Alone, while treading the wine-press of the wrath of devils and men, gained He the keys of death, hell and the grave. They were forged in the crucible of in- tense hate, not in the lap of luxurious ease. Ingratitude heaped upon Him the sins of the world, and heavy-eyed watch- men slept while he prayed and sweat great gouts of blood. Malice spat in his face; Jealousy in mockery crowned him with thorns; Envy mantled him with a cast-off robe; Cruelty nailed Him to the cross, then cried: "Come down, save thyself." Son of God, Prince of Power, commander of heavenly legions though He was, the anguish of accumulated woes, caused Him, as death's agony bathed his brow, to exclaim: "My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me?"

Ye sons of Zion, think of this, and bear patiently the mocking scorn of un- belief. Taunting skepticism may deride your faith while sneeringly laughing at your confidence in God. But remember that the power to bear humiliation is the test of humility. "There must needs be offences, but woe unto them by whom they come!" The exiled and imprisoned may bear contempt; and while earthly powers hold high carnival and mock at sacred things, the promises of God may seem to fail; but you who are wise will know that the methods of Satan have never changed. Pride, haughtiness, re- bellion, oppression, deceit, rule and ruin have ever been characteristic of the fallen son of the morning. On the mountain top he offered the Christ of God the kingdoms of this world as the price of false worship. Treachery lurked deep when he sought to kill by tempting the Lord to cast Himself down from the Temple pinnacle; then sneeringly asked that bread be made of stones to satisfy hunger gnawing at famishing vitals. As then, so now—Who lives godly in Jesus Christ shall suffer persecution. 'Tis the heritage of Saints. As they hated the Master, so will they hate His servants. Be not surprised, therefore, if for a time, humiliation, contempt and scorn be your part; for even while the hand of God traced on the palace wall the doom of the mocking king, the proud in drunken revel defiled the sacred cups of the Temple; but how quickly followed the fall! Boasting Assyrian hosts, declaring there was no God, reveled in sight of the walls of Jerusalem; but the angel of death passed over and wrapt them in dreamless sleep, that knew no mortal wakening.

Alone, while treading the wine-press of the wrath of devils and men, gained He the keys of death, hell and the grave. They were forged in the crucible of in- tense hate, not in the lap of luxurious ease. Ingratitude heaped upon Him the sins of the world, and heavy-eyed watch- men slept while he prayed and sweat great gouts of blood. Malice spat in his face; Jealousy in mockery crowned him with thorns; Envy mantled him with a cast-off robe; Cruelty nailed Him to the cross, then cried: "Come down, save thyself." Son of God, Prince of Power, commander of heavenly legions though He was, the anguish of accumulated woes, caused Him, as death's agony bathed his brow, to exclaim: "My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me?"

He who fought the Christ of God in heaven and was cast down to hell, still forges chains with which to bind the souls of men. From the beginning Luci- fer was an ambitious tyrant and accuser of his brethren. Heavenly hosts wept when they saw the misery and woe he would work for the inhabitants of earth. But the final great struggle is fast ap- proaching. Let us fear not the result, for Christ and His people shall conquer here, as He and they conquered there.