Part 22

And then, as evening fell, the Lord With His disciples went Unto the mount of Olives, where The night they often spent.

And in the morning they returned, And lo! as they passed by, They saw the fig-tree in the way, All withered up and dry.

And Peter then remembered well: "Master, behold," he said, "The fruitless tree which Thou didst curse Is withered all and dead."

And Jesus, answering, said to them: "Verily, I say to you, Have faith in God and doubt Him not, And ye shall such things do.

"And who shall to this mountain say, In firm, believing faith, 'Be thou cast forth into the sea,' It shall be as he saith.

"And whatsoever ye desire And ask for when ye pray, Believe that ye receive the gift; It shall be yours straightway.

"And when you pray forgive all those Who have offended you, That so your Heavenly Father may Forgive the wrongs you do."

The Law of Love.

NOW, "Master," said a Pharisee, Thus tempting Him again: "Which commandment is the greatest That the law doth contain?"

Jesus said: "Thou shalt love the Lord Thy God with all thy heart, And all thy soul and all thy mind-- This is the first great part.

"And the second is like to it: Thou shalt thy neighbor love In the same way thou lov'st thyself; By deeds this new law prove.

"Upon these two commandments-- Within the spirit wrought-- Hang all the law that Moses wrote, And all the prophets taught."

The Widow's Mites.

AND now the Lord was sitting where He could the people see As they cast their gifts of money Into the treasury.

And many rich cast in large sums; Then came a widow, poor, And she threw in two mites, which make One farthing, and no more.

Then the Lord called His disciples And said to them: "Verily, This poor widow has cast the most Into the treasury.

"For all they, of their abundance, Offered, some less, some more, But she, of want and penury, Did cast in all her store."

The Hypocrites.

JESUS spoke to the multitude, That gathered at His feet: "The scribes and Pharisees do sit In Moses' sacred seat.

"Do, therefore, what they bid you do, But follow not their way; For they, themselves, keep not the law, Nor do they what they say.

"For they bind heavy burdens For other men to bear; But will not give a helping hand To ease another's care.

"And all they do is to be seen Of men they daily meet; Their outward garments they adorn, Down to their very feet;

"And love the upper rooms at feasts, And greetings in the crowd; And the chief seats in synagogues And titles make them proud.

"But be not ye called 'Rabbi,' for To Christ that name is given; And call no man father on earth; Your Father is in heaven.

"Nor be ye masters called, for One, Even Christ, your Master is, And he that would be greatest, let The servant's place be his.

"And whoso shall exalt himself Shall be low and abased, And he that humbles himself shall To lofty seat be raised."

He Weeps Over Jerusalem.

AND then, His gentle spirit grieved For Israel's sin and pride, With tender pity in His voice, He sorrowfully cried:

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! Which doth the prophets kill, And stonest them sent unto thee, The promise to fulfil;

"How oft would I have gathered Thy children to my breast, As a hen her brood doth gather Beneath her wings to rest.

"And ye would not. And now, alas! Behold your sad estate, Your doom is nigh, your house is left Unto you desolate.

"Moreover, ye shall not see me Until ye say the word: 'Blessed is He that cometh in The name of Israel's Lord.'"

And His disciples then He warned To watch, and faithful be, Not knowing at what hour they The Son of Man should see.

Parables of the Virgins and Talents.

AND then He pictured to their minds, In parables most clear, What should take place before the throne When the Lord should appear.

The fate of the ten virgins, Of whom but five were wise, And five were foolish, without grace, He placed before their eyes.

And of the nobleman who went To travel far away, And to his servants talents gave, Their wisdom to display.

And two their talents used in trade, And brought their master gain, Which pleased him so he raised them up O'er cities fair to reign;

While one was slothful, loving ease, His talent hid away, And brought with it a vain excuse Upon the reck'ning day.

But his lord answered wrathfully, He no excuse would take, But told him what he should have done, A lawful gain to make.

Then ordered that they take and cast Nor pity him, nor spare-- The unprofitable servant Out into dark despair.

The Corn of Wheat.

AND while He taught the people all, From highest to the least, Some Greeks appeared, who had come up To worship at the feast.

The same approached to Philip, who Was of Bethsaida, Saying: "Sir, we would the Master see, And from Him knowledge draw."

Philip and Andrew went apart, And they informed the Lord That polished strangers, standing near, Desired to hear His word.

"The hour--the long-approaching hour-- Is come," the Lord replied, "When I should close my earthly work, And should be glorified.

"Verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat Sink in the ground and die, it will Alone produce no meat.

"But if it die, it brings forth fruit; And he that life doth love Shall lose it: he that hates it gains Eternal life above.

"If any man will serve me, then Let him come after me; And where I am, there, also, shall My faithful servant be.

"Now is my soul in agony, And what more shall I say? Father, save me from this sad hour, My human heart would pray,

"But for this cause--that I might die-- Unto this hour I came, So in my heart I cry: "Father, Glorify thine own name!"

Then came there a voice from heaven, Saying, in clearest strain: "I have glorified it, and I Will glorify it again."

The people standing by were sure That thunder shook the air; But others said: "Not so, it is An angel's voice we hear."

Jesus answered, and said: "This voice Came not because of me, But that ye all might understand The power of Deity.

"Now is the judgment of this world; Its prince cast out shall be; And I, if I be lifted up, Will draw all men to me."

The Traitor Judas.

NOW Satan to the carnal heart Of Judas entered in-- He that was called Iscariot, Who money loved to win.

And he went unto the chief priests, And bargained to betray His Master to their evil power If they would give him pay.

And his base scheme these men were glad To hear and understand, And thirty shining silver coins They weighed into his hand.

And from that time he sought a way He could, by sign or word, In absence of the multitude, Deliver up his Lord.

The Upper Room.

NOW came the first day of the feast-- Day of unleavened bread-- When the Passover must be killed; And the disciples said:

"Where wilt Thou, Lord, that we shall go And preparation make For Thee to eat the Passover, And we, with Thee, partake?"

Peter and John He then sent forth, Saying: "As ye walk the street, A man, bearing a pitcher Of water, ye shall meet.

"Then follow him into the house, And to the good man say: The Master needs the guest-chamber To keep the feast to-day.

"And a large, furnished, upper room He unto you will show." Then the disciples went and found, As the Lord said, 'twas so.

Now, at the evening hour, the Lord With His disciples came, And sat down round the table where Was served the paschal lamb.

And He said unto them: "I have Desired with every breath To eat this Passover with you, Before I suffer death."

Washing the Disciples' Feet.

THIS being over, Jesus rose, And laid His robe aside, And a towel girded round Him, So free was He from pride;

And with water in a basin Washed the disciples' feet. O, lowly Master! loving Lord! Thy meekness is complete!

But Simon Peter would refuse, With love and high esteem, This humble office should be done By Jesus unto him;

Till Jesus, checking his proud will, Answered decidedly, By saying: "If I wash thee not, Thou hast no part with me."

Then Peter cried: "Lord, not my feet Only from stain be free; But also let my hands and head Be purified by Thee."

Jesus said: "He whose feet are washed Is every whit made clean; And ye are clean, but not you all-- He Judas, false, did mean.

So, when the Lord had washed their feet, And had His robe put on, And took His seat, He said: "Know ye What I to you have done?"

Then taught them that if He, their Lord, Had washed their feet, then so Should they to one another Such act of grace bestow;

That they to His example Should prompt respect accord, Well knowing that the servant is Not greater than his Lord.

Jesus is Betrayed.

NOW, after this, was Jesus sad, And trouble did display; For one of them who sat with Him He said should Him betray.

And then, all being sorrowful, Said: "Is it I?" in turn. But He said: "'Twere good for that man If he had ne'er been born."

Now the disciple Jesus loved, Who next His bosom lay, At sign from Peter asked: "Who, Lord, Would vilely Thee betray?"

Jesus said: "When I dip the sop It shall be that man's lot." And when He dipped He gave it to Judas Iscariot.

Yet upon Judas' callous heart No softening touch it gave: But Satan entered into him, To harden and enslave.

Jesus said: "What thou do'st, do now." None knew what this did mean; But Judas rose and left the room, And sought a different scene.

The Last Supper.

AND now the evening shades had closed, And night was o'er the sky; Supper was ended and lamps lit Within that chamber high.

The Lord took bread, and, blessing it, He brake in pieces small; Saying: "Take, eat, this is my body, Once broken for you all."

Then took the cup, and, giving thanks, He gave it to them, too; Saying: "Drink ye, for this is my blood, Which is poured out for you.

"And eat this bread, and drink this cup, For memory of me. But I'll not taste the wine till I My Father's kingdom see."

Peter's Warning.

THEN Peter cried out in alarm: "Lord, whither goest Thou? I will go with Thee unto death, Or unto prison now."

Jesus said to him: "Verily, Before the cock shall crow, This day thou wilt deny full thrice That thou the Lord dost know."

Promise of the Comforter.

AGAIN the Master's voice arose In precious converse sweet, The last and richest lessons, With wisdom most replete:

"Let not your heart be troubled, Believe in me, most true, For in my Father's house I shall Prepare a place for you."

And on, in soothing accents, flowed Upon their listening ears Words which, while they increased their love, Excited still their fears.

For He talked of going from them, Yet being with them still, And giving them what they should ask, If they would do His will;

And said He would pray the Father The Comforter to send-- The Holy Ghost--who, teaching them, Would lead them to the end.

And again He said unto them, As He, at first, had said: "Let not your heart be troubled, Nor let it be afraid."

The Parable of the Vine.

WHEN it was time to go, He said: "Arise, let us go hence," And they all stood and sung a hymn Ere they departed thence.

Then out into the shadowed street, After the close of day, The Lord and His eleven friends Walked slowly on their way;

On towards the mount of Olives, where His custom was to go, Along the well-known path which crossed Where Kedron's waters flow.

And still the Master, as His wont When walking with His friends, Continued teaching golden truth The which to glory tends.

He likened Himself to a vine, While they the branches were; His Father was the husbandman, Who of the plant had care;

And charged them that they must bear fruit, And never barren prove; His Father should be glorified Through faith that works by love.

And charged them to abide in Him, And thus much fruit return; And warned them 'gainst the dreadful fire, Where barren branches burn.

He then unfolded to their view The things that should be done, When He, their Head, should go away, And they be left alone;

And told them if they asked of God, In His name, any thing, Such prayer would quickly rise to heaven, And joyful answer bring.

Again He spoke to them of love, And of His blessed peace, And said, as He had overcome, So should their warfare cease.

His Prayer for His Disciples.

AND then He stood and raised His eyes To heaven's transparent dome; And in the same clear voice He said: "Father, the hour is come."

Then followed such a solemn prayer, With holy nearness filled, As human lips ne'er breathed before, By faith however thrilled.

The prayer ended, then Jesus crossed Over the Kedron brook, And the last walk, in silence calm, With His disciples took.

Christ in Gethsemane.

ON Olivet a garden grew-- Gethsemane its name-- And here, in that portentous hour, The "Man of Sorrows" came.

The shadows of the midnight fell, And silence reigned around, As He and His eleven friends Trod the familiar ground.

Then, Oh! such heavy agony Descended on His soul, That even His strong spirit was Unable to control.

He said to them: "Exceeding woe, Beyond all mortal grief, O'erwhelms my soul; watch here while I In prayer shall seek relief."

Then went a little farther off, And on His face He fell, And offered up this earnest prayer: "If it be possible,

"My Father--Oh! My Father!-- Let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, Thy holy will, And not my will shall be."

Then, coming back to those He left, A mournful watch to keep, He found them prone upon the ground, And wrapped in heavy sleep.

But Jesus said: "Sleep now and rest, The hour is close at hand. Behold the Son of Man betrayed To an ungodly band."

At the Palace of the High Priest.

AND as He spake, behold a crowd With lanterns and with swords; And Judas, traitor, came before, With kiss and guileful words.

But He who reads all hearts, and points To what He finds amiss, Said: "Judas, dost thou thus betray Thy Master with a kiss?"

Then gently turning to the crowd, He asked them: "Whom seek ye?" They said: "Jesus of Nazareth." He answered: "I am he."

And the armed band led Jesus Along the city road, Up to the high priest's palace-- Caiaphas' abode.

Meanwhile sat Peter by the fire, Wondering how this would end, And feeling wholly powerless His Master to defend.

A servant, passing, said to him: "Thou with this man hast been." But Peter in great fear replied: "I know not what you mean."

And soon another said he had Of Jesus' friends been one, But Peter cursed and swore that he Had never Jesus known.

Just then the cock crew, shrill and clear, And Jesus turned His face, And full on Peter cast a look Of love, reproach and grace.

Then over Peter's aching heart Repentant anguish swept, And he rushed out into the dawn, And bitterly he wept.

Christ before Pilate.

AND now the morning beams appeared The council of the Jews Led Jesus to the judgment hall, That they might Him accuse.

And Pilate gathered to his aid Chief priests and rulers all, And Jesus stood before him in The royal judgment hall.

And Pilate said unto them: "Ye Have brought this man to me, Saying, 'He perverts the people,' But no fault in Him I see.

"Nor yet Herod; for I sent you With your prisoner to the king; But no offence to Roman law Could you against Him bring.

"I, therefore, will chastise Him And order Him released;" For 'twas custom he should free to them A prisoner at the feast.

But they exclaimed: "Away with Him," And cried, with one accord, That he release Barabbas, And crucify the Lord.

Now Barabbas was a robber, And they knew his record well; He for murder and sedition Lay in a prison cell.

"Why, what great evil hath He done?" Pilate, the third time saith; For he knew it was for envy That they desired His death.

Pilate's Wife's Dream.

AGAIN upon the judgment seat, To end this cruel strife, Sat Pilate, when a servant came With message from his wife.

"Beware"--the word the lady sent-- "That thou no evil do To Him who stands before thee now-- That man so just and true.

"For I while sleeping on my bed, Have suffered, in a dream, Much anguish and distress of mind, This day, because of Him."

Then Pilate saith to Jesus: "Art thou the very king The Jews expected should appear, And their salvation bring?"

"My kingdom," Jesus answered, "Is not beneath the skies, Else to protect me from the Jews My servants would arise."

"Art thou a king, then?" Pilate asked. "Thou sayest it," the reply; "For I was born, and hither came, The truth to testify."

Pilate said to Him: "What is truth?" Then left the judgment hall, And said unto the Jews: "I find In Him no fault at all."

Then Pilate, taking water, washed His hands before them all; And said: "This just man's blood on me Shall not in judgment fall."

Then answered all the people: "Let this man's blood be shed; And let it fall on each of us, And on our children's head."

The Crucifixion.

IT was outside the city wall Of proud Jerusalem, That Roman soldiers crucified Whom Pilate dared condemn.

But from the suffering Nazarene No word of murmur came; Patience appeared through keenest wrong, And dignity through shame.

Only this kind and earnest plea Their malice from Him drew: "Father, I pray, forgive them now, They know not what they do."

The Mother of Jesus.

NOW there stood by that dreadful cross The mother of the Lord, Whose soul with sharpest agony Was pierced, as with a sword.

When Jesus therefore saw her near, And His disciple, John, The man whom He loved best, He said: "Woman, behold thy son."

Then said to the disciple: "Thy mother here behold!" And John thenceforth his loving care Around her did enfold.

The Darkened Sun.

NOW 'tis high noon and, solemn sight, The sun withdraws his face, And shadows, over all the land, The beams of day replace.

All nature, wrapped in solemn awe, Stood shuddering in dismay, As hours of stern, Almighty wrath, Passed tediously away.

Once, from the cross, an anguished voice Came languidly: "I thirst," And then a cry, as though the heart, So full of love, had burst.

"Eli, Eli," these were the words, "Lama Sabachthani?" Oh! what acutest agony Wrung forth that mournful cry!

Meanwhile a sponge, in vinegar, One standing near Him dips; And, putting it upon a reed, He lifts it to His lips.

He then, with exclamation loud, His voice aloft doth send, Saying: "Father, now into Thy hands "My spirit I commend!"

And, then, behold! the temple vail From top to bottom rent; An earthquake shook the city's walls, The rocks to pieces went.

And the centurian, with his guard, Seeing these signs abroad, Exclaimed in fear: "Now, of a truth, "This was the Son of God."

The Burial.

NOW a good man, Joseph by name, Of wealth and high renown, In secret a disciple true, Of Rama's ancient town,

Besought that Pilate grant to him Permission to remove The body of the Crucified, Whom he had learned to love.

And then came Nicodemus, With aloes and with myrrh-- Another who had been of Christ A secret worshipper.

And these two men, who ne'er had made Profession, great or small, Prepared the sacred body for An honored burial.

They wrapped it, with the spices, In clean, white linen clothes; According to the way in which The Jews their dead dispose.

Then reverently laid it down In Joseph's tomb--quite new, Which he had hewn from out the rock, His own last sleep in view.

The Resurrection.

THE Sabbath passed in sullen calm The Lord of all things slept, And some exulted in their crime, While others mourned and wept.

It passed, it ended, and, behold! While darkness veiled the sky, Midst shock of earthquake, there came down An angel from on high.

He sought the silent sepulchre, And rolled away the stone-- The heavy stone that filled the door-- And took his seat thereon.

His features shone with lightning glow, His robes were snowy white; With solemn awe the keepers shook, And fell, as dead, with fright.

Women at the Tomb.

MEANWHILE the day began to dawn-- The first day of the week-- And sorrowing women early came, The sacred tomb to seek;

With spices and with ointments sweet, To preserve the precious clay; And saying: "Who shall roll for us That heavy stone away?"

But when they reached the sepulchre, They saw the stone removed, And, entering in, they also missed The form of Him they loved.

Instead, they saw a strange young man, Sitting up on the right, Clothed in a long, white flowing robe, And they were filled with fright.

And he said unto them: "Fear not, Ye seek Him who was slain. He is not here. He's risen indeed, Come, see where He has lain."

The Ascension.

ON sacred Olivet, once more, The apostles met their Lord, And looked with rapture on His face, And heard with joy His word.

He spake with old-time gentleness, And dignity, and love, Commanding that they should not from Jerusalem remove.

"But wait there till the promise of My Father come," He said, "Of which you heard me plainly speak The night I was betrayed.

"For John baptised with water, But ye shall feel the glow Of baptism with the Holy Ghost, Not many days from now."

And as He talked He led them on As far as Bethany, When they, together, forward came And asked Him earnestly,

Saying: "Lord, wilt thou at this time To Israel restore The kingdom in such splendor As it enjoyed of yore?"

But Jesus said unto them all: "'Tis not for you to know That which the Father doth intend Respecting things below.

"But ye shall be endued with power, And strength, and majesty, After the Holy Ghost has come Upon you from on high.

"And ye shall witness unto Me Both in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, And lands ye now condemn."

And then He lifted up His hands, And blessed them as they stood, While He ascended from their sight, Their Master, great and good.

And they beheld Him rise aloft Into the ether bright, Until a cloud enveloped Him, And bore Him from their sight.

And while they looked up after Him Toward heaven, amazed and sad, Behold two angels stood by them, In white apparel clad;

Which said: "Ye men of Galilee, Why stand ye, gazing up, As though the Lord had gone away, And left you without hope?