We hear nothing of her at the glorious event of the resurrection. Worn out with sorrow, she was not a watcher at the grave; though, doubtless, the good tidings soon reached her of the risen Lord, and her mourning was turned into joy, thankfulness, and adoration.

The last record of Mary delightfully harmonizes with her whole character. In the Acts of the Apostles it is recorded that in an upper room at Jerusalem "abode Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alpheus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James; these all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus." Her history commenced with heavenly annunciations, and ends, appropriately, with prayer. Her parentage and birthplace, her death and burial, are not recorded. The event and personage that reflect sublime honour on her name are fully made known; before and after the holy advent, are. equally left in obscurity. Her youth was distinguished by the favour of God; her maturity by active piety and faithful discipleship her age by fervent devotion, and hallowed communion with the first church. Happy the life that is rich in deeds of piety, rather than chronological detail,-whose records are not those of birth and death, and dwelling-place, but of holy acts and heroic fidelity! When the Sun of Righteousness arose, Mary was like a graceful shadow tracking His glorious path, and called up by His brightness; when He departed, she vanished.

THE SYROPHENICIAN WOMAN.

REV. EDMUND NEVILLE, D.D.

JESUS had "departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon;" that is, he had gone to the boundary line of the country in which those maritime towns were situated. The country referred to is Syro-Phenicia, due north of Capernaum. Our Lord, consistently with his declaration that he was "not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel," kept on the Jewish side of the line separating the two countries, but went as far as he could without crossing it, showing us how ardently he anticipated the time when the partition wall between Jew and Gentile being broken down, the great work should begin of bringing in his "other sheep also," making thus but “one fold and one Shepherd." Oh! it is a beautiful idea, that of Jesus going thus to the partition wall and looking over it, as it were, upon the Gentile world, casting his eye across that wilderness where so many lost sheep were wandering, and whence so many of them were to be reclaimed. It was thus that this poor woman was brought to Jesus. He wished to have his presence kept secret, but by some means

or other it became known, and as soon as this woman heard of it she repaired to him. Oh! what a character for generosity and compassion was that which our Saviour had acquired by his many kindnesses to the poor and suffering, since it encouraged this poor heathen to entertain the hope that neither Jewish prejudices nor any other obstacle would hinder him from affording her relief. And yet, had she only heard of the Saviour's excellence, this meeting would never have taken place. How many are there whom the report of the matchless virtues of his character has reached without exciting in their minds a wish for his acquaintance! It is not hearing but feeling our need of Jesus that brings us to him. Her troubles, her distress, her affliction, made this woman of Canaan seek his help, and profitable indeed are the afflictions that result in this. "The pain of them is but the piercing the ears of a maiden in order to hang jewels in the wound.”

But what was the peculiar character of her affliction? We read of a father coming to Christ in behalf of his child, but here is a mother on the same errand, and therefore it is probable that her child was fatherless and herself a widow. Her child too, we are informed, was young, which makes it likely that she had not long been left alone in the world, and loved this child the more as the only reflection of his image from whom she had been so early sundered. And this daughter She was suffering

was "grievously vexed with a devil." from the malice and cruelty of Satan. He had sunk so low in sin and malignity (and it shows what an accursed thing sin is), that although he once enjoyed and delighted in the employ ments of heaven, he now takes pleasure in torturing and tormenting a little child. Such was the case of this Canaanitish woman; humanly speaking it was a hopeless case, and

nothing but absolute despair of help from any other quarter drove her to Christ. She had found that man has neither power nor divination against Satan, and so she applies to Him who came on purpose "to destroy his works."

The terms in which she made application to Christ are very remarkable. "She cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David." "Have mercy on me,” she says, making her child's trouble her own, showing how her maternal heart identified the interests of her child interests, and its sufferings with her sufferings.

these words standing afar off, for she was a poor Gentile woman, sensible of the immense distance between her and Jesus, deeply sensible of her own unworthiness and of his majesty. It is the cry of all who feel as she did. It was that of the Publican; all he said whilst smiting on his breast was, "God have mercy upon me, a sinner." It was that of the thief on the cross; he said "Lord, remember me." Neither should any one be surprised that with such mean thoughts of herself, this woman could presume to apply to Jesus. It was because Christ was as high in her estimation as she was low. It was because whilst she had a mean opinion of herself, she had the most exalted opinion of Christ. Her language is, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David," acknowledging him to be the true Messiah and the incarnate God, and it was the power, grace, and compassion which belong to Christ in these characters that emboldened her to seek his assistance. How mistaken are they, then, who excuse themselves on the ground of unworthiness from coming to Christ! If this woman, if the publican, if the thief on the cross were not aeterred by this feeling from seeking mercy, why should any sinner be deterred? Oh! it is not a sense of their lost and

nelpless and miserable condition that would keep such persons away from Christ, if they entertained the honourable views of him that this woman did; if they believed him to be the mighty God the Saviour, and therefore both able and willing to remedy their distress, however deep and seemingly desperate. It is not presumption but faith to apply to Jesus, and the deeper is our sense of guilt, the stronger is our faith in making the application. It shows how honourable, how exched are our views of Christ, when, notwithstanding the decaid pondency of our minds, we can cast ourselves at his feet in the firm belief that he can take it away.

But to return to our narrative. This woman's application seemed at first to be unfavourably received. Christ "answered her not a word." How disheartening! Had she then been imposed upon? Were the accounts she had received of his humanity and compassion untrue? His silence, one would think, would make her fear so, and lead her to say, "Weil then, my hopes are at an end, my expectations even from this quarter are disappointed, my prayer, my distress, the misery of my poor child make no impression on his heart; I must go back in despair to my afflicted daughter." Not so, however. She continued her cry, she retained her distant and humble posture, but she still lifted up her voice, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David." Jesus was silent, the disciples were silent, the bystanders were silent, and nothing was heard but the importunate prayer of this poor woman fr mercy. If any of our readers have ever said to themselves, "God seems to take no notice of our prayers, and therefore we will pray no longer," let them learn from this woman "that we should always pray and not faint." Let them learn that delays are not denials." If she had been forbidden to