The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-09-16
Going to the Father.

I go to the Father-John, 1915.
Five times, including once paren.
thetically, did Jesus declare In His
last discourse to His disciples in the
upper chamber before His betrayal
that He was going to His Father. The
circumstances of the delivery OF these
words of farewell were peculiar. The
disciples, inadequate as was their an
~ticipation Of what was toward, were
yet filled with forebodings of disaster.
Being human and not realizing all
that was involved, there must have
been in their minds a leaven of hope.
These things that they vaguely dread
ed could not occur. Something would
happen; some power would inter-
vene; they should yet see the Mes
siah triumphant on a throne rather
than a cross. Yet their hearts were
doubtless heavy with premonitions
of despair as they listened.
There was no vagueness about.
Jesus grasp of the situation. There
was nothing to relieve His expecta-
tions. He knew that He would have
to drain the cup to the dregs. It
was even then at His lips. Yet He
did not allow this knowledge to over
whelm Him. He agoniZed in the gar
den and on the cross, but He never
absolutely and entirely gave way. l
like to believe that one OF the
thoughts which sustained Him IN h a
hour was that, no matter how ter,
rible the way, how long the Via
D%olorosa, how. awful the gateway of
the cross at the end, He was going to
the Father. It seems to add the
divinest and sweetest touch to His
humanity when we think that this
was in His mind when He repeated
again and again that simple state'
ment. His work was almost over.
although it's most terrible hours were
to come, although its greatest de-
mand was to be met; yet there was
light at the end, for He was going
to the Father. He could not refrain,
as a man from telling the disciples
that over and over.
How the mind Of Joseph, lord OF
Lower and Upper Egypt, the vicet
regent of the world, went back to-
that old man, his father, in Palestine!
How the mind Of that young spend
thrift whose name is a synonym fo1-
prodigality and flial disrespect
turned from his place with the swine
to his father standing on the hilE>
and looking down the long ROAD
waiting for his boys return! How
the mind of man turns to his earthly
father We hear a great deal ABOUT
mothers; fathers have a place In our
affections, have they not?
Jesus went to His Father; the pro-
digal went also to his father. So
we may go to our Father when arr
in Heaven. There is this difference7
between our going and Christ's going,
He went alone save that the Fatnef
was with Him. When We go now the
Father Is with us in His love ands
Jesus Is with us in His brotherhood.
We cannot go alone. And there 49,
no experience which we can &C
through in our progress toward the
Father which is not exceeded in Dlt'
terness by that through which our
Saviour passed. Because OF Him
ANYBODY and everybody can go tos
the Father, except the wilful, persts'
tent. determined sinner. You can go
to the Father with the guilt or muir.
Ger on your SOui, pu1 W.
to the Father with the spirit OF anger
in YOUR heart. You can go. to MIN
red-handed If you go to Him repen'
tant. and though you go to Him req
handed, If you go to Him repentant
through Christ you can 60 to Him re.
generated and redeemed. You VIII
have to pay the penalty for your &C.
tions here. but if you are spiritually
changed the payment here is all that
will be exacted. So that every hu.
man being who so desires a looK
forward in his hour of trial as wen
as in his day of triumph to a wei.
come from the Father. "Thougn
YOUR sins be as scarlet, they, snaiI
he as white as snow; though they Dc
red like crimson, they shall be as
wool."-Cyrus Townsend Braoy III
tie New York Sunday Herald.