released Him, he would be unfaithful to Cæsar, the emperor of Rome, who held Judea in subjection; because Jesus called himself the King of the Jews, and whoever proclaimed himself king, must be an enemy to Cæsar.

This reasoning prevailed with Pilate, who was weak and timid, and he gave sentence that it should be as they wished. He released at their desire, a notorious robber, called Barabbas, and delivered the Lord Jesus to be crucified.

Now, when Judas Iscariot found that his Master was actually condemned to death, he was filled with remorse, and went to the chief priests in all the agony of a guilty conscience, and said, 'I have sinned; for I have betrayed an innocent person.'

But the chief priests, intent on destroying the Lord, gave no heed to this testimony to His innocence; but unfeelingly answered, 'What is that to us? that is your affair, and not ours.' Upon which Judas, finding that his late repentance was of no avail, threw down the pieces of silver which he had received from them, and went and hanged himself in a fit of despair.

No sooner had the priests received the warrant from Pilate, than they put it into execution without delay.

They led our Lord to a hill near the city, called Calvary, which was the place of execution; where they erected three crosses to the one in the midst they nailed our Savior,

and on the others were crucified two thieves, who had been condemned to death, and who were to be executed at the same time.

And now that their rage and cruelty had done their utmost, and that the Lord Jesus was actually suffering death from the hands of the very creatures He came to save, what do we hear from his lips? words of upbraiding or reproach? No-His dying voice ascends in prayer to God for His murderers Father! forgive them, for they know not what they do!'

You would think that such a prayer must have disarmed their malice; however, they still continued to insult and deride Him, in which they were joined by one of the thieves, who railed on Him, and said, 'If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.' But the other thief, in spite of the humiliating circumstances in which he beheld the Savior, believed on Him as the Son of God. Shocked to hear his companion use such language, he rebuked him, and professed his belief in the spotless innocence of Christ.

He then turned to our Lord, and humbly entreated his favor, saying, 'Lord, remember me when thou comes into thy kingdom.'

'Verily I say unto thee,' said the Lord, 'to-day shalt thou be with me in paradise.'

Now, while these things were going on, all our Savior's

disciples, except John, had kept away, either from fear for their personal safety, or distress of mind, or some other cause; but this faithful disciple would not forsake his Master in His last agony, and he now stood at the foot of the cross, with Mary, the mother of our Lord, and several other women.

Tender and compassionate as our blessed Savior ever was, how deeply must he have felt for the sorrow of these His faithful friends! He looked down upon them, and, as a last proof of His love for His beloved disciple, He commended His mother to his care; turning to him He said, 'Behold thy mother!' and then speaking to His mother, he said, Behold thy son !'

This dying trust, thus beautifully imposed, was most faithfully fulfilled by John, who from that hour took her to his own house.

No suffering, no sorrow, could prevent our Lord from feeling for others. In the midst of his agonies, he could pardon a criminal, bestow a place in paradise, intercede for His murderers, and provide for His mother.

It was about twelve o'clock in the day when our Lord was nailed to the cross; and from that time till three o'clock, there was an awful darkness which overspread all the land.

But at three o'clock, our blessed Savior, having completed the great work for which He came into the world,

exclaimed, 'It is finished;' and, commending His spirit into the hands of His Father, bowed His head and expired!

Awful were the signs which accompanied His death. The earth shook, the rocks were torn asunder, and the veil of the temple, which separated the most holy place from the rest, was rent in two from the top to the bottom. Even the centurion-the officer who commanded the guard at the crucifixion was converted by these prodigies, and exclaimed, Truly this was the Son of God!'

THE RESURRECTION.

WHEN Our Lord's body was taken down from the cross, one of His disciples, called Joseph of Arimathea, obtained permission of Pilate, to bury it; and having wound it in linen, he laid it in a tomb which was formed in a rock, and which he had intended for his own sepulchre, and he placed a large stone at the entrance.

But the Jews remembered that, while our Lord was alive, He had prophesied that in three days He would rise from the dead, and they begged Pilate to allow them to have a guard to watch the sepulchre, fearing, that the disciples might come and steal away the body, and pretend that their Master was miraculously risen. Accordingly, the stone was sealed, and a watch appointed to keep guard.

Mary Magdalene, and several other women, took particuar notice of the place where the tomb was, intending, when the Sabbath, which was the next day, was over, to embalm the body, according to the custom of the East, and for that purpose they prepared spices and ointments. Resting the Ŝabbath day, they waited till the first day of the week to fulfil their pious intention.

So, very early on the first day of the week, before it was yet quite light, they set off to the sepulchre, thinking, as they went along, who they should get to roll away the stone for them, which was at the entrance; for they knew not a glorious event which had taken place that morning!

At the beginning of the first early dawn, while all was yet hushed and still, and the soldiers keeping watch, a terrible earthquake took place, which was immediately followed by the descent of an angel, who rolled the stone from the entrance of the sepulchre, and sat upon it.

The appearance of the angel was most radiant. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment as white as snow. The soldiers were so terrified at the sight, that they swooned away; and when they recovered, they went to inform the chief priest of the extraordinary things they had witnessed.

But in the mean time the women arrived at the sepulchre, and were much surprised at finding the stone rolled away; but what was their astonishment when, on entering the tomb, they found not the body of the Lord Jesus as they had expected-but two angels sitting, one at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body had lain!

These angels bid them not to fear, and told them that HE