IN ILLUSTRATION OF THE COLLECTS;

OR THE SAINTS' DAY EVENINGS WITH THE FORLEY BOYS.

St. Thomas the Apostle's Day.
COLLECT.

Almighty and everliving God, who for the more confirmation of the faith didst suffer Thy holy Apostle Thomas to be doubtful in Thy Son's resurrection; Grant us so perfectly, and without all doubt, to believe in Thy Son Jesus Christ, that our faith in Thy sight may never be reproved. Hear us, O Lord, through the same Jesus Christ, to whom, with Thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, now and for evermore. Amen.

'I HAVE received a letter from Mr Warble, boys,' said Miss Walton, on entering the room on the evening of St. Thomas's day. He sends his kind regards to you all, and something else which he promised to send; what do you think it is?'

'Oh! is it the history of Maurice Rowland?' cried several of the boys.

'It is,' replied Miss Walton, and he says he has finished it as quickly as he could, thinking that I should like to read it to you on Saints' days, after the lesson is over. He has sent it in time to begin to-day.'

Others

'Oh! I am so glad!' cried several. exclaimed, 'And will you begin it to-day?' while George asked, soberly, 'How did Mr Warble know that we have any lessons on Saints' days?'

'I told him,' replied Miss Walton, amused at

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George's question. about you.'

You know he likes to hear

Please, ma'am, is he quite well?' asked Charley. "Yes, Charley, quite well; and he says he hopes to hear that you all come regularly to the lessons, and he wishes he could tell you the story instead of sending it in writing.'

The boys joined in this wish, and then repeated the question whether Miss Walton would begin to read that day.

'Yes, boys, Mr Warble bids me,' she said, ‘and has sent it on purpose: so let us begin our lesson, and finish early, so as to have more time for reading.'

The boys were quickly seated, and stood up one by one to say the collect. Miss Walton was pleased to find that Benjamin had learnt it, and stood up cheerfully to say it when his turn came. Not being accustomed to learn by heart, he did not know it very perfectly, but Miss Walton comforted him by telling him that he would find the collects easier as he learnt more of them.

'Whom do we commemorate to-day?' asked Miss Walton.

All. Saint Thomas.

Miss W. Had he any other name?

Francis. Yes, Didymus.

Miss W. Thomas is the Syriac for twin, and Didymus is the Greek for the same word, so it appears from this, that St. Thomas was a twin; but we know nothing certain of either his parents or his birth-place. In all probability he was a Galilean, and it is supposed that he was born of mean parents, and brought up to the trade of fishing. Have we any account of his call, as we have of St. Andrew's?

George. No, ma'am; but he is mentioned as one who was chosen for an Apostle.*

*See St. Luke, vi. 13-15.

Miss W. Yes, you are quite right. Very little is known of him from the Bible history. Let us look at the several notices of him. Can you tell me any of them?

Edward. When Jesus said he would go up to Jerusalem, after the the death of Lazarus, St. Thomas proposed to go with Him.

Miss W. Turn to the account in St. John, xi.

7-16.

The boys having read the account, Miss Walton said, 'When the disciples, then, were persuading Jesus not to adventure Himself, what was Thomas's devoted suggestion?'

St.

Benjamin. He said unto his fellow disciples, 'Let us also go, that we may die with Him.'

Miss W. Now what did this proposal of St. Thomas's show?

'How much he loved Christ,' said Charley.

"That he thought there was danger,' said Francis. 'That he was willing to suffer with Christ,' said Edward.

Miss W. I think you are all right, boys. All the disciples seem to have apprehended danger. What had they said to dissuade Jesus from going? Matthew. The Jews of late sought to stone Thee, and goest Thou thither again?'

Miss W. In the very chapter before we are told of the Jews having done this. Look at chapter

x. 31.

Walter. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him.'

Miss W. The same thing we are told they did in chap. viii. 59. It was not, then, a mere imaginary danger that they feared, but a real present one; and yet, with noble self-devotion, what did St. Thomas say?

All. Let us also go, that we may die with Him.' Miss W. And what led him to this willingness to suffer with Christ?

'His love,' said Alfred.

Miss W. Yes, every danger appeared as nothing in that moment, compared with his Master: he would rather die with Him than be separated from Him. His love overcame every fear. This mention of St. Thomas represents him as full of devoted love; but now turn to the next notice of him, St. John xiv. 5. Jesus had been telling His disciples not to be troubled, that He was going to prepare a place for them, that they should follow Him, and that they knew the way. What did St. Thomas

answer?

Alfred.

Lord, we know not whither Thou goest, and how can we know the way?'

Miss W. Is there the same ready devotion shown in this answer?

Edward. No, ma'am.

Miss W. I think not. He rather shows a fear of following Jesus without knowing whither He was going. When St. Peter had been told that he could not follow Jesus now, what was his answer?

George. Lord, why cannot I follow Thee now? I will lay down my life for Thy sake.'

(Chap. xiii. 37.) Miss W. Yes; but St. Thomas replied, despondingly, 'Lord, we know not whither Thou goest, and how can we know the way ? A spirit of distrust seems to have sprung up within him, as if he could not believe that a place would be prepared for them when his Master was going away, he knew not whither. And yet the very sadness of the words shows his continued deep love. If he had ceased to love, would he have regretted not knowing the way?

I should think not,' said Charley. I suppose he would not have been sorry about it at all if he had not loved Christ.'

Miss W. I think you are right; he was sad in the prospect of his Master's going away, and he

suffered a spirit of desponding unbelief to take possession of him. Now look at the account given. of him in the Gospel, and see how this unbelief What is the Gospel about?

grew.

Several. St. Thomas's refusing to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead.

Miss W. On what ground might he have believed it?

Edward. The testimony of all the other disciples.

Miss W. Yes, but he seems to have cherished his unbelief, until it had grown upon him; and so he refused to believe. What proof did he require?

Benjamin. Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe.'

Miss W. How long did he keep to this unbelief? Francis. A whole week.

Miss W. And during that time the other disciples were rejoicing in their risen Lord; but what was he doing?

Charley, Sorrowing over a crucified Master.

Miss W. Yes, in sad loneliness of heart we may believe he spent that week, without even the sympathy of his friends to lighten his sorrow, for they were rejoicing while he was sorrowing, and thus he bore the sad consequence of his unbelief. Did he, however, cease to love through this hour of sorrow? Where do we find him the next week?

Edward. Assembled with the disciples.

Miss W. Yes, as one of them: he did not, because of his doubts, separate from their company. He loved his Master too well to give up because of his unbelief; and the instant he received the proof he longed for, what was his passionate exclamation? All. My Lord and my God.'

Miss W. Words full of devotion and ardent love.