Atlanta Daily World

They Could Not Watch One Hour

Those who have cursed the term 'tis a cross to find even close friends or the more to tell it in and sleep while they suffered and prayed to them. Can I as one take the place of our Lord when He in the greatest agony simply asked His friends to watch one hour, to turn and find them sleeping. Doubtless among these eleven, were some devout men. In spite of their long following of Jesus, they had not come to realize the great moment He was facing. It would seem in our modern time that there should have been a few close students, eager to watch every trend of what was fast taking place. Even Peter, than whom there was no more militant influence, desired knowing His friend in His most trying ordeal. The lowly Nazarene was left in His first great struggle all alone deserted by His friends.

Here the world is given a striking lesson on the weakness of human flesh. When many love animals we find the mother and even friends staking their lives in an effort to protect the creature affected. The little busy bee goes into inevitable death in defense of his province and his queen. Man who would claim to be the most intelligent of all animals, the King of the world and master of his fate, quivers in the flesh when his life is at peril.

In the struggles for territory, economic concessions and power of government, it will be seen that the less fortunate, is always sent to the front line in the battle. The Kings and rulers remain in the backgrounds for a division of the spoils of war.

Our Lord! Himself, in the flesh prayed that this bitter cup might pass from Him. Although He was both God and man. when the rumble of the crisis came the flesh side was to assert itself. But the God side countered at last with: 'I'll drink it up'

Those who have seen the Passion Plays, modeled after the life and crucifixion of our Lord, have shuddered at His stripes. His crown of thorns and lastly, when He bowed His head in that last phrase. 'It is finished' But it finished only to begin. That finish and beginning have afforded the world varied philosophies and religions. Disputes will doubtless run the length of man's habitation. Through such medium— the propagation of the story borne by those who returned from the tomb with the tidings : 'He is risen' have spread to earth's remotest bounds.

It is not the purpose of this effort to burden neither believers or unbelievers with a theological treatise. No opinions are to be discounted and no theories are to be shouted, but in Easter there is a lesson for all rational beings—the final triumph of the just over any form of persecution. Not even is death exempted. The flesh is frail and fickle It is covered by varied hues of skins These hues are the forerunners of our caste systems. Regardless of colors, the strong will exploit the weak. Color, being a convenient rule of identification, it naturally designates the strength or weakness of the caste.

Those victims of race and caste persecution everywhere, find in Easter and the resurrection a promise of the final triumph of the true and faithful.

The way of the flesh is weak and even in the terrible crisis of today that is trying the very existence of our governments and institutions. in spite of their hunger, persecution and privations man, even heavily unable to watch one hour.