GETHSEMANE.

who do not live in me, will perish
like a withered branch, which ig
cast into the fire, and burned. One
of the good fruits you must bring
forth, is love. This is a new com-
mandment which I give you, Love
one another. I know the world will
hate you, as it has hated me. But
you need not be troubled at this.
You have my love, and that is better
than the love of any one in this
world. I shall soon show my love
by dying for you. Love one an-
other, then, as I have loved you.”
Then Jesus prayed to his Father,
and asked Him to bless His disciples;
to keep them from evil in this world,
and at last to bring them to His
glory in Heaven.

And now Jesus and His disciples
were come to the brook Cedron, or
Kidron. ‘This was the same brook
which David passed over, when he
fled from his wicked son Absalom.
David was a type of Jesus in his
sorrows. But David’s sorrows were
not so great as the sorrows of Jesus.

Jesus and the disciples crossed
the brook, and came into a garden
called Gethsemane. Then He said
to His disciples, “Sit you here,
while I go and pray yonder ;” but
He called Peter, and James, and
John, to come with him a little
farther. Then He said to them,
“My soul is very sorrowful, unto
death; stay here, and watch.” So
He left the three disciples there, and
‘ went on alone, and fell down on the
ground, and prayed. He cried, “O
my Father, if it be possible, take this

467

“cup” of which Jesus spoke. As
man, He dreaded pain and suffering,
for He felt as we do. But Jesus
knew that if He did not suffer,
mankind could not be saved; and,
therefore, He was willing to bear all
the pain and sorrow which His
heavenly Father laid upon Him..,
Let us learn a lesson of submission
to God from the example of the
blessed Jesus.

It was needful for Jesus to suffer
all this. The cup of sorrow could
not be taken away ; but His heaven-
ly Father sent an angel from Heaven,
to strengthen and comfort Him.
Then He arose and went to His
disciples. He found them asleep;
sorrow had made them feel heavy
and weary; and they had not at-
tended to the command of Jesus,
“Watch and pray.” So Jesus said
to Peter, “ Peter, couldst not thou
watch with me one hour? Watch
and pray, that ye enter not into
temptation.” Peter had said, a
little time before, that he would
never deny nor forsake his master ;
but Peter was not now seeking
strength from God to enable him
to keep his promise. Temptation
would soon come, and Peter was not
praying for power to resist it. |

Then Jesus left Huis disciples
again, and went and prayed.as He
had done before. He prayed more
and more earnestly; and in His
agony drops of blood fell from His
body to the ground. Then He went
again to His disciples, and found
them still sleeping; so he left them,

cup-from me. Yet not what I will, | and prayed as before. After this,

but what thou wilt.”
Jesus mean ?
and death which He knew He
should soon suffer, was the bitter

What did | he came once more to His sleeping
The dreadful pain | disciples, and said, “Sleep on now,

and take your rest. The time is
come. The Son of man is betrayed.