whole people answered and said, His blood be on us and on our children. (26) Then he released Barabbas unto them, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him over to be crucified.

Mark xv. (1) And as soon as it was morning, the chief priests took counsel with the elders and scribes, and the whole Sanhedrim, and having bound Jesus, they took him away, and delivered him over to Pilate. (2) And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered and said to him, Thou sayest. (3) And the chief priests accused him of many things. (4) And Pilate again asked him, saying, Answerest thou nothing? look how many things they witness against thee. (5) But Jesus answered nothing at all, so that Pilate wondered. (6) And at the feast he released to them one prisoner, whom they desired. (7) And there was a man named Barabbas, bound with his fellow-rebels, who had committed murder in the insurrection. (8) And the multitude cried out, and began to demand that he should do as he had always done for them. (9) And Pilate answered them, saying, Do you wish me to release to you the King of the Jews? (10) For he knew that the chief priests had given him up through jealousy. (11) But the chief priests stirred up the crowd that he should rather release Barabbas unto them. (12) And Pilate again answered, and said to them, What then do you wish me to do with him whom you call the King of the Jews? (13) And they cried out again, Crucify him. (14) And Pilate said to them, Why, what evil has he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him. (15) And Pilate wishing to do enough for the multitude, released Barabbas unto them, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him over to be crucified.

Luke xxiii. (1) And the whole multitude of them rose up, and led him away to Pilate. (2) And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this man perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cæsar, saying that he himself is Christ, a King. (3) And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered and said to him, Thou sayest. (4) And Pilate said to the chief priests, and to the crowds, I find no fault in this man. (5) But they were more urgent, saying, He stirs up the people, teaching in all Judæa, beginning from Galilee as far as here. (6) And when Pilate heard Galilee mentioned, he asked if the man was a Galilean? (7) And when he knew that he belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him away to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem in those days. (8) And when Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he was anxious to see him for a long time, having heard many things about him; and he hoped to have seen some sign done by him. (9) And he questioned him in many words, but he answered him nothing. (10) And the chief priests and scribes stood there, violently accusing him. (11) And Herod and his military guard set him at nought and mocked him, casting on him a magnificent robe, and sent him back to Pilate. (12) And Pilate and Herod were friends with one another in that day, for before that they were at enmity between themselves. (13) And Pilate having assembled the chief priests and rulers, and; the people, (14) Said to them, You bring me this man as a perverter of the people, and behold, I who have examined him in your presence, find no fault in this man whereof you accuse him. (15) Nor yet Herod, for I sent you to him, and behold he has done nothing worthy of death. (16) I will therefore chastise him and release him. (17) For it was necessary for him to release one to them at the feast. (18) But the whole multitude cried out, saying, Away with this man,

weapons, no matter what might be the result of the attacks, or what their assailants might do. The only weapons which should be employed must be always and everywhere purely moral; patience, gentleness, persuasion, love, and charity. Those who have made use of material weapons have misunderstood the lessons, examples, and commands of the Master, and will be punished by the law of retaliation. These words were also a warning to those who should call themselves or make themselves the leaders of the Church of Christ, that they should never make it a kingdom of this world, using material weapons as instruments of human justice, or to defend themselves against attacks from without.

The words of Jesus to the chief priests and elders, "I was sitting with you daily in the Temple teaching, and you did not arrest me; but this is your hour, and the hour of darkness," have no fatalistic character, as regards those to whom they were addressed. On the contrary, they imply

the free use of free will, and express the liberty of success which was now permitted them; whereas hitherto their attempts had been frustrated.

Nor was the presence of the young man with the linen cloth without an object. Previous to his incarnation, he had accepted the mission of serving as the instrument of the lesson which would result from his presence. Under the inspiration of his guardian angel, he joined the followers of Jesus, clothed only with a cloth, at the time of the arrest; and the attendants seized him to lead him to the prætor. Everything that took place was accomplished under spirit influence.

The young man who followed Jesus is the emblem of the old law, which carried with it the emblem of death. It was stopped in its course, laid aside its insignia, and found itself as the Lord had made it. You should all, like this young man, leave your linen cloth in the hands of the unbelievers who seek to stay you. Lay aside the insignia of death; you are enveloped in fraud, malice, and vices. It is as a shroud which enwraps you, for you are all dead bodies in the sight of God. Leave this funeral covering in the hands

nought, and mocked him. He clothed him in a magnificent robe, like that worn by the Emperors and their heirs apparent, in contempt and mockery; and thus treated Jesus as an ambitious madman. Herod was not within the limits of his own jurisdiction at Jerusalem; and Jesus was subject to the authority of Pilate, before whom the accusation was first brought.

(Luke xxvii. 12.)-Herod and Pilate were reconciled by their interchange of civilities, and deference to each other's authority in reference to the prisoner Jesus.

(Matth. xxvii. 29.)—What Pilate's wife supposed to be a dream, was a spirit-manifestation and warning, which was given her in a condition which she took for sleep, but which was only a magnetico-spiritual heaviness. In human magnetism there are several stages of disengagement of the spirit; and it is the same in spirit-magnetism. It may simply produce lucidity, by incomplete disengagement, or else ecstasy, which only supervenes upon the complete disengagement of the spirit.

The spirits threw Pilate's wife into a state of lucidity which made it easy for her to realize the scenes which they brought before her eyes; and thus they shewed her Jesus stretched luminous on the cross, and darkness covering the world. This spirit-manifestation was given by Pilate's guardian angel, with the permission of God, to remind him that he must choose between justice and truth on the one hand, and pride and avarice on the other; and Pilate was confirmed by what his wife told him in his desire to save Jesus. Pilate was already influenced to save Jesus by a secret conviction of his innocence; but this was opposed by the fear of losing his appointment; and thus he finally yielded. Everything was so arranged by spirit influence that the innocence of Jesus and the iniquity of his condemnation should be more striking both to the men of that age, and to future generations.

(Matth. xxvii. 11; Mark xv. 2; Luke xxiii. 3.)-Pilate asked Jesus if he were the King of the Jews, because the accusation depended chiefly on this point to awaken the

fears of the Romans; and the appearance of Jesus was so unlike any such pretensions, that it struck him with astonishment. Jesus replied, "Thou sayest!" that is, in a spiritual point of view. To understand the exact sense of his words, they must not be isolated from what he had already said, "Verily I say unto you that you shall see me no more henceforward until you shall say, Blessed is he who cometh in the name of the Lord." (Luke xix. 38; xiii. 35.) After this, Pilate twice gave him the title of King of the Jews, in derision (Mark xv. 9, 14), supposing him to be a weak-minded man, who had been led astray by madness rather than by ambition.

MATTHEW, CHAP. XXVII.-VERSES 27-30. MARK, CHAP. XV.-VERSES 16-19.

Insults to Jesus.

Matth. xxvii. (27) Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Prætorium, and gathered round him the whole band. (28) And having stripped him, they put on him a scarlet robe. (29) And having plaited a crown of thorns, they put it on his head, and put a reed in his right hand, and they knelt before him and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews. (30) And when they had spit upon him, they took the reed, and struck him on the head.

Mark xv. (16) And the soldiers led him into the court which is the Prætorium, and assembled the whole band. (17) And they put on him a purple robe, and having plaited a crown of thorns, they put it on him. (18) And they began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews. (19) And they struck him on the head with a reed, and spit upon him, and bowed their knees, and did homage to him.

§ 293. This is a continued lesson and example to men. You will find in the outrages which Jesus suffered, and in the patience and resignation which he displayed, the line of conduct which you ought to pursue. Never join with those who accuse or insult others, however right it may seem to you; for you may be mistaken, and accuse or injure an innocent man. The human senses are weak, and you are often deceived; and he who appears to you to be guilty, and really is so in the eyes of men, may be just before God. Therefore abstain, for your intelligence is often at fault.

visible sovereign of his purified creatures on your equally purified planet.

You may readily understand the words spoken by Jesus to the elders of the people, the chief priests, and Scribes. He spoke from a human point of view, and his words signify Henceforth the actions of the Son of Man and his power and position will be known. Has not this knowledge been diffused and developed by human interpretations, with the progress of time and intelligence, in the first instance under the dominion of the letter, which has prepared the way for the advent of the Spirit? And has not the New Revelation come to confirm his prophecies by teaching you "who is the Son," and by casting its soft pure light upon the pure and noble figure of Jesus? Thus have his prophecies been justified from the day when they were spoken, until your own day; as they will also be in the future; for "hereafter you shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of the power of God."

MATTHEW, CHAP. XXVI.-VERSES 69-75. MARK, CHAP. XIV.-VERSES 66-72. LUKE, CHAP. XXII. VERSES 56-62.

Peter's Denial.

Matth. xxvi. (69) And Peter was sitting outside in the court, and a girl came up to him, and said, And you were with Jesus of Galilee. (70) And he denied it before them all, saying, I know not what you say. (71) And he went out into the doorway, and another saw him, and said to those who were there, And this man was with Jesus the Nazarene. (72) And he denied again with an oath, I know not the man. (73) And after a little while, the bystanders went up to Peter, and said to him, Certainly you are also one of them, for your speech makes it evident. (74) Then he began to curse and swear, I know not the man. And immediately a cock crew. (75) And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, who said to him, Before a cock shall crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

Mark xiv. (66) And Peter was in the courtyard below, and one of the maidservants of the high priest came, (67) And seeing Peter warming himself, looked at him, and said, And you were with Jesus of Nazareth. (68) And he denied, saying, I know not, nor take any notice of what you say. And he went out into the porch, and a cock crew. (69) And the girl seeing him again, began to say to the bystanders, This man is one of them. (70) And he denied again, and