God intended His creatures to be; we may feel that there has been a loveliness in them which God gave them, and which their own evil could not take away. We may think of this loveliness as if it expressed their inner purpose of their existence; the rest may be for us as though it were not. As nature, with her old mosses and her new spring foliage, hides the ruins which man has made, and gives to the fallen tower and broken cloister a beauty scarcely less than that which belonged to them in their prime, so human love may be at work too, 'softening and concealing, and busy with her hand in healing' the rents which have been made in God's noble temple,-the habitation of His own Spirit. If it were lawful in the old time to cover with love and hope a multitude of transgressions, it cannot be less lawful now that the earth is overshadowed with a mercy that blotteth out iniquity, and transgression, and sin; when the blood of sprinkling has a mightier voice than that which cries for vengeance; when the atoning sacrifice reveals heights, and lengths, and depths, and breadths of love, in which we must rejoice to be lost.-Maurice's Prophets and Kings of the Old Testament. THE WEEK OF THE CRUCIFIXION. We have often found, by attending to the chronology of events in Scripture, or their relation to each other in time, that the events themselves not unfrequently became much more full of interest and meaning. Let any one, for instance, read the transactions recorded in the end of the first, and beginning of the third chapters of John's Gospel, and notice the succession of the days in which they occurred; or connect, in the same way, the events narrated in the fourth and fifth chapters of Mark; or read in connexion the end of the seventh chapter of John with the beginning of the eighth, and it will be at once perceived how the order of events adds to their interest. sunset; so that Saturday, for instance, began after sunset on Friday evening. SATURDAY, (9th of the month NisanApril.)-Upon this day, the Jewish Sabbath, Jesus arrived at Bethany, and took up His abode probably with the family of Lazarus, whom He loved, (John xii. 1.) SUNDAY.-- On the day which is now the Christian Sabbath, Jesus made His public entry as King into Jerusalem. A great multitude of people met Him on the way, and spread palm branches before Him as He rode in triumph; and they rejoiced, praising God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, "Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest !" But "The Pharisees said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after Him!" And some of them asked Him to rebuke His disciples; but He said, "I tell you, that if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out!" When He came to the brow of Mount Olivet, which overlooked Jerusalem, and beheld the city, He wept over This, we think, is peculiarly true with reference to the history of the last week of our Lord's life on earth. In comparing and arranging the different Gospel narratives of this time, as has been done by various “harmonists," we are able to trace, with great exactness, the transactions of each day during that short but awfully momentous period. It is remarkable, that the history of those few days occupies nearly the one-half of the Gospel of St. John, while that of the six-it, saying, "If thou hadst known, even teen centuries before the Deluge, is narrated in less than fifty verses! In arranging the events of the last week of our Saviour's life, we shall adopt the modern names for the days of the week, reminding our readers that the Jewish day was reckoned from sunset to thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong to thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes!" As He entered Jerusalem, "the whole city was moved, saying, Who is this ?" He went to the temple, and was immediately surrounded by the blind and the lame; "and he healed them." The very children, too, silenced by His answers, a lawyer “asked gathered round Him, crying, “Hosannah | Him a question, saying, Master, which is to the Son of David!" But when the the great commandment ?" (Matth. xxii. scribes and priests saw all these wonder- 34.) But after the reply of Jesus to ful things, they were sore displeased, and Him, "no man durst ask Him any quessaid, "Hearest thou what these say?" tion." Jesus asks in turn that question But Jesus said, that God had foretold regarding the Messias, "Whose son is how babes and sucklings would praise He?" which they could not answer, bethe Messias. In the evening, having cause they neither understood nor believed. "looked round about upon all things," He then warns the people against the He left the temple, and returned to evil example of the scribes and PhariBethany with His disciples, (Mark xi. 11.) sees, (Matth. xxiii. 1;) pronounces awful MONDAY.-(Matth. xxi. 12.) As He woes against those hypocrites, (Matth. went in the morning again to the city, xxiii. 13, 36;) and ends by breaking He cursed the barren fig-tree. Once forth into lamentation over lost Jerumore He entered the temple, and began salem: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou to cleanse it, and to cast out all them that killest the prophets, and stonest that sold therein, and them that bought, them which are sent unto thee, how saying, It is written, "My house is often would I have gathered thy childa house of prayer; but ye have made ren together, even as a hen gathereth it a den of thieves." The scribes and the her chickens under her wings, and ye chief priests sought to destroy Him; but would not!" While sitting opposite the they feared the people, who were "as- treasury, He saw the poor widow putting tonished at His doctrine," and were her mite into the treasury, and praised very attentive to hear Him." He her charity. It was on this day, also, taught all that day in the temple, and that some Gentile proselytes, who had at night "He abode in the Mount of come up to the feast, expressed a wish to Olives," (Luke xxi. 37.) see Him; and He recognizing in them the first-fruits of the great Gospel harvest which would be the result of His 66 TUESDAY. In the morning Jesus and the disciples, on their way to the city, pass the fig-tree (the picture of the Jew-death and burial, now so near, rejoiced in ish nation) which He had cursed on the previous day, (Mark xi. 20.) "All the people came early in the morning to Him in the temple to hear Him." While He was teaching them, the chief priests and scribes came to Him and questioned Him by what authority He did those things ?-alluding, no doubt, to the doings of the two previous days. Having replied in the manner narrated in Matth. xxi. 27, He immediately addressed to them the parables of the two sons, the wicked husbandmen, and the marriage of the king's son,-all picturing their own sinfulness in rejecting himself, the Messiah. The Pharisees took counsel how they might entangle Him; and asked Him, therefore, the question as to paying tribute to Cæsar, (Luke xx. 20.) The Sadducees also tried to put Him to confusion by the insidious question regarding the resurrection, (Matth. xxii. 13.) The Pharisees and Sadducees having both been spirit, and cried: "Father, glorify thy name!"—when a voice from heaven declared, "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again!” (John xii. 28-36.) He then rebuked the Jews for their unbelief; and again announced that He "was come as a light to the world, that whosoever believed on Him should not walk in darkness;" and once more invited them to walk in this light, (John xii. 35-50.) And now He leaves the temple for ever! As He was departing, one of His disciples pointed out to Him the great stones of which it was built. But while walking to Bethany, or more probably when seated, on His way thither, upon the Mount of Olives, and having all the city mapped out before Him, He there uttered those prophecies regarding the awful calamities which should befall the city and nation; with the passing away of the Jewish dispensation, and the persecutions which His disciples would endure. He foretold also His own second com-ening Him." The disciples were over ing to judgment at the end of the world; and, finally, exhorted His disciples to watchfulness and diligence, by the parables of the ten virgins and five talents, (Matth. xxiv. and xxv.) And so ended this day, so full of solemn warning and teaching! WEDNESDAY was spent in peace and quiet with the family in Bethany, while the chief priests, and scribes, and elders of the people, assembled in the palace of Caiaphas, and consulted how they might take Him by subtilty and kill Him. A supper was made for Him in the house of Simon at Bethany. Lazarus was present, and Martha served; but Mary anointed the feet of Jesus with costly spikenard, and wiped them with her hair. Some of the company, but especially Judas Iscariot, murmured against her, saying, "Why this waste?" But Jesus said, "She hath done what she could. She is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying." Judas went to the chief priests, and offered to betray Christ for thirty pieces of silver. THURSDAY.-This was the first day of unleavened bread. Jesus sent Peter and John early to Jerusalem to prepare a guest-chamber in which they should eat the passover. Towards evening He followed with His other disciples. They took their places round the table. A contention ensued as to which of them should be greatest; and they were rebuked, and taught humility. The first cup of wine having been handed round, Jesus rose and washed the disciples' feet. He then sat down and pointed out the traitor; and Judas withdrew. Jesus having foretold the denial of Peter, and instituted the Lord's Supper, addressed to His disciples those divine discourses recorded in the 14th, 15th, and 16th chapters of John, ending with His memorable prayer, (John xvii.) They sung a hymn before parting, and then went out to the Mount of Olives, and came to Gethsemane, where, "being in agony, He prayed the more earnestly; and His sweat was, as it were, great drops of blood falling to the ground;" "and there appeared an angel unto Him from heaven, strength come by sleep. Three times Jesus came to them, saying, "Could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, lest ye enter into temptation." After awhile, He said, "Sleep on now, and take your rest. It is enough. The hour is come. Behold, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hand of sinners. Lo! he that betrayeth me is at hand." It was now late at night, and Judas came with "a band of men and officers, from the chief priests and Pharisees, having lanterns, torches, and weapons." When Jesus spoke, they all fell to the ground. But Judas having kissed his Master, and thus pointed Him out in the uncertain light to His enemies, He was seized. Peter cut off the ear of Malchus, which Jesus healed. All His disciples then forsook Him and fled, He was then brought before Caiaphas. Peter followed at a distance, but was admitted to the hall or open court within, and stood warming himself at the fire. Jesus was examined a long time by the high priest, until the early dawn of day on Friday morning, when Peter, for the third time, denied Him. Caiaphas then sent Him to Annas; and the Sanhedrim having been summoned "as soon as it was day," He was interrogated by them. FRIDAY.-Jesus had no rest during the whole of Thursday night. Early upon Friday He was sent back bound from Annas to Caiaphas, and brought again before him, while now presiding over the council. Having been adjured by the high priest to say whether He was indeed the Son of God, He at once claimed this dignity; on which the high priest rent his clothes, and condemned Him as a blasphemer worthy of death. "Then did they spit in His face, and buffeted Him; and others smote Him with the palms of their hands;" and "they blindfolded Him, and struck Him on the face, saying, Prophecy, who is it that smote thee?" Then the whole council brought Jesus to Pilate. Pilate came out to them, and they accused Jesus before him. He then went back to the judgment-hall; and having questioned Jesus about His kingdom, returned to the Jews, declaring that he found no fault in Him. The chief priests and elders accused Him; but | back with Jesus to the judgment-hall and He answered them nothing. So Pilate questioned Him, (John xix. 9;) and re marvelled greatly, and again declared that he found no fault in Him. They were the more fierce, and said that He stirred up the people from Galilee to Jerusalem. Pilate hearing that He was a Galilean, sent Him to be tried by Herod, who had long wished to meet Him, hoping to have seen Him work some miracle. The chief priests and the scribes again vehemently accused Him. Jesus made no reply to Herod's questions. Herod, enraged by His silence, permitted his soldiers to array Him in a gorgeous robe. After setting Him at nought, and mocking Him, they sent Him back to Pilate. Pilate called the chief priests and the scribes together, reiterated his conviction of the innocence of Jesus, but offered to chastise Him and let Him go. The people, however, vehemently demanded Barabbas the robber in His stead, and cried out with loud voices, that Jesus should be crucified. Pilate seeing that he could prevail nothing, and having been warned by his wife to "have nothing to do with that just man," took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this just person." So he released Barabbas, and scourged Jesus, and delivered Him to be crucified. Then the soldiers brought Him into the hall; and having called together the whole band, they put on Him a purple robe, and plaited a crown of thorns, and put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand; and they bowed the knee before Him, and mocked Him, saying, “Hail! King of the Jews!" and they spat on Him, and smote Him on the head with the reed, and with their hands. Pilate then went out to the crowd, and told them he would bring Jesus forth, that they might know he found no fault with Him. "Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, and Pilate said, Behold the man!" But when they saw Him, they cried, "Crucify Him!" Pilate again declared before them that he found no fault with Him. But they answered, that He made himself the Son of God. This saying alarmed Pilate, and he went turning to the people once more, sought to release Him, when the Jews cried out, that if he did so he would not be Cæsar's friend. Hearing this, he went forth with Jesus to an elevated place in sight of the temple, called the Pavement, and, in presence of the multitude, took his place on the judgment-seat, and said to them, "Behold your King!" when they all cried, “Away with Him! we have no king but Cæsar!" Then Pilate finally delivered Him to be crucified. When Judas saw that He was condemned, he went to the high priest and returned the money he had received, confessing that he had betrayed innocent blood. They answered him, "What is that to us? see thou to that." And he went and hanged himself. It was now between eight and nine in the morning. Since the previous night, what "contradiction of sinners against himself" had He endured! After again mocking Him, they now took off the purple robe, and put on His own garments, and led Him away to be crucified. He carried His cross until unable to do so from fatigue; but they met Simon the Cyrenian, on whom they laid it. A great crowd of men and women bewailed and lamented Him; and He said, "Women of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children;" and foretold the destruction of the city. They came to Calvary, where they crucified Him, along with two thieves, one on His right hand, and the other on His left hand; and Jesus said, "Father forgive them, they know not what they do!" The soldiers parted His garments, and cast lots for His vestment; and having put an inscription over His head, “THE KING OF THE JEWS," they sat down and watched Him there. The chief priests wished Pilate to alter this inscription; but he would not. The people stood beholding. They that passed by railed on Him, saying, "Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days-save thyself." The chief priests mocked Him, with the scribes and elders, and said, "He saved others, hiniself He cannot save. Let Christ the king of the Jews descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe." The soldiers mocked Him, coming to Him and offering Him vinegar, and saying, "If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself." One of the thieves also railed upon Him; but the other prayed to be remembered when He came to His kingdom; and Jesus said, "This day thou shalt be with me in paradise." Mary the mother of Jesus, her sister Mary, wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene, with the apostle John, stood near the cross. 66 When He saw His mother and the disciple standing by whom He loved, He said, Woman, behold thy son! Son, behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home." He had now hung on the cross from nine in the morning till twelve noon, when darkness suddenly covered the land for three hours. About the ninth hour, (three o'clock,) Jesus cried with a loud voice, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" All things being accomplished, He said, I thirst. And one ran and filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it to His mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, He said, It is finished! And He cried with a loud voice, "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit!" and having said this, He gave up the ghost. The vail of the temple was rent in twain; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints arose and came out of the graves after His resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Now, when the centurion, and they that were with him watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and these things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, "Truly, this was the Son of God!" And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things that were done, smote their breasts and returned; and all His acquaintance, and the women that followed Him from Galilee, stood afar off beholding these things! The Jews, desirous that the bodies might be removed before sunset, besought Pilate that their legs might be broken. The soldiers broke the legs of the two thieves; but finding that Jesus was dead, they did not break His; but one of them pierced His side with his spear. When the evening was come, Joseph of Arimathea, who had been a disciple of Jesus in secret, went boldly to Pilate and demanded His body. Pilate marvelled if He were already dead; but ascertaining from the centurion that it was so, he gave Joseph the body. Nicodemus, who had come to Jesus by night, brought spices, and went along with Joseph; and they both took down the body, and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and before sunset laid it in a new sepulchre which belonged to Joseph, and was hewn out of a rock in a garden close at hand; and they rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of Joses, and the women which came with Him from Galilee, were at His burial, and beheld the sepulchre, and how the body was laid. They then prepared spices and ointments, and rested the Sabbath day, according to the commandment. O time, dull time, go faster, O patience, restless spirit! SOME THINGS WHICH ALL NOMINAL CHRISTIANS PROFESS TO BELIEVE; BUT WHICH THE MAJORITY PRACTICALLY DISBELIEVE. SCRIPTURE says, "To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." The Lord says, "The servant that knew his Lord's will and did it not, shall be beaten with many stripes." Those who, in a state of ignorance, committed |