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THE TRUE PRINCE 
 
 THE THIBE OF JUD^EE; 
 
 LIFE OF CHRIST AND HIS APOSTLES. 
 
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'Hf fciwfmxiii 
 
THE [ JUN 8 '"'"^' ^ 
 
 TRUE PRIN ~ 
 
 TRIBE OF JUDAH; 
 
 LIFE SCENES OE THE MESSIAH. 
 BY REV. RUFUS W. CLARK, 
 
 iOTHOR OP " MEMOIR OP EMERSON," " HEAVEN AND ITS EMBLEMS," " LECTURES TO 
 T0UN8 MEN," "CHRISTIAN'S GIFT," ETC. 
 
 " Judah ig my lawgiver." (See Psalms Ix. 7.) 
 
 "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet 
 nntil Shiloh come." — Dying Blessiito of Iseael. (See Gen. xlLx. 10.) 
 
 TO WHICH IS ADDED, FROM DR. ADAM CLARKE, AN ACCOUNT OF THE 
 
 LIVES OF ALL THE WELTERS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 
 
 ALSO, THE RELIGIOUS CREED AND HISTORY OF THE JEWS, FROM 
 THE EARLIEST PERIOD TO THE PRESENT TIME. 
 
 BOSTON: 
 
 'ALBERT COLBY AND COMPANY, 
 
 20 ■Washington Street. 
 1859. 
 
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1858, by 
 
 ALBERT COLBY, 
 
 m utid Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. 
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1854, by 
 
 JOHN P. JEWETT & CO. 
 
 in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachnsetts. 
 
MY FOUR GRANDPARENTS, 
 
 WHO ALL DIED AT A GOOD OLD AGE, MEMBERS OF THE METHCDIST 
 CHUBCH, AND WHO ARE NOW IN HEAVEN, AND TO MY PARENTS, 
 ■WHO, FROM MY EARLIEST REMEMBRANCE, HAVE BEEN CON- 
 SISTENT MEMBERS OF THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, 
 AND WHO MUST, ACCORDING TO THE LAWS OF 
 NATURE AND OF GOD, SOON GO TO 
 "THAT BOURN FROM WHENCE 
 NO TRAVELLER RETURNS," 
 
 ^^& §aak 
 
 IH AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED 
 
 THE COMPILER OP ITS THREE LAST CHAPTERS AND THE 
 PRESENT OWNER OF THE COPYRIGHT, 
 
PUBLISHER'S PREFACE. 
 
 The advantages of this edition of the Life of 
 Christ and his Apostles are, it is neither Roman 
 Catholic nor Puseyite, which cannot be said of some 
 publications offered to the American people as Protes- 
 tant books. The cause of Christianity rests upon too 
 solid a foundation to need falsehood to support it. 
 Very little is known regarding the lives of some of 
 the Apostles of our Saviour more than we find re- 
 corded in the Bible. Dr. Adam Clarke says, in giving 
 the Life of St. Paul, " There is great uncertainty on 
 these subjects ; so that we cannot positively rely on 
 any account that even the ancients have transmitted 
 to us concerning the death of this apostle; and 
 much less on the accounts given by the moderns ; 
 and least of all, on those which are to be found in 
 the martyrologistsP Fleetwood says, in speaking 
 of the death of St. Barnabas, " His kinsman, John 
 Mark, who was a spectator of this barbarous action, 
 privately interred his body in a cave, where it re- 
 mained till the time of the Emperor Zeno, in the 
 
 (vii) 
 
viii PUBLISHER'S PREFACE. 
 
 year of Christ 485, when it was discovered, with St. 
 Matthew's Gospel in Hebrew, written with his own 
 hand, lying on his breast." 
 
 Now, why could he not as well advance the whole 
 Roman Catholic doctrine, — winking pictures, bread 
 actually turning to flesh, and wine actually turning 
 to blood, and all the rest of those things disbelieved 
 by every Protestant Christian ? We submit this 
 volume to the careful perusal of all those Protestants 
 who are aware how particular Catholics are never 
 to allow their people to read our books, and let us 
 profit by their example. 
 
INTKODUCTORY NOTE- 
 
 This volume goes forth as a messenger to those 
 who believe the " truth as it is in Jesus." It invites 
 them to meditate upon the virtues and mission of 
 their illustrious Redeemer, and mingle in those scenes 
 of thrilling interest which constitute a prominent part 
 of his history and labors. 
 
 The great force and beauty of the Christian dis- 
 pensation lie in the fact, that every principle ad- 
 vanced by its founder, was illustrated in his life. He 
 gave to the world a system of theology, not only 
 surpassingly rich and sublime in its doctrines, and 
 glorious in its unfoldings of immortal blessedness, 
 but associated with a character eminent for holiness, 
 benevolence, and every divine perfection. He lived 
 out his own system, taught by his deeds as weU as 
 his words, and thus gained an imperishable influence, 
 and rendered his Gospel, " the power of God and the 
 wisdom of God." 
 
 And so varied were the circumstances into which 
 he was thrown, and the classes of men with whom 
 
 (ix) 
 
X PREFACE. 
 
 he mingled, that something may be fomid in his his- 
 tory suited to every condition of mind, and every 
 want of the human heart. Would the Christian 
 advance in the divine life, — be fortified against the 
 trials incident to his earthly career, and receive the 
 highest stimulus to press forward for the prizes of 
 immortality, let him study the character, and follow 
 in the footsteps of his Redeemer. Rather than 
 depend upon the teachings of men and systems 
 of theology, let him go directly to the fountainhead 
 of all truth. For one hour of communion with 
 Christ, wUl afford him clearer views of duty, richer 
 stores of knowledge, and a higher spiritual enjoy- 
 ment, than whole days spent with the wisest of 
 human authors. The electric influence thus ob- 
 tained, will quicken his whole being ; and the pulsa- 
 tions of his spiritual life will throb in sympathy with 
 that great heart which is the vital power of religion, 
 and the central force of the moral universe. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 FAGB 
 
 I. The Eoeeednner 1 
 
 11. Song of the Angels 16 
 
 ni. Visit of the "Wise RIen 27 
 
 IV. Temptation in the Wilderness . . .41 
 
 V. His Mighty Deeds 54 
 
 VI. Purification of the Temple . . , .65 
 
 Vn. Interview with Nicodemus . . . , 77 
 
 VIII. The Samaritan Woman 91 
 
 IX. Preaching upon the Mount .... 104 
 
 X. Christ walking on the Sea . . . .117 
 
 XI. The Transfiguration 131 
 
 Xn. Christ receiving Little Children . . . 144 
 
 XIII. Interview with the Kich Young Man . . 156 
 
 XIV. The Raising of Lazarus 170 
 
 XV. The Triumphal Entry 182 
 
 XVI. Weeping over Jerusalem 196 
 
 (xi) 
 
Xll CONTENTS. 
 
 XVII. Description of the Last Judgment . . 203 
 
 XVin. Celebration of the Passover .... 222 
 
 XIX. Agony in Gethsemanb 234 
 
 XX. Treachery of Jttdas 248 
 
 XXI . The Trial and Condemnation . . . 261 
 
 XXII. The Crucifixion 276 
 
 XXni. Eesuerection of the Messiah . . . 292 
 
 XXIV. The Walk to Emmaus 305 
 
 XXV. The Ascension 317 
 
 XXVI. Writers of the Gospels and the Acts or the 
 
 Apostles 331 
 
 XXVII. Other Writers of the Neav Testament . 337 
 
 XXVIII. The Religious Creed and History of the Jeavs 343 
 
LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 1. 
 
 THE FORERUNNER. 
 
 "I AM THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, MAKE 
 STRAIOHT THE WAY OF THE LORD, AS SAID THE PROPHET 
 
 ESAIAS." — St. John i. 23. 
 
 Around none of the sacred characters brought to 
 view in the Scriptures, does there gather a more 
 thrilling and melancholy interest, than around John 
 the Baptist. "Whether we regard his life of self- 
 denial and toil, or the importance and sublimity of 
 his mission, or his tragical death, we find enough to 
 excite the deepest sympathy and admiration. As a 
 man, he possessed the most eminent virtues, energy, 
 modesty, an entire consecrati9n to his work. As the 
 forerunner of the Messiah, he stood as the connecting 
 link between the Mosaic and the Christian dispensa- 
 tion, fulfilling the utterances of ancient prophets, 
 and preparing the way for the advent of the Son of 
 God. As a mart3T, his name comes down to us 
 associated with tlie noblest moral principle, and 
 1 
 
2 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 highest Christian heroism. The Great Teacher him- 
 self, who knew the hearts of all men, bore testimony 
 to his exalted character and illustrious position: 
 " Verily I say unto you, among them that are born 
 of women, there hath not risen a greater than John 
 the Baptist." 
 
 Throughout Judea there was a general expectation 
 that a harbinger would announce the coming of 
 Christ, and prepare the minds of the people for his 
 reception. The propet Isaiah, in those glowing vis- 
 ions which he had of the Messiah's reign, beheld the 
 illustrious forerunner, and comforts Jerusalem with 
 the announcement, " The voice of him that crieth in 
 the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, 
 make straight in the desert a highway for our God." 
 Malachi, the last of the prophets, says, speaking in 
 the name of the Lord, " Behold I will send my mes- 
 senger, and he shall prepare the way before me." It 
 being customary among the oriental nations for a 
 herald to go before a distinguished prince or hero, 
 and make suitable preparations for his reception, it 
 was proper that the approach of the King of kings 
 and Lord of lords, should be formally announced, 
 and that the hearts of men should be made ready 
 for his reception. Many supposed that this duty 
 would be performed by the prophet Elijah, in accord- 
 ance with the declaration of Malachi, " Behold, I 
 will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming 
 of the great and dreadful day of the Lord." This 
 expectation was increased by the fact that Elijah had 
 not suffered death, but was translated in a chariot to 
 the heavenly regions. It was generally believed that 
 
THE FOREKUNNER. 3 
 
 in an invisible form he hovered over the Jewish na- 
 tion to protect it from danger, and the people were 
 looking for his bodily appearance upon the earth. 
 
 But the true intent of the prophecy of Malachi, is 
 given in the announcement which the angel made to 
 Zacharias respecting his son. " He shall be great in 
 the sight of the Lord, and shall be filled with the 
 Holy Ghost. Many of the children of Israel shall 
 he turn to the Lord. And he shall go before him in 
 the spirit and power of Ellas, to turn the hearts of 
 the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the 
 wisdom of the just ; to make ready a people pre- 
 pared for the Lord." In this sense Christ recognized 
 the prophet Elijah in John the Baptist, and assured 
 his disciples that EKas had come. 
 
 In considering the character and mission of the 
 forerunner of Jesus, our attention is first directed to 
 the extraordinary circumstances connected with his 
 birth. While his father, the aged priest Zacharias, 
 was ministering at the altar in the temple, and the 
 people without were engaged in prayer, suddenly 
 there appeared before him an angel, who announced 
 that he should have a son who should be great in 
 the sight of the Lord, filled with the Holy Ghost, 
 and prepare the way for the Messiah. The priest, 
 though a man eminent for his piety and devotion, 
 was greatly terrified, and could scarcely credit what 
 he saw and heard. The angel perceiving his fear 
 and unbelief, said to him, " I am Gabriel that stand 
 in the presence of God : and am sent to speak unto 
 thee, and to show thee these glad tidings." The 
 birth of the forerunner of Jesus was an event of so 
 
4 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 much importance, that a being who dwelt near to 
 tlje throne of the Eternal, and stood in the presence 
 of the Majesty of Heaven, was commissioned • to 
 annomice the glad tidings. We cannot wonder that 
 the aged servant of the Lord was startled by the 
 presence and voice of such a visitant. He might, at 
 first, have supposed that he had come to bring alarm- 
 ing intelligence to the Jewish nation ; to announce 
 some dreadful calamity that would befall the peojDle. 
 For although in the early history of the Jews, angels 
 not unfrequently appeared in visible form, yet for a 
 long time no such spectacle had been witnessed, 
 even by the highest and most favored officers in the 
 church. The mere appearance, therefore, of an an- 
 gelic form after so long a period, was calculated to 
 excite the most intense anxiety. It was usual, while 
 the priest was offering incense in the holy place, for 
 the people in the outer courts of the temple, to spend 
 the season in silent prayer, and to await with much 
 interest the return of the priest. If he was detained 
 longer than they expected, they became alarmed lest 
 some divine judgment might be in store for them. 
 In this instance the stay of Zacharias being pro- 
 tracted beyond the usual time, a profound anxiety 
 pervaded the whole multitude. As soon as he ap- 
 peared they perceived, by the expression of his coun- 
 tenance, and by his inability to speak, that some- 
 thing remarkable had happened. The awe and 
 reverence with which the worship of the temple was 
 regarded, and the deep mysteries connected with the 
 holy places into which only the priests were permit- 
 ted to enter, added to the excitement ; and the fact 
 
THE FORERUNNER. O 
 
 that he could not give utterance to his thoughts, nor 
 describe what he had seen, greatly increased the 
 curiosity and apprehensions of the people. They 
 must have inferred from these circumstances, that 
 the vision was connected with some matter of great 
 national interest. 
 
 The promise which the angel made to the venera- 
 ble and devoted priest having been fulfilled, his 
 power of speech was restored, and he praised God, 
 saying, " Blessed be the Lord God of Israel ; for he 
 hath visited and redeemed his people." 
 
 Of the early history of John the Baptist, we know 
 but little. St. Luke informs us that " the child grew 
 and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts 
 till the day of his showing unto Israel." From this 
 language we need not infer that his entire childhood 
 and youth were spent in the desert, for this would 
 have been both unnatural and unnecessary. The 
 most probable supposition is, that for several years 
 he was under the nurture and tuition of his parents, 
 of whom it is recorded, " they were both righteous be- 
 fore God, walking in all the commandments and ordi- 
 nances of the Lord blameless." As the son of a priest 
 he belonged to a class distinguished in that country 
 for their knowledge and intellectual culture, and he 
 would naturally receive the highest educational ad- 
 vantages. Especially would he be thoroughly trained 
 in the doctrines of theology and Biblical literature. 
 His pious father knowing the honorable and exalted 
 station which his son would occupy, doubtless spared 
 no pains to qualify ::m for his sublime mission. But 
 as his parents were aged at the time of his birth, it 
 1* 
 
6 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 is quite probable that they may have died before he 
 reached the age of thirty years, the period when he 
 formally received his commission from Heaven. The 
 ties of home and kindred being thus sundered, and 
 finding little congenial to his taste and feelings in 
 the society around him, he may at that time have 
 retired to the solitudes of the desert. But it is not 
 material to fix upon the precise day or year, when he 
 went forth into the wilderness to complete his prepa- 
 ration for the great work before him. It is enough 
 for us to know, that amid the mountains and rugged 
 cliffs and dark forests toward the Dead Sea, this 
 wonderful man poured out his soul before God in 
 earnest supplication, meditated upon the infinite per- 
 fections of the Deity, and upon the sublime mission 
 of Him, for whose advent he was to prepare the 
 nations. Amid these vast solitudes, the silence of 
 which was only broken by the sighing of the winds, 
 or the rush of the mountain streams, we find the 
 forerunner cultivating that purity of character, sim- 
 plicity of manners, and energy of purpose, which 
 shone so conspicuously in his public ministry. The 
 very mountains around him seem to impart their 
 grandeur to his soul. The wild winds as they sweep, 
 at night, by his cavern home, seem to tell him of the 
 wilder passions of men, to contend with which, he 
 must gird himself The flowers that line his path- 
 way are the smiles of a Father, who will watch over 
 him, and care more for him than for the lilies of the 
 valley. The stars at night are so many bright mes- 
 sengers, that come forth to bid him reverence and 
 worship the infinite Creator. 
 
THE FORERUNNER. 7 
 
 For his food he is content to receive the spontane- 
 ous productions of the desert, "locusts and wild 
 honey," which were used by the poorest classes in 
 that region of country. For clothing, instead of the 
 soft raiment of kings, he ^^re a robe, such as the 
 ancient prophets and poor people were accustomed 
 to wear, made of camel's hair, or of hair and wool 
 mixed, and bound around by a broad leather girdle- 
 Such dresses, we are told, may be every day seen in 
 the Syro-Arabian countries, and somewhat similar 
 ones are used in the interior nations of South Africa. 
 
 We need not suppose that this instance of retire- 
 ment from the world was an isolated one. Josephus 
 informs us that many pious Jews, disheartened in view 
 of the corruption of the people, withdrew to desert 
 places, and devoted themselves to acts of worship, 
 and the religious instruction of any who might resort 
 to them. And in Scripture history, John could trace 
 a long line of illustrious predecessors, whom God 
 had prepared in the wilderness, for important and 
 glorious achievements. Abraham, in whose seed 
 all the nations of thfe earth were to be blessed, was 
 commanded to leave his home and go forth as a pil- 
 grim to a strange land. In his journeyings, he ac- 
 quired that moral discipline and strong faith in God, 
 which render his name so illustrious. Moses, after 
 having enjoyed the high advantages and honors of 
 Pharaoh's court, became an exile in the land of 
 Midian, and followed the humble occupation of a 
 shepherd. Far from the attractions and splendors of 
 a royal family, he spent years in the lonely wilder- 
 ness, in self-discipline, communion with God, and 
 
8 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 preparation for the sublime work that was before 
 him. Nor is there a more thrilling history than that 
 of the wanderings of the ancient church under his 
 leadership, for forty years in the wilderness. We al- 
 most behold the vast ♦procession moving forward, 
 guided by a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by 
 night ; preserving the ark of the covenant, protected 
 by a divine hand from surrounding idolatry, and 
 educated by the most wonderful displays of omnipo- 
 tent power ever made to man. 
 
 The ancient prophets, too, were familiar with cav- 
 erns and with the wilds of the desert. Driven, as 
 they often were from the presence of kings, they fled to 
 the mountains, God's great temples, where they bowed 
 in worship, and gathered new strength to assail the 
 prevailing systems of iniquity. Elijah found his 
 home in the desert. The rocks, trees, flowers, and 
 birds, were his companions. He loved to gaze upon 
 the sublime and beautiful scenery that bore the im- 
 press of his Father's skill and goodness ; loved to 
 listen to the music of gushing fountains and mur- 
 muring brooks ; loved to feel that inspiration of nature 
 that lifted his soul to nature's God. 
 
 The time having arrived for John to enter upon 
 his public ministry, he leaves the solitudes of the 
 desert and draws near to the villages and cities of 
 Judea. His whole appearance is calculated to make 
 a deep impression upon the popular mind. His 
 habits of life ; the themes upon which he has long 
 meditated; his frequent communions with the Deity, 
 all qualified him to be an earnest and successful Re- 
 former. He comes forth full of reverence for the 
 
THE FORERUNNER. y 
 
 ancient faith, and full of indignation at the hypocrisy 
 and iniquities of the people. He comes imbued 
 with the spirit of the prophets, and fired with a noble 
 enthusiasm to follow in their footsteps, and fulfil his 
 great mission. 
 
 The state of the Jewish nation at this period has 
 been often described by writers upon Biblical history. 
 In addition to the corruption of the priesthood, and 
 the formalism into which the true worship of Je- 
 hovah had degenerated, the influence of the Roman 
 government was most disastrous upon all the inter- 
 ests of the nation. The marks of the long con- 
 tinued cruelty and despotism of Pontius Pilate were 
 everywhere discernible. The spirit of the Jews was 
 broken, their pride humbled, and their religion treated 
 with contempt. The rites and forms of worship 
 were only tolerated. The Sanhedrim was permitted 
 to retain but little more than the show of authority. 
 The office of the high-priest was at the disposal of 
 the Roman governor, and the most sacred usages of 
 the church were subject to Pagan interference. Dif- 
 ferent sects were embittered against each other, and 
 every Ihing was done to fan the flame of jealousy 
 and animosity. Even the idolatrous standards of 
 the Roman empire were unfurled within the walls of 
 Jerusalem, and the presence of foreign soldiers and 
 tax-gatherers constantly reminded the people of their 
 degradation. Exasperated by their oppressors, and 
 swayed by so many conflicting influences, they were 
 ready to embark in the most treasonable plots or be 
 swept along by the wildest forms of fanaticism. 
 Some clung to the hope that a deliverer would ere- 
 
10 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 long appear, while others in despair heaped exe- 
 crations upon the tyrants who enslaved them. 
 
 In the midst of this storm of fierce passions and 
 fiery excitements, the herald of the Messiah appears. 
 His majestic form is seen moving along the banks of 
 the sacred Jordan. The tidings of his approach 
 fly quickly through the land, and multitudes of all 
 classes and sects flock to the river to listen to his 
 message. A strong interest is at once awakened. 
 Curiosity is aroused, and the hearts of the vast as- 
 sembly are thrilled by the stirring words that fall 
 from the lips of the great Reformer. He stands 
 before them fresh from his school of discipline ; drip- 
 ping with the dews of the wilderness ; his garment a 
 type of his rugged and stern nature, his countenance 
 beaming with devotion ; his eye kindled by the fire 
 of an intense enthusiasm, and his lips bearing the 
 stamp of a resolution that overawes the multitude. 
 In a voice that seems to come from the depths of 
 eternity, he proclaims that the " kingdom of Heaven 
 is at hand." 
 
 Among the characteristics of this great Reformer, 
 we are struck, in the first place, ivith his boldness ana 
 energy. He throws himself at once into the midst 
 of the people, and assails, with an unsparing hand, 
 the system of iniquity around him. He rebukes, 
 exhorts, warns the multitude who flock around him, 
 with a fearlessness even greater than that displayed 
 by the prophet Elijah. Opposition, instead of prompt- 
 ing him to flee to the desert, as in the case of that 
 ancient prophet, only urges him forward. Seeing 
 many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his 
 
THE FORERUNNER. 11 
 
 baptism, instead of feeling honored by their presence, 
 and adapting his instructions to their position and 
 prejudices, he opens upon them with this salutation : 
 " Oh generation of vipers, who hath warned you to 
 flee from the wrath to come ? " He does not stop to 
 weigh his words, or soften down his epithets, or 
 inquire what effect his utterances will have upon his 
 popularity. Knowing the deep hypocrisy and pre- 
 tended sanctity of these Pharisees, — perceiving that 
 they were approaching him with no good intentions, 
 or real desires to know the truth, — conscious that 
 their formalism must be broken into, and their cor- 
 rupt systems demolished, to prepare the way for the 
 coming of the Lord, he denounced them in terms 
 such as the exigencies of the case demanded. He 
 intended that they should feel the force of his words, 
 and be made to realize their true position before God 
 and their fellow men. He calls upon them to bring 
 forth fruits meet for repentance. They pretended to 
 repent ; but he wishes a genuine work wrought in 
 those who are to become liis disciples. He wishes to 
 have sins not only confessed, but forsaken. They 
 prided themselves upon being the chosen people of 
 God, and deemed their Abrahamic descent as the 
 essential requisite to salvation. But the Reformer 
 tells them that God is able from the very stones in 
 the streets to raise up children unto Abraham. If 
 they disgrace by their lives their illustrious ancestor, 
 the Idngdom of God will be set up in other hearts, 
 and strangers will come in and reap the benefits that 
 they reject. 
 
 To place the matter in the clearest and most fore- 
 
12 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 ible light before his hearers, John adds : " And now 
 the axe is laid unto the root of the trees ; therefore 
 every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn 
 down and cast into the fire." The time has come 
 for a thorough and radical work to be wrought in the 
 hearts of men. The axe is to be applied not to the 
 branches of the tree, nor to the trunk, but to the very 
 roots. The nation has been long enough incumbered 
 with fruitless, rotten trees. The work of pruning and 
 watering has been carried far enough. The time has 
 come for the axe and the fire to do their work. 
 
 This inflexible energy of the forerunner was re- 
 ferred to by the Saviour in his address to the multi- 
 tude concerning John. " "What went ye out into the 
 wilderness to see ? A reed shaken with the wind ? 
 But what went ye out to see ? A man clothed in 
 soft raiment ? Behold, they that wear soft clothing 
 are in king's houses." No pliant, feeble reed, shaken 
 with every breath, did they go out to see, — no luxu- 
 rious and effeminate parasite, but an earnest, firm, 
 unwavering preacher of God's truth, — a Reformer, 
 whose will was of iron, whose purposes were fixed, 
 whose courage was invincible. He was not indeed 
 destitute of prudence, nor of the spirit of com*tesy and 
 kindness. He was neither rash, nor overbearing, nor 
 fanatical. To the people who came to him for 
 instruction he was mild and conciliatory. But forms 
 of iniquity that needed smiting, he did not hesitate 
 to smite. Hypocrites he called by their right names. 
 He did not allow dignity to shield corruptions, nor a 
 solemn profession to divert his attention from a prof- 
 ligate life. He did not allow his conservatism to 
 
THE FORERUNNER. 13 
 
 freeze up his zeal, nor an excessive prudence to extin- 
 guish the fires that the Almighty had kindled in his 
 soul. 
 
 Another prominent characteristic of John the Bap- 
 tist was his humility. Although he was related to 
 Christ both officially and by the ties of kindred, yet 
 he arrogated nothing to himself. When the Jews 
 sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem, to ask him, 
 Who art thou ? he confessed, that he was not Christ, 
 neither Elias, nor one of the old prophets. " Then 
 said they unto him. Who art thou? that we may 
 give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest 
 thou of thyself?" " He said, I am the voice of one 
 crying in the wUdemess." " I am simply a voice — 
 a sound that will be soon borne away upon the pass- 
 ing breeze." The messengers and those who sent 
 them were doubtless ready to acknowledge him in 
 any capacity. But he claims nothing, except to be 
 heard as a preacher of repentance, and as the herald 
 of one who is mightier -than himself, whose shoes 
 even, he was not worthy to bear. He was careful, too, 
 that no false impressions should be made by his ad- 
 ministering the rite of baptism. He declared, 1 
 indeed baptize you with water unto repentance ; but 
 He that cometh after me shall baptize you with the 
 Holy Ghost and with fire. This baptism in the waters 
 of Jordan was simply a type of that spiritual bap- 
 tism which would be administered by the Messiah, — 
 of that Divine transformation that would purify the 
 soul, elevate the affections, and fit one for the duties 
 and joys of an immortal state. 
 
 Soon after, seeing Jesus coming towards him, he 
 2 
 
14 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 took occasion to turn away the attention of the mul- 
 titude from himself and direct it towards the Messiah. 
 '• Behold," he said, " the Lamb of God which taketh 
 away the sin of the world. Behold the great sacri- 
 fice which is to be offered up for the redemption of 
 mankind. Listen to his teachings. Follow his 
 guidance. Fasten your affections upon him. The 
 Lamb of God, — pure, spotless, innocent, — pro- 
 vided by infinite love, to save a perishing world' 
 Behold him towards whom, one day, all eyes will be 
 turned, and the affections of all hearts flow ! Be- 
 hold him who will be exalted far above all princi- 
 palities and powers, and whose praises tens of thou- 
 sands will sing ! " 
 
 At another time, when reference was made to 
 Christ's growing fame and to the multitudes that 
 flocked to him, John, in the spirit of the most pro- 
 found humility, said, " He must increase, but I must 
 decrease." Although this herald was more than a 
 prophet ; although he held a higher position than 
 that occupied by Abraham, or Moses, or David, oi 
 Elijah; although he had acquired great influence 
 with the people and was rapidly gathering followers, 
 and was thus realizing expectations which for years 
 he had entertained, yet he is willing that his personal 
 popularity should decline, that his name even should 
 be forgotten if the name of Jesus is but remembered; 
 willing that the light of the morning star should 
 fade from the heavens, while the Sun of Righteous- 
 ness is rising upon the world. 
 
 Wonderful man!- " More than a prophet, indeed ! " 
 Full of zeal, courage, energy, and fire, in the prime 
 
THE FORERUNNER. 15 
 
 and vigor of life, with success attending his efforts, 
 and yet willing to step aside just as soon as the 
 work of preparation is accomplished, willing that the 
 current of his influence should flow into the rising 
 tide of the Messiah's fame, and help to swell the 
 mighty stream of his power ; this is humility that is 
 worthy of the name ! We had rather caU it glory. 
 We had rather call it the highest heroism to which 
 human nature can attain. 
 
II. 
 
 SONG OF THE ANGELS. 
 
 "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of 
 the heavenly host, praising god, and saying, glory to 
 god in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will to 
 WARD MEN." — Luke ii. 13, 14. 
 
 " Are there no clarions upon earth. 
 To tell mankind their monarch's birth ? 
 Are there no banners to unfold, 
 Heavy with purple and with gold 1 
 Are there no flowers to strew the ground. 
 Nor arches with the palm-branch bound t 
 Nor fires to kindle on the hill 1 
 No ! man is mute — the world is still, 
 111 would all earthly pomp agree 
 "With this hour's mild solemnity ; 
 The tidings which that infant brings. 
 Are not for conquerors, nor for kings ; 
 But to the contrite and the meek, 
 The simple, sorrowful, and weak ; 
 Or those who, with a hope sublime. 
 Are waiting for the Lord's good time. 
 Only for those the angels sing, 
 ' All glory to our new-bom King, 
 And peace and good-will unto men ; 
 Hosanna to our God ! Amen.' " 
 
 Miss Landon. 
 
 There is something significant and touching in 
 the fact, that the birth of the Great Shepherd should 
 
SONG OF THE ANGELS. 17 
 
 first be announced to shepherds who were watching 
 their flocks by night. We may suppose that a pe- 
 culiar sympathy existed between the Saviour and 
 those who were engaged in this humble though hon- 
 orable employment. The care which they exercised 
 over their flocks ; their affection for the sheep ; their 
 readiness to protect the fold by day and night against 
 enemies, were all emblematic of the office and duties 
 of the Good Shepherd, who would give his life for 
 his people. 
 
 Besides, we must believe that the employment of 
 these pious men peculiarly fitted them to receive, 
 with joy and faith, the good tidings which on that 
 memorable night were communicated to them. The 
 solitudes in which they dwelt, far from the noise and 
 distracting influences of the world, were eminently 
 favorable to fi-equent seasons of meditation and ear- 
 nest prayer. They were in constant communion with 
 the beauties and sublimities of nature, which lifted 
 their thoughts and affections to the Supreme Archi- 
 tect. In the variegated scenery and abundant fruits 
 of the earth, they recognized the wisdom and good- 
 ness of an infinite Benefactor. In the starry heavens 
 they read the glory of the Creator, and they were 
 impressed with his majesty and power. 
 
 Participating as they did in the general expectation 
 of a coming Messiah, it is probable that they often 
 gazed at night upon the skies with the hope of be- 
 holding some indications of the approach of the 
 Saviour to the earth. Their ideas of his character 
 and mission may have been purer and loftier than 
 those which were generally entertained by the Jews. 
 2* 
 
18 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 It is clear that there were peculiar and important 
 reasons in the divine mind, for selecting from the 
 whole human family this smaU company of humble 
 men, and making to them such a wonderful com- 
 munication. 
 
 According to the narrative given by St. Luke, the 
 shepherds were startled by an intense and super- 
 natural brightness, which suddenly burst upon them. 
 
 On looldng up they beheld a form unlike any that 
 they had been familiar with on earth, — a form of 
 surpassing beauty, majesty, and glory. Terrified at 
 the sight, they knew not what to do ; nor could they 
 imagine the import of so unusual and dazzling a 
 spectacle. Whether it foreboded mercies or judg- 
 ments, they could not determine. But in a moment, 
 a voice proceeds from the angelic form, saying, in 
 mild and heavenly accents, " Fear not : for behold, I 
 bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to 
 all people ; for unto you is born this day, in the city of 
 David, a Saviour, which is Clnrist the Lord." Of all 
 the announcements ever made to mortal ears by man 
 or angel, this was the most grand and touching. The 
 force of language is exhausted to express the nature 
 of the tidings which the glorious being has come 
 from heaven to communicate. He brings good 
 tidings of great joy to all people ; to all who have 
 sensibilities to be touched by a display of infinite 
 love ; to all who have faith in a coming Messiah, 
 and whose hearts are prepared to receive the infant 
 Jesus. And to confirm the truth of the announce- 
 ment, the angel adds, " This shall be a sign unto 
 you : ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling- 
 
SONG OF THE ANGELS. 19 
 
 clothes, lying in a manger." The shepherds need 
 not seek him in the palaces of princes, nor in the 
 mansions of the rich. They need not expect to find 
 him ^vTapped in costly robes and lying upon a golden 
 couch. But the infant form will be found simply 
 wrapped in swaddling-clothes and reposing in a 
 manger ; circumstances significant of the poverty and 
 humility of his future career, and of the character of 
 his mission. For to the poor especially his gospel is 
 to be preached, and at the outset he selects a po- 
 sition which renders him most accessible to the 
 masses of the people. The shepherds would scarcely 
 feel at liberty to enter the courts of royalty or the 
 halls of the great, to gaze upon the infant form of 
 the King of kings. But the humblest and poorest 
 can pass the threshold of a stable and gather around 
 a manger. No one would regard himself as an in- 
 truder on entering such a place. And in all coming 
 time, the penitent who might fear that his lowly birth 
 would forbid him access to the Lord of glory, would 
 have his fears quickly dissipated by the remembrance 
 of the Saviour's birthplace, and of the fact that 
 dm-ing his life he had not where to lay his head. 
 
 But scarcely had the sign been received, when 
 there broke from the skies a splendid vision and a 
 full chorus, that filled the shepherds with wonder 
 and delight. " Suddenly there was with the angel a 
 multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and 
 saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth 
 peace, good-will toward men." 
 
 A more beautiful, appropriate, and comprehensive 
 anthem than this cannot be conceived. In the few- 
 
20 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 est possible words we find expressed the honor due 
 to the highest authority in the universe ; the loyalty 
 of the angelic hosts ; and the profound interest that 
 is felt above in the welfare of manldnd. It is fit that 
 tlie first and warmest ascriptions of praise be given 
 to God, the fountain of all blessings, and the author 
 of this divine and glorious scheme of redemption. 
 And had mankind realized the true and full import 
 of this anthem, they would have echoed back its 
 strains, and from every hill-top and valley and plain, 
 there would have gone up one universal shout of 
 praise. The very rocks and hills would have broken 
 forth into singing, and all the trees of the field would 
 have clapped their hands. But the mass of mankind 
 are too deeply immersed in the cares, business, and 
 frivolities of life, to heed these indications of the 
 Messiah's advent. It is left for the angelic hosts to 
 celebrate this event. Their holiness, intelligence, 
 appreciation of the love of God and the worth of 
 the human soul, qualify them to shout with the 
 warmest enthusiasm, " Glory to God in the highest." 
 They feel that the loftiest praises are due to Jehovah 
 for his condescension in giving his only and w^ell be- 
 loved Son to die for this sinful race. The mysteries 
 of the atonement they desire to look into, but they 
 cannot explore the depths of the mighty scheme. 
 Yet they see and comprehend enough to convince 
 them, that of all the displays of divine love which 
 they have ever witnessed, this is the greatest ; of all 
 the manifestations of the divine glory, this is the 
 brightest; of all the themes of stirring song and 
 rapturous praise, this is the mightiest and most en- 
 
SONG OF THE ANGELS. 21 
 
 during. They see in this birth, the germ of a vast 
 movement that will embrace the world as its field, 
 and require ages for its development. 
 
 They perceive, too, the bearings of this scheme 
 upon the divine administration, in its development 
 of the great principle that the Sovereign of the uni- 
 verse can be just, and yet the justifier of them that 
 believe. Heretofore the penalty of a violated law 
 had cast its dark and awful shadow over the human 
 race. But now the horizon is skirted with the light 
 of mercy. The Sun of Righteousness is rising upon 
 the world with healing in his beams. The dignity 
 and authority of the divine administration can be 
 sustained, and at the same time there is pardon for 
 the penitent, and favor for the believing. To see 
 thus a way of escape provided, while every principle 
 of holiness and justice is maintained, — to see divine 
 wisdom and love defeating the designs of the great 
 adversary, and arresting the fearful consequences of 
 sin, and throwing open the gates of heaven to the 
 subjects of redeeming grace, excites the warmest ad- 
 miration of the celestial intelligences. They shout 
 " Glory to God," knowing that such a scheme is 
 deserving of the highest praises, and that it will 
 yield to the Deity tlirough eternity, a revenue of the 
 highest honors. 
 
 In this wonderful song we also hear the words, 
 ^^ peace on earths The angels knew that they were 
 celebrating the advent of the Prince of Peace, — of 
 one who would hush the voice of human strife, quell 
 the angry passions of men, and teach the nations 
 to beat their swords into ploughshares, and their 
 
22 LIFE SCENES OP THE MESSIAH. 
 
 spears into pruning-hooks, and learn war no more. 
 They knew the character of the Messiah, his mild 
 and gentle spirit, the depth of his love, the extent of 
 his compassion, for they had through long ages ex- 
 perienced his kindness, and witnessed the displays 
 of his divine and glorious attributes. They were 
 convinced that his simple presence on the earth 
 would shed abroad a peaceful and holy influence; 
 that the sweet accents of liis voice would fall like 
 music upon the perverse nature of man, and that the 
 power of his example would calm the troubled wa- 
 ters of hatred and contention. 
 
 Could we have mingled with these pious shep- 
 herds, and have heard from the skies those precious 
 words, " peace on earth," with what joy should we 
 have welcomed them to our hearts ? Peace to the 
 troubled conscience — peace to the oppressed and 
 sorrowing spirit — peace such as the world can nei- 
 ther give nor take away ! But though this privilege 
 was not granted to us, yet we find consolation in the 
 assurance, that 
 
 " There is an hour of peaceful rest, 
 To mourning wanderers given ; 
 There is a tear for souls distressed, 
 A balm for every wounded breast — 
 'Tis found alone — in heaven. 
 
 " There is a home for weary souls, ^ 
 
 By sin and sorrow riven : 
 When tossed of life's tempestuous shoals, 
 Where storms arise and ocean rolls. 
 
 And all is drear — but heaven." 
 
 It is worthy of remark, that at the time this an- 
 
SONG OF THE ANGELS. 23 
 
 gelic song was heard, peace reigned throughout the 
 Roman empire. God had so ordered the events of 
 his providence as to secure a cessation of hostilities 
 between different nations, and thus so far prepare the 
 way for the Messiah's advent. The temple of Janus 
 was shut, indicating the universal prevalence of 
 peace, an event which had occurred but twice before 
 during the seven centuries of the existence of the 
 Roman empire. When we consider the vast extent 
 of this empire, the various elements of which it was 
 composed, the warlike character of the people, and 
 the feelings with which they were regarded by for- 
 eign nations, it seems almost miraculous that peace 
 should prevail at that period. Hostilities are sus- 
 pended, as though to welcome the Prince of Peace. 
 The involuntary homage of millions is thus rendered 
 to the Messiah. The noise of battle is hushed, that 
 angelic songs may be heard. Peace reigns as a beau- 
 tiful symbol of the moral state of the world, when 
 the fruits of Christ's mission shall have been fully 
 experienced, and his blessed principles shall have tri- 
 umphed over every evU passion. 
 
 But there is another expression in this chorus, that 
 must have afforded the shepherds the most intense 
 delight. Mingling with the music, of the sweetness 
 of which we can form no conception, they hear the 
 words " good-ivill toivard menP Good-will from the 
 Father and from the Son and from the Holy Ghost, 
 towards even ungrateful and sinful man ! Good- 
 will in the hearts of angelic hosts ; of the myriads of 
 bright and holy beings that surround the eternal throne ! 
 In this sentiment we have embodied the great prin- 
 
24 LIFE SCENES OP THE MESSIAH. 
 
 ciple that pervades the social and moral life of heaven ; 
 and is the very essence of Deity. It is the principle 
 to which the nature of all sentient beings is adapted, 
 and conformity to which secures the highest possible 
 happiness. It does not reign upon this earth, because 
 its antagonist, selfishness, has the throne of human 
 hearts. But it is a source of infinite satisfaction to 
 know, that there is a world where benevolence does 
 reign triumphant, — where the highest happiness is 
 derived from promoting the happiness of others. And 
 this interest which angels feel in the welfare of the 
 human family, can flow from no other fountain than 
 that of a purely benevolent nature. It is because 
 they delight in the happiness of all sentient beings, 
 that they are so deeply interested in man. Even 
 human apostasy and degradation, — even the vices 
 of men that naturally repel all holy beings, do not 
 throw us beyond the pale of their sympathies. They 
 perceive in man, though he is in ruins, a value that 
 cannot be estimated ; capabilities for enjoyment 
 which cannot be measured ; and sources from which 
 may spring vast revenues of glory to the Deity. 
 Hence in all their communications with earth, they 
 manifest a kindness of feeling and depth of interest 
 which cannot be expressed. When our world first 
 floated in space, fresh and beautiful from the hands 
 of its Creator, " the morning stars sang together, and 
 all the sons of God shouted for joy." They rejoiced 
 in the new manifestation of the Divine goodness 
 and power. And they have ever been ready to min- 
 ister to the wants and alleviate the sorrows of the 
 human family. " Are they not all ministering spii'its, 
 
SONG OP THE ANGELS. 25 
 
 seirt forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of 
 salvation ? " 
 
 Had we organs of vision which would enable us to 
 behold these resplendent and holy beings, we should 
 see them at their several posts engaged in missions 
 of love. We should see one presiding over the affairs 
 of a nation — another protecting the interests and 
 promoting the spirituality of a church — another com- 
 forting the afflicted — another standing at the bedside 
 of the dying Christian, and ready to accompany his 
 spirit to the regions of glory. We should see a vast 
 multitude whose hearts beat in sympathy with every 
 human interest. We are indeed assured that " there 
 is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one 
 sinner that repenteth." The return of a single wan- 
 derer thrills their souls with delight. For they know 
 the worth of one immortal spirit. They know what 
 heights of honor and felicity it is capable of reaching, 
 and into what depths of wretchedness it is liable to 
 be plunged. And bending from the lofty battlements 
 of the eternal city, they watch with the deepest solici- 
 tude for any indications of penitence and faith among 
 the guilty children of men. 
 
 Such a manifestation of interest from such pure 
 and exalted intelligences ought to have an elevating 
 influence upon every human heart. It exalts us in 
 the scale of being to know that such an intense and 
 wide spread sympathy is felt for man in the far dis- 
 tant regions of the universe, — that the highest and 
 holiest intelligences bring the welcome tidmgs of 
 their good-will towards the human family. 
 
 The good shepherds having listened to the last 
 3 
 
26 LIPE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 strains of this wonderful song, at once left their flocks, 
 and hasten to find the new-born infant. Following 
 the direction given to them by the angel, they went 
 to Bethlehem, " and found Mary and Joseph, and the 
 babe lying in a manger." Being forcibly struck with 
 the fulfilment of the announcement which they had 
 heard, they made known to all around them the facts 
 respecting the remarkable and splendid vision wliich 
 they had seen during the night. 
 
 And they " returned glorifying and praising God." 
 Their faith in the Messiah was confirmed ; their 
 hearts were fiUed with gratitude, and they were ready, 
 with the warmest enthusiasm, to join the angelic 
 hosts in the song " Glory to God in the 
 earth peace, good- will toward men." 
 
111. 
 
 VISIT OP THE WISE MEN. 
 
 'BkHOLD, there came wise men from the east to JERUSA- 
 LEM, SATING, WHERE IS HE THAT IS BORN KING OF THE JEWS ? 
 FOE WE HAVE SEEN HIS STAR IN THE EAST AND ARE COMB TO 
 
 WORSHIP HIM." — St. Matthew ii. 1, 2. 
 
 " Tar in the desert East it shone, 
 A guiding star, and only one ; 
 The other planets left the sky. 
 Trembling, as if rebuked on high. 
 The moon forsook its silvery height, 
 Abashed before that holier light ; 
 The storm clouds that on ether lay 
 Melted before its glorious ray ; 
 Till half the heaven shone pure and clear, 
 Like some diviner atmosphere 
 Than ours, where heavy vapors rise 
 From the vile earth to dim the skies ; 
 Meet herald of that promised day. 
 When souls shall burst the bond of clay. 
 And, purified from earth stains, come, 
 Kadiant to its eternal home." 
 
 The birth of Jesus was an event which attracted 
 the angels of heaven and the wise men of the earth. 
 Holiness and wisdom both had thek representatives 
 on this interesting occasion. Though the Saviour 
 
28 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 was born in a manger, and under the most humble 
 circumstances, — though his advent was greeted by- 
 no public demonstration of gratitude or honor, yet 
 there were not wanting indications of his royalty, and 
 the marks of reverence due to so illustrious a person- 
 age. A bright star or meteor pointed out the sacred 
 spot where he was born. A company of pilgrims, 
 distinguished for their piety and wisdom, come from 
 the far East and seek diligently for the young child. 
 They bring with them precious gifts to lay at the 
 feet of the infant Messiah, as the testimonials of their 
 affection and homage. Guided by the light of the 
 star, and aided by a Divme illumination from above, 
 they find the object of their search, and render to him 
 the worship due to his character and mission. By 
 prostrating themselves before him, they recognize the 
 divinity of his nature, and the grandeur of the object 
 which has called him from heaven to earth. They rec- 
 ognize in that infant breast a power slumbering that 
 will one day be felt among the nations of the earth. 
 They recognize a great moral force that wOl change 
 the face of society, and elevate man from the regions 
 of darkness and degradation into those of light, truth, 
 and happiness. In connection with their worship 
 they present the rich products of their country, gold, 
 frankincense, and myrrh, — a very timely offering to 
 aid the parents of Jesus in making their flight into 
 Egypt. This scene presents several interesting points 
 of inquiry and meditation. 
 
 In the first place we desire to know who these 
 wise men were, and from what country they came. 
 In the Greek language they are called lidyoL, and in 
 
VISIT OF THE WISE MEN. 29 
 
 the Latin magn, a title given to them on account of 
 their eminence in learning, and especially their 
 knowledge of nature, and of the movements of the 
 heavenly bodies. The name also was applied to 
 such as were skilled in political matters. "For," 
 says an able writer, " the great counsellors of the 
 Persian kings were called magi, and Cicero affirms 
 that none were ever admitted to the Persian throne, 
 but such as had been thoroughly instructed and 
 trained up by these magi. The title was also some- 
 times used by those who practised wicked arts, but 
 in its proper and usual meaning, it designates those 
 philosophers who were skilled in natural, political, or 
 moral science." 
 
 Some writers suppose that they were kings from 
 some eastern nations, and that their mission was a 
 fulfilment of the prophecy. « The kings of Tarshish 
 and of the isles shall bring presents : the kings of 
 Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts." But there are no 
 substantial gi-ounds for this opinion ; for Herod did 
 not treat them as kings, but gave to them commands 
 to dihgently search for the young child and bring 
 him word again, as though they were properly sub- 
 ject to his authority. Besides, had they been per- 
 sons of royal rank, the fact would doubtless have ' 
 been mentioned by the Evangelists. But they were 
 obviously Gentile philosophers, who, in addition to 
 their learning, enjoyed special Divine influences, and 
 were anxious to obtain an accurate knowledge of the 
 true God. Though they did not come under the 
 promises which had been made to Abraham and his 
 seed, yet it is reasonable to suppose that they had 
 3* 
 
30 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 been expecting and waiting for a Messiah — a Mes- 
 siah who should break down the partition wall be- 
 tween Jews and Gentiles — who should extend to all 
 nations the blessings of his mission, and recognize as 
 his friends all who would believe on his name. That 
 they had faith in a coming Saviour, is evident from 
 their searching so diligently for the young chUd. 
 That they were under the divine protection and guid- 
 ance, is evident from the appearance of the beauti- 
 ful star that directed their footsteps. Their religious 
 faith was evinced by their readiness to fall down and 
 worship the Saviour. We may regard them as the 
 representation of that portion of the Gentile world 
 upon whom some rays of divine light had shone, 
 and who were anxious to receive a teacher sent from 
 God. There was a significancy in such a visit to 
 Christ, so early in his history. It indicated that the 
 reign of a formal system of religion, and one that 
 conferred special privileges upon a few classes, was 
 drawing to a close ; that a new and sphitual empire 
 was about to arise in the earth ; that mankind were 
 to be moved forward by the agency of a new and 
 mighty moral force, towards a high state of civiliza- 
 tion and religion. 
 
 But we are interested to know whence these sages 
 came upon so remarkable a mission. As to the pre- 
 cise country from which they came, eminent divines 
 are not fully agreed, as the Evangelist simply men- 
 tions that they came from the East. Some are of 
 the opinion that they came from Persia, others that 
 they journeyed from Ai-abia, and others still, that 
 they came from Assyria. The arguments in favor 
 
VISIT OF THE WISE MEN. 31 
 
 of the first opinion are, that this class of philoso- 
 phers abounded in Persia ; that the country was sit- 
 uated eastward to Judea, which corresponded with 
 the words of the Evangelist, and that the manner of 
 approaching Jesus with presents and such marks of 
 homage, was in accordance with the custom in Per- 
 sia, when persons appeared in the presence of kings. 
 The argument in favor of Arabia, is that gold, 
 frankincense, and myrrh, abound in that country. 
 There are also other circumstances upon which the 
 opinion with reference to this country, is based. If 
 the wise men came from Arabia, they must have en- 
 countered many hardships and dangers in their jour- 
 ney : for their course would lay through a wild and 
 parched desert, which was infested by bands of rob- 
 bers and murderers. But from whatever country 
 they originated, they manifested a degree of piety 
 and zeal that is worthy of our admiration. They 
 were bent upon finding Jesus, whom they already 
 hailed as born King of the Jews. They did not 
 come to inquire whether his birth had taken place, 
 for they had satisfactory knowledge upon that pomt. 
 They had seen " his star," and with their hearts full 
 of faith, they had come to worship. 
 
 The connection of Herod with this scene is too 
 intimate to be passed unnoticed. This most wicked 
 of wicked men endeavored to turn this pious mission 
 into a means for effecting the destruction of the 
 infant Jesus. With a degree of hypocrisy and mal- 
 ice which only the vilest and most infamous of men 
 are capable of reaching, he pretended that he desired 
 to know where the young child was, that he might 
 
32 LIFE SCENES OP THE MESSIAH. 
 
 •also come and worship him. Besides being liJ^e all 
 base usurpers and tyrants, full of suspicions and 
 jealousies, his anxiety was greatly increased by the 
 intelligence that had reached him respecting the 
 star, and by the rumors which were abroad that 
 about that time a prince was to be born who would 
 rule over Israel. His character presents a strildng 
 contrast to' those wise and good men whom he 
 wished to employ as instruments for accomplishing 
 his cruel designs. Before the birth of Christ, he had 
 stained his administration with almost every imagin- 
 able crime. All who were suspected of having any 
 claims or desii-es for his crown, were basely assassi- 
 nated. Every principle of honor, right, and justice 
 was sacrificed. The most sacred and tender ties 
 were disregarded. Not content with murdering his 
 predecessor in the extremity of his old age, he carried 
 the sword into his own family, and put to death one 
 of his wives and his own children, and to carry his 
 remorseless cruelty to the highest pitch, he issued an 
 edict requiring the indiscriminate slaughter of all 
 "the children in Bethlehem and in all the coasts 
 thereof," hoping thus to accomplish the murder of 
 the infant Jesus. His wickedness and villany were 
 so stupendous that neither the innocency of child- 
 hood, nor the reverence due to old age, nor the af- 
 fection of a wife, nor the obligations of the parental 
 relation, afforded any protection against him. He is 
 styled Herod the Great on account of the splendor of 
 the palaces which he built, and the magnificence of 
 his reign. But the greatness of his wickedness sur- 
 passed all other manifestations of greatness. The 
 
VISIT OF THE WISE MEN. 33 
 
 dark, colossal monuments reared by his atrocious 
 cruelty, rose higher and stood out more conspicuous 
 than the temple and palaces that he erected. 
 
 Accustomed to be implicitly obeyed, when he 
 found that he was mocked or deluded by the wise 
 men, he was exceedingly enraged, and sent forth that 
 terrible command that caused in Rama, " lamentation 
 and weeping, and great mourning : Rachel weeping 
 for her children and would not be comforted because 
 they are not." Under the reign of such a prince 
 was the Saviour born, — a prince whose power was 
 based upon injustice, whose throne was covered with 
 blood, and whose administration was marked by 
 every form of cruelty. On the one hand was the 
 innocent babe of Bethlehem ; on the other, this 
 remorseless tyrant thirsting for his blood. In the 
 same country heaven and heU meet through their 
 representatives. They meet as antagonistic forces, 
 destined to struggle one against the other. The 
 principles of the two worlds are strikingly set forth 
 in the two characters. One is all benevolence, and 
 the other is unmixed selfishness. One has a heart 
 fuU of tenderness and mercy, the other has the spirit 
 of a fiend. One is erelong to give his life for the 
 benefit of the human family, the other sacrifices 
 human life to attain his own base ends. 
 
 Why so infamous a king was permitted to live 
 and to rule over the Jews at so interesting a period 
 in their history, is a question wliich finite wisdom 
 cannot answer. Not until the great problem of 
 moral evil is solved, can this point be settled. Viewed 
 in the light of the world's uniform wickedness, it is 
 
34 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 not so wonderful that the benevolent career of the 
 Saviour should have commenced with a Herod, and 
 ended with a Judas. For had Christ appeared in any 
 age or nation, he would have encountered men of a 
 similar character and similar principles with these. If 
 he comes to oppose wickedness, to smite the gigantic 
 forms of iniquity that prevail, he must meet the rep- 
 resentatives of these forms and systems, from the day 
 of his birth to the day of his death. But if Christ 
 had bitter enemies, he also had sincere and warm 
 friends. If the cruel tyrant sought him in order to 
 iake his life, the wise men from the East desired to 
 present to him gifts, and to render to him the homage 
 of grateful and believing hearts. 
 
 Let us next notice the impression made upon the 
 minds of the pious sages by their visit to the infant 
 Saviour. As they were guided by the star that led 
 them to the spot where the young child was, the 
 Evangelist tells us that "they rejoiced with exceeding 
 great joy." In the original Greek, the words express 
 a fulness and excess of joy which it is difficult to 
 translate in our language. The intensity of their joy 
 ful emotions indicated the earnestness of their desires 
 to see Jesus, and their strong faith in him They did 
 not come to show merely their outward respect at the 
 birth of so illustrious a personage, nor to render to 
 him a mere formal worship. Their feelings were 
 strongly enlisted in the object of their search. They 
 were men who were sincere and earnest inquirers 
 after the truth, — men of learning, of high intellectual 
 culture, — men who were familiar with the Jewish 
 Scriptures, and with the prophecies concerning a corn- 
 
VISIT OF THE WISE MEN. 35 
 
 ing Messiah. They rejoiced in the successful termi- 
 nation of their journey, and in the goodness of God 
 which permitted them to behold the long promised 
 Messiah. As the children of Israel were guided 
 in their night journeyings by a pillar of fire to the 
 promised land, so their footsteps had been guided by 
 the light of a beautiful star or meteor, to the birth- 
 place of the Messiah. And like the devout Simeon 
 they might have said : " Lord, now let thy servants 
 depart in peace, for our eyes have seen thy salvation, 
 which thou hast prepared before the face of all 
 people : a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory 
 of thy people Israel." They rejoiced that their faith 
 was so much strengthened by what they saw. Prob- 
 ably they had before clung to their belief amid many 
 doubts and discouragements. In their own country, 
 where their religious opinions were known, they may 
 have encountered opposition or ridicule on account 
 of their peculiar views. Their journey to Bethlehem 
 under the guidance of a new star, may have been 
 regarded as a fanatical and visionary enterprise. 
 Although they were men of learning, rank, and 
 influence, and were admitted to the palaces of 
 kings, and consulted on all important occasions, yet 
 their eminent position may have exposed them to 
 great temptations, and strong resolution may have 
 been required on their part to maintain their belief. 
 But now they find their steadfastness and zeal abun- 
 dantly rewarded by the view which is granted to them 
 of the Messiah. They find that their confidence was 
 not misplaced, and they rejoice that their faith has 
 reached so triumphant an issue. 
 
36 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 It was also a source of joy to them that a glorious 
 Prince of the Jews was born, one who would confer 
 great and lasting blessings upon the nations of the 
 earth. How definite and clear were their ideas of the 
 nature of Christ's kingdom, and the character of his 
 reign, we have no means of determining. It is 
 hardly probable that God would have, in so remark- 
 able a manner, guided them to Bethlehem, simply 
 that they might pay a transient tribute of respect to 
 Jesus. They may have known that the object of 
 their worship had come to work out the redemption 
 of our race, — to give his life a ransom for many. 
 They may have recognized in him a divine Saviour, 
 and a ruler who would confer great spiritual as weU 
 as temporal blessings. While standing in the house 
 by the side of Mary, and bending over the infant 
 form of Jesus, they may have recalled the prophetic 
 words of Isaiah, " For unto us a child is born, unto 
 us a son is given : and the government shall be upon 
 his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonder- 
 ful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the Prince of 
 Peace." And their conceptions of the splendor of 
 his reign, and the glories of his mission, may have 
 been a prominent source of their exceeding joy. 
 The divine being who had revealed to them the bu-th 
 of Christ, could easily have imparted to them clear 
 views of his career, and the blessed results of his 
 life and of his death. Especially they may have 
 seen that the Gentile world would share largely in 
 the benefits of his advent, and hence they would 
 naturally be filled with joy. Nor is it unreasonable to 
 suppose that these sages, in their own country, pre- 
 
VISIT OF THE WISE MEN. 37 
 
 pared the way for the triumph of divine truth. If 
 their faith was at first so strong as to lead them to 
 take a long journey, and bring with them costly gifts 
 to present to the new-born king, how much must 
 both their faith and zeal have been quickened by 
 what they had seen and heard. They may have re- 
 turned to their own country as missionaries of the 
 new religion, and subsequently have had their minds 
 more thoroughly enlightened in regard to " the truth 
 as it is in Jesus." Indeed, an early antiquity informs 
 us that messages or letters were afterwards sent to 
 Jesus from Abgarus, king of Edessa, in Arabia, con- 
 taining expressions of the highest respect for his 
 character and mission, — letters which may have 
 had their origin in the information at first communi- 
 cated by these sages. 
 
 We may also regard this visit of the wise men, as 
 a beautiful and striking emblem of that happy period 
 in the history of the church, when, in the words of 
 Isaiah, "the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and 
 Idngs to the brightness of thy rising;" when "the 
 abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee;" 
 when " all they from Sheba shall come, and bring gold 
 and incense, and shall show forth the praises of the 
 Lord." It was peculiarly fit that the future triumphs 
 of the Gospel among the Gentile nations, should 
 thus be represented in the early history of the Mes- 
 siah. For if Christ was to be despised and rejected 
 by the Jews, it was a consolation to his parents and 
 friends to receive some tokens of his success among 
 a portion, at least, of the human family. Thus while 
 we look upon Herod as a representative of the cru- 
 4 
 
38 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 elty and treachery that Christ would meet with at 
 the hands of his people, we delight to turn our eyes 
 towards these wise men, as the representatives of 
 those nations that would one day come to Jesus to 
 worship, and pour their gold and silver into the treas- 
 ury of the Lord. And what was shadowed forth 
 in this visit, we find has been fully realized. For the 
 light of Christ's holy mission soon poured over the 
 walls of Jerusalem, travelled beyond the confines of 
 Judea, and reached the millions that for long ages 
 had been sitting in darloiess. The trumpet voice of 
 the prophet was heard, saying to them, "Arise, shine, 
 for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord has 
 risen upon thee." At this day we have the spectacle 
 presented to us of Judea, once the holy land, lying 
 waste and barren, its cities demolished, or in the 
 hands of infidels, while over Gentile nations there 
 rise thousands of Christian churches, from which go 
 forth influences and agencies that are blessing the 
 world. On this continent, at that time an unknown 
 wilderness, there has in these modern days grown up 
 a Christian power, which we believe will not wane, 
 until the Gospel is preached to every creature. The 
 stone which the Jewish builders rejected, has become 
 the corner-stone of our modern Christendom. " This 
 is the Lord's doings : it is marvellous in our eyes." 
 
 The manner in which the wise men were enabled 
 to render their visit a beautiful emblem of such glo- 
 rious results, and were saved from being even the 
 innocent instruments of executing the cruel purpose 
 of Herod, is worthy of a moment's notice. After 
 having worshipped the new-born king and left their 
 
VISIT OF THE WISE MEN. 39 
 
 treasures, we are told, that, " being warned of God in 
 a dream that they should not return to Herod, ihey 
 departed into their own country, another way." Had 
 it not been for this divine communication, they might 
 have had the grievous reflection of having been the 
 indirect occasion of the death of the holy child. But 
 the same God in whom they put their trust when 
 they entered upon their journey, was with them in 
 every extremity. He directed their steps, warned 
 them of danger, and kept them from being the in- 
 struments of the tyrant's cruelty. They returned to 
 their own country, carrying with them richer treas- 
 ures than those which they brought, and rejoicing 
 that by the aid of divine power, they had been saved 
 from the snare which was laid to entrap them. 
 
 This scene teaches us lessons of practical impor- 
 tance. All wise men in every age of the world will 
 seek Christ. They will seek not only the evidences 
 of his birth, but will examine his system of doctrines, 
 his scheme of redemption, his claims upon our hom- 
 age and worship. They will follow the guidance of 
 the star of hope that appears in the moral firmament, 
 — a star that to the believing will increase in bright- 
 ness, and one day become a sun, filling the heavens 
 with its splendor and glory. They will bring gifts 
 worthy of the Saviour's acceptance, — the sacrifice 
 of a broken and contrite heart, their cordial love, and 
 the services of their lives. They will experience the 
 joy which the sages felt. Every new interview with 
 the Saviour wiU increase their delight. They will 
 join the Psalmist in his prophetic and sublime words, 
 " He shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold 
 
40 LIFE SCENES OF TnE>MESSIAH. 
 
 of Sheba : prayer also shall be made for him contin- 
 ually, and daily shall he be praised. His name shall 
 endure forever, and men shall be blessed in him : all 
 nations shall call him blessed." 
 
IV. 
 
 TEMPTATION IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 " Then was jesus led op the spirit into the wilderness to 
 
 BE TEMPTED OP THE DEVIL." MatthcW iv. 1. 
 
 The period which elapsed between the childhood 
 of Jesus and his public ministry, was employed 
 by him in making preparation for his great work. 
 Uniting as he did a human with a divine nature, his 
 human nature was subject to those laws of cultm-c 
 and discipline which belong to our race. "We are 
 informed that in his youth he " increased in wisdom, 
 and in favor with God and man." His natural fac- 
 ulties were developed and expanded as he advanced 
 in years, and were thus fitted to become the organs 
 of his divine nature. As the human body in its 
 growth and progress towards maturity, becomes a 
 vehicle through which the mind acts and expresses 
 its emotions and thoughts, so the human soul of 
 Christ, by development and culture, was prepared to 
 become the medium through which his divine nature 
 might express its thoughts and make its revelation 
 to the world. 
 
 Of the early history of Jesus we Know but little. 
 A single incident is recorded which strikingly illus- 
 
 . 
 
42 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 trates his progress in knowledge, and his con- 
 sciousness of the divine nature within him. When 
 about twelve years of age, his parents, on making their 
 annual visit to Jerusalem, at the time of the Pass- 
 over, took him with them. On their return they 
 missed him, and after searching, he was found in the 
 temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, and dis- 
 cussing with them, much to their wonder and admi- 
 ration, questions of religious faith. Doubtless his 
 mind was greatly quickened by what he saw and 
 heard at Jerusalem and in the temple ; and probably 
 on this occasion, for the first time, the divine light 
 burst forth from his intellect, and the infinite treas- 
 ures of his wisdom were unfolded to human view. 
 The learned doctors were amazed at the penetration, 
 clearness, skill, and power of argumefit manifested 
 by a youth at so tender an age. But though sur- 
 prised, they were not aware that what they beheld 
 was the opening fountain of that mighty stream of 
 thought, which was destined to purify the spiritual 
 life of man, and flow on in its fertilizing course 
 through all coming ages. 
 
 The early preparation of Christ for his public min- 
 istry and achievements, included discipline as well 
 as culture ; and that kind of discipline which results 
 from conflicts with temptation. Whether it is an 
 indispensable condition of moral discipline and moral 
 rectitude, that evil or temptation, in some of their 
 forms, must be met and resisted, is a question which 
 )ve need not stop to discuss. It is sufficient to our 
 present purpose to know that Christ was tempted, and 
 in this fact, we find the necessity of the temptation. 
 
TEMPTATION IN THE WILDERNESS. 43 
 
 From the narrative we learn that Jesus, being full 
 of the Holy Ghost, returned from Jordan, where he 
 had received the solemn rite of baptism, and was 
 immediately led by the spirit into the wilderness, to 
 meet there the great tempter, and decide with him 
 the question of supremacy and victory. Whether 
 the account which the Evangelists have furnished is 
 to be taken literally in all its features, or has, in some 
 respects, a symboli-cal import, we are not prepared to 
 decide. The principles, however, involved in the 
 case, are the same, whether we regard it literally or 
 symbolically. 
 
 It appears from the account that there were three 
 distinct temptations, that appealed severally to Christ's 
 necessities ; to the feeling of presumption, and that 
 of ambition. 
 
 With the first he was assailed after having fasted 
 forty days and forty nights. Being filled with the 
 Holy Spirit, and in the retirement of the wilderness, 
 far from the distracting influences of the world, he 
 was so absorbed by his meditations upon the gi-eat- 
 ness and glories of the work that was before him, that 
 he was not conscious for a considerable period of the 
 lapse of time, or of his need of food. Instances of a 
 similar character have occurred in the history of per- 
 sons eminent for their intellectual vigor and glowing 
 piety. Moses, in the solitude of the mount, before 
 receiving the law from Jehovah, fasted forty days, to 
 prepare his mind for the stupendous scenes that were 
 to open before him. Elijah, the chief of the prophets, 
 fasted the same period ; — and now he who combined 
 in his own person," lawgiver, prophet, and redeemer, 
 
44 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 the author of a new covenant and founder of a new 
 dispensation, spends the same time in fasting, humili- 
 ation, and prayer. While in a state of exhaustion 
 from such long continued abstinence, the tempter ap- 
 proached him in a visible form, as one who desired 
 to witness the evidences of his sincerity and divinity. 
 The skill and subtlety of Satan were manifested not 
 only in his selection of such a time in which to pre- 
 sent the temptation, but in assuming the character 
 of one who was an inquirer after truth. " K thou art 
 the Son of God," that extraordinary person who has 
 been long expected, then " command that these stones 
 be made bread," and thus at once satisfy your hun- 
 ger. But Jesus replied, " It is written, Man shall not 
 live by bread alone, but by every word that pro- 
 ceedeth out of the mouth of God." This quotation 
 is made from Deuteronomy viii. 3, wherein reference 
 is made to the manner in which God sustained the 
 Israelites in the wilderness. They were not supported 
 by the bread and flesh of the Egyptians, but by 
 manna sent directly from heaven ; and the idea which 
 Christ intends to convey is, that the same God can 
 sustain him in the wilderness without bread. Into 
 that wilderness he had been led by the Holy Spirit, 
 and he prefers to continue under his guidance and 
 care, rather than distrust Providence and perform a 
 miracle to satisfy his necessities. His supreme de- 
 sire was to know and to follow the divine will, and 
 he is confident that God will bring to him relief in 
 his own time and way. On other occasions we find 
 the same unwillingness, on the part of Christ, to per- 
 form miracles for his own personal benefit. When he 
 
TEMPTATION IN THE WILDERNESS. 45 
 
 was betrayed, and was surrounded by the soldiers and 
 the mob who were anxious to seize him, he said: 
 " Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, 
 and he shall presently give me more than twelve 
 legions of angels ? " And when he had been naUed 
 to the cross, the priests and scribes, as they passed 
 by, said : " He saved others : himself he cannot save. 
 If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down 
 from tlie cross, and we will believe him." But neither 
 to save himself from suffering, nor to gratify curiosity, 
 nor, above all, to meet the wishes of the arch de- 
 ceiver would Christ exert his miraculous power. 
 
 Besides, in every position that he occupied, he 
 stood as an example to mankind. It was a part of 
 his mission to be tempted " like as we are, yet with- 
 out sin." He came to struggle in a human form 
 against the great adversary, — to demonstrate that 
 evU could be resisted, and the devil triumphed over 
 in every conflict. It is true that he had not a sinful 
 nature for temptation to fasten itself upon ; but he 
 had human sensibilities and wants, and was so tried 
 as to be able to sympathize with man in all the 
 varied circumstances and sorrows of life. Had he, in 
 the wilderness, exerted his miraculous power, and 
 converted the stones at his feet into bread, and thus 
 satisfied the cravings of hunger ; or had he, when 
 arrested, summoned legions of angels to his aid, and 
 destroyed his enemies, important ends in his mission 
 would have remained unaccomplished. Man needed 
 a Saviour not only with divine powers, but with 
 human sympathies ; one who could feel in his own 
 soul the force of human weakness and dependence ; 
 
46 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 one who could combine the authority and omnipo- 
 tence and glory of a God, with the endurance, vir- 
 tues, and submission of a perfect man. How else 
 can Christ be our example? How else can we 
 follow in his footsteps ? In these various walks of 
 life, amid these temptations that beset us, in con- 
 flicts with tlie great adversary, how can we follow 
 one who has only a divine nature ; who by the breath 
 of his power can slay every foe, and thus has infinite 
 advantages over us in every respect. Wlien Christ 
 wrought miracles, it was to attest his divinity and to 
 serve and benefit others. But when he suffered and 
 struggled with temptation, it was in his human capac- 
 ity. St. Peter says : " Christ suffered for us, leaving 
 for us an example that ye should foUow his steps 
 Who knew no sin, neither was guUe found in his 
 mouth ; who when he was reviled, reviled not again ; 
 when he suffered, threatened not; but committeth 
 himself to him that judgeth righteously." 
 
 In the reply which Christ made to the tempter 
 there is also a significancy that is worthy of our 
 remembrance : " Man shall not live by bread alone." 
 As though he had said, bread or food is not the only 
 nourishment that man needs. He has a higher life 
 than that of the body, to be fed. He has nobler aspi- 
 rations to meet, purer and loftier ends to attain, than 
 those which terminate in bodily comfort ! He has a 
 mind to discipline, powers to invigorate, virtues to 
 strengthen, a soul to be fitted for solemn duties and 
 weighty responsibilities. His proper food is the 
 Word of God — divine truth — that spiritual nour- 
 ishment that descends lilte manna from heaven. To 
 
TEMPTATION IN THE WILDERNESS. 47 
 
 this Christ referred when he said on one occasion 
 to his disciples : " I have meat to eat that ye know 
 not of." When conversing with the woman of Sama- 
 ria he said : " Whosoever shall drink of the water 
 that I shall give him shall never thirst ; " but it shall 
 be " in him a well of water springing up unto everlast- 
 ing life." Should not all seek that water and food that 
 will give real life, everlasting life I In God's Holy- 
 Word, we have spread out a celestial banquet, — food 
 for the soul, — food that will nourish us for immortality. 
 Being defeated in this attempt, the tempter very 
 artfully assails the Saviour at another point, and 
 endeavors to lead him into an act of presumption. 
 Taking him to Jerusalem, and placing him on a pin- 
 nacle of the temple, he said unto him : " K thou be 
 the Son of God, cast thyself down ; for it is written, 
 He shall give his angels charge concerning thee, and 
 in their hands shall they bear thee up, lest at any 
 time thou dash thy foot against a stone." The word 
 pinnacle, though it agrees well with the original 
 Greek, yet is liable to convey to the English reader a 
 wrong idea. The roof of the temple was flat, and 
 was surrounded with a battlement, a part of which 
 was very high. Upon the edge probably of the loft- 
 iest portion, the Saviour stood when the tempter as- 
 sailed him. In order to present the temptation in the 
 strongest possible manner, Satan assures him, on Scrip- 
 tural authority, that there will be perfect safety in his 
 making this demonstration of his miraculous power. 
 But Christ, seeing at once through the cunning of 
 the adversary, replied : It is also written, " Thou shalt 
 not tempt the Lord thy God." He felt that it would 
 
48 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 be gross presumption to attempt to call into requisi- 
 tion the omnipotence of Jehovah, when the danger 
 could be avoided by descending from the battlement 
 in the usual manner. His words teach us the great 
 lesson, that we are to expect divine aid only When we 
 make a diligent use of the means that are in our 
 power. K we are found out of the path of duty, or 
 rush presumptuously into peril, or unnecessarily ex- 
 pose ourselves to dangers, we need not expect that 
 omnipotence will interfere for our protection. God 
 has instituted certain laws for the government of our 
 health, safety, usefulness, advancement in piety ; and 
 if these laws are violated, we cannot expect the Deity 
 to go out of his course, or throw the system upon 
 which he governs the universe into disorder, merely 
 that we may be saved from the consequences of our 
 imprudence. Should he do this in one case, he must 
 in another, and in a third and fourth, and thus there 
 would soon be an end to all order and government. 
 K a person of a zealous temperament and of ardent 
 piety, in the prosecution of even a good work, ex- 
 poses his health or person to dangers, he has no right 
 to expect a special act of divine assistance to meet 
 an exigency that may be met by the employment of 
 the ordinary means of protection and safety. The 
 young disciple, whose ardor prompts him to make 
 the most thorough mental preparation for the gospel 
 ministry, or the devoted missionary who goes forth to 
 convert savage tribes to the principles of the gospel, 
 are not exempt from the great laws which the Deity 
 has instituted for our safety and government. It is 
 true, that if, in the clear path of duty, they meet with 
 
TEMPTATION IN TUE WILDERNESS. 49 
 
 dangers, they have a right to ask ana exjject divine 
 assistance ; and, indeed, upon the ordinary means of 
 safety, we should at all times seek the divine bless- 
 ing. I fully believe in what are termed special prov- 
 idences in cases where human means fail. The 
 Israelites in the wilderness experienced them. The 
 Old Testament saints, Elijah, Shadrach and his asso- 
 ciates, Daniel and others, were the favored subjects 
 of divine interposition and aid. And in our day, 
 there is too little exercise of strong confidence in 
 God, — too little boldness in his service based upon 
 reliance on his aid. But what the example of Christ 
 teaches under this temptation is, that we must asso- 
 ciate prudence and forethought with our piety ; that 
 we must not mistake presumption for zeal, nor rash- 
 ness for confidence in God. And we see the distinc- 
 tion for which we contend clearly illustrated in the 
 whole career of the Saviour. No one will charge 
 Christ with a want of zeal, boldness, and earnestness 
 in the prosecution of his great work. And yet his 
 whole life was marked with the greatest prudence 
 and discretion. He never voluntarily exposed himself 
 to peril, and always used the wisest means to escape 
 the stratagems of his enemies. And by pursuing 
 this course, he was enabled to accomplish the greatest 
 amount of usefulness, and to set before mankind a 
 perfect example. As the two gases that compose the 
 atmosphere are so united as to secure the greatest 
 amount of life and vigorous health, so in Christ these 
 two classes of virtues were so united as to secure 
 the most healthy action and the accomplishment of 
 the highest good. 
 
 5 
 
50 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 Jjet the church of Christ unite these two elements 
 of strength, and she would not only grow with an 
 inward spirituality, but she would be mighty through 
 God to the pulling down of the strong-holds of sin. 
 We should see her embattled hosts marching forth, 
 fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an 
 army with banners. The church would obtain con- 
 quests by an earnest, progressive spirit, and retain 
 the advantages gained by a sound and healthy con- 
 servatism. We should neither be afflicted by a dead 
 formalism on the one hand, nor by a rash, headstrong 
 zeal on the other. As in the physical universe the 
 two forces, the centripetal and centrifugal, the one 
 drawing the planets toward the sun, and the other 
 drawing them from it, secure the regular and harmo- 
 nious action of these bodies around the central orb, 
 so these two moral forces in combination, would keep 
 the church at the same time in motion and in its 
 orbit around its central head, and bring every part 
 of it within the light and heat of the great Sun of 
 Righteousness. 
 
 The tempter, failing in this effort, makes a third 
 attempt, and endeavors to excite in the Saviour the 
 sphit of ambition. He takes him to an exceeding 
 high mountain, and shows to him the kingdoms of 
 the world, and says, "All this power will I give thee 
 and the glory of them, if thou wilt fall down and 
 worship me." If we take this language literally, 
 confining however the word "world," to mean the 
 land of Judea and the surrounding nations, then the 
 mountain described by the Abb^ Mariti could have 
 afforded the prospect referred to. Speaking of the 
 
TEMPTATION IN THE WILDERNESS. 51 
 
 view he says, " Here we enjoyed the most beautiful 
 prospect imaginable. This part of the mountain 
 overlooks the mountains of Arabia, the country of 
 Gilead and of the Amorites, the plains of Moab and 
 Jericho, the river Jordan, and the whole extent of the 
 Dead Sea." If, however, we do not take the lan- 
 guage literally, then we may suppose that a vision 
 of the kingdoms of the world, and the splendor and 
 glory of them, passed before the mind of Christ. In 
 either case the object of the temptation is the same, 
 namely, to induce the Messiah to establish an out- 
 ward and worldly kingdom, which may be purchased 
 with all its splendors, by a single act of worship ren- 
 dered to Satan. This the tempter urges him to do, 
 rather than attempt to create a spiritual empire that 
 must necessarily be gi'aduaUy developed, and must 
 advance in the hearts of men, without observation 
 or the aid of external attractions. Thus Satan en- 
 deavored to secularize Christ's views of dominion, 
 and induce him to employ his aid in establishing and 
 extending his sovereignty. But the Saviour, indig- 
 nant at so revolting a proposition, and filled with 
 abhorrence at the idea of worshipping a fallen and 
 created being, said. " Get thee behind me, or get thee 
 hence, Satan; for it is written, thou shalt worship 
 the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." 
 This temptation is so full of blasphemy, that the 
 Saviour repels it at once, and in the exercise of Ms 
 divine authority, commands Satan to leave him. 
 And by resisting it, Christ virtually protests against 
 every endeavor to associate his kingdom with the 
 governments of this world. He establishes the prin- 
 
52 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 ciple that his empire is a spiritual one, — that it is to 
 be carried forward by divine influences, and that any 
 mixture of worldly ambition, or evil agencies, is hos- 
 tile to its progress, and destructive of its pure and 
 noble ends. To this principle he clung with the 
 greatest tenacity through life, even up to the hour 
 when he returned, amid hosts of angels, to the celes- 
 tial city. And it was the more necessary that he 
 should frequently unfold and insist upon this idea, 
 because of the secular views which were entertained 
 by even his most sincere and devoted followers. Jt 
 was exceedingly diflicult for them to rise to the con- 
 ception of a purely spiritual empire, — an empire 
 that should advance by the power of motives and 
 moral considerations, — that should obtain conquests 
 over the affections, and should be governed by the 
 great laws of benevolence which reign in the heav- 
 enly kingdom. Besides the natural tendency of the 
 mind to worldly and ambitious views, religion had 
 been so long associated with the arm of secular 
 power, that it was more difficult to build up this 
 new idea in the human heart. But it gradually, un- 
 der the teachings and example of Christ, worked 
 itself into being, and extended from heart to heart, 
 until it became a moral force, the influence of which 
 was widely and deeply felt. 
 
 Another reason might be assigned for Christ's 
 resisting this temptation. These very kingdojns of 
 the world would one day come into his possession, 
 though in a far different manner from that which 
 Satan proposes. For the Son of God had the prom- 
 ise that the heathen should be given to him as an 
 
TEMPTATION IN THE WILDERNESS. 53 
 
 inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for 
 a possession. He would gain them by influences 
 brought to bear upon the individual subjects. He 
 would conquer them by the power of love. He would 
 purify, elevate, and sanctify them, and prepare them 
 to be united to his heavenly and everlasting empire. 
 He would also receive the glory of them ; a far 
 higher and richer glory than the tempter ever con- 
 ceived of; the glory of intellectual eminence, lofty 
 virtues, and a religious faith and devotion wrought 
 out by gospel truth. 
 
 The temptations passed through, and the tempted 
 conquered and driven from the field, the scene closes 
 by the sudden appearance of holy angels, who come 
 to minister to the Lord of glory. From their lofty 
 seats above they have watched the conflicts through 
 which the Saviour has passed. They have wit- 
 nessed his glorious victories, and now they hasten 
 with delight to his relief. 
 
 Thus disciplined and fortified, Christ is prepared 
 to enter upon his public ministry, and accomplish 
 those mighty deeds and glorious achievements that 
 will give him a name that is above every name, — a 
 name before which every knee shall bow, and the 
 authority of which every tongue shall acknowledge. 
 
 5* 
 
V. 
 
 HIS MIGHTY DEEDS. 
 
 "Go AND SHOW JOHN THOSE THINGS WHICH YE DO HEAR AND 
 SEE ; THE BLIND RECEIVE THEIR SIGHT, THE IAMB WALK, THE 
 LEPERS ARE CLEANSED, THE DEAF HEAR, AND THE DEAD ARE 
 
 RAISED UP." — St, Matthew xi. 4, 5. 
 
 Much has been written for and against the doctrine 
 of miracles, as taught in both the Old and New Tes- 
 taments. The enemies of Christianity have been par- 
 ticularly zealous in assailing this article of our faith, 
 and laboring to break down its testimony in favor of 
 the divine origin of the Gospel. Hume, the prince 
 of modern sceptics, taxed his ingenuity, wit, and all 
 the resources of his philosophy, to expel from the 
 court of human reason these witnesses. Others have 
 framed ingenious arguments against the doctrine, and 
 attempted to show that it could not be sustained 
 upon any reasonable grounds. But the doctrine has 
 passed through the severe ordeal of opposition un- 
 harmed. Indeed, it has gathered strength from every 
 conflict with its adversaries, and every new investiga- 
 tion has added weight to its authority. 
 
 In considering this subject, our first remark is, that 
 
HIS MIGHTY DEEDS. 55 
 
 it is perfectly reasonable that the mission of Christ 
 should he attested by miracles. If a messenger is sent 
 to us from the eternal throne, or if a system of relig- 
 ion is exhibited to us with claims upon our belief 
 and adoption, it must necessarily be accompanied 
 with such evidences as will convince our judgment. 
 We need in such a case more than ordinary proof. 
 We need that kind and degree of testimony that the 
 importance of the case, and the greatness of the con- 
 sequences, demand. It is true that we can form some 
 opinion of the character of communications pur- 
 porting to come from God, from their inherent excel- 
 lence, and the reputation for honesty and integrity 
 that those enjoy who deliver the messages. But this 
 is not enough to satisfy the mind ; nor is it sufficient 
 to place the system upon a solid and permanent 
 basis. For wise men may utter sound maxims and 
 useful sentiments ; and persons of unimpeached in- 
 tegrity may advance theories which they believe are 
 founded in truth, and are essential to man's highest 
 welfare. In a matter that affects owx spiritual inter- 
 ests, and the immortal destiny of the soul, we re- 
 quire the most clear and positive proof. If we are 
 told that God speaks, we ask for proof that the voice 
 which we hear is divine, before we can receive the 
 communications that are made. And in what way 
 can this proof be furnished, so readily and effectually, 
 as by displays of miraculous power ? Let the indi- 
 vidual or individuals claiming to give us divine 
 teachings, suspend the laws of nature, or perform 
 deeds that require the exercise of omnipotent power, 
 and they furnish us the highest possible proof of their 
 
56 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 sincerity, and of the genuineness of their messages. 
 Now if it was necessary that mankind should re- 
 ceive a divine revelation, — if it was necessary that 
 a teacher sent from God should come to enlighten 
 the ignorant, reclaim the vicious, roll away the moral 
 darkness from the earth, and unfold a spiritual sys- 
 tem that would prepare the human family for the 
 solemnities and joys of an eternal state, then it was 
 equally necessary that these communications should 
 be attested by miracles. Indeed, the very idea of a 
 divine revelation, or mission, involves a display of 
 miraculous power. The two are inseparably con- 
 nected. 
 
 The inquiry next arises, How can the genuineness 
 and credibility of miracles he proved? I answer, 
 they can be proved like any other phenomena or 
 facts in history, by the testimony of competent 
 and honest witnesses. There are various kinds of 
 evidence employed in the different departments of 
 human knowledge. By the evidence of our senses 
 we judge of the existence of external objects, and 
 the reality of phenomena that pass under our ob- 
 servation. Li the sciences, we reason upon mathe- 
 matical principles ; in morals we depend upon moral 
 proof, and for the truth of the facts of history we 
 rely upon human testimony. The authority of these 
 several kinds of evidence in their various depart- 
 ments must be admitted, or nothing can be proved. 
 If the force of human testimony be denied, then we 
 involve tlie whole past history of mankind in doubt 
 and uncertainty. We swing out upon an ocean of 
 scepticism, exposed to the wild tempests of unbelief, 
 
HIS MIGHTY DEEDS. 57 
 
 with no light to guide us to the regions of truth. 
 But if the testimony of competent witnesses be ad- 
 mitted in regard to any facts or phenomena of his- 
 tory, then we claim the same with regard to the 
 miracles of Christ. If it is capable of proof that 
 such a man as Socrates lived and uttered the wise 
 maxims that are ascribed to him, or that Ctesar 
 lived and led forth the Roman armies to conquest, 
 or that Luther wrought out the great Reformation, it 
 is equally capable of proof that Jesus Christ lived 
 and performed the mighty deeds which are ascribed 
 to him. If a sufficient number of honest and com- 
 petent witnesses are examined, all of whom testify 
 that they saw Christ heal the sick, restore the blind 
 to sight, and raise the dead ; and if abundant evi- 
 dence is furnished that they could not be deceived 
 by false appearances, nor deluded by any spirit of 
 infatuation, then we are bound to admit their testi- 
 mony, or to give up entirely the basis upon which all 
 such testimony rests. 
 
 Admitting, then, the validity of human testimony, 
 let us briefly examine the miracles which Christ is 
 said to have performed. 
 
 The character and circumstances of the witnesses 
 were such as to favor the credibility of Christ's 
 miracles. Those who saw these remarkable displays 
 of omnipotent power, and bear testimony to their 
 reality, were men whose honesty and integrity had 
 never been impeached, — whose simplicity of charac- 
 ter placed them above the suspicion of attempting 
 to deceive the people, and whose strong common 
 
58 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 highest degree improbable that they could them- 
 selves have been deluded. Besides, they had no 
 motive for giving currency to such events, unless 
 they actually took place ; for they were aware how 
 extremely unpopular the cause of Christ was among 
 the Jewish people ; and how much it was to their 
 worldly disadvantage to be connected with such a 
 movement. They knew, too, that with the truth on 
 their side, they would be, by many, disbelieved, and 
 by others persecuted for having any confidence in 
 the reality of these miracles. Yet they went for- 
 ward, everywhere preaching this doctrme, and sub- 
 jecting themselves to every form of self-denial, in 
 order to induce men to embrace the truth. So fully 
 convinced were they of the Messiahship and divinity 
 of Christ, that they were ready to lay down their 
 lives in defence of their faith. Now the idea cannot 
 be entertained for a moment, that these, or any other 
 men would go through such dangers and sufferings, 
 to establish a system of fraud, when that system 
 could be of no possible benefit to them either in this 
 world or the next. The only advantage that they 
 could derive from their doctrines, must necessarily 
 come from their truth ; and if their truth could not 
 be proved and maintained, then they were of all 
 men the most miserable. It is not in accordance 
 with any principles of human nature for men to pur- 
 sue a course of deception, when that very course is 
 disastrous to all their worldly interests. We must 
 therefore believe that these disciples were honest and 
 sincere in their declarations respecting the miracles 
 which Christ performed. It is also equally clear that 
 
HIS MIGHTY DEEDS. 59 
 
 while they did not attempt to deceive others, they 
 were not themselves deceived. They had every op- 
 portunity to decide upon the genuineness of these 
 mkacles that the nature of the case allowed. 
 
 In the first place, they were performed in the most 
 public manner, and without any ostentatious display. 
 Every one had the opportunity of observing them, 
 and of judging of their reality. In the accounts 
 that we have of muracles professedly wrought by 
 Pagans, they have been perforrned in secret, or under 
 circumstances that prevented the fraud from being 
 easily discovered. The same is true of the pretended 
 mu-acles of the Papists. But Christ performed his 
 muracles in the most public manner, and in the pres- 
 ence of large and promiscuous crowds of people. In 
 the streets and public squares of Jerusalem, — in the 
 towns and villages of Judea, where great religious 
 festivals were held, — by the seaside, which was 
 much frequented by the people, he healed the sick, 
 cured the lepers, gave hearing to the deaf and sight 
 to the blind. Although the opposition that Christ 
 met with, would have justified him in making his 
 muracles less public, yet he persisted in performing 
 them before the whole people, believers and unbe- 
 lievers, friends and scoffers, in order that he might 
 disarm prejudice, and demonstrate to all who were 
 susceptible to the power of evidence, that he was the 
 long promised Messiah, the Son of the Most High. 
 
 Nor did this publicity partake in the least degree 
 of ostentation or pride. The Saviour performed his 
 miracles with the utmost simplicity and dignity. 
 Many of them were apparently called forth by some 
 
60 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 incident or casual circumstance. Oftentimes those 
 who were healed were directed not to speak of what 
 had been done for them ; and Christ, after making 
 most wonderful displays of miraculous power, would 
 rethe to some secret retreat to avoid any demon- 
 stration of feeling that the spectators might be dis- 
 posed to make. His simple design appears to have 
 been, to allow these mighty deeds to stand upon their 
 own merits, and to produce those convictions upon 
 the minds of men which they were calculated to in- 
 spire. He did not need any artificial aids or vain 
 displays to attract attention and interest the public 
 mind. He did not either ordinarily trouble himself 
 to argue the question of the genuineness of his mir- 
 acles with the captious, the curious, or the unbeliev- 
 ing. After his arrest, and while under examination 
 before the high-priest, he said, " I spake openly to 
 the world : I ever taught in the synagogue, and in 
 the temple, whither the Jews always resort : and in 
 secret have I done nothing^ His doctrines, life, and 
 deeds were all open for public inspection. He de- 
 sired to have them freely and fully investigated, and 
 he wished also to have their design clearly under- 
 stood. For his purpose was, not to attain any selfish 
 end, not to gratify a personal ambition, but to estab- 
 lish upon a broad and deep basis a great system of 
 moral truth, — a system adapted to the wants and 
 condition of the world, — suited to man's spiritual 
 nature, and capable of satisfying his purest and 
 loftiest desires. This noble purpose was ever before 
 his mind. It guided him as a cloud by day and a 
 pillar of fire by night. And in prosecuting his work, 
 
HIS MIGHTY DEEDS. 61 
 
 he performed most of his mighty deeds among the 
 poor, the neglected, and the sorrowing. These 
 classes more than any others brought their sick, lame, 
 and blind to him. He moved among their abodes as 
 an angel of mercy, dispensing with a liberal hand 
 his blessings. So full was he of divine power, that 
 virtue went forth even from the hem of his garment, 
 and healed a woman who simply touched it. 
 
 We should also consider, as bearing upon our 
 argument, the number of the miracles which Christ 
 performed. Besides the particular instances recorded, 
 the Evangelists frequently tell us that great multi- 
 tudes of people were brought to Christ, and that he 
 healed them all. Wherever he went, the fame of his 
 mkacles, and of his unparalleled benevolence went 
 before him, and he found the streets lined with the 
 sick, and those who were suffering from various in- 
 firmities. St. Matthew says that " Jesus went about 
 all Gahlee teaching in their synagogues, and healing 
 all manner of sickness, and all manner of disease 
 among the people." John says, " Many other signs 
 did Jesus which are not written. But these are 
 written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, 
 the Son of God, and that believing ye might have 
 life through his name." 
 
 These miracles also embrace the greatest variety. 
 When impostors pretend to work miracles, they 
 usually confine themselves to a few of one or two 
 classes. But the Saviour was ready to exercise his 
 power not only in reference to every disease, but 
 every evil and calamity to which mankind were sub- 
 ject. He gave strength to the infirm, health to the 
 6 
 
62 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 lepers, vigor to the palsied arm, reason to the insane, 
 and called the dead to life. Four times he performed 
 the great miracle of raising the dead : once upon the 
 ruler's daughter ; then on the widow's son, as he was 
 being earned for burial ; again on Lazarus, after he 
 had been in the tomb four days ; and last, the most 
 glorious instance of all, upon himself. The elements, 
 too, were under his control. By the word of his 
 power he stilled the tempest and calmed the waves 
 of the ocean. He walked abroad as the Lord of 
 nature, — as a monarch possessing supreme authority. 
 And he appeals to his miracles as the evidences of 
 the truth of his system of doctrines and of his divine 
 mission. " The works that I do bear witness of me 
 that the Father hath sent me." Besides, he received 
 from the Father direct testimony to his sonship and 
 divinity. His birth was a miracle ; and, during his 
 life, three times was a voice heard from heaven, de- 
 claring him to be the Son of God. In the hour of 
 his crucifixion a supernatural darkness overspread 
 the heavens. The earth was rocked by a heavy 
 earthquake. The rocks were rent asunder; graves 
 were -opened; and all nature sympathized with the 
 death of its Lord. 
 
 The effects which the miracles of Christ produced 
 upon the popular mind is also a point worthy of 
 notice. Multitudes were led by them to believe on 
 his name. Nicodemus frankly said, " We know 
 that thou art a teacher come from God ; for no man 
 can do these miracles which thou doest except God 
 be with him." Others, in spite of their early edu- 
 cation, strong religious prejudices, and the influence 
 
HIS MIGHTY DEEDS. 63 
 
 of friends, were compeUed to admit the evidence 
 and believe on Christ. During the first centmy 
 of Christianity, hundreds of thousands, embracing 
 Jews, Greeks, Romans, and many who had been the 
 violent opposers of the Gospel, adopted the new 
 religion, and became its earnest and eloquent advo- 
 cates. Yes, thousands who had labored to crush the 
 faith as it is in Jesus, became convinced of their 
 error, and readily sacrificed every worldly advan- 
 tage to secure an interest in the Saviour of mankind. 
 They encountered the severest opposition, and in 
 many instances submitted to the horrors of a cruel 
 death, rather than deny their Lord. 
 
 It is also a significant fact, that in the regions 
 where these miracles were wrought, their reality was 
 not denied, though they were ascribed to other than 
 a divine agency. The Jews on one occasion attrib- 
 uted the miracles of Christ to Beelzebub ; and while 
 the Saviour was upon the cross, they declared that 
 he had saved others, and yet could not save himself. 
 Celsus, Porpyhry, Julian, and other enemies of Chris- 
 tianity, were forced by the overwhelming evidences 
 in the case, to admit the reality of the miracles of 
 Christ, but they ascribed them to magic. Their ad- 
 mission, however, shows that the proofs in their favor 
 were irresistible. 
 
 Indeed, if we look at the interesting character of 
 the miracles themselves, the circumstances under 
 which they were performed, and the number of hon- 
 est and truthful spectators who witnessed them, we 
 cannot see how the most bitter enemies of Chris- 
 tianity could deny their reality. 
 
64 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 The first miracle which Christ wrought, namely, 
 the tm-ning of water into wine at the marriage feast 
 in Galilee, bears every mark of being genuine. The 
 feeding of five thousand persons in the wilderness, 
 with a few loaves and fishes, was a miracle performed 
 under circumstances that clearly show the impossi- 
 bility of fraud or deception. So great was the im- 
 pression made by it upon the minds of the people, 
 and so fully were they convinced of Christ's super- 
 natural power, that they desired at once to make him 
 a king. That such a number of persons, collected in 
 a desert place, far fi-om any village, and with no vis- 
 ible or human means of obtaining a sufficient supply 
 of food, could have been deceived or imposed upon, 
 does not fall within the bounds of possibility. The 
 raising of Lazarus was also a most striking miracle, 
 and one that produced a profound sensation through- 
 out the country. 
 
 With such proofs, we cannot doubt the reality and 
 genuineness of our Saviour's miracles. They are 
 before us as the credentials of his Messiahship and 
 divinity, — as the evidences of the truth of his doc- 
 trines, and of the justness of his claims to our faith 
 and love. Let them be cordially received, not only 
 to our intellects, but to our hearts, and in eternity we 
 shall behold the more splendid and glorious displays 
 of his infinite power and boundless benevolence. 
 
VI. 
 
 PURIFICATION OF THE TEMPLE. 
 
 "Take these things hence; make not my father's house 
 
 AN HOUSE OF MERCHANDISE." St. JollU li. 16. 
 
 We have two accounts of the cleansing of the 
 temple by our Lord, one by St. John which places 
 it at the beginning of Christ's public ministry dur- 
 ing his first visit at Jerusalem, and another, given by 
 the other Evangelists, which places it at the close of 
 his labors, after his triumphal entry into the city. 
 Whether both of these narratives refer to the same 
 occasion, or whether there were two instances of 
 purification, similar in their circumstances and re- 
 sults, we shall not attempt to determine. While 
 some take the ground that this event happened but 
 once, and that the reputation of John for chronologi- 
 cal accuracy, gives to his statement the most author- 
 ity, we see nothing unreasonable in the supposition 
 that Christ commenced and closed his ministry, by 
 thus vindicating the purity of the sacred temple. 
 The miracles which Christ performed during the 
 feast, and in the presence of vast multitudes of peo- 
 ple, established, as we have seen, his influence and 
 6* 
 
66 LIFE SCENES OP THE MESSIAH. 
 
 authority among them. Their views, however, of 
 his true character and the precise natm-e of his mis- 
 sion, were as yet vague and unsettled. But the im- 
 pression was very general that a teacher of no ordi- 
 nary wisdom, and a prophet of no ordinary power, 
 had appeared. 
 
 As was natural, the temple, with its interesting 
 associations and holy rites, was an object of the 
 Saviour's highest regard and veneration. He viewed 
 with the deepest sorrow the desecration of its sacred 
 courts, and resolved in the exercise of his authority, 
 to expel the traders who had made his Father's 
 house, a house of merchandise. 
 
 The temple in the time of Christ was a most 
 splendid and magnificent structure. Herod, in his 
 fondness for elegant public buildings, and his desire 
 to appease the Jews, had expended upon the rebuild- 
 ing of the edifice vast sums of money. It is de- 
 scribed by Josephus as possessing every quality that 
 was calculated to please the eye, or excite the aston- 
 ishment of the beholder. Being covered over with 
 plates of gold, it reflected with such intensity the 
 rays of the rising sun, that one could not gaze upon 
 it. At a great distance it had the appearance of a 
 mountain covered with snow; as those parts that 
 were not adorned with gold, were exceedingly white. 
 The stones of which it was composed were of im- 
 mense size, and the walls and gates were decorated 
 in the most costly and superb manner. Every thing 
 that wealth and art could do, was done to add to the 
 magnificence of the edifice, and render it an object 
 of universal admiration. Although the regard of the 
 
PURIFICATION OF THE TEMPLE. 67 
 
 Jews for the temple was such, that they resented the 
 least disrespect or contempt that was manifested 
 towards it, and would in many instances prefer to 
 suffer death rather than see it defiled, yet by a 
 gradual process, disorders had crept into the sacred 
 courts, that excited the Saviour's indignation. To 
 accommodate those who came from a distance to 
 Jerusalem to offer sacrifices, booths had been erected 
 in the court, where they could be supplied with every 
 thing necessary for this purpose. Money-changers 
 were also stationed there to exchange the Roman 
 and Greek coins into Jewish money, for those who 
 were required to pay the half-sheckel tribute to the 
 temple. At first, this trade was carried on with 
 some degree of decorum, but gradually the avarice 
 of the merchants and brokers predominated over 
 every other principle. The sacred court was pro- 
 faned by the presence of noisy and covetous traders, 
 who greatly disturbed the worship of the temple, 
 and disgusted those who had the spirit of devotion. 
 
 Nor can we fail to recognize in this outward and 
 palpable desecration, a picture of the secularization 
 of the whole Jewish theocracy. The spirit of world- 
 liness pervaded the priesthood and the rulers, and 
 entered into the most solemn services of the temple. 
 In the apparent zeal to rigidly fulfil the outward ob- 
 servances of the church, the people lost sight of the 
 great principles of right, justice, and holiness. And, 
 indeed, in aU ages of the world we discover this 
 same tendency to secularize the purest forms of 
 religious faith. Man is more ready to drag down the 
 religion to suit his worldly and corrupt desires, than 
 
68 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 to allow it to elevate and spiritualize his nature. 
 The religious element being an acknowledged power 
 in society, ambitious and unprincipled men seize it, 
 and employ it to subserve their selfish and base pur- 
 poses. The ecclesiastical is united with the civil 
 authority, and the combination forms a system of 
 despotism that is destructive to the spiritual interests 
 of society. The history of the Romish church fur- 
 nishes a fearful illustration of the power for evil, of a 
 secularized religion. Here we see the purest doc- 
 trines and holiest aspirations of the soul perverted, 
 and made use of to accomplish the most corrupt 
 ends. The light of divine truth is employed to keep 
 men in darkness. The mercy and pardon offered 
 through the atonement, are used as instruments for 
 obtaining the most complete supremacy over the 
 human soul. Christianity is crushed in the name of 
 Christianity. Human progress is impeded by the 
 only system that can advance the race in intelli- 
 gence, moral culture, and happiness. A more sad 
 and ruinous perversion cannot be imagined, than the 
 perversion of a pure religious faith for worldly pur- 
 poses. It is as though men should combine, suppos- 
 ing they had the power, to turn the light of the sun 
 into darkness, or to poison the atmosphere upon 
 which life and health depend. Yet in all ages it has 
 been found that human depravity is equal to the 
 work of perverting the purest and most sacred doc- 
 trines. Even in our own day, the advocates of sys- 
 tems of iniquity seek for support in the Holy Scrip- 
 tures. They claim the divine sanction for forms of 
 evil that violate every principle of justice, and feeling 
 
PURIFICATION OF THE TEMPLE. 69 
 
 of humanity. Not content to let the systems rest 
 upon their own merits or demerits, they labor to 
 plant them upon God's truth. They seek to estab- 
 lish wrong upon right, injustice upon integrity, and 
 falsehood upon truth. And had they the power, 
 they would secularize the whole Gospel, and turn 
 every house of worship in Christendom into a house 
 of merchandise. 
 
 In the corruptions which had crept into the sacred 
 courts at Jerusalem, doubtless many of the Jews 
 acquiesced. For being themselves under the sway 
 of avarice and a sordid ambition, they were satisfied 
 if the forms of worship and the rites of the Mosaic 
 system were preserved. But as our Lord entered the 
 temple for worship, he was filled with indignation at 
 the spectacle before him. The profanation was so 
 glaring ; the worldliness and avarice of the traders 
 presented such a contrast to the holy purposes to 
 which the temple had been consecrated, that the 
 Saviour at once resolved that such abuses should no 
 longer exist. Making therefore a scoruge of small 
 cords, which were used to tie the beasts with, he 
 drove out all those who sold sheep and oxen, and 
 overthrew the table of the money-changers : " And 
 said unto them that sold doves, take these things 
 hence ; make not my Father's house a house of mer- 
 chandise." 
 
 We cannot suppose that any force was used by 
 Christ in expelling these traders, for this was contrary 
 to his character and the whole spirit of his mission. 
 Besides, unless a miracle was wrought, of which we 
 have no proof, he might easily have been resisted and 
 
70 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 overpowered by the multitudes, whose business and 
 hopes of gain were thus destroyed. We must con- 
 clude from the cu'curastances of the case, that it was 
 by his influence and authority as an acknowledged 
 prophet ; by the earnestness and zeal that he mani- 
 fested, by the indignation that flashed from his eye, 
 and the words of solemn and momentous truth tliat 
 fell from his lips, that the traders were induced to 
 leave the sacred courts. In addition to this, their 
 consciences were aroused. They knew that they had 
 been guilty of a most gross profanation, and that 
 they had no right to fill the sacred courts with beasts 
 and merchandise. They doubtless looked upon the 
 scourge as the symbol of the divine judgments that 
 would befall them if they persisted in their wicked- 
 ness. They felt that he who addressed them spoke 
 by authority, and that it would be of little avail to 
 resist his commands. 
 
 In this act was foreshadowed one of the great pur- 
 poses of the Messiah's advent, which was to separate 
 secular from sacred things ; to divorce the spirit of 
 worldliness from the spirit of religion. Early in his 
 ministry he laid down the great principle, that men 
 could not serve God and mammon. There could 
 not be two supreme principles in the human soul at 
 the same time. .One would necessarily and inevi- 
 tably destroy the other. If avarice or ambition, or 
 any form of worldliness, held possession of the forces 
 and affections of the soul, the spirit of true worship 
 would become extinct. There is, indeed, no incon- 
 sistency between a due attention to worldly business 
 and the discharge of the highest religious duties. We 
 
PURIFICATION OF THE TEMPLE. 71 
 
 are bound to serve God, by diligence in business as 
 well as fervency in spirit. And the arenas of trade 
 and commerce open a wide field for the exercise of 
 the noblest virtues, integrity, honor, and usefulness. 
 But it is the crowding of the merchandise of the 
 world within the precincts of religion, that the 
 Saviour so strenuously opposed. It is the union of 
 elements that cannot be mingled, of forces that in 
 their very nature are antagonistic, that he so emphat- 
 ically denounced. " My kingdom," he declared, " is 
 not of this world." It does not seek the patronage 
 of the world ; does not ask its favor, nor depend for 
 support upon its principles or maxims. It is a pme, 
 spiritual kingdom, based upon a more lasting founda- 
 tion than those upon which earthly empires rest, 
 having nobler aims and more glorious rewards than 
 those which men seek after. The forces by which it 
 is carried forward are all spiritual. Its end is the 
 sanctification of human hearts, — the preparation of 
 man for a purer and loftier state of being. It is a 
 kingdom which embraces the infinity attributes of 
 Jehovah, reflects the life, principles, and spirit of the 
 Saviour, and is the great soiu-ce of moral light and 
 true happiness. Its power, therefore, depends upon 
 its fireedom from worldly influences ; and its progress 
 has been in proportion to the spirituality and self- 
 denial of its advocates. "Whenever they have come 
 out from the world and nobly battled for truth and 
 righteousness, then this kingdom has advanced. But 
 when it has been united with the civil government, 
 or employed to excuse or sustain any form of evil, it 
 has lost ground. 
 
72 LIFE SCENES OP THE MESSIAH. 
 
 An act so public and unusual as the expulsion of 
 the traders from the sacred courts, could not fail to 
 be known at once by the priests and rulers. They 
 were doubtless interested in maintaining this traffic, 
 as it must have added to their profits, and helped to 
 sustain their authority. They came therefore to 
 Christ, and while they did not question the justness 
 and propriety of his course, they desired more dis- 
 tinct and satisfactory proofs of his prophetic mission 
 than they had heretofore received. They said to 
 him, " What sign showest thou to us, seeing that 
 thou doest these things ? " They thought that if he 
 should immediately perform some stupendous mira- 
 cle, he would justify his conduct in the eyes of the 
 nation. But he replied, " Destroy this temple, and in 
 three days I will raise it up." Astonished at such a 
 declaration, they exclaimed, " Forty and sLx years 
 was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up 
 in three days? " To appreciate the fuU force of this 
 exclamation, and of the impression that the saying 
 of Christ was calculated to make, we need to under- 
 stand the precise import of these words ; especially 
 as the second temple, erected by the Jews after the 
 captivity, was completed in twenty-one years. 
 
 As has already been intimated, the temple in the 
 time of our Lord was really the work of Herod the 
 Great. He did not disturb the old building until he 
 had spent two years in making preparation for the 
 new one. "Josephus declares that a thousand 
 wagons were employed during that time in convey- 
 ing the stones and timber, that ten thousand artifi- 
 cers fitted all things for the building, and that one 
 
PURIFICATION OF THE TEMPLE. 73 
 
 thousand priests who were skilled in architecture, 
 oversaw and directed the works. This last is a re- 
 markable fact, illustrative and confirmatory of the 
 general impression, that the great Levitical body- 
 employed their abundant leisure largely in the culti- 
 vation of the higher branches of learning, science 
 and art, law, medicine, and architecture. After two 
 years had been thus spent in preparation, the old 
 temple was taken down, not all at once, as some 
 state, but by degrees, as fast as the parts removed 
 could be replaced by the new building. This took 
 place in the twenty-first year of Herod's reign, 
 seventeen years before Christ, and therefore forty-six 
 before the first passover of our Lord's ministry. It 
 is true that the main body of the temple was fin- 
 ished, so as to be fit for divine service in nine years 
 and a half; yet a great number of workmen were 
 still employed in carrying on the out-buildings during 
 all the time of our Saviour's abode upon the earth, 
 and even for some years after his death." 
 
 Such being the facts in the case, the Jews received 
 with mingled astonishment and indignation the re- 
 mark of Christ, " Destroy this temple, and in three 
 days I will raise it up." Besides the presumption 
 manifested in their view by such a declaration, they 
 regarded it as in the highest degree disrespectful to 
 allude in such a manner to the temple. They under- 
 stood the words in a literal sense, although they ad- 
 mit of a symbolical and prophetic meaning. Christ 
 knew that the splendid and imposing structure before 
 him would be destroyed, and that not one stone 
 would be left upon another. He had clearly before 
 7 
 
74 LIFE SCENES OF TUE MESSIAH. 
 
 his mind the long train of circumstances that would 
 lead to such a catastrophe. And he knew that in 
 the fall of the temple, the system of rites and formal 
 worship of which it was the type, would fall with it. 
 Not that any fundam.ental principle or law of the 
 Mosaic dispensation would pass away, for truth, in 
 whatever relation or garb, is unchangeable and 
 eternal. But whatever was temporary, local, or ex- 
 clusive would be swept away. A national religion 
 would be abolished, to prepare the way for a religion 
 that would embrace aU nations. A temple made of 
 perishable materials would fall, that a spmtual tem- 
 ple might rise, more splendid than that upon which 
 Herod had lavished his wealth, more accessible to 
 the masses of the people, and better suited to the 
 moral necessities of man. At the time, however, 
 that Christ uttered this dim prophecy, there were no 
 external indications that the solid and magnificent 
 structure would crumble to dust, and that a new, 
 spiritual, and more enduring edifice would rise, 
 adapted to universal worship. For Christ was com- 
 paratively but little known, and his followers were 
 very few. But the divine architect knew his powers 
 and resources. He knew that there was a force 
 within himself to accomplish all that he might pre- 
 dict or desire. Although he commenced the prepara- 
 tions for his sacred edifice on a small scale, yet he 
 knew that the work would advance ; that the num- 
 bers devoted to his service would increase, that the 
 temple would rise, and its magnificent proportions 
 and costly decorations attract the gaze of millions ; 
 that within its walls whole nations would gather, 
 
PURIFICATION OF THE TEMPLE. 75 
 
 and that the praises of joyous thousands and the 
 incense of pure devotion would ascend to the 
 Supreme Father. 
 
 But the words of Jesus in connection with the 
 time specified, " three days," had a most important 
 prophetic meaning, although it was not understood 
 by the Jews. They required of him who had driven 
 out the traders a sign, as evidence of his authority. 
 He assured them that he would give to them a sign ; 
 but it was one that they are not yet prepared to ap- 
 preciate or believe in. He might at that moment 
 have wrought a miracle to satisfy them on this par- 
 ticular point. But he had a vast and comprehensive 
 plan before him to fulfil. He was acting not for the 
 Jews alone, but for all the inhabitants of the earth ; — 
 not to gain a temporary influence, but to establish 
 his authority for all time. He therefore leaves his 
 hearers to meditate upon the utterance that has so 
 astonished them, and goes his way. In due time the 
 sign will be given, — a sign that will be the crowning 
 miracle of Christ's career. After being persecuted, 
 scourged, and crucified, he will appear as the con- 
 queror of the last great enemy, death, — the noblest 
 conquest that can be conceived of by the human 
 mind. And this miracle will establish his authority 
 among all nations. It may be to the Jews a stum- 
 blingblock, and to the Greeks foolishness, but to the 
 mass of the human family, it will be the power of 
 God and the wisdom of God unto salvation. 
 
 Although the people did not comprehend the 
 meaning of Christ's declaration, yet his words made 
 a deep impression upon their minds, and they were 
 
76 LIFE SCENES OP THE MESSIAH. 
 
 ready, when the opportunity occurred, to resent the 
 indignity which they thought had been cast upon the 
 temple. Such an opportunity the crucifixion of our 
 Lord furnished ; and as the multitude passed by, 
 " they reviled him, wagging their heads, and saying, 
 Ah, thou that destroyest the temple and buildest it 
 in three days, save thyself; if thou be the Son of 
 God, come down from the cross." But how little did 
 those maddened persecutors realize that they were, 
 at that very moment, fulfilling the first part of Christ's 
 prophetic words, and that in three days the whole 
 would be fulfilled. They were engaged in destroy- 
 ing the " temple of the living God," but in three 
 days it would rise with new beauty, and clothed with 
 immortal splendor. 
 
 Nor did the disciples understand the true import 
 of the Saviour's words until after the resurrection. 
 " Then," says St. John, they " remembered that he 
 had said this unto them, and they believed the Scrip- 
 ture, and the word which Jesus had said." Their 
 faith was confirmed in the divine mission of their 
 Master, and they were stimulated to press forward 
 vvith renewed vigor in his service. His authority was 
 established, not only to purify the temple, but to 
 purify all human hearts, and render them fit temples 
 for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. 
 
VII. 
 
 INTERVIEW WITH NICODEMUS. 
 
 "VeEILT, verily I SAT UNTO THEE, EXCEPT A MAN BE BORN 0» 
 •WATER AND OF THE SPIRIT, HE CANNOT ENTER INTO THB 
 
 KINGDOM OP GOD." — St. John Hi. 5, 
 
 The visit which Christ thus early in his ministry 
 received from Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, afforded 
 him an opportunity to develop the fundamental prin- 
 ciples of his system of truth. Though Nicodemus 
 was a Pharisee, and an influential member of the 
 Sanhedrim, yet his mind was free from the spirit of 
 bigotry and intolerance which characterized so many 
 of his associates. He was evidently an honest in- 
 quirer after truth. He was open to conviction, and 
 to the force of evidences that appealed to his reason 
 and judgment. The miracles of Christ seem first to 
 have attracted his attention ; and, anxious to know 
 more of the character and teachings of so remarkable 
 a person, and one who possessed such supernatural 
 powers, he sought an interview with him by night. 
 Two motives may have influenced him in selecting 
 7* 
 
78 LIFE SCENES OP THE MESSIAH. 
 
 this season for his visit. He may have wished not 
 to strengthen the suspicion which might ahready have 
 been excited, that he was favorably disposed towards 
 Jesus ; and he may have desired to see him alone, 
 and selected the hours of night, because during the 
 day the attention of the Messiah was absorbed by 
 the multitudes who surrounded him. 
 
 On being introduced into the presence of Christ, 
 " he said unto him. Rabbi, we know that thou art a 
 teacher come from God ; for no man can do these 
 miracles which thou doest, except God be with him." 
 The use of the title Rabbi, on this occasion, was very 
 remarkable, considering the dignity and exalted sta- 
 tion of the visitor, and the humble origin and ap- 
 pearance of our Lord. It indicated the reverence and 
 confidence which Nicodemus entertained for the 
 being of whom he sought instruction. Participating, 
 as he did, in the general expectation which had been 
 awakened by John the Baptist, that the reign of the 
 Messiah was at hand, and feeling that the existing 
 institutions of religion had in a measure lost their 
 power, he deemed it possible that this remarkable 
 person might be the long expected Messiah. His 
 confidence was further expressed in the declaration, 
 " we know that thou art a teacher sent from God ; " 
 and the evidence is, " no man can do these miracles 
 that thou doest, except God be with him." In the 
 expression " we," he may have included some of his 
 colleagues of the sanhedrim, or he may have de- 
 signed to convey the idea, that it was generally 
 believed, though few were willing to acknowledge it, 
 that he was a teacher sent from God, and endowed 
 
INTERVIEW WITH NICODEMTJS. 79 
 
 with supernatural powers. But Christ, knownig the 
 state of mind and moral wants of Nicodemus, and 
 not caring to converse with him upon the messianic 
 kingdom, and those topics to which he attached the 
 most importance, at once announced a doctrine new 
 and startling to his auditor, and one that was di- 
 rectly opposed to his whole system. " Except a man 
 be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." 
 
 The fundamental idea of the system of the Phari- 
 sees was, that their Jewish descent would secure to 
 them an entrance into the kingdom of God. Christ 
 seeks to destroy the force of this idea in the mind of 
 Nicodemus, and at the same time he indirectly shows 
 him that faith in the miracles which had been 
 wrought, was not sufficient to secure the salvation 
 of the soul. Besides, he announces a general truth, 
 and one that universally applies to all men, and that 
 is, the necessity of a spiritual regeneration. Li op- 
 position to a dependence upon natural birth in a 
 particular line of descent; in opposition to an ad- 
 herence to external rites and forms, and expectations 
 based upon a secular kingdom, he announces to the 
 world the necessity of the divine life in the soul. 
 This is the central principle of his great system of 
 truth, — the principle that is to go forth to sanctify 
 human hearts, revolutionize the nations, overthrow sys- 
 tems of error, and prepare men for the kingdom of God. 
 
 That this doctrine was received with surprise and 
 perplexity by Nicodemus, does not seem to us at all 
 strange, when we consider the state of the religious 
 community at that period. The prevailing sects in 
 Judea were the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes, 
 
80 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 severally representing the elements of formalism, 
 scepticism, and mysticism. The former were by far 
 the most powerful, and had the greatest authority in 
 religious and civil matters. Their reverence for the 
 Mosaic law, their rigidness in observing the rites and 
 ceremonies of religion, and their apparent sanctity, 
 gave them great influence with the people. They 
 hoped to reach heaven by their frequent fasting, ab- 
 lutions, long prayers, and almsgiving. Their pride, 
 avarice, and licentiousness, under the cloak of hy- 
 pocrisy, are fully brought to view in the writings of 
 the Evangelists. 
 
 The Sadducees, their rivals, rejected many of the 
 doctrines of the ancient faith, and were distinguished 
 for their national pride, and hostility to a spiritual reli- 
 gion. The Essenes, though they had many com- 
 mendable traits and virtues, yet had but little influ- 
 ence over the mass of the people. " In these cir- 
 cumstances," says an able writer, " the religion of 
 their fathers, yet revered as a form, had become cold 
 and sterile, a mere engine of political strife. Long 
 had the shekinah departed from the temple. The 
 voice of its oracle was dumb. More free from the 
 tendency to idolatry than in ancient times, and pre- 
 served untarnished in the ancient books, Judaism 
 had lost all regenerative force. The spirit of proph- 
 ecy was extinct. No holy seers predicted the glories 
 of the Messiah's reign, or denounced the judgments 
 of God against the workers of iniquity. No Debo- 
 rah sang under the palm-tree between Ramah and 
 Bethel. No Ezekiel thundered between the porch 
 and the altar. The word indeed remained : but it 
 
INTERVIEW WITH NICODEMUS. 81 
 
 was a dead letter to the great body of the people. 
 The formalism of the Pharisees, on the one hand, and 
 the scepticism of the Sadducees on the other, para- 
 lyzed all pure and earnest feeling 
 
 "In addition to this, infidel and pagan notions, 
 introduced through the influence of the court, began 
 to prevail in some portions of Judea, particularly in 
 Caesarea, the Roman capital of the country ; while 
 the mass of the people, especially in the larger cities, 
 were intoxicated with a savage fanaticism. Some 
 holy hearts, here and there, in the temple and among 
 the mountains, consecrated by the memories of the 
 past, brooded over the prophecies, and longed for the 
 reign of God upon the earth." But over the great 
 body of the people, ignorance, superstition, and sen- 
 suality reigned. 
 
 Such was the state of Judea when Christ entered 
 upon his ministry. In the midst of such formalism 
 and moral darkness, he announced the great spiritual 
 doctrine of regeneration. He saw the necessity of 
 this truth to the purification of the human heart, the 
 renovation of society, and the sanctification and sal- 
 vation of the soul. Nothing short of this would meet 
 the exigencies of the case. Nothing else would break 
 and demolish the shell of formalism, dissipate the 
 mists of error, and restore to man the divine life. He 
 might have labored to abolish certain evil practices 
 of the people, and to introduce certain reforms into 
 the Jewish religion. But by so doing he would be 
 simply working upon the surface of society, while the 
 aim of his teachings was, to reach the centre, to place 
 in the hearts of men a central force, that might work 
 
82 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 thence outwardly, and purify and spiritualize the 
 whole man. The former course held out, indeed, the 
 best prospects of success ; for few minds were pre- 
 pared for the latter. A purely spmtual system would 
 be understood and appreciated by comparatively few, 
 and would be opposed by the mass of the people. It 
 would have every form of evil to contend against, — 
 a secularized church, a corrupt priesthood, the de- 
 pravity and passions of men. But Christ saw that 
 it was the only effectual system, and that although 
 it would be rejected and opposed, yet it would gi-ad- 
 ually work its way into society, and renovate and 
 bless the world. 
 
 Having announced this great truth to Nicodemus, 
 Christ proceeded to explain to him the nature and the 
 efficient cause of the new birth. The mind of the in- 
 quirer being perplexed by what had been announced 
 and resting upon the image employed rather than upon 
 the thing or principle signified, Christ added, " Except 
 a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot 
 enter into the kingdom of God." By the baptism of 
 water, we know that a proselyte was admitted to the 
 Jewish religion, when he publicly declared his renun- 
 ciation of idolatry, and his belief in the God of Israel, 
 and in the laws of Moses. But this rite was simply 
 an emblem of the baptism of the Holy Ghost. The 
 soul, still under an inward defilement, needed cleans- 
 ing; needed a thorough and complete renovation. 
 John, who came baptizing with water, distinctly de- 
 clared to the people, that this was not sufficient ; that 
 they must be the subjects of a higher baptism, in 
 ojder to secure the favor of God, and enter heaven. 
 
INTERVIEW WITH NICODEMUS. 83 
 
 " I indeed," said he, " baptize you with water unto 
 repentance : but he that cometh after me is mightier 
 than I: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost 
 and with fire." 
 
 Nicodemus doubtless understanding the allusion 
 to the water, Christ proceeds to unfold the agency 
 of the spirit in the new birth. " That which is born 
 of the flesh is flesh," that is, partakes of the cor- 
 ruption of man's fallen nature ; while that which is 
 born of the spirit is spirit, is like the heavenly Spirit 
 in purity and holiness. The former is of the earth, 
 earthly. The latter is from above, — cometh down 
 from the Father of spirits, whose nature is love, the 
 essence of whose being is holiness. The former in- 
 troduces one to a world of temporal good, — to the 
 enjoyment of the sunlight, the beauties of nature, 
 and the various pleasures that here surround us. 
 The latter introduces the soul to a higher life, to 
 communion with the Father, to the radiance and 
 splendors that emanate from the eternal throne, to 
 the excellencies and glories of a spiritual kingdom. 
 The foriner affords a field for the development of the 
 physical strength, and the maturing of the bodily 
 organs. The latter opens a theatre for the exercise 
 of the noblest powers and divine fac,ulties of the 
 soul. It places within reach of the mind, treasures 
 of infinite value, joys that eye hath not seen, nor ear 
 heard, nor the heart of man conceived of. " Marvel 
 not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again. 
 The wind bloweth .where it listeth, and thou hearest 
 the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it com- 
 eth, or whither it goeth : so is every one that is born 
 
84 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 of the Spirit." As though Christ had said, " Do not 
 wonder at the necessity and reality of this change 
 wrought in the soul by the Holy Spirit; for though 
 it is to you incomprehensible, yet it is not impossi- 
 ble. He who has created the human mind, is fa- 
 miliar with all the avenues to it, and can influence it 
 by a divine agency, though the process is not appar- 
 ent to our vision." The image by which the point 
 is illustrated is both forcible and beautiful. When 
 we stand upon an eminence, and look around upon 
 the various objects of nature reposing in the calm of 
 a summer's day, there is no force visible by which 
 these objects can be moved or agitated. Every leaf, 
 flower, and spire of grass is motionless. Not a rip- 
 ple can be discovered upon the surrounding lakes. 
 Not a breath is perceptible in the atmosphere. But 
 suddenly a change comes over the scene. The 
 branches of the trees begin to move to and fro. The 
 waters are agitated. The clouds are flying thick and 
 fast above our heads. The oaks of the forest bend 
 beneath the blast. The calm is exchanged for a 
 scene of wild sublimity and awful grandeur. Whence 
 the wind cometh and whither it goeth, we know not. 
 We may apply to the phenomenon certain laws of 
 science touching the action of heat and cold upon 
 the atmosphere, but to the spectator no causes are 
 visible that give direction and motion to the wind. 
 Thus the moral atmosphere around us is charged 
 with the elements of a divine agency. The move- 
 ments and operations of this supernatural force are 
 not visible to human sight. But the effects pro- 
 duced by this agency upon the soul, are as marked 
 
INTERVIEW WITH NICODEMUS. 85 
 
 as those produced by a powerful wind. The breath 
 of the Almighty quickens the dormant energies of 
 the soul, and gives life and vigor to a spirit before 
 dead in trespasses and sins. The fruits of the Spirit 
 are experienced, love, joy, peace, longsufFering, gen- 
 tleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. The 
 mind becomes a garden abounding in the choicest 
 fruits, adorned with every virtue, and fragrant with a 
 celestial atmosphere. The Spirit itself, the author of 
 regeneration, " beareth witness with our spuit that 
 we are the children of God." " "Whosoever be- 
 lieveth," says John, " that Jesus is the Christ, is born 
 of God ; " and " whatsoever is born of God over- 
 cometh the world." 
 
 It is true, that the Holy Spirit has, in a few in- 
 stances, been manifested to the senses, as in the dove 
 that descended and rested upon the Saviour at the 
 time of his baptism; in the cloven tongues of fire 
 that rested upon the apostles, and when the " mighty 
 rushing wind filled all the house where they were 
 sitting." But it is obvious that these manifestations 
 were simply emblematical, and were designed to 
 mark the importance of the occasions on which they 
 appeared. The agency is purely spiritual. Its work 
 is spiritual. Its effects are spiritual. At another 
 time Christ said, " The kingdom of God cometh not 
 with observation ; neither shall they say, Lo I here, 
 or lo I there, for behold it is within you." Its march 
 is attended by no outward display of splendor or 
 power. No blasts of trumpets announce its approach. 
 No steel-clad hosts achieve its conquests, or partici- 
 pate in its triumphs. Its progress is in the hearts of 
 
Ob LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 men. It moves among the affections. It subdues 
 the will, enlightens the conscience, places God upon 
 the throne of the soul ; and brings all the feehngs, 
 desires, and pm-poses into sweet subjection to his 
 authority. 
 
 Under the explanation, graciously given by our 
 Lord, light breaks in upon the mind of Nicodemus. 
 Yet his perplexity is not entirely removed. " How 
 can these things be ? " he asks. Jesus avails himself 
 of this exclamation to lead the learned theologian to 
 examine his own views and knowledge of divine 
 truth, and to feel his need of the Spirit's illumination. 
 " Art thou," he says, " a master or teacher of Israel, 
 and knowest not these things ? " Dost thou presume 
 to guide others in the way of truth and righteousness, 
 and art thyself ignorant of that way ? Do not the 
 ancient Sciptures which you profess to study and to 
 teach, contain this doctrine, as in the words in Eze- 
 kiel ? " A new heart also will I give you, and a new 
 spirit will I put within you, and cause you to walk 
 in my statutes." The Jews held to a general idea of 
 a new birth ; but they had substituted the form for 
 the spirit ; they had put proselytism and baptism in 
 the place of conversion and inward sanctification. 
 
 Then Christ, to prove his sincerity, and the truth 
 of his doctrine, and at the same time administer a 
 gentle reproof to his distinguished guest, for being a 
 teacher in Israel, and at the same time ignorant of 
 the first rudiments of religion, declared : " Verily, 
 verily I say unto thee, we speak that we do know and 
 testify that we have ^een." "We do not teach a sys- 
 tem that we do not understand, or concerning which 
 
INTERVIEW WITU NICODExMUS. 87 
 
 we have any doubts. We have absolute knowledge 
 on these points so vital to man's salvation. We tes- 
 tify to that we have seen, — to that of which we are 
 fully assured in our own minds. We stand upon the 
 everlasting rock of divine truth, and bear testimony 
 to the great principles that lie at the basis of God's 
 spiritual kingdom. 
 
 He then added : " If I have told you earthly things," 
 things capable of being illustrated by earthly objects, 
 or imagery that is familiar to you, and ye believe 
 not, how shall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly 
 things ? What hope is there that you would have 
 faith in any revelations that I might make to you of 
 the glories of heaven, the employments of angels, and 
 the nature and majesty of the divine character ? And 
 the same inquiry may be put to multitudes at the 
 present day. If they will not admit the first principles 
 of the Christian system ; if they will not open their 
 minds to the force of the doctrine that demands a 
 thorough renovation of the heart and the life, how 
 can they be expected to exercise faith in those spir- 
 itual themes and sublime revelations that pertain to 
 a heavenly and immortal state ? The foundation must 
 obviously be laid before the superstructure can be 
 reared. Sound principles must constitute the basis 
 of a spnitual education. The blindness must be 
 removed from our vision before we can discern celes- 
 tial objects. The hardness must be removed from 
 the heart, before its sensibilities can be thrilled by the 
 joys of a heavenly state and the music of angelic 
 choirs. The will must be in unison with the divine 
 will, before we can experience the blessedness of being 
 
88 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 the sons of God and the heirs of an eternal inher- 
 itance. 
 
 Christ jn the next place unfolds to the mind of 
 Nicodemus the design of his advent, and the abso- 
 lute necessity of faith in him as the Redeemer of 
 the world; thus bringing to view the great moral 
 forces, by which, through the aid of the Spirit, the 
 work of regeneration was to be accomplished. 
 
 Nicodemus supposed that the Messiah would 
 come to be exalted to a magnificent throne, and 
 move among men suiTounded with the splendors of 
 royalty, and receive the homage of the nations. But 
 Christ combats this idea with the declaration, "As 
 Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even 
 so must the Son of INIan be lifted up ; that whoso- 
 ever believeth in him should not perish, but have 
 eternal life." The allusion to the brazen serpent may 
 not have conveyed to Nicodemus a full and distinct 
 view of Christ's sufferings, and the doptrine of the 
 atonement, but it was sufficient to stimulate his in- 
 quiries, and excite his desires to know more of so 
 wonderful and illustrious a teacher. 
 
 Then follow the sublime and cheering words, — 
 words that should thrill every heart, and excite the 
 everlasting gratitude of every listener, — " For God so 
 loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, 
 that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, 
 but have everlasting life." Though the world was in 
 ruins, — though man had forfeited the favor of his 
 Maker, — though wars, cruelty, injustice, and oppres- 
 sion prevailed among the nations, — though the light 
 of an ancient dispensation had become dim, and its 
 
INTERVIEW WITH NICODEMUS. 89 
 
 solemn rites had degenerated into vain superstitions, 
 — though darkness covered the earth and gross dark- 
 ness the people, — though the whole race seemed like 
 a shattered bark tossed upon the billows of a tem- 
 pestuous ocean, and ready at any moment to be 
 ingulfed, or be dashed upon the rocks, yet God so 
 loved the world as to give his only Son to suffer and 
 die for it. Although the exigency of the case re- 
 quired an infinite sacrifice, and although the ravages 
 of sin could be stayed, and man justified and regen- 
 erated only by the crucifixion of the Son of the 
 Most High, still heaven was willing to make the 
 sacrifice. The height, depth, length, and breadth of 
 this love, no finite mind can measure. It spreads 
 out before us as an ocean boundless and fathomless. 
 But the truth is distinctly brought to light, that this 
 manifestation of love, wonderful and glorious as it 
 is, is not enough to secure the salvation of the soul. 
 There must be faith in this Saviour, in his mission, 
 in the truths of his great system ; not a dead faith ; 
 not a mere intellectual faith ; but a living, vital, soul- 
 pervading faith, — a faith that will work a thorough 
 renovation of the character, a regeneration of the 
 spkit. And the mind that opens itself to the full 
 power of this principle commences its real life. It is 
 placed in just relations to God, his government, and 
 the moral universe. It is united to Christ as the 
 branch is united to the vine, and draws thence its 
 spiritual nourishment and force. Henceforth there is 
 before it a sublime and glorious career. Progress in 
 knowledge, holiness, and happiness is its destiny 
 8* 
 
90 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 God is its end, heaven is its home, and immortal 
 blessedness is its portion. 
 
 These great truths of the Gospel system made, as 
 we have reason to believe, a salutary impression upon 
 the mind of Nicodemus. His defence of Christ in 
 the Sanhedrim (John vii. 50), and the part that he 
 took in the bmial of Christ (John xLx. 39), lead us to 
 believe that he received " the truth as it is in Jesus." 
 
VIII. 
 
 THE SAMARITAN WOMAN. 
 
 " Then cometh he to a city of samaeia, which is called 
 sychar, near to the parcel of ground that jacob gave 
 to his son joseph. now jacou's well was there. jesus 
 therefore being weary with his journey, sat thus on 
 
 THE well: and IT WAS ABOUT THE SIXTH HOUR. THERE 
 COMETH A WOMAN OF SAMAEIA TO DRAW WATER. JESUS 
 SAITH UNTO HER, GIVE ME TO DRINK. St. John IV. 5-7. 
 
 Our Lord having labored with great success for 
 several months in Judea, resolved to return to Gali- 
 lee, his former abode. Various reasons have been 
 assigned for this journey, the most probable of 
 which is, that the gi-owing fame of the Saviour had 
 excited the jealousy of the Pharisees to such a de- 
 gree, that he deemed it expedient to retire for a 
 season from the field, and go where the influence of 
 the chief priests and rulers was not so great. There 
 were several routes by which travellers could reach 
 Galilee, the most direct of which passed dhrectly 
 through Samaria, a country lying between Judea 
 and Galilee. This route, however, though much the 
 shortest, was seldom travelled by the Jews, as their 
 hatred of the Samaritans induced them to shun their 
 
92 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 foes as much as possible. The most rigid and 
 bigoted of the Jews, considered themselves polluted 
 if they had any intercourse with the Samaritans. 
 They regarded them with even more contempt and 
 abhorrence than they did the heathen. The Saviour, 
 who did not share in the least degree in then* preju- 
 dices, but had a heart full of sympathy and love for 
 all classes of men, resolved to pass directly through 
 this despised country. 
 
 On his way, being gi'eatly fatigued by the jour- 
 ney, and suffering from thirst, he sat down about 
 mid-day by the side of Jacob's well, to rest and 
 refresh himself. This well, from the historical asso- 
 ciations connected with it, is an object of great inter- 
 est with all pilgrims and travellers. Maundi'ell, in 
 describing it, says : " At one thhd of an hour from 
 Naplosa, we came to Jacob's well, famous not only 
 on account of its author, but much more for that 
 memorable conference which our blessed Saviour 
 here had with the woman of Samaria. Over the 
 well there stood formerly a large church, erected by 
 that great and devout patroness of the Holy Land, 
 the Empress Helena; but of this the voracity of 
 time, assisted by the hands of the Tm-ks, has left 
 nothing but a few foundations remaining. The well 
 is covered at present with an old stone vault, into 
 which you are let down ; and then removing a 
 broad, flat stone, you discover the mouth of the well 
 itself. It is dug in a firm rock, and is about three 
 yards in diameter, and thirty-five in depth, five of 
 which we found full of water." 
 
 When Dr. Robinson, during his researches in the 
 
THE SAMiUlITAN WOMAN. 93 
 
 Holy Land, visited the well, he found it bearing the 
 marks of great antiquity, but dry and deserted. A large 
 stone laid over its mouth, and as it was late and the 
 twilight almost gone, his party made no attempt to 
 remove it. 
 
 Another distinguished traveller says : " This spot 
 is so distinctly marked by the Evangelists, and so 
 little liable to uncertainty, from the circumstance of 
 the well itself, and the features of the country, that if 
 no tradition existed for its identity, the site of it 
 could hardly be mistaken. Perhaps no Christian 
 scholar ever attentively read the fourth chapter of St. 
 John without being struck with the numerous inter- 
 nal evidences of ti'uth which crowd upon the mind 
 in its perusal. Within so small a compass, it is im- 
 possible to find in other writings so many sources of 
 reflection and of interest. Independently of its 
 importance as a theological document, it concentrates 
 so much information, that a volume might be filled 
 with the illustration it reflects on the history of the 
 Jews, and on the geography of their country." 
 
 By the side of this well, Jesus, a weary traveller, 
 sat down. His disciples he had sent away to pur- 
 chase food, as they could not be entertained at the 
 houses of the Samaritans. For it appears that these 
 people were not slow to return the hatred which was 
 exercised towards them by their self-righteous and 
 haughty neighbors. "While Jesus was thus sitting 
 alone, meditating perhaps upon the scenes and events 
 suggested by the memorable locality which he occu- 
 pied, " There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw 
 
94 LIFE SCENES OF TUE MESSIAH. 
 
 As we advance in the narrative given of this inter- 
 esting interview, we shall find the following points 
 unfolded. The fountains of salvation are opened ; 
 the evidences of Christ's messiahship are furnished ; 
 the nature of true spiritual worship is explained, and 
 the way is prepared for the preaching of the everlast- 
 ing gospel to the people of Samaria. 
 
 The request made by Christ excites in the woman 
 the greatest astonishment. " How is it," she replies, 
 " that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which 
 am a woman of Samaria ? for the Jews have no 
 dealings with the Samaritans." Jesus, almost for- 
 getting his thirst in his anxiety to impart spiritual 
 benefits to the woman, availed himself of the occa- 
 sion to instruct and enlighten her mind. Instead of 
 wasting time in discussing the prejudices that existed 
 between the Jews and the Samaritans, he at once 
 said to her : " If thou knewest the gift of God, and 
 who it is that saith to thee. Give me to drink, thou 
 wouldest have asked of him, and he would have 
 given thee living water." By the phrase "living 
 water," although Christ used it in a spiritual sense, 
 is understood fresh spring water that is constantly 
 flowing, and this was the idea that the woman 
 received. Of course she was delighted at the thought 
 of obtaining pm*e, fresh water, without the fatigue of 
 passing daily over a dusty road to obtain it. But 
 Christ, perceiving that he had arrested her attention, 
 although the spiritual import of the words, was not 
 understood, proceeded still further to develop the 
 great truth which was embodied in this beautiful 
 image. In answer to the inquiry. Whether he was 
 
THE SAMARITAN WOMAN. 95 
 
 greater than their father Jacob, who gave to them 
 the well, he replied, and the language is full of intense 
 meaning to all, " Whosoever drinketh of this water 
 shall thirst again: but whosoever drinketh of the 
 water that I shall give him, shall never thirst, but it 
 shall be in him a well of water, springing up into 
 everlasting life." To the truth of the first part of this 
 proposition, the poor Samaritan woman could bear 
 abundant testimony ; for she had often travelled far 
 in the heat of the day to draw water from this deep 
 well, to quench her thu-st. She also had experience 
 of the unsatisfying natm-e of all earthly good. She 
 had lived a life of sin. Her mind was in darkness. 
 She had some conceptions of a coming Messiah, but 
 they were vague, and seemed to have had but little 
 practical influence upon her. " If thou knewest the 
 gift of God," said Christ to her, — if she had but been 
 aware that the infinite Jehovah had presented to the 
 world no less a gift than his only and well-beloved 
 Son; if she had known the divine nature and ex- 
 alted character of Him who said to her. Give me to 
 drink, she would at once have asked for the greatest 
 of all blessings. She would have asked for the living 
 waters of salvation, which would have satisfied the 
 longings of the soul, — which become to all that 
 receive them, a fountain of spmtual delights, spring- 
 ing up, or flowing on, to everlasting life. And these 
 rich gifts Christ was ready to bestow even upon a 
 poor and unworthy Samaritan woman. He had left 
 his throne of glory and the high honors of a celestial 
 court, that he might place infinite treasures before 
 the poor and the sinful children of men. Perhaps he 
 
96 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 planned this journey, and tarried at the well in order 
 that he might have this interview with the Samaritan 
 woman, and offer to her eternal life. And if the 
 greatest of all preachers, one who spake as never 
 man spake, was ready to exhibit divine truth to a 
 single listener, shall any of his followers deem any 
 opportunity for doing good as too trivial to be im- 
 proved? Christ might have remained in the cities 
 of Judea, and daily addressed admiring thousands. 
 He might have attracted multitudes by the eloquence 
 of his words, the force of his doctrines, and the won- 
 derful displays of his miraculous power. But we find 
 him far away from the seats of authority and the 
 applause of the multitude, and, as a weary traveller, 
 engaged in instructing a despised Samaritan woman. 
 He opens before her the great doctrines of a free salva- 
 tion ; of an abundance of living waters, of which aU 
 who are willing may partake, and of everlasting life ; 
 doctrines which patriarchs and prophets would have 
 rejoiced to have heard, and which were worthy the 
 attention of the most gifted and enlightened audience 
 that could be assembled upon the earth. 
 
 Jesus also unfolds in an indirect, yet most skilful 
 manner, the evidences of his Messiahship. He in- 
 stitutes inquiries, and makes statements with regard 
 to the woman's past life, which led her to exclaim, 
 " Su-, I perceive that thou art a prophet." Light be- 
 gins to break in upon her mind. The truth flashes 
 upon her that she is conversing with no ordinary 
 person, but with one who could read all the secrets 
 of her past life. The doctrine of Christ's omnis- 
 cience is in fact presented to her mind, to convince 
 
THE SAMARITAN AVOMAN. 97 
 
 her of the reality of the living waters to which her 
 attention had been directed. She has the proof that 
 her instructor is not only willing, but able to bestow 
 the ^highest and most precious spiritual gifts. He 
 does not enter into a formal and abstruse demonstra- 
 tion of his divinity, but seizes at once upon those 
 evidences that are calculated to make the deepest 
 and most lasting impression upon the woman's 
 mind. She is startled with a recital of her whole 
 history, by one who is a perfect stranger to her ; by 
 one whom she took to be a prejudiced Jew, who 
 would have no dealings with the Samaritans, and 
 who would not receive even the slightest favor from 
 their hands. She hears from his lips the minutest 
 events in her life described, and a degree of knowl- 
 edge is displayed that could belong to no human 
 intellect. 
 
 In thus accompanying promises with the proof of 
 an ability to fulfil them, Christ acted in accordance 
 with his usual custom, when developing his mission 
 and his system of truth. While requning the exercise 
 of faith, he furnished the foundation upon which it 
 should rest. Though the supernatural element ran 
 through his history, from the period of his birth to 
 the day of his ascension, yet he ever regarded the 
 claims of human reason. He was ever ready to 
 recommend his doctrines by an appeal to evidence ; 
 to the prophetic utterances respecting him contained 
 in the ancient -Scriptures, to his life, his miracles, 
 and to the various proofs he gave that he was the 
 Son of God. He wished for none other, than a firm 
 and solid basis upon which to rest his cause. 
 9 
 
98 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 The woman being satisjfied that he who addressed 
 her was a prophet, availed herself of the opportu- 
 nity, to obtain if possible a solution of the vexed 
 question which had so long divided the Jews and 
 Samaritans. As they stood where the lofty summit 
 of Mount Gerizim was in full sight, the woman, 
 while perhaps pointing to it, said, " Our fathers wor- 
 shipped in this mountain ; and ye say that in Jerusa- 
 lem is the place where men ought to worship." This 
 controversy arose at the time of the return of the 
 Jews from their captivity. The Samaritans desired 
 to unite with them in rebuilding the temple, and 
 wished to be associated with them in religious faith 
 and services. But the Jewish rulers repulsed them, 
 and declared that Cyrus had committed the work 
 solely to their hands. Feeling indignant at the op- 
 position of the Jews, they resolved to erect a temple 
 upon Mount Gerizim, a mountain with which there- 
 were sacred associations, in connection with the en- 
 trance of the Israelites into the promised land, and 
 the blessings pronounced upon those who obeyed the 
 law of the Lord. This measure very natm-ally in- 
 creased the hostility that existed between the two 
 nations, and gave rise to a bitter controversy as to 
 the place where divine worship should be rendered. 
 The Samaritans contended that they held the only 
 pure, legitimate, and divinely appointed services, and 
 that their temple received the sanction of the divine 
 presence. The Jews, on the other hand, claimed that 
 Jerusalem was the capital of God's kingdom on this 
 earth, and that the rites performed in their temple 
 were alone acceptable to Jehovah. The antagonism 
 
THE SAMARITAN WOMAN. 99 
 
 created by this discussion engendered the most bitter 
 hatred between the two parties. They would not 
 entertain each other at their houses, nor have any 
 communication, except occasionally for the purposes 
 of trade. It was very natural, therefore, that the 
 Samaritan woman should seek light upon a point 
 which so divided the two nations, and which was 
 deemed so vital to their spiritual interests and hopes. 
 And the reply which Christ made to her was appli- 
 cable not only to the sacred mountain that was in 
 sight, and to Jerusalem, but to all localities with 
 which men might suppose that special divine favors 
 were connected. He swept away the whole system 
 of formal rites and local worship. It had been neces- 
 sary, indeed, in times past, to connect a knowledge 
 of the Deity with prescribed ceremonies and sacred 
 localities; but that necessity existed no longer. 
 " Woman," said Jesus, " believe me ; the hour com- 
 eth, and now is, when ye shall neither in this moun- 
 tain, nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father," that 
 is, according to the present forms and usages. " But 
 the true worshippers shall worship the Father in 
 spuit and in truth : for the Father seeketh such to 
 worship him." 
 
 The time had come for the introduction of a new 
 and spiritual system, a system not confined to formal 
 rites, but seeking access to the human heart ; not 
 limited to the summit of a mountain, or to the walls 
 of Jerusalem, but spreading over the nations, and 
 offering its blessings to the whole human family. To 
 unfold this dispensation to the world, was an impor- 
 tant part of the Messiah's work. Indeed it com- 
 
JOO LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 menced with his life on the earth. At his birth, the 
 purest moral light dawned upon the world. Li his 
 teachings, example, and mighty works, he revealed 
 the Father, the principles of his government, and the 
 nature of true religion. He makes proclamation not 
 only to the Samaritan woman, but to all manl^ind, 
 " God is a spirit, and they who worship him must 
 worship him in spirit and in truth." 
 
 Both the Jews and Samaritans worshipped the 
 true God, but their ideas of his nature and character 
 were crude and limited. Their conceptions were 
 based upon the visible and extraordinary manifesta- 
 tions that he made of himself in ages past, and they 
 thought of him as a being afar off, who could only 
 be approached through certain forms, and in certain 
 places. But Christ announces that he is an all-pervad- 
 ing Spirit, a divine essence that fills the universe and 
 demands a spiritual worship. He would have every 
 mountain and hill and valley consecrated to his ser- 
 vice. From every city he would see rising the in- 
 cense of pure devotion. Every human heart he 
 would transform into a sacred temple. In every 
 spirit he would establish a " Holy of holies." All 
 the people, even the Gentile world, he would make 
 " kings and priests unto God." 
 
 And under this dispensation, instead of beholding 
 the Deity in a burning bush, we behold him in every 
 star that glitters in the heavens, in the light and glory 
 of every morning's sun. Instead of recognizing his 
 goodness in the falling manna, we perceive it in the 
 regular succession of seed-time and harvest, and in 
 the rich variety and abundance of frviits which the 
 
THE SAMARITAN WOMAN. 101 
 
 earth annually yields. Instead of travelling towards 
 a promised land abounding in temporal blessings, we 
 are ui-gcd to press forward towards a celestial para- 
 dise, towards a heavenly city that hath foundation, 
 whose builder and maker is God. Instead of em- 
 bodying our reverence in types and forms, we are 
 required to worship " in spirit and in truth." 
 
 In this requisition there is a fulness and depth of 
 meaning that is worthy of our profound attention. 
 The very nature of spiritual worship, involves a 
 union between our souls and the Infinite Being, a 
 union of feeling, sentiment, purpose, and will. Such 
 worship cannot be rendered except by a soul wholly 
 consecrated to God, and thoroughly pervaded by a 
 spirit of holiness. K the supreme affections are 
 fastened upon the world, or any inferior good, or if 
 there is a disposition to substitute the form for the 
 reality, the worship is vitiated. In fact it does not 
 exist ; for there cannot be a spiritual worship that is 
 not genuine. It is an element that cannot be coun- 
 terfeited. The Saviour, in designating those who 
 shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth, calls 
 them true worshippers ; and he adds, " the Father 
 seeketh such to worship him." He does not seek the 
 formalist, nor him whose religion is confined to a 
 mountain or a temple, but the sincere, earnest wor- 
 shipper. Nor is this requisition fuHy met by the 
 spirit of devotion, however pure and lofty it may be. 
 There must accompany it a Life of rectitude and cor- 
 dial obedience ; a life based upon the principles of 
 divine truth. Worship without service; devotion 
 without corresponding religious principles, go for 
 9* 
 
102 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 nothing in the estimation of the omniscient Being. 
 This is very forcibly presented in the language of 
 Jehovah as uttered by his prophet : " Bring no more 
 vain oblations ; incense is an abomination unto me ; 
 your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul 
 hateth. Put away the evil of your doings from be- 
 fore mine eyes ; cease to do evil ; learn to do well, 
 seek judgment, relieve the oppressed." God is most 
 honored by a just, humane, holy life. He is wor- 
 shipped in every benevolent deed, and in every earn- 
 est endeavor to promote human welfare and the 
 divine glory. And such worshippers he seeks in all 
 ages and in all nations. He seeks them to maintain 
 and recommend the true faith, and to perpetuate a 
 spmtual worship that wiR be acceptable to him. 
 
 The instructions thus imparted to the Samaritan 
 woman made a deep impression upon her mind ; and 
 when she learned that it was the promised Messiah 
 who addressed her, she was filled with amazement 
 and delight. Forgetting the object that brought her 
 to the well, she left her water-pot and hastened to 
 the city, to inform her friends of what had transpired. 
 The Saviour also finding a field of great usefulness 
 opening before him, seemed to forget his fatigue and 
 hunger. His disciples having returned with food, 
 entreated him to partake of it and refresh himself. 
 But he replied : " I have meat to eat that ye know 
 not of. My meat is to do the will of him that sent 
 me, and to finish his work." He found a purer pleas- 
 ure, a richer entertainment in doing the will of his 
 Father, than in partaking of the luxuries that this 
 earth furnished. Although he was hungry and thirsty 
 
THE SAMARITAN WOMAN. 103 
 
 and exhausted, yet his highest enjoyment consisted 
 in inriparting spiritual benefits to the needy and the 
 perishing. Beholding, on the one hand, the throngs 
 coming towards him from the city, and, on the other, 
 the husbandmen casting the seed into the ground, he 
 avaUs himself of the imagery presented to his mind, 
 to illustrate the great work upon which he had 
 already entered among the Samaritans. Alluding to 
 a phrjJse familiar with the people at that season of 
 tlie year, that " there are yet four months, and then 
 Cometh harvest," he added, pointing to the approach- 
 ing multitudes : " Lift up your eyes, and look on the 
 field ; for they are white already to harvest." In the 
 natural world, four months must elapse before the 
 ripened grain will wave in the breeze; but in the 
 spiritual world, though the seed was so recently 
 sown, yet the fields are already white to the harvest. 
 And the great reaper is ready to gather it in. He is 
 ready to receive to himself all who will exercise 
 repentance and faith. And many believed on him 
 as " the Christ, the Saviour of the world." Many 
 are to-day rejoicing in the glories of his everlasting 
 kingdom, as the fruits of that short sermon which 
 was preached to a poor Samaritan woman at Jacob's 
 well. 
 
IX. 
 
 CHRIST PREACHING UPON THE MOUNT. 
 
 '* And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain ; 
 and when he was set, his disciples came unto him. 
 
 AND HE OPENED HIS MOUTH AND TAUGHT THEM. MattheW 
 
 V. 1, 2. 
 
 We now come to view Christ as a public preacher 
 of divine truth. He held, as we are aware, many 
 offices. He came to fulfil a complex mission ; a mis- 
 sion, varied in its bearings, as well as glorious in its 
 results. He was not only a Redeemer, but a Prophet, 
 a Priest, and a King. He uttered and fulfilled proph- 
 ecy. He was a teacher sent from God, to teach all 
 other teachers, to unfold the treasures of infinite wis- 
 dom, — to bring life and immortality to light. As 
 a King, he ever maintained a royal bearing. Though 
 he was poor and despised, and had not where to lay 
 his head, he was still a Prince, If he had thrown 
 aside the robes, he had not thrown aside the nature 
 of his kingship. Neither the ridicule heaped upon 
 him, nor the opposition that he encountered, nor even 
 his crucifixion, extinguished his sovereignty. 
 
 But it is with Christ, in his office as a preacher, that 
 
CHRIST PREACHINQ UPON THE MOUNT. 105 
 
 we are now concerned. During his ministry, he often 
 taught in the Jewish synagogue, in the temple, and 
 by the wayside. He also seized upon important 
 occasions for developing and illustrating the funda- 
 mental doctrines of divine truth. Such an occasion 
 was that which called forth the memorable Sermon 
 on the Mount. The hostility which the Pharisees 
 entertained towards Christ, began to excite a general 
 opposition against him throughout the land. He 
 was charged with heresy and blasphemy by the 
 inhabitants of Galilee, and the prejudices which had 
 been aroused against him, were daUy gaining ground 
 among a large portion of the community. It became, 
 therefore, necessary for him publicly to explain and 
 vindicate liis doctrines ; and this he did in a most 
 simple, yet masterly manner. Returning from one of 
 his preaching tours in Galilee, a great multitude, 
 attracted by the eloquence of his words and the nov- 
 elty of his mighty deeds, followed him. Towards 
 evening they drew near to Capernaum, and rested 
 at the foot of a mountain. The next morning, as the 
 sun was gUding the surrounding hill-tops, and pour- 
 ing its splendor through the valleys, and while the 
 air was fragrant with the opening flowers, and vocal 
 with the songs of birds, the Saviour, refreshed by 
 sleep, selected a favorable position for addressing the 
 multitude. He did not wait until he had entered the 
 city of Capernaum, and notified its inhabitants of 
 his intended discourse, but, with his characteristic 
 simplicity, availed himself of the opportunity afforded 
 by the presence of a promiscuous crowd, who seemed 
 willing to listen to his words. He preferred also to 
 
106 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 be out in the open air, surrounded by the beauties 
 and sublimities of nature, that bore the impress of 
 his own creative wisdom and powder. The mountain 
 served him as a pulpit. The broad canopy above 
 was the dome of his great temple. The surrounding 
 mountain peaks were the columns wrought by the 
 Supreme Architect. The morning mist, tinged by 
 the rays of the sun, threw a celestial halo over the 
 scene. Below w^ere the eager multitude, w^aiting for 
 the words of wisdom that were to drop from heav- 
 enly lips. Above were angel forms, visible not to 
 human sight, but known by him whom they were 
 appointed to watch over, and whom they were all 
 commanded to worship. 
 
 The silence of the hour was broken by the utter- 
 ance of the most remarkable, impressive, and im- 
 portant discom-se that was ever listened to on earth. 
 It is not my purpose to treat in detail of its several 
 principles and doctrines, but I wish simply to point 
 out some of the general characteristics of Christ as 
 a preacher of divine truth. 
 
 In the first place, in this as well as all his other dis- 
 courses, he deals ivith the most vital and fundamental 
 of moral truths. Upon the minor matters of forms, ex- 
 ternal rites, and what may be termed the mint, anise, 
 and cumin of religion, he bestows no attention. He 
 grapples with the life-questions that pertain to the 
 divine government and human responsibility and des- 
 tiny. He announced the object of his advent in these 
 emphatic words : " To this end was I born, and for 
 this cause came I into the world, that I might bear 
 witness to the truth." Ho oume. ladened with the treas- 
 
CHRIST PREACHING UPON THE MOUNT. 107 
 
 ures of infinite wisdom which he scattered in every 
 pathway that he ti-od, in every city that he visited, in 
 every circle in which he moved. He came to clear 
 away the mists of error, to break up the fatal delu- 
 sions into which mankind had fallen, and to reveal 
 a system of ethics and theology that would satisfy 
 the soul and guide it to happiness and glory. 
 
 In the Sermon on the Mount, his particular design 
 was to exhibit the nature of his kingdom, and its 
 connection with the ancient dispensation. He wished 
 to disabuse the minds of his hearers of the idea that 
 he stood in any way in antagonism to the Mosaic 
 system, for which they entertained so much rever- 
 ence ; and he endeavored to convince them that that 
 system was preparatory to his ; was the type and 
 forerunner of the glorious reality which he revealed. 
 His sermon served, therefore, as a bridge from the 
 law to the gospel, over which the Jews might travel 
 from a region of forms, to one of spiritual truth and 
 life. His object was to break in upon their modes 
 of thinking upon religious subjects, and lead them to 
 take spiritual views, and seek a higher standard of 
 moral excellence. The very first passage in the dis- 
 course, is a blow levelled against the pride of the peo- 
 ple and their Pharisaic self-righteousness. The pooi 
 in spirit are pronounced blessed, or happy, for theirs 
 is the kingdom of heaven. This glorious inheritance 
 belongs, not to those who boast of their Jewish 
 descent, and of their peculiar national privileges, 
 but who, feeling the poverty of all earthly rites and 
 rewards, seek for the riches of a spiritual kingdom. 
 
 Many of his hearers were ambitious, and expected 
 
108 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 that Christ would establish a splendid worldly em- 
 pire which would overshadow and subdue all others ; 
 that his divine power would be employed in found- 
 ing a magnificent throne, and founding military 
 forces that would be the terror of all surrounding 
 nations. To meet and dispel this false idea, Christ 
 next declares, " Blessed are the meek, for they shall 
 inherit the earth." As though he had said, " those 
 who are the least ambitious for power shall obtain it. 
 Conquests will indeed be made, not however by force 
 of arms, nor even by overwhelming displays of 
 miraculous power, but by the might of meekness and 
 gentleness of spirit. The nations will be swayed, 
 not by a sceptre of iron, but by a sceptre of love." 
 And this process we see now going on, as the king- 
 doms oF the earth are becoming the kingdoms of our 
 Lord. The forces that subdue them are moral forces. 
 We send out to a numerous and great nation, a 
 few humble Christian missionaries, whose only weap- 
 ons are faith and love. With these, and these alone, 
 they are instructed to take possession of the king- 
 dom in the name of their great Master. 
 
 The Jews also prided themselves upon their rigid- 
 ness in external purity, and in avoiding every thing 
 that was deemed unclean. But Christ, without ex- 
 citing their prejudices by directly attacking their 
 superstitious notions upon this point, said, " Blessed 
 are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." My 
 system requires purity, as well as the Mosaic ; but 
 mine must be internal, — must regulate the thoughts 
 and motives, must fit the soul for communion with 
 God. And this he endeavored to show, constituted 
 
CHRIST PREACHINa UPON THE MOUNT. 109 
 
 the divine life, after which every earnest spirit should 
 aspire. The Jews were looJdng for the mere shadows 
 of religion ; this was the reality, — the vital principle 
 that would unite the soul to God, and qualify it for 
 the society of aU holy beings. 
 
 Thus the Great Teacher goes through with his 
 memorable discourse, every utterance containing an 
 important principle, every sentiment antagonistic to 
 the opinions of the world, and every influence tend- 
 ing to elevate and spiritualize the nature of man. 
 In treating of the ancient law, he contends that it is 
 fulfilled in the law of the Christian life. And he re- 
 duces the whole to this simple declaration, to love 
 God above all things, and our neighbor as ourselves. 
 " On these two commandments," he says, " hang all 
 the law and the prophets : " that is, all the teachings 
 of the Old Testament are condensed into these two 
 commands. 
 
 Another characteristic of our Lord's teaching- ivas, 
 that he spoke ivith authority. This authority was not 
 only connected with his being appointed as the rep- 
 resentative of the Divine Majesty, but it was vested 
 in his own person. He taught as a divine being, 
 uttering truths known to his own mind from aU eter- 
 nity ; truths as unchangeable as the throne of God. 
 Philosophers who preceded him gave to the world 
 only opinions, the weight of which depended upon 
 the soundness of the arguments, or the logical train 
 of the reasoning upon which they were based. But 
 truth proceeded from Christ, as light proceeds fi-om 
 its natural source, the sun. His authority he dis- 
 tinctly and repeatedly affirmed : " I am the light ol 
 10 
 
110 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 the world;" "I am the way, the truth, and the 
 life." 
 
 But we may be asked. How can we confide m the 
 integrity of these affirmations ? What evidences 
 have we that the Saviour's declarations can be im- 
 plicitly relied upon ? I would reply, all the evidences 
 that the nature of the case admits of. The very doc- 
 trines which Christ promulgated, carry with them 
 internal evidence of their truth. They are as clearly 
 adapted to the wants of our moral nature, as light is 
 adapted to the eye, or air is suited to the lungs. 
 They are such truths as we should expect to receive 
 from a God of perfect benevolence and hoHness. 
 The Sermon on the Mount bears the stamp of a 
 divine origin. Were its principles universally adopt- 
 ed and acted upon, it would make a heaven of this 
 earth. For every sentiment is luminous with heav- 
 enly beauty and celestial light. They constitute the 
 basis of the benevolence, happiness, and glory of the 
 angelic hosts. They aim at the annihilation of every 
 base passion of the soul, — envy, malice, revenge, — 
 of every unholy thought and carnal desire. Under 
 their sway, wars, oppression, injustice, and every 
 form of sin would be banished from the earth. An 
 ingenuous mind, therefore, can no more separate the 
 idea of divine truth from the teachings of Christ, 
 than we can separate the idea of beauty from a 
 flower, or the idea of grandeur from mountain 
 scenery. 
 
 Contrast this system with any other, — with the 
 best and most profound that human agency has 
 devised, and its superior exceUence is at once ap- 
 
CHRIST PREACHING UPON THE MOUNT. Ill 
 
 parent. Contrast it with the most rigid and appar- 
 ently the most sacred of formal systems, and you 
 cannot fail to be impressed with its divine force, 
 beauty, and life-giving power. In entering the gor- 
 geous edifice of formalism, " one's feelings," to use 
 the image of another, " are very much such as might 
 belong to a descent into some stalactite cavern, the 
 grim magnificence of which is never cheered by the 
 life-giving beams of heaven; for there is no noon 
 there — no summer. The wonders of the place must 
 be seen by the glare of artificial light ; human hands 
 carry hither and thither a blaze, which confounds 
 objects as much as it reveals them, and which fills 
 the place more with fumes than with any genial 
 influence. In this dim theatre, forms stand out of 
 more than mortal mien, as if a senate of divinities 
 had here assembled ; but approach them, all is hard, 
 cold, silent. Drops are thickly distilling from the 
 vault ; nay, every stony icicle that glistens in the light, 
 seems as if endued with penitence, or as if contrition 
 were the very temper of the place ; but do these 
 drops fertilize the ground on which they fall ? No ; 
 they do but trickle a moment, and then add stone to 
 stone, and chiU to chill. Does the involuntary ex- 
 clamation break from the bosom in such a place — 
 Surely this is the gate of heaven ! Rather one shud- 
 ders with the apprehension that he is entering the 
 shadows of the vaUey of death ; and that the only 
 safety is in a quick return to the upper world." 
 
 Now go from thence to the great temple of moral 
 truth which Christ has erected. As you enter, you 
 feel that the very atmosphere is irnpregnated with 
 
112 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 the warmth of heavenly love. The light that pours 
 through the gorgeous windows appears to come 
 directly from the eternal throne. The spirit of 
 deity pervades the edifice. Every column and arch 
 seem to lift the soul upward. The swell of the 
 organ, the notes of praise, touch the tenderest and 
 holiest sensibilities of the soul. He who ministers at 
 the altar, we are confident is our great High-Priest, 
 who is not only a teacher, but the living oracle of 
 moral truth. Over the altar we read the sentiment 
 of true devotion : " God is a Spirit, and they who 
 worship him, must worship him in spirit and in truth." 
 
 The authority of our Great Teacher is also strength- 
 ened by the evidences that he furnished of his divine 
 nature. In fulfilling so accurately the prophecies 
 respecting the life, character, and deeds of the Mes- 
 siah, he substantiated his claims to divinity. By the 
 variety and undoubted character of his miracles, he 
 proved, beyond all dispute, his power over the ele- 
 ments and laws of nature. Diseases fled before his 
 presence. The blind opened their eyes to gaze upon 
 him. The dead heard his voice and came forth. The 
 storms and the waves of the sea obeyed him. 
 
 His character also gave authority to his words. 
 His whole career was a living epistle, known and 
 read of all men. Every moral precept which he 
 taught was illustrated in his life. His holiness was 
 apparent to every beholder. No taint of sin ever 
 touched his heart. No impure or selfish motive ever 
 gained access to his spirit. Like the light from 
 heaven, he touched the earth without being contami- 
 nated by its influences, moved among men without 
 
CHRIST PREACHING UPON THE MOUNT. 113 
 
 feeling the power of their corruptions. " When he 
 was reviled, he reviled not again ; when he suffered, 
 he threatened not." His benevolence, too, was ap- 
 parent in every word and deed. As he stood upon 
 the mount, a cloud of goodness seemed to encircle 
 him. In the very commencement of his discourse he 
 poured forth a profusion of the richest blessings, 
 showing that it was his highest delight, as well as 
 his prerogative, to bless. As he advanced in his 
 career, this feature of his character became more and 
 more conspicuous. It shone forth with peculiar 
 brightness in his seasons of trial. As dangers thick- 
 ened around him ; as the storms of persecution in- 
 creased in violence, his love, like a deep swelling 
 tide, rose above them all. Even his cruel arrest, his 
 mock trial, and the terrors of the crucifixion, did not 
 move him. 
 
 Is not, then, the authority of this Great Teacher 
 established? Shall we not rest with unwavering 
 confidence upon the truths which he uttered ? 
 
 The style of Christ's teaching is also worthy of our 
 notice. He usually uttered his thoughts in simple, 
 concise, and bold sentences ; such as were adapted to 
 the capacities of his hearers, and might be easily 
 treasured up in the memory. Sometimes his words 
 flow on like a quiet, clear, and beautiful stream, re- 
 freshing the weary spirits of his auditors, and pro- 
 moting the growth of every Christian virtue and 
 grace. Sometimes he expressed himself in startling 
 and paradoxical utterances, in order to arrest atten- 
 tion, and fasten the truth upon the mind. When his 
 object is to expose the wickedness and hypocrisy of 
 10* 
 
114 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 the Scribes and Pharisees, his words fall with a 
 crushing weight, and carry with them a fearful 
 power. With an unsparing hand he tears off their 
 mask of hypocrisy, and drags to the light their ini- 
 quities. Breaking through the shell of their rigid 
 formalities, he enables his hearers to see their true 
 character in all its blackness and deformity. When 
 depicting the scenes of the judgment-day, there is a 
 stately grandeur and overpowering solemnity in the 
 language which he employs. We almost hear the 
 trumpet-blast of his voice pealing through the tombs 
 and caverns of the deep, and wherever the myriads 
 of the earth's inhabitants sleep. We see in imagina- 
 tion the vast throngs filling the air, and gathering 
 around the supreme tribunal. The Judge takes his 
 seat. The books are opened. An awful sUence 
 reigns over the immense multitude. As the destiny 
 of the different classes is gradually revealed, our 
 sympathies are strongly excited. We rejoice with 
 the righteous in their rewards, and shudder at the 
 terrible doom that overhangs the wicked. The words, 
 " depart ye cursed," carry with them an awful import. 
 We cannot look down into the depths of their 
 meaning, without emotions of indescribable terror. 
 The words descriptive of the blessedness of the 
 righteous, carry with them the richest consolations 
 and most glorious hopes. The welcome that falls 
 upon the ear is, " Come, ye blessed of my Father, in- 
 herit the kingdom prepared for you from the founda- 
 tion of the world." The single word, " Come," decides 
 the destiny of the redeemed soul. Its meaning 
 extends over the ages of immortality. It includes 
 
CHRIST PREACHING UPON THE MOUNT. 115 
 
 access to the Father, an entrance into the palace of 
 the great King, companionship with holy angels, and 
 a participation in all the glories of the Saviour's reign. 
 
 The promise, too, of a " kingdom prepared for the 
 saints, from the foundation of the world," has depths 
 of glorious meaning that no finite intellect can ex- 
 plore, that no human eye can gaze upon. A king- 
 dom that has been so long in a course of preparation, 
 and upon which the divine power and skill have been 
 for ages expended, must necessarily surpass all 
 human comprehension. 
 
 It was also a peculiarity of Christ's teachings, to 
 embody important truths in familiar, striking, and 
 beautiful images, drawn from nature and scenes with 
 which the people were familiar. His disciples were 
 denominated the light of the world ; the salt of the 
 earth ; a city set upon a hill which could not be hid. 
 God's care over them was enforced by a representa- 
 tion of the care which he exercised over the lilies 
 of the valley, and the grass of the field. At the 
 close of his Sermon on the Mount, he compares him 
 who heareth his sayings and doeth them, to the wise 
 man who built his house upon a rock. The other class 
 he likens to a foolish man who built his house upon 
 the sand, a house which could not endure the force 
 of the storm, — imagery which in all its details, 
 strikes the mind as at once beautiful and forcible. 
 And these images served not only to illustrate, but 
 also to preserve moral truths, so that they could be 
 handed down from age to age unimpaired. For 
 while language is constantly changing, and the 
 meaning of words varies with the progress of society, 
 the objects and scenes in nature remain the same. 
 
116 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 The force of these images drawn from nature, we 
 can feel and appreciate as fully as those who first 
 listened to them. 
 
 In conclusion, ought we not to consider our per- 
 sonal relations to this great Teacher? We may 
 listen with interest to his discourses, admiring the 
 sublimity of his truths, the beauty of his l^guage, 
 and the force of his imagery. But the question 
 is, do his teachings reach the heart and regulate 
 the life ? Do we adopt them as the foundation of 
 our faith, as the basis of our hopes ? If we would 
 enter into the hidden meaning of these principles, 
 and experience their blessed influence, we must obey 
 them. " K any man will do the will of God, he 
 shall know of the doctrine." Holy obedience will 
 make every thing clear to his vision, wUl clear away 
 the mists from his pathway, and make his course like 
 " the shining light that shineth brighter and brighter 
 unto the perfect day." 
 
 " How sweetly flow'd the Gospel's sound 
 rrom lips of gentleness and grace, 
 When list'ning thousands gather'd round, 
 And joy and reverence fiU'd the place. 
 
 "From heaven he came — of heaven he spoke. 
 To heaven he led his followers' way ; 
 Dark clouds of gloomy night he broke. 
 Unveiling an immortal day. 
 
 " ' Come, wanderers, to my Father's home. 
 Come, all ye weary ones, and rest ! ' 
 Yes ! sacred Teacher, — we will come — 
 Obey thee, — love thee, and be blest! 
 
 " Decay, then, tenements of dust ! 
 Pillars of earthly pride, decay ! 
 A nobler mansion waits the just, 
 And Jesus has prepared the way." 
 
CHRIST WALKING ON THE SEA. 
 
 "In tub fourth watch of the night, jesus went unto 
 
 THEM, WALKING ON THE SEA." MattllCW xiv. 25. 
 
 This scene, according to three of the Evangelists, 
 occurred immediately after the miraculous feeding 
 of the five thousand in the desert. That miracle 
 had awakened such an enthusiasm among the peo- 
 ple, that they desired at once to make Christ a king. 
 Christ knowing theur designs, and wishing in the 
 most effectual yet quiet way to defeat them, " con- 
 strained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go 
 to the other side unto Bethsaida, while he sent away 
 the people." Perhaps he supposed that the multi- 
 tude would be more easily dispersed, if they saw his 
 disciples departing from him. He wished not only 
 to frustrate their plans of taking him by force and 
 making him a king, but also to lead them to reflect 
 upon the sphritual nature of his kingdom, and the 
 true ends for which he manifested his miraculous 
 power. They looked upon him as one eminently 
 fitted to be placed at the head of the nation, and to 
 restore to it, its ancient grandeur and glory. They 
 
118 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 recognized in the rapid multiplication of the loaves 
 and fishes, a power capable of sustaining armies in a 
 desert, or during a protracted siege ; and they were 
 ready to rally under such a leader, and to march 
 forth to the conquest of their enemies. But Christ 
 having dismissed his disciples, sent away the people, 
 convinced that he was not seeking for temporal 
 authority, but had some higher purpose in view. 
 According to his custom, as evening was approach- 
 ing, he retired alone to a solitary mountain for 
 prayer. Instead of seeking repose after the labors 
 of the day, he preferred to worship in these wild and 
 rugged temples of nature, and to prepare himself, by 
 spiritual communion with the Father, for the prose- 
 cution of his great work. While he was in the 
 mountain on this memorable night, the heavens be- 
 came overshadowed with dark and heavy clouds. 
 The winds were heard howling through the forests 
 and valleys, and a wild storm raged upon the land 
 and the sea. At midnight, when the tempest was at 
 its height, the Messiah thought of his disciples, and 
 was doubtless offering up fervent supplications in 
 their behalf. According to his directions they had 
 embarked on board their vessel, and the wind being 
 contrary to the course which they were to sail, they 
 were exposed to its full force. The darkness of the 
 night, the extreme severity of the wind, the wild bil- 
 lows that surrounded them and threatened every 
 moment to engulf them, fiUed their minds with ter- 
 ror. Besides, the consciousness that their Lord was 
 absent, added to the fearful gloom of the night. If 
 he was only present, as on a former occasion, to still 
 
CHRIST WALKING ON THE SEA. 119 
 
 this tempest, and calm the tempestuous waves, their 
 fears would all be dissipated. But he is away upon 
 a distant mountain, perhaps they think, not knowing 
 their peril ; for their views of his attributes and pow- 
 ers were yet very imperfect. 
 
 The perilous situation of these disciples, the man- 
 ner in which they were relieved, and the trial of 
 Peter'' s faith, are points that have not simply a local 
 and temporary interest. Like most of the scenes 
 and events in the history of our Lord, they are of 
 universal interest, and are applicable to his followers 
 in all nations and ages of the world. As the same 
 sun that shone upon the pathways of the earliest 
 generations, is equally adapted to our organs of 
 vision, and its light hailed with as much joy as 
 though it was newly created for our benefit, so the 
 same Sun of righteousness that illumined the minds 
 of the apostles and primitive Christians, shines wifh 
 its resplendent beams upon us ; and is as perfectly 
 adapted to our moral necessities as though the 
 Saviour should again appear upon the earth. We 
 need not a newly created physical universe, in ordej 
 to be impressed with the infinite and glorious attri- 
 butes of the Deity. The same world with its beau- 
 tiful decorations, its mighty forces, its miraculous 
 changes, with the rolling seasons, its oceans, lakes, 
 mountains, and valleys; the same stars with their 
 soft and persuasive eloquence, — their wonderfully 
 suggestive yet mysterious influence ; the vast soli- 
 tudes in which they repose, serve us as well as they 
 did our most remote ancestry. Indeed their anti- 
 quity adds greatly to their power. They come to us 
 
120 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 with an influence which has been accumulating for 
 ages. We are glad to look upon the same sun upon 
 which all eyes have gazed, — to be watched over by 
 the same stars that have looked down upon all the 
 changes in the world's history, — to tread upon the 
 same globe, on which are left the footprints of patri- 
 archs, prophets, apostles, and the noble army of mar- 
 tyrs. We are glad to breathe the same atmosphere 
 in which holy men of old moved, and which has 
 been vocal with the songs of poets, the eloquence of 
 ancient orators, and the praises of the devout in all 
 languages and all ages. 
 
 The eighteen hundred years that have rolled over 
 Christianity and over the scenes in the life of its 
 divine author, add, in our view, to their moral force. 
 Each century having made its contributions to the 
 evidences in favor of this divine religion, we inherit 
 the whole stock of proof, just as the young astrono- 
 mer, in entering upon his noble science, becomes heir 
 to all the discoveries and progress that have been 
 made by the most gifted minds in this department 
 of human knowledge. In following, too, Christ, we 
 follow in the track of a great multitude of the best, 
 noblest, holiest men that have ever lived upon the 
 earth. We feel the power of their example, the elec- 
 tric influence of their zeal and love. And we are 
 content with the spiritual presence of our Master, 
 without his immediate personal advent to our earth. 
 We are content with the fulfilment of his promise : 
 " Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of 
 the world." 
 
 But we hasten to apply these general principles to 
 the case before us. 
 
WALKING ON THE SEA. 121 
 
 The disciples were out upon the sea, exposed 
 to the dangers of a fearful storm. Only the day be- 
 fore they were with the Lord of glory, witnessing 
 one of the most remarkable miracles which Tiad been 
 wrought. Then admiration was excited by so won- 
 derful a display of divine power. They rejoiced that 
 so many thousands of persons were permitted to wit- 
 ness it, and to receive the moral impressions which 
 it was calculated to produce. They felt that the 
 cause which they had espoused was rising; and that 
 in following such a Master they had nothing to fear. 
 Their confidence was established that before them 
 there was a career of honor and glory unsm-passed in 
 the history of manldnd. But the very night after 
 this scene, they were tossed upon the waves of a tem- 
 pestuous sea, and struggling in vain with their oars 
 to reach the land. So great was their danger, that 
 they knew not but that each succeeding wave that 
 swept by, would engulf them. To such sudden 
 changes in one's circumstances and prospects, we 
 are all liable. To-day, all may be bright, hopeful, 
 and prosperous. We may stand upon the firm earth, 
 and look out upon a serene sky, upon smiling verdure, 
 and the beauties that the sunshine has awakened 
 around us. We may be surrounded by kind fi-iends, 
 by the refinements and pleasures of social inter- 
 course, and by the choicest spiritual blessings. To- 
 morrow, we may be cut off from these privileges and 
 enjoyments. We may be out upon the dark ocean of 
 affliction, encompassed by the waves of sorrow, feel- 
 ing that our frail bark may at any instant be shat- 
 tered. The Saviour, in whom we have trusted, may 
 11 
 
122 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 seem to be far away in some distant mountain that 
 we cannot reach. But recently we had communion 
 with him, felt the sti-engthening influence of his pres- 
 ence, and were filled with admiration in contem- 
 plating the views granted to us of his divine power 
 and majesty. Now clouds and darkness encircle 
 him. We hear not his voice, see not the brightness of 
 his countenance, feel not the warm breath of his love. 
 
 Go through even Christendom, and what mul- 
 titudes will you find struggling with some of the 
 various forms of sorrow. How many feel that they 
 are strangers and pilgrims upon the earth, their path- 
 ways lying through gloomy deserts, over burning 
 sands, and amid hardships that at times seem too 
 severe for human endurance. They have literally no 
 abiding city here. They seem to have been cast 
 upon this bleak and desolate creation to be buffeted 
 by its storms, and to have their souls tried by its 
 keenest sorrows. Some honest and devout hearts 
 feel the pressure of the ills of poverty; no slight 
 pressure, though it is so common. Death is common, 
 but none the less a terrible messenger for this. 
 
 Others are strangers to health, scarcely knowing 
 what it is to be free from bodily pains and infirmities. 
 Weeks, months, and years roll on, bringing with 
 them no relief 
 
 With others, the fountains of sorrow are kept 
 almost perpetually open, by the loss of near and dear 
 firiends. One after another they are snatched away. 
 Billow follows billow in rapid succession, sweeping 
 away the objects to which the warmest earthly affec- 
 tions are fastened. So great are oftentimes the trials 
 
WALKING ON THE SEA. 123 
 
 of life, that one is forced to ask, Is this the end of 
 our being, to be tossed upon the waves of sorrow, 
 and to be the victims of the storms that rage around 
 us ? Is there no power that can lift from the soul its 
 heavy burdens, and afford consolation to the tried 
 and bereaved spirit. The answer to these inquiries 
 may be found in the relief that came to the disciples 
 while in the height of the perils of their voyage. 
 They supposed that theur Saviour was far away, and 
 at the fourth watch of the night, which was about 
 three o'clock in the morning, while they were toiling 
 at their oars, they had not the slightest reason to 
 expect any aid from him. But suddenly, as they 
 looked out upon the wild waste of waters, they 
 descried a form moving upon the surface of the sea. 
 Supposing that it was a spirit or an apparition, they 
 were exQeedingly terrified, and cried out for fear. 
 Their minds being in an anxious and excited state, 
 and their bodies being exhausted by fatigue and 
 exposure, such a scene was calculated to fill them 
 with terror. But soon a voice comes to them over 
 the waves : " Be of good cheer, it is I." That voice 
 they immediately recognized, and their fears were 
 dissipated. With a joy that can be more easily 
 imagined than described, they welcomed Christ to the 
 ship, knowing that his presence would be an ample 
 protection from all danger. At the very moment 
 that they supposed he was far distant from them, he 
 was at the side of their vessel. Perhaps he had been 
 near them the whole night, and had been watching 
 over them, and guarding them from the perils of the 
 deep. Perhaps he refrained from making himself 
 
124 LIFE SCENES OP THE MESSIAH. 
 
 known until this late hour of the night, in order to 
 more deeply impress them with a sense of his divine 
 power and goodness. 
 
 Now we have the fullest evidence to believe that 
 Christ is near to every disciple, and that he is spe- 
 cially near to those who are in ckcumstances of 
 anxiety, distress, or danger. When the waters of 
 affliction threaten to overwhelm his friends, he is 
 walking upon the sea, ready to calm the angry 
 surges, and to deliver those who love him, out of all 
 their afflictions. And his simple presence is suffi- 
 cient to insure this. The disciples, when they recog- 
 nized him upon the waves, did not call out to him to 
 save them ; did not, if we may judge from the nar- 
 rative given, beseech him to quell the fury of the 
 storm ; but they knew that if he was near, they were 
 safe. Had this been his first miracle, they might 
 have had less confidence in him. But only the day 
 before they had gazed upon the wonderful spectacle 
 of the feeding of five thousand men, besides women 
 and children (who probably swelled the multitude to 
 double this number), with food, that at first consisted 
 of but five barley loaves and two small fishes. Hav- 
 ing seen that immense crowd, while seated upon the 
 extended plain and surrounding hills, fed by Christ, 
 who, at the outset, invoked the divine blessing upon 
 the few small loaves and fishes that were placed 
 before him, they could no longer doubt, that " all 
 power was given unto him." And all that he deemed 
 it necessary to say to them was : " Be of good cheer, 
 it is I." " You have only to know who it is, to be 
 certain of peace and safety. My presence is mightier 
 
WALKING ON THE SEA. 125 
 
 than the storm. Although it is night, the morning 
 of your hopes has dawned upon you. Although the 
 billows rage, yet I hold them in check, and tread 
 them beneath my feet. Although your frail bark is 
 tossed to and fro, I have only to enter it, and it will 
 float in calm waters, and be speedily borne to your 
 destined haven." 
 
 And in the precious promises that Jesus makes 
 to all his followers, he deems it sufficient just to 
 assure them of his presence : " Lo, I am with you 
 always ; " "I will not leave you comfortless, I wiU 
 come to you;" "Where two or three are gathered 
 together in my name, there am I in the midst of 
 them." And another most tender and affectionate 
 invitation : " Behold, I stand at the door, and knock. 
 If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will 
 come in to him, and sup with him, and he with me." 
 These and other similar utterances all express the 
 idea of simple presence. And in the last passage 
 quoted, this thought is brought to view with pecu- 
 liar delicacy and beauty. The Saviour will make 
 the effort himself to come to us, as he did to the dis- 
 ciples on the sea. He will stand at the door and 
 knock. He will not intrude himself upon the inmates. 
 He will not force an entrance. He will not even open 
 the door. That must be done by those within. K 
 they hear his voice, and recognize its tones of com- 
 passion and love, and open the door to him, he will 
 come in and sup with them. He will not violate any 
 of the rules of courtesy or hospitality. But if there 
 is any prospect of his being admitted, he will stand 
 at the door until his locks are wet with the dews of 
 11* 
 
126 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 the morning. Yes, he will stand there through the 
 whole night, thus cheerfully sacrificing his own ease 
 and comfort. 
 
 It is interesting to observe how many of Christ's 
 benevolent deeds were performed in the night time. 
 By night he had the remarkable interview with Nico- 
 demus, and unfolded to him the necessity of Redemp- 
 tion, and the whole scheme of the Atonement. Be- 
 fore selecting his twelve apostles, St. Luke tells us 
 that "he went into a mountain to pray, and con- 
 tinued aU night in prayer to God." And frequently 
 was this the season for his most earnest supplica- 
 tions. 
 
 " Cold mountains and the midnight air 
 Witnessed the fervor of his prayer." 
 
 At night he permitted himself to be arrested, and 
 to be carried through the preparatory stages for his 
 crucifixion. In the fourth watch of the night he 
 walked upon the sea. In the night he conquered 
 death and heU, and rose from the dead. But he has 
 now passed into those glorious regions where there 
 is no more night — where no shadows faU upon his 
 pathway — no cold mountains rear their barren and 
 gloomy summits — no dark waters roll, no storms 
 arise — no death chills are experienced. 
 
 Yet he is still here, present with every devout and 
 believing spu-it. You may not see him with the 
 natural eye, for darkness may surround you. You 
 may not hear his voice above the howl of the storm, 
 but his being invisible is surely no proof of his 
 absence. The mightiest forces in nature, of which 
 
WALKING ON THE SEA. 127 
 
 we have any knowledge, are invisible. What is more 
 hidden from the view than the law of gravitation, 
 and yet who does not know that it is the great 
 power that holds worlds in their orbits and systems 
 in their places ; and is, I may say, the spirit that per- 
 vades the material universe, giving regularity and 
 beauty to these floating orbs around us. The prin- 
 ciple of vegetation is invisible ; but who will say 
 that it is, on this account, any the less present and 
 potent. Does it not annually clothe the earth with 
 the richest verdure, with beauties that infinitely sur- 
 pass the skill of the most gifted artist ; with flowers, 
 the minute inspection and analysis of which excites 
 the most glowing admiration; with fruits and pro- 
 ductions, upon which all conscious life is dependent 
 for its continuance ? • 
 
 You may stand upon a lofty eminence, and view 
 the effects of a wild tempest. You may see the 
 heavy clouds flying rapidly over your head. You 
 may see the forests bending and crushed beneath the 
 blast, — the mighty oaks torn up by the roots, — 
 houses demolished, and their fragments filling the 
 air, arid yet you see not the force that is working this 
 ruin. The agent is as invisible as the air in a calm 
 summer's day. 
 
 In looking over Cliristendom, you behold numer- 
 ous Christian churches, great assemblies gathered for 
 worship, large companies of children listening to the 
 instructions of faithful teachers, and many engaged 
 in carrying from house to house the bread of life and 
 the consolations of religion. You behold a large 
 number of the afflicted supported under their trials, 
 
128 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 and submissive to the divine wUl. You may enter 
 many sick chambers, and see a cheerful serenity rest- 
 ing upon the wasted countenances of the dying, and 
 hear from lips soon to be forever closed, the dec- 
 laration, " Though I walk through the valley of the 
 shadow of death, I will fear no evil." 
 
 Now what has wrought all this ? We answer, The 
 presence of Jesus. As on the morning of the crea- 
 tion the sphit moved upon the face of the waters, 
 and brought order and beauty out of chaos, so the 
 spirit of Jesus has moved upon the moral world, 
 purifying and elevating the nature of man, restoring 
 to the soul the lost image of its Maker, carrying com- 
 fort to the afflicted, hope to the despairing, and sal- 
 vation to the penitent and believing. And Christ 
 would say to all his disciples, in every age : " Be of 
 good cheer." Though himself a man of sorrows and 
 acquainted with grief, yet the great object of his life 
 was to promote human happiness. In his intercourse 
 with his friends, this end is ever conspicuous. While 
 pronouncing his farewell discourse to his disciples, 
 he said : " Let not your heart be troubled. Ye 
 believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's 
 house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would 
 have told you." If there was any doubt concerning 
 this fact, if there was any occasion for their being 
 troubled, he would have told them. He came not to 
 deceive mankind, not to encourage in them hopes 
 that would never be realized. He came to bring life 
 and immortality to light, to reveal the will and love of 
 the Father, to throw open the gates of the everlasting 
 city, and to invite all who would repent and believe, 
 
WALKING ON THE SEA. 129 
 
 to enter in. A higher mission cannot be conceived. 
 A more glorious service could not be rendered to the 
 human family. 
 
 There is, however, another incident in this scene 
 which illustrates the part that we are to perform to 
 secure the aid of the Saviour. When the disciples 
 in the ship, or boat, were assured that it was their 
 Lord who was approaching them, Peter, with his 
 usual promptness, mingled perhaps with rashness, or 
 at least with an undue degree of self-confidence, 
 said : " Lord, if it be thou, bid me come to thee on 
 the water." Perhaps Peter desired to make a display 
 of his courage before the other disciples, or he might 
 have wished to be the first to welcome Jesus. The 
 simple reply that Christ made was, " Come." He 
 was willing to give him an opportunity to test his 
 confidence and faith. At once Peter left the ship, 
 and at first he walked safely upon the water towards 
 his Master. " But when he saw the wind boisterous, 
 he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried, say- 
 ing. Lord, save me." " And immediately Jesus 
 stretched forth his hand and caught him, and said 
 unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou 
 doubt." While Peter kept his eye fi-xed upon Christ, 
 he walked firmly and safely. But when he looked 
 down upon the dark and tumultuous waves, he 
 began to sink. His courage failed him, and had not 
 Christ extended his arm to rescue him, he must have 
 perished. What an important lesson are we taught 
 by this event ! Our safety, our faith, our hopes, all 
 depend upon fixing our eyes and our affections upon 
 Christ. If we dwell upon the trials and sorrows of 
 
130 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 life, or trust to our own strength, we shall fail. With 
 a firm step, with unfaltering confidence, we must 
 look upward to the Saviour. The apostle exhorts 
 us " to lay aside every weight, and the sin that doth 
 so easily beset us, and to run with patience the race 
 set before us, looking unto Jesus" 
 
XL 
 
 THE TRANSFIGURATION. 
 
 " Jesus taketh peter, james, and john his brother, and 
 bhingeth them up into an high mountain apart, and 
 was tkan8figueed before them: and his face did shine 
 a3 the sun, and his raiment was white a3 the light. 
 
 AJfD BEHOLD, THERE APPEARED UNTO THEM MOSES AND ELIA3 
 
 TALKING WITH HIM." — Matthcw xvii. 1-3. 
 
 It may seem to be presumption to attempt to 
 analyze and portray the various features of this won- 
 derful scene. Its glories are too dazzling for mortal 
 gaze. Its mysteries are too deep to be penetrated 
 by the. human mind. Although the Evangelists have 
 described the scene with vividness, yet probably no 
 one has attained to a just conception of it, except 
 the three favored apostles who witnessed its splen- 
 dors. We may call to our aid the criticisms of the 
 wise and learned, who have endeavored to unfold its 
 import ; we may exercise to the greatest possible ex- 
 tent the powers of the imagination, and yet fall far 
 short of the reality. Like all other supernatural 
 manifestations, it lies beyond the province of human 
 
132 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 thought. Yet there are points and lessons in the 
 3cene that are full of instruction. 
 
 We observe that Christ saw fit to make this 
 remarkable display of his glories to a few select 
 and tried friends, rather than to a large and pro- 
 miscuous assembly. On no occasion did he man- 
 ifest a disposition to gratify the curiosity of the mul- 
 titude, who were ever leady to flock around him. 
 He chose rather to make the most signal mani- 
 festations of his power and glory in the presence 
 of those who were prepared to receive from them 
 the greatest spiritual benefit. Even in his pubUc 
 teachings, he did not always explain the import of 
 his parables to the assembly; but reserved this for 
 the few who tarried after the crowd had dispersed, 
 and desired to be more fully enlightened in regard to 
 the truths of religion. Had it been publicly an- 
 nounced that Christ would appear in his divine 
 glory, and receive a visit from Moses and Elijah, 
 thousands would have flocked to the scene, prompted 
 simply by an idle curiosity, while others would have 
 gone to cavil, or to ridicule. After performing some 
 of his most striking miracles, it became necessary 
 for the Saviour to make his escape from those whose 
 malice and hatred were only increased, by every new 
 manifestation of his goodness and power. These 
 enemies, true to the instincts of the depraved heart, 
 had their zeal against Christ quickened in proportion 
 to his efforts to benefit them. Hence he did not care 
 to cast pearls before swine. He preferred to be sur- 
 rounded by a few honest inquirers after truth, and 
 make his brightest revelations in their presence. 
 
THE TRANSFIGURATION. 133 
 
 On the occasion of his transfiguration, in order to 
 be as private and undisturbed as possible, he took 
 his companions to the summit of a high and distant 
 mountain. Which mountain was selected, it is diffi- 
 cult for us to determine. Some writers assert that it 
 was Mount Tabor ; but there are good reasons for 
 supposing that this opinion is not wellgrounded. It 
 is not material, however, to be able to designate the 
 precise spot upon which the transfiguration took 
 place. We know that the Saviour in his seasons of 
 religious meditation and prayer, or when about to 
 make some signal manifestation of his miraculous 
 power or divine glory, sought a retreat upon one of 
 the mountains of Judea. Besides the retirement 
 which they afforded, he was doubtless attracted by 
 the beauty and grandeur of the scenery that sur- 
 rounded them ; by the remembrance of the wonder- 
 ful events in the history of God's dealings with his 
 chosen people, which they commemorate ; and by 
 the fact that upon their summits he seemed to stand 
 nearer to the eternal throne. He recognized in every 
 mountain a temple consecrated to the service of Je- 
 hovah ; and while in his solitary retreat, engaged in 
 meditation or prayer, he might hear the mountains 
 breaking forth into singing, and the trees of the field 
 clapping their hands. When he preached his great 
 and memorable sermon, " he went up into a moun- 
 tain," and as the multitude listened to his sacred 
 truths, uttered with divine eloquence and power, they 
 might well have exclaimed, " How beautiful upon 
 the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good 
 tidings, that publisheth peace." 
 12 
 
134 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 From the details given of the transfiguration by 
 the Evangelists, we infer that the scene took place 
 at night. We have already remarked that Christ 
 often chose this season for holy meditation and com- 
 munion with the Father. When all was hushed 
 in the streets of Jerusalem, and his enemies were 
 sleeping, and the stars were out, heavenly sentinels 
 watching over the innocent and faithful, the echo 
 of his footsteps might be heard as he passed along 
 towards the gates of the city, and sought, alone, his 
 mountain retreats. Under the pale moonlight, his 
 dim form might be seen as he moved over the hills 
 and plains. 
 
 Imagine, then, the Saviour with his three disciples, 
 struggling up a distant and rugged mountain, under 
 the shelter of the darkness. Gradually they rise higher 
 and higher, leaving the world and its vanities behind 
 them. The lights of the distant city and villages grow 
 dim, and at last fade away. No sound is heard save 
 the murmuring of the mountain brooks, and the 
 sighing of the winds through the vast forests. They 
 reach the summit, and Christ is about to fulfil the 
 promise made a few days previous, that there were 
 some before him who should " not taste of death, till 
 they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom," or 
 glory. We may presume that he gave to his disci- 
 ples instructions suited to prepare their minds for the 
 wonderful scenes that were to pass before them. 
 From that lofty mountain fervent prayers ascended 
 to the God of heaven, that he would be present with 
 the displays of his power. 
 
 Suddenly the disciples were startled by a flood of 
 
THE TRANSFIGFllATION. 135 
 
 light that burst upon the mountain, and filled them 
 with amazement and terror. They turned towards 
 their master, and perceived that his countenance, 
 form, and whole appearance were undergoing the 
 most wonderful changes. The despised Nazarene 
 was emphatically becoming the Lord of glory. He 
 who was without comeliness or beauty, — who was 
 despised and rejected of men, — whose poverty was 
 such that he had not where to lay his head, now ap- 
 pears clothed in splendors too dazzling for mortal 
 vision. His countenance shines with a brilliancy 
 that surpasses the sun. His robes are of snowy 
 whitness, and pure and resplendent as the light. A 
 celestial glory envelops his whole person, — a glory 
 such as he had with the Father before the world was. 
 
 And what was equally remarkable, behold there 
 appeared to them at the same time, two mysterious 
 and resplendent beings, Moses and Elijah. They 
 conversed in an audible voice with Jesus concerning 
 " his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusa- 
 lem." For the trials and anguish of that awful hour 
 they labored to prepare and comfort him. The con- 
 flict, though severe, they assured him would be 
 attended with the most glorious results. 
 
 While the disciples were absorbed by this scene, a 
 bright cloud floated down and spread upon the moun- 
 tain, overshadowing the whole group. And amid 
 flashes of lightning and the roar of thunder, a voice 
 was heard, saying, " This is my beloved Son, in 
 whom I am well pleased ; hear ye him." So terrible 
 was the sound, that the disciples fell prostrate upon 
 the earth. Jesus, knowing their confusion and ter- 
 
136 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 ror, came and touched them, saying, " Rise up and 
 be not afraid." On recovering from their fear, and 
 looking about them, they observed that the heavenly 
 visitants had departed, and that Jesus was alone 
 with them. 
 
 Li this peculiar and supernatural display of divine 
 power there were, obviously, several important de- 
 signs. 
 
 In the first place, in the voice that proceeded from 
 the cloud, we have an unanswerable attestation to the 
 divinity of the Messiah. As though the purity of his 
 life, and the displays of his miraculous power were 
 not enough, we have this direct proof from heaven, 
 that he was the Son of God in whom the Father 
 was well pleased. This testimony was peculiarly 
 appropriate to that period, because erelong the 
 events that would happen to the Saviour, would 
 seriously try the faith of his disciples. They would 
 behold him apparently in the power of his foes. 
 They would see him hurried away by violence ; in- 
 sulted, scourged, and treated as a malefactor. They 
 would hear the sentence of condemnation pro- 
 nounced against him, and from the cross they would 
 hear his agonizing cry, " My God, my God, why hast 
 thou forsaken me." And without the most conclu- 
 sive evidences of his Messiahship and divinity, they 
 would altogether lose their faith, and abandon his 
 cause. As the sequel showed, these adverse events 
 shook their confidence in their master ; but remem- 
 bering his miracles, teachings, and the supernatural 
 displays of his glory, their faith rallied, and after his 
 ascension their heroism and devotion were such as 
 
THE TRANSFIGURATION. 137 
 
 could not be surpassed. If they were weak and 
 vascillating in the early part of thek career, then- 
 subsequent boldness and energy entitle them to the 
 highest praise. 
 
 This announcement from the cloud, though made 
 to the three favored ones, was vu-tually made through 
 them, to all mankind. They stood upon that mount 
 as the representatives of the whole human family. 
 As Moses represented the children of Israel upon 
 Mount Sinai, and Abraham represented all the faith- 
 ful upon Mount Moriah, and Elijah stood in the 
 place of the believers in the true God upon Mount 
 Carmel, so Peter and his associates represented aU 
 for whom Christ came to make an atonement. 
 Whatever was evidence to them of the truth of 
 Christ's doctrines, or the divinity of his person, was 
 evidence to us. There was not a single circumstance 
 in the scenes of the transfiguration, of interest to 
 them, that was not of equal interest to every inhabi- 
 tant upon the globe. And the Apostle Peter in his 
 second general epistle, when exhorting the friends of 
 Christ to the faithful discharge of their duties, says, 
 " For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, 
 when we made known unto you the power and com- 
 ing of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses 
 of his majesty. For he received from God the 
 Father honor and glory, when there came such a 
 voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my 
 beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. And this 
 voice we heard when we were with him in the holy 
 mount." Now, if we can confide in Peter as a true 
 witness, we must admit his testimony. We must 
 
 12* 
 
138 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 believe these words as fully and sincerely as he be- 
 lieved them. And in the mouth of three such wit- 
 nesses as were admitted to the glories of the trans- 
 figuration, the gi-eat doctrine of the Savioiu's divinity 
 should be firmly established. 
 
 Another design of this dazzling and sublime man- 
 ifestation was, to confirm the faith of believers in a 
 future state of existence. 
 
 If Moses and Elijah actually appeared, (and to 
 doubt this portion of the narrative, is to doubt the 
 truth of the whole,) then we can ask for no more 
 satisfactory proof, than is herein contained of the 
 doctrine of a future state. Here are two distin- 
 guished personages, one of whom lived upon the 
 earth fifteen hundred years before, and the other nine 
 hundred years, who appeared in their celestial bodies 
 to Christ and his three disciples. Their resplendent 
 forms illumined the whole mountain. They conversed 
 with Jesus in a language that was understood by his 
 disciples. Their appearance and conversation afforded 
 so much delight that Peter exclaimed, " Lord, it is 
 good for us to be here ; let us make three taberna- 
 cles, one for thee, one for Moses, and one for Elias." 
 He desired to retain the illustrious beings upon the 
 earth, that he might continue to enjoy their society, 
 and listen to their words of wisdom and love. His 
 companions were so filled with awe and astonishment, 
 that they did not give utterance to their feelings. 
 But seeing before them beings directly from the 
 spirit world, and especially those with whose names, 
 history, and achievements they were so familiar, they 
 were thoroughly convinced of the reality and blessed- 
 
THE TRANSFIGURATION. 139 
 
 ness of the heavenly state. Had they entertained 
 doubts respecting the doctrine of a future state, they 
 must have been by this scene forever banished from 
 their minds. Henceforth all was clear and bright to 
 the eye of faith. They could say confidently with 
 the Psalmist, "In thy presence there is fulness of 
 joy ; at thy right hand there are pleasures forever- 
 more." They had every stimulus to press forward 
 with new zeal toward the mark for the prize of their 
 high calling. And the church universal should hail 
 with gratitude and rapture, this fresh proof in favor 
 of a future life. For notwithstanding all the light 
 that has been thrown upon this subject, and all the 
 arguments that have been adduced in its favor, it is 
 agitated still in thousands of minds. Different cur- 
 rents of thought rush through the heart, some bear- 
 ing us towards the regions of light and hope, and 
 others sweeping the soul towards the verge of de- 
 spair. When we stand upon the mount of faith, we 
 may see in the far distance the Elysian fields, — the 
 shining palaces and temples, — the myriads of bright 
 and holy beings crowding in and out of the gates of 
 the everlasting city, thronging around the eternal 
 throne, and flying through the heavens upon mis- 
 sions of mercy and love. In such an hour the spirit 
 longs to depart, that it may be with Jesus. But 
 when we are in the valley of despondency, moving 
 among the tombs of the dead, and think of the cold- 
 ness and deep silence of the grave, — of the millions 
 whose forms have mingled with their kindred dust, — 
 of the thick vail that hides the future from our sight, 
 we are tempted to look upon death as an eternal 
 sleep. 
 
140 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 " The grave, dread thing ! 
 ' Men shiver when thou'rt named. Nature appall'd 
 
 Shakes off her wonted firmness. Oh I how dark 
 Thy long extended realms, and rueful wastes, 
 Where nought but silence reigns, and night, dark night." 
 
 To enable us, then, to enter the dark valley with a 
 firm step, and to say, " I will fear no evil," we need 
 +.he support of every argument that reason, or anal- 
 ogy, or the Scriptures can furnish. We need to stand 
 by the side of Christ at the grave of Lazarus, and 
 see the dead come forth. We need to study and 
 meditate upon the words : " I am the resurrection 
 and the life ; he that believeth in me shall never die." 
 We need to visit the Saviour's tomb, and hear from 
 angel lips the declaration : " He is risen ; behold the 
 place where they laid him." We need to stand upon 
 the summit of the holy mount with the apostles, and 
 behold Moses and Elijah, in their resplendent forms, 
 conversing with Jesus. Then we may fully believe 
 that this corruption will put on incorruption, and this 
 mortal be clothed with immortality. 
 
 Another feature in this scene is the representation 
 that it furnishes of the different epochs in the history 
 of the churchy and of the cooperation of the glorified 
 saints in the work of maiUs redemption. Moses ap- 
 pears to represent the law, Elijah to represent proph- 
 ecy, and Christ stands as the representative of a new, 
 more spiritual and glorious dispensation. We have 
 brought before us, in a single group, the divine gov- 
 ernment, in its majesty and authority, the rich prom- 
 ises made to the world of heavenly blessings, and 
 the fulfilment of prophecy. Besides, in the persons 
 
THE TUANSFIGUllATIOX. 141 
 
 of the apostles we have represented the agencies by 
 which the gospel is to be published to the world. 
 One is to be constituted the rock of the church, 
 against which the gates of hell shall not prevail. The 
 others are to bear their testimony to the truth of the 
 gospel ; a testimony that will one day be acknowl- 
 edged by all tribes, nations, and kingdoms of the 
 earth. Thus the past and the future, — heaven and 
 earth, — the church triumphant and the church mili- 
 tant, all meet through their representatives upon the 
 top of that glorious mount. One is signally distin- 
 guished from the others, not only by his splendid ap- 
 pearance, but by the supernatural announcement 
 from the cloud : " This is my beloved Son, in whom 
 I am well pleased." Though mingling with proph- 
 ets and glorified saints, he is not to be confounded 
 with them, nor his nature and glorious character to 
 be overlooked. 
 
 How delightful to contemplate them as all co- 
 operating in the great work of man's redemption! 
 " The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth 
 came by Jesus Christ." The law and prophecy were 
 both necessary to prepare the way for the reception 
 of the gospel; — the one to aid in bringing mankind 
 into subjection to its requisitions, and the other, to 
 confirm its authority, and support its divine origin, by 
 arguments that could not be overthrown. 
 
 We may reasonably believe that God had some 
 special design in the selection that was made of those 
 who should confer with Christ at the time of his 
 transfiguration, and appear to the apostles. For 
 there were no two names that had more influence 
 
142 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 over the Jews than Moses and Elijah, or as he is 
 called in the New Testament, Elias. To the former 
 Christ constantly referred in his teachings. He quot- 
 ed his laws, and made the people understand that 
 if they would not hear Moses and the prophets, 
 neither would they be persuaded though one rose 
 from the dead. On one occasion he said, " For had 
 ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me : for 
 he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, 
 how shall ye believe my words ? " Reference was 
 also frequently made by the Jews to Elias, and the 
 question was put to the Saviour, "Art thou Elias ? " 
 When Christ was upon the cross, his persecutors 
 thought that he called for Elias. There was, there- 
 fore, a peculiar significancy in the appearance of 
 these illustrious saints upon the mount of transfig- 
 uration. They confurmed, beyond all dispute, the 
 claims and teachings of the Saviour. The whole 
 scene proved the unity of the religion of the different 
 portions of the Holy Scriptures ; proved that there 
 was one great purpose of mercy running through all 
 the revelations that had been received from the 
 eternal throne in the different ages of the world, — a 
 purpose that commenced with the promise made to 
 Adam, — that was unfolded in the Mosaic dispensa- 
 tion, — seen and acknowledged by the prophets, and 
 fulfilled in the redemption wrought out by the Son 
 of God. And in viewing these great truths that 
 open from this scene, the mount of transfiguration 
 appears clothed with new splendor. In the light that 
 surrounds it, there is a spiritual import. It is the 
 radiance of divine truth. It is glory emanating from 
 
THE TRANSFIGURATION. 143 
 
 the infinite and eternal mind,— from the great I Am, 
 who is, and was, and ever will be, the unchangeable 
 and almighty Jehovah. We do not wonder that 
 Peter exclaimed, " It is good for us to be here." And 
 may we not ask, if the delight afforded by the pres- 
 ence of two heavenly visitants was so intense, what 
 must be the rapture and glory of mingling with the 
 myriads of holy and celestial beings who crowd 
 God's vast dominions. " Eye hath not seen, nor ear 
 heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the 
 things which God hath prepared for them that love 
 him." 
 
XII. 
 
 CHRIST BLESSING LITTLE CHILDREN. 
 
 "Jesus said, suffer little cniLUREN, and forbid them 
 
 NOT, TO COME UNTO ME: FOR OF SUCH IS THE KINGDOM OP 
 
 HEAVEN." — St. Matthew xix. 14. 
 
 " Heaven lies about us in our infancy." 
 ^ Wordsworth. 
 
 " What shall preserve thee, beautiful child ? — 
 
 Keep thee as thou art now ? — 
 Bring thee a spirit undefiled. 
 
 At God's pure throne to bow ? 
 The world is but a broken reed. 
 
 And life grows early dim : — 
 Who shall be near thee in thy need 
 
 To lead thee up to Him ? 
 He who himself was ' undefiled,' 
 With him we trust thee, beautiful child." 
 
 Willis. 
 
 There is scarcely a scene in the history of Jesus, 
 more touching and significant than that presented by 
 his interview with little children. The fame of his 
 great kindness and benevolence had gone forth, and 
 excited a deep interest among the inhabitants of the 
 country bordering upon the Jordan. Not only were 
 the sick, blind, and lame brought to him, but moth- 
 
CHRIST BLESSING LITTLE CUILDREN. 145 
 
 ers were seen in the crowd pressing forward towards 
 the Saviour, with their infants and children, anxious 
 that they might receive a blessing. Such was their 
 confidence in the power and goodness of Christ, that 
 they knew, if they could but get near enough to 
 him, that virtue would go forth from him to their 
 children, and the little ones would experience through 
 their whole lives, the rich benefits of his divine 
 blessing. The disciples observing the eagerness of 
 these parents to approach Christ and attract his at- 
 tention, rebuked them ; deeming it an intrusion upon 
 so great a prophet to trouble him with their wants, 
 or even presence of children. They felt that one 
 who possessed such powers as Christ had displayed, 
 and who had come to fulfil so important and sub- 
 lime a work, could not condescend to notice mere 
 children. But when Christ perceived what his disci- 
 ples were doing, he was greatly displeased, and at 
 once said, " Suffer the little children to come unto 
 me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom 
 of heaven." Although he had much to absorb his 
 time and engage his energies, — although he had 
 come to accomplish the great work of redeeming a 
 lost world, — although he was entitled to divine 
 honors, and possessed infinite attributes, yet he was 
 not willing to overlook the interests of the smallest 
 and feeblest child. He had himself been a child, and 
 had experienced the wants, desires, and anxieties 
 of children. Indeed, by passing through the differ- 
 ent stages of existence on earth, he was prepared to 
 sympathize with all ages, as well as all classes. By 
 being an infant, he sanctified infancy, and sent forth 
 13 
 
146 LIFE SCENES OP THE MESSIAH. 
 
 an influence that touched and blessed all of this ten- 
 der age. As a holy chUd, he set an example to all 
 children, inviting them by his conduct, as well as his 
 words, to follow in his footsteps. As a man, he gave 
 importance and dignity to the whole race. Thus he 
 fulfilled his mission to all, and showed his tender re- 
 gard for those of every age. 
 
 But there is a profound signijicancy in this invita- 
 tion, that we shall do well to consider. 
 
 This act of Christ, simple as it appears, introduced 
 a new era into the world's history. Previous to the 
 advent of the Saviour but little attention had been 
 bestowed upon the intellectual culture or moral wel- 
 fare of children. As a class they had been either 
 neglected or exposed to the most debasing influences. 
 Paganism taught that it was a virtue for the mother 
 to sacrifice her offspring to idols, cast her child into 
 the Ganges, or leave it exposed to the fury of wUd 
 beasts. Even among civilized nations, the rights of 
 children were but little respected. It was a custom 
 with the ancient Romans at the birth of a child, for 
 the father to decide whether it should be reared, or 
 be left in the street, and abandoned to its fate. In 
 the decision that was made, the mother could take 
 no part. Besides the power that the father had over 
 the life of his children, he could three times sell his 
 son, and three times reclaim him, and appropriate to 
 himself all his child's gains. Under the emperors, 
 however, the power of the father was somewhat 
 reduced, and the condition of children was slightly 
 improved. Among the Spartans, the celebrated Ly- 
 curgus, who was recalled to the head of the govern- 
 
CHRIST BLESSING LITTLE CHILDREN. 147 
 
 ment for the purpose of reforming the state, required 
 that only the vigorous and well-formed children 
 should be preserved, while others should be at once 
 exposed in the wilds of Mount Taygetus. The slight 
 value that was put upon the lives of children by 
 wicked princes in the time of our Saviour, is shown 
 in the decree issued by Herod, requiring the indis- 
 criminate slaughter of " all the children that were in 
 Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two 
 years old and under." In the wars, too, of that 
 period, children shared the fate of the conquered 
 army. Neither their innocence, weakness, or claims 
 upon sympathy and justice, afforded them any pro- 
 tection against the relentless foe. 
 
 But the Divine Teacher appears and establishes a 
 new doctrine respecting childi'en, a doctrine that 
 bears the impress of his divine benevolence and infi- 
 nite compassion. Beholding the mothers pressing 
 towards him, he extends an invitation, twice repeated, 
 in order to give to it the greater intensity : " Suffer 
 little children to come unto me, and forbid them not." 
 As though he had said : " Do not, on any account, 
 prevent the little children from coming to me and 
 receiving my blessing. For it is a part of my mission 
 to do good to these little ones. I have come from 
 heaven to be the child's teacher, the child's Saviour, 
 — the child's guide to happiness and glory. I was 
 once myself a child, and experience has prepared me 
 to sympathize, with this class in all then- trials and 
 interests. Nor can we fail to observe, that the recog- 
 nition of the rights and the power of children is a dis- 
 tinctive feature of the Christian dispensation. In 
 
148 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 exact proportion to the power of the gospel over any 
 community, we find the interests of children pro- 
 tected, and their moral culture promoted. Systems 
 of education are framed and established. Family 
 religion is instituted. The infant chUd is solemnly 
 consecrated to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 
 He is early taught to lisp the name of Jesus. His 
 young heart is thrilled with the story of the babe in 
 Bethlehem, the flight into Egypt, the cruelty of 
 Herod, and the exciting incidents connected with the 
 life, death, and resurrection of Christ. 
 
 Sabbath schools are formed to perpetuate the Sav- 
 iour's kind invitation to children. They constitute 
 so many gateways leading towards the celestial city, 
 where Christ now sitteth at the right hand of God. 
 They serve to perpetuate the memory of Christ's love 
 for children, as the celebration of the last supper per- 
 petuates the memory of his sufferings and death. 
 These Sabbath schools may be regarded also as evi- 
 dences of the divine origin of the Christian system ; 
 for none but a heaven-born system could create such 
 an institution. No other could prompt to such 
 benevolent effort, self-denial, and zeal, as are often 
 manifested by those who are engaged in teaching 
 the young, and bringing back wandering children to 
 their father's house. Nor is there a more interesting 
 spectacle on earth than a large and prosperous Sab- 
 bath school, with officers and teachers imbued with 
 the spirit of Christ, and the pupils eager for the 
 treasures of divine knowledge. As an exhibition of 
 the voluntary system, — of the outgoings of benevo- 
 lent effort, without the expectation of reward here, it 
 
CHRIST BLESSING LITTLE CHILDREN. 149 
 
 is one of the most beautiful that could be presented. 
 Literally, the gospel is furnished here without money 
 and without price. Literally, the invitation is given, 
 Whosoever wUl, let him come and partake of the 
 waters of life freely. In such a school, impressions 
 are every Sabbath made that will endure long after 
 the pyramids have crumbled, and the stars have faded 
 from the heavens. Through the destitute children 
 gathered here, streams of influence go forth and reach 
 multitudes of families. Many a child has been a 
 missionary to the family of which he was a member. 
 Many a one has carried the riches of salvation to 
 his home, and been a preacher of righteousness to 
 parents, brothers, and sisters. 
 
 The Saviour, also, by taking little children in his 
 arms and blessing them, recognized the importance 
 of early religious culture as a force by which to 
 advance his kingdom. He knew that if he gained 
 the children, his cause was safe, and that he would 
 gain the world. He knew that if his doctrines were 
 desposited, as seed, in the mind of a child, they 
 would grow with his growth and strengthen with his 
 strength. And the opinion is rapidly gaining ground, 
 as the light of Christianity increases and extends, 
 that aU the great interests of society, the progress of 
 civilization, liberty, and humanity, and the spiritual 
 hopes of the world, are involved in the early training 
 of children. If we desire any important truth or 
 cause to triumph, let it be planted in youthful minds, 
 and become entwined around the sympathies of the 
 heart, and flow in the channels of early thought, and 
 it will gather a force that can be obtained in no other 
 13* 
 
150 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 way. It will become a part of the very existence of 
 the generation with which it is thus connected. It 
 will give form and character to the institutions of 
 society, civil, social, and religious, as far as the influ- 
 ence of its advocates extends. 
 
 It is specially true of all religious systems, whether 
 founded in error or truth, that their chief force lies in 
 early culture. Such is the strength of the religious 
 affections, — so much is man a religious being, with 
 aU his irreligion, that even a superstitious and grossly 
 erroneous system will retain its power and wield a 
 mighty influence, if it has the advantage of an 
 early culture. Let one enter a Pagan country, and, 
 after surveying the degradation and ignorance of 
 the people, their cruel rites, their deceit, treachery, 
 and misery, and the power of a corrupt priesthood, 
 let him inquire for the secret force that produces this 
 state of things, and he will find it in the groups of 
 little children that are led by their mothers into the 
 heathen temples, and taught to bow the knee before 
 a hideous idol. If a child, say a little girl, is more 
 than others actuated by religious sentiments, she wiU 
 be found frequently bringing in her tiny hand offer- 
 ings to lay upon the altar, — will often pray to the 
 false deities whom she has been taught to reverence, 
 and subject herself to bodily pains and severe priva- 
 tions. As heathenism offers to her the only channels 
 through which her religious affections can flow, she 
 accepts them, and the system thus engrafted in her 
 nature, and connected with her earhest experience 
 and thoughts, abides with her, and controls her to the 
 hour of death. The gospel missionary may go to a 
 
CimiST BLESSING LITTLE CHILDREN. 151 
 
 people thus trained, and he will effect comparatively 
 but little with the adult population. If he would 
 have hopes of success, — if he would move the giant 
 fabric of superstition that surrounds him, he must 
 commence with a new generation. He must estab- 
 lish schools, — he must deposit the seeds of divine 
 truth in the minds of children, — must suffer little 
 children to come to Jesus and learn of him ; — then 
 will the wilderness of heathenism and the solitary 
 place be made glad, and the desert rejoice and blos- 
 som as the rose. 
 
 So with the Romish superstition, its force is de- 
 rived from early culture. Though transplanted to 
 this land, where the fruits of Protestantism, as an 
 element of civilization, cannot fail to be seen, yet it 
 retains its hold upon the masses of its victims. 
 Though these papists have the opportunity of seeing 
 what a free system of education, republican institu- 
 tions, and a pure faith can do for even the social 
 interests of a people ; though they have the oppor- 
 tunity of contrasting this land with their own, in 
 point of intelligence, wealth, comfort, and power, yet 
 they will cling to the system that has left its blight 
 upon their native soil, and been the chief cause of 
 their past sufferings. And not only so, but they will 
 violently oppose the Protestant system, the blessings 
 of which they have come hither to share. They 
 would, under the guidance of their teachers, tear 
 down the very fabric that affords them shelter. They 
 are taught by their priests to shun Protestantism as 
 they would a pestilence, and yet they come and ask 
 Protestantism to protect them against famine, pesti 
 
152 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 lence, and the various social evils that in their own 
 land could not be endured. A strange spectacle, a 
 marvellous wonder this; and yet it illustrates the 
 power of early instruction. It shows the influence 
 of principles when planted in the mind while that 
 mind is in its plastic state, though the principles are 
 erroneous, and are as hostile to one's temporal as to 
 his spiritual good. 
 
 Now let this force of early culture be rightly, 
 directed ; let parents bring their children to Jesus, to 
 receive his blessing and instructions, and a moral 
 power would be created that would be felt through- 
 out Christendom. A generation would be raised up 
 that would defend the principles of the gospel against 
 all opposition, break the power of the " man of sin," 
 dissipate the darkness of heathenism, and roll in 
 upon the nations the light of divine truth and the 
 blessing of a pure and holy religion. 
 
 The latter clause of the Saviour's declaration, is 
 also worthy of our attention. He desired the chil- 
 dren to be brought to him, because " of such is the 
 kingdom of heaven." Their presence reminded him 
 of his Father's house, — of the pure and bright spir- 
 its that surround the eternal throne. 
 
 Some have argued, that Christ in this language, 
 only designed to convey the idea that those who 
 were like infants in innocence, purity, and confidence, 
 would be admitted to the kingdom of heaven. 
 
 The ancient Jews entertained the opinion, that 
 only those infants that were circumcised were saved, 
 while the children of Ihe Gentiles perished. The 
 Papal church, up to the time of the Reformation, en- 
 
CHRIST BLESSING LITTLE CHILDREN. 153 
 
 tertained the belief that baptism was essential to the 
 salvation of infants. Ecclesiastics being themselves 
 excluded from domestic life, felt but little interest in 
 the welfare of children, and very readily adopted 
 and advocated this opinion. Being aware that it 
 would add greatly to the influence of their church, 
 and induce multitudes of parents to seek her com- 
 munion, that their children might be baptized, they 
 were ready to make it an article of faith. Nor has 
 there been any change among Romanists, on this 
 point, since the Reformation. Their bigotry, igno- 
 rance, and hostility towards all who differ from them, 
 lead them still to cling to it. The Puseyites also 
 agree with the Papist in this particular. " Without 
 baptism," say the Oxford tracts, " none can enter the 
 kingdom of heaven." That the rite of baptism is 
 an important and divine rite, — as the seal of God's 
 covenant with his church, — as a mark of his pecu- 
 liar favor towards the children of believers, and as a 
 form of parental dedication of infants to the service 
 of the Most High, we fully believe. But to make it 
 essential to salvation, or that, according to the book 
 of common prayer, it has in it a regenerating effi- 
 cacy, are opinions to which we cannot subscribe. 
 
 The Calvinists have often been charged with in- 
 volving this question in obscurity, and maintaining 
 the doctrine that only the baptized infants of believ- 
 ers were saved. But on examining the historical 
 argument, we find that they were the first to advance 
 liberal views upon the subject. Zuinglius first an- 
 nounced the doctrine that all infants are saved. He 
 argued that they were not guilty of actual transgres- 
 
154 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 sion, — that being ignorant of the divine law, and 
 without the capacity of understanding it, they were 
 not capable of violating it, and hence were not sub- 
 ject to the penalty. Baptism, he maintained, rather 
 recognized than conferred religious privileges, and 
 had no power to make the distinction in the other 
 world, for which many contended. Indeed, it is to 
 the zeal of this and other Calvinistic writers, that the 
 various evangelical denominations have been led to 
 adopt the opinion that all who die in infancy are 
 saved. While the Romanists, the Oxford divines, 
 and those who agree with them, cling to their big- 
 oted and cruel dogma, that the vast majority of 
 infants are lost, the enlightened, liberal, evangelical 
 portion of the church are united in the opinion that 
 of such, literally, is the kingdom of Heaven. 
 
 In the vision which the Apostle John had of the 
 heavenly w^orld, when he beheld around the throne a 
 great multitude which no man could number, we 
 have reason to believe, that the vast throng was 
 increased by millions of infant spirits, and that he 
 heard in the celestial choirs a chorus of infant 
 voices. When we call to mind how large a number 
 of those who die in middle life or at an advanced 
 age are unfit for the kingdom of heaven, when 
 we look over the world and survey the ravages of 
 sin, and observe in how many forms iniquity abounds, 
 and how many bright hopes are blasted, the sadness 
 of .the picture is alleviated by the thought, that a 
 multitude, which no man can number, have, in the 
 dawn of existence, escaped the sorrows and miseries 
 of life, and safely reached their homes in the skies. 
 
CHKIST BLESSING LITTLE CHILDREN. 155 
 
 And could we withdraw the veil, and be endowed 
 with the vision which was granted to the Apostle 
 John, we should see this happy company surrounded 
 by angels, — walking in the avenues of the celestial 
 paradise, — their powers developing and expanding 
 in the genial and holy atmosphere of heaven. We 
 should behold the blessed Saviour worshipped by a 
 vast throng, whose infant voices swell the anthems 
 of praise that ascribe to him glory, honor, immor- 
 tality, and power. 
 
XIII. 
 
 INTERVIEW WITH THE RICH YOUNG MAN. 
 
 "And when he was gone forth into the way, there came 
 one running, and kneeled to him, and asked hibi, good 
 master, what shall i do that i mat inherit eternal 
 LIFE?" — St. Mark x. 17. 
 
 It is interesting to observe with what facility 
 Christ adapts his teachings to all classes in society. 
 While his instructions contain fundamental prin- 
 ciples that are of universal application, he gives to 
 them, according to the occasion or circumstances 
 that call them forth, a personal bearing, which not 
 only adds to their force, but gives to his system of 
 truth a variety suited to every age and condition in 
 life. The rich and the poor, the prince and the beg- 
 gar, the learned and the ignorant, the aged and the 
 young, may alike study the records of his life and 
 instructions, and receive spiritual knowledge adapted 
 to their case. Truly may Christ be denominated 
 the Great Physician, who is not only familiar with 
 every moral disease, but who has a remedy for every 
 malady to which human nature is exposed. 
 
INTERVIEW WITH THE RICH YOUNG MAN. 157 
 
 In the case of the young ruler, who came to Christ 
 to know what he must do " to inherit eternal life," 
 there are several points of peculiar interest and of 
 practical importance. 
 
 In the first place he exhibited trails of character that 
 excited the interest and love of the Saviour. He had 
 evidently enjoyed the advantages of an early religious 
 culture, and was familiar with the principles and 
 requisitions of the Jewish faith. With those prin- 
 ciples he had endeavored to make his life correspond. 
 He was a man of integrity, honest in his dealings, 
 courteous in his deportment, and rigid in the perform- 
 ance of many religious duties. He possessed many 
 amiable qualities, was kind, affable, and lovely. 
 Though his character evidently partook of the self- 
 righteousness that prevailed so extensively among the 
 Pharisees at that period, yet we have no reason to 
 believe that there was any hypocrisy in his conduct. 
 Had there been, Jesus, who knew the hearts of all 
 men, would not have looked upon him with so much 
 complacency and affection. His frank bearing, his 
 respectful manner, the earnestness with which he 
 addressed the Saviour, won his confidence and love. 
 
 Nor did Christ underrate his morality and good 
 works. Indeed, his first reply to the question of the 
 young ruler was in these words, " If thou wilt enter 
 into life, keep the commandments." Although the 
 fuU meaning and spiritual import of these words 
 were not fully understood, yet as far as the young 
 man had gone, his course met with approbation. 
 Occupying a position of authority, and possessing 
 immense wealth, the temptations that surrounded 
 14 
 
158 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 him were peculiarly great. Affluence and power 
 often try men's souls, more than poverty and obscu- 
 rity. Yet in such circumstances, the young ruler 
 had maintained an upright character and an amiable 
 disposition. 
 
 Nor have we any warrant from the Scriptures to 
 undervalue good works, and traits of character such 
 as were manifested on this occasion. Although they 
 have not power to save the soul, and cannot take the 
 place of a vital faith, yet they are the essential ac- 
 companiments of genuine religion. They may exist 
 without vital godliness ; but vital godliness cannot 
 exist without them. It was never the design of the 
 Gospel to abrogate the law. Christ came to fulfil 
 the law ; to render it honorable ; to reinstate in the 
 human soul the authority of the commandments. 
 He said to his disciples, " If ye love me, keep my 
 commandments." In all his instructions, he never 
 lost sight of holy obedience as an essential element 
 of true piety. Formalism, or dependence upon an 
 outward profession, whether under the ancient dis- 
 pensation, or under the Gospel, were equally his ab- 
 horrence. 
 
 We sometimes meet with characters, professedly 
 Christian, that practically repudiate good works and 
 amiable qualities. So much zeal is manifested in 
 the defence of the faith once delivered to the saints, 
 that little remains to produce its fruits. While cer- 
 tain formulas of doctrine are insisted upon with 
 vehemence, and dung to with tenacity, the great 
 duties that one owes to society and to God are over- 
 looked. 
 
INTERVIEW WITH THE RICU YOUNG MAN. 159 
 
 Now it is evident from the life and instructions of 
 Christ, that he regarded the chief force of one's influ- 
 ence as lying in a holy character. He would have 
 sound doctrine established in the intellect, but he 
 would have it there that it might be developed in the 
 life, and create an example that would lead others to 
 glorify our Father who is in heaven. 
 
 The next point to be noticed is, the state of mind 
 with which this young ruler approached Christ. 
 
 It is evident that he was earnestly desirous of se- 
 curing the salvation of his soul. We are informed 
 that he came running to Jesus, as though he was not 
 willing that the opportunity afforded of having an 
 ititerview with him, should pass by unimproved. 
 He had listened to Christ's teachings, and perhaps 
 witnessed some of his miracles. His interest in the 
 Messiah may have been gradually awakened, and 
 his mind may have passed through various struggles 
 between the claims of this world, and the rewards 
 of eternity, before he brought himself to the point 
 of going directly to the Saviour. We can hardly 
 suppose, considering his circumstances and the posi- 
 tion that he occupied, and the feelings which the 
 Jews generally entertained towards the despised 
 Nazarene, that this step was taken suddenly, or 
 without long premeditation. If Nicodemus thought 
 it necessary to visit Christ by night, in order to avoid 
 the suspicion of being favorable to his cause, and if 
 the public sentiment was indicated by the inquiry, 
 " Have any of the rulers or Pharisees believed on 
 him ? " we must suppose that the boldness and ear- 
 nestness of this young ruler were prompted by strong 
 
160 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 feelings, and by ardent desires to obtain eternal life. 
 Besides, he approached Christ with the greatest rev- 
 erence and humility. He kneeled before him in the 
 presence of his disciples, and of the spectators who 
 stood around. Thus he publicly bore testimony to 
 the confidence that he placed in the Great Teacher, 
 and in the truth of his instructions. In addressing 
 him, he said, " Good Master, what good thing shall I 
 do that I may inherit eternal life ? " The Saviour 
 perceiving the precise state of the inquirer's mind, 
 and the meaning which he attached to the title 
 which he had addressed to him, instead of giving an 
 immediate answer, endeavored to direct his attention 
 to the source of infinite goodness, and persuade him 
 to free his mind from the spirit of self-righteousness 
 which he shared in common with the Jews at that 
 day. He wished to establish in the young ruler just 
 conceptions of the divine character, as the only true 
 basis upon which he could build his rehgious hopes. 
 If the idea was entertained that a created being or a 
 prophet had power to impart salvation, the Saviour 
 wished to expel such an idea from the mind. On 
 another occasion he would doubtless have admitted 
 this title that was addressed to him, but he had a 
 special reason for the comments that he made upon 
 it at this time. 
 
 In the convictions and feelings of this young ruler, 
 we recognize the moral state of a large number of 
 intelligent and upright persons in the nominally 
 Christian world. This class are intellectually con- 
 vinced of the truth of the Gospel dispensation. 
 They perceive the beauties and excellences of the 
 
INTERVIEW WITH THE RICH YOUNG MAN. 161 
 
 doctrines that Christ taught, — the necessity of a 
 divine revelation to instruct man in regard to his 
 duty and his destiny; and the need of heavenly 
 light to guide us in our journeyings towards eternity. 
 In their hours of meditation, or in the stillness of 
 night, when the very silence fills the mind with so- 
 lemnity, and the stars declare the perfections and 
 glory of God, an influence gathers around the heart 
 that urges them to go to the Saviour, and learn of him 
 what they shall do to inherit eternal life. On the 
 Sabbath, in the midst of sanctuary services, when 
 God's truth is before the conscience, and worldly in- 
 terests are low in the scale of one's estimation, there 
 are strong desires to be prepared for the hazards of 
 eternity. The reason and judgment, as well as the 
 feelings of the heart, are on the side of truth and 
 righteousness. 
 
 Indeed, that heart must be sadly destitute of sensi- 
 bility that cannot at times be moved by the exhibi- 
 tions of divine love, and the various means that God 
 is employing to bless and save the world. That mind 
 must be under a fearful paralysis that cannot at times, 
 in the midst of great mercies or terrible judgments, 
 send its thoughts forward to explore the future. The 
 great facts connected with our being, leaving out of 
 view a divine revelation, — the certainty of death, the 
 possibility of a future life, and that momentous con- 
 sequences may be connected with our conduct here, 
 — are enough to fill any heart with emotion, and 
 any mind with profound anxiety. 
 
 But we have reason to apprehend that the analogy 
 between this class of persons and the young rulei: 
 14* 
 
162 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 holds true in other points, beside the one we have 
 considered. 
 
 The inquner, having replied with great readiness 
 to the question put to him respecting the command- 
 ments, said, " What lack I yet ? " He felt probably 
 that his morality in the several particulars specified, 
 was sufficient to secure his salvation. But to put 
 the matter beyond all doubt, he proposed this ques- 
 tion, " What lack I yet ? " The Saviour, impressed 
 by his frankness and earnestness, gazed upon him 
 with emotions of tender compassion. Reading his 
 heart, and knowing just what barriers he must break 
 through in order to obtain light and hope, he said to 
 him, " One thing thou lackest." " K thou wilt be 
 perfect, go thy way, sell what thou hast, and give to 
 the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: 
 and come, take up the cross, and follow me." In 
 this language we see that Christ comes directly to 
 the point in the case. The proposition which he 
 makes is clear and searching. To some it may seem 
 harsh and unnecessarily severe. But it simply con- 
 tains, in an intense form, the great principle upon 
 which the gospel scheme had been from the com- 
 mencement promulgated, — the principle that the 
 law of benevolence must be the supreme law of the 
 soiil, — that love to God and to our neighbor must 
 be the highest affection of the regenerate heart. The 
 same truth is brought out in the declarations : " Ye 
 cannot serve God and mammon ; " "If any man will 
 come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his 
 cross." And if we will narrowly scrutinize the prin- 
 , ciple for a moment, we shall see, that instead of be- 
 
INTERVIEW WITH THE RICH YOUNG MAN. 163 
 
 ing severe or arbitrary, it is the only principle by 
 which the great purposes of redemption can be 
 secured. For no other would have force enough to 
 purge the soul of selfishness, and restore to the mind 
 the lost image of its Maker. No other would be ade- 
 quate to the work of breaking up the giant systems 
 of evil in the world, and reorganizing society upon 
 the broad basis of justice and right. No other would 
 be capable of uniting the soul to God in the bonds 
 of everlasting love. No other would afford any war- 
 rant that " the glorious gospel of the blessed God " 
 would survive the obstacles and difficulties that 
 would be encountered, and be carried forward to a 
 triumphant consummation. Suppose that Christ had 
 demanded but a partial surrendering of the affections 
 and services of his followers to himself; suppose that 
 he had made proclamation, that it was possible to 
 serve God and mammon, what efficacy would there 
 have been in his system ? Every heart that he 
 claimed would have been a divided empire, and his 
 cause would, at best, have had but a feeble support. 
 Besides, according to the laws of mind, there can be, 
 at the same time, but one supreme object of pur- 
 suit. The attention may be divided between differ- 
 ent objects, but one must rule the affections and 
 energies of the soul. When these objects come in 
 conflict, the less, in one's estimation, must yield to 
 the greater. If love to God is the supreme affection, 
 then every thing must bow to this. If avarice, or 
 ambition, or vice, is in the ascendency, then the sov- 
 ereignty of this principle is asserted over every other 
 interest. In some cases, the specific acts under dif- 
 
164 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 ferent supreme purposes may appear to draw very- 
 near to the line that divides the territory of benevo- 
 lence from that of selfishness ; as, for example, a 
 man's morality may be so rigid and his virtues so 
 praiseworthy, as to almost seem to touch the line 
 that defines the boundary of religious principle. But, 
 after all, it is the nature of a man's ruling purpose 
 that decides his character; and the Saviom- saw, that 
 while the young ruler had many amiable qualities 
 and many virtues, and was indeed lovely, that still 
 the principle of avarice was upon the throne of his 
 heart. He sought, therefore, at once to dethrone 
 that principle. The honor of God, the success of his 
 cause, and the highest welfare of the young ruler, 
 demanded it. Its destruction was absolutely essen- 
 tial to a thorough work of grace in his soul. With 
 the benevolent principle in the ascendency, the work 
 of sanctification could advance ; the Holy Spirit 
 could take up his abode in the soul, and render it a 
 temple of the living God. Every Christian grace 
 would flourish, and the fruits of the Spkit would be 
 experienced — love, peace, and joy. The full force of 
 the man's energies and life would be given to the 
 cause of truth, and to the sublime work of the world's 
 redemption. Had the proposition been acceded to, 
 the name of that young ruler might have come down 
 to us surrounded by holy influences, and carrying 
 with it a sacred power into the circles of wealth, 
 refinement, and authority. It might have ranked 
 with the names of St. Paul and St. John, and have 
 grown with the growth, and extended with the exten- 
 sion of Christianity. 
 
INTERVIEW AVITII TUE RICH YOUNG MAN. 165 
 
 Besides, infinite blessings were offered as a reward 
 for the sacrifice. " Thou shalt have treasure in 
 heaven," said the Saviour. The joys and glories of an 
 immortal state would be his portion. He would be 
 admitted to a participation in honors and pleasures 
 that eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor even the 
 heart of man conceived. 
 
 But how was the rich young man affected by the 
 proposition ? Alas, with mingled astonishment and 
 sadness he listened to these words from the lips of 
 the Great Teacher. Troubled in spirit, anxious to 
 obtain eternal life, and yet unwilling to give up his 
 great possessions, he turned his back upon the Sav- 
 iour and went away. Nor do we learn that he ever 
 returned again. Blinded by the glitter of worldly 
 riches, and fascinated by the transient pleasures 
 which they procured for him, he preferred them to 
 immortal treasures. Though he had been admitted 
 to an interview with the King of Idngs, and Lord of 
 lords ; though he had the pledge of eternal life from 
 him whose name is called " Wonderful, Counsellor, 
 the Mighty God, the Prince of Peace ; " though he 
 might have united his interests to him who was to 
 be exalted far above all principalities and powers^ 
 yet with a sorrowing heart he returned to the beg- 
 garly elements of this world. After having stood, as 
 it were, in the gateway of the everlasting city, he 
 turned his back upon its palaces and temples, and 
 voluntarily clung to treasures that at best could 
 afford him but a superficial and temporary happi- 
 ness. 
 
 In his dying moments with what emotions must 
 
166 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 the decision of this hour have been regarded ! How 
 rapid the change in the comparative value of earthly 
 and heavenly treasures ! How the world sinks, 
 viewed from the verge of the future life! How 
 eternity rises I "We cannot but suppose that in that 
 solemn hour, this proposition must have stood out 
 with fearful prominence before his mind. His great 
 possessions he must now leave, whether he will or 
 not. Had he consecrated them upon the altar of 
 benevolence, he might, as it were, carry them with 
 him, and been received by the supreme King with 
 the welcome, " Well done, good and faithful servant, 
 enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." But that 
 wealth to him now is a mere wreck. It cannot keep 
 him from sinking in the dark waters of death. It 
 cannot comfort him. He may leave it in legacies to 
 the destitute, but that wUl be but a poor substitute 
 for a life of earnest benevolence and devoted piety. 
 I apprehend that the Supreme Being does not look 
 with any special complacency upon that charity that 
 only comes from a man with his dying breath. Cer- 
 tainly the element of self-denial does not enter into 
 it. Benevolent societies may sometimes be the 
 gainers, but what Christ demands is the services and 
 charities of living, and not dying men. Besides, one 
 great purpose of charity is, that the donor may him- 
 self be blessed. "While the earth is the Lord's and 
 the fulness thereof, the Deity cannot be dependent 
 upon the legacies or gifts of any of his creatures. 
 
 Let us turn to notice the comments which Christ 
 made upon this scene, to the spectators who witnessed 
 it. He availed himself of the occasion to show how 
 
INTERVIEW WITH THE RICH YOUNG MAN. 167 
 
 hard it is for them that trust in riches to enter into 
 the kingdom of God. In explaining his words to his 
 disciples, he assures them that what is impossible with 
 men is possible with God ; that divine grace is suffi- 
 cient to overcome the power of avarice. Yet he 
 would impress them with the great danger of the 
 soul's being ensnared and destroyed by the riches of 
 this world. The instance which had just passed be- 
 fore them was a melancholy illusti'ation of the power 
 of avarice in holding a mind in its grasp that was 
 enlightened in regard to its duty, and convinced of 
 the necessity of making vigorous efforts to secure 
 eternal life. Nor is the danger from this source con- 
 fined to those, who, like this rich young man, have 
 great possessions. Judas, without wealth, fell before 
 the power of the same principle. The poor man, as 
 well as the rich man, may be under the dominion of 
 covetousness. The principle is the same, whether 
 the field for its operation is large or small. And 
 here, mainly, is the battle ground upon which the 
 spirifaial interests of the soul are decided. The 
 great struggle in Christendom, and wherever the 
 light of divine truth has excited inquury and reflec- 
 tion, is between God on the one hand, and mammon 
 on the other. Mammon, or wealth, standing as the 
 representative of worldly good, presses its claims, 
 while God, the representative and source of infinite 
 blessings, urges his demands upon our supreme 
 affections. The former appeals to the outward 
 senses, the latter to the spiritual nature. The former 
 deals with the inclinations and carnal desires, the 
 latter with conscience and duty. The former covers 
 
168 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 only the interests of time, the latter spreads over 
 eternity. The former is limited and transient, the 
 latter infinite and imperishable. 
 
 Upon this battle ground we all stand. In every 
 heart one of these principles is supreme. There is 
 no neutrality here. The nature of mind, the nature 
 of Christianity, the nature of God forbid it. He 
 who is not for me, said Christ, is against me. 
 
 The highest form of the principle of benevolence 
 is presented to us in the life of the Great Teacher 
 himself. He not only for our sakes became poor, 
 but he gave all that one being could give for the 
 benefit of others, gave his life, submitted to a most 
 cruel and ignominious death. Hence Christianity is 
 the very essence of benevolence, and in this lies its 
 force. This constitutes it the reformatory power of 
 the world. 
 
 Christ dwells also upon the abundant and glorious 
 rewards that accrue to those who give up all to his 
 cause. In reply to a question put to him by Peter, 
 he said, " Every one that hath forsaken houses, or 
 brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother .... for my 
 name's sake, shall receive an hundred-fold, and shall 
 inherit everlasting life." That this cause should be 
 attended with glorious results in the future life, is 
 what we might naturally expect; but that it will 
 yield an hundred-fold more happiness in this life than 
 the opposite course, is, to many, a very strange doc- 
 trine. Yet we have the authority of Christ for its 
 truth. The approbation of conscience ; the knowl- 
 edge that we are in the path of duty, and are living 
 for the purest and highest purposes ; the divine com- 
 
INTERVIEAV WITH THE RICU YOUNG MAN. 16& 
 
 munications imparted to the soul ; the peace of God 
 that passeth all understanding ; the clear and bright 
 visions of future felicity, will afford an hundred fold 
 more happiness than the wealtli and honors of this 
 world. The apostles experienced the truth of this 
 even in the midst of persecution. St. Paul speaks 
 of himself as sorrowfuJ, yet always rejoicing; as 
 poor, yet making many rich ; as having nothing, and 
 yet possessing all things. 
 
 15 
 
XIY. 
 
 THE RAISING OF LAZARUS. 
 
 " He cried with a loud voice, lazarus, come forth, and 
 
 HE THAT WAS DEAD CAME FORTH." St. John xi. 43, 44. 
 
 In the miracle of the resurrection of Lazarus, all 
 are personally interested. If its truth can be sub- 
 stantiated, — if the evidences upon which it rests are 
 such as cannot be overthrown, then it furnishes a 
 most important ground of hope and of faith. For 
 the question of questions to every thoughtful mind 
 is, " If a man die, shall he live again ? " When the 
 breath leaves the body, and all this complicated and 
 nicely adjusted machinery ceases to act, and the 
 form lies cold, silent, and unconscious, the inquiry 
 will force itself upon us, is this the end of man's ex- 
 istence ? Is the principle of vitality never to reani- 
 mate this form, but eternal darkness and solitude to 
 be its portion? Nor does the frequency of death 
 lessen the anxiety to fathom its mysteries, or detract 
 from the profound solemnity of the event. Though 
 the countless millions of past generations have been 
 
THE RAISING OF LAZARUS. 171 
 
 swept from the stage of life ; though every hour of 
 these revolving days and years, the king of terrors 
 numbers his victims, yet death to each individual is 
 as solemn and mysterious an event, as if he alone 
 was subject to its power. The thought of leaving the 
 world never to return, — of closing our eyes upon the 
 sunlight, upon the beauties of the earth's scenery, and 
 lying down' in the darlcness and silence of the tomb, — 
 the sad consciousness of parting with kind friends, 
 and all that has rendered life dear and attractive, — 
 the fact that the untried scenes of eternity are so 
 near, are calculated to excite the deepest emotions 
 of the soul. As the shadows of death fall upon the 
 spirit, the dying man strains his vision to discern 
 some rays of light in the regions beyond the dark 
 valley. He involuntarily pleads for some assurance 
 that death is not an eternal sleep, that this sinking 
 away of consciousness is not final and irrecoverable. 
 In the midst of his gloom and perplexities, Christ 
 appears before him with the evidences that he has 
 power over the grave, that he is mightier than death, 
 that he can dissipate its sadness, solve its dark mys- 
 teries, and make the scenes beyond brighter and 
 more glorious than any that have been witnessed on 
 earth. He can point to the raising of Lazarus, as 
 proof that he has power to summon the millions 
 from their graves, and reanimate the mouldering 
 forms that lie scattered over the islands and conti- 
 nents of the earth, and are buried in the caverns of 
 'the deep. 
 
 This miracle, having so intimate a bearing upon 
 our personal hopes, is worthy of examination in its 
 
l72 life scenes of the Messiah. 
 
 \ranous details and connecting circumstances. Our 
 blessed Lord, while prosecuting his labors in Judea, 
 formed a warm attachment for a family, consisting 
 )f a brother and two sisters, residing in Bethany, a 
 /illage situated at the foot of the Mount of Olives, 
 about two miles from Jerusalem. He had often ex- 
 perienced their hospitality and shared in their kind 
 Attentions. In the midst of his trials and hardships, 
 it was truly refreshing to his spirit to commune with 
 this pious family, receive their affectionate sympathy, 
 and witness the evidences of their faith and love. 
 On their part, they esteemed it the greatest privilege 
 and honor to entertain the Saviour, and to contribute 
 in any way to his comfort. They believed in him as 
 the long promised Messiah, as the Teacher sent from 
 God, as the Son of the Most High. They natm-ally 
 took the most intense delight in his society, and in 
 listening to the words of heavenly wisdom and love 
 which fell from his lips. 
 
 We deem it, under any circumstances, a source of 
 pleasure and profit to converse with the wise and 
 good ; to obtain through animated and friendly 
 conversation the benefit of their varied and critical 
 studies, their profound meditations, and their experi- 
 ence in years of virtuous and benevolent action. But 
 how far transcending the advantages of all human 
 intercourse, was the privilege of sitting down in the 
 quietness and security of a Christian family, and con- 
 versing with him who possessed infinite knowledge ; 
 in whom dwelt all the riches of heavenly wisdom, 
 whose love for the human race was like a fathomless, 
 shoreless ocean. We may, in imagination, picture 
 
THE RAISING OF LAZARUS. 173 
 
 before our minds this interesting group, with Laza- 
 rus, Mary, and Martha, proposing questions to their 
 illustrious guest touching the interests of the soul and 
 the realities of the immortal state. As he discourses 
 upon the great doctrines of his system of truth, — as 
 he presents clearly to their minds his own nature and 
 character, — the sublimity and glory of the work 
 which he had come to achieve ; — especially as he 
 described to them the blessedness, holiness, and felic- 
 ity of heaven, their attention is naturally riveted to 
 his words, and their souls filled with the most intense 
 excitement and enrapturing emotions. K Christ was 
 so ready, in his journeyings through Judea, to in- 
 struct the ignorant and to reason with even the scep- 
 tical and those who were opposed to him, we must 
 suppose that in a pious family like this, where he 
 found an anxiety to receive instruction, that there 
 was a richness, fervor, eloquence, and celestial glow 
 to his teachings that far surpass our most vivid con- 
 ceptions. We must suppose that every new inter- 
 view that this favored family had with their guest, 
 increased their delight in his instructions, their enthu- 
 siastic admiration for his character, and their affection 
 for him as a warm personal friend. 
 
 Any of us would regard it as an inestimable privi- 
 lege thus to sit down and listen to the instructions 
 of him who was the very embodiment of aU truth, 
 knowledge, wisdom, and love! To hear him dis- 
 course of life and immortality, — to receive from him 
 clear and absolute knowledge upon points that have 
 perplexed and saddened us, — to have him clear 
 away the mists of error and the doubts that have 
 15* 
 
174 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 overshadowed our faith, and enable us to look be- 
 yond the valley of death, and discern the beauties 
 and glories of the heavenly state, would indeed be 
 the highest felicity ! One hour of such conversation 
 with the Lord of glory would afford more distinct 
 and impressive views of theological truth, and more 
 stimulus to press forward for the immortal prizes that 
 are held out to the Christian, than all the writings of 
 philosophers and the treasures of human learning. 
 
 We cannot wonder that between this family and 
 the blessed Messiah a close and aiffectionate intimacy 
 was formed. But like all other Christians during 
 their earthly pilgrimage, the happiness of this family 
 was subject to the vicissitudes and son-ows of life. 
 While Jesus was in Perea, about a day's journey 
 from Bethany, Lazarus was taken sick, and a mes- 
 senger was sent to acquaint the Saviour of the fact. 
 Several motives may have influenced the sisters in 
 doing this. They may have supposed that Christ 
 would naturally desire to see his friend, who had 
 thus been suddenly prostrated by a severe attack of 
 sickness. Or if Lazarus was about to die, they 
 would wish to have Christ near to administer to him 
 the consolations of religion, and quicken his hopes 
 of future and immortal happiness. Or, such was 
 their confidence in the power of the Saviour, they 
 supposed that if he were present, he would heal their 
 brother ; for Martha said to him when they met, " if 
 thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." 
 But Christ, to comfort the sisters, sent back this 
 reply, although its import was not at that time obvi- 
 ous. " This sickness is not unto death, but for the 
 
THE RAISING OF LAZARUS. 
 
 175 
 
 glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified 
 thereby." When these words reached them, they 
 were doubtless greatly soothed ; although the word 
 death is equivalent to the phrase "remaining under 
 death," and does not necessarily imply that Lazarus 
 should not die. But their comfort is of short dura- 
 tion, for on the very evening probably that the mes- 
 sengers returned, Lazarus died. 
 
 Here was, indeed, a most severe trial to the faith 
 of the pious sisters. In the midst of their deep sor- 
 rows they had sent for their spiritual guide and 
 insti-uctor, and he had not come to them. Although 
 they had sent the tender message, " Behold, he whom 
 thou lovest is sick," yet the affection which he had 
 manifested towards their brother, had not drawn him 
 to the scene. The promise, too, that he made, seemed 
 to be broken ; and thus in the very hour when they 
 most needed sympathy, they were deprived of it. 
 What conflicting feelings must have agitated their 
 minds as they thought of the words of Christ, and 
 then looked upon the cold, lifeless form of then: de- 
 parted brother! How many inquiries and tempta- 
 tions must have been presented by the scene through 
 which they were passing I Is it possible, they ask, 
 that we have been deceived by him whom we have 
 entertained with so much pleasure, and listened to 
 with such admiration ? Or does he lack the power 
 of arresting the progress of disease and saving human 
 life ? Or has he become so much interested in others 
 as to have lost his friendship for us ? Their perplex- 
 ity and sorrow were, as we may well imagine, most 
 intense. 
 
176 LIFE SCENES OF THE JIESSIAH. 
 
 The body is prepared for burial ; the hour for the 
 last solemn rites is appointed; the mourners assem- 
 ble ; the procession, with all the marks of profound 
 sorrow, moves towards the tomb ; the corpse is laid 
 away in its cold, silent resting-place; the sisters 
 return to their desolate home, and yet through all, 
 no Messiah appears to comfort them. 
 
 How frequently have Christians in affliction been 
 placed in circumstances similar to these, when a dark 
 and impenetrable cloud hung over all their earthly 
 prospects ; when their supports one after another 
 give way, and their faith in any good is put to the 
 severest test I 
 
 But, from the narrative of St. John, it appears, 
 that Christ was by no means indifferent to the sor- 
 rows of his bereaved friends, nor ignorant of what 
 was transpiriflg in Bethany. After two days had 
 elapsed from the time he heard of Lazarus' sickness, 
 he proposed to return to Judea. But his disciples, 
 astonished and alarmed at the proposition, said to 
 him : " Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee, 
 and goest thou thither again ? " They were fearful 
 that some calamity might befall him, and they 
 thought that the least they could do was to keep out 
 of the way of danger. Christ, in replying to them, 
 labored to strengthen their courage, and to show that 
 if they walked in the light and strove to fulfil their 
 duty, they had nothing to fear. He then tells them 
 why he desires to go : " Our friend Lazarus sleepeth ; 
 but I go that I may wake him out of sleep." The 
 disciples not understanding his meaning, said : " If 
 he sleep, he shall do well," assigning this as an addi- 
 
THE RAISING OF LAZARUS. 177 
 
 tional reason why their Master should not expose 
 himself to such imminent danger. Then Jesus said 
 plainly, " Lazarus is dead, and I am glad for your 
 sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may be- 
 lieve ; nevertheless, let us go unto him." He would 
 gladly, for the sake of the afflicted family, have been 
 with them, and saved them from the severe anguish 
 which they had been called to suffer. But as far as 
 the disciples were concerned, he was glad of the 
 opportunity of increasing their faith by a display of 
 his miraculous power, such as they had not before 
 witnessed. And although he would run great hazard 
 in retiu-ning to a region where the people were so 
 excited and enraged against him, yet his purpose is 
 formed to go to Bethany. His affection for the pious 
 family that had so hospitably entertained him, his 
 desire to increase the faith and stimulate the zeal of 
 his beloved disciples, and his anxiety to furnish a 
 proof of the doctrine of the resurrection that would 
 impress his followers in all nations and ages of the 
 world, were sufficient motives to induce him to 
 encounter whatever obstacles might impede his pro- 
 gi-ess. It is most interesting thus to see the love and 
 energy of the Saviour raising his spirit above the 
 influence of adverse circumstances, fortifying him for 
 every emergency, and prompting him to press for- 
 ward for the accomplishment of his great and sub- 
 lime work. When his purpose was fully known, 
 Thomas said to his fellow disciples : " Let us also go, 
 that we may die with him." " Let us share his trials 
 and dangers, and, if necessary, sacrifice our lives in 
 his cause. For it is better to die with such a Master 
 
178 . LIFE SCENES OP THE MESSIAH. 
 
 than to live without the consolations and spiritual 
 benefits which he alone can impart." 
 
 The tidings of Christ's approach to Bethany- 
 reached Martha first, and she went forth to meet 
 him, while Mary remained in the house overwhelmed 
 with grief. At the sight of her Saviour, Martha's 
 affection and confidence returned. She said to him, 
 " Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not 
 died. But I know that even now, whatsoever thou 
 wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. Jesus saith 
 unto her. Thy brother shall rise again. Martha said 
 to him, I know that he shall rise again in the resur- 
 rection at the last day." The words that follow from 
 the lips of the Saviour, are among the most precious, 
 sublime, and tlirilling that are to be found in the 
 sacred volume. They should be engraved as with a 
 pen of iron, and the point of a diamond, upon every 
 pious heart. They should be inscribed in golden 
 letters upon every Christian temple. They should 
 be meditated upon at all times, and under all cir- 
 cumstances, in the house and by the way, when we 
 go out and when we come in. They should increase 
 our faith, stimulate om- hopes, and fire our zeal. They 
 should be recited for the consolation of the afflicted, 
 to enable such to reflect with composure upon the 
 departure of beloved friends, and cherish the hope of a 
 reunion in a purer and brighter state of being. They 
 should be uttered in the hearing of the dying saint, 
 that as dark shadows are falling upon his earthly 
 prospects, he may be cheered by the dawning bright- 
 ness of an eternal day. Listen, then, to them, and 
 fathom if you can their sublime and glorious import. 
 
THE RAISING OF LAZARUS. 179 
 
 " Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection and the 
 life ; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, 
 yet shall he live ; and whosoever liveth and believeth 
 in me shall never die ! " And the inquiry following, 
 which Christ put to Martha, he would with empha- 
 sis address to every thinking, immortal being, Be- 
 lievest thou this? The great question to us all, — 
 one that involves the highest, mightiest interests of 
 the soul ! 
 
 After this conversation, in which thus incidentally 
 was brought out this great truth, Martha hastened 
 to Mary, and secretly said to her, " The master is 
 come, and calleth for thee." She quickly arose and 
 went to him ; and her Jewish friends who had called 
 to comfort her, followed her out of the house, sup- 
 posing that she was going to the grave to weep 
 there. When she came to the place where Jesus 
 was, she was overwhelmed with the deepest emo- 
 tion ; and, falling down at his feet, she said, " if thou 
 hadst been here my brother had not died." The 
 Saviour observing her and her friends in tears, was 
 moved by the scene, and the Evangelist informs us 
 that " Jesus wept." In this short verse, the shortest 
 in the Bible, there is condensed a fulness and rich- 
 ness of meaning that carries comfort and sympathy 
 to every afflicted soul. Although the Saviour knew 
 that he was soon to turn this sorrow into joy ; al- 
 though he was conscious of possessing a power 
 mightier than death, yet such was the tenderness of 
 his nature, and the strength of his affections and 
 sympathies, that he could not refrain from giving 
 vent to his feelings. And his example on this occa- 
 
180 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 sion, affords us a warrant to mourn over the loss of 
 dear friends, and to weep at the graves of those we 
 love. It was never the design of the gospel to 
 blunt the sensibilities of the soul, or to suppress the 
 natural feelings of the heart in seasons of bereave- 
 ment. It comes rather to regulate and soothe these 
 feelings, to lead the sorrowful to the divine fountain 
 of sympathy and consolation. It comes to relieve 
 the darkness of the grave with the soft light of a 
 celestial and immortal state. It comes not to de- 
 stroy affliction, but to cause it to work out for the 
 Christian a far more exceeding and eternal weight 
 of glory. 
 
 The company having arrived at the tomb, Jesus 
 ordered the stone to be removed from the entrance. 
 A distinguished divine remarks, that " Our Lord 
 could with perfect ease have commanded the stone 
 to roll away of itself, without employing any to re- 
 move it ; but he judiciously avoided all unnecessary 
 pomp and parade, and mingled all the majesty of 
 this astonishing miracle with the most amiable mod- 
 esty and simplicity." The stone having been re- 
 moved, and a prayer of thanksgiving offered to 
 heaven, Jesus "cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, 
 come forth. And he that was dead came forth, 
 bound hand and foot with grave-clothes; and his 
 face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith 
 unto them. Loose him and let him go." With the 
 particulars respecting the mode of preparing the 
 dead for burial at that time, and the manner in 
 which Lazarus raised himself up in the sepulchre, 
 we need not concern ourselves ; as they are fully ex- 
 
THE RAISING OP LAZARUS. 181 
 
 plained in the writings of commentators and theolo- 
 gians. It is in the great fact of the resurrection of 
 Lazarus that we are interested ; and after a careful 
 examination of the evidences connected with the 
 miracle, we are firee to affirm, that all the circum- 
 stances conspire to substantiate its credibility. The 
 fact that the deceased had been dead four days, so 
 that Martha feared that the decay of the body might 
 have already commenced, when it was proposed to 
 roU away the stone from the sepulchre ; the absence 
 of Christ at the time of the death and burial ; the 
 large number of persons who witnessed the miracle 
 the impossibility of deceit or jugglery having been 
 practised under such circumstances ; the express dec- 
 laration of Christ to his disciples, that Lazarus was 
 dead ; and other facts, prove that the credibility of 
 tliis event is placed beyond all reasonable, dispute. 
 We are warranted in recognizing in it the assurance, 
 that the same being who wrought this miracle, has 
 power to call the slumbering millions of our race 
 from their graves. Lazarus appears and walks forth 
 as a proof that the king of terrors may be conquered, 
 and that those who sincerely believe in Jesus will 
 hear his voice and come forth to share in the bless- 
 ings of eternal life. 
 
 16 
 
XV. 
 
 THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY. 
 
 " On the next day, much people that were come to the 
 feast, when they heard that jesus was coming to jeku- 
 8alem, took branches of palm trees and went forth to 
 meet him, and cried, hosanna j blessed is the king of 
 
 israel, that cometh in the name op the lord." st. 
 
 John xii. 12, 13. 
 
 Although the fame of Christ, and especially the 
 raising of Lazarus, awakened the jealousy and rage 
 of the Pharisees, yet among the masses of the people 
 they excited the most intense enthusiasm. The thou- 
 sands of people who were flocking to Jerusalem to 
 celebrate the passover, found that the wonderful mir- 
 acles which Christ had wrought were everywhere the 
 topic of conversation. In the houses and streets of 
 the city; amid the throngs that stood about the 
 temple ; at the gates, and in the neighboring villages, 
 it was evident that a profound sensation had been 
 produced. Multitudes rushed to Bethany to learn 
 the particulars respecting the raising of Lazarus, and 
 to confirm with their own eyes the reports which they 
 
THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY. 183 
 
 had heard. Some were actuated by curiosity to 
 behold a man who, after having been dead and in 
 the grave four days, was now living and mingling 
 as usual with his family and friends. Others were 
 desirous of beholding the remarkable person about 
 whom they had heard so much, and who possessed 
 the extraordinary power of calling the dead to life. 
 
 Under such circumstances, it was natural that the 
 friends of Christ should desire to make some public 
 demonstration of then* respect and reverence for so 
 illustrious a personage. Nor was the Messiah him- 
 self unwilhng to yield on this occasion to the enthu- 
 siasm of the people. He felt that the time had come 
 for making a public acknowledgment of his claims 
 as the king of the Jews, — as the founder of a new 
 and spiritual empire, — even the kingdom of God in 
 the earth. He knew, indeed, that the triumph would 
 be short, that the songs and shouts of the people 
 would soon be silenced, and that some who were the 
 most forward in celebrating his praises, might soon 
 raise the cry, " crucify him." While in the select 
 circle of his bosom friends and disciples, his charac- 
 ter and mission were to a great extent understood, 
 yet the great multitude of the people were ignorant 
 of the extent of his claims, and the nature of his 
 kingdom. In order, therefore, to enlighten their 
 minds, and to silence all objections that might in the 
 future be made against him for not having come out 
 openly, and with sufficient distinctness to impress 
 the popular mind, he consented to make a triumphal 
 entry into Jerusalem. We can readily see that it 
 was a question of vast importance to decide, to what 
 
184 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 extent Christ should make a demonstration of his 
 miraculous power, unfold his system of truth, and 
 reveal Ms purposes and claims. He had so many 
 elements and phases of human depravity to deal 
 with, such a variety of opinions and doubts to en- 
 counter, and so delicate a task to remove an ancient 
 dispensation that was a divine institution, but had 
 expended its force ; that it was a very nice point to 
 decide what course to pursue to meet the emergen- 
 cies which daily arose. If he, on all occasions, came 
 out with the utmost plainness and fearlessness, the 
 prejudices of the people might be too strongly ex- 
 cited against him, and his life might be destroyed 
 before the great work of unfolding his system and 
 furnishing the best evidences of its truth, was accom- 
 plished. K, on the other hand, he was too obscure 
 in his utterances, and retired in his habits, he might 
 fail to reach the multitude, and gain them over to his 
 cause. Hence, the greatest wisdom was necessary 
 in all his movements and teachings, that he might 
 accomplish his purposes, and at the same time adapt 
 himself to the curcumstances and wants of the peo- 
 ple. And we find that this wisdom was displayed 
 on aU occasions, though it was not always attended 
 with success, as Christ once told the people, after an 
 attempt to instruct them, " But whereunto shall I 
 liken this generation ? It is like unto children, sitting 
 in the markets and calling unto their fellows and 
 saying. We have piped unto you, and ye have not 
 danced ; we have mourned unto you, and ye have 
 not lamented. For John came neither eating nor 
 drinking, and they say. He hath a devil. The Son of 
 
THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY. 185 
 
 man came eating and drinking, and they say. Behold, 
 a man gluttonous and a wine-bibber, a friend of pub- 
 licans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her 
 children." All the wise and truly good will see the 
 design of this variety, and its adaptation to promote 
 the glory of God and the salvation of men. 
 
 On many occasions, when the people had become 
 greatly excited, Christ retired from them, and left 
 them to return to their homes to meditate upon the 
 scenes that they had witnessed, and the truths they 
 had heard. But on his departure from Bethany to 
 go to Jerusalem at this time, he allowed his disciples 
 and the host that had gathered in the village to ac- 
 company him. On their way, an ass's colt was pro- 
 vided upon which Jesus rode, thus rendering his per- 
 son more conspicuous to the people, and fulfilling the 
 prophecy of Zechariah, " Fear not, daughter of Zion : 
 behold, thy king cometh sitting on an ass's colt." 
 We need not suppose that among the oriental na- 
 tions any idea of degradation or humiliation was 
 attached to a person's riding upon such animals, 
 they being larger and more beautiful than those that 
 are with us. In distinction from horses that were 
 used in war and in military celebrations, this animal, 
 selected by Christ, was the emblem of peace, and 
 was used by kings and princes upon great occasions. 
 The patriarchs and judges did not deem it disgrace- 
 ful to ride upon them, as is seen in the cases of 
 Abraham, Moses, and the Jair's family, recorded m 
 the ancient Scriptures. 
 
 The people, to show their reverence, threw their 
 loose mantles upon the colt upon which Jesus sat ; 
 16* 
 
186 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 and as he rode along he was escorted with the hon- 
 ors of royalty, and demonstrations of the most en- 
 thusiastic admiration. Multitudes spread their gar- 
 ments along the road, thus making a continuous 
 carpet for the illustrious prince to ride upon. Others 
 cut branches from the trees, and gathered flowers 
 and strewed them in the way ; which was the mode 
 of expressing the public joy at the arrival of a dis- 
 tinguished king. 
 
 The motives that actuated many in the crowd, 
 may have been of a mixed, and of a secular charac- 
 ter. Some may have joined the company simply 
 from love of excitement. Others may have supposed 
 that the reign of Christ as a temporal prince, would 
 now commence, and that on reaching Jerusalem he 
 would proclaim and vindicate his title to the throne 
 of Israel. They expected that he would pronounce, 
 perhaps under the shadow of the temple, an inau- 
 gural address, such as never fell upon mortal ears ; 
 and that he would make a demonstration of his 
 divine power, that would convince all the inhabitants 
 of the city, and the vast throngs of strangers that 
 were gathered within its walls, that he was their 
 rightful sovereign. But, erroneous as may have been 
 the views of some, there were many who were 
 influenced by pure and even spiritual motives, — 
 many who believed that the long promised Messiah 
 had come. They recognized in the person of Jesus, 
 him of whom prophets had spoken, of whom the 
 Psalmist David had sung, and for whose reception 
 the nations had been, for thousands of years, in a 
 course of preparation. Their hearts were filled with 
 
THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY. 187 
 
 gratitude, that such a teacher and prince from the 
 royal courts above had condescended to visit the 
 earth, mingle with sinful men, and open before them 
 life and immortality. Their spirits were fired with 
 zeal to bestow the highest honors upon their great 
 Master. They desired that all the world might 
 share in the blessings he had to bestow, — that his 
 spiritual sovereignty might be established, and his 
 reign become universal. Nor can this spectacle be 
 otherwise than refreshing to every true disciple of 
 Jesus. It is certainly an immense relief to turn from 
 the scenes of toil, sorrow, and anguish, through 
 which we are so often called to follow the Messiah, 
 and behold him receiving the honors due to his 
 heavenly character and exalted station. We rejoice 
 to see even for a short season, the dark clouds that 
 have so long surrounded his pathway breaking away, 
 and the light flashing in upon him. We rejoice that 
 he can for once, at least, hear praises instead of 
 threats, and be follow~ed by a band who seek to 
 honor and not to destroy him. The shout of that 
 multitude falls as music upon our ears. Their out- 
 burst of admiration comes to us as an indication 
 that the cause of this illustrious, wonderful being, is 
 not hopeless, and that the sensibilities of mankind 
 are not entirely deadened. 
 
 When the procession reached the descent of the 
 Mount of Olives, they were met by a crowd of peo 
 pie, who having come up to celebrate the feast from 
 Galilee and the neighboring countries, had been in- 
 formed that the Messiah was approaching the city. 
 Without waiting for him to come within the gates, 
 
188 LIFE SCENES OP THE MESSIAH. 
 
 they rashed forth to gain a sight of him, and to join 
 in the demonstration of respect and honor which 
 was being made. After a momentary pause, occa- 
 sioned by the meeting of two such tides of living 
 beings, and the inquiries that were made by thr 
 strangers respecting the truth of reports concerning 
 the resurrection of Lazarus, the multitude moved on 
 again with increased enthusiasm and augmented 
 strength. They now took branches of palm trees, 
 which were usually carried before heroes in a public 
 triumph, and bore them high in the air in honor of 
 the Prince of Peace. While the shouts of many in 
 the far distance were rending the air, from the lips 
 of others was heard that beautiful and noble an- 
 them, taken from the Psalms of David, " Hosanna ! 
 Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the 
 name of the Lord." Never before did the surround- 
 ing mountains and the walls and towers of the city 
 echo such a song! Never did the earth witness a 
 triumph so full of intense meaning and glorious re- 
 sults ! For the hero comes not from the smoke of 
 battle, and fields of slaughter. No piles of the 
 slain, — no smouldering cities, — no crippled em- 
 pires, — no chained captives form the background 
 of this scene. The conqueror comes from the arena 
 of moral victories. He has grappled with tempta- 
 tion, — with the various forms of human wicked- 
 ness, — with principalities and powers, and the rulers 
 of the darkness of this world. He has maintained 
 his integrity in the midst of a perverse and corrupt 
 generation. He has overcome malice by kindness, 
 hatred by love, nursing by blessing. He has estab= 
 
THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY. 189 
 
 lished a spiritual kingdom that is antagonistic to 
 every species of wickedness, that protests against all 
 wrong and injustice, that is destined to rescue man 
 from the ruins of the fall, reestablish the authority 
 of the divine government, and guide the nations to 
 happiness and glory. 
 
 As the living stream poured along and drew near 
 the gates of the city, the whole multitude of the dis- 
 ciples who had, in times past, felt restrained, by fear 
 of the Jews, from expressing publicly then- admira- 
 tion for the Messiah, now believed that the long 
 desired moment had arrived for giving vent to their 
 affections and emotions. The scene around them 
 recalled the many acts of kindness which the Saviour 
 had performed, the various and wonderful miracles 
 which he had wrought, and the numerous instances 
 when he deserved a demonstration of public grati- 
 tude similar to this. They began, therefore, "to 
 rejoice and praise God with a loud voice, for all the 
 mighty works that they had seen ; " " and cried, 
 saying, Hosanna to the son of David : blessed is the 
 King that cometh in the name of the Lord : peace in 
 heaven, and glory in the highest." Then the vast 
 throngs joined in a mighty chorus, and all expressed 
 in the loudest and fullest manner their homage for 
 the great King. They no longer feared the enemies 
 of the Messiah. They no longer heeded the warn- 
 ings of the government and the threats of priests and 
 Pharisees. They knew, that their leader, who had 
 proved his power to raise the dead, could defend 
 them against any foes, against even the combined 
 armies of the world. If the gates of the city should 
 
190 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 be shut against them ; if the Roman forces should 
 be gathered and ordered to obstruct their progress, 
 they were confident that the foe would be instantly 
 overcome, and the gates of the city forced open. The 
 enthusiasm of the hour and the grandeur of the occa- 
 sion might have reminded them of those sublime 
 words of the Psalmist : " Lift up your heads, O ye 
 gates, and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors, and 
 the King of glory shall come in. Who is the King 
 of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of 
 glory." 
 
 From the conduct of the disciples on this occasion, 
 the followers of Christ in all ages may derive a les- 
 son of practical importance. They may learn the 
 necessity and the obligation that they are under to 
 publicly make known their attachment to Christ. 
 Though the vast majority of the earth's inhabitants 
 may be too much immersed in the cares and vanities 
 of life to heed the claims of the Messiah ; though the 
 proud and self-righteous may deem his doctrines too 
 humiliating for their acceptance ; though the learned 
 may prefer reason to faith, and their philosophical 
 speculations to a revealed system of moral truth, yet 
 those who have felt the love of Christ in their hearts, 
 and experienced the blessedness of his instructions, 
 and of the great salvation which he has provided, 
 should be willing to make a public acknowledgment 
 of their gratitude and their indebtedness to the Mes- 
 siah. If we have secured the pearl of great price, 
 shall we hide the treasure from the gaze of others ? 
 If we have become the sons of God, shaU we refuse 
 to acknowledge our spiritual parentage ? If we are 
 
THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY. 191 
 
 the candidates for heavenly honors, and the heirs of 
 an everlasting kingdom, shall we be ashamed of our 
 prospects and our inheritance ? Let the words of 
 Christ be remembered, " Whosoever shall be ashamed 
 of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man 
 be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, 
 and in his Father's, and of the holy angels." On that 
 grand triumphal occasion, in which the Father, the 
 Son, and the holy angels will participate, the splen- 
 dors of which will be more dazzling than the sun, 
 and all the glories of the material universe ; an occa- 
 sion, compared with which the scene before us is 
 but a passing shadow, multitudes will desire most 
 intensely to join the throngs, and unite in the an- 
 them, Hosanna to the son of David. But having in 
 this world been ashamed of Christ, and having feared 
 the ridicule of scoffers and the threats of the enemies 
 of Jesus, he will, on that glorious day, be ashamed 
 of them. It is a law of Christ's kingdom, that those 
 who would reign with him in the future, must suffer 
 with him in the present life. If one would share in 
 the honors of a heavenly triumph, he must first pass 
 through the dangers and struggles of the battle field, 
 and thus have his valor and faith tested, and those 
 moral qualities developed, that will fit him for the 
 services and joys of a higher state of being. 
 
 As the vast throng pressed through the gates of 
 the city, there was one body whom their shouts 
 struck with deep consternation. The sanhedrim had 
 resolved that this worker of miracles, whose fame 
 was so rapidly spreading over Judea, should perish. 
 They had even gone so far as to give public notice, 
 
192 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 that if any one knew where Clirist was, he should 
 make it known to the proper authorities, that he 
 might be apprehended. Yet, notwithstanding this 
 order had been issued, the people had risen up in 
 mass, and were paying royal honors to the object 
 of the rulers' malice and hatred. He whom they sup- 
 posed had hidden himself away in some obscure 
 cave or dark thicket, to escape the vigilance of the 
 officers of government, was at that moment entering 
 the city, riding at the head of a triumphal and enthu- 
 siastic procession, whose songs and shouts were ring- 
 ing through the streets of the ancient metropolis, and 
 echoing among the mountains that are round about 
 Jerusalem. In their amazement and fear, the mem- 
 bers of the sanhedrim scarcely know what course to 
 pursue. They would gladly seize him, who in broad 
 daylight is riding through the streets. But they 
 dread the popular commotion that would follow so 
 rash a measure. The fear of the people held them 
 back, as it had done on former occasions. They 
 were obliged, therefore, to sit and listen to the swell- 
 ing and stuTing song : " Hosanna, blessed is the 
 King that cometh in the name of the Lord." 
 
 But there were some Pharisees who mingled in 
 the crowd, and watched, with feelings of contempt 
 and fear, the unusual spectacle before them. Prob- 
 ably they were attracted partly by curiosity, and 
 partly by a desire to stop a movement which, in their 
 estimation, was the offspring of fanaticism. Having 
 tried in vain other means to check the rolling tide 
 and silence the multitude, they at last went to Jesus, 
 and said to him : " Master, rebuke thy disciples." 
 
THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY. 193 
 
 ' Put an end to this unlawful demonstration and 
 these seditious speeches, that endanger the state and 
 disturb the public peace. Stop this excessive rejoic- 
 ing and these songs of praise, and such high honors 
 as only the most illustrious heroes should receive." 
 Jesus, turning upon them, replied : " I tell you, that 
 if these should hold their peace, the stones would 
 immediately cry out." If, after such demonstrations 
 of power, and such a career as he had passed through, 
 the hearts of men were not moved, and strong emo- 
 tions were not stirred within them, the very stones 
 and other inanimate objects would become vocal 
 with his praises. For such an exhibition of power 
 and wisdom and love, the world had never before 
 witnessed, and probably would never again witness. 
 As there is but one sun in the heavens, so there is 
 but one Saviour of mankind; but one, the light of 
 whose example is brilliant and powerful enough to 
 fill the whole earth. 
 
 The Pharisees having listened to Christ's reply, 
 " said among themselves. Perceive ye how ye prevail 
 nothing? Behold, the world has gone after him." 
 They felt that the tide of popular favor was too high 
 for them to restrain it by their personal opposition, 
 or by the decrees of the sanhedi-im. They must wait 
 for the waves to be rolled back by forces or influences 
 that were not within their control. Nor was it long 
 before the surges began to recede, and other cries 
 were heard, though it is not so clear, as some have 
 supposed, that they came from the same multitude. 
 
 The hero and his mighty train having entered the 
 city, the inhabitants were greatly excited, and came 
 17 
 
194 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 forth from their houses and from the marts of busi- 
 ness, and inquired, " Who is this," that comes with so 
 much pomp and such demonstrations of joy ? The 
 multitude replied, This is Jesus, the illustrious prophet, 
 the fame of whose mighty deeds and sublime virtues 
 is filling the world. Having reached the temple, and 
 there again exerted his miraculous power in healing 
 the blind and the lame, the very children took up the 
 song and sung, " Hosanna to the Son of David." At 
 this the displeasure of the chief priests and scribes 
 was greatly increased. They were apparently 
 shocked at what they had heard, and in astonish- 
 ment they asked Jesus, "Hearest thou what these 
 say ? " Is it right or proper that these children 
 should apply such language to so humble and ob- 
 scure a person as yourself? Jesus said unto them, 
 "Have ye never read" in the Psalms of David, " Out 
 of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou hast per- 
 fected praise." If the words of prophecy were ful- 
 filled in their hearing, they need not wonder nor 
 complain. If, too, they were resolved to be silent, 
 and to be insensible of the virtues and achievements 
 of the Messiah, God might see fit to use even feeble 
 instruments to express the praises of his beloved 
 Son. And the condescension of the Saviour appears 
 in his readiness to accept the tribute- from these little 
 worshippers. Doubtless the tones of those sweet 
 voices lingered long in his ear, and mitigated the 
 sorrow of those tragical scenes which soon followed 
 this joyful triumph. 
 
 " What are those soul-reriving strains 
 Which echo thus from Salem's plains ? 
 
THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY. 195 
 
 What anthems loud, and louder still, 
 So sweetly sound from Zion's hill 1 
 
 Lo ! 'tis an infant chorus sings, 
 Hosanna to the King of kings : 
 The Saviour comes ! — and babes proclaim 
 Salvation, sent in Jesus' name. 
 
 " Nor these alone their voice shall raise, 
 For we will join this song of praise ; 
 Still Israel's children forward press 
 To hail the Lord their righteousness. 
 
 "Proclaim, hosannas loud and clear; 
 See David's Son and Lord appear ! 
 All praise on earth to him be given, 
 And glory shout through highest heaven ! " 
 
XVI 
 
 CHRIST WEEPING OVER JERUSALEM. 
 
 "And when he was come near, he beheld the citt and 
 wept over it, sating, if thou hadst known, even thou, 
 at least in this tht day, the things which belong 
 unto tht peace : but now thet ake hid from thine 
 KTES." — St. Luke xix. 41, 42. 
 
 It was prophesied that the Messiah would be a 
 man of sorrows and acquainted with grief: but 
 there were some circumstances which filled him with 
 deep anguish ; an anguish that found vent only- 
 through his tears. The intensity of his feelings at 
 such times, no human mind can realize. Indeed, 
 much of his inner life, and of the workings of his be- 
 nevolent heart and earnest soul, were hid from mortal 
 view. No eye could read the burning thoughts and 
 deep emotions that were in the sacred breast of the 
 Saviour of mankind. He viewed the world and its 
 interests, man and his destiny, from a stand-point 
 which no finite being can reach. In his survey of 
 this theatre of human action and human responsi- 
 bility, he took in a range of interests and conse- 
 quences such as none but an infinite mind could 
 
CHRIST WEEPING OVER JERUSALEM. 197 
 
 grasp. He saw in their fulness and solemnity the 
 relations that man sustains to his Maker. He knew 
 the nature and value of the human soul ; knew its 
 capabilities to advance in knowledge and virtue, and 
 its susceptibility to happiness or misery. He could 
 see down the long track of eternity. Its splendid 
 palaces and its gloomy prisons; its celestial songs 
 and joys; and the smoke of those fires that are 
 never quenched, were every hour full in his view. 
 He could trace the results of holiness or sin, infinitely 
 further than the most profound and far reaching of 
 created beings. Hence, every word that he uttered, 
 and every action that he performed, were fraught 
 with a meaning which baffled human comprehension. 
 His teachings contain volumes of truth, the seals of 
 which have not yet been broken. It is true there is 
 much that is plain ; but there is more that is obscure. 
 Light breaks in upon us from his sublime utterances ; 
 but what is known compared with the unknown, is 
 like what we see of the starry heavens, compared 
 with the invisible glories beyond. These bright 
 points that we call stars, are not the universe of the 
 infinite God ; neither are the few doctrines that we 
 gather from Christ's lips, the whole of the great sys- 
 tem of moral truth. 
 
 When, too, the Son of God weeps, there is a pro- 
 found meaning in his tears. There is a depth to his 
 sorrow that we cannot fathom. No ordinary calamity 
 draws forth his tears. No temporary evil causes his 
 sacred bosom to heave with emotion. When he 
 wept at the grave of Lazarus, he doubtless had be- 
 fore his vision all the tombs that were upon the earth. 
 17* 
 
198 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 He saw the dead of many generations sleeping in 
 their silent resting-places. The funeral processions 
 of four thousand years passed in review before him. 
 The weeping sisters who were in the group repre- 
 sented the mourners of all ages. They stood in the 
 place of a vast multitude whose hearts had been 
 broken. And Jesus wept, as the thought pressed 
 upon him that he was in a world over which death 
 reigned; that the busy millions who had crowded 
 this planet had been swept before the great destroyer, 
 and that all the living were travelling towards the 
 same dark, dark valley. 
 
 As he approached Jerusalem, and reached an 
 eminence that overlooked the city, a thousand asso- 
 ciations and feelings rushed upon his mind. The 
 very name of the city was significant, and was con- 
 nected with all that is sacred in the religious history 
 of God's chosen people. As he gazed upon the 
 metropolis reposing in its beauty and magnificence 
 amid the mountains, he thought of the extraordinary 
 events and wonderful displays of divine power, of 
 which it had been the theatre. He recognized in it 
 the dwelling-place of Jehovah ; the spot selected for 
 the visible manifestation of the divine presence 
 among men. He thought of the illustrious kings 
 who had occupied its palaces ; of the tribes that from 
 the surrounding regions had come up to worship ; of 
 the prophets, who had within its walls enjoyed bright 
 visions and enrapturing views of the heavenly world. 
 He remembered the songs that David had sung, and 
 hrs vivid and eloquent descriptions of the favored 
 city. He would gladly have repeated the Psalmist's 
 
CHRIST WEEPING OVER JERUSALExM. 199 
 
 exclamation : " Beautiful for situation, the joy of the 
 whole earth is Mount Zion." He would gladly have 
 responded to the call, " Walk about Zion, tell the 
 towers thereof. Mark ye well her bulwarks, con- 
 sider her palaces ; that ye may tell it to the genera- 
 tion following." He would gladly have continued to 
 " pray for the peace of Jerusalem," and to have 
 echoed the benediction. " Peace be within thy walls 
 and prosperity within thy palaces." 
 
 But he could not exult over the city ; for he thought 
 of the sins and guilt of her inhabitants, who had 
 been so highly blessed by heaven. He called to mind 
 the fact that they had killed the prophets, and stoned 
 them that were sent unto them. His own person 
 they had treated with contempt. The mighty mir- 
 acles which he wrought within the city made no salu- 
 tary impression upon their minds. His teachings 
 they despised ; his doctrines they rejected. " He 
 came unto his own, but his own received him not." 
 Yet that city he loved with a devotion that never 
 abated. We find him lingering around it, and seek- 
 ing to instruct and save its inhabitants, notwith- 
 standing their ingratitude and wickedness. He could 
 say from the heart with tlie captive Jew, " If I forget 
 thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her 
 cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue 
 cleave to the roof of my mouth." And as expressive 
 of his intense love, we hear him exclaiming, " O Jeru- 
 salem, Jerusalem, how often would I have gathered 
 thy children together, as a hen gathereth her chickens 
 under her wings, but ye would not." He desired 
 above every thing else to protect them from the im- 
 
200 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 pending storm. He desired to see their hearts puri- 
 fied ; the veil of hypocrisy torn from them ; their use- 
 less formalities broken up, and the temple filled with 
 sincere and devout worshippers. But, alas, they 
 were about to fill up the measure of their iniquity by 
 crucifying the Lord of glory; and he foresaw the 
 terrible doom that awaited the city. In imagination 
 he saw the armies of Titus marching against it, to 
 slay its inhabitants. He saw their tents pitched, and 
 the siege commenced, that proved so destructive to 
 human life within the walls. He saw the fearful 
 attack of the enemy ; the walls crumbling ; the 
 strongest fortifications giving way; the palaces, and 
 the glorious temple itself, wrapped in flames. He 
 saw the frantic inhabitants rushing from house to 
 house, in the vain attempt to escape from their ene- 
 mies. He saw in imagination the streets through 
 which he had often walked, covered with blood, and 
 he heard the cries of agony from the suffering and 
 the dying. The whole scene was pictured before his 
 mind as a reality, and hence his tears. Hence his 
 grief, which no language can express, and no finite 
 mind conceive. 
 
 Nor was it simply the temporal ruin that was to 
 befall the city which excited his sorrow. He saw 
 calamities beyond the burning of palaces and the 
 death of the body. While weeping, he said, " If thou 
 hadst known, at least in this thy day, the things 
 which belong unto thy peace ; but now they are hid 
 from thine eyes." They possessed the sacred oracles, 
 and had every opportunity for becoming acquainted 
 with the divine character, laws, and government. 
 
CHRIST WEEPING OVER JERUSALEM. 201 
 
 Repeated messages fi-om the eternal throne had been 
 sent to them. They had received supernatural evi- 
 dences of the divine favor. The writings of Moses 
 and the prophets were read in the hearing of aU the 
 people. It would seem as though the sweet Psalms 
 of David would have softened their hearts, purified 
 their lives, and elevated their conceptions of religious 
 truth. Under the guidance of his inspired pen, they 
 might have been led into green pastures, and beside 
 the still waters of salvation. They might, with him, 
 have taken delight in the law of the Lord, and have 
 meditated day and night upon the sublime precepts 
 which had been given by the supreme legislator of 
 the universe. They might, under his teachings, have 
 studied the heavens, and heard the very stars declare 
 the glory of God. They might have made the Lord 
 their rock and their fortress; their high tower, safe 
 from the invasions of every enemy. They had the 
 assurance, that as the mountains are round about 
 Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about them that fear 
 him. 
 
 The sublime and glowing prophecies of Isaiah 
 were enough to kindle the ardor and sustain the 
 religious faith of the nation. Often they heard his 
 soul-stimng cry, " Awake, awake, put on thy strength, 
 O Zion ; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusa- 
 lem, the holy city." Often those who had wandered 
 from the faith of their fathers heard th'e invitation : 
 " Come now, let us reason together : though your sins 
 be as scarlet, they shaU be as white as snow ; though 
 they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." 
 Whatever there was in these ancient writings, sub- 
 
202 LIFE SCENES OP THE MESSIAH. 
 
 lime in doctrine, beautiful in poetic imagery, ele- 
 vating in lofty thought, and true gi-andeur of style, — 
 whatever there was sacred in truths that had come 
 from Jehovah, were so many distinct and powerful 
 attractions to bind the Jews to the true religion. The 
 temple itself was an enduring monument of the 
 divine favor. It stood before the people, the pledge 
 that there were other temples and another Jerusalem 
 and a higher worship, to which they should aspire. 
 
 Besides, they enjoyed the personal presence and 
 instructions of the Lord of glory. They watched 
 his footsteps ; gazed upon his benignant counte- 
 nance; heard the words of heavenly wisdom and 
 love as they dropped from his lips ; and almost felt 
 the beatings of his sympathizing heart. We have 
 the records of his life, but they had the life itself. 
 We have reports of his discourses, but they listened 
 to his divine eloquence, heard the melody of his 
 voice, and witnessed the glow, fervor, and earnest- 
 ness with which he unfolded the great doctrines of 
 life and immortality. We have the testimony that 
 he "went about doing good ; " but they experienced 
 his acts of charity, his tender regard for the afflicted, 
 his compassion for the penitent. We have heard of 
 the wonderful display of his miraculous power, but 
 they saw the sick healed, the blind receiving their 
 sight, the lepers restored, and the dead raised to life. 
 They saw the glorious attributes of the Deity shin- 
 ing through his life. They had the living Sheldnah, 
 God manifest in the flesh. 
 
 Yet, notwithstanding these great spiritual advan- 
 tages, they did not know the things that belonged 
 
CHRIST WEEPING OVER JERUSALEM. 203 
 
 unto their peace. They knew them intellectually, 
 Dut they did not reach their hearts, and regulate 
 their conduct. Their pride, in being so highly dis- 
 tinguished above other nations, destroyed all spirit- 
 uality in their devotions. Faith degenerated into 
 mere superstition. "Worship became a round of 
 formal rites and useless ceremonies. So apparent 
 was their formalism, and so gross was their hypoc- 
 risy, that the Saviour, with all his kindness and com- 
 passion, could not at times restrain his indignation. 
 "Woe unto you," said he, "scribes and Pharisees, 
 hypocrites! for ye devour widow's houses, and for 
 a pretence make long prayers. Ye pay tithe of 
 mint, and anise, and cumin, and have omitted the 
 weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and 
 faith. Ye make clean the outside of the cup and of 
 the platter, but within they are full of extortion and 
 excess." And in contrast with this, when the Saviour 
 thought of the moral elevation that they might have 
 reached, and the character for piety, charity, and 
 faith, that they might, under such advantages, have 
 seemed, he was filled with the deepest sorrow. He 
 wept over the city, exclaiming, " if thou hadst known, 
 at least in this thy day, the things that belong unto 
 thy peace ! " If they had but meditated upon then- 
 career ! if they had but realized whither their mad- 
 ness was carrying them ! But they were rushing 
 with fearful rapidity towards the brink of destruction. 
 They knew not what pertained to their peace. Their 
 minds and hearts were swayed by tumultuous pas- 
 sions, and carnal desires. They were making no 
 preparation for that glorious rest that remaineth for 
 
204 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 the people of God. The Prince of Peace was 
 among them, but they rejected his claims, despised 
 his offers of mercy, and were plotting his destruction. 
 With the treasures of divine truth scattered in their 
 pathway, they clung to the grossest errors and most 
 fatal superstitions. With the gates of heaven open, 
 and with the Son of God pointing them to mansions 
 in the skies, they prefer to walk the downward road 
 that leadeth unto death. 
 
 To the Saviour's exclamation he adds the words 
 of fearful import, " but now they are hid from thine 
 eyes." Though surrounded by celestial light, the 
 guilty inhabitants of Jerusalem were virtually in the 
 depths of moral darkness. They had so far blinded 
 their eyes, perverted their consciences, and hardened 
 their hearts, that they neither perceived nor felt the 
 influence of the great truths which had been re- 
 vealed to them. Their day of grace was passed. 
 They had gone beyond the limits of divine forbear- 
 ance. God had dealt with them in mercy and in 
 judgment. He had warned, exhorted, entreated, but 
 all to no purpose. Their harvest time was now passed, 
 the summer of their hope was ended. " If our Gos- 
 pel be hid," said the apostle, " it is hid to them that 
 are lost, in whom the God of this world hath blinded 
 the minds of them which believe not, lest the light 
 of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image 
 of God, should shine unto them." A more fearful 
 state can scarcely be imagined, than that of a mind 
 that has once been enlightened, and enjoyed high 
 spiritual advantages, and afterwards blinded by the 
 god of this world. It is as though the sunlight 
 
CHRIST WEEPING OVER JERUSALEM. 205 
 
 should gradually be withdrawn from the earth, and 
 the mantle of a perpetual darkness be thrown over 
 the objects of beauty and sublimity that constitute 
 the charm and grandeur of the world's scenery. 
 How appalling it would be to the inhabitants of this 
 globe, as they saw at the close of a certain day the 
 sun sinking below the horizon, to be assured that it 
 would never rise again ; that the night upon which 
 they were entering would be without a morn ! How 
 fearful the consequences of such a calamity ! How 
 terrible the gloom as days, weeks, and months roll 
 on, and yet no light ! The marts of business are 
 gradually hushed, and deep silence reigns through 
 the streets. Trees and flowers droop, and vegetation 
 begins to decay. The ships rot at the wharves, and 
 their falling spars and masts sound like the knell of 
 universal death. The most crowded cities become 
 vast cemeteries. Death stares all in the face, and 
 one after another the inhabitants drop, until the race 
 becomes entirely extinct. 
 
 But, great as would be such a calamity, what is it 
 compared with the fading away of the Sun of Right- 
 eousness, from a city whose benighted inhabitants 
 would never again see its light ! What is the loss 
 of ships, and merchandise, and earthly cities, com- 
 pared with the loss of moral faculties and immortal 
 hopes and heavenly joys ! What is physical dark- 
 ness, compared with the darkness occasioned by the 
 hiding of God's countenance, and the final with- 
 drawal of all the means of grace ! 
 
 The subsequent conduct of the infatuated Jews 
 showed how completely their minds were blinded. 
 18 
 
206 LIFE SCENES OP THE MESSIAH. 
 
 When the Saviour had been arrested, and they were 
 standing before the judgment hall, how fearful was 
 the imprecation they invoked, when they cried, " His 
 blood be upon us and upon our childj-en!" How 
 little did they realize the fearful import of those 
 words ! How little did they think that the terrible 
 imprecation would be fulfilled to the very letter, — 
 that the inhabitants of the guilty city would them- 
 selves be crucified by hundreds, and their children 
 be scattered, and become a hissing and a byword 
 among all nations ! Nothing but the most complete 
 moral blindness could have allowed them to pursue 
 a course fraught with so much peril and guilt. Had 
 they but listened to the teachings of the Saviour, 
 and learnt who it was concerning whom they cried, 
 " Away with him, let him be crucified," they would 
 have shrunk back with infinite horror from the deed. 
 They would have hailed him as their king, loaded 
 him with honors, prostrated themselves at his feet, 
 and rendered to him divine worship. But their malice 
 and hypocrisy were so intense, their base passions 
 raged with such fury, that they could not stop to 
 weigh evidence, or listen to argument, or compare 
 the words of prophecy with the life and teachings of 
 the Messiah. 
 
 This marked instance of spiritual blindness, with 
 its appalling consequences, brings to our view a prin- 
 ciple in the dealings of Divine Providence, of great 
 moment. It is the limitation connected with the 
 means of grace, as expressed in the declaration: 
 " My spirit shall not always 'strive with man." The 
 Supreme Euler, in dealing with disobedient and way- 
 
CHRIST WEEPING OVER JERUSALEM. 207 
 
 ward subjects, may send to them gracious messages, 
 and display to them his mercy ; but there are limits 
 to those messages and to that mercy. Truths re- 
 sisted are, after a reasonable season, withdrawn. 
 Motives may press to-day to the exercise of repent- 
 ance and faith, but to-morrow their influence may 
 not be felt. If the God of neaven is excluded ii-om 
 the soul, the god of this world will enter in, and 
 blind the minds of those that believe not. Such is 
 the nature of mind, that it must have some supreme 
 law, and some supreme object of afiection. And it 
 should need no argument to prove the superiority of 
 the divine law over every other. It should need no 
 argument to prove, that the only suitable object of 
 our highest affections is the infinite Jehovah. For 
 what else in the wide universe can satisfy the long- 
 ings of an immortal spirit ? What other being can 
 sustain us in seasons of deep trial and oppressive 
 gloom ? To whom else can we look as we enter the 
 dark valley of the shadow of death ? Who but the 
 omnipotent and infinitely benevolent God can fur- 
 nish the soul with happiness through the ages of 
 eternity ! O to be able to say, " this God is om* 
 God," is the highest blessing conceivable ! It includes 
 all that can be imagined or desired. It includes 
 crowns, kingdoms, mansions, and all that is honor- 
 able and glorious in the royal courts above ; includes 
 the treasures of knowledge for the intellect ; sympa- 
 thy and love for the heart; holiness for the spirit, 
 and boundless enjoyment for the soul. The height, 
 depth, length, and breadth of this blessing, no finite 
 mind can measure. 
 
208 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 The grand object of Christ's advent was, to restore 
 man to his allegiance to his Maker. For this he 
 toiled, suffered, and died. For this he taught in the 
 streets of Jerusalem, and worked his miracles, and 
 performed his deeds of charity. But that city was 
 too far sunk in iniquity to be recovered. Its inhabi- 
 tants had wandered too far from truth and duty to 
 be brought back. 
 
XVII. 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE LAST JUDGMENT. 
 
 "Whev the son of man shall comb in his glory, and all 
 the holy angels with hiji, then shall he sit upon the 
 theone of his gloey : and before him shall be gathered 
 all nations : and he shall separate them one from an- 
 other, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats; 
 and he shall set his sheep on his eight hand, but the 
 
 GOATS ON THE LEFT." — St. Matthew XXV. 31-33. 
 
 We have m these and the. following passages, a 
 description of the last judgment, given by the Judge 
 himself. Although, at the time of their utterance, 
 Christ was in circumstances of humiliation and sor- 
 row, yet he predicted that the day would come when 
 the Son of man would appear in his glory, attended 
 by aU the holy angels, and would take his seat upon 
 the throne of the universe. Before him would be 
 gathered the countless millions of all ranks and con- 
 ditions of men, who have trod upon this planet, and 
 acted their part upon this theatre of human life. 
 Those that sleep in the quiet cTiurchyard ; those who 
 have fallen upon the battle field ; the multitudes who 
 rest in the coral caverns of the ocean, will, at the 
 18* 
 
210 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 sound of the last tramp, come forth. At the same 
 moment " the sun shall be darkened, and the moon 
 shall not give her light ; the stars shall fall ; " " the 
 heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the 
 elements shall melt with fervent heat ; the earth also, 
 and the works therein, shall be burnt up." St. John, 
 while an exile upon the wild and barren isle of Pat- 
 mos, had a vision of the judgment scene, which he 
 thus describes : " I saw a great white throne^ and 
 him that sat on it ; from whose face the earth and 
 the heaven fled away ; and there was found no place 
 for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, 
 stand before God ; and the books were opened ; and 
 another book was opened, which is the Book of Life ; 
 and the dead were judged out of those things which 
 were written in the books, according to their works." 
 In entering upon this theme, I confess that my 
 mind is oppressed with a deep feeling of awe and 
 solemnity. The greatness of the occasion that will 
 assemble the whole human family before such a tri- 
 bunal, — the fearful majesty and power of the great 
 Judge, — the hopes and fears that will agitate mill- 
 ions of hearts, — the tremendous results of the decis- 
 ions of that day, viewed only in imagination, hang 
 as an awful cloud over my spirit. K there is but a 
 possibility, that from that cloud the thunders of divine 
 wrath may one day be heard, and the lightning flash 
 of God's indignation strike the offender, that possi- 
 bility is enough to solemnize and awaken anxiety in 
 every mind. O, if there is a subject in reference to 
 which we would ask with earnestness, " What is 
 truth?" is it with regard to the transactions and 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE LAST JUDGMENT. 211 
 
 results of the judgment-day? For this day brings 
 before us the crisis in our existence ; the point 
 towards which the influence of every thought, word, 
 and deed tends, and from whicli will date the fixed 
 character and eternal destiny of every soul. 
 
 The answer to the question which we have pro- 
 posed, is alone to be found in the teachings of him 
 who has declared himself to be " the way, the truth, 
 and the life." It is in vain to depend upon reason, 
 or philosophy, or any system of human ethics or 
 theology. We must a<icept the authority of him 
 who came into the world, " to bear witness unto the 
 truth." And he has affirmed that he will come in 
 his glory, attended with the insignia and messengers 
 of his power, to judge the world, and to render to 
 every man according to his deeds. 
 
 Li meditating upon this day, let us consider, in the 
 first place, the necessity of its appointment. This 
 necessity grows out of the relations that fallen man 
 sustains to his Maker. Having violated the laws of 
 the divine moral government, and incurred the dis- 
 pleasure of an infinitely holy and benevolent Deity, 
 it becomes necessary that the transgressor should be 
 summoned before a suitable tribunal, to answer for 
 the wrongs of which he has been guilty. In con- 
 ceiving of any system of government established 
 over sentient beings, we naturally include the judi- 
 cial element as essential to its harmony and perfec- 
 tion. Laws must not only be framed and promul- 
 gated, but they must be enforced upon the principles 
 of right and justice. A human government without 
 tribunals before which to brinar the offender, and 
 
212 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. . 
 
 without an executive force to maintain the laws, 
 would be virtually no government. Civilized soci- 
 ety, in order to maintain order and perpetuate its 
 civilization, must have certain established principles 
 of action, to which the subjects of government must 
 conform. This is obviously essential to the comfort 
 and happiness of the community. And what is nec- 
 essary in order to attain the ends of the social com- 
 pact in every nation, even the smallest upon the 
 earth, is much more necessary in a kmgdom that 
 stretches over millions of worlds, and includes 
 within its boundaries countless multitudes of think- 
 ing and responsible beings. If a human government 
 cannot exist without its judiciary department, much 
 more cannot the divine government, which is so inti- 
 mately connected with the stability of God's throne, 
 the glory of his character, and the welfare and hap- 
 piness of all his moral creatures. The Almighty 
 does not sit upon his throne simply to give advice to 
 his subjects. He has not framed a governmenv, 
 merely to make a show of authority before his moral 
 creation. He does not unfold to us the great pur- 
 poses of his administration, with the design of one 
 day abandoning those purposes, and allowing them 
 to come to naught. Reason as well as revelation 
 teaches us, that the purposes of an infinitely wise 
 and holy Being must be fulfilled, — that his authority 
 and throne must be sustained, though the heavens 
 and the earth pass away. Let the authority of 
 Jehovah be in any way impaired, or let him fail of 
 enforcing his laws, and the great ends for which he 
 has created a moral kingdom will be sooner or later 
 
DESCKIPTION OF THE LAST JUDGMENT. 213 
 
 defeated. These ends are his own highest glory, and 
 the supreme happiness of his creatures, and one is 
 just as dependent for its accomplishment, upon obe- 
 dience, as the other. 
 
 Many may think that the laws of God are arbi- 
 trary, and are unnecessarily rigid and severe. But 
 instead of being arbitrary, they grow necessarily out 
 of the nature and constitution of a moral kingdom. 
 Were there no King upon the throne of heaven, and 
 were these worlds and their inhabitants to continue 
 in their present condition, there would be the same 
 necessity that there now is for the moral laws which 
 have been instituted for our government ; for without 
 them order and happiness could not be maintained 
 for a single day. 
 
 It is true that the divine government is now ad- 
 ministered over us, under an economy of grace. It 
 is true that the sentence against an evil work is not 
 executed speedily. But justice may be suspended 
 without being annihilated. God may, through the 
 atoning sacrifice which Christ has made, show mercy. 
 He may, in the plenitude of his love, make offers of 
 pardon to those who have rebelled against him, on 
 the condition that they exercise repentance and faith. 
 But there are a multitude of passages in the holy 
 Scriptures, which warn men against being deluded 
 by the idea, that, because God is a being of compas- 
 sion and longsuffering, therefore justice and judgment 
 are not the habitation of his throne. It is true that 
 infinite mercy is an element of his character. It is 
 true that he has sworn, as he lives, that he takes no 
 pleasure in the death of the wicked, but had rather 
 
214 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 that they should turn and live. Indeed, he is represent- 
 ed with the warmth and earnestness of an affectionate 
 father, as calling after his wayward children, " Turn 
 ye, turn ye, for why will ye die." In the parable of the 
 prodigal son, we have a most striking and vivid repre- 
 sentation of the feelings of Jehovah, towards those 
 who have wandered from him. Though they retm-n 
 to him poor, naked, destitute, and in want of all 
 things, he is ready to receive them, to embrace them, 
 to rejoice over their return, to place at their disposal 
 the riches of his kingdom. Yet he cannot and will not 
 compromise a single principle which lies at the basis 
 of his moral system. Those principles are as immu- 
 table as his own character, and eternal as his throne. 
 We would in the next place inquire into the man- 
 ner in which the examinations of the judgment-day 
 will be conducted, and the principles which will con- 
 stitute the basis of its decisions. The Scriptm*es 
 inform us that "God wiU bring every work into 
 judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be 
 good or whether it be evil." Also, " Every idle word 
 that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof 
 in the day of judgment." By this language, we are 
 taught that the thoughts and motives, as well as the 
 external acts, wiU pass under the inspection of the 
 omniscient eye. Every thing that affects, or relates 
 to the character, will be an object of examination, 
 and its bearings upon the soul's destiny, will be seen 
 by the individual, as weU as by the Judge. Nor will 
 it be so difficult to bring the events and thoughts of 
 a long life under review, as some may suppose. For 
 in this life we know that the mind, under certain cir- 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE LAST JUDGMENT. 215 
 
 cumstances, as for instance, under the apprehension 
 of sudden death, is wonderfully quickened ; and nu- 
 merous instances have occurred where the power of 
 the memory was so great, as to bring before one in 
 a most vivid light, the whole of his past life. A 
 drowning person, who has afterwards been resusci- 
 tated, has experienced this in a most remarkable 
 manner. Event has followed event with the rapidity 
 of lightning. Even those that had long been forgot- 
 ten, come before the mind with as much freshness, 
 as though they had occurred but yesterday. Many 
 persons, who have lived in a state of alienation from 
 God, having stifled convictions of duty, and despised 
 the doctrines and precepts of the Christian faith, 
 have, with the prospect of death before them, felt in 
 anticipation the tremendous pressure of the transac- 
 tions of the judgment-day. With conscience as the 
 accuser, and the wicked deeds of a wasted life as 
 witnesses, and the reason as the judge, and the light 
 of eternity breaking in upon the character, the sin- 
 ner has been forced to look at the evidence, and 
 almost hear the dread sentence pronounced against 
 him. And if in this life the mind can become so 
 quickened, as to recall with such rapidity the events 
 and deeds of the past, how much more will its pow- 
 ers be increased, when it becomes disengaged from 
 the body, and moves in a spiritual sphere, where all 
 the influences tend to stimulate it to the most intense 
 action. 
 
 But independently of tlie capabilities of the mem- 
 ory, an Almighty being has the power of bringing 
 instantly before each subject a history of the past 
 
► 
 
 216 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 life that will enter into the minutest details, and 
 bring to light aU the motives, feelings, and purposes, 
 of which the individual has ever been conscious. He 
 who created the hrunan intellect is familiar with all 
 the avenues that lead to it, and with aU the springs 
 and chords of association that are connected with 
 the memory and consciousness ; so that he can easily 
 bring every work into judgment with every secret 
 thing. 
 
 But not only will the character undergo a careful 
 inspection, but also aU the influences and circum- 
 stances that have contributed to its formation. The 
 condition in childhood and youth, the early bias 
 given to the mind, the moral and intellectual advan- 
 tages which have been enjoyed, will all be taken into 
 the account. The basis of judgment with the heathen 
 will obviously be far different from that which wiU 
 be adopted in the case of those who have enjoyed the 
 light and blessings of the gospel. Those who have 
 sinned without the divine law, and especially with- 
 out the precepts and motives of the gospel, will be 
 judged without the law. The cities which Christ 
 visited, and where he wrought his mighty works, 
 were placed on a far different footmg from those 
 which, in ancient times, had not enjoyed the benefit 
 of his instructions and miracles. In Capernaum, 
 Chorazin, and Bethsaida, the responsibility of the 
 inhabitants was immensely increased by what Christ 
 had done for them. In view of their impenitence 
 and guilt, he said unto theyi, " It shall be more toler- 
 able for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment, 
 than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE LAST JUDGMENT. 217 
 
 exalted unto heaven, shall be brought down to hell : 
 for if the mighty works which have been done in 
 thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have re- 
 mained until this day. But I say unto you, it shaU 
 be more tolerable for the land of Sodom m the day 
 of judgment than for thee." 
 
 These declarations bring vividly before us the 
 great fact, or principle, in the divine administration, 
 that there is uniformly an increase of responsibility 
 with an increase of light; and that our privileges 
 and circumstances will enter largely into the evi- 
 dences that will constitute the basis of the decisions 
 of the judgment-day. Probably the rigid principle 
 of justice will require that every shade of advantage 
 or disadvantage, shall bear upon the deliberations of 
 that solemn occasion. The child of vicious or infi- 
 del parents will stand in a far different light from 
 one who has had the advantages of an early religious 
 cultm'e, who has been taught to ejcercise reverence 
 towards God, and love towards the Saviour. Those 
 who appear before that tribunal, after having abused 
 the most tender and exalted religious privileges, and 
 slighted the most faithful warnings, and resisted the 
 influences of earnest prayers, and the strivings of the 
 Spirit, will see even the inhabitants of Sodom and 
 Gomorrah entering heaven, before they gain admis- 
 sion. It is a terrible thought to conceive of any as 
 being excluded from the abodes of the blessed. But 
 is it not also a terrible thing that any, in the midst 
 of gospel light and the highest religious advantages, 
 should trample underfoot the Son of God, and do 
 despite to the spirit of grace? Is it not a terrible 
 ^ 19 
 
218 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 thing, that wrong, injustice, cruelty, and oppression 
 should exist, where all the influences and precepts of 
 religion teach the very opposite prmciples ? If my 
 emotions are excited at a view of some of the conse- 
 quences that will follow the judgment-day, they are 
 also strongly excited at a view of those awful forms 
 of sin, that render such a judgment necessary, and 
 such consequences inevitable. For it cannot be de- 
 nied, that there are evils and forms of wickedness, 
 the permission of which would be to us an inex- 
 plicable mystery, were we not assured that Christ 
 has appointed a day in which he will judge the 
 world, and render to every man according to his 
 deeds. 
 
 The basis of judgment which is laid down by our 
 Saviour, in his description of the last great day, is 
 worthy of our special attention. In extending his 
 welcome to the righteous, he is represented as saying, 
 "For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat; I 
 was thirsty, and ye gave me drink ; I was a stranger, 
 and ye took me in," etc. And in uttering the sen- 
 tence, " Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire," he 
 adds, " For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no 
 meat ; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink ; I 
 was a stranger, and ye took me not in ; naked, and 
 ye clothed me not ; sick and in prison, and ye visited 
 me not." Then, in explanation, he declares, that he 
 is represented in every disciple that is the recipi- 
 ent of kindness, or the object of neglect. To my 
 snind, there is a significant meaning in these utter- 
 ances, that are to accompany the decisions that will 
 lie made at the judgment-day. They teach directly 
 
DESCRIPTION OF TUB LAST JUDGMENT. 219 
 
 the necessity of the principle of benevolence in those 
 who will be at last admitted to the mansions of 
 glory. We need, it is true, to be sound in the faith. 
 We need to have a wellgrounded hope. But if we 
 appear before the judgment-seat with faith, hope, and 
 charity, we shall hear the announcement, " the great- 
 est of these is charity." Our system of belief may 
 be ably prepared, and may be carefully expressed in 
 the most precise and unexceptionable language ; it 
 may be defended with logical skill and irresistible 
 argument, and yet, unless it yields the liuits of the 
 spirit, — love, peace, gentleness, and kindness, — it 
 will be of little service to us here, and will avail us 
 nothing when called to stand before the judgment- 
 seat of Christ. We would have men contend ear- 
 nestly for the faith once delivered to the saints, but 
 we would also have them remember, that faith with- 
 out works is dead, and that he who has not the spirit 
 of Christ is none of his. I am aware that there are 
 persons in some denominations, full of zeal for the 
 mint, anise, and cumin of religion, and for rigidness 
 in the external forms and authorized formularies of 
 their faith, who sit in judgment upon those who dif- 
 fer from them in non-essentials, and are ready enough, 
 upon the most trivial grounds, to pronounce sentence 
 of condemnation. But I apprehend that many of 
 these human judgments will be, at the supreme tri- 
 bunal, reversed, and that men wUl find that Christ, 
 and he alone, has laid down the principles that will 
 constitute the basis of the decisions of that day. 
 
 But we hasten to speak of the results of the sol- 
 emn transactions of that occasion. We are informed 
 
220 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 that the vast multitude that will be collected before 
 the judgment-seat, will be divided into two classes 
 To those on the right hand the King will say, 
 " Come, ye blessed of my Father, mherit the king- 
 dom prepared for you from the foundation of the 
 world." " Then shall he say also to them on the 
 left, Depart from me, ye cursed, unto everlasting 
 fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." To the 
 righteous, the day will be one of triumph, of reward, 
 of rapture. It will be the glorious termination of a 
 career of toil and self-denial, of ardent hopes and 
 fearful doubts. The saint will feel that now the 
 great question of existence is settled. The battle 
 with temptation, unbelief, and the world, has been 
 fought, and heaven has been won. Oh, with what 
 indescribable delight will the multitudes of the re- 
 deemed Ksten to those precious words as they fall 
 upon the ear : " Come, ye blessed of my Father." 
 Come to a kingdom, rich in every pleasure and 
 honor, abounding in treasures that can never perish, 
 in joys that can never fade, in honors that are im- 
 mortal. Come to a kingdom prepared for you from 
 the foundation of the world. The nature and glory 
 of a kingdom upon which the Deity has been for 
 ages expending his infinite wisdom and power, obvi- 
 ously surpasses all human comprehension. We can 
 only exclaim, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, 
 neither have entered into the heart of man the 
 things which God hath prepared for them that love 
 him." 
 
 But there is another sentence pronounced at this 
 dread tribunal, — a sentence that fixes the destiny of 
 
DESCRIPTION OP THE LAST JUDGMENT. 221 
 
 other immortal souls, — a sentence, every word of 
 which will fall as a thunderbolt upon the con- 
 demned sinner. "What volumes of awful meaning 
 are compressed within that one word, " Depart ! " 
 Depart from what? From God, — fi-om heaven, — 
 from all holy society, — from all hope ! Depart, — 
 never, never to return ! Can a human mind, under 
 such circumstances, listen to this word and retain its 
 consciousness ? It would seem enough to annihilate 
 every guilty auditor. 
 
 Is it not a solemn thought, and one that should 
 arouse the careless, that we are all every day prepar- 
 ing for the judgment? Our words and deeds are 
 every hour travelling before us to meet us at that 
 solemn tribunal. The Christian is preparing for it 
 by his devotions, prayers, faith, and charities. The 
 sinner is preparing for that day. The vicious man, 
 the infidel, the inebriate, the blasphemer, are all 
 making a terrible preparation. The miser, who clings 
 to gold as his God, is hastening to the judgment. 
 The fraudulent man, who is quietly and successfully 
 carrying on his systems of deception, is preparing for 
 his trial. The military leader, who cruelly sacrifices 
 human life, will be called to render in his account. 
 The cruel taskmaster, who crushes to the dust his 
 fellow man, is hastening to the tribunal of the Su 
 preme Master, who will render to every man accord 
 in"- to his deeds. 
 
 19* 
 
XVIII. 
 
 CELEBRATION OF THE PASSOVER. 
 
 "This do in eemembeancb op me." — St. Luke xxii. 19. 
 
 These words fell from the Saviour's lips under 
 circumstances of thrilling interest. His eventful life 
 upon the earth was drawing to a close. A series of 
 dangers and tragedies were to terminate in one great 
 tragedy. From his faithful disciples, who had shared 
 in his toils, he was soon to be separated. This was 
 his last supper with them. A small gathering, and 
 an insignificant occasion in the world's estimation. 
 Yet in reality a scene of greater moment than the 
 most costly and luxurious feasts ever held in palaces, 
 or graced by the presence of princes! True, the 
 table is simple, the guests are of humble origin, the 
 master of the feast presides over an entertainment 
 consisting only of bread and wine; yet there is a 
 royalty here, and a power, that the world will one 
 day recognize and acknowledge. There are heroes 
 here, whose names and achievements will be remem- 
 bered, long after the names of kings and nobles are 
 forgotten. On this occasion, they make no eloquent 
 
CELEBRATION OF THE PASSOVER. 223 
 
 discourses, or joyous utterances. For the crucifixion 
 is so near, that its shadow falls upon the scene, giv- 
 ing to it a sad and melancholy aspect. In the group 
 there is one false heart, — one spirit not in unison 
 with the rest, — a spirit that is plotting evil. In this 
 upper room, not only have the holiness and benevo- 
 lence of heaven their representatives, but human 
 depravity in its worst form has its representative. 
 Loyalty and treason, love and avarice, meet at the 
 same table. The Master of the feast, as he breaks 
 the bread, and passes around the cup, utters but one 
 wish, — gives but one command. " This do in re- 
 membrance of me." And the command was given 
 not to the twelve only, but 1;o all his faithful follow- 
 ers down to the end of time. The Saviom* designed 
 this supper as a perpetual monument, dedicated to 
 his memory; as a means of spiritual communion 
 with himself; as a type of that great feast which he 
 is preparing for his friends in his Father's kingdom. 
 What the ancient dispensation was to the new and 
 more spiritual system, — what the Shekinah in the 
 temple was to the presence-chamber of heaven's 
 King, this rite is to the joys and worship of a celes- 
 tial state of being. 
 
 We would consider some of the prominent fea- 
 tures in the history of Christ, which this ordinance 
 should impress upon the memory. 
 
 The topic most prominent at the table with his 
 disciples, was the sufferings that were just before 
 him. The very elements were impregnated, as it 
 were, with the tragical scenes that were about to 
 open upon Calvary. The broken bread represented 
 
224 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 his mangled body, the wine his blood that was to be 
 shed. Death was in the feast ; but a death that was 
 to give life to the world, — a death through which 
 the grave and hell were to be conquered. And as 
 Christ knew that at the time of his arrest and cruci- 
 fixion, his disciples would be alarmed and scattered, 
 he desired to fasten the event upon their memory, by 
 associating it with this interesting rite. "With de- 
 sire," said he, " have I desired to eat this passover 
 with you before I suffer ; for I say unto you, I will 
 not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the 
 kingdom of God." 
 
 Their next meeting would be at another feast, 
 when the trials and hazards of this life would be 
 over, and when the glories of the everlasting king- 
 dom would open upon their view. And to prepare 
 them for that scene, he desired that they should hold 
 in remembrance the great fact of his sufferings and 
 death. He wished to have it kept constantly before 
 their minds, to sustain then- faith, and comfort them 
 with tlie assm'ance that a full and complete atone- 
 ment had been made for them. In seasons of doubt 
 and perplexity, he would have then* eyes rest upon 
 the cross. When tempted to yield to despondency, 
 they were to remember that their great Master was 
 numbered with transgressors. When called to enter 
 the dark valley of death, they were to remember that 
 the footprints of the Lord of glory were impressed 
 upon that valley. And the great fact in the world's 
 history, to the whole church, and to all mankind, is 
 the atoning sacrifice of Christ. This looms up above 
 all others, — stands out by itself as the sun in the 
 
CELEBRATION OF THE PASSOVER. 225 
 
 heavens, shedding light upon all other events, illumi- 
 nating every pathway of life ; carrymg hope to the 
 despairing, joy to the sorrowing. It is the great fact 
 of theology, of history, of moral science. It reveals 
 the love and mercy of the Deity more intensely than 
 any other divine manifestation. And just before en- 
 tering upon his last great work, just before descend- 
 ing into the deep chasm that separates this earth 
 from the spirit world, he met his disciples to comfort 
 them, and to receive from them the pledge that he 
 should be remembered. And how deeply he pene- 
 trated the darkness and gloom of that grief, no finite 
 mind can answer. From its depths we know that 
 even the light of heaven was excluded, for from the 
 sufferer went forth the agonizing cry, " My God, my 
 God, why hast thou forsaken me ? " But now is that 
 chasm bridged over, and faith may travel on it, ex- 
 claiming in triumph, " Oh death, where is thy sting ! 
 oh grave, where is thy victory ! " On the other side, 
 the pilgrim may descry a celestial light overhanging 
 the paradise of God. In the distance may be dimly 
 seen the outlines of lofty towers, of gorgeous pal- 
 aces, of cities that have foundations whose builder is 
 God. 
 
 The bearing, therefore, of the sufferings of Jesus 
 upon man's immortal interests, is the great feature to 
 be held in remembrance. And in proportion to the 
 light shed upon this subject, do we feel a sense of 
 moral obligation, of duties to be performed, of dan- 
 gers in the future to escape, and of rewards to 
 secure. Out of the idea of a future life, and desire 
 for it, grow all religions, true and false, heathen and 
 
d"40 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 Christian. Paganism is but a feeling after a knowl- 
 edge of a state of existence beyond the grave. 
 Mahometanism is grafted upon the longings of the 
 human soul for immortal happiness. 
 
 Now the scheme of redemption, with the revela- 
 tions made by its author, clear up the mysteries of 
 death to every mind that will exercise faith. " He 
 that believeth in me," said Christ, "shall never die." 
 Shall never die I How full of meaning is this utter- 
 ance ! How is the gloom of the sick chamber, and 
 the sadness of parting with friends, and the anguish 
 of apparent dissolution, dissipated by it I Death the 
 beginning of another life, pure, glorious, immortal I 
 
 Another fact to be remembered in connection with 
 the holy supper, is the divine character of the Master 
 of the feast. This do in remembrance of me. Of 
 whom ? A fellow-mortal ? So say some who would 
 rob him of the glory that he had with the Father 
 before the world was. An angel ? But the com- 
 mand has gone forth, " Let all the angels of God 
 worship him." A created being of the highest 
 order ? But we are told that " by him were all things 
 created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, vis- 
 ible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or domin- 
 ions, or principalities, or powers." Taking, then, the 
 Bible as our authority, we are driven to the conclu- 
 sion that he who instituted the supper, and wrought 
 out man's salvation, is none other than a divine 
 being, — the second person of the glorious Trinity. 
 To be remembered, therefore, includes a cordial 
 recognition of his divinity, — an acknowledgment 
 that he is the coequal Son of the Father. It is true, 
 
CELEBRATION OF THE PASSOVER. 227 
 
 that when we attempt to analyze our conceptions of 
 a divine being, the mind is lost in the vastness and 
 profound mystery of the idea. At every effort, the 
 inquiry comes up to us from the depths of infinity, 
 " Who by searching can find out God, who can find 
 out the Almighty unto perfection ? " We may run 
 along the lines of thought over which inspired men 
 have travelled ; we may sit at the feet of Jesus, and 
 ponder over his utterances, " I and my Father are 
 one," — " Before Abraham was I am ; " we may 
 traverse the works of creation and endeavor to form 
 a conception of the power that called such magnifi- 
 cence into being out of nothing ; that rolled the 
 planets in their orbits, and clothed the suns with 
 such splendor, and worlds with so rich a drapery of 
 flowers, and changing forests and variegated ver- 
 dure ; we may bow the knee in prayer, and, shutting 
 out the cares and vanities of life, plead for new and 
 inspiring views of the Deity, and the prayer may be 
 answered to the extent of our ability to comprehend 
 God, and yet the reality will be at an infinite dis- 
 tance from us. Our conceptions are imperfect, dim, 
 shadowy. The eternal throne is high above the 
 stars, surrounded by glories too dazzling for human 
 vision. The splendors of the celestial court no mor- 
 tal eyes can gaze upon. Much less can the essence 
 of Deity be penetrated by any finite mind. We 
 acknowledge, that of all mysteries the mystery of 
 the divine existence is the greatest. Were all others 
 explored and understood, this would remain. We 
 might solve all questions in science and philoso- 
 phy, — reconcile the apparently conflicting doctrines 
 
228 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 in ethics, — measure the distances of the fixed 
 stars, the extent of the universe, — read with a 
 prophetic eye the history of the future, and yet the 
 mysteries of the divine being would remain un- 
 fathomed. 
 
 But all this should not deter us from striving after 
 the most vivid and exalted views of the Deity, that 
 are within the reach of finite powers. For our con- 
 ceptions of the Godhead necessarily give a coloring 
 to all our moral and religious views. Our thought 
 of God is the centre of our moral system, around 
 which our doctrines, opinions, and feelings revolve. 
 
 In remembering Christ, we are not only to call to 
 mind his divinity, but the peculiar features of the 
 divine character which he made the most prominent. 
 As a complete revelation could not be made, those 
 points were selected which bore most directly upon 
 man's welfare. The divine love was conspicuous in 
 the Saviour's history. This shone forth from all his 
 words and deeds. It illumined his pathway from 
 the manger to the cross. Upon Calvary it culmina- 
 ted, and thence spread over Jerusalem and Judea, 
 and is destined to encircle the earth with its benign 
 influence. The wisdom of the Godhead was also 
 displayed in the conception and execution of the 
 plan of redemption, — a plan so eminently adapted 
 to man's necessities, and to the claims of the divine 
 government. 
 
 As the friends of Christ, therefore, we should 
 meditate upon his divine nature and attributes, — 
 meditate upon them until they become, so to speak, 
 a part of our own spiritual nature. By dwelling 
 
CELEBRATION OF THE PASSOVER. 229 
 
 upon them, our religious life will be quickened, and 
 the Christian will grow up "unto a perfect man, 
 unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of 
 Christ." Feeding upon them will gi\e strength to 
 the weak, courage to the desponding. It will enable 
 the departing saint to shout, « I know that my Re- 
 deemer liveth ! " I know that he is able to save unto 
 the uttermost all that shall come to him. 
 
 We lose much by the neglect of religious medita- 
 tion. We allow the cares of the world to absorb 
 our thoughts, and crowd out these mighty and soul 
 inspiring themes. We are content to feed on husks, 
 when a spiritual feast is provided in our Father's 
 house. We are satisfied with the grovelling pleas- 
 ures of earth, when, by a spiritual connection with 
 Christ, we may partake of the blessedness of his 
 divine nature, and be thrilled by those joys that are 
 the portion of celestial intelligences. 
 
 In connection with the celebration of the Last Sup- 
 per, we are also to remember the instructions of 
 Christ. 
 
 It is true that he did not unfold in regular order, a 
 system of theology. He established no school of 
 moral science for the exclusive instruction of the 
 refined and intellectual. He rather availed himself 
 of opportunities, as they occurred, from day to day, 
 to unlock his treasures. At suitable times, he scat- 
 ters broadcast over society his great doctrines, leav- 
 ing to others the work of gathering them up, and 
 recording them for the benefit of mankind. He 
 di-opped truths by the wayside, in the lonely cottage, 
 when conversing with the penitent, or consoling the 
 20 
 
230 LIFE SCENES OF TUE MESSIAH. 
 
 afflicted, or comforting the dying. His system was 
 liJce nature, the storehouse of his imagery, irregular 
 though beautiful ; sublime like the mountains piled 
 together ; pm-e as the sunlight ; fresh as the dew, and 
 variegated as the scenery and the flowers of sum- 
 mer. And in this form it was best adapted to the 
 mass of mankind. Had he taught in a dry, scholas- 
 tic style, but few would have listened to him. Had 
 he established seats of learning, only certain privi- 
 leged classes would have received his instructions. 
 But as his object was to enable the whole world to 
 reap the benefit of his teachings, he went out into 
 the open air, under the broad canopy of heaven, and 
 addressed the multitude. He placed himself in sym- 
 pathetic connection with the human heart in its 
 varied circumstances of want and sorrow. He pre- 
 sented truth under striking images and emblems, in 
 order that their beauty and force might be readily 
 appreciated by all his hearers. He himself was the 
 light of the world. His salvation was a fountain of 
 living waters, to which all who thirsted were invited. 
 His Father was the great Shepherd who loved and 
 would protect his flock. 
 
 These teachings, also, should be remembered with 
 implicit confidence in their truth. K they have 
 passed satisfactorily the test of every trial to which 
 they have been submitted ; if they accord with the 
 dictates of enlightened reason, and the previous rev- 
 elation of the divine will ; if beside the internal evi- 
 dence of their truth, they are supported by miracles 
 and fulfilled prophecies, and by the holy life of their 
 Author, we are bound to receive them. If such 
 
CELEBRATION OP THE PASSOVER. 231 
 
 proofs as these cannot be relied upon, I would asl^ 
 what force is there in any evidences that may bf 
 brought to bear upon a system of moral truth ? 
 
 The most vital questions in ethics and theology 
 the Great Teacher has settled ; and his true follow 
 crs will not spend their lives in agitating these ques 
 tions, arid in laying over and over again the founda 
 tions of their faith. But, regarding this foundation 
 as forever settled, they will go on with the spiritual 
 structure, and attempt to realize the idea of the apos- 
 tle, when he says, " Ye are the temple of the living 
 God." While others make no progress for the want 
 of faith in the first principles of the Gospel, the true 
 believer wiU advance in moral truth. One doctrine 
 after another will open before his view. His facul- 
 ties will expand and be capable of grasping greater 
 truths. The soul will feel enriched by its treasures, 
 and being godlike in its pursuits, it will be godlike 
 in its happiness. If the study of the works of na- 
 ture and the discovery of her hidden laws, is attend- 
 ed with pleasure, — if the astronomer delights to 
 wander amid the stars, and view the harmony and 
 splendor of the heavenly bodies, how much more 
 glorious is it to walk amid the grandeurs of moral 
 truth, to read the laws which have been instituted 
 for the government and happiness of the moral uni- 
 verse. 
 
 Oh, if in remembering Christ we could remember 
 all the sublime truths that he uttered, — all the pre- 
 cious promises that he made to those who should be 
 faithful to him unto death ; could we live, and move, 
 and have our spiritual being in these glorious themes, 
 
232 LIFE SCENES OP THE MESSIAH. 
 
 a new existence would open before us. Fresh foun- 
 tains of delight would spring up in the soul. We 
 should be ready to exclaim with the apostle, " Yea, 
 and I count all things as loss for the excellency of 
 the knowledge of Christ my Lord." " Forgetting 
 those things which are behind, and reaching forth 
 unto those things which are before, I press toward 
 the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in 
 Christ Jesus." Oh, this would be life, — a life above 
 the vanities of earth, — above the frowns or applause 
 of the world, — a life unaffected by the sorrows or 
 the joys of earth, — a life mingling in with the life 
 of Christ, and flowing on with the progress of his 
 glorious kingdom. 
 
 But this remembrance of Christ, in order to fully 
 meet the Saviour's exhortation, must not only have 
 regard to the prominent features of his life and char- 
 acter, but must also call into exercise the strongest 
 and tenderest emotions of the soul. We are bound 
 to remember Christ with the highest admiration, 
 with the warmest gratitude and most intense love. 
 There are a thousand objects in nature, in the beau- 
 ties and splendors with which the earth is decorated, 
 in the changing seasons, in the storm and the sun- 
 shine, to excite our admiration. We regard with 
 admiration the career of distinguished heroes, the 
 growth and achievements of nations, the progress of 
 science, art, literature. But what is there in all 
 these to awaken our enthusiasm compared with the 
 glory of the Saviour's career ? What is there to fill 
 the soul with admiration, compared with the history, 
 character, and achievements of the Son of God? 
 
CELEBRATION OF TUE PASSOVER. 233 
 
 Behold him as the Great Physician in the streets of 
 Jerusalem, — as a teacher in the temple, — as a 
 preacher upon the mount, — as a sufferer in Geth- 
 semane, — as the Kedeemer upon the cross, and say 
 if his character from every point of view does not 
 command our admiration and love ? Shall we cling 
 to the frozen forms of religion, when we have before 
 us a Saviour so full of vitality, beauty, glory, and life- 
 giving power ? Can we at any time forget the debt 
 of gratitude that we owe to this infinite benefactor ? 
 No words, indeed, can express the obligation that we 
 are under to Jesus. We must wait until our powers 
 are developed in the heavenly world, before we can 
 approximate towards an expression of it. For all that 
 we are, and all that we hope to be, we are indebted 
 to Christ. He alone has disarmed death of its ter- 
 rors, and conquered our spiritual foes. He enables 
 us to enter the dark valley with composure, and 
 strengthens us with the sweet utterance, " Fear not, 
 for I am with thee. Be not dismayed, for I am thy 
 helper." 
 
 20* 
 
XIX. 
 
 AGONY IN GETIISEMANE. 
 
 'And he fell on his face, and prated, sating, o mt 
 fatheh, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; 
 
 netertheless, not as i will, but as thou wilt." mat- 
 
 thew xxvi. 39. 
 
 " The moon was shining yet. The orient's brow, 
 Set with the morning star, was not yet dim ; 
 And the deep silence which subdues the breath 
 Like a strong feeling, hung upon the world 
 As sleep upon the pulses of a child. 
 'Twas the last watch of night. Gethsemane, 
 With its bathed leaves of silver, seem'd dissolved 
 In visible stillness ; and as Jesus' voice. 
 With its bewildering sweetness, met the ear 
 Of his disciples, it vibrated on 
 Like the first whisper in a silent world. 
 They came on slowly. Heaviness oppress'd 
 The Saviour's heart, and when the kindnesses 
 Of his deep love were pour'd, he felt the need 
 Of near communion, for his gift of strength 
 Was wasted by the spirit's weariness. 
 He left them there and went a little on, 
 And in the depth of that hush'd silentness. 
 Alone with God, he fell upon his face. 
 And as his heart was broken with the rush 
 
AGONY IN GETHSEMANE. 235 
 
 M 
 
 Of his surpassing agony, and death, 
 
 Wrung to liira from a dying universe, 
 
 Was mightier than the Son of man could bear, 
 
 He gave his sorrows way — and in the deep 
 
 Prostration of his soul, breathed out the prayer, 
 
 ' Father, if it be possible with thee. 
 
 Let this cup pass from me.' " 
 
 This remarkable prayer opens a scene of mel- 
 ancholy interest. The passover had been cele- 
 brated. The Saviour had delivered his farewell 
 discourse, — a discourse full of rich consolations and 
 glorious hopes. The hour was late as he left the 
 city with his chosen friends, and bent his footsteps 
 towards the garden of Gethsemane. The shadows 
 of night were falling upon the walls, temple, and 
 streets of Jerusalem ; but deeper and darker shadows 
 were falling upon the spirit of Jesus. He knew 
 what was before him. He knew the awful nature 
 of the tragedy which on that night was to open. 
 Passing the gate, now called Stephen's gate, which 
 was nearest to the temple walls on the north, he 
 crossed the brook of Cedron, and sought in the se- 
 clusion of Gethsemane, preparation of heart for the 
 trials that were before him. This garden was a 
 retired spot, situated at the foot of the Mount of 
 Olives, and was the favorite resort of Christ for 
 meditation and prayer. After the toUs of the day, 
 he would often spend the whole night there in the 
 open air, dividing the hours between rest and com- 
 munion with the Father. Having reached the gar- 
 den, he took apart with him Peter, James, and John, 
 the beloved disciples, that they might be the honored 
 
236 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 witnesses of his prayers and conflicts. The same 
 who were with him upon the mount of transfigura- 
 tion, and beheld the glories of that scene, and heard 
 voices from the celestial world, were now admitted 
 to the dark chamber of the Saviour's sufferings. 
 They had followed their Master in his journeys to 
 the cities and villages of Judea ; had witnessed his 
 miracles, — listened to his eloquent and heart-search- 
 ing discourses, — been his companions in his joys 
 and sorrows. But no scene of such thrilling and 
 overpowering interest had fallen under their observa- 
 tion, as that of which this memorable garden was 
 the theatre. There were sorrows here, and profound 
 mysteries, and agonizing prayers, and a baptism of 
 tears and blood, that were calculated to excite the 
 most intense and conflicting emotions. 
 
 In meditating upon this scene, the prominent 
 points that present themselves for our consideration, 
 are the agony of Christ, his destitution of the sym- 
 pathy of his disciples, and his entire submission to 
 the will of his Father. 
 
 From the nature of the case, we cannot expect 
 from the Evangelists so fuU and accurate an account 
 of what transpu'ed on this occasion, as on others 
 that were more calm, and aflbrded greater facilities 
 for being reported. The night was dark ; the disci- 
 ples were extremely weary; and their minds must 
 have been greatly excited, and filled with gloomy 
 forebodings. Yet the language that is used to ex- 
 press the agony of the Saviour, is the strongest 
 which could be employed. He is represented as 
 penetrated and overwhelmed with the most piercing 
 
AGONY IN GETllSEMANE. 237 
 
 sorrows. The words employed by St. Mark in the 
 original, signify a mixture of terror, amazement, and 
 heavy griefs, that cannot be expressed in language. 
 In one verse he represents the sufferer as encircled 
 with sorrows, that broke in upon him with such vio- 
 lence, as apparently to shut off all means of his 
 escape. One writer observes, " that Christ's con- 
 tinued resolution in the midst of these agonies and 
 supernatural horrors, was the most heroic that can 
 be imagined, and far superior to valor in single com- 
 bat, or in battle ; where in one case the spirit is 
 raised by natural indignation, and in the other by 
 the pomp of war, the sound of martial music, and 
 the example of fellow-soldiers." The expression in 
 the prayer, " If it be possible, let this cup pass from 
 me," reveals the depth of his agonies. 
 
 He had come, indeed, upon a mission of suffering. 
 He knew before his incarnation, that he should be 
 " a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." But 
 this cup he desired, if possible, might pass from him. 
 He could drink any other. He could face his most 
 violent and implacable enemies. He could receive 
 the insults, blows, and curses of the infuriated popu- 
 lace. He could look upon the cross, the nails, the 
 spear, and the iron clad soldiers, with comparative 
 composure. But this anguish he would gladly, if 
 possible, escape. He approximates towards an ex- 
 pression of it, in the declaration which he made to the 
 three chosen disciples, " My soul is exceeding sorrow- 
 ful, even unto death ; tarry ye here and watch with 
 me." His spirit is ready to faint and sink, and he 
 desires his friends to tarry near him, and watch and 
 pray. 
 
238 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 The nature of this sorrow, with the various ele- 
 ments that entered into it, we cannot of course fully 
 explore. The Saviour had previously passed through 
 severe struggles, with the world and with temptation. 
 He had encountered the opposition of bitter foes, 
 who had repeatedly attempted to take his life. His 
 grief and indignation had been excited by the hy- 
 pocrisy and deep iniquity of the Pharisees. He 
 had been tried by the want of stability and devotion 
 on the part of his professed friends ; by the unwil- 
 lingness of men to repent, and believe in him ; by the 
 slight impression which was made upon the minds 
 of the multitudes who witnessed his " mighty works ; " 
 by the difficulties which he everywhere encountered, 
 in convincing men of the spnitual nature and ends 
 of his kingdom. But this was the great conflict of 
 his life ; the great moral battle in which he encoun- 
 tered the combined forces of evil. This was the 
 crisis of his existence, — the crisis, I may say, in the 
 great work of redemption. Here the mighty tides 
 of influence, — of hostile moral forces met, and the 
 Messiah is left to struggle in their foaming, raging 
 waters. He grasps, as it were, the arms of his disci- 
 ples, that they may help to sustain him. If he sinks 
 now, it is all over with the hopes of this apostate 
 world. What has been accomplished in the past — 
 miracles, benevolent deeds, eloquent teachings, and 
 severe trials — will not atone for sin. The sublime 
 work that called the Son of God from his glorious 
 throne, wfll remain incomplete, unless the floods of 
 this agony are passed through. 
 
 But still the question presses upon us, what con- 
 
AGONY IN GETIISEMANE. 239 
 
 stiiuted that indescribable distress, that the Saviour 
 thrice prayed that he might, if it were possible, 
 escape? We obtain, I think, some clue to it, from 
 the words of prophecy, uttered as though the events 
 had already transpired. " He hath borne our griefs, 
 and carried our sorrows ; he was wounded for our 
 transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities; the 
 chastisement of our peace was upon him." He un- 
 dertook to satisfy the demands of God's violated 
 law, and to endure for us, as far as it was possible, 
 the wounds consequent upon our transgressions. 
 However great might be the burden and agonies 
 attendant upon achieving a full and complete re- 
 demption, Christ so loved the world that he was 
 resolved to carry the work through. And here in the 
 garden, just before his betrayal and arrest, and as 
 the last terrible tragedy was opening before him, he 
 felt the tremendous pressure of the vast undertaking 
 which he had assumed. Views of the enormity of 
 sin, and of its fearful consequences in the eternal 
 world, rolled in upon his mind like successive waves 
 from a fathomless ocean of sorrow. He saw the 
 necessity of divine justice as well as the blessedness 
 of divine mercy. He saw that the eternal throne 
 must be sustained, though all else should perish. 
 He saw how destructive and awful an evil sin was ; 
 that it tended directly to the subversion of all order 
 and authority ; that it broke in upon the happiness 
 of God's moral universe, and threatened its utter 
 annihilation ; that it would, unless checked, involve 
 the universe in one common ruin. He saw, too, the 
 state of the world that he had come to redeem and 
 
240 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 bless ; its awful apostasy and deep guilt ; its malice, 
 treachery, cruelty, and systems of op])ression. He 
 saw from what exalted heights man had fallen into 
 the deep pit and miry clay of sin. He saw and felt 
 too, what no human mind can conceive, or if con- 
 ceived, what no human language could express. 
 For in all our endeavors to analyze the nature of 
 that suffering which was endured to atone for our 
 sins, we are completely baffled. After having ex- 
 hausted the power of language and of thought, 
 there are depths which we cannot reach. There are 
 perplexing mysteries which we cannot solve. There 
 is much said by theological writers upon this point, 
 but it amounts to but little. It does not touch the 
 reality, the essence of the thing. We are not in- 
 formed that Christ explained, even to his favorite 
 disciples, the nature of his sorrow. They saw his 
 insupportable agony, heard his groans, listened to 
 his earnest cries to the Father, saw him sweat, as 
 it were, great drops of blood falling to the ground ; 
 but into the deep causes of the distress, they could 
 not penetrate. 
 
 Besides being oppressed by the most vivid views 
 of the nature and consequences of sin, it is probable 
 that the sorrow of Christ was increased by the 
 agency of the powers of darkness. They would 
 naturally seize upon this occasion to make their last 
 desperate effort to break up the plan of salvation, 
 and thwart the divine purposes of mercy. They had 
 before attempted to make inroads upon the holiness 
 of the Saviour's character. They had sought oppor- 
 tunities to break down his integrity, and thus despoil 
 
AGONY IN GETHSEMANE. 241 
 
 him of his power. But from eyery conflict he had 
 come off a glorious conqueror. And now his event- 
 ful career was about to close. Should he triumph to 
 the last, the victory would be one from which the 
 powers of hell would never recover. The Conqueror 
 would be exalted far above all principalities and 
 powers, and have a name above every name. Hence 
 every means was doubtless used by the evil spirits, 
 on this dark and horrible night, to destroy the Lord 
 of glory. How they on this, or on former occasions, 
 gained access to his mind, or what forms of tempta- 
 tion or torture they used, we cannot determine. It 
 is enough for us to know, that there are avenues of 
 communication between this and the world of lost 
 spirits, and that devils were permitted to assail the 
 virtue of the Son of the Most High. Indeed, we are 
 assured that upon the great moral battle field of life, 
 we are all called upon to contend against these ma- 
 lignant forces. " For we wrestle," St. Paul says, " not 
 against flesh and blood " alone, " but against princi- 
 palities, against powers, against the rulers of the 
 darkness of this world." There cannot, therefore, 
 be a doubt, but that the agony of the Saviour was 
 greatly increased by these foes. 
 
 It is also probable, that his sufferings were aug- 
 mented by the consciousness of the base ingratitude 
 of mankind, the implacable malice of the Jews, 
 the treachery of Judas, and the weakness of Peter 
 and his fellow disciples. The events of the future 
 were full in his view. The terrible picture was be- 
 fore his eyes, in all its dark colorings and gloomy 
 features. He was about to be betrayed, and by a 
 21 
 
242 LIFE SCENES OP THE MESSIAH. 
 
 professed friend ; aye more, by a chosen apostle, one 
 who had sat at the table with him, listened to his 
 teachings, and shared in his favors. He was about 
 to be crucified by the very class whom he had come 
 specially to bless. Peter would deny him with oaths 
 and curses, and his bosom companions, in the hour 
 of danger, would flee and abandon him to his fate. 
 Nay, more ; the scheme of redemption, sealed with 
 his precious blood, would be rejected by thousands, 
 and would for nineteen centuries, at least, be un- 
 known by millions of the human family. He fore- 
 saw the bitter opposition that his system would en- 
 counter, the arguments that would be framed against 
 it, the terrible storms of persecution that would rage 
 against those who should embrace his tm^b ^^.^ be- 
 lieve on his name. Oan we longer wonder at his 
 exclamation, " My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even 
 unto death." 
 
 The conduct of the disciples on this memorable 
 occasion^ cannot escape our notice. Human nature, 
 in its best estate, affords but a frail dependence. 
 But in this instance, it seems to us wonderful, that 
 the disciples could be so indifferent to what was 
 transpiring before their eyes, and feel so little sympa- 
 thy for their Master while he was enduring sucli 
 agony. The scenes through which they had just be- 
 fore passed, were of the most exciting and thrilling 
 character, and they could not but have been im- 
 pressed with the conviction that some startling event, 
 or gloomy tragedy, was about to happen. They 
 knew that Judas had gone out, carrying with him 
 the heart of a traitor, and they had reason to expect 
 
AGONY IN GETHSEMANE. 243 
 
 that at any moment his fatal purpose might be exe- 
 cuted. Peter, with all his professions of devotion 
 and firmness, had been distinctly told, that before 
 morning he would three times basely deny his Lord. 
 The disciples had been warned, notwithstanding 
 their apparent willingness to lay down their lives for 
 Christ, that they would that night flee in terror and 
 desert him. Yet at the very moment when they 
 should have exercised the utmost vigilance, and 
 afforded to Christ their cordial sympathy, they are 
 found sleeping. In order to secure the special coop- 
 eration of Peter, John, and James, they are taken 
 apart from the others, and witness the distress de- 
 picted in the Saviour's countenance, and hear his 
 agonizing cries. Yet Christ, in the height of his 
 sorrow, came to them three times, and found them 
 overcome by sleep. Filled with the utmost amaze- 
 ment and grief at their conduct, he exclaimed 
 " What, could ye not watch with me one hour ? " 
 What, could ye not, at a moment like this, a moment 
 pregnant with infinite consequences to mankind, a 
 crisis that awakens the deepest interest among the 
 angelic hosts, and in the remotest regions of the uni- 
 verse, could ye not watch and give me your sympa- 
 thy for one short hour ? Is your love so feeble, or 
 your faith so weak, or your views of spiritual and 
 eternal realities so faint, that you can sleep at such a 
 time as this ? " Yet it appears that no appeals or 
 entreaties could arouse them, and the Saviour is left 
 to struggle with his sufferings alone. While viewing 
 the scene, we may well exclaim, in the words of the 
 prophet, " Who is this that cometh from Edom, with 
 
244 LIFE SCENES OP THE MESSIAH. 
 
 dyed garments from Bozrah ? this that is glorious in 
 his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? 
 I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Where- 
 fore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments 
 like him who treadeth in the wine fat ? I have trod- 
 den the wine-press alone, and of the people there 
 was none with me. I looked, and there was none to 
 help ; and I wondered that there was none to up- 
 hold ; therefore my own arm brought salvation." 
 
 We cannot suppose that the divine nature of 
 Christ partook of these intense sorrows ; although it 
 is difficult for us to conceive of the Saviour's passing 
 through such agonies, without his whole being sym- 
 pathizing with them, or in some way being affected 
 by them. But his earnest desire for the support and 
 sympathy of his disciples, as well as an unwilling- 
 ness to admit that divinity, is left under any circum- 
 stances to experience suffering, lead us to the conclu- 
 sion that his human nature was called to endure this 
 tremendous weight of sorrow. Regarding, therefore, 
 the event in this light, we can readily conceive that 
 there was an intensity of meaning in Christ's in- 
 quiry, " Could ye not watch with me one hour ? " 
 During his whole life there had not been a period 
 when he stood in such need of the support which his 
 disciples could afford. He does not, indeed, ask 
 them to suffer with him. He does not ask them to 
 lay down their lives for him, or to stand in the front 
 of the battle ground and receive the blows of his 
 enemies. He simply asks that they watch and pray 
 with him. And besides doing this to sustain him, 
 he had another object in view, that they might them- 
 
AGONY IN GETHSEMANE. 245 
 
 selves be fortified against temptation. The night 
 was one that was to try their souls as well as his 
 own. Their love, their constancy, their faith, were to 
 be put to a severe test. The traitor would soon ap- 
 pear. The soldiers were already putting on their 
 armor. The foes were lighting their torches. The 
 mob was gathering its forces. In the glare of the 
 torchlight might be seen within the city groups of 
 rough, fiendlike beings, conferring together how they 
 might capture their victim. While these prepara- 
 tions were going on, while even the multitude were 
 pouring through the gates, and were following the 
 traitor towards the garden, the disciples slept. They 
 could not watch one hour, — not even to prepare 
 themselves for the terrible conflict. Hence, when 
 the trial came, they were swept before it. 
 
 The idea that it was the human nature of Christ 
 that suffered on this occasion, is strengthened by the 
 fact that an angel was sent to support and comfort 
 him. We can hardly suppose that a finite and cre- 
 ated being could afford any essential aid to a divine 
 sufferer. But the incarnate Christ might be sus- 
 tained by the help and sympathy of an angel ; and 
 though the disciples slept, yet we are assured that 
 spiritual beings watched with the Lord of glory, and 
 were ready and anxious to relieve him of this op- 
 pressive load of sorrow. 
 
 The last point to be noticed is, the entire submis- 
 sion to the divine loill, which Christ exercised under 
 these intense sufferings. In the previous history of 
 the Saviour, his submission to the Father had been 
 marked and uniform. But it had never been brought 
 21* 
 
246 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 to SO severe a trial as at the present time. On no 
 former occasion do we hear from Christ's lips, ex- 
 pressions of such intense feeling and acute suffering 
 as on this memorable night. With his soul pierced 
 through by a thousand sorrows, he prays, that if it 
 he possible this cup might pass from him. If in any 
 way his great work can be accomplished, and the 
 world saved, without a continuation of the horrors 
 of that night, he desires that the cup of affliction 
 may be taken from his lips. If it be possible to sat- 
 isfy the demands of justice in any other way, — if 
 infinite wisdom and love can meet the emergency 
 through any other process, or by any other measures, 
 he desires that it may be done. Yet, at the very 
 instant when his agony is the most intense, and he 
 is praying with all the fervency of his soul to be. de- 
 livered from it, he says to the Father, " Not my will, 
 but thine, be done." » Let the tide of sorrow roll 
 on, — let suffering be piled upon suffering, and 
 agony upon agony, until the very blood starts from 
 my veins, until life itself become extinct, if such is 
 the will of an infinitely wise and holy God." 
 
 What a sublime triumph have we here I How do 
 the very spirit of grandeur, and the essence of glory 
 emerge from the gloom and horrors of that scene ! 
 We almost forget the suffering, in the splendors of 
 this victory. Pain, temptation, the powers of hell, 
 all are conquered by this mighty act of submission. 
 Christ's wiU is absorbed in the divine will, so that 
 they both constitute a unity. 
 
 The entire reliance of the Saviour upon the 
 Father's wisdom and goodness, is here presented in 
 
AGOXy IN GETIISEMANE. 247 
 
 the most vivid manner. He knew that the Judge of 
 all the earth would do right. He knew that his 
 Heavenly Father would not inflict upon him one un- 
 necessary sorrow. He knew that if it were possible, 
 the cup would pass from him. He knew that the 
 nature of God was love, and that he delighted only in 
 the happiness of the universe ; and therefore he was 
 willing to leave his soul in his hands. 
 
 Thus the glorious Redeemer prepared himself for 
 all that Alight befall him. He received in the garden 
 his baptism of sorrow, and was ready for whatever 
 the malice and cruelty of his enemies might inflict 
 upon him. Insults, mockings, scourging, the cross, 
 Calvary, these do not move him. His spirit was 
 crucified, before his body was nailed to the cross. 
 His soul was wounded, before the spear entered his 
 side. The powers of hell tried their strength upon 
 him, before he was seized by human arms, and con- 
 demned by human authority. What a lesson does 
 this submission teach us ! How ready ought we to 
 be, under our lesser sufferings, to say to the Supreme 
 Father, " thy will be done." To bring us to merge 
 our wills in the divine wiU, is the grand purpose of 
 religion. And not until we do this, shall we meet 
 the requisitions of the divine law, and find rest for 
 the soul. 
 
XX. 
 
 TREACHERY OF JUDAS. 
 
 " Betkatest thod the son of man with a kiss ? " 
 Luke xxii. 48. 
 
 Such was the mild, yet withering remark, with 
 which Christ met the signal of Judas's treachery. 
 The traitor entered the garden at the head of a large 
 and promiscuous multitude, composed of Roman 
 soldiers, the officers of the chief-priests and Phari- 
 sees, and the rude and vulgar from the lowest class 
 of society. Some carried lanterns and torches, while 
 others were armed with swords and staves, as though 
 they had come out to arrest a notorious robber, or 
 encounter a banditti of outlaws. As is not unfre- 
 quently the case, when a great benefactor or reformer 
 is to be put down, we find in this group that the ex- 
 tremes of society meet. The proud Pharisee, and 
 the officers of the chief-priests, mingle with the 
 most degraded of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and 
 they make common cause against the Messiah. 
 Judas, fixing his eye upon Christ, approached him in 
 a manner indicating the gi-eatest respect and affection. 
 
TREACHERY OF JUDAS. 249 
 
 As had been the custom of the disciples, he saluted 
 him with a kiss, at the same time saying, " Hail, 
 Master ; " words expressive of his best wishes for 
 Christ's welfare and happiness. The Saviour, after 
 surveying the motley group that stood before him, 
 turned his benignant countenance towards the 
 traitor, and said, " Betrayest thou the Son of man 
 with a Idss ? " Then stepping forward with the 
 greatest coolness and intrepidity of manner, he said 
 to the multitude, " Whom seek ye ? " They replied, 
 Jesus of Nazareth. He frankly said, " I am he," and 
 with this utterance there went forth such a power, or 
 such impressions of his divine majesty and glory, 
 that his enemies recoiled and fell to the ground. 
 During this conversation it is mentioned as a signifi- 
 cant fact, that Judas, who had formerly mingled 
 with the disciples of Jesus, went over and stood 
 with his enemies. The fatal act of his life had 
 been committed, and he now casts in his lot with 
 the vile rabble and iron-hearted soldiers who seek 
 the life of the innocent Jesus. Anticipating, proba- 
 bly, a conflict between the friends and foes of Christ, 
 lie desired to he on what he deems the strongest 
 side, and to receive the protection of those into 
 whose hands he had betrayed his Lord. He pre- 
 ferred to trust in an arm of flesh, — in power based 
 upon injustice and cruelty, rather than in him who 
 had stilled the waves of the ocean, and established 
 his authority over the elements and laws of nature. 
 Since the time of Christ, the name of Judas has 
 stood before the world as the type of all that is dark, 
 deceitful, and base in the human character. In 
 
250 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 tracing out his career, although we may be led 
 through pathways filled with shadows that fall from 
 his character, and may feel the chill from his cold 
 treachery, and shudder at the fate of one who had 
 been so highly favored and blessed, yet the contem- 
 plation may serve us in our experience, and render 
 us watchful of dangers that surround the footsteps 
 of all. 
 
 In the first place, notice the nature and aggravation 
 of this crime. AU persons will admit that treachery 
 is one of the most hateful and destructive in the cat- 
 alogue in human sins. It involves the double guilt 
 of committing a wrong, and abusing confidence, or 
 the sacred obligations of friendship. Judas sinned 
 with the officers and men who sought to arrest 
 Jesus, and he also sinned in using his knowledge of 
 the person of Christ, and of his private retreats, to 
 betray him into the hands of his enemies. He gave 
 the deepest hue to his crime, by professing such 
 affection for Christ, while he was plotting his ruin. 
 Had he come out openly and denied him, and been 
 known as a foe to the Messiah, and his system of 
 doctrines, the case would have been different. But 
 up to the very hour, and in the act of betraying him, 
 he manifested the warmest affection. As though his 
 recent and short separation from his Master had oc- 
 casioned him pain, he appeared to rejoice at meeting 
 him again, and saluted him in the most friendly 
 manner. There was a smUe upon his countenance, 
 and a kiss upon his lips, while the blackest treachery 
 lurked in his heart. With his mouth he said, " Hail, 
 Master," while his spmt said. Hail to the blood- 
 
TREACHERY OF JUDAS. 251 
 
 thirsty wretches who seek the life of the Lord of 
 glory! Hail to this mob who come with torches, 
 and clubs, and swords ! 
 
 Impressed with the deep hypocrisy that marked 
 his conduct, the Saviour put to him that searching 
 question, " Betrayest thou the Son of man with a 
 kiss ? " Is there no other way in which you can 
 make me known to my adversaries ? Must you em- 
 ploy your professed love, as a means of betraying 
 me into the hands of these cruel men ? There was 
 a profound meaning in this inquiry, a meaning that 
 must have filled the Saviour with grief. That one 
 could be found on God's earth so lost to all honor, 
 sense of right, gratitude, or friendship, as to com- 
 mit such an act, must have stung his heart with 
 anguish ! 
 
 The exalted privileges and rich spiritual bless- 
 ings which the traitor had enjoyed, add to the 
 enormity of his crime. He had walked and con- 
 versed with the Messiah. He had been received to 
 his heart as a bosom companion ; had been admitted 
 to his private councils, and chosen as one of the 
 twelve apostles. He had witnessed the miracles of 
 Christ, and could not but have regarded them as 
 manifestations of divine power. He had listened to 
 his instructions in public and in private, — had been 
 moved by the eloquence of his lips, — the sublimity 
 of his doctrines, and the boldness, ardor, and faith- 
 fulness that characterized his public ministry. His 
 mind had been enlightened and enriched by those 
 private interviews which the Saviour often held with 
 his disciples, and when he opened to them the treas- 
 
252 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 ures of infinite wisdonn. He must have felt, while in 
 the presence of the Saviour, listening to his fervent 
 prayers, and the immortal truths upon which he de- 
 lighted to dwell, that he stood in the portals of 
 heaven, surrounded by a celestial atmosphere, and 
 almost in view of the glories of an immortal state. 
 
 The virtues and holy principles which governed 
 the life of Christ, also passed under his inspection. 
 He had the amplest opportunities for judging of the 
 purity of his motives, and the holiness of his life. 
 He could not fail to be impressed with his sincerity, 
 divinity, and authority. 
 
 In spiritual advantages, therefore, Judas occupied 
 the highest position that was attainable on earth. 
 He who was " the way, the truth, and the life," was 
 his instructor. He who announced himself to be 
 " the light of the \yorld," was his guide. The worker 
 of mighty miracles was his friend. The being whose 
 biography was condensed in the declaration, "he 
 went about doing good," was his example. The 
 king, whose empire was destined to extend until it 
 embraced all the nations of the earth, was the Mas- 
 ter whom he served. Could he have asked for clear- 
 er light, or richer advantages, or a more honored or 
 sublime position ? 
 
 Besides, he had been distinctly warned of his 
 crime, and of the awful consequences that would 
 attend it. While sitting at the table with the other 
 apostles, at the institution of the last supper, he had 
 heard from Christ the distinct declaration, " Behold, 
 one of you shall betray me." The announcement 
 fell as a thunderbolt upon the ears of the eleven, 
 
TREACHERY OF JUDAS. 253 
 
 but Judas knew its import. They, startled by the 
 astounding tidings, cried out, as though distrustful 
 of their own minds and purposes, " Lord, is it I ? " 
 The traitor, struggling to maintain his composure, 
 and fearful that his sUence might fasten the suspi- 
 cions of his brethren upon himself, at last muttered 
 out, "Lord, is it I?" Christ replied, "Thou hast 
 said." Thou art the person. Judas also heard from 
 the lips of Christ the withering denunciation, " Woe 
 unto that man by whom the Son of Man is be- 
 trayed ; it had been good for that man if he had not 
 been born." The traitor, therefore, enters upon his 
 crime with a full knowledge of its heinous nature, 
 and warned of its guilt and destructive conse- 
 quences. 
 
 Let us next inquire into the motives that prompted 
 him to commit an act of such glaring atrocity. Of 
 the early history of Judas, nothing is certainly 
 known. The most prominent fact related of him 
 by the Evangelists, previous to his betrayal of the 
 Saviour, was his displeasure towards Mary for anoint- 
 ing Jesus with so much precious ointment, which 
 might have been sold for three hundred pence and 
 given to the poor. St. Luke maintains that he really 
 cared nothing for the poor, but being the treasurer 
 of the company of apostles, and being a thief, he 
 desired to gain possession of the money and appro- 
 priate it to his own use. His disappointment in not, 
 in this instance, accomplishing his ends, seems to 
 have produced in his mind the determination to 
 make up, if possible, the loss in some other way. 
 Hence, knowing the anxiety of the chief priests to 
 22 
 
254 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 arrest his Master, he went to them and said, " What 
 will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you ? 
 And they covenantai with him for thirty pieces of 
 silver." 
 
 The feelings and motives which induced him to 
 become a follower of Christ, and the state of his 
 mind when he was chosen an apostle, we have no 
 means of accurately analyzing. We can hardly 
 suppose that he was actuated purely by avarice in 
 joining such a company; for certainly there was 
 nothing in their appearance or prospects to encour- 
 age the hope of large worldly gains. Having wit- 
 nessed the miracles of Christ, and participating in 
 the general expectation that a powerful king was 
 soon to appear, who would deliver the nation from 
 their Roman oppressors, he might have been influ- 
 enced by ambitious motives, and have thought that 
 he would in some way promote his worldly interests 
 by espousing the cause of Christ. Or, like the 
 young ruler who came to Christ to know what he 
 must do to be saved, he might to some extent have 
 been sensible of his sinfulness, and his need of relig- 
 ious instruction. His keen rem6rse, and his readi- 
 ness to retm-n the money to the chief-priests, when 
 he found how terrible would be the results of his 
 treachery, show that he was not altogether insensible 
 to the power of conscience, and a sense of justice. 
 He may have supposed after he made the bargain to 
 betray Christ, that his Master would not really be 
 arrested and put to death, but would, by the exercise 
 of his miraculous power, escape out of the hands of 
 his enemies, as he had done on former occasions. 
 
TREACHERY OP JUDAS. 255 
 
 But, whatever may have been the original motives 
 which actuated Judas in joining the company of 
 Christ's disciples, it is clear that at the close of his 
 career, he was in subjection to the base principle of 
 avarice. The growth of this principle in his mind, 
 had probably been gradual. Step by step, he had 
 reached that point, when he wao . ready to perform 
 the infamous act of betraying the Son of God for 
 thirty pieces of silver. 
 
 The power of this principle must have been tre- 
 mendous, to have worked against the light and spir- 
 itual advantages which this man enjoyed. We can- 
 not but believe that, as in any other mind similarly 
 situated, there was a constant struggle going on be- 
 tween the love of money, and the desire for future 
 and immortal happiness. But he allowed the god 
 of this world to rise above the better feelings of his 
 nature, and gain the mastery over him. We are 
 told that Satan entered into him, and instigated him 
 to the commission of this crime. Whether it was 
 the personal Satan, or the devil of avarice, matters 
 but little. For the power of avarice is such, that it 
 may properly be termed a demon. It has, from the 
 time of Judas to the present hour, exercised over 
 many minds a most despotic sway. It has dried up 
 the fountains of affection, — obliterated the noblest 
 feelings of the soul, — blasted every virtue, — broken 
 the power of conscience, and led its victims to tram- 
 ple underfoot justice, right, and humanity. To-day 
 it rules tens of thousands with a rod of iron. It 
 obstructs the progress of God's truth, — consoli- 
 dates various forms of iniquity, and neutralizes the 
 
256 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 forces that are at work to elevate, ennoble, and bless 
 mankind. Judas, bargaining with the chief-priests 
 to betray his Lord for thirty pieces of silver, is the 
 representative of a large number of constituents. 
 He has had, in all ages, his successors, as well as the 
 other apostles. 
 
 His history illustrates, too, what depths of iniquity 
 a man may reach while enjoying the highest relig- 
 ious advantages, and placed in circumstances cal- 
 culated to develop the noblest principles of his 
 nature. He was under the dominion of selfishness 
 while in the society of the great-and divine example 
 of benevolence. He was an infidel while listening 
 to the words and doctrines of him who spake as 
 never man spake. Satan was in his heart, while the 
 title of apostle was attached to his name. With 
 the infinite treasures of a heavenly and everlasting 
 kingdom within his reach, he preferred thirty pieces 
 of silver. With the opportunity of securing an im- 
 mortal fame for integrity, faithfulness, and the 
 noblest heroism, he took as his portion immortal 
 infamy. What a lesson there is in his history! 
 What an emphatic testimony to the importance of 
 associating inward principle with outward advan- 
 tage! Judas walked with the King of kings and 
 Lord of lords, — witnessed his mighty miracles, — 
 lived under the sunlight of his perfect character, — 
 but neglected inward culture, — neglected secret 
 prayer, self-examination, and the duty of fortifying 
 his mind against easily besetting sins. Hence the 
 rapid growth of this principle of avarice, even when 
 surroun ed by such exalted spnitual privileges. His 
 
TREACHERY OF JUDAS. 257 
 
 mind was blinded by it, so that he could not perceive 
 the excellence of divine truth, the beauty of the 
 divine character, and the glory of the hopes that 
 Christ held out to those who are faithful to his 
 cause. 
 
 We would next notice the consequences of this crime 
 to the traitor himself. When Judas found that his 
 Master was condemned, and that he probably would 
 be put to death, he was stung with remorse at the 
 thought of his infamous deed. That he, an apostle, 
 honored with the appointment by Christ himself, 
 favored above millions of his fellow men, admitted 
 to the table with the select few around which Christ 
 met his disciples for the last time ; that he, under 
 such circumstances, should have betrayed the Lord 
 of glory into the hands of his enemies, was a thought 
 that pierced his soul with the keenest anguish. He 
 could not endure it. He could not live under it. 
 With those thirty pieces of silver in his pocket, ex- 
 istence to him was a curse. He therefore seeks 
 relief by hastening back to the priests with the 
 money. Returning it to them he said, with deep 
 and horrible emotion, " I have sinned in that I have 
 betrayed the innocent blood." Now.mark the reply 
 of his employers. With the coldest indifference, 
 characteristic of such men, they said, " What is that 
 to us ? see thou to that." Judas went to these men 
 hoping to get sympathy, or some relief to his feel- 
 ings. He could not go to his former companions, 
 for he had most basely deserted them, and cruelly 
 betrayed their Master. The priests and elders, in the 
 first instance, had doubtless received him with cor- 
 22* 
 
258 LIFE SCENES OP THE MESSIAH. 
 
 diality and the appearance of friendship. But when 
 he is in trouble, and goes to them with his soul 
 crushed under a mountain weight of remorse, they 
 coldly and sneeringly reply, " What is that to us ? " 
 " What concern have we with your sorrows ? We 
 bargained with you to perform a certain deed, and 
 we have fulfilled our part of the contract, while you 
 have fulfilled yours. We knew that you were en- 
 gaging in a mean and infamous business, but what 
 is your suffering to us? See thou to that." Oh, 
 with what increased anguish and horror of mind 
 must he have listened to those scorching words ! 
 How they must have rung in his ears and clung to 
 his memory ! 
 
 But had he possessed much knowledge of human 
 nature, he might have anticipated such a result. 
 For this is the way in which wicked men uniformly 
 treat those whom, by their money, they have made 
 the tools of their base designs. After their own 
 wicked purposes are accomplished, they care not 
 what calamities may befall those whom they were 
 so ready at first to caress and flatter. Their lan- 
 guage to the traitor always is, when he begins to 
 reap the fearful consequences of his treachery, 
 " What is that to us ? see thou to that." Whether 
 the man has betrayed his country, or his religion, or 
 freedom, or temperance, or any good cause, his fate 
 among his villanous employers is the same. 
 
 In the case of Judas, even the innocence of Christ 
 was not a matter of the least consequence to his 
 bitter enemies. They cared no more for Judas's 
 opinion upon this point, than for the anguish which 
 
TREACHERY OF JUDAS. 259 
 
 his infamous deed had wrought in his soul. Their 
 object was, right or wrong, just or unjust, to seize 
 Christ and to execute him. They felt that it was 
 dangerous to the state, dangerous to formalism and 
 to their whited sepulchre system of religion, to have 
 a person of so much piety, boldness, and earnestness 
 in maintaining God's truth among them ; and hence 
 their aim was to crush him, without regard to the 
 means which it might be necessary to employ. 
 
 It is a fact, however, worthy of notice, that the 
 two men on the earth the most interested to find 
 Christ guilty, bore witness to his innocence. Pilate, 
 with all his anxiety to please the people, and pro- 
 mote his own popularity, said, " I find no fault in 
 this man ; " and Judas acknowledged, " I have be- 
 trayed innocent blood." 
 
 The traitor, failing in his effort to obtain sympathy 
 or relief, " cast down the pieces of silver in the tem- 
 ple, and departed and hung himself." Unable to 
 endure the remorse of conscience which his guilt oc- 
 casioned, he, in despair, put an end to his own life, 
 thus adding the crime of suicide to that of treachery. 
 To such tragical results do the small beginnings of 
 sin often lead ! The love of money, which is the 
 root of all evil, by being cherished, blasted his char- 
 acter, destroyed his life, and ruined his soul. 
 
 " The thirty pieces down he flung, 
 
 For which his Lord he sold, 
 And turned away his murderer's face 
 
 From that accursed gold. 
 He cannot sleep, he dares not watch j 
 
 That weight is on his heart. 
 For which nor earth, nor heaven have hope, 
 
 Which never can depart. 
 
2&0 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 "A curse is on his memory, 
 
 We shudder at his name ; 
 At once we loathe and scorn his guilt, 
 
 And yet we do the same : 
 Alas ! the sinfulness of man, 
 
 How oft in deed and word 
 We act the traitor's part again. 
 
 And do betray our Lord ! " 
 
XXI. 
 
 TRIAL AND CONDEMNATION OF CHRIST. 
 
 " When the morning was come, all the chief priests and 
 elders op the people took counsel against jesus to 
 put him to death. and when they had bound him, 
 thet led him away, and delivered him to pontius 
 PILATE, THE GOVERNOR." — Matthew xxvii. I, 2. 
 
 an affecting illustration of the forbearance of the 
 sufferer, in connection with a development of some 
 of the strongest principles of man's depraved heart. 
 Human wickedness, in the form of hypocrisy, had 
 reached its highest point in the treachery of Judas. 
 But, in the scenes which followed the arrest of 
 Christ, we have other phases of depravity, which 
 stand out with fearful prominence. We have the 
 divine virtues of the Saviour brought in close and 
 vivid contrast with injustice, malice, contempt, and 
 the most wanton cruelty. His enemies having 
 seized and bound him, led him away to the house 
 of Annas, who had, a short time before, held the 
 office of high-priest, and who was the father-in-law 
 of Caiphas. In the mean time a council of the San- 
 
262 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 hedrim had been summoned at the palace of the 
 high-priest, whither the Saviour was soon taken to 
 undergo an examination. Such was the intense in- 
 terest which the occasion excited, that although it 
 was now midnight, yet all the chief priests and the 
 scribes and the elders had assembled, and were wait- 
 ing to receive Jesus, and to participate in his trial. 
 The innocent sufferer, bound like a criminal, was led 
 by the soldiers into the presence of this proud and 
 sanctimonious body of men. 
 
 The case is opened by the high-priest in a manner 
 contrary to all usage, and to the law of Moses, by 
 which they professed to be governed. That law, as 
 well as the authority of tradition, required, that wit- 
 nesses should be examined, and the testimony or 
 evidences which they furnished, be carefully weighed. 
 But instead of proceeding in this manner, for the 
 obvious reason that they had no witnesses to exam- 
 ine, and no real charges to substantiate against 
 Christ, the high-priest immediately questioned him 
 respecting his disciples and his doctrines. He had 
 really no desire to ascertain the truth as to his teach- 
 ings and followers, but wished to draw something 
 from the Saviour's lips that might be the ground of 
 an accusation against him. Contrary to every prin- 
 ciple of justice, he aimed to make Christ bear wit- 
 ness against himself. Indeed, his mind, as well as 
 that of the priests and scribes, was aheady made up 
 to sacrifice the victim before him, and all that he 
 waited for, was a favorable opportunity or a plausi- 
 ble excuse for carrying into execution his purpose. 
 
 In reply to his inqiiiries, Christ, in a calm and 
 
TRIAL AND CONDEMlSATION OF CHRIST. 263 
 
 dignified manner, answered : " I spake openly to the 
 world. I ever taught in the synagogue and in the 
 temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in 
 secret I have said nothing." The question of the 
 high -priest seemed to carry with it the insinuation, 
 that Christ had some secret plans or wicked plots 
 against the authorities of the nation, to accomplish. 
 As there was no specific charge that could be brought 
 against him, this artifice was resorted to, as a means 
 of concealing the real state of the case. 
 
 But Christ at once appeals to his public teachings 
 and public career, for proof of his innocence of so 
 base a charge. He declares that he taught not only in 
 the synagogue, but in the temple whither the Jews 
 always resort. For three years he had been in the 
 habit of proclaiming his doctrines in the most public 
 manner. Large assemblies of the Jews had listened 
 to his discourses and his discussions upon the vari- 
 rious topics of biblical knowledge. Indeed, there 
 were men present in this very council, with whoni 
 he had discussed the doctrines of theology. And if 
 they know of any thing objectionable in his teach- 
 ings, or in his life, why do they not speak out, and 
 at once accuse their victim ? K they have any thing 
 to say, why do they not embrace this favorable op- 
 portunity? The victim is before them bound, and 
 completely in their power. Most of his followers, 
 panic-struck, have fled. One apostle has turned 
 traitor, and another is just outside the door denying 
 his Lord with oaths and curses. If they have any 
 real accusation to bring forward, certainly now is the 
 time to produce it. But the dignified hypocrites are 
 
264 LITE SCENES OP THE MESSIAH. 
 
 all silent. There comes no voice from the whited 
 sepulchres ; the dead men's bones cannot speak. No 
 one in the council can utter even a plausible false- 
 hood against the Saviour. 
 
 Then Christ, after explicitly stating that in secret 
 he had said nothing, inquired of the high-priest, 
 " Why askest thou me ? " " "Why do you put such 
 questions to one who has been arrested as a criminal 
 or an outlaw ? " " Ask them which heard me, 
 what I have said unto them ; behold, they know 
 what I have said." Now this was certainly fair 
 and honorable. There were hundreds of persons in 
 Jerusalem, friends and foes, who had often listened 
 to his teachings, and who might be brought on to 
 the stand, and be made to testify in the case. 
 
 When, however, he had thus spoken, one of the 
 officers, probably observing the great embarrassment 
 into which the SanRedrim was thrown, by the evi- 
 dent innocence and fairness of their victim, and 
 boiling over with rage at seeing how little progress 
 the learned judges were making in the case, turned 
 round and struck the Saviour a blow in the face, 
 saying, answerest thou the high-priest so ? Such an 
 act was not only a gross outrage upon Christ, but it 
 was in direct violation of the rules and usages of the 
 court. Yet it illustrated a principle in human na- 
 ture which we often see acted upon, under similar 
 circumstances. When wicked men cannot meet the 
 arguments of eminent benefactors, or the earnest de- 
 fenders of God's truth, they usually resort to vio- 
 lence, and make up in blows and tortures what they 
 lack in sound evidence. The inquisitions of the 
 
TRIAL AND CONDEMNATION OF CnRIST. 265 
 
 Romish church, and, indeed, all forms of persecution, 
 are based upon this idea. The judges, seated in 
 dark, inquisitorial halls, fit suburbs of the bottomless 
 pit, are surrounded with their instruments of torture, 
 to be used in accomplishing their ends, when justice 
 and right fail them. 
 
 But, observe the spirit of meekness and submission 
 with which Christ received the insult. He simply 
 replied, " If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the 
 evil ; but if well, why smitest thou me ? " Probably 
 the members of the Sanhedrim were in hopes that 
 Christ would in some way resent the insult, and thus 
 give them the opportunity of accusing him, and of 
 relieving themselves from the awkward position 
 which they occupied. But being disappointed in 
 this, their next step was to seek false witnesses who 
 would testify against him, and thus give to their 
 proceedings some show of justice. For, although 
 they were in great haste to have Christ executed be- 
 fore the feast, yet they were anxious to protect the 
 influence and authority of their court, which had so 
 long occupied so conspicuous a position in the affairs 
 of the Jewish nation. But, notwithstanding they 
 opened the way for the most infamous wretches in 
 the kingdom to bear witness against Christ, yet they 
 could not find any who agreed in their testimony, or 
 furnished evidence suited to their purpose. At last 
 two false witnesses presented themselves, who, per- 
 verting language which Christ had used respecting 
 his death and resurrection, declared upon oath, " this 
 fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, 
 and to build it in three days." But, besides the want 
 23 
 
266 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 of agreement in the testimony of these two wit- 
 nesses, the accusation could amount to nothing more 
 than a charge of boasting, or the use of an allegori- 
 cal expression. 
 
 However, the council were resolved not to be 
 baffled in their endeavors to destroy the victim of 
 their malice and jealousy. Accordingly, in the morn- 
 ing they assembled again, and after the most false 
 and trivial accusations had been brought against 
 Jesus, the high-priest, probably hardly knowing what 
 course to pursue, stood up, and said to Jesus, 
 "Answcrest thou nothing? What is it that these 
 witness against thee ? But Jesus held his peace and 
 answered nothing," for the plain reason that there 
 was nothing which deserved an answer. No real 
 crime had been brought against him. His whole 
 life had been searched ; false witnesses had been 
 invited to take the stand and perjure themselves, and 
 yet nothing could be found that was in the least de- 
 gree injurious to his character. No one could prove 
 that he had taught a single false doctrine, — or inter- 
 fered with the rights of a single individual, or man- 
 ifested the least ambition, or committed an act 
 worthy of censure. 
 
 The high-priest, however, becoming every moment 
 more anxious to bring the trial to a close, said to 
 Christ, " I adjure thee by the living God that thou 
 tell us whether thou be the Messiah, the Son of the 
 blessed God ? " Jesus replied, " Thou hast said 
 right, I am." And " I say unto you. Hereafter shall 
 ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of 
 the power of God, and coming in the clouds of 
 
TKIAL AND CONDEMNATION OF CHRIST. 267 
 
 heaven." Then, at the call of the whole council, 
 Christ, unwilling to retract or to violate the truth, 
 even to avert from him the impending destruction, 
 reaffirmed his Messiahship, and his claim to being 
 acknowledged the Son of God. 
 
 The high-priest, at once, as though filled with 
 pious horror at what he had heard, rent his clothes, 
 saying. He hath spoken blasphemy; what further 
 need have we of witnesses ? This bold utterance of 
 Christ, whUe it aroused the indignation of his ac- 
 cusers, was at the same time a most solemn and 
 emphatic testimony from his own lips in favor of his 
 divine natme, and the glory of his mission. He 
 doubtless had in his mind that sublime passage re- 
 corded in the seventh chapter of Daniel : « I saw in 
 the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of 
 
 man came with the clouds of heaven And 
 
 there was given him dominion, glory, and a king- 
 dom, that all people, nations, and languages should 
 serve him : his dominion is an everlasting dominion, 
 which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that 
 which shall not be destroyed." How intensely in- 
 teresting is the spectacle here presented of the 
 Saviour, with these sublime images and glorious 
 expectations floating in his mind, while he stands as 
 a bound criminal in the midst of such bitter and 
 implacable foes I While they are in a fever of ex- 
 citement, thirsting for his biood, and waiting only 
 for an opportunity to crush him, in defiance of aU 
 justice and right, he is calmly contemplating the 
 period when he shall appear in the clouds of heaven 
 with power and great glory, and his kingdom shall 
 
268 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 embrace all the nations, languages, and empires of 
 the earth. 
 
 . But that which to the Messiah is a glorious real- 
 ity, is regarded by his persecutors as the grossest 
 blasphemy. The high-priest, in view of it, appeals 
 to the Sanhedrim for their opinion as to the punish- 
 ment due to such a crime. They declare, on the 
 strength of the testimony which they have heard, 
 that he ought to be punished with death. Accord- 
 ingly, as no one dares to appear in his defence, or 
 raise even a question as to the right or expediency of 
 such proceedings, they " aU condemn him to be guilty 
 of death." 
 
 This awful sentence having been passed, the rab- 
 ble and soldiers, who had the prisoner in custody, 
 rushed upon him, and treated him with the greatest 
 insolence and cruelty. Some even went so far as to 
 bujfifet him, and spit upon him. In derision of the 
 title which he claimed, they blindfolded him, and 
 then struck him with the palms of their hands, say- 
 ing, " Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, who it is that 
 smote thee." " And many other things, blasphe- 
 mously spake they against him." Had he been a 
 notorious criminal, or the vilest malefactor, they 
 could not have treated him worse. 
 
 The next important scene opens before the judg- 
 ment hall of Pontius Pilate, the governor. As the 
 Jews, while in subjection to the Roman government, 
 had not the power to put any man to death, they 
 brought Christ before the governor, to induce him to 
 execute the sentence which they had passed. On 
 "arriving at the palace, they were so conscientious 
 
TRIAL AND CONDEMNATION OF CHRIST. 269 
 
 that they could not enter in, because it was the resi- 
 dence of a Gentile, and they would be polluted, 
 and thus prevented from eating the remaining sacri- 
 fices connected with the passover. They could seize 
 the innocent Jesus, and insult and abuse him ; they 
 could devour widows' houses, and for a pretence 
 make long prayers; they could trample underfoot 
 the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, 
 and faith ; but they could not step within the door 
 of a Gentile, lest they should be defiled! Pilate, 
 therefore, willing to yield to their religious scruples, 
 came out and managed the case with his usual art. 
 He despised the Jews, and yet wished to retain his 
 popularity among them, particularly as the influence 
 of his administration had been much impaked by 
 several acts of arbitrary injustice. He would gladly 
 have saved Christ from the fanatical opposition 
 which he at once saw was raging against him, and 
 yet he was not the man to sacrifice his personal 
 interests to the claims of justice, or the rights of in- 
 nocence. 
 
 His first inquiry was, " What accusation bring 
 you against this man ? " They replied, " K he were 
 not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him 
 up unto thee." Without specifying any particular 
 charge, they make this general statement, deeming it 
 enough to warrant the interference of the governor. 
 But he, not caring to assume any responsibility in 
 the case, directed the accusers to take him and judge 
 him according to their own law. But they said, " It 
 is not lawful for us to put any man to death." We 
 have tried this malefactor and condemned him, and 
 23* 
 
270 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 now we bring him to you to execute the sentence. 
 But still the question presses, what is the crime of 
 which he is guilty ? The deputies of the Sanhedrim, 
 knowing that a heathen ruler would not sympathize 
 with them in their religious difficulties, at once 
 changed the ground of their opposition, and had the 
 audacity and wickedness to frame the following 
 charge : " We found this fellow perverting the na- 
 tion, and forbidding to give tribute to CsBsar, saying, 
 that he himself is Christ, a King." This accusation, 
 they supposed, would excite the jealousy of Pilate, 
 and win him over to their cause. To this charge, 
 the chief priests and elders added others, and such 
 was their violence and intense excitement, that Pilate 
 felt that he must take some action in the case. He 
 therefore called Jesus into the Pretorium, and asked 
 him, saying, " Art thou the King of the Jews ? " In 
 reply, he assured him that he was, in a certain sense, 
 a King; but he added, "my kingdom is not of this 
 world." " I am not guilty of the charge of having 
 interfered with the civil affairs of this country, nor is 
 it my purpose to build up a worldly em pure. My 
 kingdom is a spiritual one, established and to be 
 carried forward by spiritual means. " To this end 
 was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, 
 that I should bear witness unto the truth." Such 
 was the noble declaration of the Messiah, while 
 standing in the presence of the heathen ruler. Under 
 no circumstances does he forget the sublime objects 
 of his advent to earth. He came to bear witness, 
 not only to the particular truth that he was the King 
 of the Jews, but to all truth, — to the doctrine of a 
 
TRIAL AND CONDEMNATION OF CHRIST. 271 
 
 spiritual Deity, — to the great principles of right, 
 justice, and mercy, — to the reality of a future life, 
 and a blessed immortality. He came to dissipate 
 the darkness of error, to fill the moral firmament 
 with stars of hope, to pour upon the world the eil'ul- 
 gence of divine and everlasting truth. 
 
 After this interview with Christ, Pilate returned 
 to the people who had been waiting to learn the re- 
 sult of the examination, and said, " I find no fault at 
 all in this man." This announcement, so contrary 
 to their expectations and wishes, filled them with the 
 greatest rage. " They were the more fierce, saying, 
 He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout ali 
 Judea, beginning from Galilee, to this place." 
 
 The allusion to Galilee induced Pilate to send 
 Christ to Herod, who had jurisdiction over that 
 country. Thus he hoped to pacify the people, and 
 to be relieved from the responsibility of deciding a 
 case of so.much perplexity. Herod, who had heard 
 of the fame of Christ's mu-acles, was very anxious 
 to see him, and to satisfy his curiosity in witnessing 
 the displays of his wonderful power. But, the 
 Saviour had no disposition to present before this 
 wicked prince the evidences of his real character 
 and divine origin. He had never, as we have seen, 
 wrought a miracle merely to satisfy a vain curiosity, 
 and certainly, in this case, he was resolved not to 
 cast pearls before swine. Even the questions which 
 were put to him, he did not answer, for he well 
 knew the spirit which prompted them. Herod, there- 
 fore, having in mockery arrayed the prisoner in a 
 gorgeous robe, and exposed him to the derision of 
 
272 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 his soldiers, sent him back to Pilate, regarding him 
 as a religious enthusiast, rather than a criminal 
 worthy of punishment. Pilate, baffled in his plans 
 to get rid of the case, and yet more convinced than 
 before of the innocence of Christ, again assured the 
 people, that after an examination by himself, and also 
 before Herod, nothing was found in the man worthy 
 of death. But, as the excitement and opposition 
 continued without abatement, Pilate resorted to 
 another expedient by which he might formally recog- 
 nize the validity of the sentence pronounced by the 
 Sanhedrim, and yet save the innocent sufferer from 
 death. 
 
 It was usual at the feast of the passover, for the 
 Roman governor to release to the people any one 
 prisoner whom they might desire, whatever might be 
 the crime charged against him. It appears that they 
 had in custody " a notable prisoner, named Barabbas, 
 which lay bound with them, who had made insur- 
 rection in the city, and who had committed murder 
 in the insurrection." This man was publicly known 
 as an infamous robber, who had infested the high- 
 ways, and was one of the most dangerous men to be 
 at large in society. When, therefore, as was the 
 custom, the people called upon Pilate to release to 
 them a prisoner, he asked them whom they would 
 have, Barabbas or Christ ? He probably selected 
 Barabbas, supposing that his notorious villany would 
 render it beyond the limits of possibility that the 
 people shpuld call for him. But listen to the as- 
 tounding result. The Evangelists inform us that the 
 chief priests and elders moved and persuaded the 
 
TRIAL AND CONDEMNATION OF CHRIST. 273 
 
 people that they should ask that he should release 
 Barabbas unto them, and destroy Jesus. They 
 therefore cried out at once, saying, Not this man, but 
 Barabbas. The heathen ruler, shocked at their bar- 
 barity and cold-hearted cruelty, said. What will ye, 
 then, that I shall do with Jesus ? And they all cried 
 out again, saying, '■^Crucify hwiP But Pilate, still 
 determined to do all in his power to save one, of 
 whose innocence he was thoroughly convinced, asked 
 them, why commit so inhuman an act? "What 
 evil hath he done ? " The mob, by this time, hav- 
 ing become furious with rage, and forgetting even 
 the forms of law, and trampKng under their infidel 
 feet all justice and mercy, cried out, " crucify him, 
 crucify him ! " They had got beyond the point of 
 even considering or caring whether their victim was 
 guilty or not. They preferred Barabbas with all his 
 crimes, with his character black with the guilt of 
 murder, rather than the pure, the innocent, the holy 
 Jesus. And this, too, in the name of religion ! The 
 infuriated wretches were sustained and urged on by 
 the chief priests and elders of the Jewish church ! 
 What a chapter in human depravity do we read 
 here ! 
 
 But even its darkest pages we have not yet opened. 
 There is another scene in this terrible tragedy, even 
 before we reach the crucifixion. 
 
 Pilate, though a pagan, made one more effort to 
 save the life of Jesus. As a last resort, with the • 
 hope of appeasing the rage of the infuriated mob, 
 he ordered Christ to be scourged. In accordance 
 with the order the soldiers seized him, dragged him 
 
274 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 into the common hall, and after heaping upon him 
 every indignity, they platted a crown of thorns and 
 put it on his head. They then smote him, and in- 
 flicted upon him a variety of cruel punishments. 
 
 While this was transpiring, the mind of Pilate 
 was agitated by a message which he received from 
 his wife. She "sent to him, saying. Have thou 
 nothing to do with that just man, for I have suffered 
 many things this day in a dream because of him." 
 Pilate, therefore, went into the hall, and observed 
 with strong emotion the insults and tortures which 
 Christ had suffered, and the severity with which he 
 had been scourged by the soldiers. Thinldng that 
 the view of his lacerated body, and his blood-stained 
 robe would move his persecutors and cause them to 
 relent, he brought him forth and said, " Behold the 
 man." " Look upon your victim, dejected, tortin-ed, 
 faint from loss- of blood, and the pains which he has 
 suffered. Has he not endured enough ? Shall I not 
 now release him ? " Imagine the eager crowd looking 
 up and gazing intensely upon the sufferer. But, lest 
 the spectacle should excite their sympathy and cause 
 them to relent, the chief priests and the officers with 
 them, were the first to break the silence and to cry 
 out, " Crucify him, crucify him." 
 
 Pilate, justly indignant at tliis reply, said, " Take 
 ye him and crucify him, for I find no fault in him." 
 " The Jews answered him. We have a law, and by 
 our law he ought to die, because he made himself 
 the Son of God." This declaration so excited the 
 fears of Pilate, that he sousrht another interview with 
 
TRIAL AND CONDEMNATION OF CHRIST. 275 
 
 But the persecutors plied him with other arguments, 
 saying, " If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's 
 friend; whosoever maketh himself a king, speaketh 
 against Caesar." When Pilate heard that declara- 
 tion, he was still more alarmed, thinking, probably, 
 that his conduct in this afFau- would be represented 
 at Rome, and that he might be deprived of his office. 
 He therefore had Jesus brought forth again, and the 
 very sight of him caused the wretches who thirsted 
 for his blood to cry out, "Away with him, away with 
 him, crucify him." 
 
 It was now apparent that further effort to save the 
 innocent sufferer would be of no avail. And " when 
 Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that 
 rather a tumult was made, he took water and washed 
 his hands before the multitude, saying, I am inno- 
 cent of the blood of this just person, see ye to it." 
 " Then answered all the people and said, His blood 
 be on us and on our children." Horrible, horrible 
 imprecation ! It is difficult to conceive of an utter- 
 ance more awful. We cannot contemplate it with- 
 out shuddering I The cliill and horror of the grave 
 seem to be upon the very words. 
 
 Then Pilate released to them the infamous Barab- 
 bas, and delivered Jesus to be crucified. Although 
 he had struggled long to save Christ, yet, at last, his 
 selfishness was stronger than his sense of right and 
 justice. 
 
XXII. 
 
 THE CRUCIFIXION. 
 
 "And he, bearing his cross, went forth into a tlack 
 called the place of a skull, which is called in the 
 hebrew, golgotha, where they crucified him, and two 
 OTHERS WITH HIM." — St. Jolin xix. 17, 18. 
 
 " By the dark stillness brooding in the sky, 
 
 Holiest of sufferers ! round thy path of wo. 
 And by the weight of mortal agony 
 
 Laid on thy drooping form, and pale meek brow, 
 Sly heart was awed ; the burden of thy pain. 
 Sank on me with a mystery and a chain." 
 
 In approaching the crucifixion of our Lord, I feel 
 the inadequacy of human language to portray the 
 thrilling and momentous scenes connected with this 
 event. Its various features are so marked and pecu- 
 liar, and so interwoven with the highest interests, as 
 well as different destinies of the human family, that 
 no descriptions of mine, at least, can do the subject 
 justice. Indeed, human thought, probably, can pen- 
 etrate but a short distance into the mysteries and 
 results of this solemn tragedy. The very details of 
 
THE CRUCIFIXION. 277 
 
 the process of the crucifixion, are most shocking to 
 a sensitive spirit. The developments made of human 
 passions and depravity, are such as excite in the in- 
 genuous heart, the most intense indignation. But, 
 when we think of the character of the sufferer, — 
 when we connect his exalted nature with such in- 
 dignities, his sublime and infinite attributes with 
 such treatment, his benevolent and glorious mission 
 with such cruelties, the mind is overwhelmed with 
 emotion. The more we contemplate the crucifixion 
 of the Son of God, the greater is our amazement 
 that such fiendish passions and divine virtues should 
 meet upon the same spot, and mingle in the same 
 picture. We scarcely know which most astonishes 
 us, the ingratitude, perverseness, and cruelty of man, 
 or the condescension and love of the Son of God. 
 " Without controversy, great is the mystery of godli- 
 ness." Great is the mystery of an incarnate Deity, — 
 of the mercy of an offended Sovereign, — of the 
 love of a crucified Redeemer ! 
 
 The sentence of death having been passed upon 
 Christ, his enemies proceeded to the work of execu- 
 tion. The form of punishment decided upon, was 
 one of the most painful and ignominious that was 
 known to the Jewish or Pagan world. It was prac- 
 tised upon slaves and notorious malefactors, and was 
 common among the Romans, Egyptians, Persians, 
 and Greeks. It was everywhere regarded as the 
 fullest expression that could be made towards an in- 
 dividual, of his disgrace and infamy. Cicero speaks 
 of crucifixion, as a most horrid and cruel punish- 
 ment, and one that must be far, not only from the 
 24 
 
278 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 body of a Roman citizen, but from his eyes and his 
 thoughts. 
 
 Our blessed Lord having been scourged and 
 treated with every mark of cruelty and contempt 
 that the malice of his enemies could devise, was 
 led forth to suffer death. Besides the officers and 
 soldiers, and a large company of friends and foes 
 who accompanied him, two notorious thieves were 
 led forth with him, in order that his disgrace might 
 thereby be increased, and the prejudice of the public 
 be the more inflamed against him. As a part of his 
 punishment, he was made to bear his own cross, or 
 at least the transverse beam of it, to which his 
 sacred body was to be nailed. Although we cannot 
 now determine, with accuracy, the path which the 
 multitude pursued on their way to Calvary, yet an 
 able commentator informs us that "the Street of 
 Grief, or Dolorous Way, derives its appellation from 
 its being the supposed site of the street through 
 which the chief priests and elders, after binding 
 Jesus, led him aAvay and delivered him to Pontius 
 Pilate. It proceeds from the gate of St. Stephen, up to 
 an archway, which appears to have been at one time 
 called ' the Gate of Judgment,' because malefactors 
 were anciently conducted through it to the place of 
 execution. At the period of the crucifixion, this 
 gate stood near the western wall of Jerusalem ; but 
 now it is in the centre of the city. The wall, above 
 the archway, is supposed to have formed a part of 
 the house of Pilate ; and the central window is re- 
 ported to have been the place whence our Saviour 
 was shown to the people. The street rises with 
 
THE CRUCIFIXION. 279 
 
 a gradual ascent towards Calvary, where it termi- 
 nates." 
 
 "We may, in imagination, behold the Saviour, in 
 the midst of the infuriated mob and cruel soldiers, 
 toiling up this ascent, and scarcely able to endure the 
 burden which has been placed upon him. Exhausted 
 by the tortures which he has endured, faint from the 
 loss of blood, and smarting under his wounds, he at 
 last sinks to the ground, unable to advance another 
 step. His groans, and the agony depicted upon his 
 countenance, call forth fresh insults, and expressions 
 of contempt from his persecutors. He is goaded on by 
 them, until at last, convinced that it is not possible for 
 him to proceed, they called one Sinion, a Cyrenian, 
 who happened to be passing by, to bear the cross. 
 
 This Roman custom of compelling the malefactor, 
 or slave, to bear his own cross, was attended with so 
 much cruelty and infamy, that " cross-bearing " be- 
 came a term of the greatest reproach among the 
 Romans. Plutarch makes use of it as an illustration 
 of the misery produced by sin, showing that as every 
 criminal had his own cross to bear, so each act of 
 transgression carried with it its own torment. 
 
 It not unfrequently happened, that the poor victim 
 was pushed from one side of the street to the other, 
 by the rabble, and even thrown down by some, while 
 others urged him forward by acts of the grossest in- 
 solence and inhumanity. We cannot doubt but 
 that our blessed Lord had heaped upon him, during 
 this journey, every indignity which the hatred and 
 fury of his triumphant foes could devise. Indeed, it 
 is supposed, with much reason too, that the scourg- 
 
280 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 ing which he received, and the sufferings which he 
 endured on his way to Calvary, accelerated his death 
 on the cross, and occasioned the surprise which 
 Pilate expressed at his speedy dissolution. 
 
 As the divine sufferer advanced towards the place 
 of execution, "there followed a great company of 
 people, and of women which also bewailed and 
 lamented him." It certainly relieves the awful dark- 
 ness of this picture, and mitigates the anguish of 
 the scene, to know that there were some sincere 
 mourners in this multitude, — some whose lamenta- 
 tions bore witness to the sorrow and affection of 
 their hearts.^ Nor did their sighs of sympathy and 
 grief escape the notice of Jesus. He knew the 
 source and the depth of this sorrow. As the pious 
 women beheld their Master treated with such inso- 
 lence and inhumanity, in the very city where he had 
 performed so many acts of kindness, wrought such 
 mighty deeds, and taught such sublime and heavenly 
 truths, they could not restrain their excessive grief. 
 Perhaps there were some in this crowd, who had 
 been restored to health by Christ, or had received 
 their sight, or had been cleansed from the leprosy, 
 and what they witnessed naturally aroused the keen- 
 est sorrow and indignation. To see their benefactor 
 arrayed in a scarlet robe, in mockery of his claims, 
 with a crown of thorns that pierces his fevered brow, 
 with a reed in his hand for a sceptre, and on his way 
 to execution, must have drawn floods of tears from 
 even the most insensible of the group. But Christ 
 does not need their commiseration. If he desired 
 pity, the angels of heaven would weep for him. It 
 
THE CRUCIFIXION. 281 
 
 he wished to abandon his holy enterprise, and be de- 
 livered from the hands of his foes, very speedily 
 might the rabble around him have been exchanged 
 for the brilliant and powerful hosts from his Father's 
 kingdom, who would gladly have rushed to his res- 
 cue I Very speedily would the taunts and insults 
 of these wretches have been exchanged for shouts of 
 hosanna to the " King of kings and Lord of lords ! " 
 Or even without angelic aid, the being who had in- 
 stantly, by his power, calmed the elements and called 
 the dead to life, could as easily have sent the living 
 to their graves. Had he chose, he might have spread 
 over every street and habitation of Jerusalem the 
 silence of death. But his benevolent heart was set 
 upon the redemption of a lost world. He saw into 
 the future, and his eye ran along the bright train of 
 results, and the glorious ends which would be at- 
 tained by the sacrifice that he was making. " For 
 the joy that was set before him, he endured the 
 cross, despising the shame." 
 
 Turning, therefore, to the mourners, he said in 
 mild, yet emphatic tones, " Daughters of Jerusalem, 
 weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and for 
 your children." Weep for the calamities that will 
 befall this city, its towers, temple, and palaces, in 
 consequence of these acts of injustice and cruelty ! 
 Weep over the awful fate of its inhabitants ; over 
 the fearful agonies which they wiU suffer, when the 
 storm of divine vengeance shall burst upon them. 
 
 And to any, who, in our day, manifest deep emo- 
 tion in view of the sufferings of Jesus, he would say, 
 " Weep not for mc, but weep for yourselves." Weep 
 24* 
 
282 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. • 
 
 over your sins committed against a just and holy 
 God; over the coldness of your affections towards 
 an infinite benefactor; over the slight impressions 
 that the gospel has made upon your heart. Weep 
 over the prevalence of vice and infidelity in the 
 earth, and over the awful doom that awaits those 
 who are guilty of treading underfoot the Son of God, 
 and doing despite to the Spirit of grace ! 
 
 The company having arrived at the place of exe- 
 cution, called Golgotha, or the place of a skull, 
 because the bodies of criminals were buried there, 
 they proceeded to the work of crucifying the Lord 
 of glory. It was customary to offer to the criminal 
 a strong wine, mingled with spices, in order to cheer 
 his spirits, and alleviate his sufferings, by blunting 
 the sensibilities. But, as though the soldiers were 
 bent upon aggravating the pains of the Saviour, and 
 manifesting towards him the greatest possible con- 
 tempt, they offered to him vinegar, mingled with gall. 
 And when he had tasted of it, that he might not 
 seem to shrink from any act of humiliation, he would 
 not drink it. Thus was fulfilled the words of David, 
 as recorded in Psalms bcLx. 21 : " They gave me also 
 gall for my meat ; and in my thirst, they gave me 
 vinegar to drink." His friends offered him some 
 wine, mingled with myrrh, thinking that it might 
 serve to allay his pains. But he received it not, be- 
 ing determined to endure, without mitigation, all the 
 agonies of the crucifixion. 
 
 The details of this mode of death are too awful, 
 and too haiTowing to the feelings, to be even recited. 
 A learned physician, in a treatise upor the subject. 
 
THE CRUCIFIXION. 283 
 
 has proved that the tortures of the crucifixion must 
 have been indescribable. " Even the unnatural and 
 constrained situation of the body, with the arms 
 stretched upward, sometimes for days together, must 
 have been an inexpressible torment; especially, as 
 not the slightest motion or convulsion could take 
 place, without causing excruciating pain over the 
 whole body, particularly in the pierced limbs, and on 
 the back mangled by previous scourging. Besides 
 this, the nails were driven through the hands, and 
 sometimes through the feet, exactly in places where 
 irritable nerves and sinews meet, which were partly 
 injured, and partly forcibly compressed, by which the 
 most acute pains must have been excited, and con- 
 stantly increased. As the wounded parts were 
 always exposed to the air, they became inflamed. 
 The same, also, probably occurred in many other 
 parts, where the circulation of the blood was im- 
 peded by the violent tension of the whole body." 
 But we cannot proceed with the particulars of this 
 cruel death ; for it is too painful to think of the inno- 
 cent, the holy, the benevolent Jesus, as enduring such 
 exquisite tortures. The wonder of wonders is, that 
 such a being should be wUling to stoop to such a 
 humiliation, and offer himself up as such a sacrifice. 
 Of all Christ's miracles, this is the greatest, the mira- 
 cle of his love. I can almost conceive of him, as 
 calling the dead to life, and hushing the wild ocean 
 tempest, and giving health to the sick, and sight to 
 the blind, but I cannot begin to measure the length, 
 breadth, height, or depth of this display of love. My 
 
284 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 is the incarnate Deity, — " God manifest in the 
 flesh." But if angels cannot fathom the mystery, — 
 if they desire to look into its depths, and are not 
 able, much less can feeble man. We must wait, 
 and we are willing to wait, until the light of eternity 
 shall break upon this wonderful spectacle, — until 
 we can see with spiritual organs of vision, some of 
 the glorious results of this divine scheme of redemp- 
 tion. Then may we know somewhat of the fulness 
 of the meaning of that sublime declaration, " God 
 so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten 
 Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not 
 perish, but have everlasting Kfe." 
 
 The scene before us is thus beautifully described 
 by Croly: — 
 
 " City of God ! Jei-usalem, 
 Why rushes out thy living stream ? 
 The turbaned priest, the hoary seer, 
 The Eoman in his pride are here ; 
 And thousands, tens of thousands, still 
 Cluster round Calvary's wild hill. 
 
 " Still onward rolls the living tide. 
 There rush the bridegroom and the bride ; 
 Prince, beggar, soldier, Pharisee, 
 The old, the young, the bond, the free ; 
 The nation's furious multitude, 
 All maddening with the cry of blood. 
 
 " 'T is glorious mom ; from height to height 
 Shoot the keen arrows of the light ; 
 And glorious in their central shower. 
 Palace of holiness and power. 
 The temple on Moriah's brow. 
 Looks a new risen sun below 
 
THE CRUCIFIXION. 285 
 
 " But wo to hill, and wo to vale ! 
 Against them shall come forth a wail ; 
 And wo to bridegroom and to bride ! 
 For death shall on the whirlwind ride ; 
 And wo to thee, resplendent shrine, 
 The sword is out for thee and thine ! 
 
 " Hide, hide thee in the heavens, thou sun, 
 Before the deed of blood is done ! 
 Upon that temple's haughty steep 
 Jerusalem's last angels weep ; 
 They see destruction's funeral pall 
 Blackening o'er Sion's sacred wall. 
 
 " Still pours along the multitude, 
 Still rends the heavens the shout of blood. 
 But on the murderer's furious van 
 Wlio totters on 1 A weary man : 
 A cross upon his shoulders bound. 
 His brow, his frame, one gushing wound. 
 
 " And now he treads on Calvary, 
 What slave upon that hill must die 1 
 What hand, what heart in guilt imbrued. 
 Must be the mountain vulture's food f 
 There stand two victims gaunt and bare, 
 Two culprits, emblems of despair. 
 
 " Yet who the third ? The yell of shame 
 Is frenzied at the sufferer's name ; 
 Hands clenched, teeth gnashing, vestures torn, 
 The curse, the taunt, the laugh of scorn, 
 All that the dying hour can sting. 
 Are round thee now, thou thorn-crowned King. 
 
 " Yet cursed, and tortured, taunted, spumed. 
 No wrath is for the wrath returned. 
 No vengeance flashes from the eye. 
 The sufferer calmly waits to die ; 
 The sceptre reed, the thorny crown. 
 Wake on that pallid brow no frown. 
 
286 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 " At last the word of death is given, 
 The form is bound, the nails are driven 
 Now triumph, Scribe and Pharisee ! 
 Now, Roman, bend the mocking knee ! 
 The cross is reared. The deed is done, — 
 There stands Messiah's earthly throne ! " 
 
 As it was customary, when one was crucified, 
 to place upon the cross an inscription which indi- 
 cated the crime for which the victim suffered, Pilate 
 caused to be written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, 
 these words : " This is Jesus of Nazareth, the King 
 of the Jews." As the cross was near to the city, 
 many of the Jews who had come up to the feast of 
 the passover, observed, while passing by, this inscrip- 
 tion, and were greatly enraged. And they were the 
 more excited, because the declaration was made in 
 Greek and Latin, as well as in Hebrew, thus afford- 
 ing to foreigners and strangers who came to the city, 
 the opportunity of reading it. The chief priests, 
 therefore, remonstrated with Pilate, and said to him, 
 " Write not the Idng of the Jews, but that he said, I 
 am the king of the Jews." " Pilate answered, what 
 I have written, I have written." " You may put 
 what construction you please upon the words, but I 
 shall not alter them." Then the Jews, resolved not 
 to be baffled in their pm-pose, turned the inscription 
 into ridicule ; and passing by they reviled the Sav- 
 iom', and insulted him in the most blasphemous 
 manner. In derision, they cried out, "Ah, thou that 
 destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, 
 save thyself ; if thou be the Son of God, come down 
 from the cross." The chief priests and rulers also 
 
THE CRUCIFIXION. 287 
 
 joined in the outcry, saying, " He saved others, him- 
 self he cannot save." 
 
 But in the midst of these revilings, the lips of the 
 Saviour are seen to move, and the listener hears this 
 wonderful prayer, " Father, forgive them, for they 
 know not what they do." Oh what a contrast does 
 this petition, so full of meekness, forbearance, and 
 forgiveness, present to the cruel mockings of the in- 
 furiated rabble ! One would have supposed that 
 such a prayer would have touched the hearts of the 
 persecutors, — that it would, at least, have served as 
 a check to that rushing tide of mockery that was 
 sweeping over the sacred mount. But though it was 
 powerless upon the granite-hearted multitude, yet it 
 comes to us, as a new and striking evidence of the 
 Saviour's love. From that gloomy and horrible 
 spectacle, it seems to rise like an angel form, shed- 
 ding its light upon the darkness of the scene, as it 
 ascends to the throne of the Father. 
 
 There is, however, one in this group, who does not 
 participate in the revilings that are heaped upon the 
 Saviour, — one whose soul is touched by the power 
 of the great atoning sacrifice which is being made. 
 It is a fellow-sufferer ; the penitent thief on the cross. 
 After rebuliing his companion for joining the rabble 
 in their contempt and blasphemy, " he said unto 
 Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into 
 thy kingdom." In this simple and affecting petition, 
 there is a distinct recognition of the innocence and 
 claims of the Saviour, and of the strong faith of the 
 suppliant. "And Jesus said unto him. Verily I say 
 unto thee, to-day shalt thon be with me in Para- 
 
Zm LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 disc." Thus ready was he to give to the penitent 
 thief the most positive assurance, that on that very 
 day he should be with him in the celestial paradise, 
 participating in the happiness and glory of his ever- 
 lasting kingdom. 
 
 Christ, also, in the midst of his agonies, mani- 
 fested the tender and affectionate regard which he 
 entertained for his mother. Seeing her with other 
 pious women at the foot of the cross, and observing, 
 also, John, the beloved disciple, in the group, he said 
 to his mother, " Behold thy son." Regard him with 
 all the affection which you have bestowed upon me. 
 And, turning to John, he said, " Behold thy mother." 
 Henceforth let the endearing relation subsist between 
 you of mother and son. And from that period, the 
 beloved disciple took her to his home, and treated 
 her with all the respect and affection due to her per- 
 sonal worth and exalted station. 
 
 These acts of mercy and filial love having been 
 performed, there came over the scene a wonderful 
 and supernatural change. An intense darkness rolled 
 in, enveloping not only the sacred mount, but spread- 
 ing over the whole land, and continuing from twelve 
 o'clock at noon, until three. At the same time there 
 came over ihe spirit of the Redeemer, a still deeper 
 and more horrible darkness ; a darkness which filled 
 his soul with indescribable anguish. He felt the tre- 
 mendous pressure of the penalty of God's violated 
 law, — that law, the claims of which he had under- 
 taken to satisfy. Looking up to heaven, the throne 
 of his Father seems to be vacant. No comforting 
 angels are around him. No shining hosts, not even 
 
THE CRUCIFIXION. 289 
 
 one bright seraph is present to mitigate the dark- 
 ness of the hour. In the agony of his spirit, he 
 cried out, " My God, my God, why hast thou for-* 
 saken me I " 
 
 As his sufferings drew to a close, he said, " 1 
 thirst," when a soldier placing a sponge filled with 
 vinegar upon a reed, put it to his mouth. Having 
 received the vinegar, and thus fulfilled the prophe- 
 cies relative to his sufferings, he cried out, " It is fin- 
 ished." The great work of man's redemption was 
 completed. All that was shadowed forth in the 
 types and sacrifices of an ancient dispensation, was 
 realized in the mighty events of this hour. The 
 divine law was satisfied, justice vindicated, and an 
 exhibition of mercy made, the glory of which would 
 one day fill the whole earth. " And when he had 
 cried again with a loud voice, he said, Father, 
 into thy hands I commend my spirit; and hav- 
 ing said thus, he bowed his head and gave up the 
 ghost." 
 
 Then followed a scene of awful solemnity, and 
 terrible grandeur. The heavens were darkened, as 
 though the sun was blotted from the firmament. 
 The earth shook to its very centre. Even the solid 
 rocks* were torn asunder. The dead were startled 
 fi-om their graves, and came forth to gaze upon the 
 wonderful spectacle. They burst the doors of their 
 
 * Mr. Fleming informs us that a Deist who was travelling through 
 Palestine, was converted by viewing one of these rocks, which 
 still remains torn asunder; the fissure not being in the weakest 
 part, but across the veins, showing that it was rent in a supernatural 
 manner. 
 
 25 
 
290 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 tombs, as forerunners of the general resurrection 
 which would take place when Christ should appear 
 in his great power and glory. 
 
 The veil of the temple was rent from the top to 
 the bottom, thus throwing open the holy of holies, 
 and signifying that the Mosaic ritual was abolished, 
 and the wall of separation between Jews and Gen- 
 tiles was thrown down. As this took place at the 
 time of the evening sacrifice, the high-priest, Caia- 
 phas, might at that moment have been engaged in 
 bm'ning incense before the veil, and have witnessed 
 the startling indication that his office was abolished, 
 that the ceremonial law had expended its force, and 
 that a new and spiritual system was opening to the 
 world. 
 
 The Roman centurion, when he observed the 
 terrible phenomena that accompanied the death 
 of Jesus, and felt the earth trembling and rocldng 
 beneath his feet, glorified God, saying, Truly this was 
 a righteous man, this was the Son of God. The 
 soldiers, also, who were stationed to watch the cross, 
 were filled with terror, and acknowledged, " truly this 
 was the Son of God." 
 
 "And all the people that came together to that 
 sight, beholding the things which were done, smote 
 their breasts and returned." The conviction now 
 began to flash upon their minds that they had, in- 
 deed, crucified the long expected Messiah, — the 
 King of the Jews. They smote upon their breasts, 
 being filled with remorse at what they had done, 
 and fearing the terrible calamities that might befall 
 their nation on account of this awful crime. The 
 
THE CRUCIFIXION. 291 
 
 vision of approaching armies, of stormed gates, of 
 falling towers, of frantic thousands rushing through 
 the streets, of the dying and the dead, floated in 
 their imaginations, as they turned and walked away 
 from this mournful spectacle. 
 
XXIII. 
 
 RESUKRECTION OF CHRIST. 
 
 "And the angel said unto the women, fear not te fob 
 i know that te seek jesus, which was ceucified. he 
 IS NOT HERE, FOR HE IS RISEN." — Matthew xxviii. 5, 6. 
 
 The crucifixion of Christ had left the infant 
 church in tears. The bright hopes of the disciples 
 had, apparently, faded av/ay, while their enemies 
 were exulting in their triumph. He who was styled 
 a king, — who came to establish a mighty empire, — 
 who had exercised authority over the elements and 
 powers of nature, was cold and silent in the embrace 
 of death. The excitement attendant upon his mys- 
 terious career, wonderful miracles, and sublime 
 teachings, was succeeded by a sudden and dead 
 calm. The faith of all who had believed in him, 
 was greatly shaken. They knew not what course 
 to pursue, nor to whom they could look for counsel 
 or consolation. They knew not but that the next 
 hour, they might be arrested, condemned, and cruci- 
 fied, as the hated followers of him who had been 
 
RESURRECTION OF CHRIST. 293 
 
 already sacrificed. The pious women who had con- 
 fided in the Messiah, and sympathized with him in 
 all his sorrows, were thrown into the greatest per- 
 plexity and affliction. Early in the morning of the 
 third day, before the light had dawned, and while 
 the streets were deserted, Mary, with several other 
 devoted women, hastened to the sepulchre, bearing 
 sweet spices and ointments with which to embalm 
 the body of the Saviour. They desired to make 
 some expression of their grief, and of their reverence 
 for the departed Jesus. On their way, they were 
 troubled to know how they could gain access to the 
 tomb, and " they said among themselves, Who shall 
 roll us away the stone from the door of the sepul- 
 chre, for it was very great." They were probably 
 not aware that soldiers had been stationed to guard 
 the sepulchre, and therefore apprehended no obstacles 
 from this source to the accomplishment of their 
 pious purpose. 
 
 On reaching the tomb, they were amazed to find 
 that the stone had been rolled away, and that the 
 body of Christ was not to be found. For a short 
 time before their arrival, a great earthquake had 
 taken place, and " the angel of the Lord descended 
 from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone 
 from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance 
 was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow : 
 and for fear of him the keepers did shake and be- 
 come as dead men." At first, the forms of the 
 angels were not revealed to Mary and her compan- 
 ions, and they naturally supposed that the body of 
 their liord had been removed from the sepulchre. 
 25* 
 
294 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 Under this impression, Mary hastened back to the 
 city, to communicate the intelligence to Peter and 
 John, and to secure their aid in finding where they 
 had laid her Lord. These disciples, on receiving 
 the startling tidings, hastened without the least delay 
 to the sepulchre, anxious to solve the mystery which 
 hung over the whole event. Entering the tomb, they 
 saw the linen clothes and the napkin lying in an or- 
 derly manner, indicating that the occupant had left 
 voluntarily, and with the calmness and composure of 
 one who had awaken from a long sleep. With their 
 minds greatly perplexed, and unable to arrive at any 
 satisfactory conclusion in relation to what had tran- 
 spired, they returned to the city. 
 
 But Mary, unwilling to leave the sacred spot 
 where her Lord had been buried, lingered about the 
 sepulchre, and gave vent to her feelings in floods of 
 tears. In the hope of gaining some satisfaction, she 
 again stooped down and looked into the sepulchre. 
 What was her surprise to behold there two angels, 
 with white resplendent forms, " the one at the head, 
 and the other at the feet where the body of Jesus 
 had lain." With their hearts touched with sympa- 
 thy, they said, " Woman, why weepest thou ? " She 
 replied, " Because they have taken away my Lord, 
 and I know not where they have lain him." At that 
 instant Jesus appeared, though she did not recognize 
 him, and repeated the inquiry, " Woman, why weep- 
 est thou ? " Having made known to him the cause 
 of her grief, he again addressed her, and from the 
 tones of his voice she discovered that her Lord stood 
 before her Such was the intensity of her emotions, 
 
RESURRECTION OP CHRIST. 295 
 
 and her excessive joy, that she could only exclaim, 
 " Rabboni," that is, my Great Master ; and, uttering 
 the word, she fell at his feet to embrace him. 
 
 The question of the Saviour's resurrection from 
 the dead, is one of vital moment to the scheme of 
 redemption, and to the hopes of mankind. If the 
 narrative which is given by the Evangelists can be 
 relied upon, then is death, that last great enemy, 
 conquered. The gloom of the grave, to all true be- 
 lievers, is dissipated, and they may shout in triumph, 
 " O death, where is thy sting ! O grave, where is thy 
 victory I " 
 
 Let us, then, examine some of the evidences by 
 which this gi-eat historical fact is supported. It is 
 obvious, that our reliance for proof must be upon the 
 apostles and their companions. We must summon 
 them before us as the witnesses in the case, and 
 judge of the validity and strength of their testimony, 
 on the principles of sound argument. 
 
 In the first place, we ivoidd inquire into the charac- 
 ter of those who testify that Christ rose from the 
 dead. Were they honest, upright, sincere men ? or 
 have we reason to believe that they deceived the 
 people ? In applying to their characters the several 
 tests usually employed in such cases, we can reason- 
 ably come to no other conclusion than that these 
 statements are entitled to our confidence. Had they 
 been men whose greatness, or learning, or eloquence 
 gave authority to their words, we might suppose 
 them capable of imposing upon the community. 
 But they were, most of them, illiterate and obscure 
 persons, whose influence grew out of their known 
 
296 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 integrity, and their knowledge of the facts in the case. 
 They did not pretend to possess any extraordinary 
 skill in metaphysical reasoning, or in persuading oth- 
 ers to believe, contrary to their own convictions ; but 
 simply presented the facts and evidence in the case, 
 and left the argument to rest upon its own intrinsic 
 merits. Their writings abundantly prove their hon- 
 esty and sincerity. The several histories which they 
 have left of the life, teachings, and deeds of Christ, 
 bear the most decisive marks of their integrity. The 
 simplicity and artlessness of the style; the calm 
 manner in which the most extraordinary and stupen- 
 dous events are related; the readiness with which 
 every thing adverse, as well as favorable to their 
 cause, is related ; their own unbelief, and the instances 
 of their unfaithfulness to their Master ; the mild lan- 
 guage in which the treachery and wickedness of 
 their enemies is recorded, and many other circum- 
 stances, show that these are not the writings of im- 
 postors. As we read their records and testimony, the 
 conviction is forced upon the mind, that we are read- 
 ing the writings of honest and candid men. 
 
 Such is the nature of a fraud, in a case like this, 
 and such the difficulties in the way of fully estab- 
 lishing it in the minds of the people, that it would 
 be almost, if not quite, impossible for an impostor to 
 proceed many steps without betraying himself, or in 
 some way defeating his purpose. Now the testimony 
 of these disciples was not only, at the time it was 
 given, thoroughly examined, but for ages it has been 
 subjected to the severest scrutiny of both friends 
 and foes. It has been sifted, compared with the tes- 
 
BESURRECTION OP CHRIST. 297 
 
 timony of other witnesses, looked at in the light of 
 other facts respecting the life of Christ. The writ- 
 ings of the Evangelists have been compared one 
 with another, and every new investigation has af- 
 forded fresh evidence of their credibility. Nor can 
 the position be sustained, which has been by some 
 assumed, that the disciples, though honest, were 
 themselves deceived ; that such was their enthusias- 
 tic regard for the Saviour, that they were easily de- 
 luded. We do not hesitate to affirm, that there is 
 not the slightest ground for the opinion that the dis- 
 ciples were enthusiasts or fanatics. On the other 
 hand, there is the most abundant proof to the con- 
 •trary. For, on all occasions, we find them slow to 
 believe the doctrines of Christ, and the extraordinary 
 facts in his history. In many instances, it is only by 
 repeated instructions, and by evidence piled upon 
 evidence, that their skepticism is overcome. How 
 often was the Saviour called upon to censure his fol- 
 lowers for their unbelief and hardness of heart! 
 What reluctance they manifested to admit any thing 
 that was not sustained by the evidence of facts that 
 were before their eyes ! Particularly were they slow 
 to believe the doctrine of Christ's resurrection. 
 Thomas declared that he would not believe unless 
 he saw the Saviour, and put his fingers into the print 
 of the nails, and thrust his hand into his side. .Ajid 
 the great majority of the disciples were unwilling to 
 credit the reports which were at first circulated 
 respecting the resurrection. When Christ appeared 
 among them and said, " Peace be unto you," we are 
 told that " they were terrified and affrighted, and 
 
298 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said 
 unto them, Why are ye troubled, and why do 
 thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands 
 and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me and see, 
 for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me 
 have." And in order to fully convince them, he 
 called for food and ate before them. The testimony 
 of such witnesses cannot, with any reason, be branded 
 with fanaticism. 
 
 Look, in the next place, at the number and variety 
 of the witnesses. Christ first appeared to Mary and 
 her companions, who were told to inform the breth- 
 ren to go into Galilee, where they would see the 
 Saviour. Afterwards he appeared to Peter, James, 
 and the eleven apostles ; to the disciples who were 
 on their way to Eraniaus ; to the apostles at the sea 
 of Tiberias, and at one time to five hundred breth- 
 ren. St. Luke states, that he " showed himself alive 
 after his passion, by many infallible proofs; being 
 seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things 
 pertaining to the kingdom of God." Now, it is not 
 within the bounds of possibility, that so many per- 
 sons could have been deceived, as the enemies of 
 Christ affirm, by an illusion of the senses. They 
 saw Christ at different times, and under a variety of 
 circumstances, and heard him discourse upon topics 
 relating to his glorious kingdom. The very print of 
 the nails, and the wound in his side, were visible. 
 He ate and drank before his disciples, and they had 
 all the evidence of his presence that they had of the 
 presence of each other. To say, therefore, that so 
 many persons were deceived, and that their testi- 
 
RESURRECTION OF CHRIST. 299 
 
 mouy cannot be relied upon, is to destroy the foun- 
 dations of all evidence. 
 
 K we consider, too, the fact that these persons an- 
 nounced the resurrection of Christ immediately after 
 the event took place, and in the very city in which 
 Christ had lived and taught, our argument is greatly 
 strengthened. They did not wait until the excite- 
 ment respecting Christ had subsided, as they would 
 naturally have done, had they been impostors, but 
 at once professed their belief in the resurrection. 
 Neither did they go at a distance from the scene of 
 the Saviour's history, but promulgated this doctrine 
 in Jerusalem, and among the most bitter enemies of 
 Christ. They boldly declared, that He whom the 
 scribes and Pharisees had rejected, who had been 
 arrested, crucified, and buried, had risen from the 
 dead. Nor did they fail to gain, even from among 
 those who had previously hated Christianity, and 
 despised the Messiah, many converts to their doc- 
 trine. Only fifty days after the crucifixion, three 
 thousand Jews were convinced of the truth of this, 
 as well as of all the other important facts in the Sav- 
 iom-'s history, and they became the zealous advocates 
 of the positions which they had so recently denied. 
 Yes, proud and prejudiced Jews, who were so 
 strongly attached to their ancient faith, and who, a 
 short time previous, would have scorned the idea of 
 being the followers of Jesus, yielding to the array of 
 evidence that was brought before them, and to the 
 influences of the blessed Spirit, became converts to 
 the new religion. Soon after, the lists were swelled 
 by the addition of five thousand more ; and, subse- 
 
300 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 quently, great multitudes, unable to hold out against 
 the proofs that poured in upon their minds, embraced 
 the truth. They saw that the apostles who con- 
 tended so earnestly for this doctrine, were men of 
 undoubted integrity, of pure and blameless lives, — 
 men whose principles and teachings were in accord- 
 ance with their own convictions of duty, and sense 
 of right. Nay more, they saw that they possessed 
 supernatural powers, healed the sick, and restored 
 the lame and blind. They heard them speak in 
 different languages, and elucidate in various tongues, 
 the principles and doctrines of a purer and sublimer 
 faith than philosophers had ever taught, or than they 
 had received from Moses. Parthians, and Medes, 
 and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and 
 in Judea, all heard them speak in their own tongues, 
 " the wonderful works of God." 
 
 Such proofs, so various, and coming from so many 
 different sources, and so often repeated, could not be 
 resisted. Even the priests, and those high in author- 
 ity, who did not become converts to Christianity, 
 were forced to give up the argument, and admit the 
 truth of the apostles' declarations. All their efforts 
 to sustain the position, that the body of Christ had 
 been stolen while the soldiers slept, were utterly 
 unavailing. The absurdity of this idea was appar- 
 ent to every reflecting mind. For as St. Augustine 
 says, " Either the soldiers were asleep or awake. If 
 they were awake, why should they suffer the body to 
 be taken away? If asleep, how could they know 
 that the disciples took it away ? How dare they de- 
 pose that it was stolen ? " Besides, is it reasonable 
 
RESURRECTION OF CHRIST. 301 
 
 to suppose that a few timorous disciples, who had 
 fled the moment that Christ was arrested, and the 
 boldest of whom had trembled before a maid-ser- 
 vant, and thrice denied his Lord with oaths upon his 
 lips, would dare to attempt to take the body of 
 Jesus, in the face of the armed forces of the king- 
 dom ? Would such persons peril their lives in such 
 an undertaking, and one which presented so little 
 hope of success? The very nature of the plea 
 which was urged by the Pharisees and rulers, shows 
 to what an extremity they were driven, in order to 
 resist the proofs that flowed in upon them that Christ 
 had risen from the dead. And they were ready to 
 give to the soldiers large sums of money, to induce 
 them to testify to this falsehood, for they saw clearly, 
 that the resurrection of Christ would place then: 
 cause in a far worse position than though they had 
 never arrested or crucified 'him. They saw that the 
 very measures which they had adopted to crush this 
 new religion, would give to it additional strength ; 
 would, perhaps, clothe it with a power that would 
 be irresistible. And at this distance from those 
 scenes, upon the stand-point that we occupy, we can 
 see in how wonderful a manner God caused the 
 wrath of man to praise him ; for the course pursued 
 by the enemies of Christianity, resulted in giving to 
 the system a force which enabled it to rise above 
 and overcome the established religious institutions 
 of the Jewish nation, and send forth an influence that 
 is, at this day, felt throughout the civilized world. 
 
 But there is another feature in this argument 
 which should not be overlooked, and that is, the fact 
 26 
 
302 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. . 
 
 that the disciples could not have been influenced by 
 considerations of personal interest or advantage, to 
 deceive the people in regard to this matter. They, 
 in common with others, had been looking for a tem- 
 poral Messiah, who would deliver the nation out of 
 the hands of its oppressors, and restore again the 
 kingdom to Israel. And it was with the greatest 
 difficulty that they could be induced to relinquish 
 this idea, and admit the spiritual nature and ends of 
 Christ's mission. They could not believe that he 
 would die, although he repeatedly predicted it, and 
 labored to prepare their minds for the event. And 
 when the crucifixion was accomplished, and Christ 
 was buried, they considered that their expectations 
 and hopes were buried with him. Entertaining such 
 views and feelings, it was i*n no respect for their in- 
 terest to steal away the body of Christ, and pretend 
 that he had risen from the dead. 
 
 Besides, what possible hope could they have had, 
 that such a story would be believed by the im- 
 placable and hardhearted Jews ? These enemies, 
 with the evidences of Christ's miraculous power 
 and holy life and unparalleled benevolence before 
 their eyes, still denounced him as an impious im- 
 postor and blasphemer; still pursued him with a 
 degree of malice and rage, that could only be satis- 
 fied by the shedding of his blood. And will such 
 men believe a story, circulated by his disciples, that 
 their victim had risen from the dead ? Does it fall 
 within the bounds of possibility, that they would 
 credit such a fabrication, when, by so doing, they 
 would virtually renounce their ancient faith, expose 
 
RESUKRECTION OF CHRIST. 303 
 
 themselves to the public scorn, and acknowledge be- 
 fore God and man that they had murdered the Lord 
 of glory ? It is difficult to conceive of a company 
 as embarking in a more hopeless undertaking. 
 There is not the shadow of a prospect of meeting 
 with success. Every thing is against them. 
 
 In addition to aU this, there was no imaginable 
 advantage to be gained by the disciples, in pursuing 
 such a course ; on the contrary, they staked every 
 thing that was dear to them. They were fully aware 
 of the state of public feeling respecting those who 
 were in any way connected with Christ ; and they 
 knew that dungeons, tortures, and the worst forms of 
 persecution awaited those who should attempt to 
 impose such a deception upon the people. They 
 knew that they had nothing to gain, but every thing 
 to lose. They were not madmen nor fanatics. They 
 were not disposed to peril their reputation, happi- 
 ness, and lives in a visionary and wild enterprise. 
 If they faced the rack, and prisons, and storms of 
 persecutions, it was because they were fully con- 
 vinced that their Master had risen from the dead. 
 The evidences of this great truth were before and 
 within them, and no persuasion, orv alarm, or threats, 
 could induce them to relinquish the position which 
 they had taken. They could die, but they could not 
 and would not sacrifice the truth. 
 
 This doctrine, then, of Christ's resurrection, sus 
 tained by such incontrovertible proofs, looms up as 
 one of the most important and glorious facts in the 
 history of our Saviour. As a miracle, it ecKpses all 
 that preceded it. As a doctrine, it is full of the 
 
304 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 richest consolations and most sublime hopes to the 
 believer. As a testimony in favor of the divine mis- 
 sion of the Saviour, it stands impregnable. After 
 the night of gloom that followed the crucifixion, this 
 doctrine rose upon the world, with the brightness 
 and splendor of a morning sun, shedding its light 
 upon the past, and pouring its glory through the ages 
 of the future. We stand to-day in the light of this 
 great truth. It demands our faith. Indeed, we are 
 personally interested in it. For it bears upon the doc- 
 trine of our own resurrection. The fact of our death 
 is certain. Is our resurrection as certain ? That is 
 the question of questions to us. "Will this sleep of 
 death be broken ? Will the sound of the archangel's 
 trump be heard in the cold, dark, long silent tomb ? 
 An inspired apostle has answered in these sublime 
 words, " Behold, I show you a mystery. . We shall 
 not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a mo- 
 ment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump : 
 for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be 
 raised incorruptible. For this corruption must put 
 on incorruption, and this mortal ipust put on immor- 
 tality." 
 
XXIV. 
 
 THE WALK TO EMIMAUS. 
 
 "And their eyes weke opened, and they knew him: and 
 he vanished out op their sight. and they said one to 
 another, did not our heart born within us, while he 
 talked with us by the way, and while he opened to 
 US THE SCRIPTURES'?" — Luke xxiv. 31, 32. 
 
 This passage will be recognized as a part of the 
 interesting account we have of Christ's walk to 
 Emmaus, with the two disciples, after his resurrec- 
 tion. These brethren, previous to their departm-e 
 from Jerusalem, had heard the report which was cur- 
 rent, that Christ had risen from the dead. Being the 
 warm and intimate friends of the Saviour, they nat- 
 urally made this event the topic of earnest conver- 
 sation. They discussed the probabilities of the truth 
 of the report ; compared what they had heard, with 
 the prophecies which Christ had uttered respecting 
 his resurrection; and reviewed the life, teachings, 
 and mighty deeds of him who had fallen a victim to 
 the rage of his enemies. 
 
 While absorbed in their discussions, and perplexed 
 by the dark mysteries that overhung the events 
 26* 
 
306 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 which had transpired during the past three days, 
 Clirist joined them in the road, as one who had just 
 come from Jerusalem, and was travelling in the di- 
 rection in which they were going. The disciples did 
 not, at first, recognize who he was ; for we are told 
 that " their eyes were holden, that they should not 
 know him." Through some secret, yet powerful in- 
 fluence exerted upon their vision, in connection, prob- 
 ably, with Christ's peculiar and supernatural appear- 
 ance, they were prevented from clearly discerning 
 him. 
 
 The precise nature or character of Christ's body 
 after the resm-rection, we cannot fully determine. 
 Some writers of acknowledged ability have taken 
 the ground, that he appeared with a purely spiritual 
 body, bearing, however, such a resemblance to his 
 natural body, as to be recognized by his disciples. 
 Others argue, that the same body that was crucified 
 and buried, rose from the tomb and appeared to the 
 disciples. To support the first position, reference is 
 made to the fact, that Mary did not know Christ 
 when he spoke to her at the sepulchre, and also to 
 the remarkable instance which occurred in the walk 
 to Emmaus. In this case, Christ continued with the 
 two disciples for a considerable length of time, and 
 conversed -with. them. Indeed, he argued the point 
 of the resurrection with them, and entered into an 
 elaborate exposition of the passages of Scripture 
 which relate to his mission, sufferings, and death. 
 Yet it was not until they had reached the end of 
 their journey, and entered a house and sat down to 
 partake of food, that " their eyes were opened and 
 
THE WALK TO EMMAUS. 307 
 
 they knew him." Aiid as soon as they recognized 
 him, it appears that he vanished out of their sight. 
 
 Soon after, he appeared in an assembly of the 
 apostles while the doors were shut. His sudden 
 and unexpected presence so startled them, that they 
 were terrified, and supposed that they saw a spirit. 
 But he said to them, " Why are ye troubled ? 
 and why do thoughts, or doubts arise in your 
 hearts ? " He then proceeded to prove to them that 
 it was not an apparition which they saw, but that 
 he was in reality present with them ; and the evi- 
 dences which he adduced, furnish, in connection 
 with some other circumstances, the ground of the 
 position maintained by many, that his risen body 
 was the same that was crucified and buried. Amid 
 the conflicting views which have been advanced 
 upon this subject, and the inherent difiEiculties con- 
 nected with it, it seems to me to be the most pru- 
 dent course not to attempt to settle the precise 
 nature of Christ's risen body. That there was, in 
 his intercourse with his disciples, a marked difference 
 in his appearance before and after the resurrection, 
 no one can deny. It is natural to suppose that the 
 body must have undergone some changes in its pas- 
 sage through the regions of death; but without 
 speculating upon the nature of those changes, it will 
 be more to our profit to seek instruction from the 
 scene before us. 
 
 The circumstances that attended this interview 
 with the Saviour, were peculiarly favorable. The 
 village of Emmaus was about seven and a half 
 miles from Jerusalem, and the road to it being com- 
 
308 LIFE SCENES OP THE MESSIAH. 
 
 paratively little frequented, afforded a suitable oppor- 
 tunity for the most free and uninterrupted conversa- 
 tion. We may imagine the two disciples walking 
 together, far from the noise and distracting tumult 
 of the city, and surrounded by the quiet and beauti- 
 ful natural scenery that incites to religious medita- 
 tion. The ties of a warm personal friendship not 
 only unite them, but they are the firm disciples of 
 Jesus. Their conversation turns upon the themes 
 that most deeply interest them. They care little for 
 the vanities of this world, its honors, riches, and 
 transient pleasures. Their minds are upon highei 
 and nobler pursuits. They are men who hunger and 
 thirst after righteousness, — who are seeking first the 
 kingdom of God, — who desire to be led into all 
 truth. They wish to know the true motive and ends 
 of Christ's advent, and to settle the question of his 
 resurrection. "We have reason to think that they 
 had higher and more spiritual conceptions of the 
 Saviour, than most of the other disciples, and they 
 wished to remove each other's doubts, and establish 
 each other in the Christian faith. They had proba- 
 bly little idea of a temporal kingdom, or physical 
 conquests, in connection with the Messiah's reign. 
 They loved rather to think of Christ as the Prince 
 of Peace, the bright and morning star, the image of 
 the invisible God, the Lamb of God, the Light of 
 the world. They loved to think of his pure and 
 holy life, his unparalleled benevolence, his rich in- 
 structions, his miracles and mighty deeds for the 
 good of mankind. They doubtless recalled on this 
 occasion, many scenes in his history, many instances 
 
THE WALK TO EMMAUS. 309 
 
 of his kindness and love. They could not but have 
 referred also to the ingratitude and perverseness of 
 those whom he had come to bless, — the insults, ig- 
 nominy, and tortures through which he had passed. 
 The horrors of the crucifixion, with all the attendant 
 circumstances, were fresh in their memory. They 
 could not forget the mockings and scourgings, the 
 nails, the spear, the iron clad soldiery, the malicious 
 populace, the agonizing cry, " My God, my God, 
 why hast thou forsaken me!" Their minds were 
 thus in a state of preparation for an interview with 
 the Lord of glory; and, as the Messiah delights to 
 commune with those who are prepared to receive 
 and welcome him, he drew near to the two pilgrims 
 and engaged in conversation with them. Had they 
 been men whose thoughts and conversation had 
 been upon worldly things, or whose minds had been 
 filled with scepticism, or idle speculation respecting 
 the events in the Saviour's history, he would not 
 have favored them with his presence and instructions. 
 But they were in a state of mind to cordially receive 
 him, to appreciate his teachings, and to receive into 
 good and honest hearts the revelations of divine truth 
 which he might make. Indeed, we have abundant 
 ground for the belief that holy conversation, as well 
 as religious meditation and prayer, attracts the notice 
 and presence of the Deity. The prophet tells us, 
 " Then they that feared the Lord, spake often one to 
 another, and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a 
 book of remembrance was written before him for 
 them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon 
 his name." Wherever* and whenever there is suit- 
 
310 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 able preparation of heart for a visit from above, God 
 is ready to appear, and impart consolation and 
 instruction. He is confined to no locality, no par- 
 ticular class, or age of the church. The laws of his 
 moral kingdom are as certain and uniform in then- 
 operation as the laws in the material universe. His 
 peculiar people, embrace all who love him, who de- 
 light to dwell upon his character and perfections, 
 and to converse upon his kindness and tender mer- 
 cies. The partition wall between Jews and Gentiles 
 is broken down, and all who have the principles of 
 faith, obedience, and love in their hearts, constitute 
 a chosen race, a royal priesthood unto God. The 
 Saviour made to his disciples this precious promise, 
 " Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of 
 the world." As though he had said, " I am with 
 you in the house and by the way, — with you to 
 guide your footsteps, to protect you from tempta- 
 tion, to illuminate your minds, and to lead you into 
 all truth." As the sun shines upon the earth, im- 
 parting beauty to its landscapes, and verdure to its 
 fields, so Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, shines 
 upon the pathway of the true Christian, revealing to 
 him the beauties of the moral kingdom through 
 which he passes, and guiding his footsteps towards 
 the celestial city. 
 
 Perceiving the nature of the disciples' discus- 
 sions, and their reluctance to admit the fact of the 
 resurrection, with the evidences that were before 
 them, Christ at first reproved them by saying, " O 
 fools and slow of heart to believe all that the proph- 
 ets have spoken I Ought not Christ to have suffered 
 
THE WALK TO EMMAUS. 311 
 
 these things, and to enter into his glory ? " He then 
 proceeded to lay before them a full and accurate ex- 
 position of the passages in the ancient Scriptures 
 which related to himself. Beginning with Moses, 
 and going through with all the prophets, he explained 
 in clear and eloquent language, and in a most im- 
 pressive and convincing manner, the revelations which 
 had been made respecting himself Could this con- 
 versation have been recorded, and preserved for the 
 benefit of the church, it would doubtless have been 
 as valuable a document as the sermon delivered on 
 the mount. We should have prized it as a divine 
 commentary upon the most important portions of 
 the Scriptures. It would have been an authority to 
 which we should have appealed for the settlement of 
 controverted points, and of the meaning of obscure 
 passages. It would have been a revelation upon a 
 revelation, — divine light added to divine light, — 
 the Deity himself condescending to explain his own 
 words, uttered ages ago through his inspired servants. 
 But, for wise reasons, we are not favored with a 
 record of that divine exposition. Perhaps it is better 
 for us to investigate for ourselves ; to search the an- 
 cient Scriptures, and see wherein they testify of 
 Christ. We are assured that the Old Testament is 
 a mine rich in golden truths respecting the Messiah, 
 and God has given us reason, judgment, conscience, 
 an inward sense of what is right, just, and true, so 
 that we can interpret the meaning of language, com- 
 pare passage with passage, and the prophecies with 
 the facts in the history of Christ. And he who thus 
 uses his powers, to the extent of his advantages and 
 
312 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 ability, will not be deprived of the help of a divine 
 exposition. For Christ will favor him as he did the 
 two disciples, will walk with him and impart a 
 divine illumination. There will be added to the 
 knowledge gained by his own toil, a divine light that 
 will render his course "like the shining light that 
 shineth brighter and brighter unto the perfect day." 
 Christ, in his farewell discourse to his disciples, said, 
 " When the Comforter is come whom I will send 
 unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth 
 which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of 
 me." He will illuminate your understandings, dissi- 
 pate your doubts, solve the mysteries that obscure 
 your spiritual vision, kindle the fires of a holy devo- 
 tion and spu'itual ardor, that no floods can quench, 
 nor waters drown. Nor do we lack witnesses of the 
 faithfulness of Christ in fulfilling his promises. For 
 in every age there have been saints who have enjoyed 
 this divine illumination; who have been rewarded 
 for their toil to reach the summits of the mountains 
 of faith, by being permitted to breathe a celestial 
 atmosphere, and behold with a clear vision those glo- 
 rious truths that are hidden from the view of the 
 multitude who remain in the valleys of indifference 
 and unbelief. 
 
 But, let us look for a moment at the line of argu- 
 ment which the Messiah pin-sued in this memorable 
 conversation with the disciples. He went back to 
 Moses, who wrote fifteen hundred years before the 
 Christian era, and who predicted that " the seed of 
 the woman should bruise the serpent's head ; " that 
 " the sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a law- 
 
THE WALK TO EMMAUS. 313 
 
 giver from between his feet, till Shiloh come." He 
 doubtless referred to the promise made to Abraham, 
 that in his seed all the families of the earth should 
 be blessed; and to the assurance given that the 
 Lord God would raise up a Prophet,* unto whom 
 the people would hearken. Having explained these 
 passages, we may imagine the Great Teacher taking 
 the earnest listeners through the Psalms of David, 
 and first calling their attention to the second Psalm, 
 which is an inauguration hymn, prepared to be sung 
 at the coronation of the Son of God upon the holy 
 hill of Sion. There is a fulness of meaning, and a 
 majesty and glory in the words repeated by Christ 
 himself, as though coming from the Father. " Thou 
 art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. Ask of 
 me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine in- 
 heritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for 
 thy possession." Next, he refers to a passage in the 
 sixteenth Psalm, " For thou wilt not leave my soul 
 in hell ; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to 
 see corruption : " a passage directly applicable to the 
 point under discussion ; and one that furnished the 
 text for Peter's discourse on the day of Pentecost, a 
 discourse which was blessed to the conversion of 
 three thousand souls. The twenty-second Psalm 
 could not have been overlooked, a portion of the 
 language of which Christ appropriated to himself 
 on the cross, when he cried, "My God, my God, 
 why hast thou forsaken me ! " The vivid description 
 given in this Psalm of Christ's intense sufferings, 
 
 * Deuteronomy xvii. 15. 
 
 27 
 
314 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 must have been dwelt upon with peculiar force, and 
 also the prophetic declaration in the eighteenth verse, 
 " They part my garments among them, and cast lots 
 upon my vesture." So of the prophecies and allu- 
 sions in the fortieth Psalm, the forty-fourth, the sixty- 
 eighth and ninth, the hundred and tenth, and others. 
 They all furnished abundant and rich materials for 
 the discourse of the Saviom*, and in the hands of a 
 divine commentator we do not wonder that they 
 carried conviction and joy to the minds of the 
 hearers. 
 
 But, as Christ in the prosecution of his argument 
 entered upon the prophecies of Isaiah, who is justly 
 called the evangelical prophet, how must his lan- 
 guage have glowed with a supernatural fervor and 
 divine eloquence ! With what a deep pathos, and an 
 overpowering strain of close reasoning must he have 
 followed the prophet's description of his birth, life, 
 mighty deeds, sufferings, and death I We may al- 
 most hear the sublime words as they fall from his lips, 
 " For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, 
 and the government shall be upon his shoulder: 
 and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, 
 the mighty God, the Prince of Peace." With what 
 force does he then appeal to his career, as an accu- 
 rate fulfilment of the fifty-third chapter, in which we 
 read, " He is despised and rejected of men,; a man 
 of sorrows and acquainted with grief: and we hid 
 
 as it were our faces from him Surely he hath 
 
 borne om- griefs, and carried om* sorrows He 
 
 was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened 
 not his mouth; he is brought as a lamb to the 
 
THE WALK TO EMMAUS. 315 
 
 slaughter, and as the sheep before her shearers is 
 dumb, so he opened not his mouth." When the dis- 
 ciples perceived the bearing of these prophecies, ut- 
 tered seven hundred years before, upon the history 
 of Jesus, they could not but have been amazed at 
 their previous slowness of heart, in believing all that 
 the prophets had written concerning him. This ar- 
 gument, coolly examined by the Christian under any 
 circumstances, carries with it an irresistible power. 
 But, glowing with the beauty and fervor imparted to 
 it by divine lips, it could not fail to be deeply im- 
 pressive. The pious travellers saw its force as they 
 had never seen it before. They saw, too, in a new 
 light, the whole of the ancient Scriptures, — the 
 harmony of the writers, the unity of design that 
 pervaded all the manuscripts. Around the sacred 
 writings there shone a divine light, that revealed 
 their beauties, excellences, and glories. The disci- 
 ples saw how wonderfully the divine attributes of 
 wisdom and goodness were displayed in God's deal- 
 ings with manldnd. The plan of redemption ap- 
 peared clearer to their minds than ever before. Its 
 spiritual nature, its provisions for satisfying the 
 demands of the law, the vast reach of its benevolent 
 designs, the necessity that Christ should suffer and 
 die to bring the scheme to perfection, were points 
 upon which they were specially enlightened. 
 
 But we hasten to speak of the effects of this dis- 
 course upon their minds. This is given in their own 
 language, for they said one to another, " Did not our 
 heart burn withbi us while he talked with us by the 
 way, and while he opened to us the Scriptures?" 
 
316 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 Their emotions were such as they had never before 
 experienced. They were filled with an intense love 
 for the Saviour, a burning enthusiasm for his cause, 
 and a strong and holy regard for divine truth. No 
 sooner did they discover who it was that had been 
 60 eloquently addressing them, than they hasten back 
 to Jerusalem to assure the apostles that they had 
 seen Jesus. Their faith was confirmed not only in 
 the doctrine of the resurrection, but in all the doc- 
 trines of the Christian system. They saw that 
 Christ was the all in all, — the chiefest among ten 
 thousand, and the one altogether lovely. The glories 
 of divine truth opened before their minds in all their 
 splendor. The dark clouds that hung around their 
 pathway on the morning of that memorable day, 
 were all dissipated. The Sun of Righteousness rose 
 upon them never again to set. 
 
 Their gratitude and love were also awakened. 
 They could not but have felt under the greatest and 
 most lasting obligations for the divine condescension 
 which had been shown towards them. They had 
 walked with the King of kings and Lord of lords. 
 They had listened to the instructions of Him who is 
 now exalted far above all principalities and powers, 
 and has a name that is above every name. 
 
 Their joy, too, was excessive. No language could 
 e:xpress it. Their hearts burned within them while 
 the Saviour talked with them, and opened to them 
 the Scriptures. They had, doubtless, a foretaste of 
 the rapture and glories of heaven. And now, from 
 the heights of the celestial city, they look back upon 
 that day as the most blessed of their lives. For not 
 
THE AVALK TO EMMAUS. 317 
 
 only had their Saviour risen, but he had opened to 
 them the Scriptures. They had enjoyed the sweetest 
 and most delightful intercourse with him. The very 
 road to Emmaus was sacred in their estimation, for 
 it bore the footprints of the Lord of glory. 
 
 / " Abide with us — the evening shades 
 / Begin already to prevail ; 
 
 And as the ling'ring twilight fades. 
 Dark clouds along the horizon sail. 
 
 " Abide with us — the night is chill ; 
 And damp and cheerless is the air : 
 Be our companion, stranger, still, 
 And thy repose shall be our care. 
 
 " Abide with us — thy converse sweet 
 Has well beguiled the tedious way 
 With such a friend we joy to meet. 
 We supplicate thy longer stay. 
 
 "Abide with us — and still unfold 
 Thy sacred, thy prophetic lore ; 
 What wond'rous things of Jesus told ! 
 Stranger, we thirst, we pant for more. 
 
 " Abide with us — and still converse 
 Of him who late on Calv'ry died, 
 Of him the prophecies rehearse ; 
 He was our friend they crucified." 
 
 Baffla. 
 
 27* 
 
XXV. 
 
 CHRIST'S ASCENSION. 
 
 "And it came to pass while he blessed them, he -wab 
 parted feom them, and caekied up into heaven. and 
 thet worshipped him, and returned to jerusalem with 
 GREAT JOY." — St. Luke xxiv. 51, 52. 
 
 We now approach the closing scene in our Sav- 
 iour's earthly career. The great objects for which he 
 left his throne of glory and became incarnate, had 
 been accomplished. His holy life was before man- 
 kind as their great example. He had unfolded his 
 system of truth, which, as a mighty moral force, was 
 destined to renovate and bless society. His church 
 was established, — the apostles commissioned, — the 
 divine aid pledged to all true believers, and the last 
 great command given to his followers. He had laid 
 the foundations of a new and spiritual empire, — an 
 empire that would rise upon the ruins of all hostile 
 kingdoms, and extend over the continents and 
 islands, until every knee was made to bow, and 
 every tongue acknowledged the authority of the 
 Supreme King. 
 
CHRIST'S ASCENSION. ^19 
 
 And now the hour had arrived when Christ must 
 bid farewell to his disciples, and return to the courts 
 of his Father. He had remained upon the earth 
 forty days after his resurrection, in order that this 
 fact in his history might be established beyond all 
 doubt. At the expiration of this period, he com 
 manded his disciples not to depart from Jerusalem 
 but to remain and prepare their minds, by public de- 
 votion and private prayer, for the glorious event 
 which was about to take place. They were to wait, 
 too, for the fulfilment of the promise of the Father, 
 that they should receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 
 This promise had been repeatedly made to them, to 
 console them under the departure of their Lord. 
 Just before the ascension, Christ said to his disciples, 
 " For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall 
 be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days 
 hence." " Though I shall be taken from you, and ye 
 shall see my face, and hear my voice, and receive 
 my counsels no more, yet the Comforter will come, 
 who will cheer and refresh you, and guide you into 
 all truth. Heavenly influences will descend and rest 
 upon you, imparting a divine illumination, sustain- 
 ing you under trials, enabling you to obtain the vic- 
 tory over your enemies, and giving a foretaste of 
 those joys that will be experienced when we meet in 
 a brighter and more glorious state of being." Having 
 thus fortified the minds of the disciples, he led forth 
 the faithful band out of the city, and passing the 
 brook Kedron, came to the Mount of Olives, and 
 paused on the eastern side near the town of Beth- 
 any. This mount is described as being about a mile 
 
320 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 ill length, and seven hundred feet in height ; and as 
 affording a most beautiful and magnificent view of 
 Jerusalem and the surrounding country. All the 
 streets, public buildings, and walls of the city are 
 distinctly visible from its summit. Here the Saviour 
 had that memorable view of the city, when his emo- 
 tions were so intense that he wept over it, saying, 
 " K thou hadst known, at least in this thy day, the 
 things that belong to thy peace : but now they are 
 hid from thine eyes." 
 
 From other points, the views are extremely rich 
 and grand. One traveller says, " "We were conducted 
 to the end of a ridge stretching three quarters of a 
 mile from the central height, in order to enjoy the 
 view eastward, which is very extensive. The plains 
 of Jordan, the mountain beyond, the Dead Sea, and 
 the dark and singular chain of mountains on the 
 east of it, were in full view. Some of us thought 
 that we could see the waters of the Jordan : but al- 
 though this was uncertain, we could easily trace the 
 course of the river through the plain, by the verdure. 
 Beyond it, towered the lofty mountains of Moab, 
 rising peak above peak, in great majesty, including 
 among them Mount Nebo." 
 
 Upon this beautiful and sacred eminence, stood 
 the Lord of glory, surrounded by his warm and de- 
 voted friends. It was early in the morning, whUe 
 the dew was fresh upon the trees and flowers, the 
 atmosphere clear and invigorating, and the mountain 
 bathed in the glories of the rising sun. Angels were 
 winging their way towards the summit, to partici- 
 pate in the solemn grandeurs of the hour, and to 
 
CHRIST'S ASCENSION. 321 
 
 attend the great King on his return to his celestial 
 throne. Amid all ranks of spiritual existences, a 
 profound interest was felt in this great occasion. 
 
 The Saviour, raising his hands towards heaven, 
 pronounced upon his disciples a divine blessing. 
 While engaged in this benevolent act, — while the 
 words of wisdom and love were falling from his lips, 
 he was suddenly parted from them, and borne away 
 in the clouds towards heaven. As though seated in 
 a glorious chariot, surrounded by myriads of holy 
 and resplendent beings, he ascended far above all 
 principalities and powers, to take his station at the 
 right-hand of God. The disciples gazed upon the 
 spectacle with mingled feelings of wonder, awe, and 
 admiration. They looked, we are told, steadfastly 
 towards heaven, watching the bright crimson cloud, 
 and the form of the Saviour, as they gradually re- 
 ceded from the view, and at last vanished out of 
 their sight. 
 
 From what they had seen of Christ's mightj 
 deeds, and especially after his wonderful victory ovei 
 death and hell, they were in a measure prepared for 
 this subKme termination of his career. But the 
 majesty and glory of the scene surpassed their most 
 vivid conceptions. They were filled, the Evangel- 
 ists tell us, with great joy. They forgot the suffer- 
 ings and humiliation of Christ, in the triumphs of 
 this hour. They forgot the mockings and cruel 
 insults of the mob, in the reverence and love mani- 
 fested towards the Saviour by the angelic hosts. 
 They forgot the toilsome ascent up Mount Calvary, 
 in their enthusiastic rapture at beholding the illustri- 
 
322 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 ous ascension of the Lord of glory. They forgot, 
 too, their own trials and dangers. Their souls were 
 lifted above the world, above the influence of its 
 threats, or its hatred. They returned to Jerusalem 
 with great joy, and were continually in the temple 
 praising and blessing God. One unceasing anthem 
 of praise poured forth from their lips. "And they 
 went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord work- 
 ing with them and confirming the word with signs 
 following." Throughout the Roman Empire they 
 preached the glorious gospel of the blessed God, — 
 their earnest and eloquent words being confirmed 
 by displays of miraculous power. 
 
 Among the historical evidences that commend the 
 fact of the ascension to our faith, we might refer to 
 Christ's own predictions of the event. On several 
 occasions he comforted his friends with the assur- 
 ance, that he was going to prepare a place for 
 them, — a' place where their mourning would be 
 turned into rejoicing, where no trials would afHict 
 them, no foes molest them ; but where they would 
 breathe an atmosphere of universal love. While 
 exhibiting himself as the bread of life he said, " What 
 and if ye shall see the Son of Man ascend up where 
 he was before." And on the day of his resurrection 
 he said to Mary, " Go to my brethren and say unto 
 them, I ascend to my Father and your Father, to 
 my God and your God." There was also a vital 
 connection between Christ's ascension and resurrec- 
 tion. Had he left the earth in any other than a 
 supernatm-al manner, the influence of the doctrine 
 of the resurrection would have been at once de- 
 
CHRIST'S ASCENSION. 323 
 
 Btroyed. For having risen from the grave, he ap- 
 peared before his followers as the conqueror of 
 death; as one whose nature was not vulnerable to 
 the darts of the destroyer. He had also proved that 
 he had supreme control over all the elements of 
 nature, — proved the truth of his declaration, "All 
 power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." 
 And shall he, after so triumphant a career, fail at the 
 last ? Shall he fail of fulfilling his own predictions, 
 when the failure would be disastrous to his cause, 
 to the hopes of his followers, and to the spiritual in- 
 terests of the world? 
 
 But we have in the Old Testament intimations of 
 the ascension of the Lord of glory. The twenty- 
 fourth Psalm is supposed by distinguished writers to 
 refer to this event. Though written primarily in 
 reference to the removal of the ark of God to Jeru- 
 salem, and used, perhaps, when the sacred treasures 
 were deposited in the temple, yet it is the opinion of 
 able commentators that the Jehovah of this Psalm is 
 Christ, and that his entrance into the celestial Idng- 
 dom, is the event here celebrated. Viewed in this 
 light, the language is in the highest degree thrilling 
 and sublime. " Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and 
 be ye lift up ye everlasting doors : and the King 
 of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory ? 
 The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in 
 battle." To have the scene fully before the mind, 
 we must conceive of the Saviour as leaving the 
 earth in a chariot of brilliant clouds, attended by 
 holy angels, and approaching the everlasting gates 
 of the city of God. As they draw near, the angels, 
 
324 LIFE SCENES OP THE MESSIAH. 
 
 in a chorus of the sweetest melody, summon those 
 who are withm the walls to throw wide open the 
 gates and admit the Lord of glory. We must sup- 
 pose that the occasion attracts a vast multitude, who 
 crowd near to the gates, and upon the walls, and 
 who, in their anxiety to know from whom this sum- 
 mons comes, ask, Who is this King of glory ? Who 
 is this distinguished and royal personage, for whom 
 the everlasting gates must be opened ? The attend- 
 ant angels, in tones of joy and exultation, reply, 
 " The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in 
 battle." The great Conqueror who has obtained the 
 victory over sin, death, and hell, — the leader of the 
 armies of Jehovah, — the founder of a spiritual and 
 glorious empire, he is the Lord of glory. Such is the 
 majesty of the occasion, that the summons and the 
 reply are repeated, when the gates swing open, and 
 the King enters with his vast and brilliant retinue, 
 and takes his seat upon the throne of the universe. 
 
 This doctrine of the ascension we regard as a 
 cardinal principle in the system of Christianity. It 
 is the topmost stone of the spiritual edifice which 
 the Saviour erected upon the earth. It is the dome 
 of the great temple to which the nations are invited, 
 and where they will all one day assemble for wor- 
 ship. It is a doctrine in the truth of which we are 
 individually and specially interested. K the angels, 
 for whom Christ had not died, exulted in his entrance 
 into heaven, how much more should we rejoice in 
 this event; we who are the recipients of the rich 
 and priceless benefits that flow from it Could we 
 fully realize the magnitude and glory of this miracle 
 
CHRIST'S ASCENSION. 325 
 
 of miracles, — this mightiest of Christ's mighty 
 deeds, — could we see its bearings upon our condi- 
 tion and destiny, and upon the divine government, — 
 could we gaze with an undazzled vision upon the 
 glories that it throws over the past history of the 
 Messiah, we should join the angelic hosts in their 
 anthems of praise. One shout of triumph would 
 ascend from the universal church, in honor of the 
 ascension of the Lord of glory. 
 
 It is interesting to trace our personal connection 
 with this, as well as every other event and achieve- 
 ment in the history of Christ. For us the Messiah 
 became incarnate, assumed our nature, and exposed 
 himself to the hardships and dangers attendant upon 
 a career in this revolted province of his Father's em- 
 pire. To furnish us with a perfect example, he lived 
 and was tempted in all points like as we are. Upon 
 the cross, he was our representative, being wounded 
 for our transgressions, and satisfying for us the de- 
 mands of God's violated law. He entered the grave 
 for us, conquered death and hell for us, and rose 
 from the tomb to establish the fact of our own res- 
 urrection. And now, in his ascension, our nature is 
 restored to the position of honor and dignity that it 
 occupied before the fall. The believer may com- 
 mune with the Deity, as did our first parents in the 
 garden, walk with him, receive his instructions, and 
 those holy influences that he is ready to impart to 
 those who love him. We are warranted in affirming 
 that our nature has, in the person of Christ, ascended 
 to glory; and Christ sitting at the right hand of 
 God, forms the connecting link between divinity and 
 28 
 
326 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 humanity. He is our representative at the royal 
 courts of heaven, and the language addressed to the 
 Ephesians may be applied to all the disciples ; that 
 God " hath quickened us together with Christ, and 
 hath raised us up together, and made us sit together 
 in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. That in the ages 
 to come he might show the exceeding riches of his 
 grace, in his kindness towards us, through Christ 
 Jesus." In this passage we have not only a clear 
 recognition of our connection with the resm-rection 
 and ascension of Christ, but a pledge or security 
 that what he accomplished will be accomplished for 
 us; that, though the death sentence is upon the 
 race, and the gloom of the grave must be encoun- 
 tered, yet that the grave will be conquered, and these 
 bodies rise and ascend to glory. The declaration 
 that " God hath quickened us together with Christ," 
 carries with it this pledge. The life principle is vir- 
 tually imparted to the disciple. As Christ elsewhere 
 expresses the same idea, " He that believeth in me 
 shall never die ; because I live, ye shall live also." 
 " Because I ascend in glory to my Father's kingdom, 
 ye shall also ascend in glory. Because I am exalted 
 and enthroned as a King, ye shall be constituted 
 kings and priests unto God." 
 
 The nature and grandeur of that exaltation to 
 which Christ has attained, and the splendors that 
 surround him in a glorified state, our imperfect pow- 
 ers do not enable us to comprehend. We must be- 
 lieve, however, that he who wrought such triumphs 
 here, and reflected such honor upon the divine gov- 
 ernment, and who ascends to receive the rewards 
 
CHRIST'S ASCENSION. SSf*/ 
 
 due to his character and achievements, must be sur- 
 rounded by a glory which cannot be surpassed, and 
 receive an homage which is rendered alone to a 
 divine being. The simple fact that Christ has gone 
 where the attributes of his divinity may shine forth 
 in their full splendor, and where his excellence and 
 holy virtues are universally acknowledged, is enough 
 to convince us of the glory of his exalted position. 
 " What," says one, " though the heavens have re- 
 ceived him out of our sight? there have come mes- 
 sages from those heavens informing us of his solemn 
 enthronement as ' King of kings and Lord of lords ; ' 
 and notes of the celestial minstrelsy are borne to 
 mortal ears, celebrating the son of the virgin as the 
 great ' I am,' who was, and is, and is to come. And 
 it is in consequence of such messages, that thousands 
 and tens of thousands of the inhabitants of this 
 earth bow at the name of Jesus, and that vast ad- 
 vancements have already been made towards a 
 splendid consummation, when* the sun, in its circuit 
 round our globe, shall shine on none but the wor- 
 shippers of the Lamb that was slain." 
 
 The Christian, also, should exult in the fact, that 
 Christ by his ascension places himself in a position 
 where he can render to the church more effectual 
 service than though he had remained upon the earth. 
 He is near to the eternal throne, at God's right hand. 
 He is our great advocate before the Father, ready 
 at all times to pour forth his divine eloquence in our 
 behalf, ready to plead his own merits as the ground 
 of our justification and sanctiiication. He appears 
 in the royal courts of heaven as our representative. 
 
328 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 fitted in every way for his exalted station, and quali- 
 fied to render to every member of the human family 
 the most important and valuable services. He 
 knows, by experience, our necessities ; knows the 
 trials and temptations that surround the Christian ; 
 the conflicts and struggles through which he must 
 pass to secure the prizes of immortality. He knows, 
 too, just what influences we need to preserve the 
 soul in the hour of danger, to increase our faith, 
 and stimulate us in the divine life. 
 
 In this station, he can most effectually fulfil his 
 promise to be with all his disciples, even unto the 
 end of the world. Had he remained upon the earth, 
 he would have occupied but one locality at one 
 time, and would have communicated personally with 
 comparatively but few of his followers. Now, how- 
 ever wide may be his church, or numerous his fol- 
 lowers, he can at the same moment watch over their 
 interests, listen to their prayers, and send down upon 
 them the richest of heaven's blessings. As the 
 water is first lifted from the ocean and converted 
 into clouds, that extend over the islands and conti- 
 nents, and thence descends in fertilizing showers, so 
 Christ has ascended far above all principalities and 
 powers, that he may more extensively and abundant- 
 ly bless his followers. And all who approach him in 
 faith, may partake of the benefits that he is ready to 
 impart. 
 
 There is another special reason why we should re- 
 joice in the ascension, and that is, its connection 
 with the gift of the Holy Spirit. " K I go not 
 away," said Christ, "the Comforter will not come 
 
CHRIST'S ASCENSION. 329 
 
 unto you : but if I depart, I will send him to you." 
 Why the departure of Christ was necessary to the 
 descent of the Spirit, we are unable to determine. 
 It is sufficient for us to know the fact, that the ascen- 
 sion was thus connected with the reception of this 
 gift. As Christ had established a purely spiritual 
 empire, and one that was to be advanced by spiritual 
 agencies, it seems in accordance with his plans that 
 he should withdraw his bodily presence, and that the 
 third person of the glorious Trinity should carry for- 
 ward the great work which he had commenced. In 
 the scheme of redemption, we have thus distinctly 
 developed the agency of each of the persons of the 
 Trinity. Had not the influences of the Spirit been 
 granted, we know not but that the sufferings and 
 death of Jesus would have failed of securing the re- 
 generation and sanctification of men. Such is the 
 extent of the alienation of our race from the Father, 
 and such the depth and strength of human deprav- 
 ity, that the agency of the Spirit was necessary to 
 render operative and effectual the atoning sacrifice 
 of Christ. Without this influence, even the tremen- 
 dous pressure of motive that comes from Gethsemane 
 and Calvary, — from the teachings of Christ, — from 
 the revelation he made of the eternal world, would 
 not have been sufficient to bring man to the exercise 
 of repentance and faith. The apostles, themselves, 
 who had enjoyed the personal instructions of the 
 Saviour, needed the aid of this Spirit to enable them 
 to maintain their faith amid the bitter storms of per- 
 secution that raged around them. Tliey needed it 
 in their struggles against systems of idolatry, and in 
 
330 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH. 
 
 their labors to plant among the nations the institu- 
 tions of Christianity. The sacred historians needed 
 this Spirit to keep them from error, and to guide 
 them into all truth. We need it, to open to our un- 
 derstandings the Scriptures, and to carry home to our 
 hearts those principles that will make us wise unto 
 salvation. 
 
 The goodness of Christ, therefore, is displayed in 
 his departure from the earth, as well as in his advent. 
 And we should rejoice that while we have an elo- 
 quent advocate at God's right hand, there is also 
 abroad in the earth a converting and sanctifying 
 agency, — a spiritual power that is moving upon the 
 nations, regenerating the hearts of men, and prepar- 
 ing multitudes to ascend to heaven and reign with 
 Christ amid the joys and splendors of his everlasting 
 kingdom. 
 
XXVI. 
 
 THE WRITERS OF THE GOSPELS AND THE ACTS OF 
 THE APOSTLES. 
 
 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. 
 
 Matthew, supposed to be the same who is also 
 called Levi, son of Alpheus, was by birth a Jew. 
 As to his office, he appears to have been a tax- 
 gatherer under the Romans. He was a native of 
 Galilee, as the rest of Christ's apostles were ; but 
 of what city in that country, or of which tribe of 
 the people of Israel, are not known. 
 
 As he sat at the custom-house, by the sea-side, in 
 or near the city of Capernaum, Jesus called him ; 
 and as soon as he could make up his accounts with 
 those by whom he had been employed and intrust- 
 ed, he became a wiUing, faithful disciple of Christ. 
 After this, St. Mark tells us, he made an entertain- 
 ment in his own house, where Christ and several of 
 his disciples were present, together with many tax- 
 gatherers and others, of no very respectable charac- 
 ter, in the sight of the Pharisees. 
 
 It is probable that Matthew took this occasion of 
 calling together his relatives and acquaintances, that 
 he might take a friendly farewell of them, and give 
 
 (331) 
 
332 LIVES OF THE WRITERS 
 
 them the opportunity of seeing and hearing that 
 divine Person, whose words he had already found to 
 be spirit and life to his own soul ; and to whose 
 service he had now solemnly dedicated himself. 
 
 He was placed by our Lord in the number of his 
 Apostles, and continued with him during his life. 
 After the ascension of Christ, he was at Jerusalem, 
 and received the Holy Ghost with the rest of the 
 disciples on the day of Pentecost. 
 
 Matthew, with Andrew, Peter, and the two sons 
 of Zebedee, are the only disciples whose call is par- 
 ticularly mentioned. It is uncertain when, where, 
 or how, he died. There does not appear to be any 
 clear evidence in the writings of the primitive fa- 
 thers that he suffered martyrdom. 
 
 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK. 
 
 Mark. This person is the second in the commonly 
 received order of the four evangelists, was named 
 John Mark, and was the son of a pious woman 
 called Mary, who dwelt at Jerusalem ; she was an 
 early believer, and the disciples used to meet at her 
 house. Peter, having been delivered out of prison 
 by an angel, came to the house of Mary, mother of 
 John whose surname was Mark. He is generally 
 supposed to have been particularly intimate with St. 
 Peter, to have written his Gospel at Rome, A. D. 64, 
 and to have died at Alexandria in Egypt, in the 
 eighth year of the reign of Nero. Dr. Lardner has 
 fully proved that Mark the evangelist, and John Mark 
 nephew to Barnabas, were one and the same person. 
 
OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 333 
 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. 
 
 Luke was, according to Dr. Lardner, a Jew by 
 birth, and an early convert to Christianity ; but Mi- 
 chaelis thinks he was a Gentile. Some think he was 
 one of our Lord's seventy disciples. It is worthy of 
 remark, that he is the only evangelist who mentions 
 the commission given by Christ to the seventy, chap. 
 X. 1-20. It is likely he is the Lucius mentioned 
 Rom. xvi. 21, and if so, he was related to the apostle 
 Paul, and that it is the same Lucius of Cyrene, who 
 Ts mentioned Acts xiii. 1, and in general with others 
 Acts xi. 20. Some of the ancients, and some of the 
 most learned and judicious among the moderns, 
 think he was one of the two whom our Lord met on 
 the way to Emmaus on the day of his resurrection, 
 as related Luke xxiv. 13-35 : one of these was called 
 Cleopas, ver. 18; the other is not mentioned, the 
 evangelist himself being the person and the relator. 
 
 St. Paul styles him his felloiv-laborer, Philem. 
 ver. 24. It is barely probable that he is the person 
 mentioned Colos. iv. 14. Luke, the beloved physi- 
 cian. All the ancients of repute agree that he was 
 a physician, but where he was born, and where he 
 exercised the duties of his profession, are not known. 
 
 He accompanied St. Paul when he first went 
 into Macedonia, Acts xvi. 8-40 ; xx., xxvii. and xxviii. 
 Whether he went with him constantly afterward is 
 not certain ; but it is evident he accompanied him 
 from Greece through Macedonia and Asia to Jeru- 
 salem, where he is supposed to have collected many 
 particulars of the evangelic history : from Jerusalem 
 
334 LIVES OF THE WRITERS 
 
 him the two years of his imprisonment in that city. 
 This alone makes out the space of five years and 
 upwards. It is probable that he left St. Paul when 
 he was set at liberty, and that he then went into 
 Greece, where he finished and published this Gospel, 
 and the book of the Acts, which he dedicated to 
 Theophilus, an honorable Christian friend of his 
 in that country. It is supposed that he died in peace 
 about the eightieth or eighty-fourth year of his age. 
 Some suppose he published this Gospel fifteen, oth- 
 ers twenty-two years after the ascension of Christ. 
 
 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. 
 
 John, the writer of this Gospel, was the son of a 
 fisherman named Zebedee, and his mother's name 
 was Salome. His father Zebedee was probably of 
 Bethsaida, and with his sons James and John, fol- 
 lowed his occupation on the Sea of Galilee. The call 
 of these two brothers to the apostleship is related 
 Matt. iv. 21, 22. Mark i. 19, 20. Luke v. 1-10. 
 John is generally supposed to have been about twenty- 
 five years of age when he began to follow our Lord. 
 
 Theophylact makes him one of the relatives of our 
 Lord, and gives his genealogy thus : " Joseph, the 
 husband of the blessed Mary, had seven children by 
 a former wife ; four sons, and three daughters, Mar- 
 tha, (perhaps, says Dr. Lardner, it should be Mary,) 
 Esther, and Salome, whose son John was ; therefore 
 Salome was reckoned our Lord's sister, and John was 
 his nephew." If this relationship did exist, it may 
 
OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 335 
 
 have been, at least in part, the reason of several 
 things mentioned in the Gospels ; as the petition of 
 the two brothers for the two chief places in the king- 
 dom of Christ ; John's being the beloved disciple and 
 friend of Jesus, and being admitted to some freedoms 
 denied to the rest, and possibly performing some 
 offices about the person of his Master ; and finally, 
 our Lord's committing to him the care of his mother 
 as long as she should survive him. 
 
 John was with our Lord in his transfigm'ation on 
 the mount, during his agony in the garden, and when 
 he was crucified. 
 
 He saw our Lord expire upon the cross, and saw the 
 soldier pierce his side with a spear, John xix. 34, 35. 
 He was one of the first of the disciples that visited 
 the sepulchre after the resurrection of Christ ; and 
 was present with the other disciples when Jesus 
 showed himself to them on the evening of the same 
 day on which he arose ; and likewise eight days after. 
 
 Tertullian and others say, that Domitian having 
 declared war against the church of Christ in the 15th 
 year of his reign, A. D. 95, John was banished from 
 Ephesus, and carried to Rome, where he was im- 
 mersed in a caldron of boiling oil, out of which, how- 
 ever, he escaped unhurt ; and that afterward he was 
 banished to the Isle of Patmos, in the ^gean Sea, 
 where he wrote the Apocalypse. Domitian, having 
 been slain in A. D. 96, his successor, Nerva, recalled 
 all the exOes who had been banished by his prede- 
 cessor : and John is supposed to have returned the 
 next year to Ephesus, being then about ninety years 
 of age. He is thought by some to have been the only 
 
336 WRITERS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 
 
 apostle who died a natural death, and to have lived 
 upwards of one hundred years. Some say, having 
 completed one hundred years, he died the day fol- 
 lowing. 
 
 THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 
 
 The book of the Acts of the Apostles forms the 
 fifth and last of the historical books of the New 
 Testament. 
 
 All antiquity is unanimous in ascribing this book 
 to St. Luke as the author ; and from the commence- 
 ment of it, we see plainly that it can be attributed 
 to no other. See Life of Imke. 
 
XXVII 
 
 OTHER WRITERS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 
 
 All the books of the New Testament, from Ro- 
 mans to Hebrews inclusive, were written by that 
 most eminent of all the apostles, St. Paul. 
 
 Saul (afterward called Paul) was born in Tarsus, 
 a city of Cilicia, of Jewish parents, who possessed 
 the right of Roman citizens : when young he was 
 sent to Jerusalem for the purpose of receiving a Jew- 
 ish education : he was there put under the tuition of 
 the famous Rabbi Gamaliel, and was incorporated 
 with the sect of the Pharisees, of whose system he 
 imbibed all the pride, self-confidence, and intoler- 
 ance, and distinguished himself as one of the most 
 inveterate enemies of tlie Christian cause ; but being 
 converted by a most singular interposition of divine 
 providence and grace, he became one of the most 
 zealous promoters and successful defenders of the 
 cause which he had before so inveterately persecuted. 
 
 Concerning the time, place, and manner of his 
 ■ death, we have little certainty. It is commonly be- 
 lieved that, when a general persecution was raised 
 against the Christians by Nero, about A. D. 64, 
 under pretence that they had set Rome on fire, 
 
 29 (337) 
 
338 LIVES OF THE WRITERS 
 
 both St. Paul and St. Peter then sealed the truth 
 with their blood ; the latter being crucified with his 
 
 <7ad downward ; the former being beheaded either 
 ..^1 A. D. 64 or 65. 
 
 Some writers say that it was not by the command 
 Nero that he was martyred, but by that of the 
 ^; a-.fects of the city, Nero being then absent ; that 
 he was beheaded at Aquce Salvice, about three miles 
 from Rome, on Feb. 22 ; that he could not be cruci- 
 fied as Peter was, because he was a freeman of the 
 city of Rome. But there is great uncertainty on 
 these subjects ; so that we cannot positively rely on 
 any account that even the ancients have transmitted 
 to us concerning the death of this apostle ; and much 
 
 r.8s on the accounts given by the moderns ; and least 
 •jf all on those which are to be found in the Martyr- 
 x^iogists. 
 
 THE GENERAL EPISTLE OF JAMES. 
 
 Who the writer of the epistle in question was, is 
 difficult to say : all that we know certainly, is from 
 his own words, that his name was James, and that 
 he was a servant of God, and of the Lord Jesvis. 
 Tivo persons of this name are mentioned in the New 
 Testament ; James the son of Zebedee, called also 
 •lames the elder; and James the less, or the little one, 
 called the son of Alpheus, and brother of our Lord : 
 b«t whether one of these, or, if one of them, which, 
 or whether one of the same name, different from 
 both, are points that cannot be satisfactorily deter- 
 mined. Michaelis, who has examined the subject 
 
 1 
 
OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 339 
 
 with his usual abUity, leaves the matter in doubt; 
 but leans to the opinion that James the son of Zebe- 
 dee was the author, and that this epistle was written 
 before any other book of the New Testament. Some 
 great authorities ascribe it to James, called the 
 brother of our Lord, who was president, or bishop, 
 of the church in Jerusalem. 
 
 THE FIRST AND SECOND EPISTLES OF PETER. 
 
 " The land of Palestine," says Cave, " at and be- 
 fore the coming of our blessed Saviour, was distin- 
 guished into three several provinces, Judea, Samaria, 
 and Galilee. In the Upper, called also Galilee of 
 the Gentiles, within the division belonging to the 
 tribe of Napthali, stood Bethsaida, formerly an ob- 
 scure and inconsiderable village, till lately re-edified 
 and enlarged by Philip the Tetrarch ; and, in honor 
 of Julia, daughter of Augustus, called by him Julias. 
 It was situated upon the banks of the Sea of Galilee, 
 called also the Lake of Tiberias, and the Lake of Gen- 
 nesareth, which was about forty fm-longs in breadth, 
 and a hundred in length, and had a wilderness on 
 the other side, called the desert of Bethsaida, whither 
 our Saviour used often to retire. 
 
 " At this place was born Simon, surnamed Cephas, 
 or Petros, Petrus, Peter, signifying a stone, or frag- 
 ment of a rock. He was a fisherman upon the fore- 
 mentioned lake, or sea, as was also in all probability 
 his father Jonas, Jonah, or John. He had a brother 
 named Andrew : which was the elder of the two 
 is not certain ; for, concerning this, there were dif- 
 
340 LIVES OF THE WRITERS 
 
 ferent opinions among the ancients. Epiphanius 
 supposed Andrew to be the elder ; but, according to 
 Chrysostom, Peter was the first-born. ' So likewise 
 Bade and Cassian, who even made Peter's age the 
 ground of his precedency among the apostles ; and 
 Jeroni himself has expressed himself in like manner, 
 saying, ' that the keys were given to all the apostles 
 alike, and the church was built upon all of them 
 equally ; but, for preventing dissension, precedency 
 was given to one. John might have been the per- 
 son, but he was too young ; and Peter was preferred 
 on account of his age.' 
 
 " Simon Peter was married when called by om- 
 Lord to attend upon him ; and upon occasion of that 
 alliance, it 'seems, had removed from Bethsaida to 
 Capernaum, where was his wife's family. Upon her 
 mother our Saviour wrought a great miracle of heal- 
 ing. And I suppose, that when our Lord ' left Naz- 
 areth, and came and dwelled at Capernaum,' he 
 made Peter's house the place of EQs usual abode 
 when he was in those parts." 
 
 We have nowhere any distinct account of this 
 apostle's travels. 
 
 It is supposed that St. Peter died a martp at 
 Rome, in the year of Christ 64. See Life of St. Paul. 
 
 THE FIRST, SECOND, AND THIRD EPISTLES OF JOHN. 
 
 The author is the same who wrote the Gospel. 
 
 THE GENERAL EPISTLE OF JUDE. 
 
 JuDE, the brother of James, is the supposed author 
 of this epistle. 
 
OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 341 
 
 From all the evidence before him, Michaelis con- 
 cludes that the canonical authority of this epistle 
 is extremely dubious. Others have spoken of it in 
 strains of unqualified commendation and praise, 
 and think that its genuineness is established by the 
 matters contained in it ; which, in every respect, are 
 suitable to the character of an inspired apostle of 
 Christ. 
 
 THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE. 
 
 A.mong the Interpreters of the Apocalypse, both in 
 ancient and modern times, we find a vast diversity 
 of opinions ; but they may be all reduced to four 
 principal hypotheses, or modes of interpretation : 
 
 1st. The Apocalypse contains a prophetical de- 
 scription of the destruction of Jerusalem, of the 
 Jewish war, and the civil wars of the Romans. 
 
 2d. It contains predictions of the persecutions of 
 the Christians under the heathen emperors of Rome, 
 and of the happy days of the church under the 
 Christian emperors, from Constantine downwards. 
 
 3d. It contains prophecies concerning the tyran- 
 nical and oppressive conduct of the Roman pontiffs, 
 the true Antichrist ; and foretells the final destruction 
 of popery. 
 
 4th. It is a prophetic declaration of the schism 
 and heresies of Martin Luther, those called reformers, 
 and their successors ; and the final destrution of the 
 Protestant religion. 
 
 The first opinion has been defended by Professor 
 "Wetstein, and other learned men on the continent. 
 29* 
 
342 WRITERS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 
 
 The second is the opinion of the primitive fathers 
 in general, both Greek and Latin. 
 
 The third was first broached by the Abbe Joachim^ 
 who flourished in the thirteenth century, was es- 
 poused by most of the Franciscans, and has been, 
 and still is, the general opinion of the Protestants. 
 
 The fourth seems to have been invented by popish 
 writers merely by way of retaliation ; and has been 
 illustrated and defended at large by a Mr. Walmslei/, 
 (I believe,) titular Dean of Wells, in a work called 
 the History of the Church, under the feigned name 
 of Signior Pastorini. 
 
 In this work he endeavors to turn every thing 
 against Luther and the Protestants, which they in- 
 terpreted of the pope and popery ; and attempts to 
 show, from a computation of the Apocalyptical 
 numbers, that the total destruction of Protestantism 
 in the world would take place in 1825 ! But this is not 
 the first prophecy that has been invented for the sake 
 of an event, the accomplishment of which was ear- 
 nestly desired ; and as a stimulus to excite general 
 attention, and promote united exertion, when the 
 time of the pretended prophecy was fulfilled. 
 
 Who the writer of the Apocalypse was, learned 
 men are not agreed. This was a question, as well 
 in ancient as in modern times. Many have attrib- 
 uted it to the apostle John ; others to a person called 
 John the presbyter, who they say was an Ephesian, 
 and totally different from John the apostle. And, 
 lastly, some have attributed it to Cerinihus, a con- 
 temporary of John the apostle, which last supposi- 
 tion is highly improbable, if not utterly impossible. 
 
 4c^ CHarke. 
 
XXVIII. 
 
 THE RELIGIOUS CREED AND HISTORY OF THE JEWS. 
 
 A COMPLETE system of the religious doctrines of 
 of the Jews is contained in the five books of Moses, 
 their great lawgiver, who was raised up to deliver 
 them from their bondage in Egypt, and to conduct 
 them to the possession of Canaan, the promised land. 
 
 The principal sects among the Jews in the time 
 of our Saviour, were the Pharisees, who placed reli- 
 gion in external ceremony ; the Sadducees, who were 
 remarkable for their incredulity; and the Essenes, 
 who were distinguished by an austere sanctity. 
 
 The Pharisees and Sadducees are frequently 
 mentioned in the New Testament ; and an acquaint- 
 ance with their principles and practices serves to 
 illustrate many passages in the sacred history. At 
 present, the Jews have two sects — the Caraites, who 
 admit no rule of religion but the law of Moses ; and 
 the Rabbinists, who add to the laws the tradition of 
 the Talmud, a collection of the doctrines and moral- 
 ity of the Jews. The expectation of a Messiah is 
 the distinguishing feature of their religious system. 
 The word Messiah signifies one anointed, or installed 
 into an office by an unction. 
 
 Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, 
 in whom all the Jewish prophecies are accomplished. 
 
 (843) 
 
344 THE RELIGIOUS CREED 
 
 The Jews, infatuated with the idea of a temporal 
 Messiah, who is to subdue the world, still wait for 
 his appearance. 
 
 The most remarkable periods in the history of the 
 Jews are the call of Abraham, the giving of the law 
 by Moses, their establishment in Canaan under 
 Joshua, the building of the temple by Solomon, the 
 division of the tribes, their captivity in Babylon, 
 their return under Zerubbabel, and the destruction of 
 their city and temple by Titus, afterwards emperor, 
 A. D. 70. 
 
 Maimonides, an illustrious rabbi, drew up for the 
 Jews, in the eleventh century, a confession of faith, 
 which all Jews admit. It is as follows : — 
 
 " 1. I believe, with a true and perfect faith, that 
 God is the Creator, whose name be blessed. Gov- 
 ernor, and Maker, of all creatures, and that he hath 
 wrought all things, worketh and shall work forever. 
 
 " 2. I believe, with a perfect faith, that the Creator, 
 whose name be blessed, is one, and that such a unity 
 as in him can be found is in none other, and that he 
 alone hath been our God, is, and forever shall be. 
 
 " 3. I believe, with a perfect faith, that the Creator, 
 whose name be blessed, is not corporeal, nor to be 
 comprehended with any bodily property, and that 
 there is no bodily essence that can be likened unto 
 him. 
 
 " 4. I believe, with a perfect faith, the Creator, 
 whose name be blessed, to be the first and the last, 
 that nothing was before him, and that he shall abide 
 the last forever. 
 
AND HISTORY OF THE JEWS. 345 
 
 " 5. I believe, with a perfect faith, that the Creator, 
 whose name be blessed, is to be worshipped, and 
 Hone else. 
 
 "6. I believe, with a perfect faith, that all the 
 words of the prophets are true. 
 
 " 7. I believe, with a perfect faith, the prophecies 
 of Moses, our master, — may he rest in peace ; — 
 that he was the father and chief of all wise men 
 that lived before him, or ever shall live after him. 
 
 " 8. I believe, with a perfect faith, that all the law 
 which at this day is found in our hands, was de- 
 livered by God himself to our master, Moses. God's 
 peace be with him. 
 
 "9. I believe, with a perfect faith, that the same 
 law is never to be changed, nor another to be given 
 us of God, whose name be blessed. 
 
 " 10. I believe, with a perfect faith, that God, 
 whose name be blessed, understandeth all the works 
 and thoughts of men, as it is written in the prophets. 
 He fashioneth their hearts alike ; he understandeth 
 all their works. 
 
 " 11. I believe, with a perfect faith, that God wiU 
 recompense good to them that keep his command- 
 ments, and will punish them who transgress them. 
 
 " 12. I believe, with a perfect faith, that the Mes- 
 siah is yet to come ; and, although he retard his 
 coming, yet I will wait for him till he come. 
 
 " 13. I believe, with a perfect faith, that the dead 
 shall be restored to life, when it shall seem fit unto 
 God the Creator, whose name be blessed, and mem- 
 ory celebrated, world without end. Amen." 
 
346 THE RELIGIOUS CREED 
 
 This people constitute one of the most singular 
 and interesting portions of mankind. For about 
 three thousand years, they have existed as a distinct 
 nation ; and, what is remarkable, by far the greatest 
 part of this time they have been in bondage and 
 captivity. 
 
 The calling of Abraham, the father and founder 
 of this nation ; the legislation of Moses ; the priest- 
 hood of Aaron ; the Egyptian bondage ; the con- 
 quest of Canaan, and the history of the Jews to the 
 coming of the Messiah ; their cruel and injurious 
 treatment of this august and innocent personage, — 
 are facts which the Scriptures disclose, and with 
 which, it is presumed, every reader is well acquainted. 
 
 For about eighteen hundred years, this wonderful 
 people have maintained their peculiarities of religion, 
 language, and domestic habits, among Pagans, Ma- 
 hometans, and Christians, and have suffered a con- 
 tinued series of reproaches, privations, and miseries, 
 which have excited the admiration and astonishment 
 of all who have reflected on their condition. 
 
 The siege and destruction of Jerusalem by Titus, 
 the Roman general, was one of the most awful and 
 distressing scenes that mortals ever witnessed ; and 
 the details, as given by Josephus, are enough to make 
 humanity shudder. During the siege, which lasted 
 nearly five months, upwards of eleven hundred thou- 
 sand Jews perished. John and Simon, the two gen- 
 erals of the Hebrews, who were accounted the ring- 
 leaders of the rebellious nation, with seven hundred 
 of the most beautiful and vigorous of the Jewish 
 youth, were reserved to attend the victor's triumphal 
 
AND HISTORY OF THE JEWS. 347 
 
 chariot. The number talcen captive, during this fatal 
 contest, amounted to ninety-seven thousand ; ntany 
 of whom were sent into Syria, and the other prov- 
 inces, to be exposed in public theatres, to fight like 
 gladiators, or to be devoured by wild beasts. The 
 number of those destroyed in the whole war, of 
 which the taking of the holy city was the bloody and 
 tremendous consummation, is computed to have 
 been one million four hundred and sixty thousand. 
 
 In addition to the terrors of the Roman sword, 
 this devoted nation w^as exposed to famine, pesti- 
 lence, and the implacable fury of contending parties 
 among themselves, which all conspired together to 
 make the siege of Jerusalem surpass, in horror, every 
 account of any other siege in the records of the 
 w^orld. 
 
 A small portion, indeed, of this wretched, ruined 
 nation were permitted to remain, and establish them- 
 selves in Judea, who, by degrees, reorganized a reg- 
 ular system of government, which became the centre 
 of Jewish operations, not only for those in Judea, 
 but for such as were dispersed in other nations. 
 But the yoke of foreign masters was so grievous and 
 burdensome, that they were continually restless and 
 impatient ; and, in consequence of a general revolt 
 under the Emperor Adrian, in 134, they were a second 
 time slaughtered in multitudes, and were driven to 
 madness and despair. Either, the place of their 
 greatest strength, was compelled to surrender, and 
 Barchochba, their leader, who pretended to be the 
 Messiah, was slain, and five hundred and eighty 
 thousand fell by the sword in battle, besides vast 
 
348 THE RELIGIOUS CREED 
 
 numbers who perished by famine, sickness, fire, and 
 other calamities. 
 
 Kings have enacted the severest laws against them, 
 and employed the hand of executioners to ruin them. 
 The seditious multitudes, by murders and massacres, 
 have committed outrages against them, if possible, 
 still more violent and tragical. Besides their com- 
 mon share in the sufferings of society, they have un- 
 dergone a series of horrid and unutterable calamities, 
 which no other description of men has ever experi- 
 enced in any age, or in any country. Princes and 
 people, Pagans, Mahometans, and Christians, dis- 
 agreeing in so many things, have unitec^ in the de- 
 sign of exterminating this fugitive and wretched race, 
 but have not succeeded. They have been banished, 
 at different times, from France, Germany, Spain, 
 Bohemia, Hungary, and England ; and from some 
 of these kingdoms they have been banished and 
 recalled many times in succession. 
 
 The Romans and Spaniards have probably done 
 more than any other nations to oppress and destroy 
 this people ; and the Inquisition has doomed multi- 
 tudes of them to torture and death. 
 
 At different times, they were accused of poisoning 
 wells, rivers, and reservoirs of water, and, before any 
 proof of these strange and malicious charges was 
 produced, the populace in many parts of Germany, 
 Italy, and France, have fallen upon them with mer- 
 ciless and murderous severity. At one time, the 
 German emperor found it necessary to issue an edict 
 for their banishment, to save them from the rage of 
 his exasperated and unrestrained subjects. 
 
AND HISTORY OF THE JEWS. 349 
 
 As the Jews have generally been the bankers and 
 brokers of the people among whom they have resid- 
 ed, and have made a show of much wealth, this has 
 tempted their avaricious adversaries to impose upon 
 them enormous taxes and ruinous fines. 
 
 Muley Archy, a prince of one of the Barbary states, 
 by seizing the property of a rich Jew, was enabled 
 to dispossess his brother of the throne of Morocco. 
 
 The English parliament of Northumberland, in 
 1188, for the support of a projected war, assessed the 
 Jews with sixty thousand pounds, while only seventy 
 thousand were assessed upon the Christians ; which 
 proves either that the Jews were immensely rich, or 
 that the parliament was extremely tyrannical. 
 
 The English King John was unmercifully severe 
 upon this afflicted people. In 1210, regardless of the 
 costly freedom he had sold them, he subjected them 
 all, as a body, to a fine of sixty-six thousand marks. 
 The ransom required by this same unfeeling king, 
 of a rich Jew of Bristol, was ten thousand marks of 
 silver ; and on his refusing to pay this ruinous fine, 
 he ordered one of his teeth to be extracted every day ; 
 to which the unhappy man submitted seven days, 
 and on the eighth day he agreed to satisfy the king's 
 rapacity. Isaac of Norwich was, not long after, 
 compelled to pay a similar fine. But the king, not 
 satisfied with these vast sums extorted from these 
 injured Israelites, in the end confiscated aU their 
 property, and expelled them from the kingdom. 
 
 About the beginning of the sixteenth century, the 
 Jews in Persia were subjected to a tax of two mil- 
 lions of gold. Long would be t!ie catalogue of 
 30 
 
M 
 350 THE RELIGIOUS CREED ' 
 
 injuries of this kind which this outcast and hated 
 nation has sustained. Numerous are the cases in 
 which those who have become deeply in debt to them 
 for borrowed money, have procured their banishment, 
 and the confiscation of their property, as the readiest 
 way to cancel their demands ; and, as they have ever 
 been addicted to usurious practices, they have, by 
 this means, furnished plausible pretexts to their foes 
 to fleece and destroy them. 
 
 The fraternal disposition of this people led them 
 to seek the society of each other ; and, notwithstand- 
 ing the wideness of their dispersion, in process of 
 time, they, by uniting under different leaders, formed 
 two communities of considerable extent, known by 
 the name of the eastern and western Jews. The 
 western Jews inhabited Egypt, Judea, Italy, and 
 other parts of the Roman empire ; the eastern Jews 
 settled in Babylon, Chaldea, Persia, &c. The head 
 of the western division was known by the name of 
 the patriarch, while he who presided over the eastern 
 Jews was called the prince of the captivity. The 
 office of patriarch was abolished, by imperial laws, 
 about 429, from which time the western Jews were 
 solely under the rule of the chiefs of their synagogues, 
 whom they called primates. But the princes of the 
 captivity had a longer and more splendid sway. 
 They resided at Babylon, or Bagdad, and exercised 
 an extensive authority over their brethren, as far 
 down as the twelfth century. About this period, a 
 Jewish historian asserts that he found, at Bagdad, 
 the prince of the captivity, lineally descended from 
 David, and permitted by the caliph to exercise the 
 
AND HISTORY OF THE JEWS. 351 
 
 rights of sovereignty over the Jews from Syria to 
 Indostan. 
 
 The existence of a succession of these imaginary 
 potentates, froin the destruction of Jerusalem by the 
 Romans, the Jews have ever been strenuous in main- 
 taining, partly to aggrandize their nation, and partly 
 to deprive Christians of the benefit of an argument 
 furnished by the prophecy of Jacob concerning the 
 termination of the Jewish polity and independence, 
 soon after the coming of the Messiah. 
 
 Notwithstanding the world, in general, has shown 
 a spirit of hostility and contempt for the remnant of 
 Israel, yet they have found a few, in every age, who, 
 either from motives of policy or justice, have treated 
 them with kindness and respect. The first Mahom- 
 etan caliphs, a number of the Roman pontiffs, and 
 some of the Asiatic and European sovereigns, have 
 shown them friendship and protection. Don Solo- 
 mon, a learned and illustrious Jew of Portugal, in 
 the twelfth century, was raised to the highest military 
 command in that kingdom. Casimir the Great, of 
 Poland, in the fourteenth century, received the Jews 
 as refugees into his kingdom, and granted them ex- 
 tensive privileges ; and from that time to the present, 
 they have been more numerous in that country than 
 in any other in Europe. 
 
 For many centuries, this persecuted race found a 
 favorite asylum in Holland, and, by their dexterity 
 and success in commerce, became very affluent. 
 
 Cromwell, seeing the benefit which the Netherlands 
 had derived from this money-making and money- 
 lending community, was very desirous to recall them 
 
352 THE RELIGIOUS CREED 
 
 to England, from which they had been exiled about 
 three hundred and fifty years. The celebrated Ma- 
 nasses Ben Israel had many interviews with the 
 Protector ; and so high were the expectations of the 
 Israelites, from the clemency and authority of this 
 illustrious statesman, that they began to look up to 
 him as the promised Messiah. And, although Crom- 
 well's friendly proposals, as to their recall, were over- 
 ruled by the bigoted and intolerant policy of the 
 times, yet, from that period, they have found favor 
 and protection in England, and have been much 
 more numerous and prosperous there than formerly. 
 
 In France and the United States, the Jews are 
 admitted to equal rights with all other citizens, which 
 cannot be said of any other nations in Christendom. 
 In the United States, they have acquired this free- 
 dom, of course, with all other citizens of this free 
 country. In France, they were admitted to it by 
 Bonaparte ; and afterwards, in 1807, by his direc- 
 tions, they convened a Grand Sanhedrim, consisting, 
 according to ancient custom, of seventy members, 
 exclusive of the president. The number and dis- 
 tinction of the spectators of this Sanhedrim greatly 
 added to the solemnity of the scene. This venerable 
 assembly passed and agreed to various articles re- 
 specting the Mosaic worship, and their civil and 
 ecclesiastical concerns. 
 
 The extreme aversion of the Je\vB to every thing 
 which bears the Christian name, and their obstinate 
 attachment to their ancient religion, have, in former 
 years, discouraged all attempts to convert them to 
 the Christian faith. And not only has their conver- 
 
AND HISTORY OF THE JEWS. 353 
 
 sion been neglected, but for many centuries they 
 have been persecuted, plundered, and destroyed, by 
 those who have called themselves Christians ; they 
 have not been permitted to enter their churches as 
 worshippers, nor their dwellings as guests, nor reside 
 in their territories, where Pagans and Mahometans 
 have found an unmolested abode. While we, then, 
 blame the blindness and incredulity of the descend- 
 ants of Abraham, let us lament the folly and un- 
 kindness of the professed disciples of the mild and 
 compassionate Redeemer. But a different spirit is 
 now prevailing in many parts of Christendom, and 
 a new era, as to the tribes of Israel, seems about 
 to burst upon the world. Societies are formed in 
 Europe and America for their benefit, and a dispo- 
 sition is said to be increasing, among the Jews, fa- 
 vorable to that Messiah and that religion which they 
 have so long hated and rejected. 
 
 The history of this people certainly forms a strik- 
 ing evidence of the truth of divine revelation. They 
 are a living and perpetual miracle, continuing to 
 subsist as a distinct and peculiar race for upwards 
 of three thousand years, intermixed among almost 
 all the nations of the world, flowing forward in a full 
 and continued stream, like the waters of the Rhone, 
 without mixing with the waves of the expansive 
 lake through which the passage lies to the ocean of 
 eternity. 
 
 The number of the Jews in the United States is 
 estimated at about four thousand. They have syn- 
 agogues in Newport, R. I., the cities of New York, 
 Philadelphia, Charleston, S. C, and in other parts 
 30* 
 
354 THE RELIGIOUS CREED 
 
 of the country. Their mode of worship is exceed- 
 ingly interesting. With regard to the number of 
 this people in the world, Blackwood's Magazine 
 says : — 
 
 " The statistics of the Jewish population are among 
 the most singular circumstances of this most singu- 
 lar of all people. Under all their calamities and dis- 
 persions, they seem to have remained at nearly the 
 same amount as in the days of David and Solomon 
 — never much more in prosperity, never much less 
 after ages of suffering. Nothing like this has occurred 
 in the history of any other race ; Europe in general 
 having doubled its population within the last hundred 
 years, and England nearly tripled hers within the 
 last half century ; the proportion of America being 
 still more rapid, and the world crowding in a con- 
 stantly-increasing ratio. Yet the Jews seem to stand 
 still in this vast and general movement. The popu- 
 lation of Judea, in its most palmy days, probably 
 did not exceed, if it reached, four millions. The 
 numbers who entered Palestine from the wilderness 
 were evidently not much more than three ; and their 
 census, according to the German statists, who are 
 generally considered to be exact, is now nearly the 
 same as that of the people under Moses — about 
 three millions." 
 
 On the above, Judge Noah, of New York, a learn- 
 ed Jew, remarks : — 
 
 " We apprehend there is some error in the above 
 statistics, and that the number of Jews throughout 
 the world may be estimated at nearer sLk millions 
 than three. There are more than a million in Poland 
 
AND HISTORY OF THE JEWS. 355 
 
 and Russia ; in all Asia, there are full two millions ; 
 half a million in Austria ; in the Barbary States and 
 Africa, a million ; in all Europe, two millions and a 
 half. We do not think, during the most splendid 
 periods of Jewish history, that they ever exceeded 
 four millions; but then their colonies and countries 
 held tributary in Europe and Asia amounted to 
 many millions more. For example, at one period 
 all Spain paid tribute to King Solomon ; and all 
 Spain and Portugal, at this day, are descendants of 
 the Jews and Moors ; and there are many thousands 
 of Jews, in both those countries, now adhering in 
 secret to the ancient faith of their fathers, while 
 outwardly professing the Catholic religion. All the 
 familiar Spanish and Portuguese names — Lopez, 
 Mendez, Carvalho, Fonseca, Rodrigues, Peirara, 
 Azavedo, Montefiores, &c. &c. — are of Jewish 
 origin. Their numbers, therefore, will never be ac- 
 curately known until the restoration, when thousands 
 who, from convenience and pride, and some from 
 apprehension, conceal their religion, will be most 
 eager to avow it when their nation takes rank among 
 the governments of the earth." 
 
/ 
 
J