dise." His thirst for souls being thus sated by one sinner saved. He then, and only then, becomes conscious of the bodily thirst that consumes Him. " I thirst," He moans, and two forms spring forward at the word — a soldier who dips a sponge in vinegar and presses it to His lips — and Mary, unable, poor soul, to relieve His thirst unless by her tears or, if need be, with her heart's blood. Ah, how the tender heart of Jesus throbs with pity for His poor Mother Mary! What will become of her when He is gone! Will she go back heartbroken and alone to the deserted home in Nazareth and pine away and die of very grief? Oh for some one to be her comforter, some one to entrust her to! His eyes search the crowd beneath and He sees there the beloved disciple John, and He calls to him: " John, as thou lovest Me be a son to My Mother; Mother, for My sake be a mother to him." Then John takes her by the hand and calls her Mother, and at the tender word she sobs and moans as if her heart would break. And Jesus sobs too, — moans in utter desolation of spirit. He has given up all, even His own beloved Mother! Nailed on His cross, abandoned by all on earth, His humanity cries out to heaven: " My God, My God, have you too abandoned Me? 99 At that awful sound a hush falls upon the noisy throng, Nature herself seems to hold her breath, the midday sun grows dim, as though night, with a veil of darkness, would fain shut out from mortal eyes the horrible scene. Darkness and silence over all, and the weird horror of the scene is intensified by the wails of Magdalen, the sobs
