Apostles during those ten days between the Ascension and "the day of Pentecost," or Whitsunday, as they "continued with one accord in prayer and supplication," while they were obeying the command of Jesus "that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father." They were waiting in that "upper room where abode" the eleven. And the giving forth of the lots probably took place in this upper room, and Matthias was one of the "hundred and twenty," and now, as the lot fell upon him, "he was numbered with the eleven," and hereafter made up the full number of the twelve, and partook with them of the anointing of the Holy Ghost and of fire on the day of Pentecost.

There was now no difference between him and the other Apostles. He was separated from the rest, even from the "hundred and twenty," from the world, from the seventy, and was in a peculiar manner a man of God's own choice, appointed for certain duties which none but those twelve men in all the world had a right to assume, and no one for all future ages, unless he derives his authority lawfully from Christ through these twelve, or, like St. Paul, shows equally good and miraculous proof of his being chosen of God, and afterwards received and acknowledged by the twelve. Christ has made no further covenant. That part of the Bible known as the New Testament is the last testament or covenant that has been made or, so far as we know, will ever be made with man by God. This was the covenant which He made with His Church through the eleven and their regularly ordained successors, peculiarly separated from the rest of men, to be the voice of God, the voice of pardon and peace to the whole world.

This was the covenant: "Peace be unto you: as My Father hath sent Me, even so send I you. And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained." Unto these same men unto whom Matthias was now added, He said, "All power is given unto Me in Heaven and on earth. Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." Where are the men in all the historic past to whom such august words have been said by the Lord God of Hosts, the Saviour and Redeemer of men, the King of Heaven and the Prince of Peace? We search in vain for them. Did not Jesus well say, "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world?" "As Thou hast sent Me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world."

The punishment of Korah, Dathan and Abiram does not seem too severe, in the light of this close and perennial identification of Himself which Jesus makes with the never ending Ministry of His "Church, which is His Body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all."

Korah, Dathan and Abiram did not take upon themselves this Ministry "from which Judas by transgression fell," for this apostleship and ministry was not yet vouchsafed to the sons of men; but they assumed only that ministry which was but the "shadow of good things to come;" yet remember the awful punishment which was their portion. Remember, also, the threnody of the Spirit who likens one after the other of the kings of

Israel, using the oft-repeated refrain, "unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat who made Israel to sin." His sin was in setting up altar against altar, in creating a rival and competing line of priests. "This thing became a sin unto the house of Jeroboam, even to cut it off, and to destroy it from the face of the earth."

If this is the sad story of rebellion against the old Ministry, what shall we expect if we sin against this "more excellent Ministry" given by "the Mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises?" "He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses. Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God?" That is, as the antithesis shows, scorned the Church of God, despised God's Ministry, and neglected God's ordinary covenanted means of grace. The Ministry is not from man to God, not from below upwards, but it comes from God to man, from above downwards. "He gave some Apostles for the work of the Ministry, for the edifying of the Body of Christ." And so He gave Matthias, as He gave the other Apostles, to preach "Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world began."

This great gift of the Ministry does not confer the grace of a holy life. The Apostles, and all succeeding clergy, must strive and pray for holiness, lest while preaching to others they themselves should be castaways. It is a treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of men. The Church knows its value, and prays in its Introit for the Day: "Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man; and preserve

me from the wicked man." God will always preserve His Church from false Apostles.

But the true servants of God must at all times expect persecution. It was ever so. The Antiphon to Benedictus is this: "They will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues: And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles." But after the "good fight" has been fought, there is a crown laid up for the "noble army of martyrs." The Antiphon to Magnificat on this day triumphantly sings: "In the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of His glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel, saith the Lord."

THE ANNUNCIATION.

TEXT: And it came to pass as He spake these things, that a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said, Blessed is the womb that bare Thee and the paps which Thou hast sucked. But He said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the Word of God and keep it.-St. Luke. XI. 27-28.

By the REV. ALLEN K. SMITH,

Assistant Priest, Christ Church Cathedral, St. Louis, Mo.

"THE

HE fulness of the time was come," and God was about to send forth His Son "to be made of a woman."

"The angel Gabriel was sent from God, unto a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin, espoused to a man, whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the Virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou, that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary; for thou hast found favor with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a Son, and shalt call His name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest, and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David: and He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever: and of His kingdom there shall be no end."