confidence, gave him a supper. Lazarus sat by his side, while Martha, with charac teristic vivacity, and generous hospitality, prepared the feast; but Mary in her own beautiful sensibility, and depth of feeling, noiseless as the tide that lies tranquilly in its unsounded caves, was reclining by the feet of Jesus. She poured upon them precious ointment, till the perfume filled the apartment, and wiped those sacred limbs with the flowing ringlets of her raven hair.

It was the occasion of bringing out the sordid and selfish spirit of Judas, who complained of Mary's extravagance. The unrelenting malignity of his open enemies was also awakened by the presence of the brother, He had recalled from the realm of the dead. Oh! who can doubt the truthfulness of this simple story, when at no point can we pause and say, nature is not here; or who can question the strength and mad

ness of that depravity which could invade the sweet solemnities of such a scene?

It was the last visit of the Redeemer to Bethany-that anointing was for his burial -and he went to the "City of his tears," to be the martyr of a world--and a spectacle of wonder to the universe he made, and which a breath of his power could sweep away like the gossamer web woven in the dew of morning.

Among the many lessons of this biography, no one is more impressive than the law of kindness and charity, seen in all the narrative and enforced by the rebuke of Christ to Martha. She was a christian, ever active, and prompt to do the external duties of religion. Because Mary was of a different temperament, and more retiring, she judged her harshly, and the Redeemer who would not send her away from his feet.

And so it often happens that a Godly

person, uniform and serious in character, will condemn another whose animal spirits as naturally run high, and whose impul ses are like the rushing wave. There is no apology for a sacrifice of principlebut let none sit self-complacently in judgment upon a fellow-worm, when God by his forming hand, has emphatically "made them to differ”—but learn of Him who was meek and lowly of heart, by a frown of displeasure or a cruel word, never to "break the bruised reed, or quench the smoking flax ;" for life is formed of trifles, and their imperishable influence and value, will appear in the grand summing up of the final Judgment.

12*

CHRIST ascended from Olivet, the Mount of his prayer, and with uplifted hands left upon the disciples who gazed after his loved and vanishing form, a benediction perpetual as his militant church. They went forth in the stern heroism of primitive apostleship through the valleys of Judea, and to the cities that dotted them, and gemmed the shores of distant seas.

Among these beacon-points of the Gospel,