comprehend in it the whole doctrine in its various relations, but we shall have special reference to that aspect which it presents as illustrating man's resurrection and immortality. First, we will apprehend the simple fact as the narratives present it to us, and from the fact we will ascend to a view of its mighty significance.

CHAPTER II.

THE GREAT MORNING.

OUR Lord's resurrection is related by the four Evangelists, each in a manner somewhat variant from the others, because each selects the facts according to his own special purpose. But put them all together, and we have an unbroken series, and a consistent and perfect whole. Let the reader follow the events in their lucid order, and he will have the entire scene before him.

The Saviour expired about three o'clock on Friday afternoon. With the cry, "It is finished!" his head dropped, and the form that walked through Palestine, radiant with majesty, hangs a corpse upon the tree. The darkness had continued for three hours, not total darkness, but a lurid gloom paled on the faces of men, as if the sun also hung as a corpse in the sky. At three o'clock there was an earthquake; not the violent shock which that word often implies, for the walls

of Jerusalem were not thrown down; but the earth had tremors and shiverings as if nature also were expiring. These had passed away before nightfall, and the terror which had possessed men's minds had perhaps passed away too. The next day was the paschal Sabbath, and according to Jewish notions it would be profaned by the spectacle of a dead body; therefore the corpse must be buried on Friday evening. The soldiers are preparing to do just what in ordinary cases was always done with the bodies of malefactors,

heap them together in a pit dug for the purpose, perhaps with scoffs and execrations. Imagine what this would be to the sensibilities of the two Marys, bleeding already beyond endurance as they watched the scene on Calvary. At this moment a man ventures to do what, under the circumstances, required a high degree of moral courage. Some one is seen about dusk knocking at the palace of Pilate, not a poor and obscure man who had nothing at stake, but a rich Jew, and a member of the highest Jewish council; and Pilate must have been surprised when Joseph of Arimathea came into his hall and begged for the body of one of the crucified malefactors, thus showing, even at that hour of peril and darkness, and before the storm of passions had spent its rage, that he sympathized with him and his cause. Pilate writes an order for

the delivery of the body, and Joseph goes with it and takes the body out of the keeping of the brutal soldiers, and wraps it in clean linen cloth.

Jerusalem, says Josephus, was surrounded with gardens owned by the wealthier residents of the city, and sometimes beautifully shaded and ornamented. It so happened that the garden of Joseph was not far from the place of crucifixion, and in it was a sepulchre just hewn out of limestone rock, such being the composition of the rocks about the city. Joseph and Nicodemus, both of them secret disciples of Jesus, and both members of the Jewish Sanhedrim, laid the body in this sepulchre. The two Marys, Magdalene and the mother of James, had followed into the garden and were sitting at a little distance over opposite the mouth of the tomb, as it was deposited in the clean recess, and there left lying upon the bier. The door is closed, and a great stone rolled against it. Night comes down upon the great tragedy, and what a night to those disciples who had seen their fondest hopes that day sink down in blood!

The triumph of the Jewish council seems complete. The man is out of the way whose rebukes had stung them to the quick, and who was undermining their authority, while the populace were flocking after him in crowds. But he predicted that he should rise again the third day.

"What if his disciples should steal away the body, declare the prediction fulfilled, and so trouble us again!" Under this apprehension they petition Pilate for a guard; and sixteen Roman soldiers are placed about the sepulchre, four watching at a time, while the rest are reclining about, thus relieving each other through the four watches of the night.

Saturday passes away, and none but the few disciples think of the tragic events of yesterday. The execution of state criminals of the lowest sort is soon to be forgotten. But the stricken. disciples meet on that gloomy Sabbath for mutual condolence, and on Sabbath (Saturday) evening the women agree together on a last mournful duty. The body has not been embalmed. It only lies in its winding-sheet and on its bier. They get their spices ready, and agree to meet together at the tomb about sunrise, the next (that is Sunday) morning, for this office of love. How many there were who had made this appointment we do not know. The names of the two Marys and Saloam are given, and Mark mentions" other women." But before the hour appointed a scene took place at the tomb they little dreamed of. Let the reader note here the exact order of events, and he will see how the four Evangelists lock into each other with exquisite harmony.

Saturday night has passed into the third watch.