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entertained of success but by the doctor, who never left him night nor day. The people were again invited, and assembled to attend the funeral. The doctor still objected, and at last confined his request for delay to one hour, then to half an hour, and finally to a quarter of an hour. He had discovered that the tongue was much swoln, and threatened to crack. He was endeavouring to soften it, by some emollient ointment put upon it with a feather, when the brother came in, about the expiration of the last period, and mistaking what the doctor was doing, for an attempt to feed him, manifested some resentment, and in a spirited tone, said, "It is shameful to be feeding a lifeless corpse;" and insisted, with earnestness, that the funeral should immediately proceed. At this critical and important moment, the body, to the great alarm and astonishment of all present, opened its eyes, gave a dreadful groan, and sunk again into apparent death. This put an end to all thoughts of burying him, and every effort was again employed in hopes of bringing about a speedy resuscitation. In about an hour, the eyes again opened, a heavy groan proceeded from the body, and again all appearance of animation vanished. In another hour life seemed to return with more power, and a complete revival took place, to the great joy of the family and friends, and to the no small astonishment and conviction of very many who had been ridiculing the idea of restoring to life a dead body.

Mr. Tennent continued in so weak and low a state for six weeks, that great doubts were entertained of his final recovery. However, after that period he recovered much faster, but it was about twelve months before he was completely restored. After he was able to walk the room, and to take notice of what passed around him, on a Sunday afternoon, his sister, who had staid from church to attend him, was reading in the Bible, when he took notice of it, and asked her what she had in her hand. She answered that she was reading the Bible. He replied, "What is the Bible? I know not what you mean." This affected the sister so much that she burst into tears, and informed him, that he was once well acquainted with it. On her reporting this to the brother when he returned, Mr. Tennent was found, upon examination, to be totally ignorant of every transaction of his life previous to his sickness. He could not read a single word, neither did he seem to have any idea of what it meant. As soon as he became capable of attention, he was taught to read and write, as children are usually taught, and afterwards began to learn the Latin language under the tuition of his brother. One day as he was reciting a lesson in Corne lius Nepos, he suddenly started, clapped his hand to his head, as

if something had hurt him, and made a pause. His brother ask→ ing him what was the matter, he said, that he felt a sudden shock in his head, and it now seemed to him as if he had read that book before. By degrees his recollection was restored, and he could speak the Latin as fluently as before his sickness. His memory so completely revived, that he gained a perfect knowledge of the past transactions of his life, as if no difficulty had previously occurred. This event, at the time, made a considerable noise, and afforded, not only matter of serious contemplation to the devout christian, especially when connected with what follows in this narration, but furnished a subject of deep investigation and learned inquiry to the real philosopher and curious anatomist.

[To be continued.]

SERIES OF LIVES.

[Continued from page 58.]

THE LIVES OF JAMES AND JOHN, THE APOSTLES.

JAMES and John were sons of Zebedee, and inhabitants of Bethsaida; they were also the friends of Simon and Andrew, and partners in their fishery. By their mother Mary, surnamed Salome, they are supposed to have been related to our Lord; a distinction which can confer no additional dignity on men who were avowed by him as his chosen apostles. A tradition, on which the gospel throws no light, reports the younger brother John to have been that other disciple of the Baptist, who, together with Andrew, upon his testimony, followed Jesus, and was satisfied with the credentials of the lowly Messiah. John's connexion with Andrew inclines us to think that all these friends were of the same school, and renders, therefore, this tradition less improbable.

The sons of Zebedee were called to be disciples of our Lord at the same time with the sons of Jonah. With them they were witnesses of the miraculous draught of fishes, and from that time forsook their ordinary occupation, that they might learn of Jesus to be fishers of men; and when the apostles were chosen, they were next in nomination to Simon Peter. With that great man, they were the depositories of those secrets, and the witnesses of those private transactions of our Saviour's life, which were not confided to his other apostles; such as the re-animation of the daughter of Jairus, the exhibition of the glories of Immanuel on Mount Tabor, and the sorrows he experienced in Gethsemane. Like Peter, they also received from the Lord, a new and illustri

ous name, that of Boanerges, or Sons of Thunder. An appellation probably descriptive not so much of their constitutional fire and vehemence, as of the undaunted courage and zeal of their ministry, and the energy of their eloquence, which, like the bolt of heaven, should flash conviction on the darkest minds, penetrate the most obdurate hearts, and bear down all opposition before it.

The first incident in which St. John is brought forward to particular notice, is the following. John said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us, and we forbad him, because he followed not us. But Jesus said, Forbid him not, for there is no man shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us, is on our part. It is here acknowledged, that the person in question cast out devils in the name of Jesus, thereby glorifying the Redeemer, as the gracious source of the power he exercised. What offended the apostles seems to have been, that this worker of miracles acted under no public commission from Jesus, and tended by his successful labours to depreciate the high powers delegated to themselves: in a word, this well meaning man was guilty of irregularity. We say, well meaning man, for otherwise, his conduct would have been equally liable to reprehension with that of the sons of Scava. (See Acts xix. 16.) But what excited the indignation of the apostles was tolerated and excused by the expansive wisdom of their Lord: nay, it could only have been through his co-operation that the miracle was at all effected. The ejection of devils, in the name of Jesus, plainly evinced the finger of God, since Christ himself shows the absurdity of supposing that Satan will be an agent in subverting his own kingdom. How much more strongly will this reasoning apply to the conversion of sinners! We learn from our Saviour's reply, that no man thus assisted by him will lightly vilify the power by which he is supported. God, who is amenable to none, is best able to estimate the good and the evil resulting from irregular ministrations; and it may be his pleasure at times to countenance them, in order to reprove the negligence and wake the zeal of any of his churches. He teaches us to judge of principles by their great, obvious, and immediate consequences. Upon the whole, therefore, if the milder methods of argument and persuasion fail to reclaim irregular men, we are bound neither to persecute their persons, to stab their characters, nor to anathematize their souls. While we lament the evils which do, or may arise from their irregularity, and endeavour by every Christian means to obviate them; we are taught to honour their good will, their zeal and labours, and to bid them God speed, se far as they follow Christ.

The next act of the brother apostles is a more direct and open avowal of their worldly and ambitious views, than is recorded of the rest. Salome came to Jesus with her sons, worshipping him, and requesting that they might sit, the one on his right hand and the other on his left, in his kingdom. To this Jesus answered, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of my cup and to be baptized with my baptism? Prompted by love, and fired with ambition, they answered boldly, We are able-we are ready to share thy fortunes. Our Saviour, through this dark cloud of ambition, perceiving the integrity of their hearts, replied; Ye shall drink, indeed, of my cup, and be baptized with my baptism; but to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give by partial favour, and much less to those who are actuated by the motives ye now betray; but it shall be given to them, for whom, in the perfect harmony of grace and justice, wisdom and holiness, it is prepared of my Father. If to drink of the Saviour's cup, and to be baptized with his baptism, be the path appointed to the honours of his kingdom; what sincere christian will decline them? Our's, in that case, be the cross and reproach on earth! our's the fellowship of the man of sorrows! In any, and in every way may we be conformed to Christ, so that we may have a name in his kingdom, and behold his glory!

In our Lord's last journey to Jerusalem, as he passed through a village of the Samaritans, their national hatred to the Jews betrayed itself, by refusing to Jesus and his apostles, the common refreshment due to the weary traveller. Stung by the indignity offered to their Lord by these Samaritans, against whom, as schismaticks, they probably gloried in indulging the most violent resentment; the sons of Zebedee said, Lord, wilt thou that we should command fire from heaven to consume them, as did Elias? But Jesus answered, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. The son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. Let not this violence be deemed characteristic of these apostles; but let us at least learn from it to beware of cherishing unhallowed tempers, and holding proud and threatening language, under the specious veil of love to Christ, and zeal for his glory. We turn with disgust from the execrations of the profane; but when good men, and even ministers of the gospel of peace, launch vindictive anathemas from the pulpit and the press in the name of the Lord, we are filled with fear and grief. O, that before they endeavour to excite the flame of persecuting zeal, they would so far curb their spirits as to inquire with the sons of Zebedee, into the pleasure of Him whom they profess to serve!

VOL. II.

When our Saviour was apprehended, James and John forsook him and fled, like the rest of the apostles; but John soon returning followed him to the palace of the high priest; probably attended him to the judgment hall of Pilate; and took his post near the cross of his expiring master. In that dreadful moment, when our Lord was enduring for our sakes the extremity of suffering, John received an affecting testimony of his peculiar love; for looking on his mother and the disciple whom he loved, (whose kind arms, perhaps, sustained the venerable woman, while a sword, as good old Simeon had prophesied, was piercing through her soul) he said, Woman, behold thy son! and to the disciple, Behold thy mother! and from that hour, that disciple took her to his own home. No comment can impress the heart which is insensible to the force and beauty of the text.

On the morning of the resurrection, John, first of all the apostles, reached the grave of his Lord; and there it is remarked to his honour, that on viewing the evidences of Christ's resurrection, while Peter reasoned, John believed. On the banks of Gennesareth, in the person of a venerable stranger, he was the first to recognise his Lord. On that occasion our Saviour used an expression which was construed by the Apostles in such a manner as might have injured a mind less pure than that of St. John; for they appear to have conceived the idea that he should not die; an idea which, at the time St. John wrote his gospel, had probably gained ground in the church from his advanced age, but which he evidently discourages; observing, that Jesus did not say, He shall not die, but if I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?

After the day of Pentecost we find the beloved John always associated with Peter in every important transaction: they stand conspicuous in the front of that immortal phalanx, which conquered the world, and taught us to conquer it; the first brave confessors and joyful prisoners of the Pacificator and Liberator of mankind. Did they formerly contend for worldly pre-eminence? A baptism of fire has pointed out to them the pursuit of nobler dignities, to be obtained by nobler means. Neither wealth nor honour were now the objects of their ambition, but the glory of their God and Saviour: and corresponding fears, hopes, and affections united them, and shall forever unite all who are actuated by the same motives, though it may be with some intervening clouds of occasional misconstruction, in bonds of amity, which neither life nor death shall sever.

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