the side that was pierced, he should not believe it was his Master. Eight days after, the disciples were assembled, and this time their number was complete. Again the doors were closed, and again Jesus appeared in the midst of them. Seeing Thomas, he said, "Reach hither thy finger, and

behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side; and be not faithless, but believing." Thomas desired no further evidence. That voice he could not mistake; those tones of tenderness, those hands so cruelly pierced, it was enough, he needed not to put his fingers into the print of the nails, nor his hand to the Saviour's side. He knew it was Jesus, and he cried out, "My Lord and my God!" Then our Lord told him, if he believed because he had seen, blessed were they who had not seen, and yet had believed.

In a short time, the disciples returned to their homes in Galilee, at Capernaum, and Bethsaida, on the borders of the sea; and, while resuming their old employment of fish

ing, were still constantly thinking of their Master and Friend.

The scenes of the past three years and a half would often recur to their minds, filling them with anxious thoughts.

One day, as Peter and Thomas, Nathanael of Cana, and James and John, and two others of the eleven, were together on the shore of the lake, Peter announced to the rest his intention of going a fishing, and the others proposed to go with him. Entering into a boat, they let down the net, but all night were unsuccessful. Early the next morning Jesus came and stood on the shore; but the disciples did not recognize him. He called to them, and said, "Children, have you any fish?" They told him they had none. He said, if they would cast their nets on the right side of the ship, they would find some. They did so, and immediately the net was so full they could not draw it up. Then, John, turning to Peter, said, "It is the Lord!" As soon as these words met his ears, Peter, fastening his fisher's coat around him, sprang into the sea, that he might get first to land, and greet his Master; but the others came in the boat, dragging the net with them.

When they reached the land, they found a fire built, and fish laid on it, and some bread; and Jesus and Peter were there.

Then Jesus desired them to bring some of the fish they had taken; and Peter helped to draw the net to the shore. There were in it one hundred and fifty-three fishes, and they were all large, yet the net did not break.

When the meal was prepared, Jesus said to them, "Come and dine;" and no one dared to ask, "Who art thou?” For they believed it was the Lord.

Then he took bread and fish, and gave them some to eat ;

and this was the third time he had shown himself to his disciples since he was risen from the dead. After they had dined, as they walked by the sea-shore, Jesus turned to Peter, who was by his side, and said, "Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?" Peter, remembering that but lately he had earnestly declared his love with such zeal and confidence, and yet had failed to prove it in the hour of trial, now humbly replied, "Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee." Then Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs." Again he said, "Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?" He replied, "Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee;" and the same exhortation was repeated, "Feed my lambs.” Then the third time the question was asked; and Peter, grieved at the doubt that was implied, said, with earnest tones, "Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee;" and received again, in reply, the command, "Feed my sheep." The meaning of this was, probably, that Peter should evince his fidelity to the cause of his Redeemer by especial care for the spiritual and temporal welfare of the children of God. He would be ready to prove it by any great act of courage or self-sacrifice; but, from his impetuous nature, would be more likely to overlook the humbler and more constant duties of the Christian. Our Lord told him that when he was young he had gone whither he pleased, but when he would be old he would find himself in the power of others, and carried whither he would not go. This was said in reference to the time when he must suffer cruel persecution and death for his sake; and he said to him, "Follow me."

Then Peter asked what should become of John; but our Lord, not wishing to make known the future of that disciple, replied, “If it is my will that he tarry until I come,

what is that to thee? Follow thou me!" That only was his duty, to follow his Lord.

After this, more than five hundred disciples- according to an appointment made with them by Jesus went upon a high mountain in Galilee, and he met them there. When they looked upon him, some doubted if it was really he, but the rest believed and worshipped; and Jesus gave them their commission to preach the gospel to all nations, and to baptize them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost,— and he promised to be with them always, even unto the end of the world.

Besides meeting them upon this mountain, our Lord was seen by the apostle James; afterwards by the eleven at various times, to whom he gave many infallible proofs of his real presence, and that he was no other than the Master who had lived with them, and died for them. Many of these interviews probably occurred at Jerusalem, perhaps in the same upper chamber where they had eaten their last

supper.

Forty days after the Redeemer had arisen from the tomb, the apostles were assembled together, to meet their Lord for the last time. Then he charged them not to leave Jerusalem until they had received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which he had promised them from the Father.

Even at this solemn moment, some of them, unable to comprehend the many lessons Jesus had taught them, and the deep meaning of his death upon the cross, inquired if at this time he would restore the kingdom to Israel.

With the same gentle forbearance he had always shown, he told them it was not for them to know the times and the seasons; and assured them that after the Holy Ghost should come upon them they should be witnesses for him

in Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth.

After this, he led them out as far as Bethany. Besides the eleven, there were other friends who took this last walk with their beloved Master, and Mary, his mother, was among them.*

At Bethany, we may well suppose, the company was joined by those who had so long and deeply loved the Saviour, Lazarus, and Martha and Mary, who could not fail to evince their love by their presence, and receive the last farewell.

Standing in the midst of this devoted group, our Lord lifted up his hands and blessed them; and, while the words. of his gracious benediction were still coming from his lips, he was parted from them and carried up into heaven, and the clouds concealed him from their sight.

As they stood, with bleeding hearts, looking upward at this wonderful ascension, two men, in white apparel, stood beside them.

These were, perhaps, the angels who watched beside the place where Jesus had been laid in the tomb; the same who spoke to Mary Magdalene, when she looked in with weeping eyes to find her Lord, and asked her why she wept.

Again on an errand of mercy, they turned to the sorrowing disciples, and said, "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven!"

Jesus of Nazareth! Saviour of the world!

Not with

*Acts 1: 12-14.