Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-06-01
DIR. MARION NH. HULL.

DR.. MARION NH. HULL.
These things have spoken unto you
that in me We might have peace; in the
world We shall have tribulation; but be
of good cheer; I have overcome the
world" With these words Jesus ended
the confidential conversation that He
had been having with His disciples aft
err the supper on Thursday evening. He
then offered that great high priestly
prayer and after they had sung hymn,
they went out into the Mount of
olives. 1t was late in the evening as
this lonely group of IL men walked
along the deserted streets of the city.
They went out of the eastern gate,
crossed the brook Kedron. already red
with the blood of the sacrificial ami
NAL and began climbing the slopes of
Olivet until they came to the garden or
the oil press CGethsemane) This gar
den was probably owned by some friend
of His and was the place that he fire.
quented. 1t is possible that He may
have been spending the nights there
during the past week. Leaving eight
of the disciples near the gate, He
took Peter and James and John and
garden, and said to them. My soul is
exceeding sorrowful even unto death.
Watch We here while l go yonder and
pray And then alone deeper still in
the garden He fell on His face in agony
and prayed, "Oh my Father, if It be
possible let this cup pass from me;
not as I will, but as Thou wilt After
a while He came back to where the
three were and found them sleeping.
ina ST1nch
as Peter only a short while before had
so vociferously protested his determine
ton to go with Him even to death, and
while Peter was the spokesman, all the
disciples Joined in, and now Peter could
not watch with Him one hour even
Going back into the garden He prayed
the same prayer; His soul was in such
agony that He sweat great drops as
it were of blood. Three times He pray
ed that prayer. Not one of us can
imagine, although we may have some
faint conception of it, the soul anguish
that Jesus suffered during those hours
in Gethsemane.
What was the cup which He prayed might
mass from Him? Did He fear the suffering
which He knew he would have to undergo Oh
ing from the perfidy of of His disciples
which He knew was imminent? No. Was II
mental anguish over the disappointment OF NOT
As He looked forward to the morning he
knew that the sin of the world would be lalo
on His Shoulders; that your sin and mine
would come in between Him and His Father
and cut off communication from Him. What
He prayed for was this IF there is any
possible way of accomplishing their reaemtp
ton without my having to bear their sin ana
thus be cut off from thee, oh my Father, let
this cup pass from me-.
Do you hate sin? Every one hates sin to
certain degree certainly the effects of it, but
hat he thing itself and also because
of the ruin which He realized II was causing
in Gods world. Yet, If there was no other
way to condemn sin in the flesh. to put IT out
of business. then by His taking it on His shoul-
ders even though il meant that He would have
to be separated from God, the Father. by 1t,
He willing to do ii because He loved you
The real fight for salvation in
Gethsemane, although ii was sealed on the cross
next morning, and it was fight an right 1t
came so nearly exhausting Jesus that God had
to send an angel TO strengthen Him, but after
the storm was over there was perfect calm.
when he had finally surrendered His Will to
God as He did in Gethsemane II not hard
then to face six trials in a fewer number of
hours than that to hang on the cross and suffer
this pain and shame. There was perfect calm
ness from that moment on with only one In
terruption. and that was next morning when
He realized actually that God had forsaken
Him. that our sins had come between Him and
the Father, and He cried out, MY God, my
God, why hast thou forsaken Me?' Do you
get the point? 1t terrible suffering which
Jesus had to undergo, and the only reason for
it was because He loved you.
THE KISS.
After Judas had left the upper room early
In the evening he went to the chief priests and
elders and told them that he was ready TO
carry out his part Of the work, but there must
be no msstep. and therefore in addition to the
attachment Of the temple police they
from the government squad of soldiers from
the fortress Antonio. OF course. this took
some time. that It had grown late. Judas
intended to take Him in the upper room, he
the supper had been celebrated. But he got
there too late. Finding Jesus and the disciples !
gone, he surmised correctly where they were |
His informal ton Of Jesus whereabouts had been /
gained through his friendship for Him, and |
traitor that he was, he used !
knowledged gained TO accomplish his friends
arrest. Leading his companions through the |
streets he came finally TO the familiar spot on /
the Mount OF Olives, but there had followed him |
one unknown to him. young man who had /
been aroused bv the nightly visit and suspect /
ing some trouble, had simply wrapped the bed /
clothes around him and had followed IN the |
darkness.
when thev reached the garden Jesus was
ready for them. Meeting those in front. He
asked. "Whom seek ye?" They had torches .
and lanterns even though II was fun moonlight.
They were determined that He should not hide /
in any shadow Of the garden and be undiscoy
cred They answered, Jesus of Nazareth"
He replied Immediately. ''1 am He" The sud |
denness Of His reply and the majesty Of His
presence we've too much for them, and they fell /
back TO the ground. Having recovered them
serves tie asKeo the second ume. ana the 20
ply was the same. Then with wonderful
for His disciples. He singled !
Himself out rom them, and asked that they
might go eir'wav.
Judas was NJ going 20 let any slip occur
though. Tie had agreed previously upon n sign
and he comes IN To his Master and said.
"Hail Master and kissed and kissed and :
kissed Him. Jesus turned 70 him and sail.
"Comrade. 5Atrayest thou Son Of Man with a
kiss? why IL was for this purpose that re
cameT Immediately the soldiers and polics
began-to bind Jesus, but Peter with his tnA-