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wants even with the five loaves and two fishes, and that he propounded the question in a hesitating manner, that he might draw forth his Master's intentions. If this last is the fact, it shows that he possessed more faith than was often manifested by the other disciples, though not such an enthusiastic faith as was sometimes displayed by his more ardent brother.

We read also of Andrew, that when certain Greeks, who had come up to Jerusalem to worship at the feast of the Passover, expressed to Philip their desire to see Jesus, Philip mentioned the request to Andrew, and then they went both together to impart it to Jesus. These Greeks were no doubt what were called Proselytes of the Gate, or Greeks who had been converted to the acknowledgment and worship of the true God; but who, on account of their Gentile extraction, were not entitled to all the religious privileges and distinctions of native Jews. They had heard of the fame of Jesus, and desired to be introduced to his presence, not only to gratify their curiosity, but, if we may judge from the succeeding discourse of our Saviour, to inquire concerning his kingdom. The precaution which was used by Philip in preferring their request is a sign, in the first place, that he was doubtful whether a Gentile ought to be brought into the company of the Messiah; and, secondly, that Andrew was, in

his opinion, a person with whom he might profitably consult, in an affair which appeared to him to be of some moment and delicacy.

It was a few days after this that Andrew, together with Peter, James, and John, asked Jesus, privately, what the sign should be, when all the things which he had just been telling them respecting the destruction of the temple should be fulfilled. This is all which is related of this apostle in the Gospels. In no other part of the writings of the New Testament is he ever mentioned, excepting as he is included in the mention of the apostles as a body.

Other ancient accounts inform us that he preached the Gospel in Scythia, Byzantium or Constantinople, various provinces of Greece, and other countries and cities. At Sinope, on the Euxine Sea, he is said to have met with his brother Peter. At last, coming to Patræ in Achaia, now Patras, an archiepiscopal see, he was crucified there, by order of Agæus, proconsul of that province. On approaching the cross to which he was condemned to be bound with cords, that his death might be more lingering, he is said, by one of the ancients, to have apostrophized it in the following ardent manner : "Hail, precious cross, which has been consecrated by the body of my Lord! how ardently have I loved thee! how long have I sought thee!

at length I have found thee, now waiting to receive my longing soul. Take and snatch me from among mortals, and present me to my Master, that he who redeemed me on thee may receive me at thy hands."

The instrument of his martyrdom is commonly affirmed to have been what is called a cross decussate, made by two pieces of timber crossing each other in the middle, in the form of the letter X, and hence known by the name of St. Andrew's Cross.

His body was afterwards removed to Constantinople, and he is considered by the modern Greeks as founder of the Byzantine or Constantinopolitan Church.

Andrew is also the patron saint of Scotland; and the Scotch had a tradition that his remains were brought to their country, and entombed at St. Andrew's, in the fourth century.. The day reserved to him in the Calendar is November 30. This day leads the season of Advent; and the honor of thus announcing the time of the Lord's coming is said to be assigned to him, on account of his having been the first who came to Christ.

JAMES THE GREATER.

JAMES, the son of Zebedee, and the brother of John, is the third named on Matthew's list of the apostles. Of his father we are told nothing; but his mother, as appears by a comparison of parallel passages, was Salome, who emulated her children in attachment to the Saviour, and is spoken of as one of those women who followed and occasionally served him, who accompanied him to the cross, and were the first who were permitted to see him after his resurrection. This James has received the surname of the Greater, or Elder, to distinguish him from the other apostle, James the Less, of whom I shall speak hereafter.

He, with his brother John, pursued the same occupation with their townsmen Peter and Andrew, and were partners with them. They were also washing their nets on the shore, when Jesus. entered the vessel of their partners. They beheld the miraculous draught of fishes; they assisted to secure it; they were astonished at it, and when Jesus, after calling Peter and Andrew, called them also, "they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him."

Here I cannot help requesting my readers to pause a moment, and consider the fortunes, the singular, and, if the word were holy enough, I would say romantic, fortunes of these four men. Simon and Andrew, James and John, brethren of two different families, dwell together with their parents in a village at the northern extremity of a lake or small sea, in the district of Galilee, and on the confines of the land of Judæa. The sea is a large sea to them, and to them the towns which here and there dot its coast, and the light barks which, for the purposes of amusement, or traffic, or their own calling, skim along its pleasant waters, are the world. They are fishermen. Day by day do they rise up to the contented exercise of their toil, to throw their nets, to spread their sails, to ply their oars, and, when successful in pursuit, to dispose of their freight in their native village or the neighboring towns, for the support of themselves and their families. They are friends, partners; they have joined themselves to each other in their humble profession, and agreed to share profit and loss, storm and calm, together. Their low-roofed dwellings look out on each other and on their native lake, and within these dwellings are bosoms which throb anxiously at their protracted absence, and beat gladly at their return. Their boats contain all their wealth, and their cottages all that they love. Their fa

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