AND then, His gentle spirit grieved
For Israel's sin and pride,
With tender pity in His voice,
He sorrowfully cried:
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem!
Which doth the prophets kill,
And stonest them sent unto thee,
The promise to fulfil;
"How oft would I have gathered
Thy children to my breast,
As a hen her brood doth gather
Beneath her wings to rest.
"And ye would not. And now, alas!
Behold your sad estate,
Your doom is nigh, your house is left
Unto you desolate.
"Moreover, ye shall not see me
Until ye say the word:
'Blessed is He that cometh in
The name of Israel's Lord.'"
And His disciples then He warned
To watch, and faithful be,
Not knowing at what hour they
The Son of Man should see.
Parables of the Virgins and Talents.
AND then He pictured to their minds,
In parables most clear,
What should take place before the throne
When the Lord should appear.
The fate of the ten virgins,
Of whom but five were wise,
And five were foolish, without grace,
He placed before their eyes.
And of the nobleman who went
To travel far away,
And to his servants talents gave,
Their wisdom to display.
And two their talents used in trade,
And brought their master gain,
Which pleased him so he raised them up
O'er cities fair to reign;
While one was slothful, loving ease,
His talent hid away,
And brought with it a vain excuse
Upon the reck'ning day.
But his lord answered wrathfully,
He no excuse would take,
But told him what he should have done,
A lawful gain to make.
Then ordered that they take and cast
Nor pity him, nor spare—
The unprofitable servant
Out into dark despair.
The Corn of Wheat.
AND while He taught the people all,
From highest to the least,
Some Greeks appeared, who had come up
To worship at the feast.
The same approached to Philip, who
Was of Bethsaida,
Saying: "Sir, we would the Master see,
And from Him knowledge draw."
Philip and Andrew went apart,
And they informed the Lord
That polished strangers, standing near,
Desired to hear His word.
"The hour—the long-approaching hour—
Is come," the Lord replied,
"When I should close my earthly work,
And should be glorified.
"Verily, I say unto you,
Except a corn of wheat
Sink in the ground and die, it will
Alone produce no meat.
"But if it die, it brings forth fruit;
And he that life doth love
Shall lose it: he that hates it gains
Eternal life above.
"If any man will serve me, then
Let him come after me;
And where I am, there, also, shall
My faithful servant be.
"Now is my soul in agony,
And what more shall I say?
Father, save me from this sad hour,
My human heart would pray,
"But for this cause—that I might die—
Unto this hour I came,
So in my heart I cry: "Father,
Glorify thine own name!"
Then came there a voice from heaven,
Saying, in clearest strain:
"I have glorified it, and I
Will glorify it again."
The people standing by were sure
That thunder shook the air;
But others said: "Not so, it is
An angel's voice we hear."
Jesus answered, and said: "This voice
Came not because of me,
But that ye all might understand
The power of Deity.
"Now is the judgment of this world;
Its prince cast out shall be;
And I, if I be lifted up,
Will draw all men to me."
The Traitor Judas.
NOW Satan to the carnal heart
Of Judas entered in—
He that was called Iscariot,
Who money loved to win.
And he went unto the chief priests,
And bargained to betray
His Master to their evil power
If they would give him pay.
And his base scheme these men were glad
To hear and understand,
And thirty shining silver coins
They weighed into his hand.
And from that time he sought a way
He could, by sign or word,
In absence of the multitude,
Deliver up his Lord.
The Upper Room.
NOW came the first day of the feast—
Day of unleavened bread—
When the Passover must be killed;
And the disciples said:
"Where wilt Thou, Lord, that we shall go
And preparation make
For Thee to eat the Passover,
And we, with Thee, partake?"
Peter and John He then sent forth,
Saying: "As ye walk the street,
A man, bearing a pitcher
Of water, ye shall meet.
"Then follow him into the house,
And to the good man say:
The Master needs the guest-chamber
To keep the feast to-day.
"And a large, furnished, upper room
He unto you will show."
Then the disciples went and found,
As the Lord said, 'twas so.
Now, at the evening hour, the Lord
With His disciples came,
And sat down round the table where
Was served the paschal lamb.
And He said unto them: "I have
Desired with every breath
To eat this Passover with you,
Before I suffer death."
Washing the Disciples' Feet.
THIS being over, Jesus rose,
And laid His robe aside,
And a towel girded round Him,
So free was He from pride;
And with water in a basin
Washed the disciples' feet.
O, lowly Master! loving Lord!
Thy meekness is complete!
But Simon Peter would refuse,
With love and high esteem,
This humble office should be done
By Jesus unto him;
Till Jesus, checking his proud will,
Answered decidedly,
By saying: "If I wash thee not,
Thou hast no part with me."
Then Peter cried: "Lord, not my feet
Only from stain be free;
But also let my hands and head
Be purified by Thee."
Jesus said: "He whose feet are washed
Is every whit made clean;
And ye are clean, but not you all—
He Judas, false, did mean.
So, when the Lord had washed their feet,
And had His robe put on,
And took His seat, He said: "Know ye
What I to you have done?"
Then taught them that if He, their Lord,
Had washed their feet, then so
Should they to one another
Such act of grace bestow;
That they to His example
Should prompt respect accord,
Well knowing that the servant is
Not greater than his Lord.
Jesus is Betrayed.
NOW, after this, was Jesus sad,
And trouble did display;
For one of them who sat with Him
He said should Him betray.
And then, all being sorrowful,
Said: "Is it I?" in turn.
But He said: "'Twere good for that man
If he had ne'er been born."
Now the disciple Jesus loved,
Who next His bosom lay,
At sign from Peter asked: "Who, Lord,
Would vilely Thee betray?"
Jesus said: "When I dip the sop
It shall be that man's lot."
And when He dipped He gave it to
Judas Iscariot.
Yet upon Judas' callous heart
No softening touch it gave:
But Satan entered into him,
To harden and enslave.
Jesus said: "What thou do'st, do now."
None knew what this did mean;
But Judas rose and left the room,
And sought a different scene.
The Last Supper.
AND now the evening shades had closed,
And night was o'er the sky;
Supper was ended and lamps lit
Within that chamber high.
The Lord took bread, and, blessing it,
He brake in pieces small;
Saying: "Take, eat, this is my body,
Once broken for you all."
Then took the cup, and, giving thanks,
He gave it to them, too;
Saying: "Drink ye, for this is my blood,
Which is poured out for you.
"And eat this bread, and drink this cup,
For memory of me.
But I'll not taste the wine till I
My Father's kingdom see."
Peter's Warning.
THEN Peter cried out in alarm:
"Lord, whither goest Thou?
I will go with Thee unto death,
Or unto prison now."
Jesus said to him: "Verily,
Before the cock shall crow,
This day thou wilt deny full thrice
That thou the Lord dost know."
Promise of the Comforter.
AGAIN the Master's voice arose
In precious converse sweet,
The last and richest lessons,
With wisdom most replete:
"Let not your heart be troubled,
Believe in me, most true,
For in my Father's house I shall
Prepare a place for you."
And on, in soothing accents, flowed
Upon their listening ears
Words which, while they increased their love,
Excited still their fears.
For He talked of going from them,
Yet being with them still,
And giving them what they should ask,
If they would do His will;
And said He would pray the Father
The Comforter to send—
The Holy Ghost—who, teaching them,
Would lead them to the end.
And again He said unto them,
As He, at first, had said:
"Let not your heart be troubled,
Nor let it be afraid."
The Parable of the Vine.
WHEN it was time to go, He said:
"Arise, let us go hence,"
And they all stood and sung a hymn
Ere they departed thence.
Then out into the shadowed street,
After the close of day,
The Lord and His eleven friends
Walked slowly on their way;
On towards the mount of Olives, where
His custom was to go,
Along the well-known path which crossed
Where Kedron's waters flow.
And still the Master, as His wont
When walking with His friends,
Continued teaching golden truth
The which to glory tends.
He likened Himself to a vine,
While they the branches were;
His Father was the husbandman,
Who of the plant had care;
And charged them that they must bear fruit,
And never barren prove;
His Father should be glorified
Through faith that works by love.
And charged them to abide in Him,
And thus much fruit return;
And warned them 'gainst the dreadful fire,
Where barren branches burn.
He then unfolded to their view
The things that should be done,
When He, their Head, should go away,
And they be left alone;
And told them if they asked of God,
In His name, any thing,
Such prayer would quickly rise to heaven,
And joyful answer bring.
Again He spoke to them of love,
And of His blessed peace,
And said, as He had overcome,
So should their warfare cease.
His Prayer for His Disciples.
AND then He stood and raised His eyes
To heaven's transparent dome;
And in the same clear voice He said:
"Father, the hour is come."
Then followed such a solemn prayer,
With holy nearness filled,
As human lips ne'er breathed before,
By faith however thrilled.
The prayer ended, then Jesus crossed
Over the Kedron brook,
And the last walk, in silence calm,
With His disciples took.
Christ in Gethsemane.
ON Olivet a garden grew—
Gethsemane its name—
And here, in that portentous hour,
The "Man of Sorrows" came.
The shadows of the midnight fell,
And silence reigned around,
As He and His eleven friends
Trod the familiar ground.
Then, Oh! such heavy agony
Descended on His soul,
That even His strong spirit was
Unable to control.
He said to them: "Exceeding woe,
Beyond all mortal grief,
O'erwhelms my soul; watch here while I
In prayer shall seek relief."
Then went a little farther off,
And on His face He fell,
And offered up this earnest prayer:
"If it be possible,
"My Father—Oh! My Father!—
Let this cup pass from me.
Nevertheless, Thy holy will,
And not my will shall be."
Then, coming back to those He left,
A mournful watch to keep,
He found them prone upon the ground,
And wrapped in heavy sleep.
But Jesus said: "Sleep now and rest,
The hour is close at hand.
Behold the Son of Man betrayed
To an ungodly band."
At the Palace of the High Priest.
AND as He spake, behold a crowd
With lanterns and with swords;
And Judas, traitor, came before,
With kiss and guileful words.
But He who reads all hearts, and points
To what He finds amiss,
Said: "Judas, dost thou thus betray
Thy Master with a kiss?"
Then gently turning to the crowd,
He asked them: "Whom seek ye?"
They said: "Jesus of Nazareth."
He answered: "I am he."
And the armed band led Jesus
Along the city road,
Up to the high priest's palace—
Caiaphas' abode.
Meanwhile sat Peter by the fire,
Wondering how this would end,
And feeling wholly powerless
His Master to defend.
A servant, passing, said to him:
"Thou with this man hast been."
But Peter in great fear replied:
"I know not what you mean."
And soon another said he had
Of Jesus' friends been one,
But Peter cursed and swore that he
Had never Jesus known.
Just then the cock crew, shrill and clear,
And Jesus turned His face,
And full on Peter cast a look
Of love, reproach and grace.
Then over Peter's aching heart
Repentant anguish swept,
And he rushed out into the dawn,
And bitterly he wept.
Christ before Pilate.
AND now the morning beams appeared
The council of the Jews
Led Jesus to the judgment hall,
That they might Him accuse.
And Pilate gathered to his aid
Chief priests and rulers all,
And Jesus stood before him in
The royal judgment hall.
And Pilate said unto them: "Ye
Have brought this man to me,
Saying, 'He perverts the people,'
But no fault in Him I see.
"Nor yet Herod; for I sent you
With your prisoner to the king;
But no offence to Roman law
Could you against Him bring.
"I, therefore, will chastise Him
And order Him released;"
For 'twas custom he should free to them
A prisoner at the feast.
But they exclaimed: "Away with Him,"
And cried, with one accord,
That he release Barabbas,
And crucify the Lord.
Now Barabbas was a robber,
And they knew his record well;
He for murder and sedition
Lay in a prison cell.
"Why, what great evil hath He done?"
Pilate, the third time saith;
For he knew it was for envy
That they desired His death.
Pilate's Wife's Dream.
AGAIN upon the judgment seat,
To end this cruel strife,
Sat Pilate, when a servant came
With message from his wife.
"Beware"—the word the lady sent—
"That thou no evil do
To Him who stands before thee now—
That man so just and true.
"For I while sleeping on my bed,
Have suffered, in a dream,
Much anguish and distress of mind,
This day, because of Him."
Then Pilate saith to Jesus:
"Art thou the very king
The Jews expected should appear,
And their salvation bring?"
"My kingdom," Jesus answered,
"Is not beneath the skies,
Else to protect me from the Jews
My servants would arise."
"Art thou a king, then?" Pilate asked.
"Thou sayest it," the reply;
"For I was born, and hither came,
The truth to testify."
Pilate said to Him: "What is truth?"
Then left the judgment hall,
And said unto the Jews: "I find
In Him no fault at all."
Then Pilate, taking water, washed
His hands before them all;
And said: "This just man's blood on me
Shall not in judgment fall."
Then answered all the people:
"Let this man's blood be shed;
And let it fall on each of us,
And on our children's head."
THE CRUCIFIXION
St. Matthew 27:35-38; St. Mark 15:24-28; St. Luke 23:33, 34; St. John 19:18-24
The Crucifixion.
IT was outside the city wall
Of proud Jerusalem,
That Roman soldiers crucified
Whom Pilate dared condemn.
But from the suffering Nazarene
No word of murmur came;
Patience appeared through keenest wrong,
And dignity through shame.
Only this kind and earnest plea
Their malice from Him drew:
"Father, I pray, forgive them now,
They know not what they do."
The Mother of Jesus.
NOW there stood by that dreadful cross
The mother of the Lord,
Whose soul with sharpest agony
Was pierced, as with a sword.
When Jesus therefore saw her near,
And His disciple, John,
The man whom He loved best, He said:
"Woman, behold thy son."
Then said to the disciple:
"Thy mother here behold!"
And John thenceforth his loving care
Around her did enfold.
The Darkened Sun.
NOW 'tis high noon and, solemn sight,
The sun withdraws his face,
And shadows, over all the land,
The beams of day replace.
All nature, wrapped in solemn awe,
Stood shuddering in dismay,
As hours of stern, Almighty wrath,
Passed tediously away.
Once, from the cross, an anguished voice
Came languidly: "I thirst,"
And then a cry, as though the heart,
So full of love, had burst.
"Eli, Eli," these were the words,
"Lama Sabachthani?"
Oh! what acutest agony
Wrung forth that mournful cry!
Meanwhile a sponge, in vinegar,
One standing near Him dips;
And, putting it upon a reed,
He lifts it to His lips.
He then, with exclamation loud,
His voice aloft doth send,
Saying: "Father, now into Thy hands
"My spirit I commend!"
And, then, behold! the temple vail
From top to bottom rent;
An earthquake shook the city's walls,
The rocks to pieces went.
And the centurian, with his guard,
Seeing these signs abroad,
Exclaimed in fear: "Now, of a truth,
"This was the Son of God."
The Burial.
NOW a good man, Joseph by name,
Of wealth and high renown,
In secret a disciple true,
Of Rama's ancient town,
Besought that Pilate grant to him
Permission to remove
The body of the Crucified,
Whom he had learned to love.
And then came Nicodemus,
With aloes and with myrrh—
Another who had been of Christ
A secret worshipper.
And these two men, who ne'er had made
Profession, great or small,
Prepared the sacred body for
An honored burial.
They wrapped it, with the spices,
In clean, white linen clothes;
According to the way in which
The Jews their dead dispose.
Then reverently laid it down
In Joseph's tomb—quite new,
Which he had hewn from out the rock,
His own last sleep in view.
The Resurrection.
THE Sabbath passed in sullen calm
The Lord of all things slept,
And some exulted in their crime,
While others mourned and wept.
It passed, it ended, and, behold!
While darkness veiled the sky,
Midst shock of earthquake, there came down
An angel from on high.
He sought the silent sepulchre,
And rolled away the stone—
The heavy stone that filled the door—
And took his seat thereon.
His features shone with lightning glow,
His robes were snowy white;
With solemn awe the keepers shook,
And fell, as dead, with fright.
Women at the Tomb.
MEANWHILE the day began to dawn—
The first day of the week—
And sorrowing women early came,
The sacred tomb to seek;
With spices and with ointments sweet,
To preserve the precious clay;
And saying: "Who shall roll for us
That heavy stone away?"
But when they reached the sepulchre,
They saw the stone removed,
And, entering in, they also missed
The form of Him they loved.
Instead, they saw a strange young man,
Sitting up on the right,
Clothed in a long, white flowing robe,
And they were filled with fright.
And he said unto them: "Fear not,
Ye seek Him who was slain.
He is not here. He's risen indeed,
Come, see where He has lain."
"THEY CAST THE NET ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SHIP AND WERE NOT ABLE
TO DRAW IT FOR THE MULTITUDE OF FISHES." St. John 21. 6
The Ascension.
ON sacred Olivet, once more,
The apostles met their Lord,
And looked with rapture on His face,
And heard with joy His word.
He spake with old-time gentleness,
And dignity, and love,
Commanding that they should not from
Jerusalem remove.
"But wait there till the promise of
My Father come," He said,
"Of which you heard me plainly speak
The night I was betrayed.
"For John baptised with water,
But ye shall feel the glow
Of baptism with the Holy Ghost,
Not many days from now."
And as He talked He led them on
As far as Bethany,
When they, together, forward came
And asked Him earnestly,
Saying: "Lord, wilt thou at this time
To Israel restore
The kingdom in such splendor
As it enjoyed of yore?"
But Jesus said unto them all:
"'Tis not for you to know
That which the Father doth intend
Respecting things below.
"But ye shall be endued with power,
And strength, and majesty,
After the Holy Ghost has come
Upon you from on high.
"And ye shall witness unto Me
Both in Jerusalem,
Judea and Samaria,
And lands ye now condemn."
And then He lifted up His hands,
And blessed them as they stood,
While He ascended from their sight,
Their Master, great and good.
And they beheld Him rise aloft
Into the ether bright,
Until a cloud enveloped Him,
And bore Him from their sight.
And while they looked up after Him
Toward heaven, amazed and sad,
Behold two angels stood by them,
In white apparel clad;
Which said: "Ye men of Galilee,
Why stand ye, gazing up,
As though the Lord had gone away,
And left you without hope?
"As ye have seen Him rise to heaven
In majesty sublime,
So, in like manner, shall He come,
In the allotted time."
Transcriber's Notes:
In the list of illustrations Return of the Prodigal Son 278 has been corrected to 378.
Illustrations have been moved out of mid-paragraph.
Variations in spelling and hyphenation are retained.
Punctuation has been retained as published.