The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1895-05-02
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.


Written for this paper by DR.. II K. Hinde.
THE AGONY ~ oErnsr,,ASE.
Mark xiv 80 A.
Here we stand on holy ground indeed, and
would 'put OF the shoes from our fcet.' 1
have little inclination to make any comment
on the sacred scene Lere enacted. II there
is one spot, above another. on this earth, /
would love to visit, and ST. in silent r1edita.
tion this were that spot. II there Is one place
made more sacred than another by the weary
feet of this Man of sorrow surely that place
is the ''preSs Of uilp at the base of the
Mount of Olives. OF all the terrible battles
fought, and glorious victories won, none
compare with that ui Gethsemane.
After the Institution OF the Lords supper.
and the departure of Judas, follow the won
derful discourse contained in the fourteenth,
fifteenth and sixteenth chapters of John, and
the prayer occupying the whole Of the six
teenth chapter. There is perhaps no portion
of the Bible more precious to Christian peU-
pie than the words of our Saviour contained
in these chapters AT the conclusion of the
| prayer he went forth followed by the eleven,
| over the brook KearI, to The garden where
he had been accustomed nftentimeS to resort
with his disciples. ''hHd Judas, also, which
betrayed him, knew the place. ON his way
hither the memorable words tG Peter were
spoken: verify say unto thee, that this
night before the cock crow, thou shalt denl
me thrice" Arrived at the spot he left the
eight as an outer guard at the entrance OF the
garden, and took with him Peter, James and
John, as sympathi2ng companions in this
terrible hour. What honor did the Master
again and again put upon these favored
three; and in this case how does it show Us
-. e 1t. l.
heart yearned for human sympathy. But
even this now was denied him. He was
entering upon a new experience in which he
was to drink the cup of SORROW alone. Such
was the "amn2en'ent and sore trouble" that
seized upon him that he said to Peter, James
and John. MY soul is exceeding sorrOwful
even unto death; tarry ye here and watch.
And he went forward little and fell rn the
ground, and prayed that, If 1t were possible,
the hour might pass from him him, What
this ''amazement and sore trouble and
this "hUur' of agony meant, no human
intellect can conceive or pen describe. 1t
seemed to be an agony that would destroy
his life If 1t lasted. To give US some faint
conception OF it Luke tells us his sweat was,
rs it were, great drops uf blood falling down
t" the ground; and yet this is no adequate
conception, tor soul anguish cannot be
measured 10y physical terms. The cause ot
this mental agony has been matter Of much
speculation and irrcvercnt conjecture ON the
part of inndelty.
| 1t has been flung into the face of Christian
ity that this shrinking from death was
cowardly and unworthy, in contrast with
many martyr who has gone tr.umphan;ly IN
! the cross, or glbbct or II imC-, Thcre Is no
parallel here. lie was H. hing battle that
no other human being was ever railtd upon
to wage His sulctings, in this h ur, were
such rs no mortal ever endured. II was no
shrinking from physical death; for before
rilatc aud HerDd and the cruel priests, and
IN Calvary what sef-compusure and dauut-
less courage were displayed. All no, The
extreme pnny Of Jesus in the garden cannot
lie explained except upon the supposidon
that he was bearing the sins OF the world. II
| was NOT the mere prospect Of death that
smotc him with amazement and horror. The
cup which he prayed Ia sht pass from him
was his vicaIiuus sgn,rlng for the trans
errssons Of the whole If mankiud."
"For he hath made him tu he sin for US.
who knew no sin For Christ also hath
once suffered for sins, the isl for the unjust
'For when we were Vet without strength in
due time Christ died tnr the unSuily,"
'Who gave himself ransom for ALL and
many other similar passages. And yet we
would not teach that Christ suffered either
in kind or degree precisely the same that
/ man would be required to suffer If deprived
of the benefits of redemption. ''All that is
necessary is that the sulferings be such as
justice can accept As an adequate satisfaction
, in the character of a substitute, for the
original penalty, All that may be lacking in
the extent of the suffering may be made up
,pi. In tf.al a #
the sufferer" But after all since it pleased
the Father to bruise him. We can have no
adequate conception of what he did suffer in
this dreadful hour. His prayer that this cup
might he removed from him, was II legitimate
prayer in that IL was offered in entire sub
mission to the Fathers will nevertheless
not what / win bul what thou WILL And
his prayer wa, answered, rs all such prayers
are answered. In Luke We learn that there
appeared an angel from heaven strengthen
ing him, 50 enabling him 10 bear the great
SORROW He was thus brought into close
communion with the Father, and made to
, feel that his will and the Fathers was one.
ellis prayer was answered. for the cross
: was changed to a crown, Gcthsemanc into
paradise, death into immortal glory Not
On Calvary 50 much as at Gethscmane was
the great victory Of mans redemption won.
All The powers of he'll and hate were here
concentrated and poured upon him. And
having stood the rest and passed this ordeal
he arose calmly, and with the words, "Rise
up, let us go hence" addressed to his
druwsy disciples, he walked untlinchingly
into the hands of the mob to the cruel trial
, and bloody cross.
Some valuable practical lessons may be
drawn from the admoniton to the three
druwsy disciples ON this occasion: watch
ye and pray, that We enter not into tempta-
Z tion, the spirit indeed is willing, but the
flesh is weak" New Version, Ii will be
! remembered how that just n few minutes
before this Peter had said Though |
| should die With thee, vet viii | no. DENY