Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me." What did he mean by this cup? He did not mean a real cup. He was going to be tormented by the wicked devil, and to be nailed upon a cross of wood till he died. It was not a cup of bitter medicine he was going to drink, but a cup of pain and grief, and he asked his Father not to let him drink it. But then he knew that his Father loved us sinners, and wished to save us, so Jesus finished his prayer with these words, "Not as I will, but as thou wilt." What a sweet prayer this was! Jesus did not wish to do his own will, but his Father's will. When we pray to God in our troubles, let us say the same, "Not as I will, but as thou wilt.”

After Jesus had prayed, he went to his three friends, but he found them sleeping, for they were very tired, and very unhappy. He was not angry, but he said to them gently, "Could ye not watch with me one hour? Then he went back again to pray, and he said the same words he had said before. After he had prayed he returned to his friends, but he found them asleep, and when he spoke to them they did not know what to answer him. They knew they ought to have been praying and watching with their Lord. Jesus went back again to pray the third time. His Father heard his prayers, and he sent an angel from heaven to comfort him.

How glad that angel must have been to go

to his Lord! for Jesus is the Son of God, and is greater than all the angels. Before he came into this world to be a man, he was with his Father in heaven, and he made every thing, and he made the angels. But what a sad sight the angel saw when he came down and found Jesus in the garden! The Son of God was in such great sorrow and trouble, that the blood came through his skin while he prayed, and it fell on the ground in great drops. Oh, what pain the blessed Saviour must have felt! It was for us, and not for the angel, he was suffering all this pain. That angel had never sinned, but we have sinned, every day and every hour.

After Jesus had prayed very earnestly, he came back the third time to his friends. Were they sleeping still? Yes, they were; they had not seen the bright angel talking to the Lord. This time Jesus said to his three friends, "Rise up, let us go." He told them that the people who hated him were coming, and so they were. While Jesus was yet speaking, a number of men came near, with lamps in their hands and great sticks and swords. And who was showing them the way? It was the wicked Judas. He had often been in the garden with his Master, and he knew where to find him. The Lord did not go away, but let the wicked people take hold of him.

Oh, what a loving Saviour Jesus was! Now he is alive again, and is ready to hear our

prayers, and to pardon our sins, and to give us new hearts, and to take us to heaven.

This history may be found in Matthew 26: 36-47; Mark 14: 32-43; Luke 22: 39-47; John 18: 1–4.

He, who was a King above,
Left his kingdom for a grave,
Out of pity and of love,

That the guilty he might save:
Down to this sad world he flew
For such little ones as you.

Stretch'd upon the cross, behold,
How his tender limbs are torn!

For a royal crown of gold,

They have made him one of thorn
Cruel hands, that dare to bind,

Thorns upon a brow so kind.

Come then, children, come and see!
Lift your little hands to pray;
"Blessed Jesus, pardon me,

Help a guilty infant," say,
"Since it was for such as I

Thou didst condescend to die."

THE MAN WHO SAT BY THE FIRE

IN THE HALL.

ONCE the Son of God lived in this world. Is not that wonderful? He became a man, and he had a body and a soul just as you have. Would you have liked to have seen him? I think you would. There were twelve men who walked about with him from place to place. They were called his disciples. One of them was named Simon Peter. He loved Jesus, the Son of God.

Sometimes Jesus used to say to his twelve disciples, "I shall soon die; wicked men will kill me; they will nail me on a cross, but I shall rise again out of my grave." The disciples were very sorry to hear their Master talk in this way; they could not bear to think that he should die. Once Peter said, "Lord, I am ready to go with thee both into prison, and to death." Then Jesus said to Peter, "This night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt thrice. deny that thou knowest me.' Jesus was God, and he knew all that was going to happen. Peter could not believe that he would ever

say he did not know his dear Master, but Peter did not know how much naughtiness there was in his heart.

That very night some wicked men came into a garden where Jesus was, and bound him with ropes, and took him to a great house. The judges were seated on high seats in that great house or hall. Peter was very sorry to see his Master taken away, and he went after him. He did not go with him, but he followed him some way off. There was a woman at the door, and she let him go in; then Peter sat by a fire, and warmed himself. Soon the woman who had let Peter in, looked at him, and said, "Thou also art one of his disciples." Then Peter was afraid lest the wicked people should use him ill, as they did his Master, and he said to the woman, "Woman, I know him not." That was a lie a dreadful lie. Presently afterwards Peter left the hall, and went out into the porch. Then the cock crew. Did Peter remember what Jesus had said? No, he did not; he took no notice of the crowing of the cock. While he was in the porch, a man said to him, "Thou art also of them." Peter answered, "Man, I am not;" and not content with telling this lie, he soon began to swear he did not know the Lord.

He returned into the great house. There his Master was. The wicked people were round him, laughing at him, beating him, and even spitting at him. Several persons came