FRIDAY IN HOLY WEEK.

Commonly called GOOD FRIDAY.

EARLY IN THE MORNING,

Jesus was led to the high-priest and to the council as soon as it was day, when He confessed Himself to be the Son of God.

S, Matt. xxvi. 64. | S. Mark xiv. 62. | S. Luke xxii. 70.

In the meantime, Judas repented and hanged himself. But the Lord was led bound to Pilate, and afterwards* sent to Herod, who mocked Him and sent Him back to Pilate.

S. Matt. xxvii. 3. | S. Mark xv. 1. | *S. Luke xxiii. 1. | S. John xviii. 28. Pilate declared Him innocent, but the Jews called out "Crucify Him," and again*, "His blood be upon us and upon our children," preferring Barabbas the robber to Jesus who was called Christ.

*S. Matt. xxvii. 25. | S. Mark xv. 14. | S. Luke xxiii. 21, | S. John xix. 6. Jesus was then scourged, and, notwithstanding the entreaties of Pilate's wife and his own conscience, delivered up to be crucified-led away to the common hall-crowned with thorns-mocked—spit upon— smitten.

S. Matt. xxvii. 26. | S. Mark xv, 19.-S. Luke xxiii. 24. | S. John xix. 3.

(The Third Hour.) Nine o'clock.

Jesus bearing His crosss, which was afterwards laid on Simon of Cyrene, was followed by the women bewailing Him, and by others.

S. Mat. xxvi. 31. | S. Mark xv. 20 | S. Luke xxviii. 26. | S. John xix. 16. He was taken to Golgotha, where vinegar and gall, wine and myrrh were offered to Him; and here on Mount Calvary He was nailed to the cross, and crucified between two malefactors.

Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.

| S. Luko xxiii. 34. |

The soldiers then parted His garments and cast lots for His vesture. The priests and people, and passers by derided Him. One of the malefactors confessed his sins, and confessed Christ; to him

Jesus said, Verily I say unto thee, to day shalt thou be with Me in Paradise.

| S. Luke xxiii. 40. |

Then seeing His mother and the beloved disciple standing by the

cross,

Jesus said, Woman, behold thy Son? Behold thy mother!

| S. John xix. 25.

(The Sixth Hour.) Twelve o'clock. Noon.

Darkness came over all the earth.

S. Matt. xxvii. 45. | S. Mark xv. 33. | S. Luke xxiii. 44. |

Then stood there by the cross of Jesus, His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene, with the disciple whom He loved.

| S. John xix. 25. |

(The Ninth Hour.) Three o'clock.

At this hour, crying with a loud voice,

Jesus said, Eloi! Eloi! Lama sabacthani! (My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me.)

S. Matt, xxvii. 46 | S. Mark xv. 34. |

Jesus said, I thirst.

| S. John xix. 28. |

When they heard this, they brought him a sponge full of vinegar, which he received, and afterwards

Jesus said, It is finished.

S. Matt, xxvii. 48. | S. Mark xv. 36. | S. Luke xxiii. 46. | S. John xix. 30. And when He had cried again with a loud voice,

Jesus said, Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit.

| S. Luke xxiii. 46. |

And when He had said this, He bowed His head and gave up the ghost. Then the veil of the temple was rent, and many graves opened. The soldiers brake the legs of the two malefactors, and coming to Jesus, one pierced His side, and there came thereout blood and water.

| S. John xix. 31. |

IN THE EVENING.

Joseph of Arimathea begged the body of Jesus, took it down from the cross, and with Nicodemus laid it in his own new tomb, the women still following.

S. Matt. xxvii. 57. | S. Mark xv. 43. | S. Luke xxiii, 50. | S. John xix. 38. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary beheld where it was laid, and | S. Mark xv. 47. |

sat over against the sepulchre until the beginning of the sabbath. | S. Matt. xxvii. 61. |

The other women returned home and prepared spices and ointments. | S. Luke xxiii. 56. |

SATURDAY IN HOLY WEEK.

Commonly called EASTER EVE.

They rested the sabbath day according to the commandment. | S. Luke xxiii. 56. |

The body of our Lord lay in the sepulchre, being dead in the body, but quickened by the Spirit. He went and preached unto the spirits in prison.

| 1 S. Peter iii. 19. |

At the end of the day the chief priests and Pharisees asked Pilate for a guard of soldiers, and they sealed the sepulchre, and set a watch.

| S. Matt. xxvii. 62. |

When the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and the other women brought spices to anoint the body of the Lord.

| S. Mark xvi. 1.

EASTER SUNDAY.

(THE FIRST LORD'S DAY.)

As it began to dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary set forth to the sepulchre.

The angel of the Lord rolled away the stone.

S. Matt. xxviii. 1. | S. Mark xvi. 2. |

| S. John xx. 1.

The guards fled-the bodies of the saints that slept arose. (S. Matt. xxviii. 3—11; xxvii. 52.)

The two Maries and Salome came to see the sepulchre. Mary Magdalene* leaving the others runs to tell S. Peter-Salome and the other Mary go in and see the angel.

S. Matt. xxviii. 5. | S. Mark xvi. 2. |

| *S. John xx. 2.

S. Peter and S. John followed soon after, and went in. Mary Magdalene remained without weeping.

| S. John xx. 3, 11. |

Afterwards another company of women go to the sepulchre with spices, and are told by two angels of our Lord's resurrection.

| S. Luke xxiv. 1. |

THE LORD WAS RISEN.

S. Matt. xxviii. 5, 7.

HALLELUJAH.

THE CHRISTIAN BUSINESS MAN.

BY TOLL.

IT has come to be a generally received opinion among men, that in the everyday concerns of life-in business transactions and affairs of trade-a certain setting aside of the christian character is allowable, and not at all to be condemned. The active business men of this age so generally acknowledge this idea as ruling in their practice, that it is scarcely possible to distinguish christians from unbelievers. The same "tricks in trade"-the same excusable (?) prevarications-the same deceptions, are common, as a general rule, to both classes. Either would rather withhold the truth than miss a sale, rather exaggerate slightly than allow a visitor to leave his store without becoming a purchaser.

In the same spirit are many of the advertisements of both these classes of men. How often do we not see "special notices" in the papers, that certain benevolent persons are selling their goods at "less than cost" at 25 per cent. cheaper than anybody else, or if not disposed to be generous, then the people are complacently told that the merchandise they offer is superior to any other-better than can be bought any place else. These things should not be among christians. The church needs consistent, living members, whose christianity shall not be mere lip-service, but whose whole conduct shall be pervaded by the life of christianity. In their business-their families-in every department of life, showing forth that they are controlled and governed by a different order of life, than that which actuates the men of the world.

That religion which does not reach a man's business, making him truthful, honest and frank in his transactions with his fellow men, falls far short of the true idea of the christian life. Such a religion is, at best, but a sort of outward garment put on and off at will, and not an inward life, taking possession of the entire man, and making him really a new creature. The truth will not lead a man to seclusion from the world, nor will it suffer him to connive at, or countenance any wickedness. It will neither make him a stoic nor an opicurean, neither a hermit nor a worldling. "I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst keep them from the evil," was the prayer of our Lord for his disciples and for all who should after them believe on Him. And whilst christians are exhorted to be "diligent in business," they are also told to be "fervent in spirit, serving the Lord." That calling or business which a man cannot every morning ask God to bless and prosper, cannot in the very nature of things, be fit for a christian to follow. It must be unholy and unrighteous, and as a man cannot serve two masters, because he will hate the one and love the other, so a christian dare not enter into a business which he dare not ask God to bless. Every pursuit in which a christian engages must be one that God can approve; and while the same business may be followed in an

unrighteous manner by a man of the world-to the christian it is an holy calling because he follows it in the fear of God. That which is apprehended by the power of christianity is sanctified and made holy, and it is in this view alone that it is possible for christian men properly to engage in the ordinary pursuits of life.

Viewed in this light it is not possible to excuse or justify any preva rication, deception or false dealing on the part of the christian in business. We do not consider it allowable even for him to withhold the truth, when not elicited by the shrewd questions of the purchaser. He is bound to tell the whole truth and nothing else, and if he desires to be consistent he must explain to his customer the quality of the article he offers for sale, and not, to use a cant phrase, "allow his eyes to be his market." It is always taken for granted that the dealer is better acquainted with the qualities and grade of his merchandize than the purchaser, and when the latter presents himself at his counter, he is bound to explain the character of the goods, he offers, and recommend that which he believes to be best. If the purchaser, in the face of his explanations, and fully understanding the quality of the articles, buys that which he did not recommend, then he is free and has done no wrong, because he has withheld no portion of the truth. It is true that in many cases the purchaser offers the temptation. By his pretended knowledge of the quality and value of the article in question-by naming a price at which he is determined to buy it-by stating that it was offered him, lower than the price demanded, by some other dealer, he invites the merchant to overreach and deceive him. But no matter what the peculiar circumstances of the case-no matter what the temptation, the merchant must not deceive his customer, nor willingly allow him to deceive himsel. He dare not cheat him negatively or positively-by silence when he should speak, nor by speaking when he should be silent, but in all cases and under all circumstances he is bound to speak the truth.

This will not agree with the "make haste to get rich" spirit of the age, but to the christian's faith, "riches nor poverty come not by chance, but all things by His fatherly hand" and he is to do right no matter how much it may seem to be against his interests-the consequences are not for him to determine or regulate, for the same God who "heareth the ravens when they cry, and giveth them their food," will give to him enough for his wants, and fully as much as is consistent with his welfare in this world and in the world to come.

The christian who has no higher object in the pursuit of his business than the getting of gain, and who makes that its aim and end, does not properly understand his responsibilities as a christian business man. If the accumulation of filthy lucre be his chief object, he prostitutes his calling to unholy ends, just as would the minister of the gospel were he to preach for him-allowing his words to be shaped to suit his hearers; or forsaking a post of duty for the sake of securing a larger salary. We unhesitatingly censure a minister who will suffer the gospel to be choked off by a collar of gold-who fears to rebuke a rich sinner, lest he should withdraw his support from the church, but just as worthy of censure is the merchant or tradesman who makes the highest aim of his life