least, are resting satisfied with the abundance of our leaves, and that our lives and tempers are uninfluenced by the privileges which we enjoy; if we make our religion consist in going to church, and receiving the holy Communion, and hearing sermons, and in these outward observances alone; let us remember that we are provoking God to withdraw them from us, and to inflict His curse upon the unprofitable tree. It may be, as in the parable, that for three years He has already come to it, seeking fruit, and finding none, and that He will suffer it to remain but one year more. It may be that He is digging about it for the last time by the thoughts that He is suggesting to us now. Let this reflection be with us as we meditate on the concluding day of the public ministry of our Lord; and while we thank Him for all His goodness in affording us so great an abundance of leaves, let us pray earnestly that whenever He comes to ask for it, He may find that we have fruit.

Thursday before Easter.

THE EVENTS OF THURSDAY.

12-26.

"And the first day of unleavened bread, Mark xiv. when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the Passover?

And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him.

And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?

F

And he will show you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us.

} And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them and they made ready the Passover.

And in the evening he cometh with the twelve.

And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me.

And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I?

And he answered and said unto them, It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish.

The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.

And as they did eat, Jesus took bread,

and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body.

And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it.

And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed

for many.

Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.

And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives."

See also Matt. xxvi. 17-30.

Luke xxii. 7—39.

John xiii. 1-xviii. 1.