comes to us in tones strangely altered by deepest emotion. “If it be possible—­let this cup pass.”  There is still a clinging to a possibility, some possibility other than that of this nightmare vision.  The writer of the Hebrews lets in light here.  The strain of spirit almost snaps the life-thread.  And a parenthetical prayer for strength goes up.  And the angels come with sympathetic strengthening.  With what awe must they have ministered!  Even after that some of the red life slips out there under the trees.  By and by a calmer mood asserts itself, and out of the darkness a second petition comes.  It tells of the tide’s turning, and the victory full and complete. A changed, petition this! “Since this cup may not pass—­since only thus can Thy great plan for a world be wrought out—­Thy—­will”—­slowly but very distinctly the words come—­“Thy—­will—­be—­done.”

The changed prayer was wrought out upon His knees! With greatest reverence, and a hush in our voices, let us say that there alone with the Father came the clearer understanding of the Father’s actual will under these circumstances.

    “Into the woods my Master went
    Clean forspent, forspent;
    Into the woods my Master came
    Forspent with love and shame. 
    But the olives they were not blind to Him,
    The little gray leaves were kind to Him;
    The thorn-tree had a mind to Him
    When into the woods He came.

    “Out of the woods my Master went
    And He was well content;
    Out of the woods my Master came
    Content with death and shame. 
    When death and shame would woo Him last
    From under the trees they drew Him last
    ’Twas on a tree they slew Him—­last
    When out of the woods He came."[24]

True prayer is wrought out upon the knees alone with God.  With deepest reverence, and in awed tones, let it be said, that that was true of Jesus in the days of His humanity.  How infinitely more of us!

Shall we not plan to meet God alone, habitually, with the door shut, and the Book open, and the will pliant so we may be trained for this holy partnership of prayer.  Then will come the clearer vision, the broader purpose, the truer wisdom, the real unselfishness, the simplicity of claiming and expecting, the delights of fellowship in service with Him; then too will come great victories for God in His world.  Although we shall not begin to know by direct knowledge a tithe of the story until the night be gone and the dawning break and the ink-black shadows that now stain the earth shall be chased away by the brightness of His presence.

The Great Outside Hindrance

The Traitor Prince.