St. John himself in the Apocalypse; and which the Christian Church has ever interpreted to have been prophetic and symbolic of the Four Gospels.

The Collect for the Festival of St. John the Evangelist.

Merciful Lord, we beseech Thee to cast Thy bright beams of light upon Thy Church, that it being enlightened by the doctrine of Thy blessed Apostle and Evangelist Saint John, may so walk in the light of Thy truth, that it may at length attain to the light of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

ST. JAMES

THE APOSTLE, SURNAMED THE LESS."

ST. JAMES the Less is called in Holy Scripture the "son of Alpheus"," which

7 Matt. x. 3. Mark iii. 18. Luke vi. 15.

Alpheus is elsewhere called "Cleophas," or "Cleopas";" and he is also there mentioned by the titles of "James the Less"," and the "Lord's brother." The word "brother" is usually supposed to mean cousin, or relation, after the Jewish manner of speaking; from Mary, the wife of Cleopas, having been sister to the blessed Virgin Mary'; and this same Mary is mentioned as being one of the women who "stood by the Cross during the Crucifixion of our Lord; and who afterwards brought spices to the Sepulchre *; whilst her husband Cleopas is likewise mentioned as having been one of the two disciples whom our Lord met at Emmaus after His Resurrection, and with whom He "tarried "."

3 99

St. James is believed to have been called

8 Luke xxiv. 19. John xix. 25.

9 Mark xv. 40.

1 Gal. i. 19. Matt. xiii. 55. Mark vi. 3.

2 John xix. 25.

3 Matt. xxviii. 5, 6. Mark xv. 40. John xix. 25. 4 Mark xvi. 1, 2. Luke xxiii. 55, 56; xxiv. 1.

5 Luke xxiv. 13–33.

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"the Less," for reasons which are explained in the notice of St. James the Great.

St. James the Less is especially mentioned in Holy Scripture, when our Lord appeared to him separately after His Resurrection; and an ancient tradition states that this favour was accorded to him, to satisfy a vow that he had made on the last Paschal night, to eat no bread until he had seen his Lord risen from the dead. St. James is again mentioned in Holy Scripture as having presided over the Synod of Jerusalem in the controversy respecting Jewish rites, when the "Apostles and elders came together to consider the matter"." He is also spoken of as first in dignity, when St. Paul alludes to the three "pillars" of the Church; and we find him treated with peculiar deference by St. Peter and St. Paul, and by the other Apostles on various occasions.

6 1 Cor. xv. 7.

7 Acts xv. 4-6. 13-22. 8 Gal. ii. 9. 9 Acts xii. 17; xxi. 18. Gal. i. 19.

St. James the Less was the author of the Epistle which bears his name, and which it is believed was composed about A.D. 60, being the first in time of the seven Catholic Epistles, as it has always been placed the first in order, both in ancient. and modern Bibles. It was addressed to the Twelve Tribes, to Jewish converts, and to unconverted Jews; from whence it is called Catholic or Universal, being addressed to all, and not only to one particular Church, as were the Epistles of St. Paul.

We learn from Ecclesiastical History, that St. James the Less was elected first Bishop of Jerusalem, in which Bishopric he continued about thirty years, until his death; and such was the honour and respect in which he was held, that he was surnamed "the Just."

St. James the Less suffered martyrdom at Jerusalem, when there arose a tumult among the Jews, Scribes, and Pharisees, who feared that from the teaching of St.

Where

James, the people would believe in Jesus as the Messiah. The Scribes and Pharisees therefore placed him on a wing of the Temple, and (as it would appear in scorn and derision) adjured him as a just man in whom they all believed, to declare to them "which was the door to Jesus ?" upon he answered in a loud voice, "Why do ye ask me respecting Jesus the Son of Man? He is now sitting in the Heavens on the right hand of great power; and is about to come again on the clouds of Heaven:" thus once more testifying to the inspired words of his own Epistle, "the coming of the Lord draweth nigh: behold, the Judge standeth before the door;" as well as to the declaration of his blessed Lord and Master, "I am the door of the sheep; by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved"." As this just testimony moved many of the multitude to believe, and to cry "Hosanna to the Son of David," those same Scribes and Pharisees cried 1 James v. 8, 9. 2 John x. 7-19.