one's neighbour, Jesus added, 'This do, and thou shalt live.' The man, however, had come, not to learn, but to entrap; and therefore he skilfully made the question turn on the tender point of the relation in which other nations stood to the Jews, 'the people of God.' 'Who,' said he, 'is in truth my neighbour? Is it every one of Hebrew blood, as we were taught of old; or, as some laxly insinuate, may the word include aliens from the commonwealth of Israel?' Then Jesus spake the whole truth openly and aloud, and spake it 'as never man spake,' in his most beautiful parable of what is called 'The Good Samaritan.' Read the story as it is found in Luke x. 30-37. There Jesus reproves the priests and the levites, the very persons probably who had sent this lawyer to Christ, for their unnatural neglect of the common claims of humanity, and so declares that they in their practice and in their hearts knew nothing of the love of God and their neighbour, which their law enjoined as an essential requirement. And who is chosen as Christ's specimen of a neighbour? A Samaritan-one of a people hateful to lawyers, priests, and levites. What a stern rebuke! Yet how adroitly administered! And what is the true neighbourly spirit? The assistance of the necessitous, irrespectively of national or personal dislikes. The injured man was probably a Jew; he who leant over him to pour oil and wine into his wounds, was certainly a Samaritan. A Samaritan ministering to a Jew!-such is Christ's picture of neighbourly conduct. 'Who is thy neighbour? Who was the neighbour of that afflicted man ?' He that showed mercy on him.' Go,' rejoined Jesus, 'go and do thou likewise. All men are neighbours, for all are children of God; and he loves God and his neighbour who is prompt to aid all who are injured and suffer want. Be thou not less liberal in thy sympathies than a Samaritan.'

Thy neighbour? It is he whom thou
Hast power to aid and bless,

Whose aching heart or burning brow
Thy soothing hand may press.

Thy neighbour? 'Tis the fainting poor
Whose eye with want is dim;

Whom hunger sends from door to door;
Go thou and succour him.

Jesus drew nigh to the metropolis. He came to Bethany, which stood about half an hour from the city, on the eastern flank of Mount Olives, which rose immediately above Jerusalem from the valley of Jehoshaphat, on its eastern side. Its name, 'place of figs,' was appropriate, for in its vicinity grew many date-palms, which were carefully cultivated. It was a part of the territory of Benjamin, and is specially celebrated as the place where, in the latter part of his life, our beloved Master found solace and invigoration, under the friendly roof of Lazarus and his amiable

sisters (John xi. 1). Bethany still lies in a pleasant spot, but all traces of friendship and domestic happiness have disappeared; for the place is in ruins, with only a few huts erect, the abodes of poor Turkish families, the chief of which receives the taxes extorted from Christians who visit what are termed 'the holy places' of the land. Of these 'holy places' there is shown at Bethany what passes for the house of Simon the leper, the house of Lazarus, and his tomb.

In Bethany, Jesus entered the house of a certain woman, named Martha. Here, again, we have to bewail the defectiveness of the information supplied in the sacred narratives. From the terms employed-'a certain woman'-we might think that now, for the first time, Jesus became acquainted with this family. And yet we are led to suspect that there must have been some reason which led him to their house in preference to others. The cause of that preference might possibly be found, were we sure of the traditional statement that Martha was the widow of Simon the Pharisee. And certainly, if she were a widow, we are aided in understanding how the house is spoken of as Martha's. Its mistress, however, appears to have been possessed of property. She is said to have contracted a second marriage with one Jesus Ga'mala, a member of the Jerusalem Sa'nhedrim, who was still alive at the last siege of Jerusalem by the Romans.

Inns like those in our own country did not exist in the East in the time of Jesus. Travellers had, therefore, to take rest and refreshment either in the open air, or under the shelter of a tent, unless they had some friend who would give them welcome under his roof. As are our wants, so are God's supplies. Hospitality

abounded in Eastern lands, where it was specially needed. But never, perhaps, were its sacred rites more kindly or generously observed than when Martha waited on Jesus. Yet her household cares, welcome as they were to Jesus, 'wearied with his journey,' were undue, seeing that they excluded her from profiting by the divine wisdom which fell from Jesus' lips, and which, as pearls of great price, Mary, Martha's sister, gathered up as she sat there at the Saviour's feet. The loving ministrations of housewifery were good and acceptable; but the great matter, the one thing needful, had been chosen by Mary, the younger and more susceptible sister, who had thereby made a gain she would never lose (Luke x. 38-42).

The easy intercourse which Jesus had with these estimable women could scarcely be enjoyed in Judea now. In truth, the females of his day, especially those of the middle and humbler classes, lived far less in seclusion than is customary at the present time, when the jealous feeling of the Turks has infected Palestine. Of old, only the wives of men of rank passed their days in a separate suite of apartments, which was generally placed at the back of the house. The wives of other Jews mingled with the family, with little restraint, unveiled, preparing and serving food, and discharging other domestic duties.

While at Bethany, Jesus, according to his custom, withdrew, probably to some part of Olivet, for the purpose of private prayer. We should do well to observe that he, whose whole life was one act of devotion, habitually sought God in solitude. If we would be, we must act like him. In the actual crisis, Jesus may have felt special need of God's aid, for he was about to face his deadly foes in the citadel of their power.

He was observed; and one of his disciples entreated him to teach them how to pray, as John had taught his disciples. Such teaching was customary on the part of the Jewish rabbins, whose prayers are numerous, and some of them excellent and impressive. It was not, however, the design of Jesus to make the vain attempt of binding up religion in certain fixed forms of words. Devotion, he knew, is in its essence free and spontaneous. And therefore he bade his disciples ask God themselves that for which they really felt a want, assuring them that if they asked indeed, they would receive what was good for them; and that if they asked bread from the Heavenly Father, he would not give them a stone. Yet, out of consideration for their yet childlike state, Jesus taught them, as an aid to their devotions, what we call 'The Lord's Prayer,' which is a comprehensive summary of human wants and wishes in the sight of that God who is the Father of human kind (Luke xi. 1-13).

CHAPTER VI.

JESUS APPEARS IN JERUSALEM, IN THE MIDST OF THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES-FINDS THE MULTITUDE AND SANHEDRIM ARE DIVIDED AS TO HIS DOCTRINE.

15th to 18th October, A. D. 29.

Quitting, at the call of duty, the tranquil and innocent pleasures of Martha's home, Jesus proceeded to the feast of Tabernacles. This was the third of the great Jewish festivals, at which all males were required to be present. Celebrated at the autumnal equinox, it lasted for eight days, beginning on the 15th of the Jewish month Tisri, the seventh month of the ecclesiastical year, which corresponded with the latter part of our September and the early part of our October. During its celebration, the Israelites dwelt in tents, in commemoration of the time when the nation in the wilderness had tents for their sole abode (Lev. xxiii. 34, seq.). It was also the great period of national thanksgiving to the Lord of the harvest,' made in acknowledgment of his bounties, then fully gathered in from both the field and the vineyard; whence it was also denominated 'the feast of ingathering. It was a period of rejoicing, and was celebrated with special attention, so that Josephus seems to labour after terms to describe its sacredness and pomp.

Provided with green branches of three kinds—namely, one of palm, two of myrtle, and three of willow-each Hebrew bound them together into a kind of bush, in which the palm stood above the rest; whence the whole was termed lulab (palm-bush). This lulab was carried in the right hand, while in the left was borne a branch of a fruit tree or a citron. As soon as a boy was old and strong enough, he had to bear a palm-bush at the festival. At noon, after being carried in the morning, the bush was placed in water, that it might keep green to the end of the feast. The bush was designed to remind the worshippers that God had brought them out of the desert into a fruitful land.

The tents, or tabernacles, were formed in the open air of green branches of various kinds. They were not to be covered with any roof which might prevent the heavens from being beheld. In them, during the first seven days, the Jews were bound to dwell, to sleep, to eat, and transact all their business. Only the sick that could not endure the open air were allowed to remain in the house. If bad weather came, shelter might be sought. The tents were set up in the streets, on the flat roofs of houses, and in gardens, but not under trees. The priests and levites built tabernacles in the outer court of the temple. The numbers present caused tents to be put up also on the outside of Jerusalem;

but they were confined within a circle having for its radius a sabbath-day's journey (about a mile) from the city. This festival had in its celebration much that resembled observances at the Passover. On the previous day-the day of preparation-the Jews bathed and cleansed themselves. In the temple the walls were hung with tapestry. The first day was specially sacred; on it no work was done. At midnight they opened the doors of the temple. At daybreak the outer courts were filled by persons clad in their best, and bearing each one his palm-bush. Then began the usual morning oblation, at which water as well as wine was employed. This water was drawn by a priest in a golden vase out of the brook Siloah. Having carried it into the inner court, he gave it to another priest, who, mixing it with wine, poured it forth on the altar of burnt-offering. During this ceremony, the trumpets blew, and the people sang the words of Isaiah- With joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation' (Is. xii. 3). This was repeated at the evening sacrifice, and took place on each of the eight successive days. This custom was, however, not enjoined by Moses, but drew its origin, it is said, from the prophets Hagga'i and Zechari'ah, after the return from the captivity at Babylon. The object of it was to obtain from God rain for the seed now again committed to the soil. During the daily and special offerings, the trumpets blew, and they sang the same psalms as at the Passover, while all the worshippers went round the altar of burnt-offering, bearing and shaking their palm-bushes. During the first six days this took place once; on the seventh they went round seven times. As they circumambulated the altar, they cried Hosanna!' that is, 'help now.'

The offerings spoken of were for the whole people. Individuals who had special reasons for gratitude might also make their oblations. After the sacrifices were finished, they went to the synagogues, where the reading of the law and prophets was brought to an end at this festival. On the next sabbath they were again commenced.

At the termination of the evening sacrifice, the people gave themselves to joy, going into the outer court, which was lighted up with golden candela'bra, that shed their radiance over the whole city. Under their brilliancy, the most distinguished priests and levites danced, bearing flambeaux in their hands. Psalms also were sung. On the steps of the temple were ranged the levites, who played and sang while the people looked on, or joined in chorus. The festivities, often prolonged far into the night, were repeated each succeeding day. The eighth day, which was also called 'The Great Hosanna,' was also a day of special sanctity. On the first and last, no business was transacted.

In the year to which our narrative refers (U.C. 782), the fes