Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-12-06
BY REV. HUGH r. STEVENSON.

! break when He turned from the upper
! room and guided the band of disciples
across the valley to Gethsemane, the
| place of the olive press. ON the way
! across kedron Jesus warned the apoS-
! ties. especially Peter. of the fact that
! they would stumble and fail in their
loyalty to Him that very night Peter
was told how he would deny the Lord
before the dawn of tomorrow.
Although fOrewarned they failed, as
the scriptures and the Lord had fore
told that they would. 1t is the failure
of the apostles that the lesson calls
for US to consider. If we should seek
to understand the experiences of the
Master in Gethsemane we would fail,
because it is not within the power of
men to completely comprehend the
deep sorrow" that weighed upon the
heart of Jesus when He commanded
them to divide up into two groups of
eight and three. to protect Him in His
devotions The three who had wit
messed the glory of the Lord upon the
mount of TRANSPORTATION. were com
manded to watch" while He went
only short distance away and
sought help, power and direction in
prayer. His heart was craving hu-
man sympathy, as He sought through
prayer to brace Himself. to steady
His nerve and calm His spirit against
the forces that threatened Him. so
that He cried out that the cup might
be removed. His desire for human
sympathy in the darkest hours of
His life and for human protection
against the deadly assault. that was
Milling his heart with great sorrow,
lest He should fail to complete His
TASK or saving men, was not gratified.
me three upon whom the Master
ought to have been able to depend for
help. aid and assistance failed Him
The three who had seen His glory
were given the privilege of becoming
Witnesses of His sorrow. as He pour
ed His soul unto the Father with
strong cryings and tears" until He
sweat as it were great drops of
blood" 1t was a desperate battle
that Jesus fought out alone. He did
not fear the cross. but the danger
that satan, who had the power of
death might through natural
cross for the salvation of men His
prayer was answered. for there ap-
peared an angel unto Him from
heaven to strengthen Him 1t would
nave helped the Lord had the three
remained awake at their post Their
sympathy He craved He depended
upon their protecting His solitude so
that no surprise attack upon Him
could destroy His life. While they
could not share His burdens. He had
returned to confer with them Upon
their vigilance the Master depended,
especially after He had warned them
and ordered them to watch
three different times when Jesus
keeping He had committed the pro-
lection of His life He found them
asleep. They had not fallen asleep
at once. They had caught part of
the prayer that He uttered. They had
heard some of His petitions and were
witnesses of His suffering. but they
were unable to keep awake Jesus
round them, as Luke tells us. sleep
ing for sorrow Upon the mountain
OF Transformation they were unable
10 Keep awake in the presence of the
supernatural presence. Visions of
the supernatural have a tendency TO
lock up the natural senses" and it is
possible that this is the primary cause
OF their sleeping at the post when
they had been ordered to keep awake.
Jesus evidently recognized that il
was not through lack of sympathy
that Peter and the sons of thunder
fell asleep when He said the spirit
weak" If there was not some such
worthy excuse, then the sleeping of
the sentries is ineXcusable in that
hour, one of the most crucial in his
tory. Jesus recognized that they had
such an excuse. yet He warned them
that the fact of that very weakness
ought to make them to be watchfuI
and wakeful. especially as He only
asked them to watch one hour.
When He returned the third time and
found them asleep it was too late for
them to be Of any service to Him. He
had refused to wake them up the sec
ond time, for silently He returned to tread
the wine press Of sorrow alone. The
third time He speaks. He arouses them
to behold their failure and to see the
results of their neglect in the presence
OF the forces that have come to arrest
Him. 1t must have filled them with
keen sorrow to realize that they had
missed the opportunity to be of service
to Christ Jesus in the hour of His need
Although they had failed Him in His
desire for sympathy through sleep, Jesus
summons the apostles to glQrify Him in
the presence of His enemies by His
clarion call to service, Rise, let us be
going
The gospels glory is that it has used
the men and women who have failed
Although they had msused their former
CHANGE. the Lord gave them, as He gives
to all who have failed. another oppor-
tunlty to slorify Him and serve mankind.
He warned them that the lights which
cleaned from the lanterns and the stems
that rustled leaves were evidences of
the rapid approach of the enemy. II
was not time to lament failures of the
past; but an opportunity to be of service
IN the present crisis
Peter, faulty as he was. nroved III.
wisdom Of the Lords trust by the sue
cess which crowned His efforts. John
and James were both faulty. yet they f,
f fnrH@gh IoyaIt Sna and fidelity proved
i In so lac. Each one OF the apostles failed
IN some thing. There is not Christian
but who has failed in his efforts to
serve the Lord Jesus. Freouentiv
CHRISTIANS awake in the presence of the
enemies whose approach was not mo-
ticed because they have been sleeping |
disciples. The failure of Christians to |
use their power for the glory of the |
Lord has resulted in the trials. trouhlas
and tribulations of this very hour. which
is one OF the most crucial in the worlds
history. !"
The Master summons us to ransw.o
effort to win the world for Him. ue
wants to unite the world fhrougb . |
union OF hearts to prevent war re-
move diScord, destroy selfishness and
enthrone Himself in the hearts of all !
mankind as their Savior. Sovere;sn
God and affectionate Brother. Amid
the excitement of the approach of His
enemies Jesus was unmoved In the /
transition of the present He is still |
calm and courageously calling men |
ana women to lay upon His altar |
gifts of life. love and labor that will |
enable Him to conquer. He especial /
ly has place and part for those who |
have failed in their efforts in the
past. He calls for them to enlist. |
seek enlightenment and be induced |
with power to win.
If the Christian forces are to sue
coed in the work of evanselization. |
enlistment and education of all men.
so that they will follow the teach
ings of Jesus. it is necessary that !
they follow the example and com
mand of Jesus to watch and pray"
Christ conquered through prayer His |
petitions were answered. II in every
hour of temptation. trial and tribula-
ton we seek the Fathers help
through prayer. we, too. can and will |
win. Prayer is the way to victory.