Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1905-10-12


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 ye here and watch with
Me- And then He went away lit
tie by Himself and fell on His face in
prayer, and after 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 We not watch with Me one hour?
Watch and pray, that We 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 on an
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 1t
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 tnat Is
struck in His name. He will never
reject or look with Indifference or con-
tempt on any effort we make to serve
Him because of our infirmities which
make us to blush. What we speak IN
words are not the only prayers Christ
hears, but every secret aspiration ana
longing for goodness or for helpful
service is a prayer which He hears
and answers. There is no eloquance OF
human lips that can compare with the
penitential tears shed in secret, spring
Ing from sincere meditation uron our
duty to God. and heartfelt longing that
we may render Him tr,ler service.
"SecOnd-JesuS, knowing our infirm-
tiles, will not allow us to be burdencd
heavier than we are able to bear He
will not allow us to be tempted In
such way that there Is no escape for
us. He will not permit us to be load
cd, unless we bring it on ourselves by
our own sin, with unnecessary tron-
bles His measure about burdens is
infinitely tender: Come unto Me all
We that labor. and are heavy laden,
and | will give you rest. Take my
yoke upon you. and learn of Me; for
am meek and lOwly in heart; and We
ehn G,,I OF ,,,&tn
My yoke is easy, and My burden is
light
"And in regard to temptation. we
have the direct promise that His
grace shall he sufficient for us, and
that in every temptation He will make
way for our escape, so that both
in our sorrows and in our danger
Christ. touched with the feeling OF
our infrmities, 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 pio
neers in trackless lands, how when
one friend passes through painless
forests he breaks a 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 allliCtion
and sorrow, it is a precious thing to
find here and there a broken branch
or leafy stem bent down with the
tpDoI re l'hriSt's frnt and tho Kindly
thoughtfulneSs of His hand as lie
passed. and to remember that The path
He 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 rs
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 u.s. the Savior prays: Now | 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 own name.
Sanctify them through Thy truth.
Keep them from the evil one, that they
may be where | am and may behold
the glory which Thou hast given Me-
How tender Christ was to people In
hard places during His earthly min.
istry! Recall His journey to visit
Martha and Mary when their brother
Lazarus was dead. Remember the
kindness to the poor woman who
touched His garments as the crowd
pressed about Him. Remember the
woman who brought her box of
precious ointment as He sat at the
feast in the house of Simon, who wet
His feet with her tears and wiped
them with the hairs of her head. In
all these, and in multtudes of other
cases how conspicuous the tenderness
and sensitive compassion of Jesus
Christ in comforting those who are
tried and troubled. Surely there could
be nothing more attractive to us.
Nothing which could more perfectly
appeal to our confidence and to our
faith than the character and the story
of Jesus our Savior as set forth In the
Word of God"