seems level plain, and what looked like an impassable precipice has dwindled to be indistinguishable. The triviality of death, to those who look upon it from the heights of eternity, is well represented by these brief words which tell of the first breach thereby in the circle of the apostles.

II. There is another contrast, James and Peter.

Now this chapter tells of two things: one, the death of one of that pair of friends; the other, the miracle that was wrought for the deliverance of the other from death. Why could not the parts have been exchanged, or why could not the miraculous hand that was stretched out to save the one fisherman of Bethsaida have been put forth to save the other? Why should James be slain, and Peter miraculously delivered? A question easily asked; a question not to be answered by us. We may say that the one was more useful for the development of the Church than the other. But we have all seen lives that, to our poor vision, seemed to be all but indispensable, ruthlessly swept away, and lives that seemed to be, and were, perfectly profitless, prolonged to extreme old age. We may say that maturity of character, development of Christian graces, made the man ready for glory. But we have all seen men struck down when anything but ready; and men left for the blessing of mankind many, many a day after they were far fitter for heaven than thousands that, we hope, have gone there.

So all these little explanations do not go down to the bottom of the matter, and we are obliged just to leave the old question in the loving hands that hold life and death for us all. Only we may be sure of this,

that James was as dear to Christ as Peter was, and that there was no greater love shown in sending the angel that delivered the one from the "expectation of Herod" and the people of the Jews, than was shown in sending the angel that stood behind the headsman, and directed the stroke of the fatal sword on the neck of the other.

The one was as dear to Christ as the other-aye, and the one was as surely, and more blessedly, delivered "from the mouth of the lion" as the other was, though the one seemed to be crushed by his powerful jaws, and the other seemed to be dragged from his teeth. James escaped from Herod when Herod slew him, but could not make him unfaithful to his Master, and his deliverance was not less complete than the deliverance of his friend.

But let us remember, too, that if thus, to two equally beloved, there are dealt out these two different fates, it must be because that evil, which, as I said, is not so great as it looks, is also not so bitter as it tastes. There is no real evil, for the loving heart, in the stroke that breaks its bands and knits it to Jesus Christ. If we are Christians, the deepest desire of our souls is fuller communion with our Lord. We obtain that, in some stunted and scanty measure, by life; but, oh! is it not strange that we should shrink from that change which will enable us to possess it fully and eternally? The contrast of James and Peter may teach us the equal love that presides over the life of the living and the death of the dying.

III. Another contrast is that of James and John.

The close union and subsequent separation by this

seems level plain, and what looked like an impassable precipice has dwindled to be indistinguishable. The triviality of death, to those who look upon it from the heights of eternity, is well represented by these brief words which tell of the first breach thereby in the circle of the apostles.

II. There is another contrast, James and Peter.

Now this chapter tells of two things: one, the death of one of that pair of friends; the other, the miracle that was wrought for the deliverance of the other from death. Why could not the parts have been exchanged, or why could not the miraculous hand that was stretched out to save the one fisherman of Bethsaida have been put forth to save the other? Why should James be slain, and Peter miraculously delivered? A question easily asked; a question not to be answered by us. We may say that the one was more useful for the development of the Church than the other. But we have all seen lives that, to our poor vision, seemed to be all but indispensable, ruthlessly swept away, and lives that seemed to be, and were, perfectly profitless, prolonged to extreme old age. We may say that maturity of character, development of Christian graces, made the man ready for glory. But we have all seen men struck down when anything but ready; and men left for the blessing of mankind many, many a day after they were far fitter for heaven than thousands that, we hope, have gone there.

So all these little explanations do not go down to the bottom of the matter, and we are obliged just to leave the old question in the loving hands that hold life and death for us all. Only we may be sure of this,

that James was as dear to Christ as Peter was, and that there was no greater love shown in sending the angel that delivered the one from the "expectation of Herod" and the people of the Jews, than was shown in sending the angel that stood behind the headsman, and directed the stroke of the fatal sword on the neck of the other.

The one was as dear to Christ as the other-aye, and the one was as surely, and more blessedly, delivered "from the mouth of the lion" as the other was, though the one seemed to be crushed by his powerful jaws, and the other seemed to be dragged from his teeth. James escaped from Herod when Herod slew him, but could not make him unfaithful to his Master, and his deliverance was not less complete than the deliverance of his friend.

But let us remember, too, that if thus, to two equally beloved, there are dealt out these two different fates, it must be because that evil, which, as I said, is not so great as it looks, is also not so bitter as it tastes. There is no real evil, for the loving heart, in the stroke that breaks its bands and knits it to Jesus Christ. If we are Christians, the deepest desire of our souls is fuller communion with our Lord. We obtain that, in some stunted and scanty measure, by life; but, oh! is it not strange that we should shrink from that change which will enable us to possess it fully and eternally? The contrast of James and Peter may teach us the equal love that presides over the life of the living and the death of the dying.

III. Another contrast is that of James and John.

The close union and subsequent separation by this

martyrdom, of that pair of brothers is striking and pathetic. They seem to have pursued their humble trade of fishermen together, in the little fishing village of Bethsaida, apparently as working partners with their father Zebedee. They were not parted by their discipleship, as was the sad fate of many a brother delivered by a brother to death. If we may attach any weight to the suggestion that the expression in John's narrative, "He first findeth his own brother, Simon," implies that "the other disciple' did the same by his brother, James was brought to Jesus by John, and new tenderness and strength were thereby given to their affection. They were closely associated in their apostleship, and were together the companions of Jesus in the chief incidents of His life. They were afterwards united in the leadership of the Church. By death they were separated so far: the one, the first of all the Apostles to "become a prey to Satan's rage," the other, "lingering out his fellows all," and "dying in bloodless age," probably a hundred years old and more, and looking back through all the long parting to the brother who had joined with him in the wish that even Messiah's Kingdom should not part them, and yet had been parted so soon and parted so long.

Ah may we not learn the lesson that we should recognize the mercy and wisdom of the ministry of Death the Separator, and should tread with patience the lonely road, do calmly the day's work, and tarry till He comes, though those that stood beside us are gone. We may look forward with the assurance that "God keeps a niche in Heaven to hide our idols ; and albeit He breaks them to our face," yet shall we