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About The Red Cloud chief. (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 18, 1913)
t WVMfi Mi - Mtory of (Mvaiy ID AflDRLYEV HE moon had risen already when Jesus prepared to go to tho Mount ot Olives, whero ho had spent all his last nights. Hut he tarried, for sonio Inexplicable rea son, and tho disciples, reudy to start, woro hurry ing hltn then he said sud denly: "Ho that hath a purse, lot htm tako It, and like wise his script; and he that hath no sword, let htm sell his garment and buy onu. Tor I say unto you that this that Is writ ten must yet bo accomplished In me. And ho was reckoned among tho trans gressors." The disciples were surprised and look ed at ono another In confusion. Peter replies: "Lord, wo have two swords here." Ho looked searching!) Into their kind faces, lowered his head, and said softly: "It Is enough." Tho stops ot the disciples resounded loudly In the narrow streets, and the disciples we're frightened by tho sounds of tholr own footsteps; on the white wall, Illumined by tho moon, their black shadows appeared and they were fright ened by their own shadows. Thus they passed In sllenco through Jerusalem, which was absorbed In sleep, and now they came- out of the gates of the city, and in tho valley, full of fantastic, mo tionless shadows, tho stream of Kcdrou appeared boforo them. Now they wero frightened by everything. From time to lime they looked back at Jerusalem, all whtto In tho moonlight, and they spoke to ono another about tho fear that had .passed; and those who walked in the Tear heard, in fragments, tho soft words of Jesus. IIo spoko about their forsak ing him. In tho garden they paused soon after they had entered It. The majority of them remained there, and, speaking softly, began to make ready for their sleep, outspreading their cloaks over the transparent embroidery of tho shadows and tho moonlight. Jesus, tormented with uneasiness, and four of his disciples went further Into tho depth of the garden. There they seated themselves on the ground, which had not yet cooled off from the heat of the day, and while Jesus was silent, Peter and John lazily exchanged words almost devoid of any meaning. Suddenly Jesus rose quickly. "My soul, is exceedingly sorrowful, oven unto death; tarry ye bere and watch with me," ho said and departed hastily to the grove and soon disap peared amid Its motionless shades and light. "Where did he go?" Bald John, lifting himself on his elbow. Peter turned his head In the dl xection of Jesus and answered fatiguedly: "I do not know." And ho yawned again loudly, then threw himself on his back and became silent The others also became silent, and their motionless bodies wero noon absorbed Into the sound sleep ot fatigue. Through his heavy slumber Peter saw vaguely something white bending over, some one's voice resounded and died away, leaving no trace In his dimmed consciousness. "Simon, are you sleeping?" And ho slept again, and again some soft voice reached his ear and died away without leaving any trace ' "You could not watch with me even ono hour?" "Oh. Master! if you only know how sleepy I am," ho thought In his slumber, but It seemed to blm that he said It aloud. And he slept again. And a long time seemed to havo passed, when suddenly the figure ot Jesus appeared near him, and a loud, rousing voice Instantly awakened him and the others: "You aro still sleeping and resting? It Is ended, -the hour has come the Son of Man Is betrayed Into tho hands ot tho sinners." a The disciples quickly sprang to their feet, con fusedly seizing their cloaks and trembling from tho cold of the sudden awakening. Through the thicket of the trees a multitude ot warriors and temple servants was seen approaching, noisily, Illuminating their way with torches. And from the other side the disciples came running, quiver ing with cold, their sleepy faces frightened; and not yet understanding what was going on, they Afiltfid hufitllv "What la ltr Who are those people with torchos?" Thomas, pale faced, his mustaches in disorder, bis teeth chattering from chllllnesB, said to Peter: "They havo evidently come after us." Now a multitude of warriors surrounded them, and the smoky, quivering light of the torches -drove away somewhere the soft light of tho moon. In front of the warriors walked quickly Judas Iscarlot, and sharply turning his quick eye, he was searching for Jesus. He found him, rested for an Instant his look upon his tall, slender fig ure, and quickly whispered to the priests: "Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same Is he. Take him and lead him coutlously. Lead blm cautiously, do you hear?" Then he quickly moved to Jesus, who waited for him in silence, and be directed his straight, sharp look, like a knife, Into his calm, darkened eyes. "Hall, Master!" he said loudly, charging bis -words or usual greeting with a strange und stern meaning. Dut Jesus was silent, und the disciples looked at the traitor with horror, not understanding how the soul of a man could contain so much evil. Iscarlot threw a rapid glanco at their confused rankB, noticed tholr quiver, which was about to turn into a loud, trembling fear, noticed their pallor, their senseless smiles, tho drowsy move ments of their hands, which seemed as though tot tered In iron at the shoulders and u mortal sor row began to burn In his heart, akin to tho sor row. -Christ had experienced before. Outstretching himself Into a hundred ringing, sobbing strings, he rushed ovor to Jesus and klssod his cold cheek tenderly. IIo kissed It so softly, so ten derly, with such painful love and sorrow, that If Jesus had been a flower upon a thin stalk ho would not havo shaken from this kiss and would not havo dropped tho pearly dew from his pure potals. ''Judas," said Josus, and with tho lightning of bis look ho Illumined that monstrous heap of shadows which wus Iscurlot's soul, but ho could not penetrate- Into the bottomless depth. "Judas! Ib It with a kiss you betray the Son of Man?" And he saw how that monstrous chaos trembled and stirred. Speechless and stern, like death In Ub haughty majesty, stood Judas Iscarlot, and within him a thousand impetuous and fiery voices groaned and ronrod. "Yes! We betray thee with the' kiss of love! With the kiss of love we betray theo to outrage, to torture, to death! With the voice of love we call together the hangmen from their dark holes, and we place a cross and high over tho top of tho earth we lift lover, crusiOed by love upon a eross." Thus stood Judas, silent and cold, like death, and the shouting and the noise about Jesus an swered the cry of his soul. With the rude lr resoluteness of armed force, with the awkward ness of a vaguely understood purpose, the soldiers seized him and dragged him somewhere their trreBoIuteness they mistook for resistance, their fear they mistook for derision and mockery over them. Llko a herd of frightened Iambs, the dis ciples stood huddled together, not Interfering with anything, yet disturbing everybody and even themselves. Only a few of them resolved to walk and act separately. Jostled from all sides, Peter drew out the sword from Its sheath with difficulty, as though he had lost his strength, and faintly lowered It upon tho head of ono of the priests without causing him any harm. Jesus, who no ticed it, ordered him to throw down tho unneces sary sword, and, clanking faintly, the sword fell to the ground. Thus It remained there, until many days later children at play found It nnd made a toy of it. . . When Jesus was led away Peter, who had hidden himself behind the trees, came out and followed his Master In tho distance. Noticing an other man in front of him, who walked silently, he thought that It was John, and he called htm softly: "John, Is that you?" "And is that you, Peter?" answered the other, pausing, and by tho voice Peter recognized the Traitor. "Peter, why did you not run away to gether with the others?" Peter stopped and said with contempt: "Leave me, Satan!" Judas began to laugh, and paying no further at tention to Peter, he went farther, there whero the torches were flashing dimly and where the clank ing of the weapons mingled with the footsteps. Peter followed blm cautiously, and thus they en tered tho court of tho high priest almost simul taneously and mingled In the crowd of the priests who were warming themselves at tho bonfires. Judas warmed his bony hands morosely at the bonflro and heard how Peter said loudly some whero behind him: "No, I do not know him." Dut It was evident that they were Insisting there that ho was one of tho disciples of Jesus, for Peter repeated still louder, "Hut I do not un derstand what you are saying." Without turning around, and smiling Involun tarily, Judas shook his head affirmatively and muttered: "That's right, Peterl Do not give up your place near Jesus to anybody." And be did not see how the frightened Peter walked away from the courtyard. And from that night until the very death of Jesus Judas did not see a ttlnglo ono ot the disciples of Jesus near him, and amid all that multitude there were only two, Inseparable until death, strangely bound to gether by sufferings ho who had been betrayed to abuse and torture and ho who had betrayed him. Like brother, they both, the betrayed and the traitor, drank out of the same cup of Buffer ings, and tho fiery liquid burnt equally tho pure and the Impure, lips. Ho saw bow the soldiers led Jesus away. Night was passing, the bonfires were dying out and were becoming covered with ashes, nnd from tho sentry house- ca'mo dull cries, laughter and abuses. They wero beating Jesus. As though lost, Iscarlot waB running around the deserted yard, now stopping, lifting his head and then starting to run again, stumbling upon tho bonfires and tho walls. Then ho clung to tho wall of tho sentry houso, and, stretching himself, clung to tho windows, to the crovlces In tho doors, and looked greedily to seo what was going on within. Ho saw a narrow, stifling room, llko all the sentry houses In tho world, with filthy floors and walls. And ho saw a man being beaten. Thoy beat him on the faco, on tho head, thoy hurled him llko a soft bale from ono corner of tho room to the othors nnd na ho did not cry out nnd did not resist, It soomed at times that It was not a llvo man, but a soft doll with bones and without blood. . . . And suddenly nil became s. lent. "What Is this? Why aro thoy si lent? Havo thoy guessed suddenly?" In nn Instant Judas' head wns filled with tho roar and shout of thousands of Infuriated thoughts. Havo they guessed? Do they understand now that ho Is the very best of men? It Is so simple, so clear. What aro they doing there now? Thoy kneel boforo him and weep softly, kissing hU feet Now h will como out hero, nnd thoy will follow him meekly, crawling after him, here to Judos ho will como out victorious, a Man, a Mastor of Truth, a God . . "Who Is deceiving Judas? Who Is right?" Hut no. The noise and tho shouting were resumed. They wero beating him again. They did not guess, they did not understand, and thoy beat him more harshly, more painfully. And tho lionllrcs wore burning to tho end, cov ered with ashes, nnd tho smoko wnH Just as transparently blue as tho nlr, and tho sky Just as bright as tho moon. Hoy was setting In. "What Is day?" asked Judas. Now everything hecaino bright, be gnu to Hash, grow young nnd tho biuokc was no longer blue but pink. Tho sun wns rising. "What is the sun?" asked Judas. . . . When the hammer waB rals Ml to nail tho loft hand of Jesus to tho wood, Judas closed his eyes ho did not breathe, ho did not hoc anything, ho did not llvo ho only listened. Then the Iron struck tho iron with n thud, and then followed dull, short, low blows ho heard how the sharp unll was entering tho soft wood. . Ono hand It was not too late yet. Tho other hand. It was still not too Into yet. Ono foot, tho other foot Is It possible that nil was ended? Ho opened his eyes irresolutely nnd saw how tho cross was lifted nnd placed In a hole. He how how the hands ot Jesus contracted convulsively, and how they relaxed painfully, and how tho wounds wero growing larger. . . . The hands wero strotchtng, stretching, thoy bo- camo thin, white, dislocated at tho shoulders, nnd tho wounds under tho nails turned redder It seemed as though the hands would tear soon. . . .. Dut everything stopped. Only ribs wero mov ing, lifted by quick, deop brenthlng. On the top of the earth stood the cross, and upon It Jesus, crucified. . . . The horror nnd the dreams of Iscarlot had been realized ho rose and looked about him with a cold glance. And suddenly Iscarlot saw as clearly as his terrible victory, also its ominous uncer tainty. What. It the people should suddenly un derstand? It was not too Into as yet. Jesus waB still alive. There he was calling with his sor rowful eyes. . . . What was It that prevented the thin covering obstructing the eyes of tho pcoplo from bursting? And suddenly they would understand. Suddenly they would nil move forward, in a stern mass ot men, women and children sllontly, without nuy outcries, nnd they would wlpo out tho soldiers, sink them in their own blood, tear out of tho earth tho accursed cross, and tho hands of those who would remain among the living would lift high over tho crown of tho earth the free Jesus! Ho sannah! Hosannahl Hosannah? No, Judas would rather Ho down on tho ground and gnashing his teeth llko a dog, he would watch and wait until tho peoplo would rise. Dut what has happened with Tlmo? Now It almost Btopped, bo that he felt like pushing it with his hands, striking it with his feet, as a lazy ass; now It rushed madly as though from a moun tain, taking his breath away; and his hands sought some support in vain. Thoro Mary of Magdala was crying. Thero the mother ot Jesus was crying. Let her cry. What mattered her tears now, the tears ot all mothers, of all women on earth! Jesus was dying. Is It possible? Yes, Jesus was dying. His pale hands were motionless, but quick convulsions ran over his face, his chest and his feet. Yes, ho waB dying. His breathing grew fainter. Then It stopped. No, there came another sigh Jesus waB still on earth. And then another one? No. No. No. Jesus died. It wns all over. Hosannah! Hosannah! . . . JudaB stopped and surveyed with cold eyes the new, small earth. It had become small, and be felt as thought It was all under his feet; he looked at the small mountains, quietly reddening in tho laBt rays of the sun, and he felt the mountains were undor his feet; ho looked nt tho Bky, which opened Its blue mouth wide; he looked at the round little sun, which was vainly trying to scorch and to blind and ho felt the sky and tho sun un der his feet. . . . . . . Judas had long selected a place where he would kill himself after tho death of JesuB. It was on a mountain, high Bbove Jerusalem, and there stood only ono tree, bent, half decayed and tossed by the wind, which tore it on all sides. One of ita crooked branches was outstretched to ward Jerusalem, as if blessing or threatening it, and Judas chose that branch for fastening the noose upon It. . . . Within two days Jobub of Nazareth and Judas iBcarlot, tho Traitor, left tho earth. All night Juilas was dangling upon the tree llko somo monstrous fruit over Jerusalem; nnd tho wind turnod his face now toward tho city, now to ward tho desort, as though it wanted to show Judas both to tho city aud to tho .desert. . . . DOME8TIC ECONOMY. "Tho doctor says I must quit smoking. One lung 1b nearly gone." "Oh, dear, John, Can't you hold out until w get enough coupons for that dining-room rug?" PRUDENT ENJOYMENT. "Havo you had any troublo with your auto mobile rides, Mrs. Jones?" "No, Indeed; wo mako it a point to koop al ways near enough to a trolley lino to got home." iNItlMlIONAL SNMftOlOOL Lesson (tlr IC. O. BKLL.BKB. Director of Kvenln Department, Tits Moody lllblo Institute, Chicago.) LESSON FOR DECEMBER 21 lUt KUINS BRIDGET River-Divided Town in Alaska Has Hard Time. DIVISION OF THE LAND. LESSON TKXT-Jonhua 14:1-14. OOI.DKN TKXT "Seek yo nrst tho KltiRilom ot Clod nnd his rlKhtcotisneiui: niul nil tlirno thing bIiiiII bo mlded unto you."-Mnlt. 6:33. Following tho detent at Al wo boo Jonhua building nn altar at Kbal (ch. 8) nnd reading again "all that Moses commanded" (v. 35), to tho Israelites and tho strangers as well. Then fol lows nn account of IiIb campaigns. A military critic has classed Joshun with tho Alexanders, Caesars, Napoleons, Wellingtons and" Grants of all ages. Hie dealing with tho Glboonltes and its ntter effects was ono error In his campaign, for ho failed to take coun sel ot Jehovah. At tho closo ot tho war (ch. 11) Joshua 1b ready to divide tho long-promised inheritance, chap ters 12-21. I. Those left behind, vv. 1-5. Read carefully Numbers ch. 32 to recall tho story of those who, llko Lot ot old, saw good grazing land and choso it in prefcrenco to thnt on tho farther sldo of Jordan, thnt possessed by tho "chil dren of Anak." Subsequent history rovonls tho foolishness of tholr choice for thoy wero tho first to fall before tho enemies ot Israel when tho king dom was broken up. The Levltea (v. 4) wero not to havo a portion but rather they wero to dwell In selected cltloB with suburban property. Caleb Not an Israelite. II. Caleb claims his Inheritance, vv. 6-12. Joshua waa old and stricken In years (13:1) and now Israel Is be foro him, each of tho remaining nine and ono-hnlt tribes, to have appor tioned unto thorn a pormanont dwel ling placo after tho long years ot wil derness wandering, and tho more re cent campaign of subjugation. Dofore Joshua casts tho lot, howover. Caleb recalls tho promise Moses had mado to him 45 years before (v. 10). Prom a comparison of v. 6 R. V., Gen. 16:19 and Josh. 15:13 It appoars that Calob was not an Israelite by birth, but nev ertheless he claims an Inheritance among them, based upon tho promise of Moees, "tho man of God," bocause he had "wholly followed tho Lord my God" v. 0. His namo literally means "a dog" yet this dog of a Gentllo got more than tho crumbs that fell from the master's table, Matt 16:26. Caleb rested upon the sure word of God, and to remember this promise waa not an act of selfishness. How thoso events In the valley of Eschol must have stood out In the memory of Caleb and Joshua. They remomborcd bow their companions caused the hearts of the peoplo "to molt" Num. 14:37. That day's work was ono of serious results and so shall It bo for their Imitators of the present day. To seo tho giants and not, as Calob, to seo God had brought death. In his heart, howover, Calob treasured God's word and now at elghty-flvo ho has not alono been "kept allvo," but bo is as strong as on that day, when In the prime of his manhood, Moses bad sent him forth with tho twelve. Remembered God'e Promise. III. A promise fulfilled vv. 13-15. Joshua at once recognizes the Justness and validity of Caleb's claim. He re membered God's promise, Num. 14:24- 30; Deut. 1:36-38, thereforo ho at once grants the request and adds to It bis blessing. Hebron, moane "Joining," "union," "fellowship." Thus we see Caleb entering Into all the rights, privileges and blessings ot any of the descendants ot Jacob. Is this not typical of our privilege In Christ Jo bus? John 16:6; 14:20; I. John 1:3. See also Matt. 8:11, 12. The only con dition Is that of faltb In God and In hie Word, Gal. 3:7, 26, 29. "Thus faltb In the case of Caleb is revealed aa the principle which follows fully, waits pv tlontly, asks for new opportunities for Ita exercise, and gains finally a vic tory." Q. Campbell Morgan. The Golden Text The essential valuo of this lesson is exproseod in those words of our Lord. To seek the kingdom ot God and his righteousness first, Is tho matter of supreme Impor tance and involves following the Lord fully. Frequently-, constantly, this means a long postponement of the day of our visible vindication. Yet such postponement Is not the result of the caprlclousnoBs of God, nor Is it delayed beyond the hour necessary for the working out ot the plana of Jehovah, In accordance with the very best moans. As Caleb waited those 45 years his strength waxed not, and all things needful were supplied. The point Is not so much that he at last gained the inheritance, but that dur ing tho period of waiting his suste nance and bis raiment were provided. All through the year wo havo been hearing of promises which were con ditional upon loyalty to God and obe dience to his will. Today wo see a fulfillment ot the promise mado over nnd fiver again that Israel should pos sess tho Promised Land. Dr. J. Wil bur Chapman asked Gen. William nooth for the sccrot ot bis bucccss In tho Salvation Army and his roply was, "God has had nil thoro was ot mo." Calob's woe a vigorous, happy old ago; ho bad not wasted anxious thought on tho morrow; ho Kept allvo bis lntorost In tho over-throbbing present 'Oullds Spans Over Water Only to Re ularly Have Them Washed Away In Spring When Warm Currents Breaks Ice Packs. Washington. Thero Is a rIvor-dl. 'vldod town up In Alaska that annual jly, year aftor year, almost without fall, (Undertakes tho Irksome Job ot bund ling bridges, only to seo thorn tora down again a tow months lator on. Man builds and nature destroys, and Just how long this discouraging ame will contlnuo depends entirely upon human Ingenuity. Congress has been asked to como to tho relief of tho citi zens by putting In steel and cement structures that will defy tho element no torrlbly destructive to less substan tial types. Drldgo building ovor the Chena riv er nt Fairbanks Is something llko the enso of tho small boy when ho stands over a horde of tiny ants working Ilk Trojans waiting to destroy their hills by a mischievous swing ot his leg. In pther words, tho annual break-up la Alnska. particularly at Fairbanks, is midden nnd, If nothing clso, is intense ly dramatic. Human hands set the stage ami nature clears It In a Jiffy. Ico forms with less noiso ami fuss than thnt mado by a Betting hen. But when Ico tnkca a notion, to go down stream on tho Instalment plnn with the warm currents from melting snows thai como regularly with spring the at tendant uproar approaches that of a lusty thunderstorm. Anything In tho form of man-made barrier, uiiIobb madq of the strongest steel, makes the Alaskan break-up most exciting, aa well as oxponBlv. To boo several thousand tons ot Ico, car ried nt a terrific paco by rushing, swol len streams, crash Into an obstruction in bridge form Is much tike watchlna BBBBBBBbLbtLIO ". ,-' V -j rttSBBHSBBBBbBBsHIIBBBBBBBai HfO JsbbbbbbbbRSH BBfSBflr3tx''ttlM'VeSEK?TjBRBV bebbbbbsbbsSsssSsbbbsbbSIHbbI On the Chsna River. two speeding locomotives come vio lently together In a battle for a right of way. One of tho bridges that span the Chena at Fairbanks connects the city with Garden island, where the railroad yards and other industries aro located. lt'Is this bridge that requires frequent rebuilding either this or the work men muBt swim or row to work. When the torrents of the Tanana valley, as sembled for tho spring rush, drive the ice floes against it the timbers, plank ing and piling go out a great deal faster than hammers and nallB caa put them In. Incidentally, the kindling Wood supply for residents down stream is ample for months to come. POOR MAN HITS AT THE DUKE Englishman In tetter to Newspaper Assails Westminster as Aristo cratic ieggar. London. The duke of Westminster's appeal for an Olympic fund Is still be ing shot at from a good many quar ters. He has become the victim of Great Britain's greatest Indoor sport writing letters to the editor. The latest bombshell which has been fired at the veer's head is in the "Dally News and Leader," and Blgnod with the familiar title "Vox Clamantls." The writer says that be is a man ol very small means, almost exempt from the incomo tax, and living in a house rented at less than $200 a year. Ha contributes to the church, also heeda tho parson's call for extra donations. "But," ho bitterly complains, "I am con stantly receiving by post all sorts of applications for subscriptions to all kinds of philanthropic objects, and the latest rousoa my gall, for it comes from the duke ot Westminster, whose pre decessor was out and away the biggest aristocratic beggar In England. The present duke seems to follow already in the lato duke's footsteps." "Vox Clamantls" goes on to rip the duke up the back in a few more para graphs, and concludes: "It is certainly cool from one whose estate not long ago exacted $250,000) for a lease in the West end to ask mm to contribute to an athletic fund ot $500,000. Considering the fabulous wealth ot the duke, he might have found tho money himself or done to with the help of the half dozen other peers who indorse his appeal, without sending his hat around to people who llvo in less than a $200 houso. Dead Child's Toys Shock Mother. Paterson, N. J. Mrs. Julia Collins, opening a drawer, suddenly came across toys of her dead child. The shock was so serious that she was re moved to tho hospital. New Jersey Bull Charges Train. Washington, N. J. Blue Beard, prlzo Jersey bull, charged an express locomotive, which waa going 60 miles an hour. He'll never do It again. . "JMJI j' m ?i & si ,si ? HWIWW""'1 MAf"