November 24

John xi. — 38. Jesus therefore, again groaning in himself, cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.

39. Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh; for he hath been dead four days.

40. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

41. Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me:

42. And I knew that thou hearest me always; but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

43. And, when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth!

44. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave-clothes; and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

45. Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.

46. But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.

47. Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.

48. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him; and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.

49. And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,

50. Nor consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.

51. And this spake he not of himself: but, being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;

52. And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.

53. Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.

54. Jesus, therefore, walked no more openly among the Jews, but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.

The Jews buried very soon after death. No coffin was used; but the body was wrapped tightly in folds of linen with spices, and carried to the tomb on a bier. The better classes preferred as burial-places either natural caves in their own gardens, or tombs excavated from the rock, or built artificially, with niches in which the bodies were laid. A flat stone, sometimes set like a door in a groove, closed the entrance. Jesus, profoundly agitated by the grief that encompassed him, and by the yearnings of the divinity within him, taking upon himself, as it were, the agony of humanity in its struggle with the last enemy, honoring his Father in this supreme act of power and majesty, uttered that call of vic

tory which shall yet resound over every field of death,— "Lazarus, come forth!" Death relaxed its hold; corruption gave up its victim; and "he that was dead came forth." From that moment the doom of Jesus was sealed. His mightiest benefaction to the race called forth the fiercest rage of sin. The field where sin had reigned without molestation from the fall of man was now invaded; the spell was broken; the sting, the dread, the victory, were wrested from the grave. Yet men hated him the more!—and the high priest of this malice becomes the unconscious prophet of that death which shall but complete the triumph of Jesus in the redemption of humanity through the resurrection and the life.

APPROPRIATE HYMNS.]

Prayer.

[Nos. 6, 42, 199.

O God, who hast prepared for those who love thee such good things as pass man's understanding! pour into our hearts such love toward thee, that we, loving thee above all things, may obtain thy promises, which exceed all that we can desire, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

We would lie down to rest in the hope of Him who is the Resurrection and the Life; praying, that, if this shall prove our last sleep, we may awake with Christ in his glory.

We thank thee, O Lord! for the precious comfort that remains to us concerning dear friends who have departed in the faith; that to them heaven is even now a reality; that they have no more want, nor sorrow, nor care, nor sin. Oh, may heaven be a reality to our faith! and may the hope of it, yea, the assurance of it, as our home, lift us above all the temptations and trials of this

present world! Give to us strength for labors, courage for conflicts, patience under afflictions, fidelity to duty, and faith that shall endure to the end, and shall make us more than conquerors over death. May the true life be now begun in our souls, and daily may we live to thee!

We praise thee, O Lord! for the blessings of this holy day. Oh, may we love thee more, know thee more, and serve thee better, than ever before, by reason of what we have this day learned of thy truth and grace! In all that is given us to do, may we glorify thy name! in all that we are called to bear, may we accept thy holy will! So may we daily live to thee; and, when the things of earth shall pass away, make us to be numbered with thy saints in glory everlasting, through Jesus Christ our Saviour; to whom be all honor and glory, world without end. Amen.