GETHSEMANE

New Zealand Tablet, 30 October 1913, Page 45

GETHSEMANE

The Son of God ! Divine! Omnipotent! Is't truly Thou Who com'st'in rending plight Well-nigh desert'd thro' the lonely night Unto Gethsemane? Thy frail form bent Beneath a vision'd cross; Thy sad heart rent By man's iniquity ! Say is't the height Of Thy humiliation? Wilt affright Still further those that will yet well repent Thy ignominious death ? The stars above That nail yon velvet dimness-to the sky Look down upon Thy desolation; see! Thy chos'n comrades, they who vow'd to love The Son of God, unmindful, careless, lie In sleep! The world but mocks Thy agony ! O God ! Thou canst but hate mankind to hear The passion'd outcry of that garden, where In anguish hitherto unknown, despair As cold as death, lies Jesus, bow'd with fear And misery? He sees, like Thee, too clear The world's ingratitude, yet must needs bear For man's redemption, all the shame they dare To cast upon Him; base and insincere Shall be His judges; unborn men He came To save will scorn Him; thousands live to cry Aloud His name but in derision; few, So few to love Him ; yet no angry blame Escapes those sacred lips, but 'Father, I Will drink the chalice ! Thine, not My will do V Redeemer of our taint'd world! Oh! Why This strange prostration, loudly asking aid Of this fair angel whom Thy Father made For His own Glory ? How can He supply To Thee, a God, the strength Thou need'st to die ? Anomaly for here display'd, Humility's most wondrous miracle is laid Before us by our Saviour Christ! The weak Unto the mighty strength bestow.! A God From His own creature has obtain'd the pow'r Of sustentation ! See ! A torch-lit band ! The traitor Judas who with Jesus trod Companion ! Jesus ! They .are come ! The hour Is nigh that will indeed Thy strength demand ! Angela Hastings. Dunedin.