[Illustration: Jesus, leaving his three disciples to watch at the entrance to the Garden of Gethsemane, went farther inside to pray.] In the Garden of Gethsemane CHAPTER 89 DURING THE week of the Passover, while the city of Jerusalem held three or four times as many people as usual, the gates in its walls were kept open day and night, although during most of the year they were closed at sunset. It was near midnight on Thursday when Jesus and his disciples, coming from the supper room, passed through a gate in the eastern wall just north of the Temple. They went down into the valley of the brook Kedron, and crossed the brook upon a bridge. On the further side of the valley, they came to an orchard of olive trees, called the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus had often visited this garden, for it was a quiet place; and he loved to pray under the shadow of its olive trees. The orchard had a wall around it; and at its gate Jesus said to his disciples: "Sit here, while I go and pray inside the garden." He took with him three of his disciples, Simon Peter, James, and John his brother, and with these three went into the garden. The disciples began to notice that their Master was now showing the signs of deep sorrow, as if full of grief. He said to the three disciples: "My heart is sad; sad even to death; stay here and watch." Then he went forward a little way, and fell with his face upon the earth, and prayed to the Father: "Oh, my Father! My Father!" he cried. "Thou canst do anything! Take this cup away from me, I pray! Yet, I do not ask to have my own will, but only what is thy will." "The cup" of which Jesus spoke was the terrible suffering that was very soon to come upon him. In those last moments, as he saw his trial and death drawing near like a black cloud, his spirit shrank. So earnest was his prayer, that the sweat stood upon his face in drops of blood. Just then came an angel from heaven, standing by his side to cheer and help him. [Illustration: Ancient olive tree, in the garden of Gethsemane] He rose up, and walked to the place where he had left the three disciples. They had fallen asleep, being overcome with the trouble which they felt in knowing that soon they were to lose their Master. Jesus spoke to Peter, "Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch with me for a single hour? Watch and pray, all of you, that you may be kept from being tempted. I know that your spirit is willing, but your bodies are weak." Again he went away, and prayed in the same words: "My Father! My Father! Thou canst do anything! Take this cup away from me! Yet, I would not have my own will, but thy will." Coming back, he found them again asleep, for their eyes were heavy and they could not keep them open. When awaked, they did not know what to say to him, for they were ashamed of being found asleep a second time. Jesus left them, and prayed for the third time. In this prayer he said: