south, I saw with my eyes death already arrived, and hell
surrounded by his armies and sattellites, and their gar-
ments, and countenances, and mouths emitted fire. And
when my father, Joseph, saw these advancing strait to-
wards him, his eyes were dissolved in tears, and at the
same time he lamented in a wonderful manner; and seeing
his vehement sighs, I repelled death and all the host of
attendants that accompanied him. And I prayed to my
good Father, saying, O Father of all clemency, who has
eyes that see, and ears that hear, hear my supplications
and prayers for the senior Joseph, and send Michael the
prince of thy angels, and Gabriel the herald of light, and
all the angels of light; and let all their orders walk with
the soul of my father Joseph, until they conduct it to thee.
This is the hour in which my father has need of mercy.
And I
say unto Thee, that all the saints, yea, as many men
as are born into the world, whether they are just or per-
verse, must necessarily taste death. And Michael and
Gabriel went to the soul of my father Joseph, and took
it, and involved it in an envelope of light, and so com-
mitted his spirit into the hands of my good Father, who
imparted peace to it. And none of his children knew that
he slept. And the angels preserved his soul from the
demons of darkness which were in the way, and praised
God until they had led him to the habitations of the just.

The history of Mary's glorious and happy death, ascribed

Amen. And it was the Lord Jesus himself who related this history to his disciples while in the world, on the mount of Olives, and all Joseph's labors, and the consummation of his days. The holy apostles preserved this relation and reduced it to writing; and it remains in the library at Jerusalem. May their prayers avail us. Amen. This history is supposed to have been originally written in Hebrew, in the apostolic age, and was read in the Oriental Churches on St. Joseph's day. Part of it is said to have been translated into Latin in 1360. Acta Sanctorum Mensis Martii. Tom. 3. Vita Josephi.

to Melitus, Bishop of Sardis, furnishes a curious and striking contrast to Joseph's.*

In the twenty-second year after Christ had conquered death and ascended to heaven, as Mary was one day alone in the house, burning with desire for Christ, and weeping for that place of comfort, behold an angel descended before her with great light and resplendent clothing, and addressed her with the accustomed salutation, saying, Hail blessed of the Lord! receive that salutation which was sent to Jacob by his prophets. Behold a palm branch I have brought to thee from the paradise of God, which thou shalt have carried before thy bier; for in the third day from this thou wilt be taken from the body. Behold thy Son waits for thee, with the thrones, and angels, and all the heavenly powers. Then Mary said to the angel, I pray thee therefore to collect all the apostles of my Lord Jesus Christ to me. To which the angel said, Behold, to day, by the power of my Lord Jesus Christ, all the apostles shall be taken up and brought here to thee. And Mary said to him, I pray that thou wilt bestow thy blessing on me, that none of the infernal powers may meet me in that hour when my soul will forsake the body, and that I may not see the Prince of Darkness. And the angel said to her, None of the infernal powers shall injure thee; and the Lord thy God, whose servant and messenger I am, gives

* Sancti Melitonis Episcopi Sardensis de transitu Virginis Mariæ liber. Printed in the Maxima Bibliotheca veterum patrum. Tom. 2, pars 2, 212 seq. The introduction to this apocryphal narration mentions, that Melitus received the history from St. John, and wrote it in consequence of Lucius describing it in an impious manner. It is, however, agreed, that Melitus did not write the account; and its author has remained unknown. There is also an account in the name of John of Thessalonica, differing but little from that of Melitus; and one in St. Jerome's works, sometimes attributed to his friend Sophronius, but. written by neither, which was introduced into the old office of the catholic church. Greek MSS. exist in various Libraries relating to Mary's assumption, falsly ascribed to St. John, or St. James, the brother of our Lord.

thee an eternal blessing; and thy not seeing the Prince of Darkness may not be supposed to be effected by me, but by him whom thou broughtest into the world, for his is all power for ever and ever. And saying this he disappeared with great splendour. The palm also shone with wonderful light.

Then Mary, first putting off her garments, and putting on better, and taking the palm which she had received from the angel's hand, went out into the Mount of Olives and began to pray, saying, I was not worthy to receive thee O Lord, yet thou wast merciful to me; but as I preserved the treasure which thou committedst to me, I therefore pray to thee, O King of glory, that the powers of hell may not injure me for as heaven and the angels tremble before thee daily, how much more shall man, made of the earth, in whom resides nothing good, except what he receives from thy goodness. Thou art the Lord God, blessed for ever. And when she had said this she returned to her

house.

And, behold, suddenly, while blessed John was preaching in Ephesus on the Lord's-day, at the third hour of the day there was a great earthquake; and the clouds elevated him, and received him from the eyes of all, and carried him to the door of the house where was Mary, the virgin mother of God. And knocking at the door, he immediately went in. And when the most holy virgin Mary saw him, she exulted with joy, and said, I pray thee, my son John, remember the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, thy master, which commended me to thee. Behold, on the third day I shall leave the body; and I heard the council of the Jews saying, Let us wait 'till the day that she dies, when those who carry her shall be circumvented, and we will burn her body with fire.-She therefore called the holy apostle John, and introduced him into the secret part of the house, and shewed him her grave clothes,

and the resplendent palm which she received from the angel; and instructed him to have it carried before her bier, when she was carried out for burial, and went to the grave.

To which the blessed and beloved disciple John said, Why should I only attend my Lady's funeral? My brethren, the disciples and co-apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, should have come to render honor to thy body. And this was done. And suddenly, by the power of God, all the apostles were caught up into the clouds, from the places where they were preaching the word of God, and were set down before the door of the house in which Mary, the mother of the Lord, dwelt. Having saluted, they said to each other, wondering, For what cause has God congregated us here? And Paul, who was converted from the circumcision, came with them, being taken up with Barnabas, whilst ministering to the gentiles. And whên there was a pious contention among them, who should pray to God first, that he might reveal the cause to them. Peter exhorted Paul to pray first; and Paul replied, saying, This is thy office, for thou wast greatest from the beginning, and wast elected by God to be the pillar of the church, and precededst all in the apostleship; but I am the least of you all, and Christ was seen by me, as it were, abortively; and I cannot presume to compare myself to you. But by the grace of God I am what I am.

Then all the apostles, rejoicing over Paul's humility, prayed together; and when they had made an end of their prayer, and said amen, behold, John, the apostle esteemed by God, came to them suddenly, and explained it to them all. The disciples, therefore, entered into the house, and found Mary, the mother of our Lord, and saluted her, saying, Blessed art thou in the Lord, who made heaven and earth. To which she said, Peace be with you brethren, elected by the Lord; and interrogated them

saying, How came ye here? On which they immediately narrated to her how each of them was raised by the Spirit of God into the clouds, and deposited there. And she said, The Lord has brought you here to bring consolation to me in the trouble which has come upon me. I now

pray you that you will all watch together without inter

mission until that hour when the Lord shall come, and I shall be taken from this body.

And when they had sat with her, and consoled her, and continued praising God three days, behold, on the third day, about the third hour of the day, a deep sleep suddenly fell upon all that were in the house, except the apostles and three virgins who were the companions of the holy virgin, so that none of them could watch. And behold the Lord Jesus came suddenly with a great multitude of angels, and great splendor; and there were angels singing hymns, and praising the Lord. Then the Saviour spoke, saying, Come my elect, most precious pearl, enter into the mansions of eternal life.

Then Mary prostrated herself on the floor, adoring the Lord, saying, Blessed be thy glorious name, O Lord my God, who condescendedst to choose me thy humble handmaid, and madest me the depository of thy mysteries. Remember me, therefore, O King of glory. Thou knowest how I delighted in thee with my whole heart, and preserved the treasure entrusted to me by thee; therefore receive me, thy handmaid, O Lord, and deliver me from the powers of darkness, that none of the assaults of Satan may happen to me, and that I may not see any of the hideous spirits. To which the Saviour replied, When sent by the Father, for the salvation of the world, I was hanging on the cross, the Prince of Darkness came to me; but when he found no vestige of his works in me, he retired, conquered and trampled on. I saw, and thou wilt see him too, for it is a law common to the human race; but

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