T. Did His disciples yet understand these mysteries? S. No; "this saying was hid from them; neither understood they the things which were spoken."

T. While thinking of His own sufferings, was our Lord unmindful of others?

S. No; He opened the eyes of the blind man who sat by the way-side begging, nigh unto Jericho.

T. How did this man show his faith?

S. He persisted in his cry, "Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me!" when those who went before rebuked him that he should hold his peace.

T. How did these words prove his faith?

S. His calling Christ "the Son of David," proved that he believed Him to be the Messiah, of whom it was foretold by the Prophets that He should be of the house and lineage of David.

T. What were our Saviour's words to the blind man?
S. "What wilt thou that I should do unto thee?"
T. What may we learn from this question?

S. We must confess our infirmities and necessities, and earnestly beg for Christ to help us, before He will relieve

us.

T. How did our Lord declare His acceptance of the blind man's prayer?

S. He healed him, saying, "Thy faith hath saved thee."

T. What blindness has our Saviour delivered us from? S. The darkness of sin and unbelief. He came a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on Him, should not abide in darkness." John, xii. 46.

T. What may we further learn from the blind man's conduct?

S. To follow and glorify God for His unspeakable gift.

THE FIRST DAY OF LENT, COMMONLY CALLED
ASH-WEDNESDAY.

The Collect.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who hatest nothing that Thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all them that are penitent; Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins, and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of Thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

T. What is to-day?

S. Ash-Wednesday, or the first day of the Lent or Spring Fast of forty days.

T. What is the purpose of this holy season?

S. To call all men to repentance and mortification of sin, in preparation for the commemoration of our Lord's Passion.

T. Why is it called Ash-Wednesday?

S. Because the early Christians sprinkled ashes upon their heads to put themselves in mind of their mortality, and humbled themselves by lying in sackcloth and ashes.

T. How do we plead with God in the Collect reminding Him of His mercy ?

S. "Almighty and everlasting God, who hatest nothing that Thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all them that are penitent."

T. How did God reveal His mercy to sinners by Ezekiel? xviii. 21-23.

S. "If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he

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hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should turn from his ways and live?"

T. How does St. Paul describe the sinfulness of all, both Jews and Gentiles? Rom. iii. 10-18.

S. "There is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre ; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: their feet are swift to shed blood: destruction and misery are in their ways: and the way of peace have they not known: there is no fear of God before their eyes."

T. What must we do before we can repent us of our sins? S. We must examine ourselves, to know and confess them before God.

T. And when we see how often we have grieved the Holy Spirit, whereby we are sealed unto the day of redemption, what must we pray?

S. "Create and make in us new and contrite hearts." T. What does God promise to such? Is. lvii. 15.

S. "For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones."

T. What shall we, who possess this spirit, be able to do?

S. Worthily lament our sins, and acknowledge our wretchedness.

T. What are the words of Solomon? Prov. xxviii. 13. S. "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.", T. What does the Collect then teach us to hope?

S. That we may obtain perfect remission and forgive

ness.

T. Through whom?

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S. Through Jesus Christ. "To him give all the prophets witness, that, through his name, whosoever believeth in him should receive remission of sins." Acts, x. 43.

The Epistle. Joel, ii. 12.

TURN ye even to me, saith the Lord, with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning. And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he will return, and repent, and leave a blessing behind him, even a meat-offering and a drink-offering unto the Lord your God? Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts; let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet; let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say,

Spare Thy people, O Lord, and give not Thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?

T. (The Prophet Joel is supposed to have lived in the reign of Uzziah, king of Judah.) 2 Chron. xxvi. To whom was this exhortation addressed?

S. To the Israelites.

T. What threatened judgment of God does he declare in the beginning of this chapter?

S. The coming of a great and strong people, terrible in their appearance, to execute God's wrath upon Zion (accomplished in the destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman Emperor Titus).

T. How does the prophet exhort them to show their

sorrow?

S. By every outward sign of repentance, with "fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning."

T. Give some instances of the Jews fasting for national sins.

S. After fetching the ark from the Philistines, "the Israelites gathered together at Mizpeh, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the Lord." 1 Sam. vii. 6. "When Jehoshaphat feared and set himself to seek the Lord, he proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah." 2 Chron. xx. 3. "And in the fifth year of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah king of Judah, in the ninth month, they proclaimed a fast before the Lord to all the people in Jerusalem, and to all the people that came from the cities of Judah unto Jerusalem." Jer. xxxvi. 9. And Ezra proclaimed a fast at the river of Ahava, that the people might afflict themselves before God. Ezra, viii. 21.