February 25

Of thine own have we given thee. — 1 CHRON. xxix. 14.

Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her. — MATT. xxvi. 13.

THESE words were spoken to comfort one in distress. Simon had invited Jesus to supper. Seeing Lazarus, — once dead — and Simon cleansed of leprosy, type of sin. Mary longed to express her love to the conqueror of natural and spiritual death.

She took an alabaster box of precious ointment and poured it on his head. John characteristically shows her depth of love by adding, "She anointed his feet and wiped them with her hair." Judas, hypocritically, and "some of the disciples," honestly, reproached Mary for not selling the ointment and giving it to the poor. There was apparent good reason for the reproach, for the Master had often commended in word and in deed the care of the poor. Mary was troubled lest she had made a mistake, but she was comforted by the prophetic promise that in the whole world, wherever the gospel shall be preached, her act would be told for a memorial of her. "More than three hundred pence" would have relieved much distress, and the ointment poured upon Christ's head was of little material use. But an act is estimated not by its results, but by its prompting motive. Mary's motive was to honor her Lord. Recognizing the motive, he commended the act. And so he will recognize and commend every act, great or small, springing from a like impulse.

Service Bliss.

We lose what on ourselves we spend; We have as treasure without end Whatever, Lord, to thee we lend, Who givest all.

C. WORDSWORTH.