and they may be interrupted by their enemies if their work is delayed.

With throbbing hearts and trembling hands, they remove the spikes from his bleeding wounds; some of them ascend a ladder, and, untying the cords that bound the body to the cross, lower it gently and tenderly into the arms of those beneath extended to receive it. When this is done, they wrap it in fine linen, and bear it slowly to the sepulchre prepared for its reception.

There, in that rock-hewn sepulchre, where no man ever yet was laid, they place their precious burden, and around it the myrrh and aloes,— about a hundred-weight, the costly gift of Nicodemus, and leave them until the Sabbath shall be over, and they may return to complete the embalmment. With lingering looks at the face of their beloved friend,—at the closed eyes, the silent lips, the unruffled brow and mild expression,- they go out, shut the door, roll a stone against it, and turn away heart-broken from all that made life a blessing and a joy to them.

Two of the company, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, reluctant to depart, went a short distance and seated themselves opposite the tomb, where they could watch the closed door, and contemplate, with many tears, the scenes of that dark day, until the shades of evening compelled them to set their faces homeward.

Some of the Pharisees and scribes, remembering or hearing that Jesus had said he would rise again the third day, came to Pilate, and desired him that the sepulchre might be guarded, lest his disciples should come by night and steal him away, and tell the people he had risen again. Pilate told them they had a watch,- a band of Roman soldiers, which they might send to secure the place. Imme

diately they procured the guard, and directed them to remain by the tomb, and sealed the stone at the mouth

of it.

A long and sorrowful Sabbath ensued to those who had loved Jesus, and had been the reluctant witnesses of the scenes of the last few days. Their Lord had been torn from them, hurried through a most unjust and illegal trial, and condemned to a shameful death. He had suffered and died, and his friends, warmly and tenderly attached to him, by his unvarying goodness and the beauty of his life, as well as his divinity, could not be comforted. For them the future was shrouded in gloom, and the hours slowly passed away until they could again look upon the form they loved, and perform for it the last sad offices, which had been left unfinished on the evening of Friday.

16*

CHAPTER XIV.

Mary at the Saviour's tomb.

The vision of angels. - Peter and John at the sepulchre. - Mary meets Jesus at the tomb. - Report of the soldiers. The walk to Emmaus. -Jesus visits the apostles at supper.Jesus meets them afterwards when Thomas is present. — The apostles by the Sea of Galilee. — Jesus appears to them there. Meets the five hundred on the mountain. The ascension. The second coming promised.

THE Christian Sabbath dawned at last upon these sorrowing hearts, and, before the rising of the sun, three women were hastening to the Saviour's tomb. These were Mary Magdalene, Mary the sister of the mother of Jesus, the same who was at the cross and the sepulchre, and Salome, the mother of James and John,- and they brought with them sweet spices, to embalm the body of their Lord.

As they came, they wondered who would remove the stone for them at the entrance; but when they reached the place, it was already taken away. There had been an earthquake, and the angel of the Lord descended from heaven and rolled away the stone from the door, and sat upon it.

His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow; and, when the soldiers on guard saw him, they shook with fear, and became like dead men.

Entering in, these women saw a young man sitting on the right side of the sepulchre, clothed in a long, white gar