Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-02-15
"A NIGHT OF SORROW.
Scenes of the First Stage Of the
Savior's Journey to the Cross.
THE PRAYERS IN GETHSEMANE.
How the Three Beloved Disciples Slept
When Left to Watch.
JUDAS KISS THAT BETRAYED HIM
WRITTEN FOR THE DISPATCH,

AAA
Back go the long centuries, and the past
is present. The church walls grow dim and
fall away. Above us is the sky Of Syria;
we tread the sacred earth which the blessed
feet of Christ nave touched.
1t is night. The Paschal moon is shining.
The last supper is just ended. The Master,
taking upon Him the off ce Of a servant, has
washed the feet of His disciples. "One OF
you," He has said in bitter sorrow, "shall
betray Me-" Judas has gone out into the
darkness. and the door is shut. The sacra-
instituted. ''This is My body which is
given for YOU" ''This is My blood which
is shed for you and for many for the re-
mission of SINS" Christ has spoken long
and lovingly. "Peace 1 leave with you.
My peace 1 give unto you. Not as the
world giveth, give 1 unto you" The conse-
| Grafton. prayer has followed. The sacrifice
is ready for the altar OF the cross.
And WHEN they had sung a hymn, they
went out into the Mount OF Olives" The
hymn was the appointed ending of the Pas
cal Feast, and we know what the words of it
were. 1t was taken from the book of
Psalms. 1.-THE snares of death compassed
me round about, and the pains of hell gat
hold upon ME. 1 shall find trouble and
heaviness, and 1 will call upon the name of
the Lord. o, Lord, 1 beseech Thee, de-
liver my SOUL" ''The Lord is on my side. 1
will not fear what men doeth unto me-"
Thou hast thrust sore at me that l might
fall, but the Lord was my help" "God is
the Lord, who hath showed us light. Bind
the sacrifice with cords, yea, even to the
horns of the altar" So they 60 out into
the night with darkness in their hearts,
bordering these words.
Into the Lonely Valley.
There are lights in the houses as they
pass; within are cheerful companies joyfullyi
Keeping their pleasant feast. The streets
are empty, and the footsteps of the little
company echo as they pass. Out of the
north gate they go, and proceed "lnto a
Iowly part of the Valley of the Black Ked-
ron, at that season swelled into a winter tor
rent" Over the bridge the road leads
toward Olivet. Beside the base of the
mountain is a garden. There olive trees,
old, gnarled- and twisted, growing even to-
day in that little garden, which have sprung
no doubt out of the old roots. We can still
stand where Jesus stood.
1t was Il ~favorite place with the Master.
He went there often with the Apostles when
He wanted to be alone. There, again and
again, they had held sweet converse together;
there He had spoken His blessed words OF
help and they, lying on the ground
in the shade OF the trees, had lis
tened. There Christ had gone to pray.
Judas knew that very well. He knew that
he could find his Master here.
As they 60 Christ speaks a word of warn
ing. "All We shall be offended because OF
Me this night: for it is written, 1 will smite
the shepherd and the sheep shall be
scattered" They cannot understand it.
Peter says: although all shall be offended,
yet will not l." And Jesus answers, look
ing into the black hours which must pass
before the morning, verify 1 say unto thee,
that this day, even in this night, before the
cock crows twice, thou shalt deny Me
thrice" But Peter is still confident. "He
spoke the more vehemently: If 1 should die
with Thee, 1 will not deny Thee in any
wise. Likewise also said they ALL" And
they all believed it with their whole hearts.
So easy is it to be brave when danger lies
still afar of! So easy is it to be loyal when
no trial tempts to disloyaltyi So easy is it
to look with blind eyes into our own soulsl
Into Prophetic Quiet.
So they came into the garden. All is still.
The moon shines overhead; the lights OF the
city glimmer in the distance; the murmur
of the river, and the rustic OK the wind in
the branches IF the olive trees sound in the
ears of the little company. All seems ideally
peaceful. Only a dire dreadsand ioreboding
is in their hearts. Something Is going to
happen. 1t is the prophetic quiet which
signifies some approaching danger. They
know not what it is.
sit We here" says the Master to the dis
ciDles, "while l shall pray" He takes
Peter and james and Johu with Him, the
three in the apostolic company who are
spiritually nearest to Him, whose souls are
most in accord with His soul; these three He
takes, and goes on a little space, that
He NAV pray. And then that mysterious
terror falls upon Him. she began to be
sorrowful." "He began to be sore amazed"
Darker and darker grows the blackness
about His soul. "My soul is exceeding
presence of those nearest ones He must es-
cape. He must meet the woe alone. "Tarry
We here and watch; and He went forward a
little" Upon the ground He tails.
The hour is come. Prayer alter PRAYER,
quick, appealing, agonized, comes from His
lips. Father, if 1t be possible, let this cup
pass from Me-" Again and again the same
petition, coming out from beneath the
shadow now and again, and seeking come
comfort-but in vain-from the presence OF
His disciples, and then going back again,
Idlllng OH MS iaCe, praying always inc same
PRAYER. Nevertheless, not as l will, but as
Thou wilt"
In the Presence of Sorrow.
We stand with the Apostles afar of, even
with those who waited by the gate, with
still hearts, dimly conscious OF some STU
pendous spiritual struggle going on, and yet
away on the outside of it. That Is so often
true of the sorrows which meet us along the
path of our own acquaintance. We st1nd
beside this friend with the bowed head, and
fearful eyss, and heart stricken and afflicted,
and We say our words of sympathy and love
and comfort as best we may. And we long
to enter into that bitter grief with some kind
OF effectuAl sympathy aud comfort, and are
simply conscious of our own inability.
We are away off beside the gate, watching,
and rot even watching very we'll; praying,
but with heavy eyes, and distracted he1rts.
But here is the sorrow of SORROWS. Here
is sweat like great blood-drops, for tears;
here is this exceedingly bitter cry. ''the
most bitter crv that can ever break from a
human heart" and we are so far away! 1t
is all so mysterious. so distant from our I'M
Outstanding. Somehow it is for US that the
Master suffers, but we behold Him as the
little child sees his mothers tears; not know
ing what ii means.
Before this agony OF Christ we can only
stand with hushed and reverent hearts.
Tine burden OF "A worlds sin lies upon Him.
He only of all who have lived upon this
earth sees the sin Of man and the heart of
God, just as they are. And the sight
crashes Him to the ground. Somehow HI
is to take this g~rievous burden o our sin
upon His own shoulders. He is to stand in
our place. 'We all, like sheep, have gone