pre-eminence in drinking of that cup of which he had long before hastily and ignorantly professed to his Lord his willingness and ability to partake (Mark x., 38, 39). As for Herod, he was marked for the Divine vengeance, which overtook him in a horrible form of death, of which St. Luke gives a brief account (Acts xii. 20-23), and the details of which are narrated at greater length by Josephus the historian.*

There is little or no reason to believe otherwise than that St. James was buried by the faithful at Jerusalem. He has long been regarded as the Patron Saint of Spain, where he is held in especial veneration, as having been the first to introduce Christianity into that country, to which, indeed, a tradition avers that his remains were translated, and where they are now deposited in his church at Compostella. The tradition, however, is a comparatively late one; and Hospinian, who devotes some space to its investigation, sums up against its historic credibility with an expression of opinion that it was invented and developed by the bold cupidity of the priests.†

The commemoration of St. James's day has with much probability been assumed to have had an earlier local origin in Spain; but it does not appear to have become universal before the eleventh century. In the Greek Church it is observed on the 30th of April, the anniversary of the Apostle's martyrdom; as the 25th of July, the day on which he is commemorated in the Western Church-and this may be taken as an argument that Spain is the country in which it had its local (Western) institution— is the anniversary of the presumed translation of his remains.

*Wars of the Jews; lib. i., c. 33.
De Origine Festorum Christianorum.

St. Bartholomew the Apostle.

AUGUST 24.

HE date of the first institution of the festival in honour of this Apostle is uncertain. By some authorities it has been referred to the eleventh

century; whilst others appeal to ancient calendars for evidence that it was known as early as the eighth. The Greeks, whose days for commemorating the Apostles and Evangelists coincide with our own in two or three cases only, celebrate the martyrdom of St. Bartholomew on the 11th of June, reserving the 24th of August, the day on which it is observed in the Western Church, for the anniversary of the translation of his relics. In Rome, however, St. Bartholomew is honoured one day later, that is, on the 25th of August.

The name of Bartholomew is a patronymic, implying that he was the " son of Tholmai;” or, according to some learned writers, that he was a Tholmaan, a scholar or disciple of the school of Tholmai, the leader and eponymous of a sect amongst the Jewish students of the Law. A more popular tradition-popular, that is, in the sense of being capricious and uninstructed-maintains that Bartholomew was a son of Ptolemy, King of Syria-a tradition which manifests an utter ignorance of the true seat of the rule of the Ptolemaic family. It is more safe to regard the Apostle as a native of Cana in Galilee (John xxi. 2); and to relegate him to that

occupation of a fisherman which was dignified by some of the most illustrious of the Apostles.

There is little reason to doubt that the name of Bartholomew was conferred upon him by way of distinction, in addition to, or in substitution for, that of Nathanael, which was probably the name he received at his circumcision. The proof of this, or the probability which scarcely stops short of proof, is found in the circumstance that, whilst the other Evangelists never speak of Nathanael, but of Bartholomew, and place the latter in juxtaposition with Philip, St. John speaks exclusively of Nathanael, whom he places in the relative position to St. Philip, which Bartholomew occupies in the other Gospels (Matthew x. 3; Mark iii. 18; Luke vi. 14; John i. 43-51).

The only scene in the Evangelic drama in which Nathanael alone, with his Master, fills the stage, is that which exhibits his call to the Apostolate; and the character of the person called, and the circumstances under which he responded to the call, are so singular and instructive as to justify a moment's pause for their consideration. “In the case of a JOHN," says Neander, writing of the calling of Nathanael "in the case of a JOHN, the full impression of Christ's personality, first received, prepared the depths of his youthful soul for sudden and separate impressions of the Divinity of Jesus, which soon brought him to a complete decision. But the narrow prejudices of a NATHANAEL had to be overcome by a separate supernatural sign before he could receive the impression of Christ's manifestation and nature as a whole. When Philip first announced to him that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah, he expressed both surprise and incredulity that anything so high should come forth from a corner like Galilee. Instead of discussing the point, Philip appeals to his own experience, and tells him to come and see.' 6 Nathanael's prejudice was not strong enough to prevent his compliance, or to hinder him from being convinced by facts. Christ sees and

CALLING OF NATHANAEL.

429

esteems his love of truth, and receives him with the words, 'Behold an Israelite, indeed, in whom there is no guile' (a true and honest-hearted member of the Theocratic nation). The candid youth is surprised to find himself known by a stranger. He expresses his astonishment, and Christ increases the impression made upon his feelings, by a more striking proof still of His supernatural knowledge, telling him that His glance, piercing the barriers of space, had rested on him before Philip called him as he stood 'under the fig-tree' (this probably had some reference to the thoughts which occupied his mind under the fig-tree). His prejudices are readily removed [he acknowledged Christ as 'Son of God and King of Israel'] Christ admits that he is in the first stage of faith, but tells him that his faith must develop itself from this beginning, and advance to a higher aim (John i. 50, 51). A faith thus resting on a single manifestation might easily be perplexed by some other single one, that might not meet its expectations. That is a genuine faith (according to Christ) which carries itself to the very central-point of revelation, seizes the intuition of Divinity in its immediate nature and manifestation as a whole, and obtains, through immediate contact with the Divine in the Spirit, a stand-point which doubt can never reach. Nathanael was to see 'greater things' than this isolated ray of the supernatural. He was to see the 'heavens opened upon the Son of Man,' into whose intimacy he was about to enter, and 'Angels of God ascending and descending' upon Him. He was to learn Christ in His true relation to the development of humanity, as Him through whom human nature was to be glorified; through whom the locked-up heavens were again to be opened; the communion with heaven and earth restored; to whom and from whom all the powers of heaven were to flow. Such was to be His Divine glory in its full manifestation; all other signs were but individual tokens of it."*

*Neander: Life of Jesus Christ.

The Gospel for St. Bartholomew's Day (Luke xxii. 24, 30) narrates the rebuke which Christ administered to the Disciples upon the occasion of a strife arising among them, "which of them should be accounted the greatest.' It is necessary to remember on the one hand, that in heaven or earth there is nothing great but God; and on the other, that, regard being had to the destinies of man, there are in human duties and affairs, no such thing as trifles. Motive may illustrate the meanest of offices. In the sight of God, all actions which are done, and all functions which are discharged, in His fear and love have their own peculiar dignity and sanctity. George Herbert sets this forth in his poem entitled "The Elixir."

Teach me, my God and King,

In all things Thee to see,

And what I do in anything,

To do it as for Thee:

Not rudely, as a beast,
To run into an action;
But still to make Thee prepossest,
And give it his perfection.

A man that looks on glass,
On it may stay his eye;
Or if he pleaseth, through it pass,
And then the heaven espy.

All may of Thee partake:
Nothing can be so mean,

Which with his tincture (for Thy sake)
Will not grow bright and clean.

A servant with this clause

Makes drudgery divine;

Who sweeps a room, as for Thy laws
Makes that and the action fine.

This is the famous stone

That turneth all to gold:

For that which God doth touch and own,

Cannot for less be told.