Boanerges, the soul-absorbing love of John, the willing obedience of Philip, the guileless purity of Nathanael, the recorded truth of Matthew, the slow but deep devotion of Thomas, the blameless righteousness of James the Just, the appellative zeal of Simon, and the earnest warning eloquence of Jude, are all commemorated in honor and bright renown,—the murderous, sordid spite of Iscariot, will insure him an equally lasting proverbial shame. Truly, "THE SIN OF JUDAS IS WRITTEN WITH A PEN OF IRON ON A TABLET OF MARBLE."
MATTHIAS.
The events which concern this person's connection with the
apostolic company, are briefly these. Soon after the ascension of
Jesus, the eleven disciples being assembled in their "upper room,"
with a large company of believers, making in all, together, a
meeting of one hundred and twenty, Peter arose and presented
to their consideration, the propriety and importance of filling, in
the apostolic college, the vacancy caused by the sad defection of
Judas Iscariot. Beginning with what seems to be an apt allusion
to the words of David concerning Ahithophel,—(a quotation
very naturally suggested by the striking similarity between the
fate of that ancient traitor, and that of the base Iscariot,) he referred
to the peculiarly horrid circumstances of the death of this
revolted apostle, and also applied to these occurrences the words
of the same Psalmist concerning those upon whom he invoked
the wrath of God, in words which might with remarkable emphasis
be made descriptive of the ruin of Judas. "Let his habitation
be desolate," and "let another take his office." Applying
this last quotation more particularly to the exigency of their circumstances,
he pronounced it to be in accordance with the will
of God that they should immediately proceed to select a person
to "take the office" of Judas. He declared it an essential requisite
for this office, moreover, that the person should be one of
those who, though not numbered with the select twelve, had been
among the intimate companions of Jesus, and had enjoyed the
honors and privileges of a familiar discipleship, so that they could
always testify of his great miracles and divine instructions, from
their own personal knowledge as eye-witnesses of his actions, from
