"Watch and pray," said Jesus to the three disciples, "lest you fall into temptation and yield; the spirit, indeed, is willing, but the flesh is weak." The spirit is quick to imagine either good or evil, but the flesh is weak, and the spirit cannot rule it.

The three disciples were not asleep, as you understand the term. It was a physical, but not a moral sleep; the spirit remained subject to the body, and perceived its sensations. They were in a state of outward torpor which produced all the appearance of sleep, but which yet permitted them to view, as through a veil, the events which were passing around them, and to hear what was spoken. In such a state, the body sleeps, but the spirit, which is not disengaged, perceives with organs which are clogged with matter, and the effects produced on the brain resemble those of a dream.

In the case of Peter, James, and John, this condition was the result of fatigue and watching. Have you not yourselves sometimes passed into a similar state, like that which we have just described ?

The three disciples were not asleep; they saw and heard what passed; but when Jesus approached, their eyes were weighed down under magnetic influence, to give occasion for the advice which he desired to give them. Jesus approached them three times, and spoke the same words to fix them more firmly on their minds and memory, for his words were to be related and recorded by the Evangelists, for the instruction of all future generations of men.

(Luke xxii. 43.)-Can those who believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ believe that God had need of support, and that his strength was insufficient in itself? On the other hand, can those who deny spirit-manifestations, and regard Jesus as a man like themselves, and clothed with a robe of flesh like their own, admit that an angel of the Lord appeared to the eyes of the man Jesus, and to the eyes of the three Apostles? Those who deny spirit-manifestations cannot admit this; and must therefore regard Jesus as an impostor, if he related it to the disciples; but if not (for there is no proof that he mentioned it to them), then it was

the disciples themselves who invented this manifestation. of the angel; and for what purpose should they, at the very moment when they were endeavouring to establish the divinity of one in whom they could not possibly have believed, if we accept the views of these critics?

Those who believe in spirit-manifestations, and who suppose that Jesus was a man like themselves, can admit that all the events recorded of him may have taken place, but would make his birth an entirely human event. But in that case, the revelations made by the angel to Mary and Joseph are false! If Jesus sprung from a human union, the mystery which surrounded his birth would be a lie; and if we admit that this event is false, we should be forced to admit the possibility of the falsity of the whole history. Let the Spiritist reflect on the consequences of this, and consider the disadvantage at which he would be placed towards those who deny spirit-manifestations, and declare the Gospels to be fabulous, only retaining, according to their own caprice, what it suits their incredulity to admit. But the New Revelation sets the Spirit in the place of the letter, and explains the origin and nature of Jesus in spirit and in truth, and the manner of his appearance on the earth.

He is a spirit of perfect and immaculate purity, the protector and ruler of your planet, and the greatest essence next to God, as regards your earth; but not the only one who has arrived at an equal elevation in space, and in the hierarchy of worlds and spirits. He was only clothed with a perispritic body, which left him perfect consciousness of his origin, the independence and liberty of his spirit, the full knowledge of his mission and power, and the certainty of the future. Could Jesus, who was always a spirit, require any other support but in the Lord himself; and did not his own devotion raise him above every human weakness? You may therefore admit that Jesus, who was above all human terrors, designed to set men an example of submission under the greatest sufferings, and you will find that men have profited by his example; for you see martyrs going to the torture without even passing through the moral agony of which the disciples spoke with reference to Jesus,

and which, though they took it for a reality, was only an appearance and a lesson. You should never forget that Jesus always placed before the eyes of men practical illustrations of the morality which he preached. Whatever envelope men attribute to Jesus, yet let them admire his spirit. Spiritists, be not disunited; and other men, whoever you are, who are not yet prepared to accept the light of the New Revelation, abandon the fragments of the vase, but carefully collect the perfume which it contained; for those who inhale it inhale eternal life.

The appearance of the angel also took place as a lesson and example to men, to demonstrate that God always upholds those who appeal to him with faith and resignation, and sends them the strength which they require. It also teaches them that whatever trials and sufferings may be reserved for them, they will always find the strength they need in the support which they derive from the Lord.

The appearance of the angel became visible to the three disciples by their clairvoyance. It would not have been visible to them all; and this is the reason that Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, who were best fitted to see the vision.

(Luke xxii. 44.)-The bloody sweat was a fluidic effect, medianimically visible to the three disciples, like the vision of the angel. It was emblematic of the blood which Jesus foresaw would be shed in his name. There is nothing extraordinary in this manifestation to those who are initiated in spiritual science, and the history of spirit-manifestations; for these are authentic records of analogous phenomena, which might be repeated in your own days, to the eyes of seeing mediums. These fluidic effects on the part of the spirits, have analogous effects on the part of incarnate spirits who undergo human incarnation like yourselves. These are material phenomena, which your human science has recognised as a pathological condition. Many instances are recorded in your medical annals; and you may specially call to mind the historic narrative of the two young girls called the Stigmatics of the Tyrol.

We must again remind you that everything that took place was intended solely as a lesson and example to men. What did Jesus do? Was he praying alone? Was his prayer a prayer of the lips, or of the thought only? No (and this is one remark which even those who deny the events have overlooked); he took with him three of his disciples, and went forward a little, but not out of sight and hearing. He fell on his face, and expressed aloud his thoughts, his sufferings, and his submission. Blind men, do you not yet understand that Jesus, who set you an example how to live, also set you an example how to die, by showing his disciples how man should bow to the will of his Lord, and master his own will, no matter what agonies he may suffer?

66

His disciples were asleep." Do you not yet perceive that this "sleep," which permitted them to observe all the words and actions of the Master, was a lesson ?

O dearly beloved Master, blessed Model, how sweet have been thy examples, and how strengthening thy word! Who can say that there was a second of thy passage on earth which was not devoted to the instruction of mankind both by word and example! Gentle Master of morality, still teach these ungrateful ones to prostrate themselves before the Lord, and still let fall from thy blessed lips the words of submission and devotion which they should repeat !

Disciples, who follow the Master, and listen to his voice, beware of allowing yourselves to be overcome with sleep, for the time is approaching, and you should always watch and pray to keep yourselves on your guard against your visible and invisible enemies; the vices of humanity, evil advice and temptations, and secret evil influences. Guard yourselves against yourselves by constant watchfulness over your thoughts, words, and actions, and you will then have nothing to fear from others, whether incarnate or errant.

If

Jesus set an example to men until the last moment. he had not seemed to the eyes of his disciples to suffer the agonies which man suffers when face to face with death, the gratitude of mankind would not have been the same. Men did not understand then, and do not yet generally under

stand, that his apparent physical sufferings and trials were not the same as yours. Had they supposed so, they would have said (and you yourselves would have said the same, if you had not been enlightened by the New Revelation as to "who is the Son," and the purely spiritual nature of his mission). "It was easy for him to devote himself to torture and death, for his nature rendered him superior to the sufferings which overwhelm us."

But although material sufferings could not touch him, yet he experienced moral sufferings, and regret at foreseeing a future which should be so unproductive to men. He beheld

the blood which men would shed in his name; and this blood appeared to the eyes of the disciples, and made them perceive that when a man is moved by trust and love to raise his heart towards the Lord, and to ask for strength to bear his trials, the Lord sends messengers who bring him the hope and consolation which he needs. And did not he who was a spirit of perfect and immaculate purity, above and beyond your humanity, fulfil a superior mission for the progress of men, moved solely by love and devotion, amid moral sufferings, when he stooped to you?

(Matth. xxvi. 45, 46; Mark xiv. 41, 42; Luke xxii. 45, 46.)" It is enough," said Jesus to his disciples. The lesson was given to the Apostles and their followers, that all men might profit by them. "The hour is come; rise, and let us go;" for the outward events must be accomplished.

MATTHEW, CHAP. XXVI.-VERSES 47-56. MARK, CHAP. XIV. VERSES 43-52. LUKE, CHAP. XXII. VERSES 47-53.

Arrest of Jesus.

Matth. xxvi. (47) And while he was speaking, behold Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a large crowd with swords and cudgels, from the high priests and elders of the people. (48) And he who betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, he it is, seize upon him. (49) And immediately coming to Jesus, he said, Hail, Rabbi, and kissed him. (50) And Jesus said to him, Comrade, wherefore art thou here? Then they came up to him, and laid their hands on Jesus, and seized him. (51) And behold one of those with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck the servant of