and led him away to crucify him. And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross. And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull, they gave him vinegar to drink * mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. And sitting down they watched him there; and set up over his head this accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left. And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, and saying, 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. Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him; for he said, I am the Son of God. The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth. 45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried

45 The darkness was supernaturalat noonday. Nature owning her Lord in the dying Saviour. 46 What a depth of misery! and all endured for us-for you, for me. Shall we can we be ungrateful!

The

with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabacthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias. And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him. Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. "And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from

51 The veil of the temple had hitherto been a barrier between Jew and Gentile.

the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after

Vinegar was at hand, as the common drink of the Roman soldiery.

57 By thus dying the death of a malefactor, yet being buried by a rich man, our Lord fulfilled the me

morable prophecy of Isaiah. (Is. liii. 9.)

his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God. And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him: among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's children." When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathæa, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple: he went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre. Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first. Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch go your way, make it as sure as ye can. So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.

The minutest facts respecting this event were foretold ages before; yet they were exactly fulfilled. Well then may our faith in the blessed Jesus be unshaken! Well may we rejoice in the strength of our salvation.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

JAN. 31, MAY 30, SEPT. 27.
MONDAY IN EASTER-WEEK, morning.

'IN the end of the sabbath,
as it began to dawn toward
the first day of the week,
came Mary Magdalene and the
chre. And, behold, there

2

1 The other Mary was Mary the mother of James and Joses. (Ch. xvii. 5.)

other Mary to see the sepul2 As angels hailed his coming in

the flesh, they may well hail his triumph in it.

was a great earthquake: for 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 became as dead men. And the angel answered and

5

said

5

Strong affection, when encouraged by the angel, soon overcame natural timidity.

unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he And go said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word. And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. 10 Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid go tell my brethren that they go into

8 A mingled feeling. They were overpowered with joy, yet they feared lest the tidings were too good to be

true.

9 Jesus permitted this act of worship, because he was God. them, saying, All hail.

And

10 Happy thought! The risen Lord -the Lord of life-speaks of his disciples as his brethren.

Galilee, and there shall they see me. Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done.

12

12 The falsehood confuted itself. Armed soldiers, if awake, would never have permitted the unarmed disciples of Christ to have taken away the body; and if asleep, how could they possibly know what the disciples did!

And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers, saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept. And if this come to the governor's ears, we will persuade him, and secure you. So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the 16 Judas, the twelfth, had gone to Jews until this day. 16 Then his own place. (Acts i. 25.) the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given

18

18 Our Saviour declares his omnipotence as God, in order that his Apostles may more readily undertake the arduous commission with which he was about to entrust them.

19

unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things

19 In virtue of this commission, we the authorized ministers of Jesus Christ, duly ordained by the successors of his apostles, admit men into his church by baptism, in the one

holy name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.

Amen.

The Gospel according to St. Mark.

CHAPTER I.

FEB. 1, MAY 31, SEPT. 28.

THE beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;

'as it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. And there went out unto him all the land of Judæa, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins ; and he did eat locusts and

2 Every prophecy fulfilled adds strength to our faith and brightness to our joy.

7

7 It was a servant's office "to un

wild honey; and preached, loose the shoe-latchet.”

saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.

10

10 We have here, each engaged in his office, the three persons of the blessed Trinity. Hence, in our Litany, the Church implores the Samercy "by his baptism.”

And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him and there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And im

:

viour's

13 You cannot, as a follower of Jesus, expect to escape successive trials in your journey through life.

mediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness. 13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild Now after that beasts; and the angels ministered unto him. John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea for they were fishers. ye after me, and I will make And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him. And when he had gone a little farther thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their And straightway he called them and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him. 21 And they went 21 Did Christ keep holy the Sabinto Capernaum; and straight- bath by attending public worship! How shall we be excused, if we way on the sabbath day he entered into the neglect it * ? synagogue,

nets.

And Jesus said unto them, Come you to become fishers of men.

18 The entanglements of the world, forsake; its duties are still left to

you.

:

and taught. And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes. And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. 26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him. And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him. And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee. And forthwith, when they were come

26 As man, he had submitted, in baptism, to receive the aid of the Spirit; as God, he controuls even the spiritual world.

It was customary in the Jewish Church for any person, appointed thereto by the priest, to read the Scriptures to the people.