better world; and of their father, though but little is recorded, that little seems honourable to his character. When a man is introduced in Scripture as the son of such a one, it will be found generally to denote something either good or bad, honourable or the opposite, in the parent's character, though most frequently it denotes that his character was exemplary, and worthy of being handed down to posterity on the sacred page. Now, immediately on Peter being called, you hear him thus addressed, "Thou art Simon, the son of Jonas ;" and at a later period, “ Blessed art thou, Simon, Bar Jona, for flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee, but my Father, who is in heaven." As though he had said, Here is one thing of which your own father never did, and never could inform you. But it was on one of the most memorable and affecting occasions in his future existence that he was reminded of this connexion, with an emphasis which, I doubt not, went with him to the grave. Simon," said Jesus, "son of Jonas, lovest thou me?" Surely there must have been design in this mode of address, repeated as it was not less than three times. Was there not something under it, and more meant than met the ear? Was it not saying in effect,-Oh, Simon! only act in character, and be a son worthy of such a Father, as well as an apostle worthy of your Lord and Master? Thus, at the calling, the congratulation, and the reproof of Peter, equally intended for the formation of his character, the name of his Father is never omitted.

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Another son of this venerable parent was Andrew. He was one of the two first who, by the direction of the Baptist, found the Messiah, and who not only

evinced the strongest attachment, but exulted that he had found the key to a book with which he had been well acquainted. He instantly seeks for his own brother, Simon, saying, "We have found him of whom Moses in the law and the prophets did write.” He it was, too, who without loss of time enjoyed the felicity of first introducing Peter to his Lord and Saviour.

By the time that these two individuals were called to a constant attendance on Jesus, the old man, Jonas, is generally supposed to have been dead, no mention being made of him, as there is of Zebedee, when his two sons were called.* If so, this accounts for the slender notice of him in the Evangelical history. His name, however, is introduced with honour, and, in the training of these his sons, every candid reader will feel disposed to believe he had been exemplary. As it was an advantage to David that he was the son of Jesse, so it should seem it had been to them, that they were the sons of Jonas.

The information, however, respecting the parents of the rest of these apostles is more ample, besides being in itself interesting in no common degree.

* By this time also Peter had taken James and John, the sons of Zebedee, into partnership in business with him,—a proof, by the way, of subsisting friendship, and of the closest previous intimacy. That their attachment to Christ may have contributed to cement their union in one business is not improbable, as for some time Peter at least had known him; but, whether or not, the Saviour broke up the whole concern,-took the three partners into union with himself, encouraging them by the assurance, that from henceforth they should be engaged in nobler employment. These were the men who saw him in the height of his glory on Mount Tabor, and in the depth of his humiliation in Gethsemane, -the men whom he favoured with such peculiar distinction.

James and John come next in order, the influence of whose parents in the formation of their character is more evident, from the deep interest which they themselves took in the cause of the Messiah. It is true that John the Baptist was the harbinger of the Messiah, but still he came to make ready a people prepared for the Lord, as well as to call sinners to repentance. Much remained for him to do and say in every case; but preparation-work had unquestionably been going on, and in this it is not difficult to descry the hand of parents. To part cheerfully with a son, already engaged in business and often assisting his father, when called to wait constantly on the Saviour in the days of his reproach, while his cause was yet only in prospect, will surely be admitted to have evidenced something like both faith and love. But here was a Father, who, in one day, parted with his two only sons, and yet seems to have cheerfully acquiesced. The old man, Zebedee, was with James and John when they were called away; yet, however much their leaving himself as well as their nets involved, so far as he is concerned, not a word is heard against it. Here too was a Mother, who not only approved, but followed their footsteps; nay, set them an example, and, in some respects, kept still a-head of them; for she not only followed Jesus, but ministered to him of her substance.` True, her zeal, like that of her children and all the apostles, was, occasionally, not according to knowledge; and, in requesting for these her children the most honourable places in Christ's kingdom, she was wrong. Maternal ambition she might display in this one instance, but

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still, by her ministering to Jesus, she had discovered her superiority to the love of the world, as well as her devout attachment to his person and kingdom. This incident, however, is important, so far as Salome is concerned. James and John, who themselves also, at that period, desired to enjoy the right and left hand of the Saviour, seem to have thought that, by employing their mother as the petitioner, they were most likely to ensure success,-at once a striking proof of the power which she still possessed over them, and of the high esteem which they believed the Saviour entertained for her character. Yes, she gave the Messiah, with all her heart, two sons for apostles, followed herself in his train, contributing to his support, and to her was the melancholy but honourable task assigned of receiving the mother of Jesus, and consoling her while the Messiah was yet bleeding on the tree of execution. To her too, on the morning of his resurrection, he appeared, and to her he spoke before he did so to either of her sons; nay, to any of the apostles. Such was Salome, a woman worthy of being the mother of the disciple whom Jesus loved. Surely then, without saying more of Zebedee, to such a mother both James and John must have been greatly indebted.

Mary, the mother of four of the apostles, as well as of Joses or Joseph (who is generally regarded to have been one of the two individuals whom the apostles proposed as qualified to fill the place of Judas, and who, therefore, had accompanied the Messiah in all his travels), sustained a character equal to that of Salome, her constant companion. This emi

nent woman had the felicity not only of furnishing four out of the twelve apostles of the Lamb,-she, too, followed him, and she also ministered to him of her substance, with the cordial consent of such a man as Cleopas her husband. At the closing scene, to her also was given the honour of standing by, and sustaining the mother of Jesus, when he was stretched on the cross. Yes, close by her, and near the cross, stood Mary, accompanied by Salome, and there she heard the Saviour address his mother and the beloved John in these affecting words:"Woman, behold thy son," "Man, behold thy mother." In consequence of this dying injunction, we know what followed: in "that hour" the injunction was obeyed. At the commencement of the great darkness, she is generally supposed to have been led off the ground by John and his mother, Salome, and there she had an opportunity of gratifying an attachment, equally conspicuous with that of the wife of Cleopas.* These two individuals, the

*Thus did the Great Redeemer himself conclude his life as he had begun it, by giving a testimony in favour of filial piety, consigning to the disciple whom he loved, a mother now full of anguish, who, when the sufferer was a child, had carried him in her bosom up and down through the Holy Land; nay, down into Egypt, and back again, or altogether more than eight hundred miles ;—a mother who had revered him when only twelve years old, and who, through life, had most religiously observed his sayings, laying them up in her heart, and pondering over them. To her, oh, what an hour was this! yet, when the sky had cleared, we find her again still quite in character. And O, when she did see the apostles rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his sake,-when she did see the multitude of them that believed, to be of one heart and of one soul,-here was joy indeed, which was meant to counterbalance all her deep anguish. Probably no other human heart was ever acquainted with such extremes, in point of feeling.