th
of Thy commandments." He is praying for "go," for moral persistence, for
power to crash through all obstacles which may impede his heavenly
progress. And such is my need. Good Lord, endow me with a will like "an
iron pillar," and help me to "stand in the evil day."

MARCH The Twenty-third

_THE DARK BETRAYAL_

JOHN xviii. 1-14.

Our Master was betrayed by a disciple, "one of the twelve." The blow came
from one of "His own household." The world employed a "friend" to execute
its dark design. And so our intimacy with Christ may be our peril; our
very association may be made our temptation. The devil would rather gain
_one_ belonging to the inner circle than a thousand who stand confessed as
the friends of the world. What am I doing in the kingdom? Can I be
trusted? Or am I in the pay of the evil one?

And our Master was betrayed in the garden of prayer. In the most hallowed
place the betrayer gave the most unholy kiss. He brought his defilement
into the most awe-inspiring sanctuary the world has ever known. And so may
it be with me. I can kindle the unclean fire in the church. I can stab my
Lord when I am on my knees. While I am in apparent devotion I can be in
league with the powers of darkness.

And this "dark betrayal" was for money! The Lord of Glory was bartered for
thirty pieces of silver! And the difference between Judas and many men is
that they often sell their Lord for less! From the power of Mammon, and
from the blindness which falls upon his victims, good Lord, deliver me!

MARCH The Twenty-fourth

_IN GETHSEMANE_

LUKE xxii. 39-46.

Surely this is the very Holy of Holies! It were well for us to fall on our
knees and "be silent unto the Lord." I would quietly listen to the awful
words, "Remove this cup from Me!" and I would listen again and again until
never again do I hold a cheap religion. It is in this garden that we learn
the real values of things, and come to know the price at which our
redemption was bought. No one can remain in Gethsemane and retain a
frivolous and flippant spirit.

"_And there appeared unto Him an angel from heaven, strengthening Him._" I
know that angel! He has been to me. He has brought me angel's food, even
heavenly manna. Always and everywhere, when my soul has surrendered itself
to the Divine will, the angel comes, and my soul is refreshed. The laying
down of self is the taking up of God. When I lose my will I gain the
Infinite. The moment of surre