dulness, the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.' It was in vain that we attempted to rouse ourselves. A deep stupor weighed us down, and he had no sooner gone away the second time than we sunk again into unconscious slumber. In the agony of his soul he prayed the second time, saying, "O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me except I drink it, thy will be done.' And as he prayed, so intense was the anguish of his soul, that his sweat was, as it were, great drops of blood falling down to the ground. Despised and rejected of men, forsaken and neglected of us, his friends (for I can never forgive myself that cruel slumber), and more than all, forsaken of his Father, and left to contend alone with the power of the enemy, no wonder that his soul sunk under the prospect of those gloomy scenes that awaited him. Then he felt the burden of our sins. Then was fulfilled in him the Scripture which predicted that he should be a " man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.' O the love of Jesus! Surely herein is love, not that we loved him, but that he loved us, and gave him

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self to die for us. God is love. love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and in Christ.'

"But," said Selumiel, "I cannot describe to you the heavenly and earnest manner in which the beloved John spoke of the love of God. His mild and beautiful countenance, his brightly beaming eye, the mellow accents of his voice, seemed more like those of some inhabitant of heaven than of a poor, imperfect man. I hope I never shall forget the blessedness of that look, when raising his eyes to heaven, he exclaimed, God is love, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.' But I must proceed with his description of that affecting scene in the garden.

"Jesus had gone away,' continued he, 'the second time, and returning, found us again asleep. He went away again the third time, and prayed, saying the same words. Nor was his prayer in vain. His Father did not leave him utterly. He had given his angels charge concerning him, in their hands to bear him up, and keep him from falling utterly. It was the purpose of God, that while

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he should bruise the serpent's head,' the power of Satan should extend no further than to bruise his heel.' Just then, in the midst of his severest agony, when his human nature was ready to sink under his accumulated anguish, there appeared unto him an angel strengthening him. After this, having prayed yet more earnestly, and 'offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death,' he returned to us the third time, and gently rebuking us, said, Sleep on, now, and take your rest; it is enough; behold the hour is come, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.' Our sleep was now at an end; for immediately, while he was yet speaking, there came a great multitude, armed with swords and staves, as if to seize a murderer, headed by Judas, who knew that Jesus frequently resorted to this place,* and was well acquainted with the spot. was truly a gloomy sight. By the light of the glimmering torches and lanterns which they carried, might be seen the distorted and angry countenances of the multitude. In the midst *See Luke xxi. 37.

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of them, too, were many of the chief scribes and priests, who in their malice against Jesus had lost all respect for their own characters, and mingled among the very dregs of the people. I shudder while I think of the horrid blasphemies and dreadful imprecations to which I was compelled to listen. And when I saw Judas, whom I had last met at the table where we ate the passover, advance before the multitude, and coming up to Jesus, salute him with a kiss, I experienced an emotion such as I had never felt before. He whom I had loved and confided in as a brother, who had enjoyed the confidence of us all, and by common consent had been made our treasurer,alas, how fallen! Poor, ruined man! I could not but weep for him even while I abhorred his crime. And then the mild but yet cutting rebuke of Jesus, Friend, wherefore art thou come? betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?' The mild dignity and yet awful sternness with which he pronounced these words, I can never forget. Judas, rebuked and conscience-smitten, retreated into the crowd, and I neither saw nor heard more of him till the story of his melancholy end was related to

me. Then Jesus, knowing all things that should come upon him, made no efforts to deliver himself out of their hands, but stepping forth with an air of indescribable dignity and majesty, said to the multitude, Whom seek ye?''Jesus of Nazareth,' was the reply from a multitude of voices. Then Jesus, undismayed by their clamours or hostile weapons, calmly answered, I am he,' and the multitude, awed by his divine appearance or influenced by some mighty power, went backward and fell to the ground. But this repulse was but momentary. They soon recovered themselves, and began to approach us with loud shouts and insults. Jesus again stepped out before us, and asked them, 'Whom seek ye?' They answered again, 'Jesus of Nazareth;' when Jesus, anxious only for the safety of his friends, who had gathered trembling around him, said to them, 'I have already told you that I am he; if, then, ye seek me, let these go their way.' Then the leaders of the multitude came up, and laid their hands on Jesus and took him. Immediately Peter, who was ever more bolo and rash than the rest of my brethren, drew