The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-01-04
TIE DARKEST NIGHT.

went out Straiyhtwav and 1T was
night. Earth : darkest night l. n,t
that one on which the lights are out
and the stars fuse 70 shine. Mr.
yet IL the night Of sorrow he darkest.
1t may be true that then life light
is dimmcd, and great gloom settles
over one S poor splIit. But there is
a darker night siill-ihc night "f re-
morse, when u raging grid aud shame
have burned the hear, 10 ashes hen
one marches away condrmucd from
thc Judgment bar of his own suul-
when one feels, a> Judas did that he
i> undonc, and earth has no relief for
him--,hat the only way out "i tins
night is by suicidal iland t" "Ir,,
Abe gates which usher in,p anight
that is darker still.
llow many interviews .Inda~ had
with the priests wc do not kn"w
All along for two years or more, they
had been watching their chancr.
Maybe this knowledge had been like
fire brand in the mind If Judas.
The eyes Of the priests had been to
Judas like he eyes Of serpent 70 Il
bird. lie knew that the opportunity
Tor bargain was never closed 10 him
aud this knowledge at last conquered
him. used TO play checkers some
aimes with my dear old friend, Ned
Cuttino now gone away from me, aud
sometimes he would not hesitate TO
show me trap he had set for me.
He fixed it, aud left it there, feeling
confident that, sooner or later, would
fall into it, ard generally did SO
She high priests did. They did not
conceal their designs, and Judas was
caught at last. God pity the man
Who has TO live daily and hourly with
in sight and sound of great tcmpta-
zion! The time came when Judas
could hold out no longer. guess it
is sort Of apology brother disciple
makes for him when he says, "Satan
entered into him"
So, one night while stiff argument
was going on in the hall of the assem-
bled high priests, there was a cat-like
step approaching the door, and then
timid rap. The man who stood
shere looked quickly about to sec if
he was watched, and was impatient
till the door was opened. Then be-
hold the spectacle that follows under
the glare and flash of the lights
Jesus friend, Jesus disciple has
come to bargain with Jesus enemies!
The moment the priests found out
why he had come, they assumed
patronizing air. What they said
against Jesus, how they denounced
him, and looked laughingly into each
others eyes, will never be known.
But the contract was made. The
Lord was sold, and Judas had the
money in his open palm thirty pieces
of silver-fiiteen or twenty dollars in
our money. Then he went out. His
bargain was that he would kiss his
Master when he found him, aud so
point him out. Therefore he told
shem when end where to come.
The accomplishing of a wicked
schemc-thc nervous excitement Of
che thing-will keep one up for
awhile; but the spirit quails at last.
That money there in sJudas' hand is
not doing him any good now. Nay,
he clutches it tightly, lest some one
should hear it rattle. The very sound
of the gold in his hand would startlc
him more than the hiss of serpent
IN his bosom. Did he dcspisc him
self? Yes, and that was bad enough,
but those men whom he had left
they dcspiscd him too those priests.
They had paid him their money, but
it was like casting refuse toa dcr.
and he knew it. The idea of money
being solacc to man in this con
dition! There are people living in
great and splendid homes. gotten
through sinful gain and fraud, and to
them the floors arc never smooth, the
lights are always dim, the beds hard
and uncomfortable A man may sell
himself for money; but money will
not cancel the obligation.
But let MS follow Judas. \ great
criminal like great sufferer, easily
arrests our attention. Judas now
goes back to his old place in that up
per room lie is the conscious car
rlcr OF great secret Can he keep
IT! There are some secrets that can
not be kept. In Hops story of Eu-
gene Aram, he tells how the murderer
east his victim in the river. Now the
corpse lies b, lied and i, safe from
mortal ewes Hut nm H.. 6 rI!: