News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1891-05-21
News and Citizen
MORRISVILLE and HYDE PARK,
Thursday, Nav 21.IS9I,
From the Lynn, Mass, Item.
FROM REV. A. A. WILLIAMS.
LETTER FROM THE PASTOR OF THE
CHRISTI RAPTISr CUJTRCH

CnaU upon This HOLY SaDDdUn, Un6
anniversary of our Lords ascen.
sion = fills me with overwhelming
awe. Before me on the east are the
purple hills of Moab with the Dead
Sea and the Jordan lying between.
A little farther to the south is the
mountain of His temptation. Just
back of me Olivet rises in towering
majesty overlooking the city. Atits
foot on the opposite side is the gar
den of Gethsemane, the scene of the
bloody sweat from which went up the
passionate cry, "Let this cup pass il
Thou wilt" etc. At my feet is the
valley of Kedron, leading up to the
memorable pool of Soilam, while
Bethany with the ruins of the home
of Mary and Martha, whom Jesus
loved so much. This and the tomb
of Lazarus, still preserved. are spots
of sacred associations that cluster
about me while penning these lines in
tenderest affections to my dear ones
at home.
have chosen this time and place,
it being Easter Sunday From far
and near pilgrims have been gather
ing all the week for this OCCASION
Mohammedans, Greeks, Catholics.
while every form of Professionalism is
represented. The scene is a strange
admiXture of which | am unable to
explain at this time.
On Thursday l found at my plate
as | sat down to lunch a letter from
the Presbyterian clergyman of the
place to join him with several other
clergymen at communion that even
ing at his church. | accepted, but to
my surprise found that it was expect
ed that | was to make the principal
address. At first | declined most en-
phatically, but being seriously urged
and after looking up to God for di-
rection finally yielded, and the Lord
wonderfully blessed me. A brother
from London read the twenty-siXth
chapter of Matthew from the seven
teenth verse to the close. Then God
helped me to speak for some 20
minutes. This was followed by the
Sacrament, in which | was solicited
to take part After this we sang
hymn and thus, as recorded in the
chapter read for our lesson, we went
out into the Mount of Olives.
Several hundred Christians from all
sections of the world formed the pro-
cession and marched together, pass
ing the garden and up the mount as
did the dear Lord and his disciples
more than Is centuries ago There
was more than oneeye wet with tears
as. passed Gethsemane and remem-
bered the sufferings that once occur
ed IN its lonely retreat by the Son of
God, and many heart praised the
God of our salvation as never before
for personal redemption as theresult
of his agony from which He shrunk
not, until, with expiring breath, He
exclaimed, at is finished"
Ascending the mount we sat down |
and sung Jesus, Lover ofmy Soul"
Prayer was then offered, after which |
we sang again, as it was drawing
nigh to II O'Clock, "Tis Midnieh hit |
and on Olives Brow" The singing
Of this pathetic hymn was attended
With sobbings and a general break
ng down of all present. l read over
again and again that 26th chapter
Of Matthew, and have repeated hun
1reds of times at communion service
They Sang Hymn and went Out"
but never did / feel it's force, fulIness,
AS on this night we followed this OK
ample literally, possibly passing over
The same path and up the same steps
for there are three roads leading to
is summit
1t seemed as though He formed one
IF the company and that you could
almost hear his voice as in tender
md touching accents He gently pre-
Jared them for the tragic events that
we're soon to occur and that was
o scatter them like sheep in the full
illment of prophecy-Zech. 1877.
after an hour or possibly more we
eturned, | trust wiser and better for
his evening of unspeakable oppor-
unity.
Friday morning, it being the an
liversary of the crucifxion, | in COM
,any with q clergyman from Balti-
more, took a walk through the vari-
JUS scenes attending this trial and
y |
vent to the brow of the hill overlook
ng Gethsemane, where he was ar
ested by the mob. From here we
'assed through st. Stephen Gate up
o the site on which the house of
'ilot was built, now occupied by a
church. We were escorted
1tO the basement, and upon the very
tone floor where sentence was pass
d upon our Lord. From here we
assed up the street to where he
iinted beneath the cross, at the cor
er of the street from whence it is
by very good authority
hat Simon, the Cyrenian, was met
Oming in from the country, and
HON they compelled to bear the
ross. At the corner of the street
fading out of the Damascus gate
ne spot is marked, supposed to be
he place where He turned, and look
lg upon the weeping daughter of
Jerusalem following Him, admon-
he'd thus, i" Weep not for me, but
r yourselves and children On
rough the Damascus gate and I
rough a garden that is marked by !
me authors to be the place of :
,seph's tomb. in which the Son of
ID was buried. From here we as
nded Calvary, it being 9 O'Clock,
responding to the sixth hour of I.
ucifixion.
Here we sat down and gave way to :
+ reflections. To the left in full :
ew was Olivet, just behind Bethany =
e home of His friends. The city :
is at His feet with the record of His
racles in the healed ones about. .
lie hooking rabble passing by, the
ief Priest and exultant Jews watch
: from the city walls. All this was a
fore His eyes, while ending that t
gering torture death, and yet not t
. to sympathize with him save the t
loved disciple and his mother. q
Than taking my Bible | read the {
d chapter of Isaiah and gave my t
t up to tears. Y
Ny beloved brethren: These are n
brief some ofthe experiences that s
2 great and good God is granting b
me in my time of absence from :
u, and which Hope to be able in G
me degree to impart to you on q
7 return.
D, could you stand as | have and
, amid these monuments of sacred
tory, could you see it as lido, lam t,
re your heart, like mine, would il
in a new inspiration and like mine, h
uld sigh for a deeper conservation +,
d a complete surrender to Him II
% has called us to the responsible
rs of Christian effort and purpose. :.
hope to bring home to my dear =
lrch fruitage gathered from the :.
4 l...;o.. Of this cncrnd lnnd thnt r.iu u