HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1, 2.-Gethsemane. The mind of man is naturally interested in places, not so much for their own sake, as for the sake of associations connected with them. Religions have their sacred places: the Jew ca.nnotforget Jerusalem; the Mohammedan venerates the holy Mecca ; and the Christian regards Gethsemane with a tender and pathetic interest. J. THE GARDEN WAS TO THE HINDS OF THE TWELVE A PLACE 01!' HOLY INTERCOURSE WITH THEm LoRD. "Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples." Doubtless they learned much from Jesus as he taught in the temple and in the synagogues, in the highways, and in the dwellings of the people. But there was much be wished t.o say to them which could be said better in private. He took them aside into a desert pince, and in seclusion and quiet communicated to them tidings which were not for the multitude. He gathered them together in an upper room, and discoursed to them with such profundity and spirituality, that it needed the illumination of events that were yet to happen to make plain his wonderful sayings. He led them away from the thronged streets and temple-courts of the city, crossed the Kedron ravine, and took them into the retired garden, that he might, without interruption, reveal to them whatever truth they were able to bear. Gethsemane thus became e. symbol for the "quiet resting-places," where the Saviour meets congenial souls, and unfolds to them tLe volume of his truth, the mystery of his love. Such intercourse binds the heart of the scholar to his Master. Such fellowship makes its lasting mark upon the character. "Did not I see thee in the garden with him? " II. THE GARDEN WAS TO TII.Iil LORD JESUS THE SCENE 01!' BITrEREST MENTAL ANGUISH. It seems strange that John, who, we know, was one of the chosen three who were near J csus in his agony and hloody sweat, says nothing of his Master's conflict in Geth- semane. 'l'his silence cannot be attributed to want of sympathy, for the beloved disciple felt keenly with and for his Lord. He was content that his fellow-evangelists should tell the awful sorrows of the Redeemer, The unexampled pains which Christ endured, when with strong crying and tears he made supplication, constituted a phase of his mediatorial ministry, not only deeply affecting to the sensitive mind that contemplates the scene of woe, but doubtless ever memorable to our Divine Representative himself. " Our Fellow-Sufferer yet reto.ins A fellow-feeling of our pains; Aud still remembers, in the skies, His tears, his agonies, 11,Dd cries." u Perfect through suffering," the Captain of our salvation looks back to the hour when be drank the bitter cup in our stead; and to him Getilsr,mane is for ever linked with his sacred undertaking of our cause, with the price he :paid for our redemption. THE GOf:;PF:L ACCORDING 'l'O ST. JOUN. [cu. xvm. 1---40.
lJl. Trm OARDEN WAS TO J{TDAS THE SPOT WIIERF. RR REARTl,RRSLY BETRAYED ma Lono. To the min<l or the traitor the one point of interest in Gethsemane WM this- ii "·as n pb<'e where Jems might be 11.pprebended by the officers of the priests nnd Pharisees, with no f<•ar of disturbance or opposition. The gl\rden, though nP-ar Joru- ~alem, WAS ~ecluded and eolit11.ry; no admiring 11.nd sytnpl\thizing crowd would thoro J'rotect or rescue the honoured Rnd beloved Teacher aud Hel\ler. After the capture ..luring the few hours of life r<'maining to him, Judl\s could not think of Getheeman~ without distress of mind, which deepened, not into repentance, but into remorse. The thought of his own sin and of his Master's innocence must hnvc oppressed his guilty soul, until be was driven to confession 11.nd to suicide. Terrible is the stato of that man before whose memory there constantly arises the scene of crime from which he sees no deliverance, for which he seos no expiation, the scene of violence and cruelty of debauchery, or of profanity. " Better had it been for that man that he had never h~en born." IY. THE GARDEN IS TO CrrnrsT's CmntoH FOR EVER ASSOCIATED WITH DIVINE SACRIFICE AND REDEMPTION. The same pll\ce, the ime.ginntion of which &woke the guilty conscience of J ude.s to misery and despair, is associated in all Christians' minds with the ransom which was paid for the delivemnce of many from sin and death. There the anguish was endured, the cry we.s uttered, the cup was drunk, the perfect submission was rendered, the death on Calvary was anticipated. Very dear to the heart, very present t,o the memory, of Christendom is the garden whither Jesus oft resorted, where Jesus suffered himself t.o be betrayed, where Jesus took upon his heart the burden of human sin, where Jesus cried," Not my will, 0 my Father, but thine, be done I "-T.