T. When Pilate had consented to the desire of the Jews, what did he do?

S. He took Jesus and scourged Him (" By his stripes we are healed." Is. liii. 5).

T. (This was always done by the Romans before crucifixion.) By whom was our Lord despitefully used? S. By the soldiers, who gathered together the whole band.

T. (A band, or cohort, generally consisted of about a thousand men.) What does the crown of thorns teach us?

S. That no glory can be won without pain and suffering.

T. Why did they put on Him a purple robe?

S. It was considered the royal colour, and was in mockery of His claim to be king of the Jews; as was also the reed for a sceptre.

T. What last effort does St. John record of Pilate to save our Lord, xix. 4, 5, 6?

S." Pilate went forth, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him. Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!" Again, "Take ye him and crucify him; for I find no fault in him."

T. (It was the custom for criminals to bear their own cross; and so did our Lord at first, John, xix. 17.) Why may we suppose he was unable from fatigue and faintness to do so long?

S. Because" they compelled one Simon, a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross." Mark, xv. 21.

T. (Cyrene is a city of Lybia, in Africa. Rufus was probably well known, and resided at Rome, as St. Paul

salutes him, Rom. xvi. 13.) Is it not an honour to suffer with and for Christ?

S. Yes; His disciples rejoice when they are counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. Acts, v. 41.

T. Who are we told still followed Christ?

S. "A great company of people, and of women, who also bewailed and lamented him."

T. What does our Saviour allude to when speaking to the women?

S. To the miseries that were coming upon the Jews for their hardness of heart, and the destruction of Jerusalem; therefore He bids them rather weep for themselves and their children.

T. Where was He led?

S. To a place called Golgotha,-that is to say, a place of a skull (Syriac), or Calvary.

T. (This was a hill to the north of Mount Zion, without the walls of Jerusalem, where criminals were executed.). What does St. Paul teach from the circumstance of Christ suffering without the walls? Heb. xiii. 11, 12.

S. "The bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high-priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach."

T. The wine or vinegar mingled with myrrh or gall (Matt. xxvii. 34; Mark, xv. 23), which they gave Him to drink, was a kind of sour wine mixed with bitter and poisonous spices, given to criminals to deaden the sense of pain. What are the prophetic words of David? Ps. lxix. 21.

S. "They gave me also gall for meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink."

T. What is Christ's command? Luke, ix. 23, and xiv. 27.

S. "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily, and follow me;” again, "Whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple."

T. What is our appointed cross?

S. Every trial in this life, however great or small, whether poverty, sickness, or the unkindness and injuries of others.

T. When do we refuse to bear our cross?

S. When we will not bend or give up our own willto take all these ills patiently and cheerfully.

T. May we make crosses to ourselves?

S. No; we must follow our Lord- not make paths to ourselves-saying, as He did, "Not my will, but thine be done;" for He knows what is best for our souls.

GOOD FRIDAY.

The Collect.

ALMIGHTY GOD, we beseech Thee graciously to behold this Thy family, for which our Lord Jesus Christ was contented to be betrayed, and given up into the hands of wicked men, and to suffer death upon the cross, who now liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

T. Why is this day called Good Friday?

S. Because our Lord's death, which we commemorate, has procured all good for us, and was the perfection of goodness.

T. Why is it then kept as a strict fast?

S. For that we must mourn for our sins, and those of the whole world, which crucified our Lord.

T. How may we call ourselves the family of God?

S. As Christians we are his children by adoption and grace, "baptized into Jesus Christ" (Rom. vi. 3); "of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named" (Eph. ii. 15); “And because we are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father" (Gal. iv. 6); That Christ might be "the firstborn among many brethren." (Rom. viii. 29). T. What did our Lord Jesus Christ do for us?

S. He was contented to be betrayed, and given up into the hands of wicked men, to suffer death upon the cross. T. How did He prove that He was contented to endure this?

S. By declaring His knowledge of His own sufferings, and going to meet them. Luke, xviii. 31.

T. How are we led to believe that Christ's crucified body is glorified in heaven? Rev. v. 6.

S. John "beheld, and lo! in the midst of the elders stood a lamb as it had been slain."

T. How do we further perceive this lamb was Christ? v. 9. S. By the song of the elders. "Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation."

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of the Church is governed and

sanctified; Receive our supplications and prayers, which we offer before Thee for all estates of men in Thy holy Church, that every member of the same, in his vocation and ministry, may truly and godly serve Thee; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

T. What is our prayer in the second Collect?

S. That God's family, the Church, may serve Him according to His will.

T. How does He teach us to know that will?

S. By giving us the Holy Spirit to govern and sanctify us.

T. For whom are we taught to pray in the Church Service?

S. For all estates of men; "For kings, and for all that are in authority;" For the bishops and clergy; "For all that are in any ways afflicted or distressed in mind, body, or estate;" For those who do not pray for themselves; and for our enemies.

T. What do we mean by vocation and ministry?

S. Vocation means our own calling,—the duties which God has placed before us; ministry means our respective works and duties to others, either in a temporal or spiritual sense.

T. May we serve God in every calling?

8. Yes; by love to our brethren.

T. How may servants "adorn the doctrine of God, our Saviour, in all things" in their calling? Titus, ii. 9, 10.

S. If they be "obedient unto their own masters, and please them well in all things; not answering again; not purloining, but showing all good fidelity.

T. Why should we be led to consider how we may best serve Christ on this day?