Society-for Promoting Christian Knowledge , 
 
 -LONDON. 
 
 Printed fyE.Ka.ufm*jm,Lahr,B*<]m
 
 'ft 
 
 .; u
 
 oeim* a Series of 
 Biographies of i^ose Saints 
 
 for w^icl^ Proper Collects, 
 
 Epistles and Gospels are appointed. 
 
 in tt^e Book of Common Prayer. 
 
 s^ed ut^der tf>e direcfeioi? of 
 the (ract 
 
 19'r THOUSAND. 
 
 for Promoting Christian Knowledge 
 jMorthumberland yWenue. 
 
 LONDON W.C. 
 
 1904. 
 
 t II t I H > II I H 
 
 printed by E. Kaufmatjn, l.abr, Baden.
 
 ibable of iTonteats 
 
 ? /Andrew .................................. 5 
 
 Thomas ...................... 8 
 
 ,, John the Evangelist ........ 14 
 
 Conversion of S! Paul ............... \J 
 
 S* Matthias ..... . . 21 
 
 TheyAnnunciation of The Virgin Mary 25 
 
 S! MarK ....................... 29 
 
 Philip and S! James ........... 35 
 
 Barnabas ..................... 37 
 
 Nativity of S! John Baptist ............. 41 
 
 S! Peter ........... ....45 
 
 James ........................ 49 
 
 Bartholomew ................... 52 
 
 Matthew ....................... 56 
 
 Michael and /Vll ^njels ......... 60 
 
 ,, Luke ........................... 64 
 
 Simon, and S* Jude ................ 68 
 
 /Ul Saints Day ....................... 7 l
 
 |Kt. Andrew was a fisherman living by the sea of 
 |^s^: Galilee. He was at first a disciple of St. John 
 the Baptist, but being very much struck by his teacher's 
 remark about Jesus, Who was passing by - 'Be- 
 hold the Lamb of God' he followed our Lord 
 and stayed with Him that day at His dwelling. St. 
 Andrew's next step was to find his brother, Simon 
 Peter, and bring him to Jesus (St. John i. 35-42). 
 About a year after, Jesus walking by the sea of Ga- 
 lilee, called Simon Peter and Andrew from their usual 
 work to be 'fishers of men' (St. Matt. iv. 18-19), and 
 when He chose His twelve Apostles, St Andrew was 
 one of them (St. Luke vi. 12-14). In the history of 
 Christ feeding 5,000 men, it is told of St. Andrew, that 
 he, when others wished the multitudes to go away to 
 their own homes and buy themselves bread, remem- 
 bered that a lad there had five barley loaves and two 
 small fishes: this small quantity Jesus blessed and brake, 
 and gave to the people so as fully to satisfy them 
 (St. John vi. 1-14). St. Andrew remained with our Lord 
 ail the time He 'went about doing good', but he is
 
 mentioned only once more in the new Testament. His 
 name is' among those who were gathered together in 
 the 'upper room' praying (Acts i. 1-13), and waiting 
 for the promised gift of the Holy Spirit. Later writers 
 say that St. Andrew suffered martyrdom about sixty 
 years afterwards, being tied to a cross in the shape of 
 the Letter X. This cross, we read, he saluted in a 
 rapture of devout love to Jesus: on it he hung two 
 days testifying to the assembled people, and then hav- 
 ing prayed, he died. 
 
 To read of saint after saint and triumph after 
 triumph might drive us to despair, if we looked to the 
 saints only, and not in them, and through them to the 
 King of Saints. But thus looking, any such temptation 
 vanishes, giving place to unswerving hope. For these 
 were men of like passions with ourselves: and if they 
 now seem too far in advance for us ever to overtake 
 them, what must their own case have appeared who 
 were called not to follow one another, but immediately 
 to follow Christ Himself? and who being called at 
 sundry times and in divers manners, all alike left every- 
 thing and followed Him. 
 
 They climbed the steep ascent of heaven 
 
 Through peril, toil, and pain: 
 O God, to us may grace be given 
 
 To follow in their train.
 
 December 21 st - 
 
 !t. Thomas, called also Didymus or Twin (St. 
 John xi. 16), was probably a Galilean. The first 
 special mention of his name occurs in connection with 
 the raising of Lazarus from the dead. Jesus told His 
 disciples, that He must go to Bethany (near Jerusalem) 
 and 'wake out of sleep' Lazarus whom 'He loved", and 
 who had just died. At first, the disciples wished Jesus 
 not to expose Himself again to the fury of the Jews, 
 but when He persisted, St. Thomas said to his brother 
 disciples: 'Let us also go, that we may die with Him,' 
 (St. John xi. I- 1 6). After the resurrection of Christ 
 on Easter-Day, He appeared to the disciples assembled 
 together. St. Thomas was not with them, and would 
 not believe the glad tidings. When a week had pas- 
 sed, Jesus appeared among them once more with 
 His message 'Peace be unto you', and then turning 
 to St. Thomas, who was present, bade him by touch 
 and sight satisfy his doubts. The grateful Apostle 
 could only say svith deep love, 'My Lord and my 
 God!' (St. John xx. 27-28.) St. Thomas was present 
 when Jesus appeared to the disciples at the Sea of
 
 10 
 
 Galilee (St. John xxi. 2) , and he was with those who 
 assembled in the 'upper room' (Acts i. 13). It has 
 been supposed that St. Thomas was martyred in India, 
 whither he had gone preaching the gospel and foun- 
 ding a church. His symbol of the builder's rule marks 
 him as the spiritual builder of the Church in those 
 distant countries. 
 
 St. Thomas doubted, but simultaneously he loved. 
 Whence it follows that his case was all along hopeful. 
 
 If we are spirit-broken by doubts of our own, if 
 we are half heart-broken by a friend's doubts, let us 
 beg faith for our friend and for ourself; only still more 
 urgently let us beg love. 
 
 For love is more potent to breed faith than faith 
 to breed love. Because there is no comparison between 
 the two: 'God is Love'; and that which God is, must 
 rank higher, and show itself mightier than aught which 
 God is not. 
 
 Nevertheless, faith also is required of us, and faith 
 overflows with blessings. 
 
 'If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him 
 that believeth . . . Lord, I believe ; help Thou mine unbelief.' 
 
 'Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray Thee, open 
 his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the 
 eyes of the young man; and he saw.'
 
 13 
 
 December 26 n 
 
 Stephen, as Protomartyr for Christ, takes in a 
 certain sense, precedence of all other saints what- 
 soever, be they even Apostles. 
 
 He served tables : thus indirectly recalling our Lord's 
 parable of the Guest bidden to a Feast. As Deacon 
 he stood (rather than sat down) in the lowest room; 
 and to him in his lowliness came betimes the gracious 
 word, 'Friend, go up higher 1 . 
 
 Now and for evermore hath he worship in the 
 presence of them that sit at meat with him; whether 
 this be in communion with just men made perfect, or 
 with members of the Church still militant here on earth. 
 
 To St. Stephen, then, we see granted one exclusive 
 dignity withheld from St. John the beloved, from St. Peter 
 the chief, from St. Paul the superabundant labourer. 
 Yet is not his or any other man's gain his fellow's 
 lack: every one hath his proper gift of God, Whose 
 ancient promise stands sure to each faithful soul: 
 Prove Me now ... if I will not open you the win-
 
 dows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that 
 there shall not be room enough to receive it.' 
 
 Christians whose hands are characteristically never 
 closed, open them wide at Christmas, and Christmas 
 Boxes fall due on St. Stephen's Day. First let us 
 connect our doles with the unapproachable Divine Sa- 
 viour Who, being rich, for our sakes became poor: 
 and this done, there will be no harm in connecting 
 them further with that exalted St. Stephen who for 
 love of Chris and of souls, was content to minister to 
 the necessities of saints in things temporal.
 
 ^M-^/!^^
 
 December 27' 
 
 John, probably the youngest of the Apostles 
 was the son of the Galilean fisherman Zebedee, 
 and with St. James, his brother, was called by our 
 Lord (St. Matthew iv. 21). He was present at the 
 transfiguration, and at the raising of Jairus* daughter; 
 he was near his beloved Master in the hour of agony 
 in Gethsemnne; he leaned on His breast at the last 
 supper; he stayed by His cross on Calvary; he helped 
 to lay the crucified body in the sepulchre; he took to 
 his own home the bereaved Virgin Mother. After the 
 Ascension, he and St. Peter worked awhile together in 
 Judaea, but later on St. John went into Asia and lived 
 chiefly at Ephesus, of which city he was the first bishop, 
 and where he died, after a temporary banishment to 
 the Isle of Patmos, at an advanced old age. 
 
 St. John is known to us as the Divine, the Apostle 
 and Evangelist, whose doctrine is intended, by God's 
 blessing, to enlighten the Church. That doctrine is 
 contained (a) in the Fourth Gospel of which an old 
 writer said that while 'St. Matthew wrote for the He-
 
 i6 
 
 brews, St. Mark for the Latins, and St. Luke for the 
 Greeks , the great herald, John, wrote for all* (b) in 
 three Epistles (or letters) and (c) in the 'Book of the 
 Revelation 1 , written in exile at Patmos. He is usually 
 represented as a young man with an eagle by his side, 
 denoting the high inspiration by which he soared up- 
 wards to contemplate the divine nature of our Saviour 
 Jesus Christ; and often with a cup in his hand out 
 of which issues a serpent, illustrating a tradition that 
 he drank some poisoned wine without injury. 
 
 'Beloved, let us love one another,' says St. John, 
 Eagle of eagles calling from above: 
 Words of strong nourishment for life to feed upon, 
 'Beloved, let us love.' 
 
 Voice of an eagle, yea, Voice of the Dove: 
 If we may love, winter is past and gone 
 Publish we, praise we, for lo! it is enough. 
 
 More ruddy than sunshine that ever yet shone, 
 Sweetener of the bitter, smoother of the rough, 
 Highest lesson of all lessons for all to con 
 
 'Beloved, let us love'.
 
 i8 
 
 . (pauf. 
 
 January 25 th - 
 
 mm* 
 
 s&t. Paul was born at the city of Tarsus in Cilicia; 
 he was the son of wealthy and influential Jewish 
 parents, and was early instructed in literature, art and 
 science, Tarsus being celebrated for its learning and 
 riches. He was likewise, in accordance with Jewish 
 custom, taught the trade of tent-making; it being a 
 maxim generally accepted that 'He who teacheth not 
 his son a trade teacheth him to be a thief.' When 
 still quite young, he was sent by his parents to Je- 
 rusalem to be brought up by Gamaliel in the study 
 of the law. Being thus educated in the narrow prin- 
 ciples of the Pharisees, the strictest and most intolerant 
 sect of the Jewish religion, it is scarcely to be won- 
 dered at that he first appears as a ruthless pursuer and 
 persecutor of the followers of Christ. 
 
 A main feature of St. Paul's character was his 
 marvellous energy; whatever his hand found to do he 
 did with all his might. In the beginning of his career 
 this energy was misdirected, but God in his mercy 
 and wisdom intervened and turned the ungoverned 
 forces of the future Apostle of the Gentiles into the
 
 right channel. St. Paul was in his own person to be a 
 remarkable instance of the power of God's mercy and 
 of His readiness to receive the worst of sinners upon 
 their repentance. 'He obtained mercy, that Jesus 
 Christ might show forth first in him all long-suffering 
 for a pattern to them that should hereafter believe on 
 Him to life everlasting' (i Tim. i, 16). 
 
 The new convert was not slow in proving the 
 sincerity of his conversion; he spent his days in lab- 
 ouring to establish the church of which he had formerly 
 made havoc, in comforting and consoling the faithful 
 whom he had haled to prison, exposing himself for 
 the faith to those dangers and difficulties which he had 
 endeavoured to bring upon others. 
 
 Whereas the other Apostles chose this or that 
 province as the main sphere of their ministry, St. Paul 
 over-ran, as it were, the whole Roman empire seldom 
 staying long in one place; from Jerusalem he went 
 through Arabia, Asia and Greece, round about to 
 Illyricum, to Rome and even, it is said, to the utmost 
 bounds of the western world. The greatest part of his 
 travels is recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, and as 
 we read, we are filled with admiration for his wonderful 
 courage and perseverance. He was discouraged by no 
 dangers or difficulties; he frequently suffered scourging 
 and imprisonment, and was brought even to the 
 confines of death both at sea and on land; neither was
 
 2O 
 
 he tired out with his troubles, or the opposition that 
 was raised against him; for the space of five and thirty 
 years he was indefatigable in preaching the Gospel, 
 and in writing Epistles for the confirming of those 
 churches which he had established; thus persevering in 
 the good fight of faith till he had finished his course. 
 
 He suffered martyrdom at Rome , under Nero , in 
 the sixty-eighth year of his age. 
 
 He is generally represented with a sword in one 
 hand and a book in the other ; the first being symbolical 
 of his death (he was beheaded), the second of his 
 writings.
 
 21 
 
 February 24 th - 
 
 his was the Apostle 'ordained' in the place of 
 the' traitor Judas. Me was one of those who 
 had 'companied with' the other Apostles 'all the time 
 that the Lord Jesus went in and out among them'; 
 from the time, that is, when He had been baptised by 
 St. John the Baptist 'unto the same day that He was 
 taken up 1 or ascended (Acts i. 21, 22). It is very 
 probable that St. Matthias was one of the seventy dis- 
 ciples. After his election as an Apostle, his name does 
 not occur again in the New Testament. He is said to 
 have preached the Gospel in Ethiopia, and there to 
 have suffered martyrdom by the spear. 
 
 The history of his ordination or election is very 
 interesting. St. Peter stood up in the midst of the 
 assembled 120 brethren, and explained to them, that, 
 in consequence of the treachery and death of Judas, it 
 was necessary that, 'one should be ordained to be a 
 witness with them of the resurrection of Christ', and 
 so keep up the number of 'twelve Apostles'. Two of 
 those present were named as satisfying the require-
 
 ments of St. Peter Joseph called Barsabas and sur- 
 named Justus, and Matthias. The assembly then knelt 
 down and prayed that the Lord Jesus, Who knew the 
 hearts of all men, would shew which of those two He 
 had chosen, 'that he might take part in the Ministry 
 and Apostleship." After prayer, they adopted the solemn 
 practice of casting lots (Lev. XVi. 8) , as a mode of 
 shewing that they referred the decision to God. Each 
 of those present wrote the name of Barsabas or Matthias 
 on a tablet and cast it into an urn; the urn was then 
 shaken, and the name that came first was the name of 
 the disciple elected. This was Matthias ; the lot fell upon 
 him, and he was numbered with the eleven Apostles. 
 
 Thus did the Lord Jesus Christ provide that His 
 Church should be then and for ever after ordered 
 and guided by faithful and true pastors. 
 
 But for the apostasy of Judas, St. Matthias must 
 perforce apparently have occupied a less exalted station: 
 there, doubtless, he would thankfully have remained, 
 rather than make his stepping-stone of such a ruin; 
 for he cannot but have been one who, at least in will, 
 loved his neighbour as himself. A heavenly temper is 
 of primary importance, but by flesh and blood not 
 lightly attainable. 
 
 Thus even Jonah, inspired Prophet as he was, seems 
 to have grudged Nineveh its uncovenanted overflow of 
 mercy: presumably on patriotic grounds, yet none the
 
 less with a resentment far removed from the Divine 
 good pleasure. 
 
 Whenever our own personal gain depends on a 
 neighbour's loss, do we, at least in will, steadily and 
 practically love him as ourself? 
 
 If not, how shall we face him, though not to-day 
 or to-morrow, yet assuredly at the last great Day of 
 Judgment when all things covered shall be revealed, 
 and all things hidden shall be made known?
 
 Janramriaiunt of flu Bl****3Vinjin (I) aru
 
 (Annunciation of t$t 
 Q)trgin Qttarj), 
 
 March 25 th - 
 
 , he Feast of the Annunciation is celebrated in 
 
 i commemoration of the declaration made by the 
 Angel Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin that she should 
 be the Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ. At the same 
 time Gabriel told her that her Son should be great and 
 should be called the Son of the Highest; that God 
 should give unto Him the throne of his father David; 
 that He should reign over the House of Jacob for ever, 
 and that of His kingdom there should be no end. 
 
 This description refers to the prophecy made by 
 Isaiah concerning Christ, that the government should 
 be upon His shoulder, and that His Name should be 
 called, Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the 
 Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace; of the in- 
 crease of His kingdom there should be no end, upon 
 the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order 
 it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice, 
 from henceforth, even for ever! (Isaiah ix. 6~7v 
 
 The salutation which preceded this declaration is
 
 2 7 
 
 worthy of notice. 'Hail thou that art highly favoured, 
 the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.' 
 The meaning of this is that the Blessed Virgin was 
 particularly selected by God to receive the greatest 
 honour that ever was done to the daugthers of men, 
 her employment being holy and pious, her body chaste, 
 and her soul adorned with every virtue, especially 
 humility, which is of great value in the sight of God. 
 This is indicated by the manner in which she receives 
 the message, being troubled in her mind as to what 
 the meaning of the salutation was, and judging herself 
 to be unworthy of such an honour and inquiring of 
 the angel, how the prophecy could be fulfilled, she 
 being a Virgin. 
 
 The answer of Gabriel to her inquiry, declared 
 the wonderful manner in which his message should be 
 brought about, viz that the Holy Ghost should come 
 upon her, and that the power of the Highest should 
 overshadow her: at the same time he shewed her an 
 example somewhat similar in her cousin Elisabeth. This 
 had the effect of producing in her an entire faith in 
 and obedience to the message sent her, as shewn in 
 her reply. 'Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it 
 unto me according to thy word.' 
 
 The joy and gratitude of the Blessed Virgin are 
 beautifully expressed in the well known canticle, the 
 Afogntficat, wherein she shows a thankful appreciation
 
 of the great honour conferred upon her, and which ex- 
 presses at the same time in so full a manner, her hum- 
 ility and devotion, as well as the infinite power and 
 goodness of God, that it is clear that, as she was 
 highly favoured, so was she also plentifully endued 
 with grace and had a mind plentifully enriched with 
 the gifts of the Holy Spirit. 
 
 We ought to learn from the Feast of the An- 
 nunciation, the infinite mercy and goodness of God, 
 in sending His Son into the world to redeem us from 
 sin and misery. That all the faculties of our souls, 
 our reason, our will and our affections ought to be 
 used to praise His holy Name. That the best way 
 to obtain God's favour, is to govern all our actions 
 by a fear of offending Him. That to obtain the bles- 
 sings of heaven, we must have a strong sense of our 
 need of them and finally, that even we may advance 
 ourselves to the rank of being related to Christ, for by 
 doing the will of the Father, we are esteemed by 
 Christ as His brethren His sisters and His mother 
 (Matt. xii. 50). 

 
 e learn but little of the life of St. Mark from 
 Holy Writ. He was probably of Jewish par- 
 ents, the number of Hebrew idioms which occur in 
 his Gospel seeming to point to the conclusion that 
 Hebrew was his mother tongue. His name, it is true, 
 is Roman, but it was not uncommon in those days 
 for a Jew to assume a Roman surname. Witness the 
 case of St. Paul, who before his conversion is generally 
 called by his Hebrew name of Saul. 
 
 St. Mark is by some supposed to have been con- 
 verted by St. Peter, whose constant companion and ass- 
 istant he afterwards became, going with him on many 
 of his missionary journeys, and supplying the place of 
 amanuensis and interpreter. 
 
 By St. Peter he was sent into Egypt, where his 
 missionary labours were attended with great success, 
 for not only did he make a great number of converts, 
 but he succeeded in inspiring them with a portion of 
 his own enthusiasm, and in persuading them to a most 
 strict observance of the teaching of our Lord. The
 
 chief centre of his work was at Alexandria of which 
 place he was the first Bishop. He also extended his 
 teaching to Armorica and Pentapolis and parts of 
 Lybia. 
 
 He suffered martyrdom about the year A. D. 68. 
 He was accused of using magical arts to secure con- 
 verts, and about Easter time the populace who were celeb- 
 rating the solemnities of Serapis broke in upon St. Mark 
 as he was employed in Divine worship; binding his feet 
 with cords they dragged him through the streets, and 
 thrust him into prison, where in the night he had the 
 comfort of a Divine vision. On the next day the tragedy 
 was renewed and the Saint died in great bodily agony, 
 but full of hope and thankfulness. Some add that his 
 body was burned and the bones and ashes entombed 
 by Christian converts near the place where he used 
 to preach. His remains are supposed to have been 
 translated early in the ninth century, from Alexandria 
 to Venice with great pomp and splendour. He was 
 adopted as the Patron Saint of Venice, and a rich and 
 stately church, was erected there to his memory. 
 
 St Mark is the writer of the Gospel which bears 
 his name. The task was undertaken at the entreaty 
 of the converts at Rome who wished to preserve in 
 writing, St. Peter's account of the life and death of our 
 Lord. It was, doubless, read and corrected by St. Peter 
 and received the stamp of his authority.
 
 It is to be noted that St. Mark's account of Peter's 
 denial of Christ is fuller and more substantial than that 
 of any of the other Evangelists. When we consider 
 that St. Peter was the source of St. Mark's information 
 we realise how impartial must have been the historian 
 who could thus chronicle the failing of one whom he 
 loved as a father, and the unflinching truthfulness of his 
 informant. 
 
 From the observance of this festival by the church 
 we learn that a good Christian ought to instruct by his 
 example as well as his discourse; that when God tries 
 his servants with extraordinary suffering he supplies them 
 with proportionable assistance for their support; that 
 the light of the Gospel though admirably fitted to con- 
 duct us into the paths of happiness yet will certainly 
 increase our condemnation if we do not govern our 
 lives by its maxims; that we ought to be very thankful 
 to God, for having instructed His Church with the 
 heavenly doctrine of this Evangelist, and to show our 
 grateful sense of this valuable treasure by reading his 
 Gospel frequently, and so firmly believing those thing 
 which he relates, that we may reap all those advantages 
 God designed for us in that relation of His Holy Will. 
 
 -e-
 
 Saint (Dark.
 
 33 
 
 May 1 st - 
 
 t. Philip lived at Bethsaida, on the sea of Galilee. 
 Jesus 'found him' (St. John i. 43), and called 
 him to Himself with the words 'follow Me'. Eagerly did 
 St. Philip tell to his friend Nathanael (St. Bartholomew) 
 the good news that he (in his turn), had found Him 
 of Whom Moses in the Law and the Prophets did 
 write; and he silenced all Nathanael's questionings by 
 bidding him come with him and see our Lord. We 
 owe most of our information about St. Philip to the 
 Gospel of St. John. It was of him - - perhaps because 
 it was his care to provide the Twelve with food 
 that Jesus asked the question, 'Whence shall we 
 buy bread that these (the hungry, fainting crowd) 
 may eat?' (St. John vi. 5). Marvellously did Christ 
 answer by a miracle the question that St. Philip could 
 not. Later on some Greek-speaking pilgrims came 
 up to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover: they 
 desired to 'see Jesus', and they applied to St. Philip, 
 perhaps led to him by his Greek name. This Apostle, 
 ever ready to bring men to Christ, as of old he had
 
 34 
 
 brought St. Bartholomew, at once made himself their 
 guide (St. John xii. 20. etc.). Once more does St. Philip's 
 name occur in the Gospel history. It was at the Last 
 Passover. The Apostle, full of sorrow, and perplexed 
 at his Master's words, made himself the spokesman of 
 the desire which probably filled the hearts of all the 
 twelve, and with child-like absence of reserve he asked 
 'Lord, shew us the Father and it sufficeth us.' Tenderly, 
 gently, did our Lord rebuke and comfort him, and 
 through him all Christians. 'Have I been so long time 
 with you, and yet hast thou not known Me, Philip? 
 He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father' (St. John 
 xiv. 8. etc.). After the mention of St. Philip in the 
 'upper room' all is uncertain about him (Acts. i. 13). 
 Early writers tell us that he became a missionary in 
 Asia and died on the cross. May we, following him, 
 stedfastly walk in the vay that leadeth to eternal life.' 
 
 The Gospels tell us little specially of St. Philip, and 
 even less of St. James (the Less). Alike in office and 
 in grace, their careers, according to tradition, differed 
 widely. St. Philip, father of a family, endured martyr- 
 dom in the midst of certain benighted heathen : St. James, 
 in inviolate celibacy, was done to death at Jerusalem 
 by his own doubly benighted apostate countrymen. 
 
 On their Feast Day they stand before us as it were 
 hand in hand; 'Behold, how good and joyful a thing 
 it is, brethren, to dwell together in unity!'
 
 Whatever remains uncertain about them, of two 
 facts we rest assured: they loved God, and therefore 
 they cannot but have loved one another. 
 
 This double yet indivisible point of excellence is 
 indisputably true of all saints and of each saint. This 
 we know of every one, even while of millions we can 
 ascertain nothing besides. 
 
 The world will know enough about us, if it know 
 this much: and even if the world know it not, it suffices 
 so long as God knows it.
 
 June 11 th - 
 
 t. Barnabas was born at Cyprus, of Jewish parents 
 of the tribe of Levi, whose ancestors had prob- 
 ably fled thither in the troublesome times in Judaea 
 to secure themselves from violence. 
 
 His proper name was Joses, a softer termination 
 familiar with the Greeks for Joseph; he was surnamed 
 Barnabas (son of consolation) by the apostles, probably 
 in reference to the fact that he had sold the whole of 
 his estate for the relief of the poorer Christians. Like 
 St. Paul, he was a pupil of Gamaliel, and it is possible 
 that the foundation of their subsequent friendship may 
 have been laid at this time. The particulars of his 
 conversion are not known but he is supposed to have 
 been one of the seventy disciples chosen by our Saviour. 
 He was the first to vindicate the sincerity of St. Paul's 
 conversion when the Christians at Jerusalem were in- 
 clined to regard it as a feint on the part of the enemy 
 to ensnare their confidence. 
 
 The scene of his first missionary labours was at
 
 Antioch where he added many to the church, working 
 part of the time in conjunction with St. Paul. 
 
 With St. Paul he was designated by the Holy 
 Ghost to become the bearer of the Gospel tidings to 
 the Gentile wcrld and for three years they travelled 
 through Asia Minor preaching the Gospel, with various 
 success, in the places through which they passed. 
 
 It is difficult to enter into the merits of the dis- 
 pute between St. Paul and St. Barnabas. It is probable 
 that St. Paul was right in refusing the company of 
 St. Mark. He was seeing more and more clearly 
 every day that his mission called him to go far and 
 wide and that it would require earnest courage and 
 possible renunciation of all the ties of life. Mark him- 
 self, afterwards learned this and was restored to fellow- 
 ship. St. Barnabas may have feared that the discipline 
 was too severe for his young kinsman and may have 
 been unwilling to quench the smoking flax. 
 
 We hear but little of Barnabas .after his separation 
 from the Great Apostle. Some writers say that he 
 went into Italy and preached the Gospel at Rome, and 
 founded a Church at Milan, but it seems more probable 
 that he spent the remainder of his life at Cyprus engaged 
 in work amony his own countrymen, the Jews. 
 
 He suffered martyrdom at Salamis in the island 
 of Cyprus, being set upon by the Jews as he was dis- 
 puting in the synagogue and stoned to death after en-
 
 40 
 
 during exquisite tortures. He is generally represented 
 with stones in his hand. 
 
 We hear that he was a man of a comely and 
 venerable aspect, as indeed might be inferred from the 
 fact that he was taken by the men of Lystra for the 
 god Jupiter. 
 
 The life of St. Barnabas may teach us to despise 
 ease, and even life itself, when we have any happy oppor- 
 tunity of propagating Christian knowledge, and to rejoice 
 in any success of that nature; to compassionate the 
 infirmities of our brethren whose zeal moves in a lower 
 sphere; to be ready to contribute to the relief of our 
 fellow Christians, and when their necessities are great 
 and pressing to deny ourselves some luxury rather 
 than let them be oppressed with want; to remember 
 what belief and practice is implied in the venerable name 
 of a Christian and to depart from all iniquity lest we 
 forfeit our interest in that faith; to have a greater 
 regard to the rule and measure of our duty than to 
 the example of even the best men, for even by this 
 we ought not to allow ourselves to be persuaded to do 
 anything which we think to be evil.
 
 $ 
 
 Q|3apft0k 
 
 June 24 th - 
 
 his is he of whom it is written, Behold I send 
 My messenger before Thy face, which shall 
 prepare Thy way before Thee. Verily I say unto 
 you, among them that are born of women there 
 hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: Not- 
 withstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven 
 is greater than he.' 
 
 These are the words used by our Blessed Lord in 
 speaking of his fore-runner. 
 
 The words 'there hath not risen a greater' must 
 not be taken in the widest sense; they refer only to 
 St. John's position and privilege. In some things Abra- 
 ham, Moses, Elijah, and Isaiah were greater than John 
 the Baptist; but no one of them was chosen to be the 
 immediate Herald of the Saviour. Here was John's 
 greatness. He was the 'friend of the Bridegroom' 
 
 o 
 
 (John iii. 29). 
 
 Again, in reading the next few words we must re- 
 member that 'the kingdom of heaven is' constantly used 
 by our Lord to mean His heavenly kingdom set up
 
 
 & 
 
 here on earth that is, the Church. Therefore, what 
 our Lord says is, that the least member of His Church 
 is greater than John the Baptist. That is the least in 
 position and privilege, such as little children and the 
 uninstructed. These are very subjects of that kingdom, 
 which he proclaimed to ba 'at hand'. They are born 
 anew into God's own Family. 
 
 John the Baptist was the 'Friend of the Bride- 
 groom'; the Church is the Bride. He was the 
 Fore-runner: Christians are the members of Christ. 
 Again, in respect of knowledge the least member of 
 Christ's Church is more blest than John the Baptist. 
 Dying before his Saviour, he knew less of the love and 
 wonders of the Redemption than any little child may 
 know now. 
 
 The history of St. John the Baptist teaches us that 
 true greatness consists in the contempt of the world, 
 and that in the midst of worldly enjoyments we can 
 never be really disciples of Christ without poverty of 
 spirit. It shows us that the best means to preserve 
 our innocence is to retire as much as may be from 
 the occasions and temptations of evil; to set a strict 
 guard upon our senses and by frequent mortification to 
 keep our bodies in subjection to our minds. 
 
 From his fate we learn that the true worth of 
 men ought not to be measured by their outward cir- 
 cumstances in this world since the greatest of prophets
 
 suffered the indignities oi a prison and fell by the hands 
 of a common executioner. 
 
 St. John is generally represented with a staff in 
 one hand and a dish or charger in the other.
 
 45 
 
 . (Jfcfcr. 
 
 June 29 th - 
 
 OiJSO 
 
 Peter, the brother of St. Andrew, was called 
 with him by our Lord, and became one of the 
 most devoted and favoured of the disciples (St. Matt. 
 iv. 1 8, 19). He was present at all the leading events 
 in the life of our Saviour; and it was from his lips that 
 there came the confession of our Lord, revealed unto 
 him by the Father in heaven (St. Matt. xvi. 15-17) 
 'Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.' He 
 also it is who has taught men to cry, as he cried, when 
 the waves are ready to swallow them up and their 
 faith is failing, 'Lord save me!' (St. Matt. xiv. 30). He 
 it is who has taught us all to give ourselves humbly 
 and entirely, 'not the feet only, but the hands and 
 the head' into the purifying hands of Christ, that 
 we also may have 'part with Him* (St. John xiii. 3-10). 
 Yet was it this same Apostle, so loving and so beloved, 
 who denied his Master in the difficult hour of trial 
 (St. Mark xiv. 66-72). Bitterly he repented then and 
 through the whole of his after-life! and freely was he 
 forgiven: for Christ gave His lambs into his hands
 
 (St. John xxi. 15-17) 'commanding him earnestly to 
 feed His flock.' On the first Whitsun-Day, when, the 
 Holy Ghost the Comforter descended upon the assem- 
 bled Apostles, St. Peter preached so eloquently that 
 many thousand people were converted. The Acts of 
 the Apostles tell us that he was the Apostle by whom 
 Cornelius, and so the Gentiles as well as the Jews, 
 were admitted into the fellowship of Christ's religion 
 (Acts xK By this means the Church of Christ became 
 'Catholic* or universal, embracing not one race or family, 
 but the whole world. The last mention of St. Peter 
 in the Acts is in connection with the beautiful story of 
 his deliverance from prison by an Angel (Acts xii. 1-17). 
 The Epistles of St. Peter are eloquent in enforcing the 
 practical and spiritual duties of the Christian life. The 
 early Church writers speak of him as having been mar- 
 tyred at Rome (see St. John xxi. 18-19) and in early 
 paintings he is usually represented as holding the 'Keys 
 of the Kingdom of Heaven* (St. Matt. xvi. 19). 
 
 'Lovest thou Me more than these? . . . Lovest thou 
 Me? . . . Lovest thou Me? ..." spake to His Apostle 
 the Lord God, the Wise Master, the injured Friend. 
 'Peter was grieved . . . And he said unto Him, Lord, 
 Thou knowest all things ; Thou knowest that I love Thee.' 
 
 But if St. Peter knew it, much more Christ. Even 
 throughout the threefold denial, while, it may be, for 
 the moment the fallen saint himself knew it not; yet
 
 4 8 
 
 He who was greater than his heart and knew all things, 
 still knew it. 
 
 Then Christ 'looked' in love, and Peter went out 
 and wept bitterly. Now Christ questioned in love, and 
 Peter was grieved. 
 
 These grievous dealings were the faithful wounds 
 of a friend who loveth at all times: for if the servant 
 loved his Lord, much more that Lord His servant. 
 
 Whatever may appear disputable about St. Peter, 
 his love is indisputable. If other branches of study 
 suitable to his Festival are too difficult for us, let us 
 contentedly study love. 
 
 But which love, the lesser or the greater? St. Peter 
 himself could by no means love God, except as having 
 been first loved by God. 
 
 We shall love St. Peter and all other saints well, 
 when we love our Lord Jesus better still. 'Love all 
 for Jesus, but Jesus for Himself, writes a master in 
 the science of love. 
 
 And whatever may be doubtful, this remains certain: 
 every man who loves God a little, is loved by Him 
 much: every man who loves God much, is still loved 
 by Him more. 
 
 o
 
 49 
 
 July 25 th - 
 
 his Apostle, the son of Zebedee, and probably 
 the elder brother of St. John, was a fisher- 
 man on the Sea of Galilee. Called at the same 
 time as his brother (St. Matt. iv. 21-22) he became 
 one of the most highly favoured Apostles of Christ. 
 Together with St. Peter and St. John, he was present 
 at the Transfiguration, at the raising of Jairus' daugh- 
 ter, and in the garden of Gethsemane. He was one 
 of those who joined in the question which drew from 
 Christ the prophecy of the destruction of the temple of 
 Jerusalem and of His own future coming (S\ Mark xiii.). 
 What became of St. James after the Ascension we 
 cannot know clearly. It is generally supposed that he 
 spent some years in Jerusalem together with other 
 of the Apostles in accordance with our Lord's desire. 
 Afterwards it is said that he visited Spain (and others 
 add Britain and Ireland) where he founded churches 
 and appointed others to complete what he had begun. 
 It was his privilege to be the first of the Apostles 
 to join his Ascended Lord in the 'place prepared'
 
 (S. John xiv. 2). He died a martyr's death. 'Herod the 
 King' (the grandson of Herod the Great, the author of 
 the massacre of the innocent children at Bethlehem. 
 S. Matthew ii, 16-18) 'killed James, the brother of 
 John with the sword" (Acts xii. 2). It is a beautiful 
 tradition connected with his death, that one of those 
 who dragged him along was so touched by the Apostle's 
 gentleness and goodness that he declared himself a 
 Christian and was beheaded with S. James. After death 
 his body is said to have been taken back to Spain, 
 where, as is confidently affirmed, it rests to this day. 
 At any rate, he is now the patron saint of that country. 
 In pictures this Apostle is usually represented with 
 the staff, hat and bag of a pilgrim, in allusion to his 
 missionary wanderings; he is also occasionally made to 
 carry a sword in token of the manner of his death. 
 The first of these emblems may serve to recall to us 
 our life as a 'happy band of pilgrims' here if we are 
 obedient without delay unto the calling of Jesus Christ, 
 and follow Him' as did St. James.
 
 August 24 th - 
 
 ehold, an Israelite indeed in whom there is no 
 guile.' This is the character of Bartholomew 
 (or Nathanael as he was otherwise called), as de- 
 scribed by our Blessed Lord Himself. The simplicity 
 and openess of his nature is well shown by the readi- 
 ness with which he yields up his prejudices when once 
 satisfied that he sees before him the long-expected 
 Messiah. 
 
 The meaning of the name Bartholomew is not quite 
 certain. Some think it is merely Son of Tolmai; others 
 that it means son or scholar of the Tholmeans, an an- 
 cient society among the Jews. 
 
 St. Bartholomew is said to have penetrated as far 
 as India in his missionary labours, and to have left 
 behind him a copy of St. Matthew's Gospel in Hebrew, 
 which was discovered some centuries later by Pantaenus, 
 a zealous and learned preacher of the Gospel, and was 
 preserved as an invaluable treasure by the descendants 
 of St. Bartholomew's converts. 
 
 He afterwards returned to the more western and
 
 northern parts of Asia, and laboured for some time in 
 Phrygia in company with St. Philip. He narrowly 
 escaped sharing the martyrdom of that saint at Hiera- 
 polis for having been actually bound upon a cross he 
 was only saved by a sudden revulsion of feeling among 
 the populace. He was released and dismissed but un- 
 fortunately too late to save his friend and co-worker 
 St. Philip. 
 
 At Albanopolis, whither he moved not long after- 
 wards, he preached with great success and made 
 many converts thereby rousing the indignation of the 
 governor who caused him to be put to death in a most 
 barbarous way. It is generally believed that he was 
 first flayed alive, and then crucified with his head down- 
 wards. Be that as it may, his sufferings were peculiarly 
 terrible and he bore them with unshaken constancy; 
 and we read that to the last moment he comforted 
 and exhorted his converts. 
 
 From the observance of this festival we learn that 
 a mind free from prejudice is the best preparative for 
 the reception of truth and that true faith does not re- 
 quire 'such self evident arguments as force an assent, 
 but rather such as leave room for the praise and re- 
 ward of believing.' 
 
 True zeal stops at no difficulties and is frightened 
 by no dangers but parts with life cheerfully whenever 
 the providence of God makes it a duty.
 
 54 
 
 St. Bartholomew is generally represented with a 
 knife in one hand in reference to the manner of his death. 
 
 He bore an agony whereof the name 
 
 Hath turned his fellows pale: 
 But what if God should call us to the same, 
 
 Should call, and we should fail? 
 
 Nor earth nor sea could swallow up our shame, 
 
 Nor darkness draw a veil : 
 For he endured that agony whose name 
 
 Hath made his fellows quail.
 
 September 21 st - 
 
 [t. Matthew the Evangelist though a Hebrew of the 
 Hebrews, held office under the Roman govern- 
 ment. He was a publican or toll-gatherer a post 
 much sought after by the Romans, as being one of 
 great power and credit not ordinarily conferred on any 
 but Roman knights, but in very bad report among 
 the Jews. Wherever this class is referred to in the 
 Gospels it is almost invariably bracketed with 'sinners'. 
 The publicans were frequently guilty of extortion, and 
 they represented in its most disagreeable form that 
 foreign rule which was so galling to the Jewish spirit. 
 It was St. Matthew's duty to collect the duty on all 
 merchandise coming by the Sea of Galilee and the tax 
 paid by passengers. 
 
 St. Matthew's immediate compliance with our Sa- 
 viour's call seems all the more meritorious when we 
 consider that he gave up in a moment an assured 
 position, and great prospects of future wealth. It is 
 related of him that after his call he denied himself not 
 merely the pleasures of life, but its conveniences also,
 
 57 
 
 his common diet consisting for the most part of herbs 
 and roots, seeds and berries. 
 
 For eight years after our Lord's ascension St. Mat- 
 thew went up and down through Judaea endeavouring 
 to convert his brethren the Jews to te faith of Christ. 
 After this time he extended his labours to the Gentile 
 world and is generally supposed to have chosen Ethiopia 
 as the field of his missionary efforts. He is thought 
 to have suffered martyrdom in that country, though in 
 what manner, time or place is not certain. 
 
 He wrote his Gospel while still in Palestine at the 
 entreaty of the Jewish converts. It was first written 
 in Hebrew, being designed principally for the use of 
 his own countrymen. It was quickly translated into 
 Greek and this version has been received by the Church 
 as authentic. 
 
 The observance of this Festival teaches us that 
 there is mercy for the worst of sinners if they forsake 
 their evil ways and become obedient to that call which 
 their own consciences and the exhortations of God's 
 ministers so frequently sound in their ears. True re- 
 pentance consists in such a change of the heart as 
 produces actions which are agreeable to God and 
 avoids those whereby we have formerly offended Him. 
 Poverty and want should be cheerfully embraced 
 when they lie in the path of duty, and it may be 
 sometimes advisable to punish our past extravagance
 
 59 
 
 by giving up the ordinary conveniences and accomo- 
 dations of life. 
 
 If we would enter into the true spirit of this 
 Festival we should imitate that humility and contempt 
 of riches which were so remarkable in this blessed 
 Apostle, we should thus keep our minds free from 
 covetousness and raise them above the cares of the 
 world which are the most dangerous enemies to our 
 salvation.
 
 6o 
 
 September 29 th - 
 
 rom Holy Scripture we learn that S. Michael was 
 an Archangel, who presided over the Jewish 
 nation (Dan. x. 13), as other Archangels did over the 
 Gentile world; that he had under his command an 
 army of Angels, and that he and his Angels contended 
 with 'the dragon' or Satan, and disputed about the 
 body of Moses (Jude 9). 
 
 Some great authors take this latter passage to refer 
 to the contest that happened at Rome, between S. Peter 
 and Simon Magus, when the Apostle by the efficacy of 
 his prayers, entirely prevailed against the arts of the 
 magician; others understand by it, those violent per- 
 secutions under which the Early Church laboured for 
 three centuries, but which happily ceased when the 
 powers of the world became Christian. It is, however, 
 generally agreed that it denotes some eminent victory 
 of the Church, gained by the aid of these ministering 
 spirits, over the devil and his bad angels who had set 
 themselves to destroy it.
 
 62 
 
 The expulsion of Lucifer and his rebellious host 
 from heaven seems to be referred to in connection 
 with S. Michael; and it seems most natural that God 
 should make use of His heavenly host to drive from 
 His celestial mansions those who had made themselves 
 the objects of His righteous indignation. And upon 
 this account it may be thought that the prince of those 
 Angels who fought against Satan obtained the name 
 of Michael which in the Hebrew signifies 'who is like 
 God' in that they suppressed the arrogance of 
 
 Lucifer, who endeavoured to make himself in some 
 measure equal to God. 
 
 It is particularly observable in S. Michael's contest 
 with the devil that notwithstanding the fact that he 
 might have justly said a great deal of evil about him, 
 yet he used no reproachful words, or bitterness, or 
 execrations against him, but simply said 'The Lord 
 rebuke thee' (Jude 9). This should make all men 
 ashamed and afraid, particularly in controversy of 
 religion, to use abusive and injurious reflections, since 
 such violent language ill becomes their characters as 
 Christians. 
 
 With regard to Angels, the current opinion of 
 the Christian world is, that they are pure spirits, with 
 nothing material or corporeal belonging to them; 
 and that their ministry is to declare Christ's Will to 
 His Church; to guard and defend us from outward
 
 dangers and the fury of evil spirits, sometimes, by 
 forewarning us of the approach of danger by some ex- 
 ternal sign or unaccountable impression of our minds, 
 or by diverting the evil intentions of our enemies from 
 us. And when we are beset by evil spirits, they either 
 assist us in our conflicts with them, or put them to 
 flight, when we can no longer withstand them.
 
 I S t It ukg, G U* (JCPatipItgt. }
 
 October 18 th - 
 
 t. Luke, was born at Antioch, the capital of 
 Syria, a place famous for its trade, and learning 
 and above all renowned for being the first place where 
 the disciples of Christ were called Christians. S. Luke 
 was a physician by profession, and is spoken of in 
 Scripture, as 'Luke, the beloved physician'. He was 
 also celebrated as a painter. 
 
 There is some doubt as to when he received his 
 call to Christ, but it seems probable that he was con- 
 verted by S. Paul at Antioch. After his conversion, 
 he became an inseparable companion and fellow-labourer 
 of S. Paul in the ministry of the Gospel, especially 
 after the latter went into Macedonia. He endeared him- 
 self to S. Paul in various ways: by attending him in 
 all his dangers; by being present with him in his several 
 arraignments at Jerusalem; by accompanying him in his 
 hazardous voyage to Rome, where he ministered to 
 him in many ways, and carried the Apostle's messages 
 to those Churches, where he had planted Christianity.
 
 66 
 
 After leaving Rome, he returned to the East and trav- 
 elled into Egypt and Libya, where he made many 
 converts to Christianity and became bishop of Thebais. 
 His martyrdom is said to have taken place in Greece, 
 where, after he had long preached the Gospel success- 
 fully, he was seized by a party of infidels and hanged 
 upon an olive tree in his eightieth year. 
 
 The writings which he left behind him are his Gospel 
 and the Acts of the Apostles both dedicated to Theo- 
 philus. His Gospel is supposed to have been written 
 during his travels with St. Paul in Achaia, and he is 
 generally supposed to have made use of his help when 
 composing it. Besides this advantage, we are assured by 
 the Evangelist himself, that he derived his intelligence 
 from those who from the beginning had been eye- 
 witnesses of the facts. 
 
 The Acts of the Apostles is supposed to have 
 been written at Rome, at the end of St. Paul's two 
 years imprisonment which forms the conclusion of it. 
 In this history he relates, not only the actions, but the 
 chief sufferings of the Apostles, especially of St. Paul 
 about whom St. Luke would be able to give the best 
 account, having been his constant companion. 
 
 The style of St. Luke's writings is especially to be 
 observed for its clearness, perspicuity, elegance and accu- 
 racy; all of which shews how great a share he had in 
 the native genius of Antioch, the place of his birth. He
 
 is an excellent specimen of the true historian, being faith- 
 ful in relating facts and elegant in his style of writing. 
 From the observation of this festival we may learn 
 to rejoice in those good tidings published to the world 
 by this Evangelist, and to be exact and faithful in 
 our relation of matters of fact without favouring parties 
 and factions.
 
 68 
 
 October 28 th 
 
 t. Simon is sometimes called the Canaanite, as he 
 3. was supposed by some to have been born at 
 Cana in Galilee. In other places he is called Simon Ze- 
 lotes (or the Zelot), indicating his ardent and enthusiastic 
 temperament. After our Lord's Passion, S. Simon con- 
 tinued at Jerusalem with the other Apostles, joining in 
 worship and communion with them, and did not leave 
 that city till after the feast of Pentecost, when they 
 were all furnished with the gifts of the Holy Ghost in 
 order to exercise their ministry in all parts of the 
 world. His sphere of labour is uncertain, some saying 
 that he went into Egypt, Cyrene and Africa, while 
 others maintain that he passed over into Britain, where, 
 after having converted many and suffered much persecution, 
 he was crucified by the heathen. 
 
 St. Jude was of the family of our Lord, being 
 brother to S. James the Less. It is uncertain when he 
 was called to be an Apostle, nothing appearing about 
 him until we find his name in the list of the Apostles, 
 but from that time he became a constant attendant
 
 7 o 
 
 of Christ. He is also known by two other names, viz. 
 Thaddeus and Lebbeus. These names are given him 
 partly to distinguish him from Judas the traitor, and 
 partly as a commendation of his wisdom and zeal; for 
 according to S. Jerome, Lebbeus denotes prudence and 
 understanding, and Thaddeus signifies a person zealous 
 in praising God. 
 
 S. Jude is supposed to have preached in Judaea 
 and Galilee, and from thence to have gone through 
 Samaria into Idumea, and to the cities of Arabia, 
 Syria and Mesopotamia. He is then said to have 
 travelled into Persia, where after great success in the 
 labours of his ministry, he was cruelly put to death 
 for openly reproving the superstitious rites of the 
 Magi. 
 
 He wrote but one Epistle, inscribed to all Christians 
 at large. He exhorts them to stand manfully by the 
 defence of the 'faith once delivered unto the Saints' 
 and to oppose false teachers, who labour so much to 
 corrupt it. But because true Christian chanty, though 
 zealous, is without bitterness and hatred, he exhorts 
 all Christians to endeavour by all gentle means to save 
 them; and to pull them out of the fire into which their 
 folly has cast them.
 
 November I 81 
 
 |n the early days of Christianity the word 'Saint' 
 was applied to all believers; this is plain from 
 the way in which the word is used by S. Luke and 
 S. Paul in Acts ix. 13 and Rom xvi. 15. The word 
 afterwards came to apply only to those who emin- 
 ently excelled in Christian virtue, while now the word 
 generally signifies those, 'dead in Christ' who have 
 become a part of the Church triumphant. These, 
 however, #re not the only saints who exist in our 
 knowledge, as there are many persons in the great 
 Church militant who may be so denominated; such as 
 not only believe the doctrines of the Christian religion, 
 but conform their lives to the precepts of it: such as 
 not only have a holy faith, but are purified thereby, 
 and whose actions are pervaded by a perpetual re- 
 membrance of God and another world, who are con- 
 stant and uniform in the discharge of their several 
 duties, and who abstain from all kinds of evil, 'per- 
 fecting holiness in the fear of God'. The Church had 
 several objects in view in instituting this festival:
 
 73 
 
 (1) To honour God in His saints; it being through the 
 aid of His grace that they were able to perform His 
 Will in this life, and through His bounty that their efforts 
 are crowned with eternal happiness in the life hereafter. 
 
 (2) To encourage us, here below, to run the race which 
 is set before us with patience, seeing that we are com- 
 passed about with so great 'a cloud of witnesses'. (3) To 
 instil in us greater firmness and resolution of mind, by 
 placing before us the examples of holy men who in 
 their respective ages have given remarkable testimony 
 of their faith in God, and constant adherence to His 
 truth. In this life we cannot conceive the happiness 
 which God hath prepared for them that love Him for 
 'it doth not yet appear what we shall be* (i. John iii, 2) 
 but Scripture in various places assures as that God 
 will reward those that diligently seek Him, not 
 according to our narrow and limited conceptions of 
 happiness but according to 'the exceeding greatness 
 of His power and goodness.' So that God, having 
 promised to make us happy in the next world, we 
 have every imaginable reason for putting our whole 
 trust and confidence in Him as to the way and manner 
 of accomplishing this. The wisdom of God is some- 
 times pleased to condescend to our petty powers of 
 comprehension and to reveal his sublime rewards to 
 us, by such things as we are most apt to value and 
 admire; and, therefore, they are represented in some
 
 74 
 
 places under the metaphor of a kingdom, a crown and 
 a treasure; our reward hereafter being expressly called 
 the 'kingdom of the Father', 'a crown of life', 'a crown of 
 righteousness', 'a crown of glory', 'a treasure in heaven', 
 though the greatest kingdoms and treasures of this 
 world bear no proportion to the least degree of heav- 
 enly glory. But the excellence of this happiness is 
 more particularly set forth to us by a likeness to Him, 
 and by 'being with Christ'. All of these statements imply 
 that we shah 1 in the next world live free from sin, the great 
 torment and affliction of devout souls in this life; that 
 we shall be exempted from all those evils and miseries 
 which are the consequences of it, and which attend us 
 throughout this earthly pilgrimage. Then not only 
 sin and sorrow shall cease to be, but we shall enter 
 upon the possession of all those pleasures which we 
 are made capable of enjoying: for when the spirits of 
 just men are made perfect, there shall be nothing to 
 hinder the constant influences of infinite goodness; so 
 that our understandings shall be entertained with the 
 knowledge of God, the most perfect and excellent Being, 
 the Source and Fountain of all truth; and our wills 
 vigorously employed in choosing and embracing the 
 most desirable good things, and our affections fixed 
 upon the most delightful objects, for our minds being 
 then enlarged to their utmost capacity we shall have 
 a more perfect, a more certain and a clearer know-
 
 75 
 
 ledge than we can attain to in this life; and from the 
 sight of His glory, the love of His goodness and the 
 admiration of all His excellence, we shall be trans- 
 formed into His likeness, both in the purity and the spirit- 
 uality of our souls; whence must arise infinite pleasure 
 and satisfaction. The everlasting happiness attained by 
 the Saints is likewise attainable by us, for the example 
 of the saints is specially fitted for our imitation. For 
 since they were mere men clothed with flesh and 
 blood, and with an imperfect nature liable to sin as 
 well as we, and who once strove with the same un- 
 ruly affections and were once exposed to the same 
 difficulties and temptations as we now are surrounded 
 with, we should also remember that we have the same 
 holy precepts to guide us, the same grace to assist 
 us, the same promises to encourage us, and the same 
 Holy Table to resort to for spiritual nourishment. So 
 that what was attainable by them, may be acquired by 
 us, if we are not wanting to ourselves.
 
 A 000 631 369 6