Chapter I: TOLD you that the disciples were sometimes unkind; but Jesus was

always kind. Once a poor woman came crying after Jesus, saying, O Lord, I have a little daughter who is very sick. Jesus did not answer her at first, and the disciples were unkind, and wished her to be sent away. She cried so loud, they said to Jesus, Do send her away.

The poor woman fell down at Jesus’ feet, and said, Lord, help me! And Jesus had pity on the woman, and said, I will do what you wish.

The poor woman was glad to hear this, and she went home, and found that her daughter was quite well.

Another time the disciples were unkind to some little children. Some poor women brought their children to Jesus, but the disciples were standing round, and they would not let the women come near. Go away, they said; you must not bring the babies here to trouble us. But Jesus heard them speak, and was very angry with the disciples. Jesus would not let the children go away.

He said to the disciples, Suffer them to come to me; do not send them away.

Then he took the children in his arms, and put his hands upon them, and prayed to his Father, and blessed them.

O happy little children, to be taken into the arms of Jesus.

Jesus loves meek and gentle children. They are Jesus’ lambs. Jesus is their shepherd, and he will take them to heaven when they die.

Young children once to Jesus came,
His blessing to entreat;
And I may humbly do the same
Before his mercy-seat.

For when their feeble hands were spread,
And bent each humble knee,
“Forbid them not,” the Saviour said;
And so he says to me.

If babes so many years ago
His tender pity drew,
He will not surely let me go
Without a blessing, too.

Then while his favor to implore
My little hands are spread,
Do thou thy sacred blessing pour
Dear Jesus, on my head.

LESSON XXVI.

THE LORD’S PRAYER.

WHEN Jesus was in the world, he loved to think of his Father in heaven. He liked to be alone, that he might pray to his Father: sometimes the tears ran down his cheeks while he prayed. One night Jesus prayed all night alone upon the top of a high hill.

Sometimes Jesus prayed to his Father while his disciples stood near and listened.

Once when Jesus had been praying with them they said, Lord, teach us to pray. Then Jesus taught them a little prayer.

It was this: Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed by thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on 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, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

I know, little children, that you say this prayer night and morning. Your mothers taught you to say it. But did you know who said it first? It was Jesus, the Lord: so it is called “The Lord’s Prayer.” It is a very beautiful prayer, for Jesus said it; but it is hard for children to understand it.

What is the meaning of “Hallowed be thy name?” Let God’s name be praised.

What are “trespasses?” Trespasses are sins.

Ask God to forgive your sins, or your trespasses.

Do you ever pray to God when you are alone?

You may pray to him in any PLACE—in the house or in the garden.

You may pray to him at any TIME—in the night or in the middle of the day.

You may ask him for anything you want, just as you ask your father.

What will you ask him for? Will you ask him to give you bread, and clothes, and a house to live in?

Yes, ask him for these things, but most of all—ask him for his Holy Spirit.

It is better to have the Holy Spirit than to have all the toys, all the money, all the flowers, all the birds, all the beautiful things in the world.

Why is it better?

Because the Holy Spirit will make you love God, as the angels do, and will make you live forever and ever.

Will you say this little prayer to God?—“O my Father, pray give me thy Holy Spirit, for Christ’s sake.”

Our Father, seated in the sky,
Thy holy name be praised still:
Be thou obeyed as King most high,
Let men, like angels, do thy will.

Do thou our daily bread supply:
Forgive our sins as we forgive:
Yet help us still from sin to fly:
Great, glorious King, forever live!

LESSON XXVII.

JESUS FORETELLS HIS DEATH.

MATTHEW, xvi. 21 to end.

JESUS knew everything that would happen, and he knew that he must soon die.

He used to tell his secrets to his disciples; so he took them into a place by themselves, and said, I soon shall leave you: the wicked people will take me, and bind me with ropes, and beat me, and laugh at me, and nail me on a cross; but I shall soon be alive again.

The disciples could not bear to hear Jesus talk of dying, for they loved him very much. They all looked very sad, and Peter said, You shall not die; but Jesus said, I must die to save men, and to please my Father.

The Father had desired Jesus to die, and he would not disobey his Father.

Most of the people who wished to kill Jesus, lived in a great town called Jerusalem.

Jesus used to go to Jerusalem very often, and he used to preach there.

Why did some people hate Jesus?—Because he told them of their wickedness.

He used to say to them, You do not love God, who is my Father, but you are proud and vain. You wish to kill me. You tell lies. You are unkind to poor people. You pretend to love God, but while you are saying your prayers, you are thinking how good you are. Your hearts are full of wickedness. You are the children of the devil.

Jesus wished them to turn from their wickedness. It grieved him to see how they hated his Father, and that they would not turn from their wicked ways.

The wicked people were angry with Jesus, and said, God is not your Father. But Jesus said, He is my Father, and I came down from heaven, where he lives, and I shall go back to him some day.

At last the people took up stones to throw at him: but Jesus did not choose to die yet, so he easily got away and went to a place where they could not find him.

There he staid with his disciples a good while.

LESSON XXVIII.

LAZARUS.

JOHN, xi. 1-17.

JESUS staid with his disciples in a place by himself. The wicked people, who wanted to kill him, could not find him, but Jesus’ friends knew where he was.

Jesus had more friends besides his disciples.

One of his friends was called Lazarus. Lazarus had two sisters; their names were Martha and Mary. These three all lived together. They all three loved Jesus, and Jesus loved them. Jesus used often to come and see them, and sit in the house and talk to them. Martha liked to make a fine dinner when Jesus came, but Mary liked to sit and listen to his sweet words.

At last Lazarus fell very sick.

Martha and Mary loved their brother Lazarus very much indeed. They knew that Jesus could make Lazarus well; so they sent a man to tell Jesus that Lazarus was sick.

The man went a great way to look for Jesus. Lazarus grew worse and worse. At last he died. His friends wrapped white cloths round his face, and his arms and his legs, and put him in a great hole, and rolled a stone before it.

Martha and Mary waited and longed for Jesus to come.

Four days passed, and at last Jesus came. Martha and Mary did not think that Jesus would make Lazarus alive again, for he had been dead so long; so they sat upon the ground and cried.

When Martha heard that Jesus was on the road a little way off, she came to Jesus and said, If you had been here, my brother had not died; and even now you could make him alive.

Then Jesus said, Your brother shall rise again.

Yes, said Martha, I know he will rise again at the last day, when all the dead people rise.

Martha was afraid that Jesus would not choose to make Lazarus alive soon; but she knew that he was able to do it.

Martha went back to the house, and found Mary still sitting on the ground, and a great many friends round her.

Martha whispered in her ear, and told her that Jesus wanted to speak to her. So Martha and Mary went together, and found Jesus waiting for them in the road.

Mary’s friends went with her, and they cried; and Mary cried very much indeed: and when she saw Jesus she fell down at his feet and said, Lord, if you had been here, my brother had not died.

Jesus was very sorry to see her so unhappy, and to see so many people crying: he felt very sad indeed, and he sighed very deeply. Jesus does not like to see anyone in trouble, he is so kind.

Then Jesus said, Where have you put Lazarus?

Martha and Mary and their friends said, Come and see; and they showed him the way.

As Jesus walked along, the tears rolled down his cheeks.

At last they came to the grave. It was a hole, and a very large stone was before the hole.

Then Jesus said, Take away the stone.

Martha thought that Jesus was going to look at Lazarus lying dead; and she said, Do not go in: his flesh has a bad smell by this time. He has been dead four days. But Jesus told her to believe that he could make him alive.

They then rolled away the stone.

Then Jesus lifted up his eyes to his Father in heaven, and thanked him for helping him to do wonderful things.

A great many people were standing by, looking at Jesus, and wondering what he would do.

Poor Martha and Mary were longing to see Lazarus alive again.

Then Jesus spoke loud and said, Lazarus, come forth.

Lazarus heard, though he was dead; for the dead hear the voice of Jesus. He got up and walked to the door of the hole. His hands were tied with cloths, and his feet wrapped round with cloths, and a cloth was over his face.

But Jesus said, Undo the cloths.

How pleased Martha and Mary must have been to see his face again! How they must have thanked the Lord Jesus for his kindness!

The people who saw all this were surprised, and said, Jesus must be the Son of God.

Why flow the blessed Saviour’s tears?
Is it because the cross he fears?
Because he knows he soon shall die,
And shall within the cold grave lie?

He weeps to see the sisters weep
Of Lazarus, who lies asleep;
So tender is his heart, and kind,
That all from him may pity find.

CHILD.

When I see others full of fears,
I will remember Jesus’ tears;
And not upon my pleasures think,
While their sad hearts with sorrow sink.

LESSON XXIX.

JESUS ENTERS JERUSALEM.

MATTHEW, xxi. 1-11, 14-17.

WHICH was the greatest miracle that Jesus ever did? It was making Lazarus alive again; because he had been dead four days.

Many of the wicked people who hated Jesus heard of it; but they only hated him the more. They said, We must kill him soon, or everyone will believe that he is the Son of God.

Jesus knew that they wanted to kill him, and so he went again and hid himself in a place they did not know of. They looked for him, but they could not find him.

But could Jesus always stay in that little quiet place, where he was hid with his disciples? No. He came down to die for us. He only waited till the time came for him to die. Then he said to his disciples, We must go to Jerusalem, and I shall be laughed at, and beaten, and killed; but I shall come out of my grave after three days.

The disciples did not like to hear this; but they chose to go with Jesus wherever he went.

Jesus walked fast along the road; at last he came near Jerusalem. Then he stopped and said to his disciples, I shall ride into Jerusalem upon an ass. Jesus had no ass of his own; he always walked from place to place. But Jesus could put it into a man’s heart to lend him one.

He said to two of his disciples, Go along the road a little way, and you will see an ass and a young ass tied, and a man standing near; bring the ass and the young one to me, for I know that the man will let them come.

So the two disciples went: when they had gone a little way they saw an ass tied up, and a young one. They began to untie the ass; but a man standing near said, Why do you untie the ass?

They said, The Lord hath need of them; and then the man let them go.

I suppose that man loved the Lord Jesus, and liked to lend him his things.

The two disciples brought the two asses to Jesus. They took off some of their clothes, and put them on the young ass, and Jesus sat upon it.

A great many people came out of Jerusalem to see Jesus, for they had heard of his making Lazarus alive again. The people began to praise Jesus, and call him king. They took off some of their clothes, and laid them down upon the road for the ass to tread upon; and they picked branches off the trees that grew near, and laid them too on the road.

So Jesus came to the great town of Jerusalem: all the people came into the streets to look at him, and even the little children began to praise him, and to call him King. The proud men, that hated Jesus, were very angry at hearing all these praises. They did not like to hear Jesus praised. They came to him and said, Why do you let these children call you king?

But Jesus liked to hear the children sing his praise, and he would not tell them to be silent.

Jesus loved little children, and these little children loved Jesus.

LESSON XXX.

THE TEMPLE.

LUKE, xix. 47, 48; xx. 19, 20; xxi. 37, 38.

THERE was a large place in Jerusalem, like a great church, called the Temple. It was white outside, and very beautiful. The doors were open all day, and people used to go in to pray to God. It was God’s house: Jesus used often to be there with his disciples. Poor blind and lame people came to him there, and Jesus cured them all, and talked to them about his Father.

The little children sang his praises in the Temple. All day long Jesus taught the people about God, and they listened to what he said, and liked to hear him.

The wicked and proud men came to the Temple to laugh at Jesus, and to speak rudely to him; but he bore all as meekly as a lamb.

At night he left the Temple, and went out of the town to a high hill, where he prayed to God alone in the dark.

The wicked men longed to catch Jesus to kill him. They said to each other, How can we get him? the people will not let us take hold of him if they see us, or we would go to the Temple to catch him. If we could find him alone in the dark, then we would put ropes on him, and take him to the judge. This is what the wicked people said to each other as they sat together.

Within the Temple fair and grand,
(Where holy men are wont to pray,)
Behold the gentle Saviour stand,
Teaching sweet wisdom all the day.

And many round him fondly press,
The blind, the lame, the weeping poor,
Who suffer sickness or distress,
Or grace or pardon would implore.

But see, another troop is near,
And much his words their pride displease;
Like hungry lions they appear,
Who long a gentle lamb to seize.

The Saviour all their malice knows,
And how his precious life they seek;
But still his lips he will not close,
Because his Father bade him speak.

Nor does his heav’nly patience fail,
Nor does he cease his love to show;
But while they mock, and jeer, and rail,
He strives to save their souls from woe.

CHILD.

And if, when trying to be kind,
I too should with unkindness meet,
O let me show a patient mind,
And ever let my words be sweet!

LESSON XXXI.

JUDAS.

JOHN, xii. 6. MATTHEW, xxvi. 3, 4, 14-16.

JESUS had twelve disciples. Did they all love him?

Peter loved Jesus, and John loved him, and all the rest loved him, but one; his name was Judas. He did not love Jesus, but only pretended to love him. He was like the devil.

Did Jesus know how wicked Judas was? Yes, he saw into his heart; but the disciples thought Judas was good; for Judas used to kiss the Lord Jesus, and speak kindly to him, and talk about God like the rest.

But Judas loved something; he loved money. He wanted to get a great deal of money.

He was covetous, and he was a thief. The disciples had a bag, and when they had money they put it in the bag; and all the disciples put their money in the same bag. But there was very little money in the bag, for they were very poor. Judas used to take care of the bag, and he used to steal some of the money out of it, and keep it for himself; but no one found him out, or thought he was a thief, except Jesus, and he knew it well.

Judas was always thinking, How shall I get money?

One day, when the proud men were sitting together, Judas came in. Judas said to them, You want to find Jesus when he is alone: will you give me some money, and I will show you where he goes at night?

The proud people said, Yes, we will.

Judas said, How much money will you give me?

They said, Thirty pieces of silver.

Then Judas said, Some night I will bring you to Jesus when he is alone.

The wicked people were very glad to hear this.

Now, thought they, we shall soon catch him and kill him.

Judas went back to Jesus, but he did not tell the disciples what he had done. Jesus knew what he had been doing; for Jesus could see all his thoughts, and he knew all that Judas did, both in the day and in the night. Yet Jesus did not tell Judas that he knew his wicked plans.

LESSON XXXII.

THE LAST SUPPER—PART I.

LUKE, xxii. 7-14. JOHN, xiii. 1-17.

JESUS said to his disciples, I am going soon to be killed, but before I die I shall eat a supper with you in Jerusalem.

Then Jesus said to Peter and John, Go and get the supper ready; but they said, Where shall we get it ready? For Jesus had no house in Jerusalem: but Jesus knew how to find a room.

So Jesus said to Peter and John, Go into Jerusalem, and you will meet a man carrying a jug; go after him: he will go into a house. The master of the house will lend me a room. Tell him that I am going to die, and that I want to eat a supper with my disciples.

Then Peter and John went into Jerusalem.

Whom did they meet? A man carrying a jug.

They followed him. He went into a house. Peter and John went in after him, and they said to the master of the house, Jesus wants a room to eat supper in with his disciples before he dies.

Then the master took them up stairs, and showed them a large room, with a table in it, and seats all round the table, and a jug, and a basin to wash their feet in, and a cup and dishes.

Then Peter and John got some bread and wine and other things, and made the supper ready; and they went back and told Jesus (who was a little way in the country) that supper was ready. So Jesus and all his disciples came to the house in the evening; they went up stairs, and they all sat down.

Jesus loved John better than all the rest, and John sat next to Jesus.

After they had been a little while at supper, Jesus got up and took a towel, and tied it round his waist; and he took a jug and poured water into a basin, and he began to wash his disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel round his waist.

But when he came to Peter, Peter said, You shall never wash my feet.

Peter thought it was too kind of Jesus to wash his feet, as if he were a servant; but Jesus was not proud, but loved to be kind to his disciples.

Then Jesus said to Peter, If I wash you not, you cannot be mine; but I have made you clean already. Jesus had made Peter’s heart clean.

Then Peter was glad that Jesus should wash his feet.

All the disciples had clean hearts, except Judas, and his heart was full of wickedness; Satan was in it. Yet Jesus washed Judas’ feet. He was kind even to wicked Judas, who hated him.

When Jesus had washed all the disciples’ feet he sat down again, and began to talk to them.

He said, Do you know what I have done to you? I have washed your feet, though I am your Lord and Master. I wish to teach you to be as kind to each other as I have been to you.

When the sad hour was almost come,
That Jesus must depart,
He gathered in an upper room
Those dearest to his heart.

Ah! great was their astonishment
When, rising from his seat,
Upon the floor he lowly bent
To wash his servants’ feet.

Beside the board again he sat,
And thus expressed his mind:
“If I, your Lord, upon you wait,
O should not you be kind?

“O! let the love that I have shown
By you remembered be;
And by _your_ love let it be known
That you belong to me.”

LESSON XXXIII.

THE LAST SUPPER—PART II.

JOHN, xiii. 21-30.

YOU know the wicked thing that Judas meant to do. Jesus knew that he would bring the wicked people to take him and kill him. Jesus had been very kind to Judas, and Jesus was sorry that he was so wicked.

As Jesus was sitting at supper, and all the twelve disciples sitting round, he said, One of you will give me to the wicked men to be killed! one of you, my disciples.

All the disciples were very sorry, and Peter said, Is it I? and John said, Is it I? and each of them said, Is it I? but Jesus did not tell them which.

Now John was leaning his head on Jesus’ bosom, and Peter whispered to John and said, Do ask the Lord which it is that will show the wicked people where he is?

So John whispered and said, Which is it?

And Jesus said, The one that dips the bread in the sop with me.

For there was a dish of sauce on the table, and Jesus dipped his bread in it, and as he dipped it one of the disciples put his hand in the dish too. Which was it?

Judas: he dipped his bread in the dish with Jesus. So John knew which it was that was so wicked.

Then Jesus said to Judas, Go, and do what you mean to do.

And Judas got up and went out of the room.

Where did he go?

He went to the wicked people, to bring them to Jesus in the dark. But the disciples thought he was going to buy something at a shop, or to give money to the poor.

One night the Saviour said,
“My hours to live are few:
I soon shall be betray’d,
My friends, by one of you.”
“Lord, is it I?”
They all do cry.

Beloved above the rest,
John lean’d his gentle head
Upon the Saviour’s breast,
And, softly whisp’ring, said,
“Lord, tell me who
This thing shall do?”

“One of this little band,”
The Saviour, answ’ring, said,
“Will hither reach his hand,
And dip with me his bread.
Who dips with me,
The same is he.”

LESSON XXXIV.

THE LAST SUPPER—PART III.

MATTHEW, xxvi. 26-36. JOHN, xiv. 1-4; xviii. 1-3.

AFTER supper Jesus took some bread and broke it in little bits, and gave a piece to each of the disciples, and said, This is my body: I am going to die: eat this, and think of me.

Then Jesus poured some wine into a cup, and told them all to drink out of it. He said, This is my blood; I shall soon bleed and die; drink this, and think of me.

Jesus said, I shall not eat supper with you again before I die. I am going to my Father; I must leave you, but I shall come back again.

Then they all sang a hymn.

Afterward Jesus got up from the table and went down stairs into the street, and the disciples followed him. It was dark; but Jesus talked to them as they went along. He said, I am going to die to-night, and you will all leave me.

But Peter said, I will not leave you; I will go to prison with you; I will die with you; but I will never leave you.

Jesus said to him, Yes, you will, Peter; you will say that you do not know me; you will say that you are not my friend. This night, Peter, you will say so, before the cock crows. (For cocks crow in the morning when it is light.)

Jesus talked sweetly to his disciples. He said, Do not be sorry because I am going away. I shall go back to my Father, and I shall soon come back to you. When I am in heaven, I shall get ready a place in heaven for you. I command you to love one another, and I will send the Holy Spirit to comfort you.

At last Jesus came to a garden. He had often been to that garden with his disciples, and wicked Judas knew the place.

Where was Judas now?

He was with the wicked, proud men.

You will soon hear how he came to the garden, and how he brought the _servants_ of the wicked men with him. For these wicked men meant to send their servants to catch Jesus.

“This is my flesh,” the sorrowing Saviour said,
And, as he spoke, he gave the broken bread:
“This is my blood,” and then he bade all drink,
And of their dying Master ever think.

“This night I die: this night my body’s bruised;
This night by wicked men my name’s abused;
And even you, my dearest friends, shall fly,
And leave your Master all alone to die.”

His friends in sorrow heard; then promised
With him they fondly loved their blood to shed;
And Peter loudest said, “With thee I’ll die,”
And little thought he should his Lord deny.

CHILD.

Sometimes I think I never will offend,
By doing wrong, my best, my heav’nly Friend;
How soon my heart forgets! To God I’ll pray
For grace to keep me in his holy way.

LESSON XXXV.

THE GARDEN.

MATTHEW, xxvi. 30-57. JOHN, xviii. 1-12.

WHEN Jesus was come to the garden, he told all his disciples to stop in one place till he came back, except three that he took with him.

Who were they?

Peter, James, and John. He took them further on in the garden, and then said to them, I feel very sad indeed. I am going to pray. Do you stay here. Do not go to sleep, but pray while I am praying.

Then Jesus went a little way off by himself, and fell upon the ground, and began to pray to his Father to help him. He ended his prayer by saying, O Father, do thou what thou wilt, not what I will.

He prayed very earnestly, and he felt so unhappy that the blood came out of his skin, and fell on the ground. Then he got up and went back to Peter, and James, and John, but he found them asleep. He waked them, and told them to pray.

Then he went back and prayed again to his Father, to help him in his great sorrow; then he came back to his disciples, but they had fallen asleep again.

Then Jesus prayed again, and his Father sent an angel from heaven to comfort him. I do not know what the angel said, but I know the angel loved him, and could speak sweet words to him, and tell him how his Father loved him. The angel did not stay long; he soon went back to God.

Then Jesus came again to his disciples, and found them still asleep. But Jesus waked them and told them to get up; for Judas is near.

While Jesus was saying this, a great many people were seen walking in the garden. These were the servants of the proud men in Jerusalem. They had swords, and sticks, and lanterns in their hands. And Judas went before them to show them where Jesus was. But Judas came up slily to Jesus, and gave him a kiss, pretending to love him.

Jesus knew what Judas was doing, and he said, Friend, why do you come here? and why do you kiss me?

Jesus did not run away, but he went up to the wicked men, and said, Whom are you looking for?

They said, For Jesus.

He said, I am he.

When he said that, God made all the wicked people fall upon their backs upon the ground. Then Jesus could have run away; but he chose to stay, that he might die for sinners.

The wicked people soon got up; God let them get up; but Jesus said to them, If you want to have me, you must let my disciples go away.

It was kind of Jesus to think of them, and they were frightened and glad to get away; they did not wish to stay to die with Jesus.

But Peter took a sword and cut off one of the wicked men’s ears. Peter wished to fight; but Jesus said, Put up your sword. If I were to pray now to my Father, he would send thousands of angels to help me. Then Jesus touched the man’s ear, and made it well.

Why did not Jesus pray to God to send the angels?

Because he chose to die to save us. Had the angels come, and taken Jesus back to heaven, then we should all have gone to hell.

Peter and all the rest of the disciples ran away, and left Jesus quite alone with the wicked men. They took ropes, and tied his hands and feet, and they led him away into Jerusalem; and he went along meekly as a lamb.

LESSON XXXVI.

PETER’S DENIAL.

MATTHEW, xxvi. 57 to end.

THE wicked proud men, who hated Jesus, had sat up all night. They had sent their servants with some soldiers to fetch Jesus. They were in a fine house seated on seats round the room, talking together, and longing for Jesus to be brought.

They said one to another, We will have him killed when he comes—we will take him to the judge.

At last Jesus came in with the wicked servants. The proud men were glad to see him. They made him stand up in the midst of the large room. Then they spoke roughly. Are you the Son of God? they said.

And Jesus said, Yes, I am; and one day you will see me coming in the clouds with the angels.

Then the wicked men were angry.

Do you hear what he says? they cried out. He calls himself the Son of God! He must be taken to the judge to be killed.

Jesus stood meekly all this while, and hardly spoke a word.

What was become of his disciples? They had run away.

Had Peter run away? Peter said he would die with Jesus. But he ran away too.

At last Peter thought, I will go and look for Jesus; I should like to see what the wicked men are doing to him.

So Peter came to Jerusalem, and into the fine house. He came into the hall first: the wicked servants were sitting round a fire in the hall; a door was open, and through the door Peter could see Jesus. There he was, standing before the wicked men. Peter hoped that nobody would know that he was one of Jesus’ disciples, lest he should be killed. But as Peter was sitting by the fire, warming himself, a maid said to him, You are one of the disciples of Jesus.

Then Peter was frightened, and said, No, I am not; I do not know the man you speak of.

Then Peter got up, and went outside the door; but another maid said to him, I am sure you are one of the disciples of Jesus.

Peter said, I am not. So Peter went back again to the fire, and began talking with the servants.

But some of them remembered having seen Peter in the garden, and they came to Peter and said, We are certain that you are one of the disciples. I saw you in the garden, said one.

Then Peter began to swear, and to say that he was not.

While Peter was speaking so wickedly he heard a cock crow. Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said, and he looked at Jesus, and Jesus turned round his face and looked at Peter. It was such a look! Jesus did not speak, but his look seemed to say, Is this Peter, my friend, who said he would die with me? Is this his love for me? Does he say he does not know me?

Peter felt very sorry; he felt as if his heart would break, and he went out of the house, and began to cry very much indeed. For Peter did really love Jesus; only Satan had tempted him to be so wicked as to say he did not know him.

If Peter had prayed in the garden instead of going to sleep, he would have behaved better. But Christ had often prayed for Peter, that Satan might not get his soul at last.

When Peter sat within the hall,
To see what should his Lord befall,
He said he never knew the man,
And e’en to curse and swear began.
His sorrowing Master turn’d his head,
And by his look he sweetly said,
“Does Peter say he knows me not?
Has Peter then my love forgot?”

Soon Peter wept most bitterly
That he had dared his Lord deny.
His Lord is mine: I love him too,
Oh! may I prove to him more true!
But if I sin, oh! grant that I
May weep like Peter, bitterly;
And may it pierce me like a sword,
To think I’ve griev’d my dearest Lord.

LESSON XXXVII.

PONTIUS PILATE.

JOHN, xviii. 22 to end. MATTHEW, xxvi. 67, 68. JOHN, xix. 1-16.

ALL night long, Jesus stood in the great room; he heard all Peter said, and that must have grieved him. The wicked people were like lions and tigers, and Jesus like a lamb. They looked at him as if they hated him.

Once when he spoke, a servant slapped his face; but he bore this meekly.

The judge was not up yet, for it was night; so the wicked people were forced to wait till the morning.

That night the servants came round Jesus and beat him, and pushed him, and laughed at him, and even spat in his face.

When the morning came, the wicked people said, Now we will bring him to the judge.

So they went out of their fine house and took Jesus with them.

The judge sat upon a high seat in the hall. His name was Pontius Pilate. The judge did not know Jesus. The judge said, What has he done?

The wicked people said, He calls himself a king.

Then Pilate said to Jesus, Are you a king? And Jesus said, Yes, I am. But Pilate thought that he looked very good, and he did not want to punish him.

Then the wicked men made a great noise, and said, You must crucify him.

Pilate said, No, I will beat him, and that will be enough. So Pilate gave Jesus to some soldiers, who took him into a house and beat him with knotted ropes, (this way of beating is called scourging,) and all the blood ran down his back. Then the cruel soldiers laughed at him because he said he was a king. They took off his own clothes, and put some fine clothes on him such as kings wear, purple and red.

Then they said, We must put a crown on his head. So they took prickly thorns, sharp like pins, and twisted them together, and made a crown, and put it on his head.

They said He must have a scepter, (for kings hold something called a scepter in their hands), so they put a reed in his hand for a scepter; then they took it from him, and beat him on the head: and they knelt down to him laughing, and said, O king! O king!

Pilate saw the soldiers tormenting him, and he brought Jesus into the street, where the wicked people were, and he showed Jesus to them, and said, Look at your king.

Pilate hoped they would be sorry to see him so ill-used; blood upon his forehead from the thorns, and his back scourged, and dressed in fine clothes to mock him: but the wicked people were cruel like tigers.

Said they, Crucify him! Crucify him! All the people cried out, Crucify him! though Jesus had always been so kind to them.

Will you crucify your king? said Pilate.

He shall not be our king, the people said. There was a very great noise in the street, from the people all speaking at once.

Then Pilate thought he would please the wicked people, and he said, Take him and crucify him. Then the people were glad. But first the soldiers took the fine clothes off Jesus, and put his own clothes on him again.

How wicked it was of Pilate to let him be crucified! Pilate thought Jesus was good, yet he let him be killed to please the people.

What! is there none to take _his_ part
Who silent, trembling, bleeding, stands?
Not one to cheer his broken heart,
Or snatch him from those cruel hands?

A thousand voices lifted high
Now fill with horrid shouts the air—
“Away with him and crucify!”
Nor does _one_ friend for him appear.

Behold how men his love reward!
His tender flesh the scourge has torn,
His gentle hands are bound with cord,
His head is crown’d with prickly thorn.

But why did God the Father let
His only son be treated thus?—
He sent his Son to pay our debt,
And suffer all this pain for us.

’Twas I deserved, O dearest Lord,
My flesh should be with scourging torn,
My little hands be bound with cord,
_My_ head be crown’d with prickly thorn.

And now what can I do for him
Who suffer’d all this pain for me?
Whene’er I feel or hear of sin,
I’ll think, O dearest Lord, of thee.

Nor shall my hand in anger strike,
When thy dear hands for me were bound;
Nor shall my head with passion shake,
When thine with prickly thorns was crown’d.

And when I hear one smiling tell,
Of sinful things that men have done,
I will not smile, but sorrow feel,
Because sin bruis’d God’s only Son.

LESSON XXXVIII.

DEATH OF JUDAS.

MATTHEW, xxvii. 3-5.

WHERE was Judas all this while? The wicked people had given him the money, thirty pieces of silver: but Judas could not be happy.

Ah! thought he, I have killed my good Master! what a wicked thing I have done!

Judas felt that he could not like the money: he could not bear to keep it, because he had done such a wicked thing to get it. So Judas went to look for the wicked men. They had been sitting up all night talking against Jesus: but now they were in God’s house—the Temple.

Judas brought the thirty pieces of silver in his hands, and threw them down on the floor near the wicked men. Judas said, I have done a very wicked thing.

But the men did not care for _that_: all they wanted was to get Jesus killed.

They picked up the pieces of silver from the floor, and went and bought a field with the money.

And where did Judas go?

He went out to the field to kill himself. He did not go and ask Jesus to forgive him, but went and hanged himself. I suppose he tied a rope around his neck, and fastened the rope to a tree. Afterward he fell down from the tree, and his body burst, and his blood was poured out on the ground. O what a horrible sight it must have been! But it was more horrible to think where Judas’ soul was gone. It was gone to hell—to Satan.

It was very wicked of Judas to hang himself, instead of praying to God to forgive him.

Judas is in the wicked place now; and Jesus will judge him at the last day, and say, Depart, you cursed!

LESSON XXXIX.

THE CROSS—PART I.

LUKE, xxiii. 26-34.

THE wicked people were very glad when Pilate said Jesus was to be crucified. They made a cross of two great pieces of wood like boards, and made Jesus carry it. They took him out of Jerusalem into the country. The wicked people came with him.

Jesus was so weak that he could hardly walk, and the cross was so heavy that he could not carry it. He would have dropped down on the way, if a man had not helped him to carry the cross.

There were a few people who were sorry for the Lord Jesus.

Some women, who loved him very much, came crying after him. Jesus heard them crying, and he turned round and spoke very kindly to them.

He said, Do not cry for me; cry for yourselves, and for your children. Why did Jesus tell them to cry for themselves? Ah! Jesus knew how God would one day punish the people in Jerusalem for their wickedness.

At last Jesus came to the top of a hill. Then the soldiers made Jesus lie upon his cross, and they put nails in his hands, and nails in his feet. So they nailed him to the cross. Then the soldiers made a hole in the ground, and stuck the cross in it.

They had taken off Jesus’ clothes; and when he was on the cross four soldiers tore the clothes in four pieces, and each took a piece: but when they looked at his coat they said, We will not tear it, because there is no seam in it; then one of the soldiers took it for his own. So the wicked people took everything away from Jesus.

Was Jesus very angry with them?

No, he was meek as a lamb. He prayed to his Father while he was upon the cross; he could not lift up his hands, but he could speak to God. He prayed for these wicked people, and said, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.

“Father, forgive,” the sufferer cries,
“Because they know not what they do.”
To Heaven he lifts his dying eyes:
Was such a prayer e’er heard below?

Tell me for whom the Saviour prays?
For those who bear him deadly hate,
Who spat upon his lovely face,
And pierced his blessed hands and feet,

And does the Saviour pray for these?
Ah! then I see that I should pray
For all who hurt me, vex, or tease,
By spiteful things they do or say.

Alas! I feel my heart’s inclin’d
To do to them as they to me,
And by my words and deeds unkind
To let all such my anger see.

Yet _I_ have sinn’d against my God,
And disobey’d ten thousand times:
Am I prepar’d to feel his rod
Avenging my ten thousand crimes?

And thus he says he’ll deal with me
If I’m unwilling to forgive;
For only those _like_ Christ shall see
The glorious place where angels live.

LESSON XL.

THE CROSS—PART II.

LUKE, xxiii. 35-43.

PONTIUS PILATE wrote these words on the top of Jesus’ cross: This is the King of the Jews.

Who were the Jews?

The people who lived in Jerusalem were called Jews.

All the wicked people laughed when they read these words; they shook their heads, and pouted their lips at Jesus, and said, If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.

Could Jesus have come down?

He could do everything; but he chose to stay to die for sinners.

The wicked people said, If God loved him, he would not leave him to die on the cross.

But his Father let him die to save us.

There was a cross on each side of Jesus, and a thief nailed upon each cross. One of these thieves laughed at Jesus; he said, Why do you not save us, if you are the son of God?

The other thief was sorry for his sins, and he loved Jesus.

The thief who was sorry said to the other thief, We have been naughty, we deserve to be crucified; but Jesus is quite good. Then he spoke to Jesus, and said, Remember me when you come to be king.

And Jesus said, You shall be with me in heaven to-day. So Christ heard the poor thief’s prayer; for Jesus died that he might save all who believed that he was the Son of God.

If you go to heaven you will see that poor thief.

Upon the hill where Jesus died
A thief was plac’d on either side,
Each nail’d upon a tree.
The one revil’d Christ’s name in death,
The other cried, with dying breath,
“O Lord! remember me.”

The Saviour heard the poor thief’s prayer,
And promis’d he would take him where
Our God and angels dwell.
Alas! his life was spent in sin:
What joy a heaven at last to win
And to escape from hell!

And oh! for him what glad surprise
When heavenly glories met his eyes,
And Christ array’d in light!
He just had seen the dying pains,
That had releas’d his soul from chains
And everlasting night.

Ah! sure of all the hosts that sing
The praises of their heav’nly King,
His voice will loudest sound:
For when just trembling on the brink
And just about in hell to sink,
Pardon and grace he found.

LESSON XLI.

THE CROSS—PART III.

JOHN, xix. 25-30. MATTHEW, xxvii. 45-54.

JESUS’ mother, Mary, stood near the cross. She came to see her son die. She was very sorry; she felt her heart full of pain at the sight.

She loved her dear, good son, who had been kind to her ever since he was a baby, and had never done one thing wrong, and she knew he was the Son of God. Jesus was sorry to see his mother’s grief.

John had come to the cross, and he was standing near Mary. Jesus wished John to take care of his mother, now that he was going to leave her. So he said to his mother, Behold thy son. And he said to John, Behold thy mother. John knew what Jesus meant, and he took Mary to be his mother, and made her live with him. Jesus loved his mother, and thought of her when he was dying.

Jesus was full of pain, and it was very hot. He said, I thirst! and the soldiers took a sponge, and dipped it in vinegar, and put it on a reed and gave it to Jesus.

Jesus just tasted the vinegar, and said, It is finished! and then he died. His spirit went to his Father, but his body hung upon the cross.

It was three o’clock in the afternoon when Jesus died. He had been nailed to the cross all the day. Before Jesus died, God had made it very dark, to show he was angry with the wicked people. And God made the earth shake, and the people were frightened; and when Jesus was dead, some of them said, This must have been the Son of God.

Mary beholds one dying there,
Whom in her arms she once did bear,
And to her bosom press.
On her he casts his pitying eye,
For who should now _his_ place supply,
And cheer her loneliness?

The loving John shall be her son,
And cherish her till life is done,
Within his humble home:
And oft together they shall speak
Of him who, once despis’d and weak,
At last in clouds shall come.

Oh! gentle Lord, how great the love
Which made thy tender pity move,
E’en in the hour of death!
O let me show my parents dear
The same kind love and thoughtful care,
Until their latest breath.

LESSON XLII.

THE SOLDIERS.

JOHN, xix. 32-37.

AT last the soldiers came to see if Jesus and the two thieves were dead, that they might bury them before night. The soldiers looked at one thief, and they saw that he was not dead; so they broke his legs, and that killed him. Then they looked at the other thief, and they saw he was not dead; so they broke his legs. Then they looked at Jesus, and they saw he was dead, so they did not break his legs: but one of the soldiers took a long stick with a sharp point at the end, called a spear, and put it in his side; and out of his side blood and water came flowing upon the ground. John was standing near, and he saw the blood poured out. Do you remember how Jesus, at supper the night before, had poured wine in a cup, and said, This is my blood, which is shed for sinners?

Now his blood was poured out.

The spear made a hole in Jesus’ side. There was a hole in his side, and a hole in each hand, and a hole in each foot; and his forehead was pricked with thorns, and his eyes had shed many tears, and blood had come from his skin. All this he suffered for us, that God might forgive us our sins.

LESSON XLIII.

THE GRAVE.

JOHN, xix. 38 to end. LUKE, xxiii. 55, 56. MATTHEW, xxvii. 60.

THERE was one rich man who loved Jesus; his name was Joseph (not Mary’s husband, this was another Joseph); he had a garden, and in the garden he had made a grave: perhaps he meant to be buried there himself when he came to die.

But now Joseph thought, I should like to put the Lord Jesus in my grave. It was a very nice grave, and no one had ever been put there yet.

So Joseph went to Pontius Pilate, and said, I want the dead body of Jesus: may I take it down from the cross, and keep it myself?

And Pilate said, Yes, you may have it.

Then Joseph was glad. He bought some nice white clean linen. What do you think that was for? To wrap Jesus in. And he bought some spices (sweet-smelling things that grow out of the ground), and he brought some men with him, and they took the nails out of Jesus’ hands and feet, and, took his body down from the cross. Then Joseph wrapped a cloth round his head, and another cloth round his waist, and he put sweet spices on him; and then some men carried him along to Joseph’s garden.

In the garden there was a high place called a rock, and a hole in the rock, like a hole in a wall; and they walked into this large dark hole, and they laid Jesus down quite alone. Now he was at rest; he felt no pain, no sorrow: the wicked people were not near; and there lay the Lord in his quiet grave. The men took a very large stone and stopped up the hole, so that nobody could get in. No beast, no bird, could touch the Lord Jesus. There were trees and flowers near him in this sweet garden, and there were angels there watching over him, though no one could see them.

Where were the poor women who loved Jesus?

They had been looking at him on the cross. How they must have cried when they saw him bleed, and heard him cry out to God!

The poor women had seen the men take him down from the cross. They had followed the men into the garden; they had seen him put so carefully in his grave.

They said to each other, Let us get more spices, and make sweet ointment to put on the Lord Jesus.

Joseph had put some spices, but they wanted to put more. So they went home and made nice ointment.

In the cold grave the Saviour is sleeping,
While angels bright are watching near;
At home his loving friends are weeping,
For they have lost their Master dear.

His painful suff’rings now are ended;
His wounded body is at rest;
His soul, from ev’ry ill defended,
Reposes on his Fathers breast.

LESSON XLIV.

THE RESURRECTION.

MARK, xvi. 1-6. LUKE, xxiv. 3-10. MATTHEW, xxviii. 9, 10.

ONE morning very early, when Jesus had been dead only two days, the poor women came into the garden. It was not quite light yet, for the sun was just rising.

As the women walked along with their ointment they said to each other, How shall we get into the grave? The men put a large stone before it; the stone is so big, we cannot roll it away. The women did not know what to do.

At last they came to the grave, but the stone was rolled away. The women were quite surprised. Then they were afraid some wicked people had rolled it away, and stolen the body of Jesus. This made them very sad; they looked into the grave, and saw that Jesus was not there. Soon they saw two beautiful angels standing by them. Their faces were bright like the sun, their clothes whiter than snow.

The women trembled when they saw the angels; but the angels spoke sweetly and kindly to them, saying, Do not be afraid; we know that you are looking for Jesus. He is not here now; he is alive. Do you not remember how he said he would come to life again, after he had been crucified?

Come, said the angels, and look at the place where Jesus lay. Run quickly, and tell his disciples that Jesus is alive, and that they shall see him very soon.

The women were very glad indeed; they ran as quickly as they could to tell the disciples. But as they were running, whom do you think they saw? Jesus himself! He did not look as he once had looked; no tears were on his cheeks; they were all wiped away. He was not weak and faint as when he had carried his cross. He never could be sick any more; nor could he ever die again.

How much pleased the women were to see him! They knelt down on the ground, and held his feet that he might not go away, and they called him their Lord and their God. Yet still they felt a little afraid; but Jesus told them not to be afraid. Jesus said: Go, tell my brothers that I shall soon see them again.

Whom did Jesus call his brothers?

His disciples. He had forgiven them for having run away when the wicked men took him.

The poor women ran, as Jesus had told them, to the disciples, and said, We have seen angels; we have seen the Lord Jesus! He is walking about, and you will see him soon. But the disciples would not believe the women.

LESSON XLV.

MARY MAGDALENE.

JOHN, xx. 1-19.