As soon as the school began again, Bob marched up to the master’s desk, and said:
“Please, sir, I can’t bear to be a liar. Ben Christie didn’t set off these fire-crackers. I did it, and he took the flogging rather than charge me with the lie.” And then Bob burst into tears.
The master looked at him in surprise. He thought of the unjust punishment Ben had received, his conscience smote him, and his eyes filled with tears. Taking hold of Bob’s hand, they walked to Ben Christie’s seat; then the master said aloud:
“Ben, Ben, my lad, Bob and I have done you wrong; we both ask your pardon!”
The school was hushed and still as the grave. You might almost have heard Ben’s big-boy tears dropping on his book. But, in a moment, dashing the tears away, he cried out—“Three cheers for the master.” They gave three cheers. And then Bob Jones added—“And now three cheers for Ben Christie”—and they made the school-house ring again with three rousing cheers for Ben.
Ben Christie was acting in the spirit of Christ in what he did that day. And in doing so he did good to his companion, Bob Jones. He did good to the master, and to every scholar in the school.
And there is no way in which we can do so much real good to all about us as by trying to catch the spirit and follow the example of our blessed Saviour.
And so, when we think of Jesus in Gethsemane, let us never forget the facts and the lessons connected with that sacred place. The facts are too many to be repeated. The lessons are four. There is the lesson about prayer; the lesson about sin; the lesson about submission; and the lesson about tenderness.
And, as we leave this solemn subject, we may each of us say, in the words of the hymn: