
events IN our StviOr'S lille are To engage atLen-
ton tor the coming three months.
The subject of tue lesson Tor Oct. Is the be-
trayal OF Christ, his arrest in Gethsemane and
his preliminary examination before Anua5 and
Caiaphas. These incidents occurred OH Thurs
day night, A. ID. %. our >avlOr's last night be-
fore erucIhxion. Nothing baser than the
betrayal has ever blOtted the history OF the hu-
man race. We shame To real the account. Tue
events OF the night run from about IL o'clock
p. ~, To or a. IN.
AT say to 10 p. M Christ left the upper
room on Mt Zion, in the city of Jerusalem,
passed out of Gate st. Stephen, went over the
brook kendron, and entered the Garden of
Gethsemane. Ii is quite clear tine garden was
place to which Jesus often resOrted. w.
We may suppose it was owned by man not
unirIendly to Christ.
Alter intensity of prayer tchapter IL comes
a struggle OF agony. The petition WAS prepara-
tory 10 the suffering.
Not lar from IL o'clock Christ with IL Disci-
plies entered the garden. Between Jerusalem
aud Bethany. east, Mt. Olives rises. The garden
was on the decivIty of this mount, looking
acruss the Jewish Capital. The garden Is still
pointed out, being now only small Enclosure.
few olive trees stand there casting shadow
over the spot so dark in history. The trees
Very old, &C much so some hold they are the
very trees through which the moonlight shone
Oh Jesus. IL Is quite difficult To grant this
when We consider how severe WAS the Roman
siege aud how fearful the desOlatIou IT caused.
Possibly the present trees sprung from the Old
| roots. Ohves grew psentiiully on tAis slope,
ana likely gave name to the mount.
Judas was familiar with ChrIsI's plans and
habits, and knew yell where TO hnd him.
Some hours beloss ne left the upper room,
seeking the Jewish authorities To arrange tor
handing Christ over into their power The
bargain was effected and the arrest To DC made.
| Ii was agreed that judas should indicate the
| prisoner by saiuting him with kiss. la the
dun hight of wooded garden OF the night, even
/ though the moon shOue, It would be best To IN
| sure certainty - 10 the identity OF the person
/ arrested.
We shall the more sympathize with Christ
| when We remember he knew beforehand of the
coming doom. IL was not a surprise. tV. A.
| For "A long time Christ struggle, under the i'm
/ pending fury. This IS the reason why he sought
solitude IN the garden and gave himself up to
prayer So earnest that blood mingled with his
| sweat.
There was something despicably eowardly
about the conduct OF the Jews in arresIIng
| Christ Many AN opportunity had presented
| itself IN open daylight but his enemies did not
dare TO avail themselves OF manly. square pro-
cedure. Then. when the time TO arrestv . de-
| termIned on, We find military detachment
sent out. armed, 20 take az prisoner a man with
no followers trained to war: u man whose Dis
ciples lacked III military spirit an,i training a
| man who uniformly taught his DIscI lies not u
Lake up arms. Then, his enemies chose the
hours of the nighG iOr their d.lst..rIIy act.
Palestine Was, in ChrIst's time, under the
Government of Rome. A eohort OF Roman
soldiers occupied tine Tower of AntOnli, near
the Temple. The Jewish aHthOrItIe, could cal
On the Roman commander for service in the
way vi peace, Ia suppress riot, 10 prevent sedl
| ton, etc. The priests hal sufficient influence
| To secure a band of soldiers tor carrying mt,
| effect their purposes of aTTesting and executing
| CHRIST. Judas served as mere guide. lie
WAS also To identify the prisoner by tue slgdaI
| agreed Oh, TO wit. kiss. We do not know now
many soldiers went on this mission Severa
hundred were stationed IN AntOnia. Probably
only company ordered out tn arres
Christ. They took lanterns torches, weapons
IL Was moonlight, but torches might be oI svrv
ice among trees. Possibly, too, they imagined
Christ might seek to hide. Weapons they
would naturally carry a. soldiers.
enemies bravely. lie was first to speak. he
would know the object of their strange appear
auee wherefore abroad so late; alter whom the,
sought. They say We are here TO arrest Jesu
of Nazareth. There was something of hateful
ness aud spite in adding " of Nazareth" Christ
owned up at once as the person whom thei
war ant named. There was wOndrous majest,
IN the attitude and voice OF Jesus. The GROVE
OF hard men, rough characters, was awed b.
the manner, authority, yIor of the prisoner
We recall the effect OF Christ's tone and cOun
tenance when he discovered III the Temple th
sellers and buyers and money changers; how IA
WAS able by mere whip as the symbol OF au
thOrity to rid the whole building OF the ava
rielOus rabble. So in our lesson. There wa
something SO striking, supernatural, in fact
gait, MEN, tone, that even the soldiers fell bae
IN a temporary paralyses. As soon as they re
covered Christ again raised the question as {
whom they sought. They replied, Jesus {
! Nazareth" He declared himself that persoI
He had actually resided in Nazareth from tw
D years of age up To 80 Then. see the heroism
Christ He noticed the alarm and real DANCE
: OF his III Disciples. He wanted To save then
Hence he is specific in his request as to th
, identical party covered by their warrant. The
he demanded security for his Disciples. (Cou
. pare V. 10 with IL ~
. Now comes an episode Peter is idignant
Malchus a servant of the High Priest. Prubs
D bly, Malchus WIS otiicious. Peter could not r,
4 strain his wrath Having a sort of sword
weapon often carried for self-defense from will
T beasts a utensil for use in various peac,
4 full ways. he quickly drew it and cut oil Oh
right ear of Machus. he would defend Chris
. from his enemies. He would, without reaiii
, ing the religious bearing OF the act, get int
l the way of the eruciixion and so check th
: divine purpose of salvation by the cross.
great good comes but by suffering. Duty an
. way must be performed without respect
' personal ease. Gods plans must DO effeete,
|. cups filled by Heavenly direction must b
r quaiied even though contents carry pain An
death.
Y Peter did not comprehend the philosophy
7 Heaven. Christ was not 10 owe rescue frol