the root of all evil, as says the Apostle.

And pray that the God of love may keep you in charity to your brother, and in watchfulness for the coming of Him Who has bid you watch and pray.

PRAYER.

Almighty Father, help me to be content with that which I have, and grant me so to obey Thy Son's commandments, that I may be kind and gentle to all, and ever watch and pray, lest I enter into temptation. Through the same Jesus Christ Thy Son our Lord. Amen.

Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil for Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

HYMN.

O Christ! Who wast betrayed by one

Who called himself Thy friend,

I pray Thee, from all coveting

Thy servant to defend.

O Christ! Who in Thine agony
Wast left alone in prayer,

I pray Thee, keep me from all sloth,
Help me Thy watch to share.

O Christ! Who by Thine enemies
Wast nailed to the tree,

I pray Thee, fill my heart with love
And holy charity.

Give me a kind and gentle heart,
All hatred take away;

Grant, Lord, that I may be content,
And ever watch and pray.

All glory be to Christ, Who died
Upon the Cross for me;
To Father and to Holy Ghost,

Be praise eternally! Amen.

O Father, for Thy Son's sake, grant that what I have just read, may be for the good of my soul. Amen.

O God, help me to read these words with love and with awe, through Thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!

When the chief priests, therefore, and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Away with him, away with him! Crucify him! Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Cæsar.

Then delivered he him, therefore, unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus and led him away.

And he, bearing his cross, went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha; where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.

And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.

And when the sixth hour was come, there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.

And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.

And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit; and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.

Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.

Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid.

There laid they Jesus therefore, for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.

WISH that I could say something to you that would make you think a little more about those awful words that you have just read. You have heard them in the gospels, and you have said them, often and often, in the creed. He "suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried." Words so often heard. Words hurried

over anyhow. Words said only with our lips. And yet how solemn, how dreadful are these words! "He suffered." "He was crucified." "He

died." "He was buried." Who, but the Son of God?

And who is this "He"?
Is it not wonderful?

The Maker of the world, the Creator of all men, the King of kings, suffered, was crucified, dead and

buried.

cruelly?

Who was it that dared to treat Him so

Those whom He came to save. Those

whom He loved so dearly that for their sakes He left His father's home. Those for whom He had spent thirty-three years as Man among men. For whom He had borne cold, hunger, thirst and weariness; for whom He had worked, curing the sick and healing the afflicted. For whom He had spent long nights in prayer, days in showing His deep Love.

The gospel story tells you what return was made to Him. How one of His friends sold Him for a little money to those who hated Him,-a false friend who betrayed his Lord with a kiss, the very sign of love. How the people among whom He had worked cried out, saying, "Away with Him! Crucify Him!" How He was fastened to the cross with sharp nails, and hung there for three long hours. You know how slowly the time passes when you are in much pain. How the minutes creep by, each so full of pain that it is more like an hour than only a minute. Knowing this, just think what those three hours must have been to Christ, Who bore, besides the agonising pain, besides the thirst and faintness, the burden of our sins, and the knowledge that so many of those for whom He was dying would care nothing for Him and would not be saved. He could year after year would pass. He could see how you and I would think so little about Him; how you and I would say the words, "He was crucified," and never love Him any the more. He

see how