with courtesy and gentleness; it is of no avail. In whatever age, under whatever name it may manifest itself, it is morally certain that Pharisaism will array itself against "pure religion and undefiled." After eighteen centuries, its arrogance, bigotry, and hatred of the "truth as it is in Jesus," are still patent to the view and abhorrence of mankind.

CHAPTER VII.

JESUS CHOOSES THE TWELVE APOSTLES.

JESUS. WITHDRAWS FROM CAPERNAUM-HE GOES UP INTO THE MOUNTAIN AND SPENDS THE NIGHT IN PRAYER-OCCASION FOR THE CALLING OF THE APOSTLES-HE SUMMONS THE TWELVE INTO HIS PRESENCE-THE MEN CHOSEN OF NO INFERIOR ORDER-SIMON: HIS CHARACTER: PREEMINENCE IN THE APOSTOLIC COLLEGE-ANDREW: ANTECEDENT HISTORY: HIS PECULIAR RELATION TO JESUS: CHARACTERISTIC TRAITSTHE "SONS OF ZEBEDEE”—JAMES: HIS CHARACTER AND RELATIVE PROMINENCE-JOHN: HIS COMPARATIVE YOUTH: HIS CHARACTER: HIS IMPORTANT RELATION TO THE CHURCH AS A THEOLOGIAN AND PROPHET -PHILIP: HIS LEADING TRAITS-BARTHOLOMEW: IDENTITY WITH NATHANAEL, AND HIS CHARACTER-THOMAS: HIS PECULIARITIES-MATTHEW: BRIEF NOTICE OF JAMES THE LESS: CHARACTER, AND POSITION IN THE CHURCH-JUDE: PERSONAL TRAITS-SIMON ZELOTES: CHARACTER AS A ZEALOT-JUDAS ISCARIOT: MYSTERY RELATIVE TO HIS ANTECEDENTS: FIRST THEORY AS TO HIS CHARACTER AND COURSE: SECOND THEORY: PROBABLE TRUTH AS TO HIS CASE: MYSTERY AS TO OUR LORD'S SELECTION OF SUCH A CHARACTER-CLOSING THOUGHTS.

JESUS, knowing that the Pharisees and Herodians had conspired to put Him out of the way, now withdrew from Capernaum to a neighboring part of the coast. Here His presence was eagerly sought by multitudes who came from the extremities of Palestine, and even from beyond its borders, to hear the words and witness the mighty works of the Great Prophet. Such was the pressure of the people upon Him, in their eagerness to get near His person, that it at length became necessary for a boat to wait upon Him, so that He might, when occasion required, betake Himself to it, and thus address the hearers upon the shore without discomfort or danger. His labors during

this period must have been excessive. The cures which He wrought were numerous and extraordinary.

Let us contemplate a scene which was presented at the close of one of these His missionary days. It is evening. The gold and crimson are fading from the western sky, and from the placid surface of Gennesaret. The starssuch stars as we never see in our less transparent skycome out in their splendor, and look down tenderly on the shrouded landscape. The multitude, some short time since dismissed by our Lord, are scattered among the neighboring villages in search of food and lodging. All ΑΠ is new quiet, where so lately was heard the hum of thronging multitudes. Turn now your gaze to yonder mountain ridge rising from the dusky plain, with its three horns* or cones sharply defined against the clear ștar-lit sky. Look intently and you will see through the darkness a solitary figure ascending the steep acclivity. No sound from the world below can reach that lofty height; all is still and solemn as eternity. There alone and under the open heavens, Jesus bows Himself to the earth in prayer. The evangelist Luke records that He "continued all night in prayer to God." +

The occasion of these solemn communings with the Father was this. He was about to take an important step in advance. During several months, He had preached the approaching kingdom of God, in Judea and Galilee. The hearts of thousands had been touched; the hearts of a few had been stirred to their lowest depths. A considerable number had come to discern in Him the Christ, the Son of the living God, and they were longing for His manifest

*For indications that the hill, known as the "Horns of Hattin," was the "Mount of Beatitudes," see Stanley's "Sinai and Palestine," page 360; Andrews' "Life of Christ," page 248.

† Luke vi. 12.

ation. As yet, however, the movement had been purely spontaneous and unorganized. The time had come for our Lord to institute the germ and nucleus of His church. The twelve foundation-stones of the temple were to be selected, hewn and polished. He was about to choose and commission HIS APOSTLES.

The immediate and visible occasion of the calling of the apostles was that very concourse of the people which we have so often noticed. It had become apparent that Jesus could not personally impart instruction to all who resorted to Him; neither could He with His own hands heal the multitude of sick who were brought to Him. Hence His more intelligent and devoted disciples were to be His authorized ministers, both in teaching and in working miracles. Some of them were qualified to proclaim the first principles of the Kingdom of God; and to heal in His name and by His power. Through them He might multiply Himself, so that those who were like sheep scattered abroad might in some degree be shepherded under His gracious care.

Not only were the apostles thus to be selected for this special work; their office was intended to endure and be more largely developed after His removal from the scenes of His earthly ministry. They were to be witnesses of His life, death, resurrection and ascension, not only to the Jews, but also to all nations; and, under their fostering care, the Church was to grow up from a feeble infancy to vigorous youth. They were to be replenished with the life of their glorified Master, and to be Christ to the world: They were to be inspired by the Holy Comforter, to teach and govern and feed His flock, bought with His own blood; and they were to be invested with supreme authority on earth. We cannot doubt that Jesus saw the end from the beginning. His plan was fully settled. His Church, in its final and perfect organization, was clearly discerned

by His prophetic eye, which looked far beyond His personal ministry, far beyond the cross; far beyond the day of Pentecost; far beyond the "lost sheep of the House of Israel," to ages and nations hidden from other eyes in the darkness of the future. What wonder that, when about to call and ordain His apostles,-the first step in the organization of His Church,-He spent a whole night, on that lonely mountain in prayer.

The morning at length dawned. The multitude came together at an early hour, and thronged up the mountain slope. But they were arrested ere they reached the summit, even the disciples being kept back from the little plateau where Jesus was seated. Those, and those only, came near Him whom He called by name. Those who were thus summoned were His chosen apostles. The list is, on many accounts, worthy of profound study. It displays the far-seeing wisdom of Him who looks not on the outward appearance, but on the heart; and who selects His servants and ministers, not according to the maxims of worldly prudence and political sagacity, but on principles which to the world are not only incomprehensible but foolish..

"It behooved Him to select a number of men in whom the riches of His life might be unfolded in every direction. For this end He needed above all, people in whom the glory of His spirit and the peculiarity of His work might be distinctly identified;-laymen, who would not chain His work to existing priestly habits; unlearned men, who would not mix up His wisdom with traditional schemes of philosophy; yes, even comparatively uneducated men, at any rate, homely men, in order that the dulled taste of a diseased worldly civilization might not disturb the culture which the spirit of the incarnate Word was to impart to them. It was through fishermen. country people and publicans, that the word of God in