The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-10-14
INTERNATIONAL
LESSON
LESSON FOR OCTOBER 10
By ESQ. SELLERS, Director Sunday
School Course, Moody Bible Institute, 20
'Chicago.)

SIlCdRO.J #.H." BE-. 70. LF..N ... .Hna-s
LESSON FOR OCTOBER 10
IN THE GARDEN OF GETHsEMANE.
LESSON TExT-Mark 1922. See also
Luke 2:S9-46. - t,s
GOLDEN TExT-Watch and pray, that
ye enter not into temptation Matt. 26:4l
r. v.
The account Of Peters boast W.
29-30), a common but highly signif.
cant story, forms the connecting link,
in Marks Gospel, between this and
last Sundays lesson. After singing
the hymn v. 8 (the H~allelujah),
Jesus and his disciples left the up
per room. Mark, unlike John, gives
NJ record of those marvellous dis.
courses delivered there, nor of. the
other details following that last sup
per. Only q paragraph ". I'D re-
fers to his repeated warning that he,
is about to- be smitten and the disci.
pies scattered.
1. Into the Garden, w. a2..s5, No
other passage, IN history SO moves the
human heart with reverential awe.
Somewhere outside Jesus left eight
disciples. He took three, his closest
friends, and resolutely entered the
darkness. Ourtrecord tells us that he
was amazed and sore troubled and
there is a hint Of his humanity ssug-
gested by the fact that he should con-
fess the same to the disc. les. These
three had been with him on the? Mount
of TRANSPORTATION there to behold his
glory. Now they are to see the depths
Of Divine selfabnegation. He trod
the winepress alone, however, for.
he went forward a little" ". 35),
No pen cam depict, nor mind con-
ceive the absolute loneliness Of the
Savior, the state Of his mental ag-
ony, nor the degree OF his spiritual
anguish. Bewilderment and agony
swept over his being ". 33), and the
heart that broke on Calvary WASH rear
to the breaking point, Luke 22:44s
He who wanted company also want
ed to be alone in this crucial hour,
hence his separation from the three
friends. (
The Masters Prayer.
ii. Praying, w. 1888. the Mas
ter's prayer was In reality q prayer
of triumph; q prayer which enables
US to apprehend, in part at least his
suffering and q suggestion Of his ON
ing glory. It is easier to appreci-
ate and to understand his prayer
than it is to comprehend his glory.
The ~resolute abandonment Of himself
to the will Of his Father is one OF the
a~we-inspiring facts Of history.
Jesus asked for this cup, drank It
and passed on to Calvary. In the
midst of his agony he Is strength
ened, Luke 22:43. Returning, he
found the three disciples sleeping. Pc
ter, who had made such boastful ayow-
ais Of fealty wv. 20, 3o) and who is
about to undergo. and to. fall, Is adj
dressed in tender reproach, Simon,
~sleepest thou. Couldest thou not
watch. one hour?" Then addressing
the three, he said, watch, and pray
that ye enter not into temptation;
the spirit indeed, L. willing, but the
flesh is weak" We may understand
the disciples by studying ourselves,
They had not Of course slept through
all Of his agony, but more occupied
with their own sorrows than bis, they
nodded and slept. Do not u griefss
our burdens and our sorrows cause us
to sleep while the world about us
perishes?s It was natural slumber fol-
lowing a strenuous day and evening,
but under the circumstances was
hardly excusable.
Found No comforters-
III. Again praying, w. 3s42. Again
he, passes into the loneliness Of that
midnight hour. Again we hear his tri-
umphant paean of prayer. This time
he returns and finds the disciples.
heavy with deep sleep. This Is a
fulfllment Of Ps. 69:20,g"I looked for
comforters and found none" His
gentle reproach goes unanswered. For
a third time he enters the trial and
returning commands the disciples to
sleep on and take their rest
There is little doubt that between
his permission sleep on" and the
declaration ut is enough" that the
Savior. in wakeful loneliness,
watched over the sleeping disciples.
At last he reused them for the en-
envy, headed by Judas, were at hand.
Their, dearly bought sleep was short
and we can imagine the confusion
caused by the ~torch-bearing mob. The
Man Of SORROWS is calm In this hour
after his victory In prayer. The dis
ciples, not likewise strengthened, fee
away.
The Supreme Value Of this story lies
in the effect 1t may produce upon
each one who comes to know It.. To
one it does not speak at all, to an
other, 1t melts the heart and brings
tears to the eye.
While he felt the sense Of all through
which he was passing, yet he did not
once hesitate, John 1927, %, never
FOR one moment faltered In his Co
operation with the complete will OF