The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-11-01

it be possible. let this cup pass from
1 Me- There is the dread of suffering
natural OH all our lips, but the next
moment we hear Christ saying, 'Ney-
ertheless, not as l will, but as Thou
wilt. Thy will be done So our
Savior was touched with the feeling
Of our infrmities. He was q man Of
sorrows, and acquainted with grief.
His whole life was an experience or
the ordinary trials and proVocatlons
that lead to evil, and these we're some
times aggravated into the most in
tense temptations. He was made the
target of all the arrows of Satan. Bur
though He was tempted in all points
like as we are. He came on victorious
and without sin.
These reflections bring Us to ap-
preciate the fact that Christ is ideally
perfect as q friend and Savior for us
in the weaknesses and infrmities with
which our lives in this world are "a
miliar. We may comfort ourselve,
with the assurance Of several very
inspiring reflections.
"First-Christ, being touched with
the feeling of our infrmities, will
make a distinction between. what is
weak and what is willfully wrong in
u.s.. Jesus gives Us a very beautiful
illustration of this in His treatment OF
the disciples, those three close friends.
Peter and James and John, whom He
took with Him into the Garden Of
Gethsemane on the night of His be-
| trayal. He said to them as the bur-
den of sorrow pressed upon Him: My
soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto
! death; tarry We here and watch with
Me- And then He went away a lit"
tie by Himself and fell OH His face in
prayer, and after a time He came back
wishing the comfort of the association
with His friends. And behold. they
were all asleep. They aroused at His
step, and Jesus said to Peter, What!
could ye not watch with Me one hour?
Watch and pray. that ye enter not into
temptation Then Jesus, in the ten
| derness of His great heart, feeling
| sympathy and compassion toward
them, begins to apologize for them and
explain to them their weakness. The
| spirit indeed is willing He says. but
the flesh is weak Was there ever
greater tenderness than that? One
can easily imagine the sarcasm Of Ma
poleon or Frederick the Great III IN
occasion like that. But could any
thing more clearly illustrate the ten
derness Of Christ in distinguishing be-
tween our weakness and willful wrong
doing? We may be sure that Christ
will never misjudge US if we are do
ing the best we can. He knows it
and appreciates it to its full value.
He sees every battle we make, even
when we are defeated, and knows the
motive behind every blow that is
struck in His name. He will never
reject OF look with Indifference or con-
tempt on any effort we make to serve
Him because Of U infirmities which
make US - blush. What we speak in
words are not the only prayers Christ
hears, but every secret aspiration and
longing for goodness or for helpful
service is. a prayer which He. hears
| and answers. There is no eloquence OF
human lips that can compare with the
penitential tears shed in secret, spring
ing from sincere meditation upon our
duty to God, and heartfelt longing that
we may render Him truer service.
"Second-Jesus, knowing our inhrm-
tiles, will not allow US to be burdened
heavier than we are able to bear. He
will not allow US to be tempted in
such a way that there is no escape for
|! us. He will not permit us to be load
ed. unless we bring it on ourselves by
our WI sin, with unnecessary trou-
bles. His measure about burdens is
infinitely tender: Come unto Me all
| We that labor. and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest. Take my
yoke upon you. and learn Of Me; for
1 an meek and loWly in neart; and ye
shall find rest unto your souls. For
My yoke is easy, and Ny burden is
light
And in regard to temptation, we
have the direct promise that His
grace shall be sufficient for us. and
that in every temptation He Will make
a way for u escape, so that both
in our SORROWS and in our danger
Christ, touched with the feeling Of
u inirmities, stands ready to COM
fort and defend us. We shall go no
path so lonely or uncertain but we
may find marks to show us, if we
really seek for them, that Christ has
been over the way first. Alexander
Maclaren recalls the customs Of pic.
neers in trackless lands, how when
n friend passes through painless
forests he breaks q branch ever and
anon as he goes. that those who come
after may see the traces of his hay
ing been there, and may know that
they have not lost the trail. So when
we are journeying through the murky
night, and the dark woods of affection
and sorrow, it is a precious thing to
find here and there a broken branch
or a leafy stem bent down with the
tread of Christs foot and the kindly
thoughtfulness of His hand as He
passed.. and to remember that the path
Hc trod He has hallowed, and that
there are lingering fragrances and
hidden strengths in the remembrance
that He was tempted in all points like
as we are, bearing grief for US, bear
ing grief with us. bearing grief like US.
"Third-As angels comforted Jesus
in His sorrows, so He will succor us
in our trials and weaknesses. How
tenderly Jesus prayed for us before
He offered Himself upon the cross as
an atonement for our sins! In that
tender prayer in which He expressly
states that it was not only for His dis.
ciples, but for all who should believe
on Him through their words to the
end Of the world. and therefore in
cludes us, the SAVIOR prays: Now l am
no more in the world; but these are in
the world. Holy Father! Thine they
were. and Thou gavest them Me. Keep
them through Thine OWL name.
Sanctify them through Thy truth.
Keep them from the evil one, that they