Blood of Thy most dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ."

ON A PICTURE OF THE CRUCIFIXION.

Still dost Thou, day and night, silent abide,
Hanging upon the Tree; and there, in vain,
Pleading Thy bleeding hands and wounded side,
With upturned eye of agony, while pain
Rendeth each tender heartstring. Yet remain
Pride in my heart and foolishness, preside
O'er me at morn, with me at eventide
Sinking to rest. Oh! o'er my spirit reign!
Teach me each day to bear my cross with Thee ;
And when Night's curtains close, be ever near !
Be Thou my pilot thro' Night's cloudy sea!
Be Thou the silent chariot's charioteer !
And when I sink upon the couch of death,
May I within Thine arms resign my breath!
Thoughts in Past Years, p. 32.

MAY 6.

S. John ante Portam Latinam.

THIS holiday commemorates an event in the life of the blessed Apostle Saint John which is mentioned by Eusebius, Tertullian and S. Jerom. In the second persecution of the Christians under Domitian, in the year 95, S. John was brought from Ephesus to Rome, and by the orders of the tyrant was thrown into a caldron of boiling oil. But, as it has been remarked that those faithful ones who stood by to witness the sacrifice and the martyrdom of the Son

of God were themselves exempted from martyrdom, the saint came out unharmed; and was banished to the Isle of Patmos in the Egean sea, where he was probably condemned to work in the mines. There he was favoured with those visions of the future which are recorded in the Apocalypse. The miraculous deliverance of the holy Apostle took place near the Latin gate of Rome, which led towards Latium.

Thus were partly fulfilled the words of our Saviour to the brothers S. James and S. John, when they declared that they were able to drink of the cup which He should drink; "Ye shall indeed drink of My cup." "Do we ask," says S. Jerom, "how

James and John the sons of Zebedee drank of the chalice of martyrdom, when Scripture relates that the Apostle James alone was beheaded by Herod, but that John finished his life by a natural death? But if we read in the ecclesiastical history that John for his martyrdom was cast into a caldron of boiling oil, and was banished into the island of Patmos, we shall see that in will he was a martyr, and that he indeed drank the chalice of confession; as did also the three children in the furnace of fire, although the persecutor did not shed their blood."

A church was built by the Christians on the spot near the Latin gate; and was rebuilt in 772. The feast of this day in honour of it is mentioned in the Martyrology of S. Jerome, in the Sacramentary of S. Gregory, and in other ancient Offices. It was formerly observed in England as a holiday of the second rank, on which agricultural labour alone was permitted.

Two brothers freely cast their lot,
With David's royal Son;

The cost of conquest counting not,
They deem the battle won.

Brothers in heart, they hope to gain

An undivided joy,

That man may one with man remain,

As boy was one with boy.

Christ heard; and will'd that James should fall

First prey of Satan's rage;

John linger out his fellows all,

And die in bloodless age.

Now they join hands once more above,
Before the Conqueror's throne;

Thus God grants prayer: but in His love
Makes times and ways His own.

Lyra Apostolica, p. 32.

MAY 19.

S. Dunstan, Archbishop.

988.

THE exact date of the birth of S. Dunstan it is not easy to determine. It is generally said to have happened in 925, the first year of the reign of K. Athelstan; but from several events in the life of the Saint we learn that it must have taken place two or three years earlier. His father Herstan, and his mother Kyndryde were great in worldly dignity, says historian, but in the Christian religion they were still

more noble.

They seem to have led a useful and a holy life in private; and their son was favoured in later years with a vision of their bliss. His future fame was announced before his birth by miraculous appearances, which are related on good authority by the historians of his life, and which some of his bitterest enemies have not ventured to deny. His parents called his name Dunstan, which signifies the strength of a rock. As soon as his early infancy was passed, they brought him to Glastonbury, and there devoted him to the service of the altar.

At that time the monastic life seems to have fallen into contempt in England, the secular and married clergy having monopolized all the emoluments of the Church; so that those who desired to serve God in the religious life were obliged to go into foreign countries. A congregation of Irish religious had settled at Glastonbury, where they preserved the rule of their venerable founder S. Patrick; and their fame was so great that many of the nobility entrusted the education of their sons to the care of the brethren. In their society Dunstan spent his childhood and early youth. He devoted himself with such ardour to his studies, as to bring on a dangerous illness, which threatened his life. After he had lain insensible for some days, and while the community was watching for his departure, it pleased God to restore him. His first act, on rising from his couch, was to go into the church, and return thanks to God for his recovery. Many wonderful stories are related of him during his residence at Glastonbury, which I shall not venture to mention, lest they should give occasion to the irreverent spirit of the

ignorant or the unholy to deride the power of God. Let it suffice for the veracity of this history to have thus alluded to them. He excelled his companions in his studies, and obtained the love and admiration of all who lived with him.

While he was still a youth, he was recommended to the notice of K. Athelstan, by his uncle Athelm archbishop of Canterbury, according to some, or, as others say, by Alphege bishop of Winchester, surnamed the Bald. The king promoted him to an office in the palace. He would sometimes refresh the royal ear with the music of the harp, after the fatigues of state. But he did not long enjoy the favour of the king; for the courtiers, envious of his accomplishments, accused him of practising forbidden arts, and persuaded Athelstan to banish him from court. On his way he was beset by his enemies, and cruelly beaten, and thrown into a well or cistern, where he was found by some humane persons, who took care of him.

He seems then to have visited Alphege bishop of Winchester, who strongly urged him to the monastic life. But the youthful Dunstan, though still looking forward to the clerical office, was not yet prepared to give up every thing for Christ's sake, and preferred the easier and more joyous life of a secular priest. While his inclinations were still averse from the discipline of an ascetic, he was attacked by another dangerous illness, in which his life was again despaired of. It was then that the ties which bound him to this world were broken, and from that time he was wholly devoted to the life which is hid with Christ in God. When his health was restored, he