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2.  . 


A    SHORT   OFFICE    OF  /  9'    9  / 

MEDITATION  AND  PRAYER  FOR  EVERY  DAY  IN  LENT. 


WITH    SELECTIONS    FROM    THE    "  IMITATICJN,:  (J)t'_  CilklST,; 
BY   THOMAS    A.    KEMPIS. 


As  dying,  and  behold  we  live." 
2  Cor.  VI. 


BY 


L.    C.    SK£y, 


AUTHOR  OF   "comforted  OF  GOD,"    "THE  PERFECT  DAY,"   ETC. 


Dedicated   by  permission  to 

H.  P.  LIDDON.  D.D, 


JAMES    POTT    & 


Co.,    14     &   16,   ASTOR    PLACE. 


ib«7. 


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PUBLIC    LUiP  .^^ 

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TO   THE    REV. 


HENRY     PARRY     LIDDON,     D.D.,    •  >/\ 


O^     •»   JO     J  3 

J  ,  >  J  )  ,    ' 


CANON    OF    S.    PAUL  S   CATHEDRAL, 


I    HAVE    BEEN    PERMITTED    TO    INSCRIBE    THIS    BOOK 


IN    TOKEN    OF    MY    REVERENCE    FOR   HIM 


AND    FOR    THE 


WORK    HE    IS    DOING    IN    THE    CHURCH    OF   GOD. 


fiiitrotjuctorg  (ffijaptev 


My  desire  in  compiling  this  book  is  to  try  to  give  some  help  to 
those  who  wish  to  spend  their  Lent  with  Jesus. 

The  forty  days  fast,  if  we  pass  it  as  much  as  possible  in  the 
seclusion  of  the  desert,  alone  with  Jesus,  must  indeed  be  a  time 
of  strengthening  to  our  souls,  fortifying  them  to  encounter  their 
great  spiritual  foe,  and  preparing  them  to  join  at  Easter  in  the 
Lamb's  High  Festival.  We  may  be  very  sure  that  if,  with  the  dear 
Master,  we  deny  ourselves,  and  fast  and  pray,  to  us,  too,  an  angel 
will  come  to  feed  us  with  the  Bread  of  Heaven,  and  to  give  us  to 
drink  of  the  Chalice  of  Salvation. 

"  Christe  Eleison,"  shall  be  our  antiphon  this  Lent.  The  cry 
for  mercy  shall  be  ever  on  our  lips  and  in  our  hearts.  Then  I  hope 
we  may  find  in  this  book  some  words  each  day  which  may  give 
new  force  to  the  daily  prayer,  and  may  touch  the  innermost  needs 
of  every  heart. 

The  chapters  are  intended  to  be  used  as  a  short  office  to  be  said 
at  any  time  during  the  day,  but  perhaps  especially  in  the  morning 
hours,  because  it  is  hoped  that  at  least  the  words  of  Jesus,  which 
form  a  part  of  it,  may  remain  in  the  minds  of  those  who  read  them 
through   the  day. 

It  is  also  hoped  that  possibly  the  book  may  be  found  useful  for 
services  in  mission  or  school  rooms.  It  will,  I  hope,  endear  to  us 
all  the  marvellous  beauty  of  the  words  of  the  "  Imitation  of 
Christ." 


Should  this  book  succeed  in  making  anyone  love  and  study  the 
"Imitation"  more  than  they  have  hitherto  done,  it  will  not  have 
been  written  in  vain. 

The  suffrages  and  the  "  Lord's  Prayer,"  placed  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  first  chapter,  are  intended  to  be  said  before  each  day's 
meditation,  but  it  was  not  thought  advisable  to  print  so  many 
repetitions  of  the  words. 

The  Litanies  will  be  found  in  the  People's  Hymnal,  except  the 
Litany  of  Patience,  which  has  been  translated  expressly  for  this 
book  from  the  French,  and  will  be  found  in  the  Appendix. 

It  is  earnestly  desired  that  the  short  Psalm  and  Lesson  for  each 
day  should  be  read  after  the  meditation,  as  the  office  will  be  in- 
complete without  them. 

I  make  my  apology  for  undertaking  so  great  a  task  in  the  words 
of  a  Saint,  who  lived  in  the  sixteenth  century: — "In  the  same 
manner  as  it  would  delight  a  king  to  see  a  shepherd  on  whom  he 
had  bestowed  some  favour,  expressing  astonishment  on  viewing  his 
embroidered  robe,  and  pondering  how  it  was  made,  and  what  it  was, 
so  we  women  are  not  to  be  so  hindered  from  enjoying  the  riches  of 
our  Lord,  and  from  speaking  of  them,  as  to  conceal  them  entirely, 
thinking  that  thereby  we  do  well.  We  should  rather  first  show  our 
writings  to  learned  men  ;  and  if  they  approve  them,  then  communi- 
cate them  to  others." 

May  the  mercy  of  Christ  our  Lord  rest  on  all  those  who  draw 
near  to  Him  in  the  sacred  hours  of  His  Fasting  and  Temptation, 
His  Agony  and  Sweat  of  Blood,  His  Cross  and  Passion,  and  His 
most  precious  Death  and  Burial,  and  may  His  children  so  mourn 
with  Him  now,  that  they  may  enjoy  the  Benediction  of  His  Glorious 
Presence  at  the  Feast  of  His  Resurrection. 

Of  your  charity,  pray  for  the  Blessing  of  God  on  my  work. 


Note. — By  a  mistake,  whiclj  it  was  too  late  to  correct,  Thomas  a  Kempis 
has  been  spoken  of  as  "  S,  Thomas,"  though  he  has  not  been  canonized. 


INDEX. 


PART    I. 


ISging  ®nto  ^in 


Chapter     I.  Ash  Wednesday — Humiliation 

II.  First  Thursday  in  Lent — Compunction 

III.  First  Friday  in  Lent — Suffering  for  Sin 

IV.  First  Saturday  in  Lent — Purity  of  Intention 
V.  First  Sunday  in  Lent — Fervour 

VI.  First  Monday   in    Lent — Want    of    Comfort    in 

Religion 

VII.  First  Tuesday  in  Lent — Patience  towards  ourselves 

VIII.  Second  Wednesday  in  Lent — Patience  towards  our 

Brethren 

IX.  Second  Thursday  in  L^;/^— Patience  towards  God 

X.  Second  Friday  in  Lent — Suffering  in  Body 

XI.  Second  Saturday  in  Lent — Quietness  of  Mind 

XII.  Second  Sunday  in  Lent — Interior  Consolations 

XIII,  Second  Monday  in  Lent — Difficulties  in  the  \Vay 

XiV.  Second  Tuesday  in  Lent — Faults  of  the  Saints 

XV.  Third  Wednesday  in  Lent — Warfare 

XVI.  Third  Thursday  in  Lent — Foes  Within  . . 

XVII.  Third  Friday  in  Lent — Suffering  in  Mind 

XVIII.  Third  Saturday  in  Lent — Obedience 

XIX.  Third  Sunday  in  Lent — Light  . . 

XX.  Third  Monday  in  Lent — What  holds  us  back  ? 

XXI.  Third  Tuesday  in  Lent — Self-will 

XXII.  Fourth  Wednesday  in  Leni—SeU-love     .. 


PAGE 
2 


13 
15 

17 
19 
21 

23 

26 
28 
30 

33 

35 
37 
39 
41 
43 
45 
47 


PAGE 

Chapter  XXIII.     Fourth  Thursday  in  Lent — Self-indulgence    , .     49 

XXIV.    Fourth  Friday  in  Lent — Faithfulness  of  God     51 

,,  XXV.     Fourth  Saturday  in  Lent — Fear       . .  "53 


PART    II. 


iLibing  ®nto  Otftrisst. 


Chapter  XXVI. 
XXVII. 
XXVIII. 
XXIX. 
XXX. 

XXXI. 

XXXII. 
XXXIII. 
XXXIV. 

XXXV. 

XXXVI. 

XXXVII. 

XXXVIII. 

XXXIX. 

XL. 

XLI. 

XLII. 

XLIII. 

XLIV. 

XLV. 

XLVI. 


Fourth  Sunday  in  Lent — Refreshment 
Fourth  Monday  in  Lent — Simplicity 
Fourth  Tuesday  in  Lent — Receptivity 
Fifth  Wednesday  in  Lent — Discipleship 
Fifth    Thursday    in    Lent — Friendship    with 

Jesus 
Fifth  Friday  in  L^«^— Fellowship  in  Suffering 
Fifth  Saturday  in  Lent — Readiness. . 
Fifth  Sunday  in  Lent— The  Law  of  Sacrifice 
Fifth  Monday  in  Lent — Sacrifice  of  Love     . . 
Fifth  Tuesday  in  Letit—  Sacrifice  of  Thanks- 
giving 
Sixth  Wednesday  in  Lent—Sacrifice  of  Obedi- 
ence 
Sixth  Thursday  in  Lent — Sacrifice  of  Praise. . 
Sixth  Friday  in  Lent— Joy  of  Sacrifice 
Sixth  Saturday  in  Lent — Crown  of  Sacrifice 
Sunday  next  before  Easter — Rejoicing  in  the 

Lord 
Monday  before  Easter — The  Man  of  Sorrows 
Tuesday  before  Easter—  Betrayed     . . 
Wednesday  before  Easter — Despised 
Thursday  before  Easter— Carry ing  His  Cross 
Good  Friday — Glorious  in  His  Apparel 
Easter  Eve — Resting  from  His  Labours 


58 
60 
62 

65 

68 
71 
73 
76 

78 


83 
85 
88 
90 

92 
95 
97 
100 
103 
105 
107 


PART    I. 


Horlr,  Ijabc  mcicp. 
Cf)rist,  Ijabc  merc|). 
Horlr,  !)abe  mercD, 


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. 


//  is  suggested  that  the  above  prayers  be  used  before  the  meditation  for 
each  day. 


asf)   fflKetinegtrag. 


HUMILIATION. 


"I  AM  BROUGHT  INTO  SO  GREAT  TROUBLE  AND  MISERY,  THAT  I  GO 
MOURNING  ALL  THE   DAY  LONG."— PSALM  XXXVIII.    6. 

"DUST  THOU  ART,  AND  UNTO  DUST  SHALT  THOU  RETURN." — 
GEN.    III.    19. 

"  In  silence  and  in  quiet  the  devout  soul  goes  foi'ward  and  learns  the 
secret  of  the  Scriptures.  There  she  finds  floods  of  tears  with  which  she 
may  wash  and  cleanse  herself  e-bery  night,  that  she  may  become  so  much 
the  more  familiar  with  her  Maker,  by  how  much  the  farther  she  lives  from 
all  worldly  tumult^  S.   THOMAS  A  KEMPIS. 

We  will  begin  our  Lent  by  trying  to  humble  ourselves 
before  our  God,  in  calling  to  mind  the  many  and  grievous 
sins  which  we  have  committed  against  Him. 

We  must  fall  down  before  Him  as  those  who  are  dead 
and  lie  in  the  grave,  for  the  stillness  and  silence  of  the  grave 
is  the  last  and  deepest  humiliation  that  human  nature  can 
know,  as  it  is  also  the  profoundest  act  of  homage  to  the 
majesty  of  God. 

We  must  remember  our  sins  this  day,  and  repent  in  dust 
and  ashes,  that  so  being  dead  unto  sin,  we  may  rise  to 
newness  of  hfe  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord. 

Those  who  die  have  ceased  to  care  for  the  pleasures  and 
allurements  of  this  world.    They  have  passed  away,  and  left 


^^  ^imctnit^ag. 


all  earthly  treasures  behind  them.  So  should  it  be  with 
us,  who  are  dying  to  sin.  We  are  passing  away  from  it,  so 
that  we  shall  no  longer  hear  its  music,  or  see  its  alluring 
brightness.  All  must  be  left  behind,  in  the  city  from  which 
we  are  departing. 

The  grave  is  very  silent  and  very  still,  so  should  our 
penitential  acts  be  done  in  quietness  and  stillness  before 
God.  It  is  not  by  a  "tumult"  of  religious  efforts  we  can 
best  please  God,  and  learn  His  Will.  The  secret  of  the 
Lord  is  with  them  who  possess  their  souls  in  patience,  and 
who  bow  down  themselves  in  His  Presence,  and  keep 
silence  before  Him,  that  they  may  Ksten  to  His  Voice  when 
He  speaks  to  their  souls.  Deep  waters  are  still,  it  is  the 
shallow  stream  which  babbles  as  it  flows. 

Those  who  lie  in  the  grave  are  unseen  by  men,  and 
are  "  out  of  remembrance,"  so  will  we  be  content,  during 
our  Lenten  fast,  to  be  alone,  and  to  hide  ourselves  in  the 
wilderness,  that  in  the  deep  seclusion  of  the  desert  we 
may  fmd  our  Blessed  Lord,  and  ask  Him  to  teach  us  how 
we  may  encounter,  and  defeat,  the  great  enemy  of  our  souls. 

Those  who  are  in  the  grave  are  in  a  state  of  expecta- 
tion, they  are  waiting  for  the  coming  of  the  Lord.  So  from 
the  deep  abyss  of  sorrow  and  contrition  in  which  we  lie,  we 
must  keep  our  longing  eyes  fixed  on  the  Eastern  sky,  in 
patient  expectation  till  the  dawn  of  Easter  shall  break,  and 
the  Day  Star  shall  arise  and  make  our  darkness  to  be  light. 

So  shall  the  evening  shadows  of  the  first  day  of  Lent 
close  on  us,  and  leave  us  in  the  silence  and  stillness  of  our 
deep  humiliation  before  God. 


C^itstc  i^lti^an. 


"Jesus,  Lord  of  dead  and  living, 
Let  Thy  mercy  rest  on  me, 
Grant  me,  too,  when  life  is  finished, 
Rest  in  Paradise  with  Thee." 

^^jJtl-Htiail. 
'''•Have  mercy  upon  7ne,  Thou  Son  of  David" 

Bot'rr  of  grsiis". 

"  COME    UNTO    ME    ALL    YE    THAT    LABOUR    AND    ARE    HEAVY   LADEN. 
Read  Psalm  xxx.     Lesson,  Book  of  j^onah  iu 

Litany  of  Penitence. 


jFirgt  Eiluijatrai)  m  iLrnt. 


COMPUNCTION. 


"I  ACKNOWLEDGE  MY  FAULTS,  AND  MY  SIN  IS  EVER  BEFORE  ME." — 
PSALM   LI.    3. 

"JESUS  SAID,  ONE  OF  YOU  WHICH  EATETH  WITH  ME  SHALL  BETRAY 
ME.  AND  THEY  BEGAN  TO  BE  VERY  SORROWFUL,  AND  TO  SAY  TO  HIM 
ONE     BY    ONE,     IS     IT     I  ?    AND     ANOTHER     SAID,    IS      IT    I  ?  "— S.     MARK 

XIV.   18,   19. 

"  This  is  the  highest  and  most  profitable  lesson,  truly  to  know  and  to 
despise  ourselves.  To  have  no  opiriion  of  ourselves,  and  to  think  well  and 
commendably  of  others,  is  great  wisdom  and  high  perfection. 

"  If  thou  shouldst  see  another  openly  sin,  or  commit  some  heinous  critne, 
yet  thou  oughts t  not  to  esteem  thyself  better :  because  thou  knowest  not  how 
long  thou  mayest  remain  in  a  good  state.  We  are  all  frail  ;  but  see  thou 
think  no  one  more  frail  than  thyself  S.    THOMAS  A  K EM  PIS. 

If  our  Lenten  meditations  are  to  be  blessed  to  us,  we  must 
take  them  home  to  our  hearts,  and  apply  them  individually 
to  our  own  souls. 


dftrst  (OjurstJat)  in  Entt. 


A  general  lament  over  our  sinfulness,  and  over  the 
wickedness  of  the  world,  will  not  help  us  so  to  die  to  sin, 
that  we  may  rise  to  newness  of  life. 

We  must  apply  ourselves  to  search  out,  each  his  own 
peculiar  sins,  and  occasions  of  falling,  and  mark  them 
before  God,  even  as  we  believe  them  to  be  recorded  in 
His  Book  of  Remembrance,  against  us. 

When  the  voice  of  Jesus  says  so  mournfully,  "  One  of 
you  shall  betray  Me,"  let  every  Christian  soul  ask  Him, 
"  Lord,  is  it  I  ?  " 

We  must  not  imagine  that  it  is  impossible  for  us  to 
commit  so  great  a  sin.  Alas  !  we  do  not  know  to  what 
depths  of  iniquity  we  may  fall,  unless  the  ^race  of  God 
sustain  us.  We  have  loved  self  and  money  too  well ;  we 
have  been  grasping  and  covetous,  and  failed  in  our  duty  to 
the  poor ;  were  the  temptation  but  a  Httie  stronger,  might 
we  not  be  led  to  betray  our  Lord  and  Master,  and  to  put 
Him  to  an  open  shame  ? 

Let  this  be  our  attitude  before  our  Crucified  Lord  this 
day ;  let  it  be  to  us  a  day  of  remembrance,  a  day  on  which 
we  accuse  ourselves,  and  excuse  our  neighbours,  a  day  on 
which  our  hearts  are  ever  asking,  in  fear  and  trembling, 
"  Dear  Lord,  is  it  I  ?  " 

So  may  we  never  hear  the  terrible  sentence  pronounced 
upon  us  by  the  voice  of  Judgment,  "  Thou  art  the  man." 

"  I  saw  One  hanging  on  a  Tree, 
In  agonies  and  blood, 
Who  fixed  His  languid  eyes  on  me, 
As  near  His  Cross  I  stood. 


€W^tt  mti^an. 


"  My  conscience  felt  and  owned  my  guilt, 
And  plunged  me  in  despair, 
I  saw  my  sins  His  Blood  had  spilt. 
And  helped  to  nail  Him  there." 

^gptrattDH. 

^^  God  be  ?nerciful  to  me  a  sinner.^' 
^0tCC  0f  3C£lUS. 
HIM    THAT    COMETH     UNTO    ME    I     WILL    IN   NO   WISE   CAST   OUT. 

Read  Psalm  li.      Lesson,  2  Sam.  xii. 


Litany  of  Penite?ice. 


jFast  Jfntrai)  in  a.ntt. 


SUFFERING    FOR    SIN. 


"  THY   HAND   IS  HEAVY  UPON  ME   DAY  AND    NIGHT." — PSALM  XXXII.  4. 

"THERE  IS  NO  HEALTH  IN  MY  FLESH  BECAUSE  OF  THY  DISPLEASURE, 
NEITHER  IS  THERE  ANY  REST  IN  MY  BONES  BY  REASON  OF  MY  SIN." — 
PSALM  XXXVIII.    3. 

"  AND  JESUS  SAID  UNTO  THEM,  SUPPOSE  YE  THAT  THESE  GALILEANS 
WERE  SINNERS  ABOVE  ALL  THE  GALILEANS,  BECAUSE  THEY  SUFFERED 
SUCH  THINGS  ?      I   TELL  YOU   NAY." 

"  Son,  see  thou  dispute  ?iot  of  high  matters,  nor  of  the  hidden  judgments  of 
God  ;  why  this  man  is  left  thus,  and  this  other  is  raised  to  so  great  a  grace, 
or  why  this  person  is  so  much  afflicted,  and  that  other  is  so  highly  exalted. 

"  These  things  are  above  the  reach  of  man,  neither  can  any  reason  or 
discourse  be  able  to  peneti-ate  into  the  judgments  of  God.  When,  therefore^ 
the  enemy  suggests  to  thee  such  things  as  these,  or  thou  hearest  curious 
men  enquiring  into  them,  let  thy  answer  be,  '  Thou  art  just,  O  Lord,  and 
Thy  judgment  is  right.' 

"  Thy  judgments  are  to  be  feared,  ?iot  to  be  searched  into,  for  they  are  incom- 
prehensible to  human  misunderstanding.'"        S.  THOMAS  A  KEMPIS. 


dTtriSt  dTritiai)  tn  Ecnt. 


All  the  Fridays  in  the  year  are,  in  the  mind  of  the  Church, 
hallowed  by  the  shadow  of  the  Cross,  therefore,  on  the  Fridays 
in  Lent,  we  will  meditate  on  the  deep  mystery  of  suffering. 

We  must  be  careful,  in  the  first  place,  not  to  consider  the 
word  suffering  as  synonymous  with  punishment.  When  we 
are  punished,  of  course  we  suffer,  but  suffering  is  by  no 
means  to  be  considered  always  as  punishment.  It  is  rather 
the  loving  and  reassuring  touch  of  the  Hand  of  God  laid 
upon  us,  to  convince  us  of  our  sonship  to  Him,  and 
of  our  union  with  our  Blessed  Lord  in  His  Adorable 
Passion. 

This  it  is  to  "suffer  according  to  the  will  of  God,"  but 
there  is  another  kind  of  suffering,  which  is  more  bitter,  the 
pain  caused  us  by  our  si.is.  This  is  of  two  kinds — the 
suffering  which  the  sins  themselves  bring  on  us,  and  the 
penitential  pain  which  the  remembrance  of  our  sins  causes 
us,  when  the  grace  of  God  has  called  us  to  repentance. 

But  all  suffering  of  whatever  kimi,  is  intended  to  purify, 
and  raise  us  higher,  in  our  Christian  life.  Even  the  pain 
brought  on  us  by  sin,  has  a  good  work  to  do  in  us  ;  a  work 
of  humiliation,  cleansing,  and  making  us  patient.  Therefore, 
we  see  that  even  the  lowest  form  of  suffering  bears  with  it  the 
Benediction  of  God  to  the  faithful  soul,  even  as  the  curse  on 
Eve's  transgression  carried  to  a  sin-struck  world,  the  highest 
of  all  blessings,  in  the  glorious  promise  of  the  Incarnation 
of  the  Son  of  God. 

And  now  let  us  take  to  ourselves  a  warning,  never  to  judge 
our  neighbour  because  we  see  that  he  suffers.  We  cannot 
tell  in  what  manner  the   Hand  of  God  is  resting  on  him. 


€ffn^tt  mti^an. 


therefore  let  us  give  him  our  pity  and  our  prayers,  and  then 
turn  our  thoughts  to  ourselves,  and  pray  that  the  judgment 
of  God  may  lead  us  to  repentance. 

"  O,  is  it  not  wonderful,  servant  of  God, 

That  He  should  have  honoured  us  so  with  His  love, 
That  the  sorrows  of  life  should  but  shorten  the  road 
That  leads  to  Himself,  and  the  mansions  above  ? 

That  God  hath  once  whispered  a  word  in  thine  ear, 
Or  sent  thee  from  Heaven  one  sorrow  for  sin, 

Is  enough  for  a  life,  to  banish  all  fear, 

And  to  turn  into  peace  all  the  troubles  within." 

^5'jpiratton. 

'^Lord,  save  me" 

^otff  of  Sj^s'us". 

"  WHOSOEVER  WILL    COME    AFTER   ME,  LET    HIM    DENY    HIMSELF,   AND 
TAKE   UP  HIS  CROSS  AND  FOLLOW  ME." 

Read  Psalm  xxii.     Lesson,  Job  xxiii. 
Litany  of  the  Passion. 


^\x%X  ^^tavDa])  in  Enit. 


PURITY    OF  INTENTION. 


"an  OFFERING  OF  A  FREE  HEART  WILL  I  GIVE  THEE,  AND  PRAISE 
THY   NAME  O  LORD,  BECAUSE   IT   IS   SO  COMFORTABLE," — PSALM  LIV.   6. 

"  IF  ANY  MAN  COME  TO  ME,  AND  KATE  NOT  HIS  FATHER,  AND  MOTHER, 
AND  WIFE,  AND  CHILDREN,  AND  BRETHREN,  AND  SISTERS,  YEA,  AND 
HIS  OWN   LIFE  ALSO,   HE  CANNOT  BE   MY  DISCIPLE." — S.  LUKE  XV.    26. 

"  With  two  wings  a  man  is  lifted  tip  above  earthly  thirigs,  that  is 
simplicity  and  purity.     Simplicity  must  be  in  the  intention  ;  purity  in  the 


dfir^t  ^attirtraj)  tn  ILoit. 


affection.  No  good  action  will  hi?ider  thee  if  thou  be  free  from  individual 
affections. 

"  If  thou  intendest  and  seekest  nothing  else  but  tlie  will  of  God,  and  the 
■profit  of  thy  neighbour.,  thou  shall  enjoy  internal  liberty. 

"  If  thy  /leart  were  right,  theji  every  creature  would  be  to  tliee  a  looking- 
glass  of  life,  and  a  book  of  holy  doctrine. 

"  There  is  ?io  creature  so  little  and  contemptible,  as  not  to  manifest  the 
good7iess  of  God."  S.    THOMAS    A    KEMPIS. 

God  has  given  man  a  free  will,  in  order  that  he  may  have 
the  blessedness  of  making  his  choice  of  God.  We  are  not 
forced  to  serve  Him  ;  indeed,  He  will  accept  no  compulsory 
service,  at  our  hands. 

Convinced  of  our  own  unworthiness  and  helplessness,  and 
of  His  love  towards  us.  as  manifested  in  the  Life  and  Death 
of  our  Blessed  Lord,  and  penetrated  with  deep  thankfulness 
to  Him,  we  must  offer  Him  the  best  gift  we  have  to  bestow, 
the  offering  of  a  free  heart,  full  of  love  and  praise. 

A  free  heart  is  a  heart  unbound  from  the  trammels  of 
society  and  conventionality.  Not  that  we  should  study  to 
be  remarked  for  singularity,  far  from  it,  but  that  w^e  should 
refuse  to  obey  those  social  laws  which  are  opposed  to 
the  simple  rules  of  life,  laid  down  for  us  by  our  Divine 
Master. 

A  free  heart  is  a  simple  heart.  It  believes  the  Truth  of 
God  "  as  a  little  child,"  and  serves  Him  with  an  unquestion- 
ing obedience.  It  does  not  exercise  itself  in  matters  which 
are  too  high  for  it,  and  is  untroubled  by  doubts  about  the 
Faith. 

A  free  heart  is  a  pure  heart.  It  is  free  from  all  inordinate 
affections  for  the  things  of  earth,  and  can  therefore  rise  to 


10  Cijrtstc  eicisffliT. 


greater  heights  of  love  for  Him  Whom  now  we  see  not, 
but  in  Whom  we  can  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable.  The 
utterance  of  the  pure  heart  is  this — "Whom  have  I  in  Heaven 
but  Thee,  and  what  is  there  upon  earth  that  I  desire  in 
comparison  of  Thee  ?  " 

We  do  not  realize  what  a  tremendous  thing  it  is  to 
choose  Christ.  Our  Loving  Master  would  not  make  our 
way  more  hard  than  necessary,  yet  His  words  are  almost 
terrible  in  their  solemn  call  to  renounce  all  that  is  dear  to  self. 

Let  us  this  day  consider  her,  to  whom  old  custom 
dedicated  the  Saturday  in  every  week,  the  Virgin  Mother 
of  God.  Like  her,  may  we  answer  the  Divine  call  out  of 
a  pure  heart  and  love  unfeigned,  "  Behold  the  handmaid 
of  the  Lord,  be  it  unto  me  according  to  Thy  word." 

"  O,  for  a  heart  to  praise  my  God, 
A  heart  from  sin  set  free  ; 
A  heart  that's  sprinkled  with  the  blood 
So  freely  shed  for  me. 

A  heart  resigned,  submissive,  meek, 

My  dear  Redeemer's  throne, 
Where  only  Christ  is  heard  to  speak, 

Where  Jesus  reigns  alone." 

^^ptration. 

"/  will  follow  Thee  whithersoever  Thou  goest." 

?Fotcc  of  SfJ^its. 

"BLESSED  ARE  THE  PURE  IN  HEART,  FOR  THEY  SHALL  SEE  GOD." 

Read  the  Magnificat,     Lesson,  i  Samuel  ii.  i  to  12. 
Litany  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 


dfirst  ^uttlrau  in  JLtnU  11 


.iFitist  3«HtiaB   in  Hent. 


FERVOUR, 


"AS  FOR  ME,  I  WILL  CALL  UPON  GOD,  AND  THE  LORD  SHALL  SAVE 
ME."~PSALM   LV.    17. 

"behold,  NOW  IS  THE  ACCEPTED  TIME  :  BEHOLD,  NOW  IS  THE  DAY 
OF  SALVATION." — 2   COR.    VI.   2. 

''Always  remember  thine  end,   and  that  time  once  lost  never  returns. 

"  If  thou  beginnest  to  grow  lukewarm,  thou  wilt  begin  to  be  uneasy. 

"  But  if  thou  givest  thyself  to  fervour,  thou  shall  find  great  peace  :  and 
the  grace  of  God,  and  love  of  virtue,  will  make  thee  feel  less  labour. 

''He  that  does  not  shun  small  defects  by  little  and  little,  falls  into 
greater. 

"  Thoti  wilt  always  rejoice  in  the  evening,  if  thou  spend  the  day 
profitably. 

"  Watch  over  thyself  stir  up  thyself,  admonish  thyself 

"  The  greater  violence  thou  offerest  to  thyself,  tlie  greater  progress  thou 
wilt  make."  S.    THOMAS  A    KEMPIS. 

People  are  greatly  mistaken  who  imagine  that  salvation  is 
a  thing  only  of  the  future,  which  will  not  affect  us  until 
after  our  death. 

Surely  if  we  do  not  reach  a  state  of  salvation  while  we 
live,  we  shall  not  attain  to  it  when  we  die. 

Our  Blessed  Lord  lived  on  earth  for  more  than  thirty 
years,  that  He  might  set  before  us  the  pattern  of  a  Perfect 
Life,  and  yet  men  talk  and  live,  as  if  the  Death  of  Jesus  was 
the  only  gift  He  gave  His  children.  If  in  our  death  we 
hope  to  share  the  blessings  which  His  Passion  has  purchased 
for  us,  we  must  follow  Him  day  by  day  through  life. 


12  Clyvi^tt  eici^an. 


From  the  time  that  He  calls  us,  we  must  leave  His  side 
never  more. 

True,  the  loving  Master's  Arms  are  stretched  wide  to 
receive  all  who  come  to  Him.  The  sinner  who  comes  at 
his  last  moment,  shall  find  admission  there,  if,  even  then 
at  the  eleventh  hour,  he  heeds  the  call  of  God,  but  how  can 
we  expect  the  like  mercy,  who  have  neglected  it  from  our 
youth  up  ?  Those  last  moments,  to  which  we  are  looking 
to  make  our  peace  with  God,  may  never  come. 

The  present  moment,  the  all-important  now,  is  all  we 
can  call  our  own. 

Let  us  give  it  to  God,  and  He  will  save  us. 

"  Why,  O  Blessed  Jesus  Christ 
Should  I  not  love  Thee  well, 
Not  for  the  sake  of  winning  Heaven, 
Or  of  escaping  hell  ? 

Not  with  the  hope  of  gaining  aught, 

Not  seeking  a  reward, 
But  as  Thyself  hast  loved  me, 

O,  ever-loving  Lord ; 

Even  so  1  love  Thee,  and  will  love, 

And  in  Thy  praise  will  sing, 
Because  Thou  art  my  Lord  and  God, 

And  my  eternal  King." 

^^IJtratton. 

"  Lord  tell  us  when  shall  these  things  be  ?" 

2Fatte  of  %i^\\^. 

"WATCH,     THEREFORE;     FOR    YE    KNOW    NEITHER    THE    DAY    NOR    THE 
HOUR  WHEREIN  THE  SON  OF  MAN  COMETH." 

Read  Psalm  cxxxii.     Lesson,  Hab.  ii.,  to  v.  14. 
Litany  of  on?-  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 


dTtrst  MaixtiKv  in  ?lcut.  13 


Jfixm  IfiloniiaB  in  ILrnt. 


JVANT    OF    COMFORT    IN    RELIGION. 


"MINE  EYES  LONG  SORE  FOR  THY  WORD:  SAYING,  O  WHEN  WILT 
THOU   COMFORT   ME."— PSALM   CXIX,    82. 

"I  SAY  THE  TRUTH  IN  CHRIST,  I  LIE  NOT,  MY  CONSCIENCE  ALSO 
BEARING   ME   WITNESS   IN   THE   HOLY   GHOST." 

"THAT  I  HAVE  GREAT  HEAVINESS  AND  CONTINUAL  SORROW  IN  MY 
HEART." 

"FOR  I  COULD  WISH  THAT  MYSELF  WERE  ACCURSED  FROM  CHRIST 
FOR   MY   BRETHREN." — ROMANS   IX.    I,   2,   3. 

'■''  Itis  much,  very  fnuch,  to  be  able  to  want  all  co?nfort,  both  human  and 
divine,  and  to  be  willijig  to  bear  this  interior  banishment  for  God's  honour, 
and  to  seek  oneself  in  nothings  nor  to  think  of  one's  own  merit;  therefore 
when  God  gives  spiritual  comfort  receive  it  with  thanksgiving,  and  know 
that  it  is  the  bounty  of  God.  When  comforts  shall  be  taken  away  from  thee, 
do  not  presently  despair,  but  wait  with  humility  and  patience  for  the 
heavenly  visits  for  God  is  able  to  restore  thee  a  greater  consolation. 

"  This  is  no  new  thing,  nor  strange,  to  those  who  have  experienced  the 
ways  of  God.''  S.    THOMAS  A  KEMPIS. 

God  has  not  promised  us  that  in  this  world  we  shall 
always  find  comfort  in  our  religion,  in  so  far  as  comfort 
means  soothing,  consolation,  satisfaction.  "  In  the  world," 
our  dear  Master  tells  us,  we  "  shall  have  tribulation."  It  is 
only  when,  this  life  being  ended,  we  wake  up  in  the  likeness 
of  Christ,  that  our  souls  shall  be  "  satisfied." 

But  the  word  comfort  implies  also  the  idea  of  strength,  of 
fortitude,  and  thus,  often  when  we  are  unconscious  of  it, 
God  is  comforting  us,  by  giving  us  strength  to  endure. 

To  seek  for  comfort  in  the  service  of  God  is  to  seek  for 


14  €f^xiStt  (Sltiimx* 


gratification  of  self,  and  this  He  will  never  give  to  us  on 
earth.  Our  life  in  Christ  must  be  a  crucified  life,  a  life  of 
pain,  a  life  of  penance,  a  life  bereft  of  all  ease,  for  if  we 
live  with  Him,  we  must  also  suffer  with  Him,  even  unto 
death. 

The  love  of  Jesus  must  drive  out  of  our  hearts  all  love  of 
self  if  we  would  be  His  disciples.  Concerning  the  things  of 
God,  we  are  not  to  consider  what  we  like,  or  even  what  will 
do  us  good.  That  which  our  dear  Master  has  appointed 
for  us,  we  must  humbly  and  patiently  do,  not  looking  for, 
or  expecting  comfort,  but  thankful  if  He  lets  us  find  it  in 
our  simple  obedience  to  His  will. 

Let  us  pray  to-day  for  the  same  spirit  of  self-abnegation 
which  made  S.  Paul  ready,  to  suffer  the  loss  of  all  things  for 
the  sake  of  his  brethren. 

"  Jesus,  Lord,  be  Thou  mine  own, 
Thee  I  long  for,  Thee  alone ; 
All  myself  I  give  to  Thee, 
Do  whate'er  Thou  wilt  with  me. 

Thou,  O  God,  my  heart  inflame, 
Give  that  love  which  Thou  dost  claim. 
Payment  I  will  ask  for  none, 
Love  demands  but  love  alone." 

^B^jtrattciu 

"  Lord  we  have  left  all  and  followed  Thee  :  what  shall  we  have  therefore.^' 

"CANST  THOU   BE   BAPTIZED   WITH   THE   BAPTISM   THAT   I   AM 
BAPTIZED   WITH  ?" 

Read  Psalm  cxix.  8i  to  88.     Lesson,  Job  ii.  7  to  ij. 
Litany  of  the  Passion. 


dftriSt  Cu^j^ag  tn  Ecnt.  15 


Jfirgit  Eut^M^  m  Eent* 


/^.4  TIENCE. 


"  O  MY  GOD,  I  CRY  IN  THE  DAY-TIME,  BUT  THOU  HEAREST  NOT,  IN 
THE   NIGHT   SEASON   ALSO   I   TAKE   NO  REST."— PSALM   XXII.   2. 

"THE  GOOD  THAT  I  WOULD  I  DO  NOT:  BUT  THE  EVIL  WHICH  I 
WOULD  NOT,   THAT   I    DO. 

"NOW  IF  I  DO  THAT  I  WOULD  NOT,  IT  IS  NO  MORE  I  THAT  DO  IT, 
BUT  SIN   THAT   DWELLETH    IN   ME."— ROMANS   VII.    19,    20. 

' '  Keep  thy  mind  calm  and  even,  and  prepare  thyself  for  hearing  still  more. 
All  is  7iot  lost  if  thou  feel  thyself  often  afflicted  and  grievously  tempted. 

"  Thou  art  man,  and  not  God;  thou  art  flesh,  and  not  an  angel.  How 
canst  thou  think  to  continue  even  in  the  same  state  of  virtue,  when  this  was 
not  found  in  the  angels  in  Heaven,  nor  in  the  first  Man  iti  Paradise  9 

"/  am  He  that  raises  up  and  saves  them  that  mourn,  and  them  that  know 
their  own  infirmity  I  advance  to  My  Divinity." 

S.    THOMAS  A  K EM  PIS, 

The  keynote  of  tlie  harmony  of  a  religious  life  is  patience. 
It  is  an  attribute  of  God  displayed  in  all  His  dealings  with 
men  ;  without  it,  perseverance  and  holiness  of  life  are  im- 
possible. 

Patience  must  be  exercised  in  three  ways  ;  towards  our- 
selves, towards  our  brethren,  and  towards  God.  To-day,  we 
will  meditate  on  the  necessity  of  being  patient  with  ourselves. 
Our  sins  and  failings  are  so  many,  and  so  great,  that  they 
are  perpetually  hindering  us,  and  driving  us  away  from  the 
strait  path  in  which  we  desire  to  walk,  and  we  get  angry  and 
impatient  with  ourselves  because  of  our  frequent  falls. 


16  CljrtiStc  eici^aiu 


The  greater  the  light  given  to  us,  and  the  more  sincere 
our  endeavours  to  walk  with  God,  the  greater  will  be  our 
temptation  to  be  impatient  with  the  follies  and  infirmities  of 
our  sinful  nature,  which  cause  us  so  often  to  stumble  and  to 
fall.  This  temptation  is  the  more  insidious,  because  it  wears 
the  garb  of  compunction  for  sin,  while  it  is  really  only 
another  form  of  selfishness  and  pride. 

Let  us  ask  God  to  make  us  patient,  and  to  teach  us  to 
accept  our  weakness  and  failures  from  His  hand,  as  a  part 
of  the  wholesome  penance  whereby  He  will  train  our  souls 
for  Heaven. 

"  The  Christian  soul  by  patience  grows 
More  perfect  day  by  day  ; 
And  brighter  still  and  brighter  glows.. 
With  Heaven's  eternal  ray. 

God's  goodness  made  thee  what  thou  art, 

And  yet  will  thee  redeem  ; 
O  be  thou  of  a  steadfast  heart, 

And  put  thy  trust  in  Him." 

^jfpiratton. 

"Master,  carest  TJiou  not  thai  we  perish.'''' 

"IN  YOUR   PATIENCE   POSSESS   YE  YOUR   SOULS." 

Read  Psalm  Hi.     Lesson,  Romans  vii. 

Litany  of  Patience. 


Quants  Wicisne^iiv  in  3lc»t.  17 


^ff^ntr  £2aetiue^tiat>  m  ?ieut. 


PATIENCE    TOWARDS    OUR    BRETHREN. 


"I   SAID   IN  MV  HASTE,    ALL  MEN    ARE    LIARS."— PSALM  LXXXVI.    II. 
'•WHO   MAKETH   THEE   TO   DIFFER    FROM   ANOTHER?   AND  WHAT  HAST 
THOU  THAT  THOU   DIDST   NOT  RECEIVE?" — I    COR,    IV.    7. 

'^  Son,  patiefice  a?id  hutmlity  in  adversity  are  more  pleasing  to  Me  than 
much  consolation  and  devotion  in  prosperity. 

"  Why  art  thou  disturbed  at  a  little  thing  said  against  thee  f  If  it  had 
been  more,  thou  oughiest  not  to  have  beeti  moved. 

"  Thou  art  valiant  enough  so  long  as  no  adversity  or  opposition  comes 
in  thy  way. 

"  Consider  the  great  frailty  which  thou  often  experienced  in  small  difficul- 
ties, yet  it  is  intended  for  thy  good,  as  often  as  these,  or  such  like  things 
befall  thee. 

' '  Put  it  from  thy  heart,  the  best  thou  canst,  and  if  it  has  touched  thee, 
yet  let  it  not  cast  thee  down,  nor  keep  thee  a  long  time  entangled. 

"  At  least  bear  it  patiently,  if  thou  canst  not  receive  it  with  joy." 

S.    THOMAS  A  KEMPIS. 

Words  that  are  planted  in  haste  bear  the  bitter  fruit  of 
penitential  tears.  All  the  Saints  of  God,  almost  without 
exception,  have  uttered  such  words,  and  have  shed  for  them 
the  tears  of  penance. 

Moses,  the  meekest  of  men,  forfeited  his  inheritance  in 
the  Land  of  Promise  through  an  act  of  impatience.     David, 


18  e'^xi^tt  eiei&an. 


the  man  after  God's  own  heart,  said  "  in  haste"  that  he  was 
cast  out  of  the  sight  of  God,  and  angrily  condemned  all 
his  fellow-men,  as  liars.  Job,  the  most  patient  of  men, 
turned  at  last  upon  his  unfeeling  friends,  and  said  in  his 
anger,  "  Miserable  comforters  are  ye  all."  The  Disciple 
whom  Jesus  loved,  besought  Him  that  he  might  be  allowed 
to  call  down  fire  to  destroy  the  enemies  of  the  Lord,  and 
S.  Peter  ventured  even  to  rebuke  his  Holy  Master,  when 
He  spoke  of  His  coming  Passion,  saying,  "  These  things  be 
far  from  Thee,  Lord,"  and  thereby  called  forth  the  most 
severe  reprimand  that  was  ever  uttered  by  the  gracious 
Lips  of  Jesus. 

But  all  these  Saints  died  in  faith,  having  repented  of  their 
sins,  and  received  the  proi'nises  of  God,  and  these  things 
are  written  about  them  for  our  learning,  that  we,  through 
patience,  may  have  hope. 

Keep  back  thy  hasty  words.  Be  patient  with  the  brother 
that  offends  thee,  for  thou  art  weak  as  he  is. 

Take  heed  lest  thy  angry  words  cut  off  thy  neighbour's 
ear,  when  Christ  is  not  near  thee  to  heal  the  wound  that 
thou  hast  made. 

May  this  day's  meditation  lead  us  on  our  way  towards 
the  perfect  peace  of  God. 

"  Renew  Thine  Image,  Lord,  in  me, 
Lowly  and  gentle  may  I  be, 
No  charms  but  these  to  Thee  are  dear. 
No  anger  mayst  Thou  ever  find. 
No  pride  in  my  unruffled  mind, 
But  faith  and  Heaven-born  peace  be  there. 


^ttawts  Ci^urstrag  in  Enit.  19 

"  A  patient  and  victorious  mind, 
That  life  and  all  things  casts  behind, 
Springs  forth  obedient  to  Thy  call, 
A  heart  that  no  desire  can  move, 
But  still  t'  adore,  believe,  and  love, 
Give  me,  my  Lord,  my  Life,  my  All." 

9sfpiration. 

^Lord,  how  often  shall  my  brother  sin  against  me,  and  I  shall  forgive  him  ?" 

?Fflicc  of  ^csusf. 

"BLESSED   ARE  THE   MEEK,    FOR    THEY  SHALL  INHERIT  THE  EARTH." 

Read  Psalm  xxxi.  tj-2J.     Lesson,  yob  xix. 
Litany  of  Patience. 


^zt^xCts  5n)ur^tiai)  \\\  ILent 


PATIENCE    TOWARDS    GOD. 


"HATH  GOD  FORGOTTEN  TO   BE   GRACIOUS?" — PSALM  LXXVIL   9. 

"THE  LORD  IS  NOT  SLACK  CONCERNING  HIS  PROMISE,  AS  SOME  MEN 
COUNT  SLACKNESS  ;  BUT  IS  LONG-SUFFERING  TO  USWARD,  NOT  WILLING 
THAT  ANY  SHOULD  PERISH,  BUT  THAT  ALL  SHOULD  COME  TO  REPENT- 
ANCE,"— 2   S.    PETER   III.    9. 

"  Think  not  thyself  wholly  forsaken^  although  for  a  time  I  have  sent  thee 
some  tribulation,  or  withdrawn  from  thee  the  comfort  which  thou  desirest, 
for  this  is  the  way  to  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven. 

"  /  know  thy  secret  thoughts,  I  know  that  it  is  very  expedient  for  thy  soul 
that  thou  shouldst  sometimes  be  left  wit/tout  consolation  lest  thou  shouldst  be 


20  Cljristr  eici£?0n. 


puffed  up  with  good  sttccess^  and  shouldst  take  a  complaisance  in  thyself^ 
imagining  thyself  to  be  what  thou  art  not. 

"  /  did  not  send  My  beloved  disciples  to  tetnporal  joys.,  but  to  great  con- 
flicts;  ?iot  to  honours,  but  to  contempt;  ?tot  to  idleness  but  to  labours;  not 
to  rest,  but  to  bring  forth  much  fruit  in  patieiice." 

S.   THOMAS  A  REM  PIS. 

Let  us  meditate  to-day  on  the  patient  waiting  for  God  to 
which  He  calls  all  His  children,  and  on  which  His  Benedic- 
tion rests.  It  is  not  easy  to  learn  to  wait  for  God,  because 
we  cannot  understand  His  dealings  with  us,  or  find  out  His 
ways.  Therefore,  a  life  of  waiting  is  a  life  of  faith.  We 
cannot  wait  patiently  for  that,  which  we  do  not  believe  will 
in  the  end,  come  to  us. 

A  life  of  waiting  is  a  life  of  meditation.  The  thing  that 
we  long  for,  will  take  up  ouY  thoughts  and  call  us  away  from 
exterior  distractions,  to  muse  on  the  hidden  things  of  God. 

A  life  of  waiting  is  a  life  of  expectation.  If  we  are  waiting 
for  the  help  and  grace  of  God,  we  siiall  ever  be  looking  to 
Him,  and  watching  for  the  fulfilment  of  His  promises,  fear- 
ful lest  we  should  fail  to  recognize  His  sweet  message  when 
it  comes. 

The  life  of  waiting  is  a  life  of  preparation.  The  more 
we  desire  the  Presence  of  the  Lord,  the  more  careful  we 
shall  be  to  do  nothing  which  may  hinder  His  coming.  We 
shall  endeavour  to  purify  the  innermost  sanctuary  of  our 
hearts,  and  so  to  make  beautiful  the  place  of  His  rest.  AVe 
shall  try  to  make  those  around  us  more  faithful,  more  pitiful, 
more  pure. 

Let  us  hold  fast  our  courage  and  our  faith,  and  be  patient 
to  the  coming  of  the   Lord.     Though  He  tarry,  let  us  wait 


^ttmits  dFritrag  in  Eent.  21 

patiently  for  Him,  for  He  will  come  and  will  be  gracious 
unto  those  who  look  and  long  for  Him. 

"Jesus,  my  heart's  dear  Refuge, 

Jesus  has  died  for  me, 
Firm  on  the  Rock  of  Ages 

Ever  my  trust  shall  be. 
Here  let  me  wait  with  patience, 

Wait  till  the  night  is  o'er  ; 
Wait  till  I  see  the  morning 

Break  on  the  golden  shore. 
Safe  in  the  arms  of  Jesus, 

Safe  on  His  gentle  breast, 
There  by  His  love  o'ershadowed, 

Sweetly  my  soul  shall  rest." 

^£fjpirati0n. 

'■'■How  long,  O  Lord,  how  long  f^ 

IBaitt  of  ^t^w^. 

"blessed   are  those  servants    whom   the  lord    when    he   COMETH 
SHALL  FIND   WATCHING." 

Read  Psabn  Ixii.     Lesson,  Daniel  xii.  ^-12. 

Litany  of  Paiunce. 


g>econtr  dPriirag  \xi  ILcnt. 


SUFFERING    IN  BODY. 


"  THY  LOVING  CORRECTION  SHALL  MAKE  ME  GREAT." — PSALM  XVIII.  35. 
"let  it  alone    THIS    YEAR    ALSO,    TILL  I  SHALL  DIG   ABOUT  IT." — 
S,  LUKE  XIII.    8. 


Cibrt^tc  mtiian. 


"  Sef  thyself  like  a  good  and  faithful  servant  of  Christ  to  bear  manfully 
the  Cross  of  thy  Lord,  crucified  for  the  love  of  thee. 

"Drink  of  the  chalice  of  thy  Lord  lovingly,   if  thou  desirest  to  be  His 
friend,  and  to  have  part  with  Him. 

"  Leave  consolations  to  God  to  do  with  them  as  best  pleaseth  Him, 
*'  But  prepare  thyself  to  bear  tribulations,  and  account  them  the  greatest 
consolations  :  for  the  sufferings  of  this  life  bear  no  proportion  with  the  glory 
to  come,  although  thou  alone  couldst  suffer  them  all.'''' 

S.    THOMAS  A   K  EM  PIS. 
Friday  is  the  day  consecrated  to  the  thought   of  suffering, 
the  day  sprinkled  for  evermore  with  the  Blood  of  the  Great 
Sacrifice. 

Let  us  then  on  every  Friday  keep  in  our  hearts  the  Feast 
of  the  exaltation  of  the  Holy  Cross,  by  lifting  up  to  our 
Blessed  Lord  our  cross  of  pain  and  suffering,  and  offering 
it  in  union  with  His  Sacrifice  to  the  Majesty  of  God. 

Only  we  must  take  care  that  the  cross  we  offer  carries 
on  it  ourselves.  We  must  be  nailed  to  it  before  it  is  lifted 
up,  our  wills,  our  hearts,  our  intellects  must  all  be  fastened 
there.  Then  will  the  Lord,  Who  for  us  was  hfted  up, 
"draw"  us  unto  Him. 

We  will  bless  the  cross  of  pain  which  raises  us  nearer  to 
Him  Whom  we  so  love.  We  will  gladly  bear  the  suffering, 
by  which  our  will  is  fastened  to  His  most  Holy  Will. 

We  are  trees  of  the  Lord's  planting,  and  He  ordains  that 
we  should  bring  forth  fruit  to  His  glory.  To  this  end,  as  a 
good  Husbandman,  He  prunes  and  cuts  away  all  withered 
and  useless  branches,  and  He  digs  deeply,  even  to  the  very 
roots,  to  loosen  the  hard  soil,  and  give  new  strength  and 
nourishment,  so  that  the  sap  of  the  grace  of  God  may  flow 
freely  even  to  the  topmost  branches. 


^tcants  ^aturUap  in  Hent.  23 

When  our  vanity  and  love  of  ease  are  cut  away  by  the 
sharp  pruning-knife  of  bodily  pain,  and  the  chastisements  of 
our  Father  dig  deeply  to  the  very  roots  of  our  pride  and 
self-will,  then  let  us  give  praise  to  God,  that  He  has  left  us 
still  standing  in  His  holy  ground,  and  that  He  is  making 
us  fit  for  the  Master's  use. 

"  Inscribed  upon  the  Cross  we  see, 
In  shining  letters,  God  is  love ; 
He  bears  our  sins  upon  the  Tree, 
He  brings  us  mercy  from  above. 

The  Cross  it  takes  our  guilt  away, 

It  holds  the  fainting  spirit  up, 
It  cheers  with  hope  the  gloomy  day, 

And  sweetens  every  bitter  cup." 

^j^tration. 

'■'■  Bid  me  to  come  unto  Thee.''' 

"I,    IF  I   BE  LIFTED  UP,    WILL  DRAW  ALL  MEN  UNTO  ME." 
Read  Psalm  cxvi.     Lesson,   Wisdom  Hi.  i  to  ii. 

Litany  of  the  Passion. 


Seconir  5>aturnaB  in  aeut. 


QUIETNESS    OF  MIND, 


"HE  WATERETH  THE  HILLS  FROM  ABOVE,  THE  EARTH  IS  FILLED 
WITH   THE  FRUIT  OF  THY  WORKS." — PSALM  CIV.    13. 

"WHICH  OF  YOU,  WITH  TAKING  THOUGHT,  CAN  ADD  TO  HIS  STATURE 
ONE  CUBIT."— S.  LUKE  XII.    26. 


24  Cf)ris"tc  (Slti^mu 


' '  Grant  7ne  Thy  grace  most  inercifid  Jesus,  that  it  may  be  with  me,  and 
continue  with  me  to  the  end. 

•'  Grant  me  always  to  will  and  desire  that  which  is  acceptable  to  Thee, 
and  which  pleaseth  Thee  best. 

'■'•Let  Thy  will  be  mitie,  and  let  my  will  always  follow  Thine ^  a7id  agree 
perfectly  with  it. 

"  Let  vie  always  will  or  not  will  the  same  with  Thee  :  and  let  me  not  be 
able  to  will  or  ?iot  will  any  otherwise  tha?i  as  Thou  wiliest  or  wiliest  not. 

"  Grant  that  I  may  die  to  all  things  that  are  in  the  world :  and  for  Thy 
sake,  love  to  be  despised,  and  ?iot  to  be  known  in  this  world. 

"  Grant  that  I  may  rest  in  Thee  above  all  things  desired,  and  that  my 
heart  may  be  at  peace  in  Thee. 

^''  In  this  peace,  in  the  selfsame  that  is  in  Thee,  the  one  Sovereign  Eternal 

Good,  I  will  sleep  and  I  will  rest." 

S.   THOMAS  A  KEMP  IS. 

We  will  meditate  to-day  on  the  quiet  working  of  the  grace 
of  God  in  our  hearts. 

Our  Blessed  Lord  tells  us  to  consider  the  lilies  how  they 
grow,  that  we  may  learn  from  them.  Planted  down  in  the 
bosom  of  the  earth,  in  darkness  and  in  silence,  unseen  and 
unknown  of  men,  the  Hand  of  God  touches  them,  and 
draws  forth  out  of  that  which  was  apparently  dead,  new 
forms  of  beauty  and  of  life. 

As  with  the  lilies,  so  with  the  corn.  It  is  sown  in  faith  ; 
unseen  by  any  but  the  eye  of  God,  its  growth  begins,  and  by 
and  bye  springs  forth,  first  the  blade,  then  the  ear,  then  the 
full  corn  in  the  ear. 

So  it  is  with  the  children  of  God.  He  plants  them  in  His 
holy  ground  at  their  Baptism,  and  sprinkles  them  with  the 
Water  of  Life,  and  then  the  gracious  Spirit  of  God  begins  to 
work  in  their  hearts  in  silence,  and  unseen,  till  the  fulness  of 
the  grace  He  gives,  at  length  breaks  forth,  and  shows  the 


^gcoiitf  ^atttrtrai?  in  Hcut, 25 

green  blade,  which  is  the  first  token  of  the  coming  harvest 

No  strife,  no  hurry,  no  noise,  no  rushing  hither  and 
thither,  but  peace,  and  rest,  and  quiet  waiting  for  God ;  by 
these  shall  the  sweet  lily  grow,  and  attain  the  full  majesty 
of  its  pure  beauty. 

We  must  beware  lest  even  the  religious  exercises  of  the 
Lenten  season  should  shake  our  souls  from  their  quietness 
and  peace.  With  hurry  and  excitement,  self  breaks  in  upon 
us,  and  brings  the  distracting  turbulence  that  draws  us  away 
from  God. 

A  great  saint  has  said,  "  The  proficiency  of  the  soul  is 
attained  more  by  loving  than  by  thinking."  "  Let  the  body 
labour,  but  let  the  soul  rest."  By  prayer,  by  meditation, 
by  quiet  communing  with  God,  shall  the  growth  of  grace 
within  us,  be  nourished  and  made  strong.  The  Good 
Shepherd  leads  His  own  sheep  beside  the  still  waters.  In 
quietness  and  in  confidence  shall  be  your  strength. 

Let  us  learn  of  the  Lily,  from  whose  sweet  and  lovely 
flower,  nurtured  in  the  silence  of  the  Sanctuary  of  God, 
came  forth  Him,  Who  was  the  Desire  of  the  whole  earth. 

May  the  words  of  quiet  submission  dwell  in  our  hearts 
this  day ;  "  be  it  unto  me  according  to  Thy  Word." 

"  Oh  !  for  a  closer  walk  with  God, 

A  calm  and  heavenly  frame, 

A  light  to  shine  upon  the  road. 

That  leads  me  to  the  Lamb. 

Give  me,  dear  Lord,  a  quiet  mind. 

From  every  tumult  free, 
A  heart  endued  with  patient  grace, 

That  rests  itself  on  Thee. 


26  €fixi^tt  eUi^an, 


"  Give  me  beneath  Thy  Cross  to  lie, 
And  fix  my  gaze  on  Thee, 
To  gain  from  Thy  dear  dying  Love 
My  soul's  tranquillity." 

^^  Lord,  increase  our  faith." 

"^i^itx  of  %t^\x%. 

"LET  NOT  YOUR    HEART    BE    TROUBLED,  NEITHER   LET   IT    BE  AFRAID. 

Read  Psalm  iv.     Lesson,  Isaiah  xxx.  ij  to  22. 
Litany  of  the  Holy  Name  of  Jesus. 


^ttm^   g^uniiai)    m   Hent, 


INTERIOR    CONSOLATIONS. 


"SET  UP  THYSELF,  O  GOD,  ABOVE  THE  HEAVENS,  AND  THY  GLORY 
ABOVE  ALL  THE  EARTH."— PSALM   LVII.    12. 

"I   BESEECH  THEE,    SHOW  US  THY  GLORY." — EXOD.    XXXIII.    18. 

"  Every  inclination  which  appears  good  is  not  presently  to  be  followed,  nor 
every  contrary  affection,  at  first  sight,  to  be  rejected. 

'•''Even  in  good  desires  and  inclinations  it  is  expedient  sometitnes  to  use 
some  restraint ;  lest  by  too  much  eagerness  thou  incur  distraction  of  mind ; 
lest  thou  create  scandal  to  others  by  not  keeping  within  discipline,  or  by  the 
opposition  which  thou  mayest  7neet  with  frojn  others,  thou  be  suddenly  dis- 
turbed, and  fall."  S.    THOMAS  A  K  EM  PIS. 

Sundays  should  be  to  us  "  times  of  refreshing,"  days  spent 
in  communion  with  God,  days  on  which  we  gain  strength  to 
bear  the  trials,  and  to  resist  the  temptations,  incident  to  the 
active  life  of  the  week. 


^cconlf  ^untrag  in  %tnt  27 

Pre-eminently  refreshing  to  our  souls  are  the  Sundays  in 
Lent,  when  we  are  relieved  from  the  forty  days'  fast,  and  are 
free  to  turn  our  thoughts  away  from  our  own  inner  life,  to  the 
contemplation  of  the  glorious  Mysteries  of  our  holy  Faith. 

The  Voice  of  the  Church  calls  us  to-day  to  meditate  on 
the  Transfiguration  of  our  Blessed  Lord,  when  He  turned 
aside  for  a  few  moments  from  the  bitterness  of  His  earthly 
life,  to  manifest  to  His  chosen  Apostles  a  brief  glimpse  of 
the  glory  which  He  had  with  the  Father  before  the  begin- 
ning of  the  world. 

His  Divine  Countenance  was  irradiated  with  heavenly 
lustre,  and  His  raiment  shone  white  and  glistening  before 
the  astonished  eyes  of  His  Apostles,  and  on  either  side  of 
Him  appeared  the  glorified  forms  of  Moses  and  Elias, 
talking  with  Him. 

Thus  did  the  dear  Master  show  forth  His  glory,  that  His 
servants  might  have  their  faith  strengthened,  and  their 
hopes  renewed,  and  to  this  end  were  they  privileged  to  hear 
the  Voice  of  God  Almighty  speaking  from  the  cloud. 

God  gives  to  His  chosen  ones  bright  visions  of  His  glory 
for  their  comfort  and  their  joy,  but  here  on  earth  such 
visions  cannot  last.  We  must  come  down  from  the  moun- 
tain, and  the  heavenly  visitants  must  vanish  from  our  sight. 

We  who  have  been  rejoicing  in  the  worship  of  the 
Sanctuary  must  go  back  to  our  everyday  trials,  and  must 
take  up  once  more  the  thread  of  our  Lenten  discipline. 

S.  Peter  would  fain  have  placed  a  tabernacle  for  his  Lord 
in  the  full  radiance  of  the  mountain  glory,  that  he  might 
abide  there  for  ever,  but  the  Scripture  tells   us   "  he  knew 


28  CTjrtjSte  md^an* 


not  what  he  said."  The  children  of  God  must  thankfully 
receive  the  joys  which  their  loving  Lord  gives  them,  and 
they  must  be  content  to  resign  them  when  He  takes  them 
away. 

"Lord,  Thy  glory  fills  the  Heaven, 
Earth  is  with  its  fulness  stored, 
Unto  Thee  be  glory  given, 
Holy,  Holy,  Holy,  Lord." 

^iSpiration. 

^^  Master,  it  is  good  for  us  to  be  here.'' 

JFoirr  of  :^c^us(. 

"FATHER,    I    WILL  THAT  THEY    ALSO  WHOM   THOU   HAST  GIVEN   ME,  BE 
WITH   ME  WHERE   I   AM." 

Read  Psalm  cxxxviii.      Lesson,  S.  L^ike  ix.  28  to  jy. 
Litaiiy  of  our .  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 


^uxsx(is  iWoDtiai)  m  Itent. 


DIFFICULTIES    IN    THE    WAY 


"I  AM  SO  FAST  IN  PRISON  THAT  I  CANNOT  GET  FORTH. "—PSALM 
LXXXVIII,   8. 

"  THEY  CAME  UNTO  THE  IRON  GATE  THAT  LEADETH  UNTO  THE  CITY  ; 
WHICH  OPENED  TO  THEM  OF  HIS  OWN  ACCORD,  AND  THEY  WENT  OUT." 
ACTS   XII.   10. 

''All  things  avail  little  till  thou  take  notice  that  I  am  He  Who  delivers 
those  that  trust  in  Me,  nor  is  th^re  out  of  Me  any  powerful  help. 

''But  now,  having  recovered  spirits  after  the  storm,  g7-ow  tJiou  strong 
again  in  the  light  of  My  tender  mercies ;  for  I  am  at  hand  to  repair  all, 
not  only  to  the  full,  hut  even  with  abundance  and  above  measure. 

"  Where  is  thy  faith  f    Stand  firmly,  and  with  perseverance. 


JjECDntf  :^0ntfaD  in  3LmU  29 

"Have  patience,  be  of  good  courage ;  comfort  will  come  to  thee  in  its 
proper  season:'  S.   THOMAS  A   KEMP  IS. 

We  have  come  down  from  the  Mount  of  Transfiguration. 
Sunday  is  past  and  over. 

We  must  take  up  our  cross  afresh,  and  go  bravely  forward 
in  the  path  that  is  set  before  us.  There  are  great  difficulties 
in  our  way,  which  meet  us  at  once.  Our  own  sins  and 
weaknesses,  the  opposition  of  others,  feebleness  of  body — • 
some  or  all  of  these  form  a  barrier  which  we  can  neither 
surmount  nor  remove. 

Like  S.  Peter,  we  are  shut  up  in  prison,  chained  on  the 
one  hand  to  our  sinful  bodies,  on  the  other  to  the  tempta- 
tions and  distractions  of  the  world  we  live  in,  but  let  us 
take  courage,  and  pray  without  ceasing,  and  God  will  help 
us  to  "  leap  over  the  wall."  The  iron  gate,  even  which 
seems  to  make  it  impossible  for  us  to  follow  the  guidance  of 
the  heavenly  messenger  shall  not  oppose  us. 

We  must  not  waste  our  time  and  strength  in  bewailing 
the  closeness  of  our  captivity.  We  must  not  wear  out  our 
energies  by  the  constant  contemplation  of  the  iron  gate  of 
difficulty  which  bars  our  road.  It  is  useless  to  beat  our- 
selves against  it,  or  to  try  to  push  it  down,  its  massy  bars 
mock  our  puny  efforts,  but  rather  let  us  be  quiet  and  pray, 
putting  our  case  humbly  into  the  Hands  of  God,  and  in  His 
good  time  a  light  from  Heaven  will  illumine  the  prison  cell, 
the  chains  will  fall  from  us,  and  an  angel's  voice  will  bid  us 
arise  and  go  on  our  way. 

If  the  angel  of  the  Lord  be  with  us,  the  iron  gate  will 
open  to  us  "  of  his  own  accord." 


30  Cfjrt^te  mti^an. 


'*  Lord,  Thine  own  Thou  wilt  deliver, 
From  the  chains  of  guilt  and  sin, 
Iron  bars  and  strong  foundations 
Cannot  shut  Thy  children  in. 

Thou  wilt  send  Thy  glorious  angel. 

From  all  strife  to  set  them  free. 
Jesus,  ope  the  Gate  of  Heaven, 

Let  Thy  children  come  to  Thee. " 

^sfjiratton. 

*'  yesus,  Master,  have  mercy  on  us." 

©otcr  of  ^sixii. 

"VERILY,   VERILY,     I    SAY  UNTO  YOU,    I  AM  THE   DOOR   OF  THE   SHEEP. 

Read  Psalm  xviii.     Lesson,  Acts  xii.  i  to  12. 
Litany  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 


giccottS  JETuesilias  in  iLcnt. 


FAULTS    OF    THE    SAINTS. 


"WHO  WILL   LEAD  ME  INTO  THE  STRONG  CITY?"— PSALM  LX.    9. 

"THESE  THINGS  ARE  WRITTEN  FOR  OUR  LEARNING,  THAT  WE 
THROUGH  PATIENCE  AND  COMFORT  OF  THE  SCRIPTURES  MIGHT  HAVE 
HOPE."— ROMANS  XV.   4. 

"  Turn  all  occasions  to  thy  spiritual  profit ;  so  that  if  thou  seest  or  hearest 
any  good  examples^  thou  mayest  be  spurred  on  to  imitate  them. 

"But  if  thou  observe  anything  that  is  blameworthy,  take  heed  that  thou 
commit  not  the  same,  or  if  thou  at  any  time  hast  done  it,  labour  to  amend 
it  out  of  hand. 

"  A  religious  man,  who  exercises  himself  seriously  and  devoutly  in  the 


^ecnntr  Cucs(trag  in  ILcnt.  31 

most  Holy  Life  and  Passion  of  our  Lord,  shall  find  there  abundantly  all 
things  profitable  and  necessary  for  him  ;  nor  need  he  seek  any  better  model 
than  that  of  Jesus.''  S.    THOMAS  A  KEMP  IS. 

Even  the  faults  of  the  Saints,  which  have  been  recorded  by 
the  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  ought  to  be  to  us  a  source 
of  consolation.  We  regard  the  holy  men  of  old  as  those 
whom  we  must  follow,  but  only  at  a  distance,  and  without 
any  hope  of  attaining  to  the  height  of  their  sanctity.  But 
the  command  of  God  is  "  Be  ye  perfect,"  and  nothing  short 
of  perfection  must  satisfy  those  who  try  to  walk  with  God. 

Yet  we  are  so  imperfect.  We  cannot  do  anything  really 
well.  Year  after  year  we  use  all  the  blessed  means  of 
grace,  we  live  in  constant  nearness  to  the  sweet  mysteries 
of  our  holy  Faith,  and  still  we  remain  almost  as  we 
were. 

Again  and  again  we  have  the  same  sins  to  confess,  the 
same  infirmities  keep  us  back,  the  same  weaknesses  cause 
us  to  fall. 

Praised  be  God  !  This  is  true  also  of  the  greatest  of  His 
Saints.  Although  the  grace  of  God  abounded  in  them,  and 
made  them  so  powerful  to  do  Him  service,  yet  the  special 
characteristics  of  each  remained  unchanged. 

S.  Peter,  hasty  before  his  call,  remained  rash  and  im- 
petuous after;  S.  John,  zealous  and  loving  always,  allowed 
the  fervour  of  his  devotion  to  carry  him  away  from  the 
meekness  which  his  Divine  Master  taught  him  ;  S.  Thomas, 
too  practical  and  too  weak  in  faith,  needed  to  the  last  to 
walk  by  sight,  and  to  have  sensible  assurance  of  the  truth  of 
the  Resurrection. 


32  Cf^xi^tt  eiti^aiu 


These  faults  of  the  Saints  are  written  that  we  may  have 
hope. 

If  S.  Peter  and  S.  John  could  mistake  the  Spirit  of  the 
dear  Master's  teaching,  even  while  He  was  with  them  on 
earth,  is  it  wonderful  that  we  too  should  sometimes  allow 
enthusiasm  or  zeal,  or  even  a  too  practical  spirit  of  common 
sense,  to  overpower  us,  and  bring  down  upon  us  the  rebuke 
of  our  God. 

But  while  He  rebukes,  He  holds  out  His  pierced  Hands, 
and  draws  us  with  the  cords  of  love  close  to  His  wounded 
Heart,  so  have  we  a  good  hope  because  of  His  Word. 

"  For  Christ  they  Uved,  for  Christ  they  died, 
Him  in  their  hves  they  crucified, 

Their  death  their  greatest  gain. 
Now  in  the  mansions  of  the  blest, 
With  Him  in  blissful  peace  they  rest, 

Awaiting  the  Last  Day. 
Like  them,  may  we  our  labour  love, 
And  faithful  to  His  service  prove, 

Till  we  are  called  away." 

Aspiration. 

"  Tkou  hast  the  words  of  Eteryial  Life." 

■    ^mzz  flf  Bcsus. 

"be  ye  therefore  perfect,  as  your  father  which  is  in  heaven 
is  perfect." 

Read  Psahn  Ixi.     Lesson,  Heb .  xii.  to  verse  14. 

Litany  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 


Cftirlf  U^e^ixt^^Kv  in  3Ltnt  33 


3ri)irti  a^aetrueieitrai)  in  Hcut. 


WARFARE, 


"THEY  THAT  ARE  MINE  ENEMIES  AND  WOULD  DESTROY  ME  GUILT- 
LESS  ARE  MIGHTY." — PSALM    LXIX.    4. 

''THERE  WAS   WAR   IN   HEAVEN.  "—REV.    XXI.    7. 

'■''Son,  thoii  art  more  serene  in  this  life ;  but  as  long  as  thojc  livesty  thou 
hast  need  always  of  spiritual  arms. 

"  Thou  art  in  the  midst  of  enemies,  and  art  assaulted  on  all  sides, 

"  If  tJwu  dost  not  fix  thy  heart  on  Me,  with  a  sincere  will  of  suffering  all 

things  for  My  sake,  thou  canst  not  support  the  heat  of  this  warfare,  nor 

attain  to  the  victory  of  the  Saints.     It  behoveth  thee,  therefore,  to  go  through 

all  manfully,  and  to  use  a  strong  hand  against  all  things  that  oppose  thee.'* 

S.  THOMAS  A  KEMP  IS. 

The  angels  sang  of  "  Peace  on  earth  "  when  the  Saviour  of 
the  world  was  born,  but  when  He  came  to  man's  estate,  He 
told  His  disciples  that  He  was  not  come  to  bring  peace, 
but  division.  Yet  again  He  said,  "  Peace  I  leave  with  you, 
My  peace  I  give  unto  you."     How  can  these  things  be  ? 

God  calls  us  to  fight  against  His  enemies,  but  to  be  at 
peace  with  Him. 

If  God  be  for  us,  we  need  not  fear  those  who  are 
against  us. 

All  our  life  may  be,  and  ought  to  be,  one  continued  time 
of  warfare  against  our  threefold  enemy,  the  Devil,  the 
World,  and  the  Flesh.  But  while  the  battle  rages  never 
so  fiercely,  God  gives  to   His   children  a  sweet  sense  of 


34  €f^xi^U  eictiSon. 


nearness  to  His  Ineffable  Majesty,  which  fills  their  souls 
with  peace. 

While  we  fight  on  the  Lord's  side,  our  victory,  too,  is  sure. 
Only  we  must  take  heed  lest  haply  we  be  fighting  under  the 
standard  of  pride  and  self-love,  for  such  a  warfare  God  will 
not  bless. 

Let  us  fix  our  eyes  steadfastly  on  the  Banner  which  goes 
before  us.  If  it  bear  the  Sign  of  the  Cross,  we  may  follow 
it  fearlessly,  and  we  shall  at  last  receive  from  the  dear 
Master's  own  Hand,  the  crown  which  He  has  promised  to 
him  that  overcometh  in  the  strife. 

"The  Royal  Banners  forward  go, 
The  Cross  shines  forth  in  mystic  glow, 
When  He  in  Fleshy  our  flesh  Who  made, 
Our  sentence  bore,  our  ransom  paid. 

Fulfilled  is  all  that  David  told, 

In  true  prophetic  song  of  old. 

Amidst  the  nations,  'God,'  saith  he, 

'  Hath  reigned,  and  triumphed  from  the  Tree.'  " 

^sl|itrattan. 

"B/essed  be  the  King  that  cometh  in  the  Name  of  the  Lord ;  peace  in  Heaven 
and  Glo7y  in  the  Highest. ''^ 

13f^its  of  %t^\xii» 

"  SUPPOSE    YE    THAT    I     AM    COME    TO   GIVE    PEACE   ON    EARTH,    I   TELL 
YOU,   NAY." 

Read  Psalm  xxxv.     Lesson,  Eph.  vi.  2  to  12. 

Litany  of  the  Holy  Name  of  Jesus. 


W^ix^  Elbwr^ag  in  %mt  35 


5ri)irir  J!ri)ur!3lra8  in  ILent 


i^C)^^'     WITHIN. 


"CLEANSE  THOU    MR   FROM  MY  SECRET    FAULTS."— PSALM   XIV.   lO. 

"JUDGE  NOTHING  BEFORE  THE  TIME,  UNTIL  THE  LORD  COME,  WHO 
BOTH  WILL  BRING  TO  LIGHT  THE  HIDDEN  THINGS  OF  DARKNESS,  AND 
WILL  MAKE  MANIFEST  THE  COUNSELS  OF  THE  HEARTS  :  AND  THEN 
SHALL  EVERY  MAN  HAVE   PRAISE  OF  GOD." — I   COR.    IV.   5. 

"  O  Lord,  my  God,  depart  not  far  from  7ne,  O  my  God,  have  regard  to 
help  me  ;  for  divers  evil  thoughts  have  risen  up  against  me,  and  great  fears 
afflicting  my  soul. 

"  How  shall  I  pass  without  hurt  f    How  shall  I  break  through  them  f 

"  Thou  sayest  '/  will  open  the  gates  of  the  prison,  and  reveal  to  thee  hidden 
secrets. ' 

"  Do,  Lord,  as  thou  sayest,  and  let  all  these  wicked  thoughts  flee  from  before 
Thy  Face."  S.    THOMAS  A  KEMPIS. 

It  is  not  from  the  enemies  in  the  field,  nor  even  from  those 
at  the  gate,  that  the  besieged  fortress  has  most  to  fear. 
Its  greatest  danger  Ues  in  the  possibihty  of  treachery 
within  the  walls. 

If  there  be  but  one  unfaithful  guard  who  will  open 
the  smallest  aperture,  the  strong  defences  and  the  most 
careful  strategy  are  of  no  avail  whatever.  Through  the 
one  unguarded  window  the  hosts  of  the  enemy  will  pour 
in  like  a  flood,  and  the  fortress  will  fall  a  prey  to  the 
fury  of  the   oppressors. 

We  will  meditate  to-day  on  the  danger  of  those  secret 
sins  which  are  the  treacherous  guards  of  the  stronghold  of 


36  €W^tc  eiti^aiu 


our  souls.  They  are  often  unknown  to  us,  and  yet  they  are 
the  most  formidable  and  dangerous  of  all  our  foes. 

How  are  we  to  discover  and  defeat  them  ? 

By  self-examination,  by  meditation,  and  by  prayer, 
through  the  help  of  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God. 

If  we  let  into  the  darkest  recesses  of  our  souls  the  glorious 
light  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  it  will  reveal  clearly  to  us  all 
the  dark  thoughts  and  secret  sins  which  are  lurking  there. 
When  once  they  are  discovered  and  brought  into  the  light, 
their  treachery  is  disarmed,  and  we  need  fear  them  no  more. 

To  meditate  on  the  life  and  character  of  our  Blessed 
Lord,  and  to  pray  for  the  same  mind  to  be  in  us  which  we 
see  in  Him,  this  will  bring  to  light  the  hidden  things  of 
darkness,  and  conquer  the  dominion  of  secret  sin. 

So  shall  our  souls  rejoice  and  praise  with  a  pure  heart  the 
God  of  Peace. 

"  Light  of  those  whose  dreary  dwelling 
Borders  on  the  shades  of  night, 
Come,  and  by  Thy  love  dispelling 
Dissipate  the  clouds  beneath. 

By  Thine  All- restoring  Spirit 

Every  burdened  soul  release, 
Every  weary,  wand'ring  spirit, 

Guide  Thou  into  perfect  peace." 

^^jjiratton. 

'*  Lord,  that  I  may  receive  my  sight." 

"FOK   JUDGMENT  AM   I   COME   INTO  THIS  WORLD,  THAT  THEY  WHO  SEE 
NOT  MIGHT   SEE." 

Read  Psalm  cxxxix.     Lesson,  S.  John  Hi.  16-22. 
Litany  of  Repentance. 


Cb trtr  dfriUaj)  tit  Unit.  37 


2Cf)ttir  jFritrag  m  Hent. 


SUFFERING    OF  MIND. 


"MY  TEARS   HAVE    BEEN    MY    MEAT     DAY     AND    NIGHT,    WHILE  THEY 
SAY  DAILY   UNTO   ME,  'WHERE   IS   NOW  THY  GOD.'" — PSALM   XLII.    3. 
"  BEHOLD   WE   COUNT  THEM   HAPPY    WHO   ENDURE." — S.   JAMES   V.    11. 

"  Knozvfor  certain  that  thou  must  lead  a  dying  life  ;  and  the  more  a  man 
dies  to  hiinself,  the  more  he  begins  to  live  to  God. 

"  No  man  is  Jit  to  comprehend  heavenly  things  who  has  not  resigned  him- 
self to  sziffer  for  Christ. 

"  Nothing  is  more  acceptable  to  God,  7iothi7ig  more  wholesome  for  thee  in 
this  world,  than  to  suffer  willingly  for  Christ. '^ 

S.   THOMAS  A  KEMP  IS. 

Once  more  Friday  brings  us  to  the  Feet  of  Him  Who  was 
"  lifted  up  that  He  might  draw  all  things  unto  Him." 

Let  us  come  then  to  the  Cross  of  Jesus,  and  lay  down 
there  the  burden  of  sorrow,  which,  all  unknown  to  our 
brethren  and  companions,  weighs  down  in  a  greater  or  less 
degree  the  heart  of  every  true  servant  of  the  Lord. 

The  Divine  Master  tells  us  plainly  that  if  we  would  be 
His,  tribulation  must  be  our  portion  here.  He  was  the 
"Man  of  Sorrows,"  and  shall  not  the  disciple  be  "as  his 
Master  ?  " 

While  we  are  on  earth  we  must  bear  the  grief  of  our  own 
sins,  we  must  also  mourn  over  the  wickedness  of  the  world 
around,  and  the  dishonour  which  is  being  done  to  God  by 
the  creatures  of  His  Hand,  and  we  have  each  of  us  a  secret 


38  Cljri^tc  mti^an. 


burden  of  bitterness  to  carry,  known  only  to  our  own 
aching  hearts. 

Only  let  us  pray  that  Jesus  will  draw  us  in  our  sorrow 
unto  Himself.  The  bitterest  of  all  woe  is  the  feehng  of 
separation  from  God. 

We  know  that  He  will  never  really  leave  us  or  forsake  us, 
but  there  are  times  when  in  our  tribulation  we  cannot  see 
Him,  when  we  "feel  after"  Him  in  our  darkness,  and  can- 
not find  Him. 

Then  indeed  our  burden  seems  to  be  too  heavy  for  us  to 
bear,  but  let  us  lift  up  our  heads  and  look  on  Him  Whom 
they  pierced,  and  we  shall  find  comfort,  for  we  shall  see 
God  in  the  Face  of  Jesus  Christ. 

"  The  while  I  fain  would  tread  the  heavenly  way, 
Evil  is  present  with  me  day  by  day, 
Yet  in  mine  ears  the  gracious  tidings  fall, 
Repent,  believe,  confess,  thou  shall  be  free  from  all. 

It  is  the  voice  of  Jesus  that  I  hear, 
His  are  the  Hands  stretched  out  to  draw  me  near, 
And  His  the  Blood  that  can  for  all  atone, 
And  set  me  faultless  there  before  the  throne." 

"Lord,  we  know  not  whither  Thou  goest." 

^Gxtt  at  ^tirxA, 

"IF  I  GO  NOT  AWAY  THE  COMFORTER  WILL  NOT  COME  UNTO  YOU." 

Read  Psalm  xiv.      Lesson,  Isa.   liii. 
Litany  of  the  Passion. 


^ftixts  ^aturtrag  m  Enit.  39 


®i)irir  gyaturtias  in  iLent 


OBEDIENCE. 


"  THOU  ART  MY  PORTION,  O  LORD,  I  HAVE  PROMISED  TO  KEEP  THY 
LAW." — PSALM  CXIX.    57. 

"to   obey   is   BETTER   THAN   SACRIFICE."— I    SAM.    XV.    22. 

"  /n  regard  to  that  little  of  thy  will,  ivhich  thou  ?iow  willingly  for sakest, 
thou  shall  for  ever  have  thy  will  in  Heaven. 

"  There  thy  will,  being  always  onewith  Mine^  shall  desire  nothing  foreign. 

"  There  I  will  give  thee  a  gartnent  of  praise  for  thy  sorrow. 

"  There  will  the  fruit  of  obedience  appear,  and  humble  subjection  shall  be 
gloriously  crowned.''  S.    THOMAS  A  KEMPIS. 

Saturday  is  the  Sabbath  of  old,  "  Creation's  day  of  rest," 
a  rest  from  the  toils  and  warfare  of  the  week,  a  time  of 
preparation  for  the  holy  functions  of  the  Great  First  Day  on 
which  Jesus  rose,  victorious  over  sin  and  death. 

Therefore  our  Saturday  meditation  ought  to  partake  of 
the  character  both  of  rest,  and  of  preparation. 

To  some  people  these  are  antagonistic  terms  :  to  them  pre- 
paration involves  bustle,  and  hurry,  and  agitation  ;  they  only 
look  for  rest  when  that  for  which  they  have  prepared  is  come. 

But  Jesus  says,  "  Take  My  yoke  upon  you,  and  learn  of 
Me,  and  ye  shall  fmd  rest." 

The  soul's  true  rest  is  in  obedience  to  the  law  of  Christ, 
and  by  this  obedience  only  can  it  be  prepared  for  its 
inheritance  among  the  Saints. 

Obedience  is  the  first  step  on  the  angelic  ladder  which 
leads  from  earth  to  Heaven  ;  it  is  the  first  act  of  our  Holy 


40  Ctrijitc  mti^an. 


Faith  which  children  learn  ;  it  is  the  chariot  of  fire  by  which 
the  aged  Saint  ascends  to  the  Mount  of  God.  It  is  the 
brightest  jewel  in  the  martyr's  glorious  crown. 

Obedience  involves  the  other  holy  virtues  of  Faith,  and 
Love,  and  confidence  in  God. 

Its  exercise  gives  us  strength  in  adversity,  and  sanctifies 
our  times  of  joy.  It  brings  down  the  high  looks  of  the 
proud,  and  nourishes  in  us  the  childlike  spirit,  which  Jesus 
loves  so  well. 

Above  all,  it  makes  us  like  to  our  Blessed  Lord  and 
Master.  From  the  supernal  glory  of  His  eternal  reign  in 
the  Kingdom  of  His  Father,  His  voice  of  submission 
sounds  forth,  "  I  come  to  do  Thy  Will,  O  My  God." 

His  hfe  on  earth  was  throughout  a  life  of  obedience,  in 
the  holy  home  of  Nazareth,  in  His  ministry  in  the  "  form 
of  a  servant."  above  all  on  Calvary,  where  by  His  death  He 
consummated  the  last  dread  act  of  obedience  which  the 
justice  of  God  requires  from  those  He  has  created.  "  He 
became  obedient  unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the  Cross." 

"Fear  Him,  ye  Saints,  and  you  will  then 
Have  nothing  else  to  fear, 
Make  you^His  service  your  delight, 
Your  wants  shall  be  His  care. " 

"  Abide  with  us." 

tFotcc  of  -^tixx^. 

"YE   ARE   MY  FRIENDS   IF  VE  DO  WHATEVER   I    COMMAND  YE." 

Read  Psalm  cxix.  j-j  to  41.     Lesson,  S.  Matt,  xviii.  1-12. 
Litany  of  the  Holy  Naine  of  Jesus. 


dTfjtrtr  JJimtraH  i\x  Ecnt.  41 


Ei)ixXi  Suniag  m  lLent< 


LIGHT. 


"GOD    HATH    SHOWED   US   LIGHT,    BIND   THE   SACRIFICE  WITH   CORDS, 
YEA,    EVEN   TO   THE   HORNS   OF   THE    ALTAR."— PSALM   CXVIII.    27. 
"IN   HIM   IS   NO   DARKNESS   AT   ALL."— I    S.JOHN    I.    5. 

' '  Enlighten  me,  O  good  Jesus,  with  the  brightness  of  eternal  light,  and 
cast  out  all  darkness  from  the  dwelling  of  my  heart. 

'■'•Restrain  7ny  many  wandering  thoughts,  and  suppress  the  temptations 
that  assault  me. 

''Fight  strongly  for  me,  that  peace  may  be  made  in  Thy  power,  and  the 
abundance  of  Thy  praise  may  resound  in  Thy  holy  court,  which  is  a  clean 
conscience. 

' '  Send  forth  Thy  Light  and  Thy  Truth  that  they  may  shine  upon  the 
earth  ;  for  I  am  as  earth  that  is  einpty  and  void,  till  Thou  enlightenest 
me:'  S.   THOMAS  A  KEMPIS. 

To-day  begins  the  last  week  of  the  first  part  of  our  Lenten 
meditations,  the  part  which  treats  of  ourselves,  and  of  our 
"  death  unto  sin." 

This  last  week  we  will  devote  to  the  consideration  of 
those  things  which  hold  us  back  from  God,  that  so  by  His 
blessing  we  may  seem  to  clear  out  of  our  way  all  that 
opposes  itself  and  hinders  our  progress,  and  with  calm  and 
devout  minds,  give  ourselves  to  earnest  meditation  on  our 
new  life  in  Christ,  till  our  longings  and  aspirations  mark 
their  climax  in  the  surpassing  joy  of  Easter  Day. 

We  begin  this  week  then,  as  the  Church  suggests  by  the 
words  of  the  Epistle,  by  a  few  thoughts  about  light. 


42  CtriiSte  eiti^an* 


We  have  seen  that  it  is  Jesus  Who  is  the  Light  of  the 
world,  and  that  in  His  Light  we  both  see  what  are  our  sins, 
and  also  are  we  able  to  trace  the  exceeding  greatness  of  the 
love  and  mercy  of  God,  which  He  has  revealed  to  us. 

Let  us  now  consider  the  call  of  God  that  we  should  walk 
in  the  Light  which  He  has  given.  That  call  involves  the 
sacrifice  of  all  in  us  that  shrinks  from  light,  and  would  fain 
hide  itself  when  the  voice  of  God  is  heard  among  the  trees 
of  our  garden. 

We  must  "walk  as  children  of  light." 

As  children  of  light  we  must  walk  in  love,  following  our 
Divine  Master,  we  must  reprove  the  works  of  darkness, 
we  must  arise  and  shine  before  men,  not  with  any  lustre  of 
our  own,  but  with  the  reflected  radiance  of  the  brightness  of 
Him  Who  has  called  us  to  holiness,  as  His  "  dear  children." 

"Thy  lovely  Presence  shines  so  clear 
Through  every  sense  and  way, 
That  souls  which  once  have  seen  Thee  dear 
See  all  things  else  decay. 

Come  Thou,  dear  Lord,  possess  my  heart, 

Chase  thence  the  shades  of  night, 
Come,  pierce  it  with  Thy  piercing  dart, 

And  ever-shining  light." 

"  Lord,  to  whom  shall  we  go  ?" 

Waitt  af  '^tini. 

"I   AM  THE  WAY,    THE  TRUTH,   AND   THE  LIFE." 

Read  Psalm  exit.     Lesson,  Eph.  v. 
Litany  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 


Coirtr  i^flutraD  in  Hent.  43 


?ri)irU  Ifilotttras  m  lent, 


WHAT    HOLDS     US    BACK? 


"I  WILL  WALK  AT  LIBERTY  FOR  I  SEEK  THY  COMMANDMENTS." — 
PSALM   CXIX.    8. 

"YE  WILL  NOT  COME  TO  ME  THAT  YE  MIGHT  HAVE  LIFE."— 
S.   JOHN   V.  40. 

"  They  that  love  Jesus  for  Jesus'"  sake,  and  not  for  any  comfort  of  their 
own,  bless  Him  no  less  in  tribulation  and  anguish  of  heart  tkafi  in  the 
greatest  consolation.  And  if  He  slwuld  never  give  them  His  comfort,  yet 
would  they  always  praise  Him,  and  give  Him  thanks. 

'^^  Oh!  how  much  is  the  pure  love  of  Jesjis  able  to  do  when  it  is  not  mixed 
with  any  self-interest  or  self  love!''  S.    THOMAS  A  KEMPIS. 

In  the  course  of  these,  our  Lenten  meditations,  we  have 
seen  the  deceitfulness  of  sin,  and  our  own  helplessness  and 
frailty.  We  have  seen  also,  have  we  not  !  how  gracious  the 
Lord  is,  how  full  of  compassion  and  mercy.  Why  do  we 
hesitate  then  to  cast  in  our  lot  with  Him  ?  Why  are  we  not 
ready  to  suffer  the  loss  of  all  things  if  only  we  may  win 
Christ,  and  be  found  in  Him  ?  What  is  it  that  makes  us 
cold  to  Him,  and  deaf  to  the  summons  of  His  tender  Voice, 
when  He  calls  His  sheep  by  name  ?  What  is  it  which 
holds  us  back  from  Him  ? 

In  one  word  we  may  answer,  self. 

It  is  that  human  nature  of  ours  which  our  dear  Lord  has 
condescended  to  make  His  own,  and  to  raise  to  the  highest 
realms  of  glory,  which  drags  us  down,  and  holds  us  back, 
and  binds  us  with  chains  of  iron,  lest  we  should  use  our 
liberty  as  children  of  God. 


44  €fixi^tc  eUt^flU. 


Jesus  bore  our  human  nature  that  He  might  teach  us  how 
it  can  be  sanctified,  and  glorified,  and  moulded  to  the  Will 
of  God,  by  the  holy  disciphne  of  suffering. 

The  self  that  holds  us  back  from  Jesus  must  be  nailed  to 
the  Cross  with  Him,  and  every  thought  of  our  hearts  must 
be  brought  into  captivity  to  the  Law  of  Christ,  before  we 
can  rejoice  in  the  liberty,  wherewith  He  will  make  us  free. 

When  self,  with  its  sinful  affections  and  lusts,  is  dead,  then 
our  new  hfe  in  Christ  will  begin  ;  the  heaviness  that  has 
darkened  our  lives  will  give  place  to  a  morning  of  joy.  We 
shall  then  have  a  "  free  heart "  to  offer  to  the  Lord,  Whom 
we  love,  and  His  service  shall  be  the  delight  of  our  souls. 

*'  Lead,  kindly  Light,  amid  th'  encircling  gloom, 
Lead  Thou  me  on  ; 
The  night  is  dark,  and  I  am  far  from  home, 

Lead  Thou  me  on. 
Keep  Thou  my  feet ;  I  do  not  ask  to  see 
The  distant  scene  ;  one  step  enough  for  me. 

So  long  Thy  power  hath  blessed  me,  sure  it  still 

Will  lead  me  on 
O'er  moor  and  fen,  o'er  crag  and  torrent,  till 

The  night  is  gone, 
And  with  the  morn  those  angel  faces  smile, 
Which  I  have  loved  long  since,  and  lost  awhile." 

^iSjptvation. 

'■^  Lord,  why  cannot  I  follow  Thee  nowf" 

"FOLLOW  ME,  AND  LET  THE  DEAD  BURY  THEIR  DEAD." 

Read  Psalm  xc.     Lesson,  S.  Matt.  x.  16-J4. 
Litany  of  Penitence. 


Cbirtf  Cuci^ag  in  %mU  45 


Ei)ixb  Enc^M^  m  Hem. 


SELF-  WILL. 


"I  WILL  RUN  THE  WAY  OF  THY  COMMANDMENTS  WHEN  THOU  HAST 
SET  MY   HEART   AT   LIBERTY."— PSALM   CXIX.    32. 

"NOT   WHAT   I   WILL,    BUT  AS   THOU   WILT." — S.    MARK   XIV.    36. 

**  He  who  strives  to  withdraw  himself  from  obedience,  withdraws  himself 
frofn  grace. 

'■'■  If  a  man  doth  not  freely  and  willingly  submit  hiynself,  it  is  a  sign  that 
his  flesh  is  not  as  yet  perfectly  obedient  to  him,  but  oftentimes  rebels  and 
murmurs. 

"  There  is  no  more  troublesome  or  worse  enemy  to  the  soul  than  thou  art 
thyself,  whin  not  agreeing  well  with  the  spirit.  Thou  must  in  good  earnest 
conceive  a  true  contempt  of  thyself,  if  thou  wilt  prevail  aver  flesh  and  blood. 

"  Learn  to  break  thy  own  will,  and  to  yield  thyself  up  to  all  subjection.^'' 

S.   THOMAS  A  KEMP  IS. 

How  can  we  dare  to  say  to  Him  that  formed  us,  Why  hast 
Thou  made  me  thus  ?  Who  are  we  that  we  should  resist 
the  mighty  will  of  Him  by  Whom  all  things  consist  ?  Yet  it 
is  true  that  our  self-will  is  the  most  powerful  chain  that  holds 
us  down  to  earth,  and  prevents  our  following  our  Blessed 
Master  along  the  way  of  the  Cross. 

To  resist  control  is  the  earliest  effort  of  the  childish 
mind,  the  love  of  independence  grows  with  our  growth, 
and  if  unchecked  by  the  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  it 
takes  the  place  of  God,  and  self  becomes  the  one  object  of 
our  veneration  and  our  love. 

Therefore  has  our  dear  Lord  in  mercy  ordained  that  we 
should  be  under  obedience  even  in  our  daily  life  on  earth. 


46  €lixi^tc  (Qlti^an, 


Children  to  parents,  wives  to  husbands,  servants  to  masters, 
workers  to  those  who  employ  them,  the  whole  nation  to 
him  who  rules  over  it,  that  all  may,  in  the  ordinary  routine 
of  their  calling,  learn  the  precious  lesson  of  submission. 

The  same  law  rules  the  Church  of  God.  No  man  liveth 
to  himself,  neither  must  any  do  what  is  right  in  his  own 
eyes,  but  all,  both  those  who  govern,  and  those  who  are 
under  them,  must  be  in  subjection  to  the  Law  of  Christ. 

We  do  not  know  what  is  good  for  us,  we  cannot  look 
into  the  future  and  see  what  will  be  required  of  us  ;  we  do 
not  even  know  what  we  should  pray  for,  or  how  to  pray 
aright. 

Let  then  our  one  most  constant  prayer  be  that  which 
hallowed  the  Garden  of  Gethsemane.  "  Not  my  will,  O 
Lord,  but  Thine  be  done." 

"  Thine  Image,  Lord,  bestow, 
Thy  Presence  and  Thy  Love  ; 
I  ask  to  serve  Thee  here  below, 
And  reign  with  Thee  above. 

Teach  me  to  hve  by  faith, 

Conform  my  will  to  Thine  ; 
Let  me  victorious  be  in  death, 

And  then  in  glory  shine." 

Aspiration. 

"  Tkou  hast  the  words  of  Eternal  LifeP 

^atce  of  ^e^uii. 

"  I    SEEK   NOT   MINE   OWN  WILL,  BUT  THE  WILL  OF  THE   FATHER  WHICH 
HATH   SENT  ME." 

Read  Psalm  cxliii.     Lesson,  Rovtafis  xv.  i  to  8. 


Litany  of  Repentance. 


ffmxtf^  Wie^siu^Kyi  in  Hent.  47 


jfourti)  fflgjctjuestrag  m  Hem. 


SELF-LOVE. 


"NOT  UNTO  US,  O  LORD,  NOT  UNTO  US,  BUT  UNTO  THY  NAME  GIVE 
THE  PRAISE." — PSALM  CXV.  I. 

"YE  SHALL  BE  HATED  OF  ALL  MEN  FOR  MY  NAME'S  SAKE."— S.  LUKE 

XXI.  17. 

"  /  beca7ne  the  most  humble  and  most  abject  of  all  Men,  that  thou  mightest 
learn  to  overcome  thy  pride  by  My  humility. 

''•Mine  Eye  hath  spared  thee  because  thy  sozil  was  precious  in  My  sight, 
that  thou  mightest  know  My  Love,  and  mightest  be  always  thankful  for  My 
favour,  and  that  thou  mightest  give  thyself  continually  to  true  subjection 
and  humility."  S.    THOMAS  A  KEMPIS. 

There  are  those  who,  like  S.  Paul,  lament  over  the  weak- 
ness of  their  flesh,  who  carry  on  a  perpetual  warfare  against 
the  law  of  evil,  which  exists  in  their  sinful  nature,  but  such 
as  these  are  not  held  back  in  their  Christian  course  by 
self-love. 

Self-love  is  the  parent  of  self-will.  It  feeds  and  nourishes 
it,  and  does  mortal  harm  to  the  soul  which  falls  under  its 
dominion. 

Self-love  inspires  us  with  confidence  in  ourselves,  it  tries 
to  silence  the  voice  of  conscience,  by  instigating  pride  and 
satisfaction  in  our  own  achievements,  it  is  ever  sounding 
our  own  praises  in  our  ears,  and  thus  it  makes  us  deaf  to 
the  gracious  Voice  of  our  dear  Lord,  when  He  calls  us  to 
deny  ourselves,  and  to  go  and  follow  Him. 


48  Cl^rtj^tc  eitiSan, 


Self-love  fills  our  hearts  with  thoughts  and  anxieties  about 
our  own  pains  and  troubles  and  difficulties,  and  so  makes 
us  blind  to  the  needs  and  sorrows  of  those  to  whom  God 
calls  us  to  minister.  Hence  our  selfishness  robs  us  of  the 
soul-inspiring  grace  of  charity. 

If  we  love  self,  we  cannot  love  either  God  or  our  neigh- 
bour according  to  the  commandment  of  Christ. 

If  our  love  be  cold,  we  cannot  render  to  God  an  accept- 
able service,  we  cannot  praise  Him  with  a  thankful  heart, 
we  cannot  pour  out  our  soul  before  Him  in  prayer,  we 
cannot  give  to  others  the  comfort  "  wherewith  we  ourselves 
are  comforted  of  God." 

Let  us  watch  and  pray,  then,  against  this  weapon  of  self- 
love,  wherewith  the  spirit  of  evil  so  sorely  wounds  our  souls. 

The  only  cure  for  such  hurt  lies  in  the  thought  of  God. 

If  we  meditate  on  Him  as  "  our  Father  ;  "  revealed  to  us 
in  His  Son,  Who  is  also  the  Son  of  Man ;  if  we  trace  His 
infinite  perfections  in  all  His  works  and  ways  ;  we  shall  learn 
in  the  light  of  His  marvellous  beauty,  to  see  our  own  sinful- 
ness, and,  like  holy  Job,  to  abhor  ourselves,  and  to  sit  in 
dust  and  ashes,  mourning  and  lamenting  over  the  sins  which 
have  held  us  back  from  God. 

"  In  vain  we  tune  our  formal  songs, 
In  vain  we  strive  to  rise, 
Hosannas  languish  on  our  tongues. 
And  our  devotion  dies. 

Dear  Lord,  and  shall  we  ever  live 

At  this  poor  d)dng  rate  ? 
Our  love  so  faint,  so  cold  to  Thee, 

And  Thine  to  us  so  great. " 


dfflurtlb  CtjuriStraM  in  Hent.  49 

^sjptmtian. 

"  Master,  which  is  the  first  and  great  cotntmndtnent  in  the  Law  ?  " 

C'Dtrr  of  ^r^us. 

"THOU  SHALT  LOVE  THE  LORD  THY  GOD,    AND   HIM  ONLY  SHALT  THOU 
SERVE." 

Read  Psalm  xciv.     Lesson,  /  JohJi  Hi.  1-14. 

Litany  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 


dTotivtij  ^njur^irag  in  Heat. 


SELF-LND  ULGENCE. 


"l   SAID,    I   WILL  TAKE   HEED  UNTO  MY   WAYS."— PSALM  XXXIX.    I. 
"THE  FOXES  HAVE   HOLES,  AND  THE   BIRDS    OF   THE  AIR  HAVE  NESTS, 
BUT  THE  SON  OF  MAN  HATH   NOT  WHERE  TO  LAY  HIS   HEAD." — S.  LUKE 

IX.  58. 

' '//  is  not  the  obtaining  or  multiplying  things  externally  that  avails  thee, 
but  rather  the  despising  of  them,  and  cutting  them  up  by  the  root  out  of  thy 
heart ;  which  I  would  not  have  thee  to  understand  only  with  regard  to  money 
and  riches,  but  also  with  regard  to  the  a?nbition  of  honour,  and  the  desire  of 
empty  praise,  all  which  things  pass  away  with  the  world. 

"  The  place  avails  little  if  the  spirit  of  fervour  be  wanting,  neither  shall 
that  peace  stand  long  which  is  sought  from  abroad,  if  the  state  of  thy  heart 
wants  the  true  foundation  ;  that  is,  if  thou  stand  not  in  Me." 

S.   THOMAS  A  KEMP  IS. 

Self-indulgence  is  the  laying  down  of  the  Cross  which  our 
Lord  has  told  us  to  take  up  and  carry  after  Him  ;  it  is  the 
pampering  and  indulging  of  that  flesh  which  our  Divine 
Master  has  told  us  to  crucify ;  it  is  the  cherishing  an  affec- 


50  CbriiSte  mei^an. 


tion  for  the  things  of  this  world,  of  which  He  says,  "  If 
any  man  love  the  world,  the  love  of  the  Father  is  not  in 
him." 

To  indulge  self  is  to  follow  the  lust  of  the  flesh,  the  lust 
of  the  eyes,  and  the  pride  of  life,  which  things  shall  bring 
the  soul  to  ruin  and  to  death. 

Let  us  then  meditate  to-day  on  the  necessity  which  is 
laid  on  the  servants  of  Christ,  to  mortify  the  flesh,  with  all 
that  belongs  to  it,  not  because  of  any  merit  in  the  act  of 
mortification,  but  because  we  long  to  be  like  our  dear 
Lord,  and  to  break  every  chain  which  holds  us  back  from 
Him. 

There  is  only  one  road  which  leads  to  Eternal  Life,  and 
that  is  the  "Way  of  the  Cross."  If  we  choose  that  road, 
and  follow  it  manfully,  withdrawing  our  eyes  and  ears,  and 
even  our  thoughts,  from  all  that  may  seduce  us  into  other 
paths,  we  shall  find  peace,  even  though  the  way  be  long  and 
dreary,  and  our  feet  are  bruised  and  bleeding  as  we  go ; 
but  if  we  refuse  to  follow  this  strait  and  narrow  way,  if  we 
allow  ourselves  to  be  led  by  silken  ropes  into  the  broad 
smooth  highway  of  indolence  and  ease,  God  in  His  mercy 
will  send  His  storms  and  tempests  upon  us,  to  check  our 
downward  course,  and  to  drive  us  for  shelter  to  the  shadow 
of  the   Cross. 

Therefore,  let  us  rejoice  and  thank  God  when  He  lays 
His  chastening  Hand  upon  us,  to  rouse  us  from  our 
fatal  sleep,  let  us  grasp  His  merciful  Hand,  even  though 
it  smite  us,  and  chnging  to  Him,  let  us  pray  that  He 
will   lead   us    back  to    the  way  of  the   Cross    again,   and 


dfflurtl)  dTritraj)  in  Ecnt  51 

will  point  out  to  us  the  traces  of  the  bleeding  footsteps 
of  Him,  Who  "trod  the  winepress  alone,"  our  Master  and 
our  God. 

' '  Lovest  thou  praise  ?  the  Cross  is  shame ; 
Or  ease?  the  Cross  is  bitter  grief; 
More  pangs  than  heart  or  tongue  can  frame, 
Men  suffered  there  without  reUef. 

The  wanderer  seeks  his  native  bower, 

And  we  will  look  and  long  for  Thee, 
And  thank  Thee  for  each  trying  hour, 

Wishing,  not  strugghng,  to  be  free." 

'-'-  Lord,  what  shall  I  do  that  I  may  work  the  works  of  God  9^^ 

"WHOSOEVER  WILL  SAVE  HIS   LIFE   SHALL    LOSE   IT  ;     BUT  WHOSOEVER 
WILL  LOSE   HIS   LIFE   FOR   MY   SAKE,    THE   SAME   SHALL  SAVE   IT." 

Read  Psalm  cxix.  6j-jj.     Lesson,    Romans  xiii. 

Litany  of  Repentance. 


dFouvti)  JPtiiag  \\\  ILtwx. 


FAITHFULNESS    OF    GOD, 


"  I  KXOW,  O  LORD,  THAT  THY  JUDGMENTS  ARE  RIGHT :  AND  THAT 
THOU  OF  VERY  FAITHFULNESS  HAST  CAUSED  ME  TO  BE  TROUBLED." — 
PSALM   CXIX.    75. 

"  WHEREFORE,  LET  THEM  THAT  SUFFER  ACCORDING  TO  THE  WILL  OF 
GOD  COMMIT  THE  KEEPING  OF  THEIR  SOULS  TO  HIM  IN  WELL-DOING, 
AS  UNTO  A  FAITHFUL   CREATOR." — 2  PETER  IV.    19. 


52 CtriiStc  (Slei^aiu 


"The  sign  of  the  Cross  shall  be  in  Heaven,  when  the  Lord  shall  come  to 
judge. 

''Then  all  the  servants  of  the  Cross,  who  in  their  life-time  have  conformed 
themselves  to  Him  that  was  crucified,  shall  come  to  Christ  their  Judge  with 
great  confidence.  There  is  no  health  of  the  soul  nor  hope  of  Eternal  Life  but 
in  the  Cross.  God  would  have  thee  learn  to  suffer  tribulation  without  comfort, 
and  wholly  to  submit  thyself  to  Him,  and  to  become  more  htimble  by  tribula- 
tion." S.   THOMAS  A  KEMPIS. 

As  we  approach  to-day  the  Foot  of  the  Holy  Cross,  let  it 
point  to  the  Faithfulness  of  God,  as  the  subject  for  our 
prayerful  thought.  God  has  revealed  to  us  what  is  His 
Will  concerning  each  of  us.  It  is  that  we  should  be 
sanctified,  be  made  holy  and  clean,  and  fit  for  the  Master's 
use  here  on  earth,  and  so  be  fitted  and  prepared  to  wear  the 
white  robes  of  the  redeemed  in  Heaven. 

"  This  is  the  Will  of  God,  even  our  sanctification,"  and 
to  this  end  He  orders  all  the  events  of  our  lives,  as  a 
Faithful  and  Wise  Creator,  Who  sees  what  discipline  is 
necessary  to  mould  us  to  conformity  with  His  Will. 

It  is  through  suffering  only  that  this  mortal  can  put  on 
immortality.  It  is  with  pain  and  much  affliction  that  the 
image  of  the  earthly  can  be  transformed  into  the  image  of 
the  heavenly. 

Therefore,  let  us  not  fret  and  complain  when  our 
Heavenly  Father  lays  His  chastening  Hand  upon  us.  Let 
us  rather  rejoice  that  He,  in  His  Faithfulness,  has  caused 
us  to  be  troubled,  and  let  us  thankfully  commend  the 
keeping  of  our  souls  to  Him. 

It  is  His  ^^411  that  we  should  be  saved,  it  is  His  Will 
that  we  should  be   made   perfect,   it  is   His  Will  that  we 


dfourtl)  ^aturUaj)  in  Itcnt.  53 

should  follow  our  Blessed  Lord,  and  be  made  like  unto 
Him.  The  only  way  of  sanctification,  the  only  way  of 
perfection  is  the  way  of  the  Cross. 

Faithful  is  He  Who  has  called  us  to  follow  it. 

"  Take,  my  soul,  thy  full  salvation. 

Rise  o'er  sin,  and  fear,  and  care; 
Joy  to  find  in  every  station 

Something  still  to  do  or  bear. 
Think  what  Spirit  dwells  within  thee. 

What  a  Father's  smile  is  thine, 
What  a  Saviour  died  to  win  thee. 

Child  of  Heaven  dost  thou  repine  ? 

Hasten  on  from  grace  to  glory, 
Armed  by  faith  and  winged  by  prayer, 

Heaven's  eternal  day's  before  thee, 
God's  own  Hand  shall  guide  thee  there. " 

Hsp,iration« 

"  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit.''^ 
"I   HAVE   PRAYED  FOR  THEE  THAT  THY   FAITH  FAIL  NOT." 

Read  Psalm  cxix.  73-81.     Lesson,  2  Thess-  Hi.  i  to  14. 
Litany  of  the  Passion. 


Jfoutti)  ^attirias  m  iLent. 


FE  A  R. 


"O   KNIT  MY    HEART    UNTO    THEE,    THAT    I    MAY    FEAR    THY    NAME. 
PSALM  LXXXVI.   2. 

"PERFECT  LOVE  CASTETH  OUT  FEAR."— I  S.   JOHN   IV.    18. 


54  einistt  eici^an. 


"I/in  the  angels  TJiou  hast  found  sin,a7id  hast  not  spared  them,  whatwill 
become  of  me"? 

"Stars  have  fallen  from  Heave?i,  and  /,  that  afn  but  dust,  how  can  I 
presume  ? 

"  There  is,  then,  no  sanctity  if  Thou,  O  Lord,  withdraw  Thy  Hand.  No 
wisdom  avails  if  Thou  cease  to  govern  7is. 

"No  strength  is  of  any  help  if  Thou  stipport  us  not. 

"For  if  we  are  left  to  ourselves  we  sink  and  we  perish  ;  but  if  Thou  visit 
us  we  are  raised  up,  and  we  live. 

"Fear  God,  and  thou  shall  have  no  need  of  being  afraid  of  man. 

"See  thou  have  God  before  thine  eyes,  and  do  not  contend  with  complaining 
words."  S.    THOMAS  A  KEMPIS. 

The  fear  of  the  Lord  is  the  beginning  of  wisdom.  The 
first  lesson  we  learn  of  the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of 
God  is  His  exceeding  awfulness  and  the  terror  of  His 
judgments.  When  it  is  first  revealed  to  us  Who  and 
what  the  Omnipotent  God  is,  in  His  works  and  in  His 
Word,  our  soul  is  filled  with  fear  of  Him,  because  as  soon 
as  His  Light  shines  into  our  souls  it  shews  us  our  un- 
worthiness  and  our  sinfulness  in  His  Sight.  We  learn  to 
know  God  first  as  a  Righteous  Judge,  and  for  fear  of  Him 
we  begin  to  try  to  make  our  lives  conformable  to  His 
Will. 

But  when  we  come  to  know  God  in  the  Person  of  His 
Divine  Son,  then  we  cease  to  fear  Him  as  a  dread  and 
severe  Judge,  and  we  learn  instead,  to  look  to  Him  with  the 
reverence  and  godly  fear  wherewith  dutiful  children  look  to 
their  Father.  When  we  learn  the  exceeding  great  love  of 
God  towards  us,  as  it  is  manifested  in  the  hfe  and  death  of 
our  Most  Blessed  Lord  and  Master,  we  feel  that  we  cannot 
do  half  enough  to  shew  our  love  to  Him,  and  the  dread  of 


dTflurt!)  ^atur^ag  in  Ecnt.  55 

His  judgments  has  changed  to  fear  lest  our  own  sin  and 
weakness  should  hold  us  back  from  entire  devotion  to  His 
service. 

See  how  this  "  godly  fear  "  will  sanctify  our  lives ;  how  it 
will  govern  our  understanding,  conforming  all  our  studies 
to  the  mind  of  Christ  ;  how  it  will  foster  in  us  the  sweet 
grace  of  humility,  without  which  w^e  can  render  no  accept- 
able service  to  God  ;  how  it  will  raise  the  intention  and 
direction  of  our  whole  lives  into  a  constant  waiting  for 
Christ  and  looking  up  to  Him  ;  how  it  will  purify  and  sanc- 
tify our  daily  intercourse  with  each  other  when  they  who 
fear  the  Lord  speak  often  to  one  another  in  the  ears  of 
Him  Who  dwelleth  in  the  Heavens;  how  it  will  remove 
from  the  faithful  ones  all  the  carking  cares  and  anxieties 
of  life,  for  w^e  read  that  though  "  the  lions  may  lack 
and  suffer  hunger,  they  that  fear  the  Lord  shall  want  no 
manner  of  thing  that  is  good." 

"  I  love  to  kiss  each  print  where  Thou 
Hast  set  Thine  unseen  Feet ; 
I  cannot  fear  Thee,  Will  of  God, 
Thine  Empire  is  so  sweet. 

I  have  no  cares,  O  Blessed  Will, 

For  all  my  cares  are  Thine  ; 
I  live  in  triumph,  Lord,  for  Thou 

Hast  made  Thy  triumphs  mine. 

Man's  weakness  waiting  upon  God 

Its  end  can  never  miss, 
For  men  on  earth  no  work  can  do 

More  angel-like  than  this." 


56  Ctrtstc  (QXti^an. 


"il/v  sou/  doth  magnify  the  Lord.'''' 
2^0tCC  of  %t^\\^, 

'  FEAR   NOT,  LITTLE  FLOCK,  FOR  IT   IS  YOUR   FATHER'S   GOOD   PLEASURE 
TO  GIVE  YOU  THE  KINGDOM." 

Read  Psalm  Ixvi.     Lesson,  Malachi  Hi.  8  to  i8. 


Litany  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 


End  of  Part  I. 


PART    II. 


MLMnQ  Mnto  etvi^t 


jFouvtl)  S^uniraij  in  Urnt. 

REFRESHMENT. 


"MY  SONG  SHALL  BE  OF  MERCY  AND  JUDGMENT  ;  UNTO  THEE,  O  LORD, 
WILL  I   SING." — PSALM   CI.    I. 

"  REPENT  YE,  THEREFORE,  AND  BE  CONVERTED,  THAT  YOUR  SINS 
MAY  BE  BLOTTED  OUT  WHEN  THE  TIMES  OF  REFRESHING  SHALL  COME 
FROM  THE  PRESENCE   OF  THK   LORD." — ACTS   III.  7. 

''Above  all  things,  and  in  all  things,  do  thou,  my  soul,  rest  always  in  the 
Lord,  for  He  is  the  Eternal  Rest  vf  the  Saints. 

' '  Give  fne,  O  most  sweet  and  loving  Jesus,  to  repose  in  Thee  above  all 
things  created,  above  all  health  and  beauty,  above  all  power  and  digjiity, 
above  all  knowledge  and  subtlety,  above  all  riches  and  arts,  above  all  joy  and 
gladness,  above  all  fame  and  praise,  above  all  sweetness  and  consolation, 
above  all  hope  and  promise,  above  all  merit  and  desire,  above  all  the  gifts  and 
presents  that  Thou  canst  give  and  i7npart,  above  all  the  joy  and  jubilation 
that  the  mind  can  contain  and  experience  ;  in  fine,  above  all  angels  and  arch- 
angels, and  all  the  hosts  of  Heave7i ;  above  all  things  visible  and  invisible,  and 
above  all  that  which  is  less  than  Thee,  my  God. 

"For  Thou,  O  Lord  my  God,  art  the  best  above  all  things;  Thou  alone 
most  High;  Thou  alone  most  Pcrwerful ;  Thou  alone  most  stijicient  and  ?nost 
full ;  Thou  alone  most  sweet  and  most  full  of  consolation." 

S.    THOMAS  A  KEMP  IS. 

We  have  now  reached  Mid-Lent  Sunday,  "Refreshment 
Sunday,"  as  it  is  called.  May  it  be  to  us  all  a  day  of 
strengthening  and  refreshing,  a  day  on  which  we  gather  new 
courage  and  energy  to  continue  our  Christian  course,  a  day 


JTflurtlb  J^untrag  in  HtnU 59 

on  which  our  hearts  dwell  with  grateful  love  and  praise  on 
all  that  Jesus  has  done  for  the  souls  and  bodies  of  men. 

Let  us  take  as  our  special  thought  for  to-day  the  words 
from  the  Epistle,  "  Jerusalem  which  is  above  is  free." 

Nothing  can  be  more  refreshing  to  our  souls  than  to 
meditate  on  the  beautiful  City  of  Peace  which  God  has 
prepared  to  be  the  home  of  His  faithful  children. 

Here  we  have  no  "  continuing  city,"  we  are  always  obliged 
to  be  journeying  on,  plodding  and  toiling  along  weary  roads, 
and  bound  with  many  a  galling  chain  to  the  things  of  earth 
when  our  spirits  long  to  rise  and  meet  their  Lord. 

But  Jerusalem  which  is  above  is  free,  and  she  is  the 
mother  of  us  all.  In  her  shall  every  longing  of  the  soul  be 
satisfied,  on  her  breast  shall  every  trouble  be  soothed  to 
rest,  and  the  only  bondage  which  will  rule  us  in  her  will  be 
the  dominion  of  love ;  so  shall  we  dwell  for  ever  in  the 
peace  of  God,  and  rejoice  in  the  liberty  wherewith  Christ 
has  made  us  free. 

Even  while  we  are  here  on  earth  we  can  hear  the  songs 
of  that  land  of  joy  ;  let  us  then  attune  our  hearts  to  listen 
to  them  ;  even  here  in  the  house  of  our  pilgrimage,  the 
Good  Shepherd  feeds  us  beside  still  waters ;  let  us  then 
rejoice  in  Him,  and  carefully  gather  together  every  fragment 
which  remains  of  His  Feasts  of  Refreshment,  that  nothing 
which  His  gracious  Hand  bestows  may  be  thrown  away  by 

us  or  lost. 

"  Oh  !  heavenly  Jerusalem, 
Eternal  are  thy  halls, 
And  blessed  are  the  chosen  ones 
That  dwell  within  thy  walls. 


60  Clbriste  eiti^an. 


"  Thou  art  the  golden  home  of  peace, 
Where  Saints  for  ever  sing, 
The  seat  of  God's  own  heritage, 
The  Palace  of  the  King." 

*S[5jpirattnu. 

'•''  Show  us  t/ie  Father,  and  it  sufficeth  us." 

MY   PEACE    I    GIVE    UNTO    YOU,   NOT    AS  THE   WORLD   GIVETH,    GIVE 
UNTO   YOU." 

Read  Psalm  cxlvii.     Lesson,  Rev.  xxi.  i  to  8. 

Litany  of  Jesus   Christ. 


jFourtI)  ittoutjag  in  ilent. 


SIMPLICITY. 


"  BEHOLD,  EVEN  AS  THE  EYES  OF  SERVANTS  LOOK  UNTO  THE  HAND  OF 
THEIR  MASTERS,  AND  AS  THE  EYES  OF  A  MAIDEN  UNTO  THE  HAND  OF 
HER  MISTRESS:  EVEN  SO  OUR  EYES  WAIT  UPON  THE  LORD  OUR  GOD, 
UNTIL  HE   HAVE  MERCY  UPON   US."— PSALM   CXXIIL    2. 

"BUT  I  FEAR  LEST  BY  ANY  MEANS,  AS  THE  SERPENT  BEGUILED  EVE 
THROUGH  HIS  SUBTLETY,  SO  YOUR  MINDS  SHOULD  BE  CORRUPTED  FROM 
THE  SIMPLICITY  THAT   IS    IN   CHRIST." — 2   COR.   XI,  3. 

"  IVho  is  the  7nan  that  is  able  to  keep  hi7nself  so  warily,  and  with  so  much 
circumspection  in  all  things,  as  not  to  fall  sometimes  into  some  deceit  or 
perplexity  ? 

'  'But  he  that  trusts  in  Thee,  O  Lord,  and  seeks  Thee  with  a  simple  heart, 
does  not  so  easily  fall. 

"How  secure  it  is  for  the  keeping  of  heavenly  grace  to  fly  the  sight  of  men, 
and  not  seek  those  things  that  see7n  to  cause  admiration  abroad,  but  with  all 
diligence  to  follow  that  which  brings  atnendment  of  life  and  fervour. 


iSFauvt^  MaiiUKv  in  Hent.  61 

"Nature  is  crafty,  and  draws  away  many ;  ensnares  theni^  and  deceives 
them,  and  always  intends  herself  for  her  end. 

"But  grace  walks  with  simplicity,  declines  frojn  all  appearance  of  evil , 
offers  no  deceits,  and  does  all  things  purely  for  God,  in  Whom  also  she  rests 
as  in  her  last  end."  S.    THOMAS  A  KRMPIS. 

The  life  in  Christ,  towards  which  our  meditations  till  Easter 
must  now  tend,  is  a  simple  life. 

In  it  there  is  no  conscious  effort  after  effect,  no  thought 
of  appearances,  no  listening  to  opposing  words,  nor  heeding 
distracting  thoughts,  no  setting  up  of  ourselves,  no  judging 
of  others. 

A  simple  life  is  a  true  life,  a  straight  and  sincere  life  with- 
out affectation,  without  doubts  or  fears,  but  able  by  the 
light  of  its  own  truthfulness  to  see  and  to  love  the  truth 
of  God. 

The  life  of  simplicity  is  a  life  of  leaning  upon  God,  a  life 
of  dependence  on  the  promises  of  Christ,  and  of  unfalter- 
ing confidence  in  God.  As  children  cling  to  their  parents, 
so  does  the  simple  child-like  soul  hold  fast  the  Hand  of  God. 

To  the  simple,  God  gives  grace  and  wisdom  far  beyond 
any  learning  this  world  can  bestow,  therefore  is  a  simple 
life  one  which  rejoices  in  the  Light  of  God.  "  If  thine  eye 
be  single  thy  whole  body  shall  be  full  of  light,"  for  God 
giveth  grace  to  the  simple. 

The  soul  that  is  emptied  of  self  shall  be  filled  with  all 
the  fulness  of  God. 

"  Come,  ye  little  children, 
Unto  Me  draw  nigh, 
For  'tis  such  as  you 
That  dwell  with  Me  on  high. 


62  eini^te  eiei^aiu 


"  Who,  in  truth  and  meekness, 
From  all  malice  free, 
Ever  serve  and  love  Me 
With  simplicity. 

I,  Who  pride  and  greatness 

Evermore  abase, 
On  the  poor  and  lowly 

Lavish  all  my  grace  ; 
And  to  humble  spirits 

Heavenly  things  reveal, 
Which  my  secret  judgments 

From  the  proud  conceal." 

"  Thy  kingdom  cofne." 

SUFFER    THE    LITTLE    CHILDREN,    AND    FORBID     THEM    NOT    TO    COME 
UNTO   ME,   FOR   OF   SUCH   IS   THE   KINGDOM   OF   HEAVEN." 

Read  Psalm  viii.     Lesson,  2  Cor.  i.  2  to  tj. 

Litajiy  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

dfourti)  Cue^Uag  in  ilent. 

RECEPTIVITY. 


"  I  LOOK  FOR  THE  LORD,  MY  SOUL  DOTH  WAIT  FOR  HIM." — PSALM 
CXXX.  5. 

"HE  CAME  UNTO  HIS  OWN,  AND  HIS  OWN  RECEIVED  HIM  NOT,  BUT 
AS  MANY  AS  RECEIVED  HIM  TO  THEM  GAVE  HE  POWER  TO  BECOME 
THE   SONS   OF   GOD." — S.   JOHN   I.    II,    12. 


dfflurt!)  Cuc^ag  in  Eent.  63 

' '  Tfiou  oughtest  to  seek  the  grace  of  devotion  earnestly,  to  ask  it  fervently, 
to  wait  for  it  patiently  and  confidently,  to  receive  it  thankfully,  to  keep  it 
humbly,  to  work  with  it  diligently,  and  to  commit  to  God  the  tim.e  and 
manner  of  this  heavenly  visitation,  until  it  shall  please  Him  to  come  unto 
Thee. 

"  God  often  giveth  in  one  short  moment  what  He  hath  a  long  time  denied, 

' '  Therefore,  the  grace  of  devotion  is  to  be  expected  with  a  good  hope  and 
hum,ble  patience. 

"  Whosoever  with  a  single  heart  shall  direct  his  ititention  upwards  to  God., 
and  purify  himself  from  all  inordinate  love  or  dislike  of  any  created  thing, 
he  shall  be  the  most  fit  to  receive  grace,  and  worthy  of  the  gift  of  devotion." 

S.    THOMAS  A  KEMPIS. 

God  is  ready,  "waiting  to  be  gracious"  unto  us.  He  calls 
to  us  to  open  our  mouths,  that  He  may  fill  them. 

Our  position  should  be  that  of  the  little  birds  in  their 
nest,  quietly  waiting  in  undoubting  patience  to  be  fed  from 
our  Father's  Hand. 

This  is  the  attitude  most  pleasing  to  Him,  because  it  shows 
entire  dependence  on  God,  and  want  of  reliance  on  self. 

It  is  not  by  the  constant  rushing  hither  and  thither,  and 
hurrying  to  and  fro,  it  is  not  by  greetings  in  the  market 
place,  and  loud  talking  on  platforms,  it  is  not  even  by  a 
perpetual  round  of  schools,  and  visiting,  or  even  religious 
services,  that  the  heart  is  made  ready  to  receive  its  Lord. 

His  great  Forerunner,  who  was  elected  to  prepare  the  way 
of  Christ,  dwelt  from  his  childhood  in  the  wilderness,  and 
even  when  the  necessities  of  his  ministry  called  him  into 
public  notice,  his  great  desire  was  to  hide  himself  in  the 
shadow  of  Him  Whose  shoe's  latchet  he  said  he  "  was  not 
worthy  to  unloose." 

So  with  the  Blessed  Mother  of  Jesus.     She  from  whom 


64  €ftri&tt  a^ltiian* 


He  vouchsafed  to  take  His  Human  Nature,  she  who  was 
privileged  to  bear  the  Incarnate  Son  of  God,  and  to  nourish 
and  support  His  tender  infancy,  is  yet  as  it  were  hidden  in 
the  cloud  of  glory  which  encircles  her  Divine  Son.  How 
quiet,  how  still  was  her  humble  life  on  earth,  how  slight  the 
record  of  her  on  whom  the  benediction  of  all  generations 
rests. 

In  the  Life,  too,  of  our  dear  Master  Himself,  there  is  the 
same  stillness  and  quiet  waiting  upon  God.  For  thirty 
years  He  Who  was  the  glory  of  the  Father,  and  "  the 
express  Image  of  His  Person,"  lived  a  hidden  secret  life  in 
the  quiet  home  at  Nazareth.  For  three  years  only  was  He 
seen  and  known  of  men,  and  much  even  of  that  short  time 
He  spent  in  lonely  seclusion,  on  the  mountain-top  or  in  a 
desert  place,  absorbed  ~  in  prayer  to  God,  and  the  great 
consummation  of  His  wondrous  Life,  was  an  act  of  passive 
endurance,  when  He  suffered  others  to  bind  Him  and  carry 
Him  to  the  death,  from  which  His  Human  Heart  must 
needs  shrink  with  pain. 

The  greatest  victory  the  world  has  ever  seen,  the  glorious 
triumph  which  Saints  and  Angels  celebrate,  without  ceasing 
before  the  Throne  of  God,  was  achieved  by  One  Who  was 
nailed  fast  to  the  cruel  Tree,  and  unable  to  remove  for  one 
moment  even  His  most  sacred  Hands  and  Feet. 

Let  us  then  learn  from  His  sacred  wounds  to  look  for  the 
Lord,  and  to  wait  patiently  for  Him,  much  in  silence, 
much  in  prayer,  while  the  sigh  goes  up  from  our  hearts, 
"  Come,  Lord  Jesus  ;  come  Holy  Ghost,  the  comforter,  and 
abide  with  us." 


Jftftt)  Olgetfnr^ag  in  Ecnt.  65 

"  Those  voices  low  and  gentle, 

And  timid  glances  shy, 
That  seem  for  aid  parental 

To  sue  all  wistfully. 
Still  pressing,  longing  to  be  right, 

Yet  fearing  to  be  wrong, 
In  these  the  pastor  dares  delight, 

A  lamb-like,  Christ-like  throng. 

These  in  life's  distant  even 

Shall  shine  serenely  bright, 
As  in  th'  autumnal  heaven 

Mild  rainbow  tints  at  night. 
When  the  last  shower  is  steaUng  down, 

And  ere  they  sink  to  rest, 
The  sunbeams  weave  a  parting  crown 

For  some  sweet  woodland  nest. " 

Master,  we  have  toiled  all  night,  and  have  taken  nothing.^'' 

IF   ANY  MAN   THIRST,    LET   HIM  COME  TO   ME   AND   DRINK." 

Read  Psalm  xlii.     Lesson,  Isa.  Iv. 

Litany  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 


jFifti)  againue^irag  iM  Heut. 


DISCIPLESHIP. 


"BEHOLD,    O  LORD,    THAT   I   AM   THY  SERVANT. 

"THE   DISCIPLE  IS   NOT  ABOVE   HIS   MASTER,  BUT   EVERY   ONE   THAT  IS 
PERFECT  SHALL  BE   AS   HIS   MASTER."— S.  LUKE  VI.    40. 

E 


66  Ci)rts*tc  e^Ici^ou. 


' '  Lord,  all  things  are  Thitie  that  are  in  Heaven  and  earth. 

"  I  desire  to  offer  up  myself  to  Thee  as  a  volu?itary  oblation,  and  to  remain 
for  ever  Thine. 

' '  Lord,  in  the  sincerity  of  my  heart  I  offer  myself  to  Thee  this  day  to  be 
Thy  servant  evermore,  to  serve  Thee,  and  to  become  a  sacrifice  of  pei'petual 
praise  to  Thee. 

*'  Forgive,  O  my  God,  forgive  me  my  sins  for  Thy  Holy  Najtie's  sake. 
Save  my  soul  which  Thou  hast  redeemed  with  Thy  Precious  Blood. 

' '  Behold,  I  commit  myself  to  Thy  mercy ;  I  resign  myself  i?ito  Thy 
Hands. 

"I  offer  to  Thee  all  the  good  I  have,  though  very  little  and  imperfect ;  that 
Thou  mayest  make  it  better,  and  sanctify  it ;  that  Thou  mayest  be  pleased 
with  it,  and  make  it  acceptable  to  Thee,  and  perfect  it  more  and  more,  and 
mayest  mo?-eover  bring  me,  who  am  a  slothful  arid  unprofitable  wretch,  to  a 
good  and  happy  end. 

' '  If  thou  desire  to  be  My  disciple,  offer  iip  thyself  to  Me  with  all  thy 
affections."  S.  THOMAS  A  KEMPIS. 

The  dear  Master  sayis.  "  Learn  of  Me."  Let  us,  then, 
meditate  to-day  on  our  discipleship  to  Him,  which  means 
our  way  of  learning  what  He  teaches. 

"  The  oil,  which  in  the  early  days  of  the  Church  was  used 
in  Confirmation,  consisted  of  two  ingredients,  balm  and  olive 
oil ;  the  balm,  which  ever  sinks  below  all  other  liquors,  re- 
presents humility,  and  the  oil  of  olives,  which  swims  always 
above,  represents  meekness  which  surmounts  all  things,  and 
excels  amongst  virtues  as  being  the  flower  of  charity,  which 
S.  Bernard  says  reaches  its  perfection  when  it  is  not  only 
patient  but  also  meek  and  mild." 

Humility  and  meekness,  then,  must  be  the  leading  features 
in  the  disciples  of  Him  Who  said,  "  Learn  of  Me,  for  I  am 
meek  and  lowly  of  heart." 

Another  characteristic  of  true  discipleship  is  the  imitation 


jTtft]^  W&ietsnt^K^  in  Ecnt.  67 

of  the  master  by  his  followers.  See  how  like  to  our  Blessed 
Lord  His  Apostles  and  dearest  friends  became  ;  how  S. 
Peter,  even  in  the  manner  of  his  death,  was  "as  his 
Master ; "  how  S.  John  spoke  in  the  same  words  the  Lord 
had  used  so  long  before,  "Little  children  love  one  another;" 
how  S.  Stephen,  who  had  seen  Jesus  only  in  a  vision, 
yet  died  hke  his  Master  with  a  prayer  for  his  enemies  on 
his  lips. 

True  discipleship,  faithful  learning  of  Jesus,  must  mould 
us  to  be  like  Him.  It  must  teach  us  to  love  what  He  loved, 
and  to  despise  only  what  He  condemned. 

His  Blessed  Presence  has  sanctified  the  earth  on  which 
we  live,  so  that  we  must  call  nothing  which  He  has 
touched  either  "  common  or  unclean."  His  Presence  has 
sancified  the  state  of  poverty,  therefore  are  the  poor  of 
this  world  rich  in  the  Sight  of  God.  He  has  sanctified 
a  life  of  self-denial  and  mortification,  so  must  His 
disciples  take  up  their  cross  and  follow  Him  away  from 
the  luxuries  and  pleasures  of  the  world  ;  He  has  sanctified 
a  death  of  pain  and  shame,  shall  we  not  count  it  joy 
to  suffer  ^vith  our  Lord  ? 

"  Dread  crown  of  thorns  which  Jesus  wore, 
Pledge  of  His  dying  Love, 
When  clouds  arise  and  tempests  roar 
Shine  on  nie  from  above. 

O  let  the  points  that  pierced  Thy  Brow, 

Transpierce  this  faithless  breast, 
That  thought,  and  will,  and  wish,  and  vow, 

In  Christ  may  ever  rest." 


68  Cljristc  mti^mu 


"My  Lord  and  my  God." 

2Hflirc  of  Siccus?. 

WHOSOEVER   DOTH   NOT   BEAR   HIS   CROSS   AND    COME   AFTER   ME,   CAN- 
NOT  BE   MY   DISCIPLE." 

Read  Psalm  cxviii.     Lesson,  .S".  Luke  xiv.  2j  to  J4. 
Litany   of  our  Lord  Jesus    Christ. 


dfifti)  2!:i)uvgiraj)  \\\  Eent. 


FRIENDSHIP    WITH    JESUS. 


"WE  TOOK  SWEET  COUNSEL  TOGETHER,  AND  WALKED  IN  THE  HOUSE 
OF  GOD   AS   FRIENDS."— PSALM   LV,    15. 

"  HENCEFORTH  I  CALL  YOU  NOT  SERVANTS  :  FOR  THE  SERVANT 
KNOWETH  NOT  WHAT  HIS  LORD  DOETH  ;  BUT  I  HAVE  CALLED  YOU 
FRIENDS,  FOR  ALL  THINGS  THAT  I  HAVE  HEARD  OF  MY  FATHER  I  HAVE 
MADE   KNOWN    UNTO  YOU." — S.   JOHN   XV.    15. 

"  Who  will  give  me,  O  Lord,  to  find  Thee  alotte.,  that  I  may  open  my  whole 
heart  to  Thee,  and  enjoy  Thee  as  my  soul  desireth  :  no  one  beJiolding  me,  nor 
any  creature  interesting  ine,  or  at  all  affecting  m,e  ;  but  Thou  alone  speak- 
ing to  me,  and  I  to  Thee,  as  tJie  Beloved  is  wont  to  speak  to  His  Beloved, 
and  a  friend  to  efitertain  himself  with  his  friend. 

"  This  I  pray  for,  this  I  desire,  that  I  may  be  wholly  united  to  Thee,  and 
may  withdraw  my  heart  from  all  created  things. 

'■'■Ah,  Lord  God  !  when  shall  I  be  wholly  united  to  Thee,  and  absorbed  in 
Thee,  and  altogether  forgetful  of  myself. 

"  Thou  in  me,  and  I  in  Thee:  atid  so  grant  us  both  to  continue  in  one, 

"  Verily,  Thou  art  my  Beloved,  the  cJioicest  among  thousands,  in  Whom 
my  soul  is  well  pleased  to  dwell  all  the  days  of  her  life." 

S.   THOMAS  A  KEMPIS. 


iTtftl}  Cibwrs^ay  in  %cnt  69 

As  we  approach  the  great  mysteries  of  the  Passion  and 
Resurrection  of  our  Lord,  our  meditations  must  bring  us 
ever  nearer  and  more  near  to  Him. 

Yesterday  we  thought  of  discipleship,  to-day  we  consider 
the  far  closer  tie  of  friendship  with  the  dear  Master. 

The  disciple  opens  the  door  of  his  heart,  that  he  may 
hear  his  Master's  Voice,  and  learn  of  Him,  the  friend  goes 
out  to  meet  Him,  and  presses  Him  to  come  in  and  abide  in 
his  house  ;  the  disciple  follows  his  Master  even  to  prison 
and  death,  but  the  friend  walks  side  by  side  with  Him,  and 
holds  His  Hand.  Andrew  and  Philip  and  Thomas  went 
with  our  Lord  in  His  journeyings,  and  sat  with  Him  at 
supper,  but  S.  John  leant  upon  His  Breast. 

Friendship  is  the  going  out  of  one  heart  to  meet  another, 
it  is  the  touching  and  close  union  of  the  innermost  part  of 
man  with  man.  Passion  is  selfish,  and  therefore  passionate 
love  seeks  its  own  gratification  in  the  object  of  its  affection, 
but  friendship  seeks  not  her  own,  but  goes  out  of  self  to 
unite  her  thoughts,  and  affections,  and  aspirations,  with 
those  of  another,  and  a  kindred,  soul. 

Let  us  think,  then,  if  earthly  friendship  be  so  precious 
and  so  holy  a  thing,  what  must  be  the  blessedness  of  him 
who  is  a  friend  of  Jesus,  who,  like  S.  John,  is  a  disciple 
whom  Jesus  loves,  and  to  whom  He  will  reveal  the  Will  of 
His  Father,  Who  is  in  Heaven  ? 

Three  things  are  necessary  to  those  who  would  be  friends 
of  Jesus.  They  must  leave  all  else  for  Him,  they  must  be 
of  the  same  mind  with  Him,  they  must  do  the  work  which 
He  calls  them  to  do. 


70  Ct)itstt  eicts'on. 


Abraham,  amongst  the  Old  Testament  Saints,  was  called 
the  "  Friend  of  God,"  Why  ?  Because  he  left  home  and 
friends  and  country,  and  went  out  into  a  strange  land,  not 
knowing  whither  he  went,  but  holding  fast  to  the  God  Who 
led  him  by  his  hand.  And  it  pleased  God  to  make  of  him 
a  nation,  more  than  the  stars  of  Heaven  for  multitude. 

So  is  it  ever  with  the  friends  of  God.  He  makes  them 
that  they  shall  not  be  barren  nor  unfruitful,  but  after  their 
death  their  works  follow  them,  and  their  children  call  them 
blessed. 

"  Love  abhors  generalities."  It  is  not  content  to  say 
"  Thou  art  the  Lord,"  but  the  utterance  of  the  loving  heart  is 
rather,  "My  Beloved  is  mine,  and  I  am  His;"  "My  Lord 
and  my  God." 

"  Jesu,  what  didst  Thou  find  in  me, 
That  Thou  hast  dealt  so  lovingly  ? 
How  great  the  joy  that  Thou  hast  brought, 
So  far  exceeding  hope  or  thought. 

Jesu,  of  Thee  shall  be  my  song. 

To  Thee  my  heart  and  soul  belong  ; 

All  that  I  have  or  am  is  Thine, 

And  Thou,  sweet  Saviour,  Thou  art  mine. 

Jesu,  my  Lord,  I  Thee  adore, 

O  make  me  love  Thee  more  and  more." 

"Lord,   Thou  knowest  that  I  love  T/iee," 

©oirc  of  3cjSu!^. 

"IF  I,    YOUR   LORD    AND   MASTER,    HAVE  WASHED  YOUR  FEET,  YE    ALSO 
OUGHT  TO  WASH   ONE  ANOTHER'S  FEET." 

Read  Psalm  Iv.     Lesson,  S.  Ja7?ies  iv,  i-ii. 
Litany  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 


dftftl)  JTrttrai)  tn  Hent.  71 


4Fiftl)  Jpntran  in  Heat. 


FELLOWSHIP   IN   SUFFERING. 


"IN  THE  MULTITUDE  OF  THE  SORl-iOWS  THAT  I  HAD  IN  MY  HEART, 
THY   COMFORTS   HAVE  REFRESHED   MY   SOUL."— PSALM   XCIV.    19. 

"THAT  I  MAY  KNOW  HIM,  AND  THE  POWER  OF  HIS  RESURRECTION, 
AND  THE  FELLOWSHIP  OF  HIS  SUFFERINGS,  BEING  MADE  CONFORMABLE 
UNTO   HIS   DEATH."— PHIL.    III.    lO. 

' '  Lord  Jesus,  I  have  received  the  c7-oss,  I  have  received  it  fro7}i  Thy  Hand, 
and  I  will  bear  it  until  death,  as  Thou  hast  laid  it  upon  me.  Indeed,  the 
life  of  a  good  religious  man  is  a  cross,  but  it  is  a  cross  that  conducts  him  to 
Paradise. 

"  Take  courage,  my  br-ethren,  let  ns  go  forward  together ;  Jesus  will  be 
with  us. 

' '  For  the  sake  of  Jesus  we  took  zip  His  cross  ;  for  the  sake  of  Jesus  let  us 
persevere  in  it. 

"  He  will  be  our  Iielper,  Who  is  our  captain  a?id  our  leader. 

"  Let  lis  follow  Him  like  men  of  courage  ;  let  no  one  shrink  through  fear ; 
let  us  be  ready  valiantly  to  die  in  battle,  and  not  suffer  otir  glory  to  be 
tarnished  by  flying  from  the  Standard  of  the  Cross. " 

S.  THOMAS  A  KEMPIS. 

The  return  of  Friday  once  more  calls  us  to  the  thought 
of  suffering,  and  we  see  that  the  closest  tie  of  friendship 
with  our  Blessed  Lord  is  to  "  know  the  fellov/ship  of  His 
sufferings." 

Nothing  draws  earthly  friends  together  more  nearly  than 
suffering  which  they  bear  together,  in  and  for  each  other. 
Even   those   who  have    been  our   enemies   are  sometimes 


72  Cffti^tt  eiti^aiu 


drawn  to  us  and  made  into  friends  by  the  softening  touch 
of  suffering  and  pain. 

In  a  far  higher  degree  does  the  fellowship  of  the  sufferings 
of  our  Divine  Master  knit  our  hearts  to  His  Loving  Heart, 
and  hold  us  close  to  Him. 

This  holy  fellowship  teaches  us  what  a  blessed  thing  it  is 
to  suffer  like  the  Lord.  The  cross,  since  He  deigned  to 
hang  on  it,  shines  with  the  glory  of  His  Presence,  and 
lights  up  the  darkest  day  ;  the  crown  of  thorns,  since  it 
touched  His  Sacred  Brow,  has  become  a  diadem  of  precious 
jewels  which  the  Saints  delight  to  wear ;  the  nails,  since 
His  Blessed  Hands  and  Feet  were  pierced  with  them,  are 
now  to  His  faithful  children,  but  a  welcome  means  by  which 
they  are  more  firmly  united  to  the  Passion  of  their  Lord. 

To  know  the  fellowship  of  His  sufferings  is  to  find  comfort 
in  affliction,  joy  in  grief,  and  peace  in  that  death  by  which 
we  are  made  conformable  to  Him. 

So  did  the  Saints  win  their  crown  of  glory,  and  triumph 
over  the  bitterest  of  torments,  because  in  the  midst  of  their 
cruellest  sufferings  they  rejoiced  in  the  sight  of  Him  Who 
is  invisible,  Who  bore  all  their  griefs  and  carried  all  their 
sorrows. 

"  Pierce  through  my  feet,  my  hands,  my  heart, 
It  may  some  drop  distil 
Of  Blood  Divine  into  my  soul, 
And  all  its  evils  heal. 


So  shall  my  feet  be  slow  to  sin, 
Harmless  my  hands  shall  be  ; 

So  from  my  wounded  heart  shall  each 
Forbidden  passion  flee." 


dfiftf)  ^aturtrau  in  ilcnt.  73 

<3^i)  initio  u. 

"  We  receive  the  due  reward  of  our  deeds^ 

©aicc  of  ^Csus'. 

HE  THAT   I.OVETH    HIS   LIFE  SHALL  LOSE   IT  ;    AND    HE  THAT   HATETH 
HIS   LIFE    IN   THIS   WORLD   SHALL   KEEP   IT   UNTO   LIFE   ETERNAL." 

Read  Psalm  xxiii.     Lesson,  i  S.  Peter  iv. 

Litany  of  the  Passion. 


Jfiftl)  Satuita))   in  ILzwx. 


READINESS. 


"O  GOD,  MY  HEART  IS  READY,  MY  HEART  IS    READY." — PSALM  CVIII.   I. 

"IF  THERE  BE  FIRST  A  WILLING  MIND,  IT  IS  ACCEPTED  ACCORDING 
TO  THAT  A  MAN  HATH,  AND  NOT  ACCORDING  TO  THAT  HE  HATH 
NOT." — 2   COR.    VIII.    12. 

'■'■As  I  ■willingly  offered  Myself  to  God  My  Father,  for  thy  sins,  with  My 
Hands  stretched  out  on  the  Cross,  even  so  must  thou  willingly  offer  thyself  to 
Me  daily  for  a  pure  and  holy  oblation,  together  with  all  thy  powers  and 
affections,  as  heartily  as  thou  art  able. 

"  Whatever  thou  givest  besides  thyself,  I  regard  not ;  for  I  seek  not  thy  gift., 
but  thyself. 

*^  Therefore,  before  all  thy  works,  thou  must  make  a  free  oblatio?i  of  thyself 
into  the  Hands  of  God,  if  thou  desire  to  obtain  liberty  and  grace. 

"  If  thou  desire  to  be  My  disciple,  offer  up  thyself  to  Me,  with  all  thy 
affections."  S.    THOMAS  A  KEMP  IS. 

Let  us  meditate  to-day  on  the  readiness  of  mind  wherewith 
we  should  be  waiting  to  receive  all  the  blessings  of  a  close 
and  intimate  communion  with  our  dear  Lord  and  Master. 


74  €\)vi^tt  eiei^an* 


He  has  called  us ;  He  is  always  calling  us  to  follow  Him ; 
every  day  this  Lent  His  Voice  has  sounded  in  our  ears ; 
how  have  we  responded  to  the  call  ? 

Have  we  said  with  S.  Paul,  "  Lord,  I  am  ready  to  be 
offered  ? "  or  have  we  begun  at  once  to  make  excuses  ? 
Have  the  farm,  or  the  merchandize,  or  the  wife,  filled  our 
minds,  and  left  no  place  for  the  Lord,  Who  gave  them 
all,  and  meant  us  to  use  them  all  to  draw  us  nearer  to 
Himself  ? 

Nothing  must  come  before  Jesus  and  His  Word.  If  He 
says  "  come,"  we  must  go  with  Him,  nor  must  any  obliga- 
tions to  friends,  or  relations,  or  home,  or  work,  hold  us  for 
a  moment  back  from  Him.  Not  even  to  bury  an  earthly 
father  must  we  delay  to  obey  the  summons  of  our  Father 
in  Heaven. 

God  is  very  merciful,  and  He  asks  but  few  sacrifices  at 
our  hands.  The  duties  He  imposes  on  us  are  for  the  most 
part  so  bound  up  with  our  affections  and  interests,  that  the 
more  truly  we  serve  Him,  the  more  faithful  are  we  to  those 
with  whom  He  has  placed  us. 

But  He  requires  of  us  a  willing  mind,  ready  at  any  moment 
to  give  up  to  Him  everything  that  we  have,  everything  that 
we  love,  if  He  requires  us  to  do  so. 

He  may  try  our  faith  and  love,  even  to  demand  of  us  the 
offering  of  the  one  precious  child  of  our  old  age,  the  one  in 
whom,  as  in  Isaac,  all  our  hopes  and  promises  are  bound 
up,  and  we  must  bind  the  sacrifice  with  cords,  and  be  ready 
to  give  up  our  only  son  to  Him. 

Has  He  not  given  His  only  Son  for  us  ?   and  if,  at  the 


JTtftt)  ^aturtfai)  in  ^mU        75 

last  moment,  when  He  sees  that  we  are  wholly  conformed 
to  His  Will,  He  should  stay  the  sacrificial  Hand,  and  accept 
a  lesser  gift  instead,  it  is  only  one  more  proof  of  His  Mercy 
and  His  Love,  Who  will  so  frame  the  trial  that  we  may  be 
able  to  bear  it. 

"  Let  Him  do  what  seemeth  Him  good,"  was  the  utterance 
of  a  Patriarch. 

"  Be  it  unto  me  according  to  Thy  Word,"  was  the  utter- 
ance of  the  greatest  of  all  the  Saints,  on  whom  shall  rest  the 
benediction  of  all  generations  of  the  children  of  God. 

"  My  meat  is  to  do  the  Will  of  Him  that  sent  Me,"  is  the 
utterance  of  Him  to  Whom  we  ever  look  for  guidance,  the 
Alpha  and  Omega  of  our  faith  and  Love. 

"  Grant  us  pure  wisdom  to  attain, 
And  fervent  charity  to  gain  ; 
Oh  !  surest  Heaven-descended  sign, 
Of  them  that  please  Thy  Will  Divine. 

Now  Thy  sweet  promise  we  believe, 
How  they  that  ask  shall  more  receive  ; 
So  may  Thine  own  free  mercy  grant 
All  other  gifts  Thy  servants  want." 

"■Lord,  I  am  not  worthy  that  Thou  shouldest  come  under  my  roof.^'' 

©oicc  flf  %ti\xi, 

"YE  HAVE  NOT  CHOSEN  ME,  BUT  I  HAVE  CHOSEN  YOU,  AND  ORDAINED 

YOU,  THAT  YE  SHOULD  GO  AND  BRING  FORTH  FRUIT,  AND  THAT 

YOUR  FRUIT  SHOULD  REMAIN." 

Read  Psalm  cviii.  i.     Lesson,  i  S.  Peter  ii.  i-ii. 

Litafty  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 


76  €ltxi^tt  mti^aiu 


jFiftib  Suntrai)  m  Hent, 


TII£     LAW    OF    SACRIFICE. 

"  OPEN  THOU  MINE  EYES,  THAT  I  MAY  SEE  THE  WONDROUS  THINGS 
OF  THY  LAW." — PSALM   CIX.    l8. 

"WITHOUT  SHEDDING   OF   BLOOD   IS   NO   REMISSION." — HEB.   IX.  22. 

"  Moses,  Thy  servant,  Thy  great  and  special  friend,  made  an  ark  of  incor- 
ruptible wood,  which  he  also  covered  with  most  pure  gold,  that  he  might 
deposit  therein  the  tables  of  the  Law.  Solomon,  the  wisest  of  the  kings  of 
Israel,  einp lay ed  seven  years  in  building  a  magnificent  temple  for  the  praise 
of  Thy  Name  ;  and  for  eight  days  together  celebrated  the  feast  of  the  dedication 
thereof.  He  offered  a  thousand  pacific  victims,  and  brought  the  Ark  of  the 
Covenant  in  a  solemn  manner  into  the  place  prepared  for  it. 

'''•Oh!  my  God,  how  much  did  they  endeavour  to  do  to  please  Thee  f  Alas  ! 
how  little  it  is  that  I  do. 

'•''Ajid  yet  there  is  a  great  difference  between  those  sacrifices  of  the  law, 
which  were  figures  of  thi?igs  to  come,  and  the  true  sacrifice  of  Thy  Body, 
which  is  the  accomplishing  of  all  those  ancient  sacrifices.  Why  do  I  not 
prepare  myself  with  greater  cai'e  to  receive  Thy  sacred  gifts,  seeing  that  these 
anciejit  holy  Patriarchs  and  Pf'ophets,  yea,  kings  also,  and  princes,  with  the 
whole  people,  have  shewed  so  great  affection  of  devotion  towards  Thy  Divine 
Worship  r'  S.   THOMAS  A  KEMPIS. 

The  Epistle  appointed  for  this  fifth  Sunday  in  Lent  brings 
our  Blessed  Lord  before  us  as  the  High  Priest  of  good 
things  to  come,  entering  into  the  Holy  Place,  not  with  the 
blood  of  bulls  and  of  goats,  as  required  by  the  old  covenant, 
but  by  His  own  Blood,  "having  obtained  eternal  redemption 
for  us." 

Let  us  meditate  to-day  on  the  great  Law  of  Sacrifice,  which 


dTiftlj  ^untraj)  in  Hcut.  77 

is  the  very  foundation  of  all  the  ordinances  and  dispensations 
of  Almighty  God. 

Since  iVdam  fell,  it  has  been  the  great  and  unchanging 
Law  of  God  that  sin  could  only  be  purged  away  by  blood. 
Under  the  old  dispensation  the  "  blood  of  bulls  and  of 
goats "  streamed  from  the  altars  where  innocent  victims 
gave  their  lives  to  make  an  atonement  for  the  sins  of  the 
people. 

Under  the  new  dispensation  of  the  glorious  Gospel  of 
Christ  the  Most  Precious  Blood  of  Him  Who  was  Priest 
and  Victim  too,  flowed  on  the  Altar  of  the  Cross  for  the 
eternal  redemption  of  the  whole  world. 

A  great  writer  has  said,  "  Sacrifice  is  the  key  of  the 
difficulties  of  the  dogmas  of  the  Church,  it  is  the  soul  of 
its  mysteries,  the  cause  of  its  asceticism,  the  pattern  of  its 
mystical  union  with  God. 

"  Ritual  is  the  action  of  sacrifice  ;  prayer  is  the  language 
of  sacrifice  ;  contemplation  is  the  thought  of  sacrifice ; 
and  interior  mortification  is  sacrifice  itself." 

May  God  help  us  during  this  sacred  week,  so  to  meditate 
on  this  great  Law  of  Sacrifice  that  we  may  be  prepared  in 
body  and  soul  to  kneel  beneath  the  Saviour's  Cross  on 
Good  Friday,  and  to  welcome  Him  with  pure  hearts  full 
of  love  and  praise,  when  He  shall  give  Himself  to  us  in 
Communion  at  Eastertide. 

"  Both  theirs  and  ours  Thou  art, 
As  we  and  they  are  Thine, 
Kings,  Prophets,  Patriarchs,  all  have  part 
Along:  the  sacred  line. 


78  CT)rtstc  C^Icison. 


"  By  blood  and  water,  too, 
God's  mark  is  set  on  Thee, 
That  in  Thee  every  faithful  view 
Both  covenants  might  see." 

"  Master,  what  shall  I  do  to  inherit  Eternal  Life'?'''' 

^0irc  of  Bc^usl. 

WHAT   IS   WRITTEN   IN   THE   LAW;      HOW   READEST   THOU?' 

Read  Psahn  I.     Lesson,  Hebrews  x.  r-14. 

Litany  of  Penitence. 


jFifti)  ifilonlias  \\\  ILent. 


SACRIFICE    OF  LOVE. 


"BECAUSE  HE  HATH  SET  HIS  LOVE  UPON  ME,  THEREFORE  WILL  I 
DELIVER  HIM,  I  WILL  SET  HIM  UP  BECAUSE  HE  HATH  KNOWN  MY 
NAME." — PSALM  XCI.    14. 

"SET  ME  AS  A  SEAL  UPON  THINE  HEART,  AS  A  SEAL  UPON  THINE 
ARM;   FOR   LOVE    IS   STRONG   AS    DEATH."— SONG   OF  SOLOMON   VIII.  6. 

"  Verily  Thou  art  my  Beloved,  the  choicest  among  thousands,  in  whom  my 
soul  is  well  pleased  to  dwell  all  the  days  of  her  life. 

"  Thou  art  in  truth  a  hidden  God,  atid  Thy  counsel  is  not  with  the 
wicked ;  but  Thy  conversation  is  with  the  humble  and  the  simple. 

"  Surely  there  is  no  other  nation  so  great  that  hath  their  God  so  nigh  to 
them  as  Thou  our  God  art  present  to  Thy  faithful.  For  what  other  ?iation 
is  there  so  honoured  as  the  Christian  people  f 

**  Or  what  creature  under  Heaven  so  beloved  as  a  devout  soul^  into  whom 
God  cotneth  f 

"(9  infinite  love,  singularly  bestowed  upon  man, 

^'■But  what  return  shall  I  make  to  the  Lord  for  this  grace  f 


JTiftt)  MaixtSKyi  in  %cnt  79 

"  There  is  nothing  that  I  can  give  Him  thai  will  please  Him  better  than 
if  I  give  up  my  heart  entirely  to  God,  and  unite  it  closely  to  Him." 

S.  THOMAS  A  K EM  PIS. 

God  will  not  accept  at  our  hands  anything  less  than  the 
best  we  have  to  offer. 

He  estimates  the  value  of  the  sacrifice,  not  by  its  own 
intrinsic  worth,  but  by  the  proportion  it  bears  to  the  value 
of  His  gifts  to  us. 

It  is  "  of  His  own"  that  we  give  Him,  be  it  much  or  Httle, 
for  we  have  nothing  that  we  did  not  first  receive  from  Him. 

The  offering  of  the  mite  which  the  widow  put  into  the 
treasury  of  God,  and  the  offering  of  the  costly  alabaster  box 
of  precious  ointment  which  was  broken  and  poured  out  in 
the  service  of  the  Divine  Master — these  two  gifts  met  with 
the  same  gracious  reception  and  approval  from  our  Blessed 
Lord,  because  in  each  case  the  giver  had  done  all  she  could. 

The  best  gift  we  have  to  offer,  is  the  sacrifice  of  the  affec- 
tions of  our  hearts,  and  this  is  the  only  sacrifice  that  is 
acceptable  in  the  Sight  of  God,  because  the  affections  are 
the  highest,  and  best,  and  most  God-like  part  of  our  weak 
human  nature. 

If  we  do  not  offer  the  fervent  love  of  our  hearts,  the  first 
and  highest  place  in  our  affections,  to  the  God  Who  made 
us  and  keeps  us  in  being,  He  will  not  accept  anything  that  we 
may  try  to  offer  Him  instead. 

The  first  and  great  commandment  is  this,  "  Thou  shalt 
love  the  Lord  thy  God." 

True,  we  cannot  see  Him,  though  He  is  our  Father,  but 
we  are  to  look  for  Him  in  His  works  and  in  His  Word,  and 


80  Clbrt^tc  eictfi'DU. 


more  than  all,  we  are  to  learn  to  know  and  to  love  Him  in 
His  Son,  our  most  Blessed  and  only  Lord  ;  and  as,  by  the 
help  of  the  Holy  Spirit  we  learn  more  of  Him,  we  cannot 
fail  to  give  Him  the  first  place  in  our  hearts,  for  who  can 
satisfy  the  soul  as  He  does  ?  Where  is  there  any  happiness 
like  that  of  knowing  Christ,  and  being  found  in  Him  ? 

"  Then  all  that  is  within  me  shall  rejoice  exceedingly 
when  my  soul  shall  be  perfectly  united  to  my  God  :  then 
will  He  say  to  me  :  If  thou  wilt  be  with  Me,  I  will  be  with 
thee  :  and  I  will  answer  Him,  Vouchsafe,  O  Lord,  to  remain 
with  me,  and  I  will  willingly  be  with  Thee." 

Lord,  I  desire  to  bring  a  loving  heart  to  the  Altar  of  Thy 
Cross. 

"Jesus,  would  our  hearts  were  burning 
With  more  burning  love  for  Thee, 
Would  our  eyes  were  ever  turning 
To  Thy  Cross  of  Agony. 

So  in  pain  and  rapture  blending 

Might  our  failing  eyes  grow  dim, 
While  the  freed  heart  rose,  ascending 

To  the  circling  cherubim. 

Then  in  glory,  parted  never 

From  the  Saviour's  sheltering  side, 

Graven  on  our  hearts  for  ever 
Be  the  Cross  and  Crucified." 

^spiratiDiu 

"  Let  us  not  love  in  word,  but  in  deed  and  in  truth.-' 

"^Qitt  af  ,^rsus. 

"  GREATER  LOVE  HATH   NO  MAN  THAN  THIS,    THAT  A   MAN   LAY   DOWN 
HIS   LIFE    FOR    HIS   FRIENDS." 

Read  Psalm  cxlv.     Lesson,  i  S.  John  ii.  i-8. 

Litany  of  the   Passion. 


jfiftfj  CufiSifaii  III  3LmU  81 


jTiftl)  JTuesiiaB  tii  Stent 


SACRIFICE    OF    THANKSGIVING. 


"WHOSO  OFFERETH  ME  THANKS  AND  PRAISE  HE  HONOURETH  ME," 
PSALM  L.  23. 

"  BE  FILLED   WITH   THE   SPIRIT." 

"  GIVING  THANKS  ALWAYS  FOR  ALL  THINGS  UNTO  GOD  AND  THE 
FATHER,    IN  THE  NAME  OF   OUR   LORD  JESUS   CHRIST." — EPH,  V.  l8,   20. 

"  O  Father  of  itiercies  and  God  of  all  comfort,  I  give  thanks  to  Thee,  Who 
art  pleased  to  cherish  with  Thy  consolation,  me  that  am  unworthy  of  a?iy 
comfort. 

"/  bless  and  glorify  Thee  for  evermore,  together  with  Thy  only -begotten 
Son  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  Comforter,  to  all  eternity. 

"Let  me  love  Thee  more  than  myself,  and  myself  only  for  Thee,  arid  all 
others  in  Thee,  who  truly  love  Thee  as  tlie  law  of  love  commands,  which 
shines  forth  from  Thee. 

"  Love  is  submissive  and  obedient ;  iji  its  own  eyes  mean  and  contemptible ; 
devout  and  thankful  to  God,  always  trusting  and  hoping  in  Him,  even 
then,  when  it  tastes  not  the  relish  of  God's  sweetness  ;  for  there  is  no  living 
in  lave  without  some  pain  and  sorrow.^''  THOMAS  A  KEMPIS. 

A  LOVING  heart  must  be  a  thankful  heart,  for  is  it  not  the 
thought  of  all  His  mercies  towards  us,  which  kindles  in  our 
hearts  true  love  to  God,  and  makes  us  long  to  offer  to  Him 
continually  a  sacrifice  of  praise  and  thanksgiving  ? 

No  better  exercise  can  there  be  for  the  soul  than  to  count 
up,  and  tell  over  and  over  again,  all  the  mercies  God  has 
bestowed  on  her.  The  more  we  think  of  them,  the  more 
their  number  grows,  for  as  we  meditate,  we  see  that  even 


82  Cljrtste  (Sltison. 


troubles  and  trials  were  mercies  in  disguise,  mercies  for 
which  we  must  give  thanks  to  the  Giver  of  all  good. 

Let  us,  then,  thank  God  continually,  and  offer  our  daily 
sacrifice  of  loving,  grateful  hearts. 

Let  us  thank  Him  for  our  life  and  breath,  for  our  daily 
bread,  for  all  the  loving  ties  with  which  He  has  bound  us 
to  each  other,  for  His  Holy  Church  and  His  Word,  for  all 
the  sorrows  whereby  He  trains  our  souls  for  Heaven,  for 
the  Communion  of  Saints,  for  the  blessed  grace  of  the 
Sacraments,  above  and  beyond  all,  for  the  Precious  Gifts 
of  His  dear  Son,  by  Whose  Life  our  life  is  sanctified,  and 
by  Whose  Death  our  souls  are  saved  from  death,  and  are 
admitted  into  the  Presence  of  the  Lord. 

Let  us  not  go  on  our  way  towards  the  deep  mysteries 
of  the  Holy  Week,  without  first  returning  along  the  road 
we  have  come,  that  "  we  may  kneel  at  the  Feet  of  Jesus, 
and  give  glory  to  God "  for  our  deliverance  from  the 
leprosy  of  sin. 

"  When  all  Thy  mercies,  O  my  God, 
My  rising  soul  surveys, 
Transported  with  the  view,  I'm  lost 
In  wonder,  love,  and  praise. 

Ten  thousand,  thousand,  precious  gifts, 

My  daily  thanks  employ  ; 
Nor  is  the  least  a  thankful  heart 

That  tastes  those  gifts  with  joy. 


Through  all  eternity,  to  Thee 
A  joyful  song  I'll  raise  ; 

But  oh  !  eternity's  too  short 
To  utter  all  Thy  praise." 


^tjrt]^  EmcXsiic^'iSKQ  in  Hcnt.  83 

^^  Hallowed  be    Thy  Name." 

?F0tcc  of  ?^t^\xi, 

I   THANK  THEE,  O  FATHER,  LORD  OF  HEAVEN  AND  EARTH,  THAT  THOU 
HAST   HID    THESE    THINGS     FROM    THE   WISE  AND  PRUDENT,   AND 
HAST  REVEALED  THEM  UNTO  BABES." 
Read  Psalm  xcii.     Lesson,  S.  Luke  xvii.  11-20. 

Litany  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 


^\x^  fflZSeirneiBitJaB  m  lent 


SACRIFICE     OF    OBEDIENCE. 


"  PAY  THY  VOWS   UNTO   THE   MOST   HIGHEST."— PSALM   L,    14. 

"IN  BURNT  OFFERIXGS  AND  SACRIFICES  FOR  SIN  THOU  HAST  HAD  NO 
PLEASURE.  THEN  SAID  I,  LO  I  COME  (IN  THE  VOLUME  OF  THE  BOOK 
IT  IS  WRITTEN  OF  ME)   TO   DO    THY  WILL,  O  GOD."— HEB.    X.    6,  7. 

"  Lord,  all  things  are  Thine  that  are  in  Heaven  and  earth. 
"  /  desire  to  ojfjr  up  myself  to  Thee  as  a  voluntary  oblation^  and  to  remai7i 
for  ever  Thine. 

"  Lord,  in  the  sincerity  of  my  heart  I  offer  myself  to  Thee  this  day  to  be 
Thy  servant  evermore,  to  serve  Thee,  and  to  become  a  sacrifice  of  perpetual 
praise  to  Thee. 

'■'■Receive  me  with  the  Sacred  Oblation  of  Thy  Precious  Body  in  the 
presence  of  Thy  angels  standing  invisibly  by. 

"  Behold,  I  commit  myself  to  Thy  tnercy  ;  I  resign  myself  into  Thy  Hands. 

"  /  offer  to  Thee  all  the  good  I  have,  though  very  little  a7id  imperfect ;  that 

Thou  may  est  make  it  better,  and  sanctify  it;  that  Thou  mayest  be  pleased 

with  it,  and  make  it  acceptable  to  Thee,  and  perfect  it  more  and  more ;  and 

mayest  bring  me  to  a  good  and  happy  end. " 

THOMAS  A  KEMPIS. 


84  Cl^rtstc  mtiSaix, 


Obedience  is  the  test  of  the  reahty  of  the  other  sacrifices 
which  we  offer  to  God, 

The  reahty  of  the  love  and  thanksgiving  which  we  offer 
must  be  proved  by  our  readiness  to  do  "  whatsoever  He 
commands  us." 

"Whatsoever"  is  an  all-embracing  word.  The  sacrifice 
of  obedience  knows  no  mitigation,  allows  of  no  reserve.  As 
the  Passover  lamb  was  to  be  roasted  whole  and  complete, 
so  must  every  part  of  us  be  laid  on  the  Altar  of  God,  and 
offered  up  to  Him. 

He  will  accept  no  less.  To  keep  anything  back  is  to 
make  the  offering  vain  and  worthless  in  the  sight  of  God. 
Body,  soul,  and  spirit,  He  created  us,  to  love  and  serve 
Him,  and  body,  soul,  and  spirit,  we  must  offer  in  their 
entirety  to  Him. 

This  perfection  of  obedience  can  be  learned  only  beneath 
the  Cross,  as  we  meditate  on  the  Incarnation  of  the  Eternal 
Son  of  God. 

The  Incarnation  was  the  consummation  of  obedience,  the 
absolute  fulfilment  of  the  Almighty  Will  of  God. 

Therefore  must  we,  in  order  that  our  sacrifice  may  be 
accepted  on  high,  unite  it  to  the  sacrifice  of  the  Incarnate 
Son  of  God. 

The  more  we  meditate  on  the  life  and  death  of  the  Lord, 
the  more  we  exercise  our  souls  in  the  study  of  each  most 
sweet  and  holy  mystery  of  the  Incarnation,  the  more  we 
shall  find  that  our  wills,  and  desires,  and  aspirations,  grow 
into  conformity  with  Him. 

In  Him  alone  can  our  "whole  body  and  soul  and  spirit 


^iVti)  Cljuri^ag  in  Ecut.  85 

be    preserved   blameless"    unto    His    coming  again.       By 

Him,  and  through  the  Great   Mystery   of  His  Incarnation 

alone,  can  we  offer  up   ourselves   to   God   in  that   perfect 
obedience  which  is  our  "reasonable  service." 

"  'Tis  Thy  good  pleasure,  not  my  own, 
In  Thee,  my  God,  I  love  alone  ; 
And  nothing  I  desire  of  Thee 
But  what  Thy  goodness  wills  for  me. 

To  Thee  I  consecrate  and  give 
My  heart  and  being  while  I  live  ; 
Jesus,  Thy  Heart  alone  shall  be 
My  love  for  all  eternity. 
May  Heaven  and  earth  with  love  fulfil, 
My  God,  Thy  ever-blessed  Will." 

"  Thy  Will  be  done  on  earthy  as  it  is  in  Heaven." 

^tiitt  at  ^tiwi, 

"if  A   MAN  LOVE  ME,    HE  WILL  KEEP  MY  WORDS." 
Read  Psalm  I.     Lesson,  Hebrews  v 

Litany  of  our  Lord  Jesus   Christ. 


^m\^  2i:i)utstraB  m  Eent, 


SACRLFLCE    OF  FRALSE. 


"O  SING  PRAISES,  SING  PRAISES  UNTO  OUR  GOD;  O  SING  PRAISES, 
SING  PRAISES  UNTO  OUR  KING." — PSALM  XLVII.    6. 

"BY  HIM,  THEREEORE,  LET  US  OFFER  THE  SACRIFICE  OF  PRAISE  TO 
GOD  CONTINUALLY,    THAT   IS,  THE   FRUIT  OF  OUR   LIPS." — HEB.  VIIL   1$. 


€W^tt  mti^aiu 


"  O  Lord  my  God.,  my  Creator,  and  my  Redeemer,  I  desire  to  receive  Thee 
with  such  affection,  reverence,  praise,  and  honour  as  Thy  Holy  Mother 
received  and  desired  Thee. 

"  Wherefore,  I  here  offer  atid  present  to  Thee  the  excessive  joys  of  all  devout 
hearts,  their  ardent  affections  and  ecstacies,  together  with  all  the  virtues  and 
praises  which  are,  or  shall  be,  celebrated  by  all  creatures  in  Heaven  and 
earth  ;  for  myself  and  all  such  as  are  recomtnended  to  my  prayers  ;  that  by 
all  Thou  jnayest  be  worthily  praised  and  glorified  for  ever. 

'■'■  Let  all  peoples,  tribes,  and  tongues  praise  Thee,  and  magnify  Thy  Holy 
and  sweet  Name,  with  the  highest  jubilation  a?id  ardent  devotion.''^ 

THOMAS  A  KEMPIS. 

As  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Cross  gives  a  solemn  sacredness  to 
every  Friday  in  the  year,  so  does  the  glory  of  the  Holy 
Eucharist,  our  great  Sacrifice  of  Praise,  light  up  with  its 
radiance  every  Thursday  in  every  week,  and  especially  this 
Thursday,  which  is  the  ^  forerunner  of  the  great  Thursday 
which  is  exalted  for  ever  in  a  Christian's  eyes  by  the  Insti- 
tution of  the  most  Blessed  Sacrament  of  the  Body  and 
Blood  of  Christ. 

Next  Thursday  we  shall  hope  with  due  awe  and  reverence 
to  commemorate  that  holy  Institution,  and  it  is  well  for  us  now 
to  tune  our  hearts  to  the  sweet  melody  of  praise  with  which  the 
voice  of  the  Church  shall  celebrate  her  Eucharistic  Feast. 

Love  and  thanksgiving  are  the  mind  and  soul  of  sacrifice, 
obedience  is  the  action  of  sacrifice,  and  praise  is  the  expres- 
sion of  sacrifice ;  the  sweet  melody  which  underlies  and 
accompanies  all  the  varying  harmonies  of  the  Gospel  of  the 
Incarnation  of  the  Word  of  God. 

Out  of  the  abundance  of  a  loving,  grateful  heart  the  song 
of  praise  will  burst  forth,  even  the  fruit  of  our  lips  rejoicing 
in  the  beauty  of  the  Lord. 


^iyti)  C^urjEftrap  tn  Hcnt. 87 

Only  let  us  remember  that  it  is  only  a  pure  heart  which 
makes  melody  to  the  Lord.  Corrupt  and  sordid  thoughts 
destroy  all  the  beauty  of  the  song,  and  make  it  jangle  out  of 
tune  :  there  must  be  no  discords  in  the  anthem  which  we 
raise  to  God.  It  must  be  the  echo  of  the  angels'  song  before 
the  throne,  a  pure  and  lofiy  hymn  of  praise  to  the  honour 
and  glory  of  our  God,  and  such  a  sacrifice  is  well  pleasing  in 
His  Sight. 

"  Praise  ye  the  Lord  ;  on  every  height 

Songs  to  Hib  glory  raise. 
Ye  angel  hosts,  ye  stars  of  night, 

Send  forth  your  voice  of  praise, 
For  His  the  word  that  gave  you  birth, 

And  majesty,  and  might ; 
Praise  to  the  Highest  from  the  earth, 

And  let  the  depths  unite. 

Ye  judges,  rulers,  kings,  whose  hand 

The  sceptre  waves  on  high  ; 
O  youths  and  virgins  of  the  land, 

O  age  and  infancy  ; 
Praise  ye  His  Name,  to  Him  alone 

All  homage  should  be  given, 
Whose  glory  from  th'  Eternal  Throne 

Spreads  wide  o'er  earth  and  Heaven." 

"Blessed  is  He  that  cometh  in  the  Name  of  the  Lord,  Hosatina  in  the  Highest, " 

fSaiu  0f  B^iu^* 

"HEREAFTER  SHALL  YE  SEE  THE   SON   OF  MAN   SITTING  ON   THE   RIGHT 
.  HAND   OF   POWER,    AND   COMING   IN   THE    CLOUDS   OF  HEAVEN." 

Read  Psalm  viii.     Lesson,  Eph.  v,  ij  to  22. 

Litaiiy  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 


€l)vi^tc  (JFIeisnn. 


Sbixti)  dfriliaj;  in  ILtnt. 

JOY    OF   SACRIFICE, 


"THEN  SHALT  THOU  BE  PLEASED  WITH  THE  SACRIFICE  OF  RIGHTE- 
OUSNESS, WITH  THE  BURNT  OFFERINGS  AND  OBLATIONS:  THEN  SHALL 
THEY  OFFER  YOUNG  BULLOCKS  UPON  THINE  ALTAR.  "—PSALM  LL  I9. 

"YE  SHALL  BE  SORROWFUL,  BUT  YOUR  SORROW  SHALL  BE  TURNED 
INTO  JOY."— S.  JOHN  XVI.  20. 

"  To  glory  in  tribulation  is  not  hard  to  him  that  loves  ;  for  so  to  glory  is 
to  glory  in  the  Cross  of  our  Lord. 

"  The  joy  of  the  just  is  from  God  and  in  God,  arid  they  rejoice  in  the  Truth. 

"  Prepare  thyself  to  bear  tribulations^  and  account  thetn  the  greatest  con- 
solations ;  for  the  sufferings  of  this  life  bear  no  proportion  with  the  glory  to 
cotne. 

"  When  thou  shall  arj-ive  fhiis  far,  that  tribulation  becomes  sweet  and 
savoury  to  thee,  for  the  love  of  Chi'ist,  then  think  that  it  is  well  with  thee, 
for  thou  hast  found  a  paradise  upon  earth. 

"Would  to  God  thou  wert  worthy  to  suffer  something  for  the  Name  of 
Jesus  I  How  great  a  glory  would  be  laid  up  for  thee,  how  great  joy  would 
it  be  to  all  the  Saints  of  God  "  THOMAS  A  KEMPIS. 

Our  Friday  meditations  have  now  brought  us  to  the  highest 
point  which  suffering  can  reach,  even  to  that  point  at  which 
it  touches  the  Heart  of  Jesus,  and  is  turned  into  joy,  the 
joy  of  Angels,  the  joy  of  the  Redeemed,  the  joy  of  all  the 
hosts  of  Heaven,  who  rejoice  with  unceasing  praise  in  "the 
Lamb  as  it  had  been  slain." 

No  higher  point  can  human  suffering  attain  to  than  this, 
and  it  is  a  fit  preparation  for  our  consideration  of  that  which 
is  beyond  and  above  all  human  attainment,  the  sufferings  of 
God  Incarnate  in  the  flesh. 


^tjrti)  .f  ritfau  in  Ecnt.  89 

Next  Friday  we  mast  lie  prostrate  before  this  most  inscru- 
table and  tremendous  mystery  of  a  suffering  God. 

To-day,  we  will  try  to  realize  somewhat  of  the  nature  of 
that  joy  which  is  the  wondrous  fruit  of  the  tree  of  human 
sorrow,  grief,  and  pain,  nourished  by  the  sap  of  the  grace  of 
God,  and  ripened  by  the  light  and  warmth  of  the  ''  Sun  of 
Righteousness." 

A  great  writer  has  said,  "  there  is  nothing  on  earth  that 
is  half  so  sweet  as  to  think  about  God." 

In  these  few  words  lies  the  secret  of  that  wondrous  joy 
"  of  suffering  born."  It  is  because  pain,  and  suffering,  and 
grief,  and  trouble  of  all  sorts,  if  only  we  nail  them  to  the 
Cross  of  Jesus,  lift  us  nearer  to  God,  and  fill  our  hearts 
more  entirely  with  thoughts  of  Him  than  any  other  condition 
of  our  life  on  earth. 

The  greater  the  sacrifice,  the  nearer  will  it  bring  us  to 
God,  the  nearer  we  draw  to  God,  the  more  our  hearts  are 
satisfied  and  filled  with  sweetness  and  with  joy. 

"  Jesu,  the  very  thought  of  Thee 
With  sweetness  fills  the  breast, 
But  sweeter  far  Thy  Face  to  see, 
And  in  Thy  Presence  rest. 

O  Hope  of  every  contrite  heart, 

O  Joy  of  all  the  meek, 
To  those  who  fall  how  kind  Thou  art, 

How  good  to  those  who  seek. 

Jesu,  our  only  Joy  be  Thou, 

As  Thou  our  Prize  wilt  be  ; 
Jesu,  be  Thou  our  glory  now 

And  through  eternity." 


90  €i)ri^tt  eiciBOJt. 


"/  have  sought  Thee  sorrowing. 

"  YOUR  JOY  NO  MAN  TAKETH  FROM  YOU." 

Read  Psalm  xcvii.     Lesson,  S.  John  xvi.  12  to  efid. 

Litany  of  the  Passio?i. 


giixti)  SaturUag  in  'iLtnt 


CROWN    OF  SACRIFICE. 


"the  righteous  also  shall  give  thanks  unto  thy  name,  and 

THE  just  shall  CONTINUE  IN  THY  SIGHT." — PSALM   CXL.    13. 

"THE  GOD  OF  ALL  GRACE,  WHO  HATH  CALLED  US  UNTO  HIS 
ETERNAL  GLORY  BY  CHRIST  JESUS,  AFTER  THAT  YE  HAVE  SUFFERED  A 
WHILE,  MAKE  YOU  PERFECT,  STABLISH,  STRENGTHEN,  SETTLE  YOU." — 
I    PET.  V.  10. 

"  They  that  perfectly  despise  the  world,  and  study  to  live  to  God  under 
holy  discipline,  experierice  the  divine  sweetness  that  is  promised  for  those 
who  forsake  all :  and  such  clearly  see  how  grievously  the  world  is  mistaken, 
and  how  many  ways  it  is  deceived. 

"  Thou,  Who  art  the  Truths  hast  plainly  said,  '  Whei-e  thy  treasure  is, 
there  is  also  thy  heart. ' 

^^  Blessed  is  the  man^  who  for  Thee,  O  Lord,  lets  go  all  the  things  created, 
who  offers  violence  to  his  nature^  and  through  fervour  of  spirit  crucifies  the 
lusts  of  the  flesh  ;  that  so  his  conscience  being  cleared  up,  he  may  offer  to  Thee 
p7ire  prayer,  and  may  be  worthy  to  be  admitted  among  the  choirs  of  angels^ 
having  shut  out  all  things  of  the  earth,  both  from  without  and  within." 

THOMAS  A  KEMP  IS. 


^iytff  ^aturtrag  in  ILrnt  91 

The  crown  and  glory  of  sacrifice  can  never  be  fully  known 
in  this  world,  for  here  we  have  no  "  continuing  city,"  and 
whatever  there  is  of  good  in  us  cannot  here  reach  either  its 
perfection,  or  its  consummation  and  reward.  The  Lord 
Himself  will  give  the  crown  when  the  good  and  faithful 
servant  shall  enter  into  His  Presence  on  the  further  side  of 
the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death. 

Yet  it  is  profitable  for  us  to  meditate  to-day  on  the  crown 
and  reward  of  sacrifice,  because  we  need  so  much  encour- 
agement to  help  us  on  our  way.  The  life  of  sacrifice  is  a 
difficult,  and  a  hard  one  to  live.  The  cross  weighs  heavily, 
the  way  is  steep,  and  our  feet  are  bruised  and  bleeding. 
Let  us  then  thank  God  that  He  vouchsafes  to  open  the 
clouds  of  Heaven,  and  in  our  darkest  hour  reveals  to  our 
sight  a  faint  vision  of  the  crown  which  the  angels  are 
holding  for  us,  as  they  watch  us  on  our  way. 

It  is  a  beautiful  crown,  for  it  is  one  which  the  Lord 
Himself  has  prepared  for  us,  and  into  it  He  has  woven  the 
golden  cords  of  the  love  which  drew  us  to  follow  Him, 
and  round  it  He  has  placed  bright  jewels  for  every  thorn 
whose  prick  we  bore  for  Him,  and  in  the  fore-front  of  it  He 
has  placed  His  seal,  which  is  to  mark  us  as  His  own  for 
ever,  and  to  keep  us  safe  from  all  sorrow  and  pain  for  ever, 
and  for  evermore. 

Ah  !  so  beautiful  is  the  crown,  that,  as  we  think  about  it, 
it  seems  to  make  the  life  of  sacrifice  quite  beautiful  too, 
and  we  find  so  much  consolation  and  joy  in  the  way  of  the 
Cross,  that  we  begin  to  fear  lest,  after  all,  we  are  only  follow- 
ing our  own  will,  and  walking  in  our  own  way.     So  blessed 


92  m)Yi€te  mti^aii. 


SL  thing  it  is  to  lose  ourselves  in  Jesus,  and  to  offer  ourselves, 
and  all  the  desires  of  our  hearts  a  willing  sacrifice  to  Him. 

' '  The  Cross  that  Jesus  carried 
He  carried  as  your  due, 
The  Crown  that  Jesus  weareth 
He  weareth  it  for  you. 

The  trials  that  beset  you, 

The  sorrows  ye  endure, 
The  manifold  temptations 

That  death  alone  can  cure 

What  are  they  but  His  jewels, 

Of  right  celestial  worth  ? 
What  are  they  but  the  ladder 

Set  up  to  Heaven  on  earth  ?  " 

^^pirattou. 

"  Beko/d,  we  have  forsaken  alV^ 

©otrc  of  SIrsfutf. 

"  EVERYONE  THAT  HATH   FORSAKEN   HOUSES,  OR  BRETHREN,  OR  SISTERS, 

OR   FATHER,    OR   MOTHER,  OR   WIFE,    OR   CHILDREN,   OR   LANDS,    FOR 

MY     name's    sake,    shall    RECEIVE    AN    HUNDREDFOLD,     AND 

SHALL   INHERIT  EVERLASTING  LIFE." 

Read  Psalm  cxxxii.     Lessons,  Rev.   ii.  i  to  ii. 

Litany  of  our  Lord  Jesus   Christ. 


gjtmirag  mxx  tefore  (Qmttx. 


REJOLCLNG    IN    THE    LORD, 


"I  WAS  GLAD  WHEN  THEY  SAID    UNTO    ME,  WE   WILL    GO    INTO  THE 
HOUSE  OF  THE  LORD." — PSALM  CXXII.  I. 


"the  lord  whom  ye  seek  shall  suddenly  come  to  his  temple, 

EVEN  THE  messenger  OF  THE  COVENANT  WHOM  YE  DELIGHT  IN." — 
MAL.    III.    I. 

"  O  Jesus,  tJie  Brightness  of  etertial  glory,  tlie  comfort  of  a  soul  in  its 
pilgrimage;  7ny  tongue  cannot  express  the  sentiments  of  my  heart;  but  my 
silence  itself  speaks  to  Thee. 

"  How  long  doth  my  Lord  delay  to  come  !  Let  Him  co7ne  to  me.  His  poor 
servant,  and  make  ?ne  joyful;  let  Him  stretch  forth  His  Hattd  and 
deliver  m.e. 

"  Com^,  for  without  Thee  I  can  never  have  one  joyful  day  7ior  hotir,  for 
Thou  art  my  joy  ;  and  without  Thee  my  table  is  empty. 

"  /  am  miserable,  and  in  a  manner  imprisoned,  till  Thou  comfort  me  with 
the  light  of  Thy  Presence,  and  restoi'e  me  to  liberty,  and  show  7ne  a  favour 
able  countenance. 

''Let  others  seek,  instead  of  Thee,  whatever  else  they  please ;  7iothi7ig  else 
doth  please  77ie  but  Thou,  77iy  God,  7)iy  hope,  my  eternal  salvation." 

THOMAS  A  KEMPIS. 

Is  it  Strange  that  this,  the  most  solemn  week  of  all  the 
Christian  year,  should  begin  with  a  note  of  joy,  the  glad 
songs  of  children's  voices,  the  shout  of  them  that  triumph 
and  keep  holy-day  ? 

Yes,  indeed,  it  is  very  meet,  right,  and  our  bounden  duty 
"  that  we  should  on  this  day  rejoice  with  the  Lord,  Who 
came  on  this  day  to  visit  His  Temple,  and  rode  through 
the  palm-strewn  streets  of  Jerusalem  among  the  Hosannas 
of  the  multitude,  meek  and  lowly,  and  sitting  on  a  colt,  the 
foal  of  an  ass. 

Let  Judah  be  glad,  and  let  the  daughter  of  Zion  rejoice, 
for  behold  !  it  is  her  King  Who  comes  to  her. 

Let  the  Temple  walls  echo  to  the  shout  of  praise,  for 
the  great  High  Priest  is  about  to  offer  the  one  only  perfect 


94  CI)rtstc  meisan. 


sacrifice  by  which  atonement  shall  be  made  for  sin  for 
evermore. 

So  though  we  are  entering  on  a  week  of  profound  mystery, 
the  deep  mystery  of  suffering,  even  of  the  suffering  of  God 
for  man,  yet  may  we  to-day  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  for  God 
hath  very  highly  exalted  Him,  and  let  us  adore  the  Name 
which  is  above  every  name. 

Yet  though  He  be  so  high,  He  comes  to  us  in  meek  and 
lowly  guise,  in  the  form  of  a  servant,  riding  on  an  ass's  colt. 
May  the  same  mind  be  in  us  which  was  in  Christ  Jesus  our 
Lord! 

"  Lord,  by  every  minstrel  tongue 
Be  Thy  praise  so  duly  sung, 
That  Thine  angels'  harps  may  ne'er 
Fail  to  find  fit  echoing  here. 
We  the  while,  of  meaner  birth, 
Who  in  that  divinest  spell 
Dare  not  hope  to  join  on  earth, 
Give  us  grace  to  listen  well." 

^^IJiraticn. 

"T/tou,   O  Lord,  art  praised  i?i  Zio?i,  and  unto  Thee   shall  the  vow  be 
pej'formed  in  Jerusale^ii^ 

^oirr  of  i^rsus". 

"I  TELL  YOU  THAT   IF   THESE  SHOULD  HOLD  THEIR    PEACE,  THE   STONBS 
WOULD   IMMEDIATELY   CRY   OUT." 

Read  Psalm  xcvii.     Lesson,  S.  Luke  xix.  28  to  4.1. 

Litany  of  the  Passion. 


iKonlraj)  before  (QK^tet.  95 


JJlonirag  tefore  ©aster. 


TffE    MAN    OF    SORROWS. 


"  I   AM   POURED  OUT  LIKE   WATER." — PSALM   XXIL    14. 
"BEHOLD,     AND     SEE    IF    THERE     BE    ANY    SORROW    LIKE     UNTO     MY 
SORROW?" — LAM.    I.    12. 

"  Son,  I  cajfie  down  from  Heaven  for  thy  salvation  ;  I  took  upon  Me  thy 
7mseries,  not  of  necessity,  but  moved  thereto  by  charity,  that  thou  mightest 
learn  patience,  and  mightest  bear  without  repining  the  miseries  of  this  life, 

'■^  For  from  the  hour  of  My  birth,  till  My  expiring  on  the  Cross,  I  was  never 
without  suffering. 

"  /  underwent  a  great  want  of  temporal  thijigs  :  I  frequently  heard  many 
complaints  against  Me :  I  meekly  bore  with  confusion  and  reproaches :  for 
My  benefits  I  received  ingratitude  ;  for  My  fniracles,  blasphemies  ;  and  for 
My  heavenly  doctrine,  reproaches. 

"  Cease  then  to  complain,  considering  My  Passion,  and  the  sufferings  of 
the  Saints. 

"■  Thou  must  call  to  mind  the  heavy  sufferings  of  others,  that  thou  mayest 
the  easier  bear  the  little  things  thou  sufferest.''^ 

THOMAS  A  KEMPIS. 

The  Services  of  the  Church  during  this  Holy  Week  bring 
before  us  so  fully  and  so  constantly  all  the  solemn  events 
of  the  Passion  and  Death  of  our  Lord  and  Master,  that  I 
think  it  will  be  more  profitable  for  us  in  our  private  medi- 
tations, to  dwell  more  on  what  we  may  venture  to  call  the 
lesser  incidents  of  the  Passion,  which  cluster  round  the 
great  scene  on  Calvary  as  "  the  satellites  round  some  great 
planet  shine." 

But  first  of  all  it  behoves  us  to  consider  Him,  by  Whom, 


CI)riste  (SUiian* 


and  for  Whom,  all  things  consist,  the  "  Great  High  Priest 
of  our  profession,"  in  the  mystery  of  Whose  Incarnation 
we  rest  all  our  hopes  for  this  world,  and  for  that  which  is  to 
come,  by  Whose  sufferings  and  Death  alone,  we  are  sancti- 
fied and  raised  to  the  mansions  of  the  blest. 

Let  us  consider  Him  to-day  by  that  Name  so  dear  to 
every  aching  heart,  the  "  Man  of  Sorrows,"  and  may  our 
thoughts  dwell  much  with  Him  in  Gethsemane,  where  in 
His  agony  His  most  precious  Blood  was  shed. 

There  is  not  one  pang  that  wrings  His  children's  hearts 
but  He  has  felt  it  first — weariness,  hunger,  exhaustion,  the 
faithlessness  of  friends,  the  bitter  malice  of  enemies, 
secret  foes  and  outward  opposition,  disappointment — if  one 
may  say  it — in  those  who  seemed  to  have  their  hearts 
touched  by  His  teaching.  ^  In  addition  to  all  these  sorrows, 
He  felt  the  pain  which  never  afflicts  the  sons  of  men,  by 
His  Divine  foresight  of  all  the  bitter  agony  and  shame 
to  which  His  daily  Life  was  ever  drawing  more  near, 
and  then  came  the  agonizing  hour  in  Gethsemane,  the 
betrayal,  the  cruel  insults  and  scourging,  the  mocking, 
the  crown  of  thorns,  the  nails,  the  spear.  Was  there  ever 
any  sorrow  like  unto  His  sorrow  ? 

How  beautiful  He  is,  how  gracious  and  how  kind  !  Even 
in  the  utmost  intensity  of  physical  suffering,  He  prays  for 
His  murderers,  and  He  binds  up  the  broken  heart  of  His 
Mother  and  His  Friend  ! 

He  "  has  trodden  the  wine-press  alone,"  that  in  our  time 
of  suffering  we  may  never  be  alone,  for  He  will  come  to 
help  us.     "  In  the  greatness  of  His  strength  "  shall  He  bear 


EueiStray  ficfnrc  dJa^tcr.  97 

us  up.  He  will  lead  us  and  comfort  us,  for  He  has  made 
Himself  a  glorious  Name.  He  is  the  "  Man  of  Sorrows, 
and  acquainted  with  grief." 

"  On  thee  and  thine,  thy  warfare  and  thy  end, 

E'en  in  His  hour  of  agony  He  thought, 
When,  ere  the  final  pang  His  soul  should  rend, 

The  ransomed  spirits  one  by  one  were  brought 
To  His  mind's  eye— two  silent  nights  and  days 
In  calmness  from  His  far-seen  home  He  stays. 

Miss  we  the  light,  Gethsemane,  that  streams 

From  thy  dear  name,  where  in  His  page  of  woe 

It  shines  a  pale,  kind  star  in  winter  s  sky, 

Who  vainly  reads  it  tliere,  in  vain  had  seen  Him  die." 

"  Thouy    O  Lord,    art  our  Fathir,    our  Redee?ner,    Thy  Name  is  from 

everlasting.^^ 

"I,    I   AM   HE   THAT  COMFORTETH." 

Read  Psalm  xxxiv.     Lesson,  S.  Luke  xxii.  jg  to  4j. 
Litany  of  the  Passion. 


JEucsirag  tefore  ©aster. 


BETRAYED. 


' '  IT  WAS  EVEN  THOU,  MY  COMPANION  :  MY  GUIDE,  AND  MINE  OWN 
FAMILIAR  FRIEND."— PSALM  LV.  14. 

"VERILY,  VERILY,  I  SAY  UNTO  YOU,  THAT  ONE  OF  YOU  SHALL 
BETRAY  ME." — S.  JOHN   XIII.    21. 


98  Cijrtstc  eiti^aix* 


'■'In  Thee,  O  Loi'd  God,  I  put  all  my  hope  and  refuge ;  to  Thee  I  make 
known  all  my  tribidation  and  anguish;  for  I  find  all  to  be  infirm  a7id 
unstable,  whatever  I  behold  out  of  Thee. 

"  For  Tieither  will  a  multitude  of  friends  be  of  any  service  to  me  ;  ?ior  can 
strong  auxiliaries  bring  me  any  succour,  nor  wise  counsellors  give  Tne  a 
profitable  answer,  nor  the  books  of  the  learned  comfort  me^  nor  any  wealth 
deliver  me.,  nor  any  secret  or  pleasant  place  screen  me.,  if  Thou  Thyself  do  not 
assist,  help,  strengthen,  comfort,  instruct,  and  defend  me. 

"  To  Thee  I  lift  up  mhie  eyes  ;  in  Thee,  O  fny  God,  the  FatJur  of  mercies, 
I  put  7ny  trust.  Bless  and  sanctify  my  soul  with  Thy  heavenly  Blessing, 
that  it  may  be  made  Thy  holy  habitation,  and  the  seat  of  Thy  eternal  glory, 
and  let  nothing  be  found  iii  the  temple  of  Thy  Dignity  that  may  offend  the 
eyes  of  Thy  Majesty.''  THOMAS  A  KEMPIS. 

No  drop  in  all  the  cup  of  suffering  which  our  dear  Lord 
drank,  could  have  been  much  more  bitter  to  Him,  than  the 
woeful  story  of  the  traitor  Judas. 

Not  only  had  Judas  enjoyed  a  place  among  the  twelve 
most  intimate  and  close  friends  of  Jesus,  teaching  with 
them,  working  with  them,  acting  as  treasurer  to  the  little 
company,  journeying  about  with  the  dear  Master,  and  ever 
listening  to  His  gracious  ^Vords ;  not  only  had  he  shared 
with  the  others  all  these  blessed  privileges,  but  he  had  been 
the  object  of  a  special  effort  on  the  part  of  his  Lord  to  save 
him  from  the  terrible  sin  which  ruined  him. 

The  Lord  said  so  solemnly  to  them  all,  "  Verily,  verily, 
I  say  unto  you,  one  of  you  shall  betray  Me,"  and  when  no 
one  owned  the  temptation,  though  all  were  sorrowful  at 
the  saying,  the  Lord  spoke  yet  more  plainly,  and  pointed 
out  His  false  follower  even  in  the  very  act  of  dipping  in  the 
same  dish  with  Him. 

Still  the   heart  of  Judas    remained    untouched,  and    he 


Cuci^ag  htfart  dJaiStcr.  99 

continued  his  wicked  course,  even  when  the  mournful 
accents  of  the  tender  Voice  fell  on  his  ear,  "  Betrayest  thou 
the  Son  of  'Ma.n  with  a  kiss?"  Who  can  wonder  at  the 
fearful  ending  to  the  story  ?  We  can  only  thank  God  that 
Judas  repented,  and  even  bore  testimony  to  the  innocence 
of  Him  Whom  he  had  betrayed. 

But  from  thenceforth  in  the  Anglican  Church  "  the 
same  night  that  He  was  betrayed  "  has  been  perpetually 
commemorated  in  union  with  the  One  Great  Sacrifice  of 
the  Altar  by  the  words  of  the  Prayer  of  Consecration. 

Thus  are  we  called,  even  at  that  most  solemn  moment, 
to  recall  the  suffering  which  our  Blessed  Lord  endured  in 
His  betrayal,  by  the  traitorous  kiss  of  one  who  had  been 
His  companion  and  His  friend. 

May  our  meditations  lead  us  to  pray  lest  we,  too,  should 
betray  Him  ^Vhom  we  love,  and  put  Him  to  an  open 
shame. 

The  greed  of  gain,  the  sin  of  covetous ness,  are  not  sins 
of  a  bygone  age.  They  tempt  us  now  as  they  tempted 
Judas  then,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  alone  can  keep  us  in  the 
Love  and  Truth  of  Christ. 

' '  Be  Thou  my  Guardian  and  my  Guide, 
And  hear  me  when  I  call ; 
Let  not  my  slippery  footsteps  slide, 
And  hold  me  lest  I  fall. 

And  if  I  tempted  am  to  sin, 

And  outward  things  are  strong, 
Do  Thou,  O  Lord,  keep  watch  within, 

And  save  mv  soul  from  wrong;." 


5898S1 


100 eWstt  eiti&on. 


"  Lead  us  not  into  temptation" 
LET  HIM  THAT  THINKETH  HE   STANDKTH  TAKE  HEED  LEST  HE  FALL. 

Read  Psalm  xli.     Lesson,  S.  Luke  xxii.  ^7-5^. 
Litany  of  the  Passion. 


fflgaetrnegias  before  ffiaister, 


DESPISED. 


"all  THEY   THAT  SEE  ME  LAUGH   JNIE   TO  SCORN." — PSALM  XXIL    7. 

"  LOVE  YOUR  ENEMIES,  BLESS  THEM  THAT  CURSE  YOU,  DO  GOOD  TO 
THEM  THAT  HATE  YOU,  AND  PRAY  FOR  THEM  WHICH  DESPITEFULLY 
USE  YOU   AND   PERSECUTE  YOU."— S.    MATT.   V.    44. 

"  Son,  cast  thy  tieart firmly  on  the  Lord,  and  fear  not  the  judgment  of  man  ^ 
when  thy  conscience  gives  testimony  of  thy  piety  a?td  innocence. 

'■'■It  is  good  atid  happy  to  stiver  in  this  manner,  neither  will  this  be  grievous 
to  an  hufnble  heart,  nor  to  him  that  trusts  in  God  more  than  in  himself. 

' '  Though  Paul  endeavoured  to  please  all  in  the  Lord,  and  made  himself 
all  unto  all ;  yet  lie  made  little  account  of  his  being  judged  by  the  judgment 
of  men. 

"  He  laboured  for  the  edification  and  salvation  of  others  as  much  as  he 
could,  a?id  as  lay  in  him;  but  he  could  not  prevent  his  being  sometimes 
judged  or  despised  by  others. 

"  If  at  present  thou  seem  to  be  overcome,  and  to  suffer  a  conftision  which 
thou  hast  not  deserved,  do  ?iot  repine  at  this,  and  do  7iot  lessen  thy  crow?i  by 
impatience. 

'*  Be  not  dismayed  with  the  labours  which  thou  hast  undertaken  for  Me  ; 
neither  let  the  ti-ibulations  which  befall  thee  quite  cast  thee  down  ;  but  let  My 
Promise  strengthen  thee,  and  comfort  thee."        THOMAS  A  KEMP  IS. 


SlSaeUncstrai)  hcfars  (irasltcr.  101 

Let  us  to-day  consider  Him  that  "'  endured  such  contradic- 
tion of  sinners  against  Himself,  lest  we  be  wearied  and 
faint  in  our  minds." 

What  is  more  wearying  to  the  mind  than  scorn  and 
contempt,  especially  if  they  are  directed  against  that  which 
is  most  sacred  in  our  eyes,  and  most  dear  to  our  hearts  ? 

Mockery,  and  ridicule,  and  sarcasm,  are  weapons  of  the 
Prince  of  evil,  and  they  are  cruel,  and  inflict  grievous 
wounds,  so  that  when  we  are  exposed  to  them  we  cry  out 
sometimes  that  our  "whole  head  is  sick,  and  our  whole 
heart  faint. ' 

In  such  moments  of  depression  and  misery,  let  us  con- 
sider the  Man  of  Sorrows,  and  see  how  He  bore  to  be  des- 
pised and  rejected  of  men.  See  Him  exposed  to  the  coarse 
insults  of  brutal  heathen  soldiers,  see  Him,  the  Lord  of 
Glory,  buffeted,  blindfolded,  spit  upon  ;  mocked  and 
taunted  with  the  possession  He  held  most  dear,  His 
Sonship  to  the  Eternal  Father,  and  yet  He  bore  it  all  in 
silence  and  in  patience,  though  myriads  of  Angels  were 
waiting  unseen  around  Him,  and  ready  at  any  moment  to 
reveal  to  the  mocking  crowd,  their  adoring  homage  to  the 
Son  of  God. 

Had  He  but  raised  His  eyes  above  the  hideous  tumult 
and  uproar  which  surrounded  Him,  the  Heavens  would  have 
opened,  and  the  Voice  of  the  Eternal  Father  would  have 
shaken  the  Heavens  and  the  earth,  and  the  mocking  crowd 
would  have  been  as  dead  men  while  the  sound  as  of  thun- 
der smote  upon  their  ears,  "  This  is  My  Beloved  Son,  hear 
ye  Him." 


102  Ci)rist0  eiti^an. 


But  then  there  would  have  been  no  cross  of  suffering, 
and  no  crown  of  reward  for  those  who  follow  the  Lamb. 

So  for  our  sakes  the  dear  Master  kept  silence  before  His 
accusers,  and  "hid  not  His  Face  from  shame  and  spitting." 

Therefore  let  us  adore  Him,  and  let  us  for  His  sake  be 
ready  to  be  despised  of  all  men,  and  gladly  to  follow  Him 
out  of  the  city,  bearing  His  reproach. 

"  Oft  in  life's  stillest  shade  reclining, 
In  desolation  unrepining, 
Without  a  hope  on  earth  to  find 
A  mirror  in  an  answering  mind. 
Meek  souls  there  are  who  little  dream 
Their  daily  strife  an  angel's  theme, 
Or  that  the  rod  they  take  so  calm 
Shall  prove  i;i  Heaven  a  martyr's  palm." 

"* O  Father,  not  My  Will,  but  Thine  be  done,' 

So  spoke  the  Son  ; 
Be  this  our  charm,  mellowing  earth's  ruder  noise 

Of  griefs  and  joys, 
That  we  may  chng  for  ever  to  Thy  Breast 

In  perfect  rest." 

"Lord,  shall  we  smile  with  the  sword  f"" 

footer  of  ^eiru£?. 

"THE  CUP  THAT  MY  FATHER  HATH  GIVEN  ME,  SHALL  I  NOT  DRINK  IT?  " 

Read  Psalm  xciv.     Lesson,  Isa.  liii. 
Lita7iy  of  tJu  Passion. 


Cbui"5ftJau  "bziaxt  (Bk^Xcx*  103 


CfiursiiaB  teforr  QSmm. 


CARRYING  HIS  CROSS. 


"  THE  POOR  SHALL  EAT  AND  BE  SATISFIED  !  THEY  THAT  SEEK  AFTER 
THE  LORD   SHALL  PRAISE  HIM."— PSALM  XXII.   26. 

"AS  OFTEN  AS  YE  EAT  THIS  BREAD  AND  DRINK  THIS  CUP  YE 
DO  SHOW  THE  LORD'S   DEATH  TILL  HE  COME." — I   COR.  XI.    26. 

"  //  tkou  carry  the  cross  willingly,  it  will  carry  thcz  afid  bring  thee  to  thy 
desired  end :  to  wit,  to  that  place  where  there  will  be  an  end  to  sufferings 
though  here  there  will  be  no  end. 

^^  If  thou  carry  it  unwillingly,  thou  makest  it  a  burden  to  thee,  and 
loadest  thyself  tlie  more  ;  and  nevertheless  thou  must  bear  it. 

'•'' If  thou  fling  away  one  cross,  no  doubt  thou  shaltfind  anotlier,  and  perhaps 
a  heavier. 

"  Otir  Lord  Jesus  Christ  Himself  zvas  not  one  hour  of  His  life  withotit 
suffering :  thus  it  behoved  Christ  to  suffer^  saith  He. 

'■''  And  how  dost  thou  pretend  to  seek  another  way  than  this  Royal  way, 
which  is  the  V/ay  of  the  Holy  Cross  f 

"  Thou  commandest  me  to  approach  to  Thee  luith  co?iJidence,  if  I  would 
have  part  with  TJiee  ;  and  to  receive  the  Food  of  Immortality,  if  I  desire  to 
obtain  life  and  glory  everlasting.''  THOMAS  A  KEMPIS. 

This  Holy  Thursday,  so  near  to  the  Cross  as  it  stands, 
shines  in  the  story  of  the  Passion  with  a  threefold  glory, 
for  on  this  day  it  behoves  us  to  meditate  on  three  of  the 
glorious  incidents  of  the  last  days  of  our  dear  Lord's  Life 
on  earth — the  new  commandment  which  He  gave  His 
disciples,  after  He  had  washed  their  feet,  from  which  the 
name  "  Maundy  Thursday  "  comes  ; — the  institution  of 
the  ever-blessed  Sacrament  of  His  Body  and  His  Blood — 
and  the  journey  of  the  Lord  out  of  Jerusalem  to  Golgotha 


104  C]brt0tc  eici^an. 


bearing  His  Cross.  Alaiiy  other  most  sad  and  beautiful 
subjects  of  thought  are  there  for  every  hour  of  these  sacred 
days,  and  each  one  of  us  can  meditate  on  that  which  touches 
our  own  heart  most  nearly. 

Let  us  to-day  fall  down  before  Him  and  adore  Him  in 
that  Great  Sacrament,  by  means  of  Which  He  has  contmued 
in  all  ages  to  be  still  Present  among  us,  and  wherein  we  do 
show  forth  His  Death  continually  until  His  coming  again. 

In  that  Most  Holy  Feast,  too,  may  we  learn  the  great 
lesson  of  the  Charity  of  God,  for  it  is  in  a  very  special 
manner  the  Feast  of  Love  ;  in  It  the  two  chords  of  love 
are  mixed  in  one  sweet  harmony  of  praise,  love  to  God 
and  love  to  our  brethren  for  the  Lord's  sake — love  which 
is  ever  ascending  from  us  to  Heaven,  like  the  angels  in 
Jacob's  Vision,  and  like  them  descends  upon  us  again  in 
the  Benediction  of  the  Love  of  God.  To-day  may  the 
new  commandment  be  ever  ringing  m  our  ears,  "  Little 
children,  love  one  another." 

With  hearts  full  of  love  to  God  and  to  our  neighbour, 
with  our  bodies  and  souls  washed  from  all  pollution  and  all 
sin,  and  fed  and  streno^thened  with  the  Precious  Food  of 
Angels  let  us  follow  our  dear  Master  out  of  the  city, 
rejoicing  indeed  if  we  be  counted  worthy  to  bear  with 
Him,   the  weight  of  the  Cross. 

•'  O,  taste  and  see.  O,  taste  and  see  ! 
How  gracious  Jesus  is  to  thee  ; 
As  honey  dropped  upon  the  ground, 
So  in  His  Sacrament  is  found 
Celestial  sweetness  stored  for  thee, 
O,  taste  my  spirit,  taste  and  see. 


(Boats  dTrtiiaD,  105 


"  O,  Manna  pure  !     O.  precious  Wine, 
True  Blood  of  Him  Who  is  the  Vine, 
Memorials  that  can  never  cease, 
The  Corn  and  Wine  that  must  increase. 
Thy  Saviour  gives  Himself  to  thee  ; 
O,  taste,  my  spirit,  taste  and  see." 

'^Wky  can  I  not  follow  Thee  fiow?" 

©aire  of  ^erfiul, 

WHITHER   I   GO  THOU  CANST   NOT   FOLLOW  ME   NOW,  BUT  THOU  SHALT 

FOLLOW  ME   AFTERWARDS." 

Read  Psabn  Ixxxi.     Lesson,  5.  John  vi.  jo  to  41. 

Litany  of  the  Passion. 


®ooti  jTriirag* 


GLORIOUS    IN  HIS    APPAREL. 


"THEY  PART  MY  GARMENTS  AMONG  THEM:  AND  CAST  LOTS  UPON 
MY  VESTURE."— PSALM  XXIL    18. 

"WHO  IS  THIS  THAT  COMETH  FROM  EDOM,  WITH  DYED  GARMENTS 
FROM  BOZRAH,  THIS  THAT  IS  GLORIOUS  IN  HIS  APPAREL?  "—ISA.  LXIII.  I. 

"  Let  Heaven  and  earth,  with  all  their  attire,  be  silent  in  Thy  Presefice, 
O  my  dearest  Beloved ;  for  whatever  praise  or  beauty  they  have,  is  all 
the  gift  of  Thy  Bounty ;  nor  can  they  come  up  to  the  Beauty  of  Thy  Name 
of  Whose  wisdom  there  is  no  end. 

^*  Behold,  eating,  drinking,  clothi?ig  and  other  necessaries  appertaining  to 
the  support  of  the  body,  are  burdensome  to  a  fervent  spirit. 


106  Cljrtstc  eiei^an. 


"  O  my  God,  let  not  flesh  and  blood  prevail  over  me,  let  it  not  overcome 

me  ;  let  not  the  world  and  its  transitory  glory  deceive  me. 

' '  Give  me  fortitude,  that  I  may  stand  my  ground ;  patience,  that  I  may 

endure  ;  and  constancy,  that  I  may  persevered 

THOMAS  A   KEMP  IS. 

On  this  most  solemn  of  all  days  in  the  Christian  year,  let 
us  be  very  still,  and  silent,  and  quiet,  in  the  Presence  of  the 
awful  Mystery  of  the  Crucifixion.  Let  us  meditate  for  a 
little  while  on  one  incident  which  seems  so  small,  and  yet 
we  shall  do  well  to  consider  it,  because  it  will  help  to  pre- 
pare our  hearts  to  spend  the  sacred  "  three  hours  "  more 
close  to  our  dying  Lord. 

"  They  put  His  own  garments  on  Him  and  led  Him  out  to 
crucify  Him."  He  wore  His  own  raiment  at  His  crucifixion, 
just  His  everyday  apparel,^  the  clothes  which  He  wore  when 
He  rode  into  Jerusalem,  the  garment  probably  which  had 
been  touched  by  the  sufferer  in  the  crowd,  and  had  been  the 
means  of  her  cure,  the  same  He  had  worn  when  He  washed 
the  Disciples'  feet,  and  when  He  knelt  in  Gethsemane. 

Whence,  then,  came  the  glorious  apparel  in  which  the 
prophetic  vision  saw  Him  arrayed  ? 

His  rannent  was  stained  with  His  own  most  Precious 
Blood,  hence  all  the  beauty  and  the  glory  of  its  dye. 

In  Gethsemane, — at  the  pillar  of  scourging, — from  the 
crown  of  thorns, — those  life-giving  drops  fell  and  stained 
all  His  raiment.  Glorious  indeed  was  the  apparel  dyed 
with  the  Blood  of  Jesus,  in  which  He  went  forth  to  die. 

May  it  be  given  to  us  to  die  in  the  simplicity  of  our 
working  garb,  made  sacred  by  toil  for  Christ,  and  sanctified 
by  our  suffering  with  Him,  and  when  this  life  is  ended,  may 


a^^mv  (ebt,  107 


He  welcome  us  to  His  Presence,  and  give  us  garments  clean 
and  pure,  white  robes  that  have  been  washed  in  the  Blood 
of  the  Lamb, 

"  Sweet  the  moments,  rich  in  blessing, 
Which  before  the  Cross  I  spend  ? 
Life,  and  healih,  and  peace  possessing 
From  the  sinner's  dying  Friend. 

Here  I  rest  for  ever  viewing 
Mercy's  stream  in  streams  of  blood; 

Precious  drops  my  soul  bedewing, 
Plead  and  claim  my  peace  with  God. 

Love  and  grief  my  heart  dividing, 

With  my  tears  His  feet  I'll  bathe  ; 
Constant  still  in  faith  abiding, 

Life  deriving  from  His  death." 

^rfpiration. 

"Thou  wast  slain,  and  hast  redeemed  us  to  God  by  Thy  Blood." 

©a  tee  0f  ge^uiS, 

"HE  THAT  OVERCOMETH,  THE  SAME  SHALL  BE  CLOTHED  IN  WHITE 
RAIMENT." 

Read  Psalm  xlv.     Lesson,  Rev.  xix.  i  to  9. 
Litany  of  the  Passion. 


©a^ter  (&\sz. 


RESTING    FROM  HIS    LABOURS. 


'so  HE  GIVETH   HIS  BELOVED  SLEEP."— PSALM     CXXVII.    2. 
WE  WHICH  HAVE  BELIEVED  DO  ENTER   INTO  REST."— HEB.    IV.    3. 


108  Cl)risftc  mti^aiu 


'■'■Above  all  things,  and  in  all  things.,  do  thou,  my  soul,  rest  always  in  the 
Lord,  for  He  is  the  Eternal  Rest  of  the  Saints. 

'■'■Give  nie,  O  most  sweet  and  loving  Jesus,  to  repose  in  Thee  above  all 
thhigs  created,  above  all  health  and  beauty,  above  all  glory  a?id  honour,  above 
all  power  and  dignity,  above  all  ktiowledge  and  subtlety,  above  all  riches  and 
arts,  above  all  joy  and  gladness,  above  all  fame  arid  p7'aisc,  above  all  sweet- 
ness and  consolation,  above  all  hope  and  promise,  above  all  merit  and  desire, 
above  all  the  gifts  and  presents  that  Thou  canst  give  and  impart,  above  all 
the  joy  and  jubilation  that  the  mind  can  contain  and  experience;  in  fine, 
above  all  angels  atid  archangels,  and  all  the  hosts  of  Heaven ;  above  all 
things  visible  and  invisible,  and  above  all  that  which  is  less  thafi  Thee, 
my  God. 

"  For  Thou,  O  Lord  my  God,  art  t/ie  best  above  all  things ;  Thou  alone 
most  high  ;  Thou  alone  most  sufficietit  and  most  full ;  Thou  alo?ie  most  sweet 
and  most  full  of  consolation. 

^^My  heart  cannot  truly  rest,  nor  be  entif-ely  contented,  till  it  rest  in  Thee, 
and  rise  above  all  things  created. 

"  O  my  most  Beloved  Spouse,  Christ  Jesus,  Who  will  give  me  the  wings 
of  true  liberty  to  fly  and  repose  in  Thee,  when  shall  it  be  fully  granted  me 
to  attend  at  leisure,  aiid  see  liow  sweet  Thou  art,  O  Lord  my  God?'^ 

THOMAS  A  KEMP  IS. 

To-day  may  our  souls  rest  with  Jesus,  and  wait  patiently 
on  Him,  ready  with  a  pure  heart,  and  a  love  unfeigned,  to 
welcome  Him  to-morrow,  when  He  comes  at  the  early  dawn, 
to  give  Himself  to  u&. 

During  our  Lenten  Meditations  we  have  seen  that 
rehgion  is  not  a  system  of  running  about  from  one  so- 
called  "good  work"  to  another,  but  it  is  the  study  of  the 
nature,  the  works  and  ways  of  God,  and  the  ruling  of 
our  lives  thereby.  Without  study  and  meditation  and  think- 
ing upon  God,  it  is  impossible  to  please  Him,  for  while 
in  our  unprepared  state  of  hurry  and  anxiety  we  rush  off 
to  set  things  right  which  we  believe  to  be  wrong,  the  home 


eaUttv  eht,  109 


of  our  heart  is  left  unprotected,  and  the  enemy  comes  in 
and  takes  possession  of  it. 

The  soul  that  waits  upon  God  must  have  long  patience 
for  Him — it  must  live  its  life  in  silence  and  in  quiet,  alone 
with  God,  buried  from  the  world,  dead  to  self,  out  of  sight 
of  men,  but  abiding  in  the  Presence  of  the  Lord. 

In  this  way  those  who  believe  may,  even  in  this  noisy 
and  turbulent  world,  "  enter  into  their  rest." 

"  In  the  sight  of  the  world  they  seem  to  die,  and  their 
departure  is  counted  as  misery,  but  they  are  at  rest." 

Peace  is  the  last,  best,  gift  which  was  purchased  for  us 
by  the  Blood  of  Jesus. 

It  is  the  precious  benediction  of  the  Seventh  day,  it  is  the 
consummation  and  the  crown  of  the  six  days'  toil.  It  does 
not  belong  to  earth,  it  is  only  Jesus  Who  can  bring  it  there. 
Angels'  songs  proclaimed  it  at  His  Birth,  He  bequeathed  it 
to  His  children  at  His  death,  and  He  gives  it  to  them 
daily  in  His  great  and  holy  Feast  of  Love  and  Peace. 

Let  us  to-day  muse  in  silence  by  the  grave  of  Jesus,  and 
gather  beside  His  garden  sepulchre,  sweet  flowers  of  peace 
and  calm  to  soothe  us  in  this  troublesome  world,  and  to 
make  joyful  the  hour  of  our  death. 

"  Like  that  wondrous  hush  o'er  Eden, 
When  all  the  six  days'  toil  was  done, 
And  God  His  mighty  work  approving, 
The  first  of  Sabbaths  had  begun. 

So  all  His  pains  and  sorrows  ended. 
His  work  of  man's  redemption  done  ; 

Now  resting  from  His  new  creation 
Sleeps  in  the  tomb  th'  Eternal  Son- 


110  Cljrist^  mti^an. 


"  Soft  laid  in  earth's  dark  silent  bosom, 

'Neath  flowers  that  kissed  His  living  Feet, 
He  sleeps,  while  angels  watch  in  silence 
His  waking  with  their  songs  to  greet." 

"  Come^  Lord  Jesus." 

PEACE  I  LEAVE  WITH  YOU,  MY  PEACE  I  GIVE  UNTO  YOU. 

Read  Psalm  xlix.     Lesson,  Rev.  xiv.  12  to  rj. 
Litany  of  the  Passion. 


Laus  Deo. 


APPENDIX. 


iLitang  nf  ^Patience. 


Lord  have  pity  on  us. 

Jesus  have  pity  on  us. 
Lord  have  pity  on  us. 
Jesus  hear  us. 
Jesus  help  us. 
Heavenly  Father,  Who  art  patient  because  Thou  art  Eternal, 

Give  me  patience. 
My  Saviour  and  my  God,  Who  sought  me  when  I  fled  from  Thee, 
Spirit  of  Grace,  Who  has  been  with  me  to  this  day, 
Holy  Trinity,  my  Support  in  all  my  miseries, 

Give  me  patience. 
Lord,  when  Thou  tryest  me, 
Lord,  when  I  am  in  need, 
Lord,  when  I  suffer  from  cold  or  heat, 

Give  me  patience. 
Lord,  when  I  suffer  from  illness, 
Lord,  when  my  members  are  racked  with  pain, 
Lord,  when  I  sufier,  and  cannot  sleep, 

Give  me  patience. 
Lord,  in  all  my  afflictions, 
Lord,  when  the  enemy  comes  against  me, 
Lord,  when  my  spirit  is  desolate. 
Give  me  patience. 


^jpjpcntriv. 


Lord,  when  I  am  on  the  point  of  falling, 

When  I  cannot  subdue  my  spirit, 

When  through  tribulation  I  am  weary  of  my  life, 

Give  me  patience. 
When  I  feel  myself  a  burden  to  myself  and  others, 
When  all  seems  dark  around  me, 
When  in  spite  of  my  efforts  I  fall  again  and  again  into  the  same  faults, 

Give  me  patience,  Lord. 
When  my  soul  is  overcome  by  fear, 
When  all  fervour  is  dried  up, 
When  distractions  assail  me  at  time  of  prayer, 

Give  me  patience,  Lord. 
When  sin  contends  against  grace  within  me, 
If  Thou  permittest  me  to  be  contradicted  and  thwarted. 
If  Thou  permittest  me  to  be  misunderstood  and  wrongly  judged, 
If  Thou  permittest  others  to  be  set  against  me. 

Give  me  patience,  Lord. 
If  Thou  permittest  me  to  be  humiliated  by  my  superiors, 
If  Thou  permittest  that  I  am  rebelled  against  by  inferiors. 
If  Thou  permittest  that  I  am  forsaken  by  my  friends. 

Give  me  patience.  Lord. 
If  Thou  permittest  that  I  be  abused  by  my  enemies, 
If  Thou  permittest  me  to  suffer  injustice, 
If  Thou  permittest  that  I  be  ridiculed  and  mocked, 

Give  me  patience.  Lord. 
If  Thou  permittest  that  I  receive  evil  for  good, 
If  Thou  permittest  that  evil  men  should  lie  in  wait  for  me, 
If  Thou  permittest  me  to  suffer  injury  and  insult. 

Give  me  patience.  Lord. 
Lamb  of  God,  Who  takest  away  the  sins  of  the  world  ; 

Spare  us,  Lord,  and  give  us  patience  evermore. 

Amen. 


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