to touch him; Salome and his aunt Mary had only held his feet; to Peter he had appeared certainly, but not in this homely manner as a fellowtraveller along the same rough way.

They were still speaking incredulously about these new tidings, when suddenly, with no opening of the fastened doors, and no sound of entering, they saw Jesus himself standing in the midst of them, and heard his voice, saying, "Peace be unto you." But they were terrified and affrighted, supposing that they saw a spirit. There was none bold enough to try to touch him, and no one dared to speak. With great gentleness and tenderness he reproached them. "Behold my hands and my feet," he said, showing them the print of the nails; "handle me, and see. It is I myself. A spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have." Their terror and trouble wero pacified, but still they were not calm enough for faith. They could not now believe for joy. But to give them time to collect themselves, he asked for food, as once before he had commanded something to eat to be given to the ruler's little daughter, when he called her back from the grave. He ate before them, a convincing proof that he was no spirit; and then he was seen no more by them. But there was no room for unbelief among them now. The load upon their hearts, like the great stone of the sepulchre, was rolled away forever. Their Lord was arisen indeed.

TH

CHAPTER XI.

It is the Lord.

HOUGH the chief priests and Pharisees carefully reported that the disciples had stolen the body of Jesus of Nazareth, they took no steps to prove the fact, or to punish the violators of the grave. The whole number of the disciples remained in Jerusalem during the feast, and the Sabbath following the feast. Even on the first day of the week after it, when the bulk of the Galileans had started homewards, the eleven apostles still lingered in the city. Thomas, who had vehemently refused to believe in the resurrection of his Master because he had not seen him, had passed the week in alternate mourning and disputing with those who vainly sought to convince him. He saw Mary, the mother of Christ, comforted, and full of gladness; his fellow-disciples rejoicing and exultant; yet to all they urged he answered, "Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put

my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe." It was a miserable week for him, for he was deeply attached to his crucified Master, and timid and despondent as he was, he had once said, "Let us also go, that we may die with him." But he could not be persuaded that he had risen from the dead.

Eight days had passed since Jesus had been seen; and the eleven apostles were sitting together, the doors being shut for fear of the Pharisees, as on the week before, when once more he stood in their midst, with no sign or sound of coming, and said, "Peace be unto you." Then turning to Thomas, and speaking directly to him, he added, "Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands, and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side, and be not faithless, but believing." But he did not now need the evidence he had demanded; it was enough to see his Master, and hear him speak. Jesus wished to prove to him he was the very Son of who had died upon the cross. Thomas cried, "My Lord and my

man, God!"

The apostles no longer lingered in Jerusalem. They were needed in their homes in Galilee, and it was safer for them to assemble together there, where the chief priests had less power than in Judæa. Moreover, there would be many arrangements to make for their families, before they could set out on those missionary journeys which soon scattered them into far countries. They scarcely yet knew what their Lord would have them to do, but for a short time longer they were sent to dwell in their own homes, among their own people, following their old trades amid familiar scenes.

Seven of them were dwelling near Capernaum, on the shores of the lake, where they had earned their livelihood by fishing. Peter said to his comrades, one evening after their return from Jerusalem, "I go a fishing.” Thomas and Nathanael, James and John, with two others, joined him, and, entering into a boat, launched out upon the dark waters, and toiled all night, but came back to the land with empty nets. In the cold gray of the morning they were going ashore, disappointed and hungry men, when they saw on the dim beach a man standing to watch them. It was still too dark for them to see clearly. "Children, have ye any meat?" his voice called across the water. There is nothing unusual in such a question from a bystander, who has been looking on while men are fishing. "No," they shouted back; for they were still some distance from the land. "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and ye shall find," was the advice given. He might see signs of fish which had escaped them; and they obeyed, feel

ing that though their toil had been in vain all night, one chance cast of the net might atone for their want of success. If not, they could but return empty, as they were now doing.

While they cast their net the light grew stronger, and the morning shone upon the lake and shore, upon the disciples in their boat, and the solitary stranger looking on. But soon the net was so full of fish, that they could not draw it; and quickly there flashed through the mind of John the memory of that morning, when Jesus had called them to leave their nets, and follow him. "It is the Lord," he said to Peter. There he stood in the morning light at the edge of the waters where they were fishing. Possibly, nay probably, there was already shining about him a transfiguring glory, such as they had witnessed on the mountain, when his face was as the sun, and his raiment as white as the glistering snow. Peter at once threw himself into the lake, that he might the sooner reach the Master he had once denied; and the rest followed in their boat, dragging their net with them.

Just such a reception met them as may have welcomed them often in the old days, when, though disciples, they still had to earn their bread. No doubt their Lord had often ministered to them before he washed their feet at the Last Supper. There was a fire already kindled on the beach, lit for them whilst they were toiling, hungry and weary, in the darkness; and fish was broiling on it, and cakes of bread were baking in the hot ashes. It was a homely, simple welcome, such as one of themselves might have prepared for his comrades. They and their Master had often eaten their meals together thus in the open air, beside a little fire on the ground. "Bring of the fish which ye have now caught," said Jesus to them; and Peter ran and drew the net to land, counting the fish as he took them out of the unbroken meshes. Presently Jesus said to them, "Come and dine." But none of them durst say, "Who art thou?" They were silent in happy awe.

The meal was ready, and they hungry with their night's toil. They were at home on the shores of their own lake. Every hill, every village, every landmark about them, lying clear in the early light, was as familiar to them as the faces of old friends. The freshness of the morning air brought to them the scent of flowers such as they had plucked when children. The little waves of the lake rippled up against the margin, chiming as it had done to them when they were boys. The larks sang overhead, and the waterfowl cried across the water. How different was this from that upper chamber in Jerusalem, when their Master's soul was troubled, and exceed

ingly sorrowful, as he said there was a traitor among them. There was no traitor now, no agony in Gethsemane, no cruel foes, no cross.

were forever past.

All these

Once again Jesus took bread, and, breaking it, he gave it to them. In silence, blissful, yet reverent, they took their food from his hand, and satisfied their hunger. They knew that it was the Lord, and that was enough. When the meal was over, three times Christ asked of Peter the question, "Lovest thou me?" until at the third time Peter was aggrieved. "Lord," he cried, "thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee." Jesus bade him feed his lambs and his sheep; and signified to him what death he should die for his sake. By this time the morning had advanced, and the people were waking up to their day's work in the fields, or upon the lake, and Jesus withdrew from his disciples, saying to Peter, "Follow me." All of them were about to enter upon the life he had quitted; they would be persecuted, cast out of the synagogue, and put to death as he had been. The servant could not be above his master, nor the disciple above his Lord. They must all, even Peter, who had denied him, follow him through shame and suffering to a bitter end. Peter understood Christ's words literally, and rose up to follow him; John also could not stay behind if he might but be with his Lord in that mysterious solitude whither he was about to vanish, and whence he came so suddenly among them. But here they could not follow him. Peter asked a question as to what John should do in the perilous future they were about to enter; but Jesus checked his curiosity by a vague, indefinite answer before passing out of their sight. This was the third time that Jesus showed himself to his disciples after he was risen from the dead.

TW

CHAPTER XII.

His Friends.

WICE had the Lord been seen by the women who ministered unto him; three times by the apostles. But a still larger assembly were to have proof that he had indeed risen from the dead. Whilst Jesus was yet in Galilee, before his crucifixion, he had told not only his twelve apostles, but the mass of his disciples, that he should be crucified, and rise again on the third day. He had also fixed upon a mountain where he would