The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-14
TWO FIERCE CONFLICTS
OF JESUS AND THE DEVIL
On Both Occasions the King of
Evil Was Easily Van
pushed. !
REV. PEARSON'S SERMON

THE Final nhict-Gethsemane," was
the interesting subject selected by Rev. M.
c. Pearson at the First Friends Church
yesterday morning. His text was 20 my
Father, IL ii be possible, let this cup pass
from me-" In part the minister said:
Jesus Christ met and vanquished Satan
OH many occasions during his active min
istry. But there is a record Of two fierce
conflicts which have challenged the atten-
ton Of the Christian world. The first OF
these was the conflict I'm the wilderness
at the very opening OF His active service.
That was a fierce struggle with a signal
victory for the Son of Man. The second
was the conflict in the shadows of Geth-
semane where Satan again and for the last
time attempted TO turn Jesus aside from
His true mission. This the final. the
greatest battle of His life. The devil has
two ways Of turning men from the way
of righteousncss-the pathway of duty. He
first offers a man earthly pleasures, honor,
riches. fame which God cannot approve.
Failing in this, he urges man TO avoid the
hardships, the sacrifice, the cross-Dearing
incident to life of obedience to God
Failing I'm the wilderness TO turn Jesus
from His chosen mission, he now appears
in Gethsemane and with all the combined
forces of hell. attempts TO force Jesus 10
deviate from the line of fidelity and obedi-
ence to His mission for the world. After a
man has overcome the attractions OF pleas
ure ii only remains for him to rise above
suffering in order for him to be faithful
until the end. This garden scene Is at the
same time most wonderful and most mys-
FERROUS. In the darkness and gloom OF that
eventful night, Jesus seems heavy with
sorrow ind filled with grief. Many things
conspired TO produce observation-disclosures
of spirit.
lie fully realized his failure TO secure
the deep, abiding sympathy OF His disciples.
He was alone, with no one near who un-
derstood this last conf!tct through which
He was passing Joy unshared loses half
its glow and the weight OF sorrow Is three
fold heavier If there Is none 10 watch
with US. Jesus. being human, yearned Tor
sympathy. Two infants hand in hand will
tread the darkness where one would not
&c alone The sick one in our house passes
the night more pleasantly II some one but
holds the hand and watches. In the midst
OF His grief. He prays the Father 10 let
the cup pass from Him. This could not have
been the cup of death, for Jesus was not
inferior 10 man that He should shrink from
death. Many martyrs have met death with
out shudder. II was not the character
of the death. the ignominy or II. from
which He shrank Many men have suffered
a worse martyrdom than crucinxion. .
there is something mysterious here, cup
is being drained which no one knew but
Jesus and His Father. There is something
deeper by far than anything conceived by
man. liz was the bearing OF an Invisible
cross by which the salvation OF the world
Is being procured. He is making a sacrifice
unseen by man. Here. 10 my mind. is the
crisis the supreme hour in the whole
sacrifice which Jesus made for the re-
denption OF mankind.
How beautiful is the submission OF Jesus
character outshines n resignation to the
will OF a divine Providence. SO Jesus drank
the cup 20 its bitter dregs, because the
Father willed IL So"