untimely curiosity, and told them that they would receive full instruction on the subject from the promised heavenly teacher.

Having completed his glorious work, Jesus appeared once more to his disciples in Jerusalem, and led them forth towards Bethany, to the mount of Olives. When they reached the mount, he tenderly gathered them round him, and, in their full sight, went up into heaven, leaving his gracious blessing upon them, and the comfortable assurance that he was going to prepare a place for them in his own kingdom, whilst they, in an adoring posture, followed him with wistful eyes, until a bright cloud received him out of their sight.

As they stood with their eyes fixed upwards, two angels appeared to them in bright apparel, and said, "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven."

The angels did not reveal the times or the seasons when Christ shall return again in power, and make his enemies his footstool, but we know that he shall appear at the last day to judge both the quick and the dead, and the wicked shall then go into everlasting punishment, and the righteous into life eternal.

CHAPTER XX.

THE DESCENT OF THE HOLY GHOST.

AFTER the glorious ascension of their divine Master, the disciples returned to Jerusalem, where they waited in faith for the fulfilment of his promise, to send them another Comforter. They were now about one hundred and twenty in number, exclusive of the women, who, however, still kept together, and formed a part of the little community. Their time was spent in prayers, supplications, and other devotional exercises, necessary as preparations for the great work which they were about to undertake. One of their first resolutions was to choose an apostle in the place of Judas Iscariot, to which they were urged by Simon Peter, who said to the brethren, assembled in the upper room of some house, "Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus. For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry. Now this

man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity: and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood. For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take. Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection."

Two candidates were proposed for the office; Joseph, who was also called Barsabas, and Matthias, whom some commentators have identified with Zacchæus, though he became a disciple only a few days before Christ's death. The claims of the candidates were so nearly equal that the disciples could not determine upon a choice, and they therefore left the decision to lots, having first besought Divine Providence, to direct the falling of the lot, on the person best qualified for the ministry. Their prayer was, "Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men,

shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, that he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place." The lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

We have seen that the crucifixion of Christ took place at the great Jewish festival of the Passover, which was designed to commemorate the deliverance of the Israelites from their bondage in Egypt,-a lively type of the slavery of the whole human race, to the power of sin and Satan, until delivered by the Great Redeemer. Next in importance to the Passover was the festival designed to celebrate the giving of the Law from Mount Sinai. It was called the feast of Pentecost from a Greek word, signifying "fifty," because, reckoning inclusively, it was celebrated fifty days after the feast of the Passover; it was also called, the "Feast of Weeks," because there was an interval of seven weeks between it and the Passover. The following account of the institution of the feast of Pentecost, is given in the book of Leviticus: "Ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath (of the Passover) from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh

sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the first fruits unto the Lord. And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering unto the Lord, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto the Lord. Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings. And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the first fruits for a wave offering before the Lord, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to the Lord for the priest. And ye shall proclaim on the self-same day that it may be an holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations. And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the Lord your God."