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whole world beholds him weep frequently, and so persuasive are his tears that the whole multitude cannot withhold their tears from joining in sympathy with him. He is moderate, temperate, and wise in short, whatever the phenomenon may turn out in the end, he seems at present to be a man of excellent beauty and divine perfection, every way surpassing man.”

DEATH-WARRANT OF JESUS CHRIST.

Of the many interesting relics and fragments brought to light by the persevering researches of antiquarians, none could be more interesting to the philanthropist and believer than the following, to Christians, the most imposing judicial document ever recorded in human annals. It has been thus faithfully transcribed :

Sentence rendered by Pontius Pilate, acting Governor of Lower Galilee, stating that Jesus of Nazareth shall suffer death on the cross.

In the year seventeen of the Emperor Tiberius Cæsar, and the 27th day of March, the city of the holy Jerusalem—Annas and Caiaphas being priests, sacrificators of the people of GodPontius Pilate, Governor of Lower Galilee, sitting in the presi dential chair of the prætory, condemns Jesus of Nazareth to die on the cross between two thieves, the great and notorious evidence of the people saying:

1. Jesus is a seducer.

2. He is seditious.

3. He is the enemy of the law.

4. He calls himself falsely the Son of God.

5. He calls himself falsely the King of Israel.

6. He entered into the temple followed by a multitude bearing palm branches in their hands.

Orders the first centurion, Quilius Cornelius, to lead him to the place of execution.

Forbids any person whomsoever, either poor or rich, to oppose the death of Jesus Christ.

The witnesses who signed the condemnation of Jesus are— 1. Daniel Robani, a Pharisee.

2. Joannus Robani.

3. Raphael Robani.

4. Capet, a citizen.

Jesus shall go out of the city of Jerusalem by the gate of
Struenus.

The foregoing is engraved on a copper plate, on the reverse of which is written, "A similar plate is sent to each tribe." It was found in an antique marble vase, while excavating in the ancient city of Aquilla, in the kingdom of Naples, in the year 1810, and was discovered by the Commissioners of Arts of the French army. At the expedition of Naples, it was enclosed in a box of ebony and preserved in the sacristy of the Carthusians. The French translation was made by the Commissioners of Arts. The original is in the Hebrew language.

DOUBLE HEXAMETER.

Si Christum {discis

nihil est si cætera

nescis.

ANTICIPATORY USE OF THE CROSS.

Madame Calderon de la Barca, in her Life in Mexico (pub. 1843), says that the symbol of the Cross was known to the Indians before the arrival of Cortez. In the island of Cozumel, near Yucatan, there were several; and in Yucatan* itself there was a stone cross. And there an Indian, considered a prophet among his countrymen, had declared that a nation bearing the same as a symbol should arrive from a distant country. More extraordinary still was a temple dedicated to the Holy Cross by the Toltec nation in the city of Cholula. Near Tulansingo there is also a cross engraved on a rock with various characters. In Oajaca there was a cross which the Indians from time immemorial had been accustomed to consider as a divine symbol. By order of Bishop Cervantes it was placed in a chapel in the cathedral. Information concerning its discovery, together with a small cup, cut out of its wood, was sent to Rome to Paul V., who received it on his knees, singing the hymn Vexilla regis, etc.

See also Prescott's Conquest of Mexico, Vol. I. Bk. II. Chap. 4; and Stephens' Incidents of Travel in Yucatan, Vol. II. Chap. 20.

The Lord's Prayer.

The Lord's Prayer alone is an evidence of the truth of Christianity,—so admirably is that prayer accommodated to all our wants.-LORD WELLINGTON.

THY AND US.

The two divisions of the Lord's Prayer-the former relating to the glory of God, the latter to the wants of man-appear very evident on a slight transposition of the personal pronouns :

Thy name be hallowed.

Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done, &c.

Us give this day our daily bread.

Us forgive our debts, &c.

Us lead not into temptation.

Us deliver from evil.

SPIRIT OF THE LORD'S PRAYER.

The spirit of the Lord's Prayer is beautiful. This form of petition breathes:

A filial spirit-Father.

A catholic spirit-Our Father.

A reverential spirit-Hallowed be Thy name.

A missionary spirit-Thy kingdom come.

An obedient spirit-Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

A dependent spirit-Give us this day our daily bread.

A forgiving spirit-And forgive our debts as we forgive our debtors.

A cautious spirit—And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. A confidential and adoring spirit-For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

GOTHIC VERSION.

Ulphilas, who lived between the years 310 and 388, was bishop of the Western Goths, and translated the greater part of the Scriptures into the Gothic language. The following is his rendering of the Lord's Prayer:

Atta unsar thu in himinam. Weihnai namo thein. Quimai thiudinassus sijaima, swaswe jah weis afletam thaim skulam unsaraim. Jah ni briggais uns in fraistubujai. Ak lausei uns af thamma ubilin, unte theina ist thiudangardi, jah maths, jah wulthus in aiwins. Amen.

METRICAL VERSIONS.

Father in heaven, hallowed be thy name;

Thy kingdom come: thy will be done the same
In earth and heaven. Give us daily bread;
Forgive our sins as others we forgive.
Into temptation let us not be led;
Deliver us from evil while we live.

For kingdom, power, and glory must remain
For ever and for ever thine: Amen.

Here the sixty-six words of the original, according to the authorized translation of St. Matthew's version, are reduced to fifty-nine, though the latter is fully implied in all points except two. "This day" is omitted; but, if anything, the Greek is slightly approached, for entouσtov refers rather to to-morrow than to to-day. The antithesis in "But deliver us" does not appear: if the word deliver be sacrificed, we may read, "But keep us safe."

The subjoined metrical version of the Prayer is at least two and a half centuries old, and was written for adaptation to music in public worship:

Our Father which in heaven art,

All hallowed be thy name;

Thy kingdom come,

On earth thy will be done,

Even as the same in heaven is.

Give us, O Lord, our daily bread this day:

As we forgive our debtors,

So forgive our debts, we pray.

Into temptation lead us not,

From evil make us free:

The kingdom, power, and glory thine,

Both now and ever be.

The Prayer is commended for its authorship, its efficacy, its

perfection, the order of its parts, its brevity, and its necessity.

The following paraphrase, which has been set to music as a duett, is of more recent origin :

Our Heavenly Father, hear our prayer:
Thy name be hallowed everywhere;
Thy kingdom come; on earth, thy will,
E'en as in heaven, let all fulfill;

Give this day's bread, that we may live;
Forgive our sins as we forgive;

Help us temptation to withstand;
From evil shield us by Thy hand;

Now and forever, unto Thee,

The kingdom, power, and glory be. Amen.

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Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.-Acts xxxi. 14.

1. Towards us, without resistance.
2. By us, without compulsion.
3. Universally, without exception.
4. Eternally, without declension.

Give us this day our daily bread.

1. Of necezaity, for our bodies.
2. Of eternal life, for our souls.

And forgive us our trespasses.-Psalm

1 Samuel iii. 18.
Psalm cxix. 36.
Luke i. 6.
Psalm cxix. 93.

Proverbs xxx. 8.
John vi. 34.

xxv. 11.

1. Against the commands of thy law. 1 John iii. 4.

2. Against the grace of thy gospel. 1 Timothy i. 13.

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