m artists are chiefly indebted for their ideas of her. His own
character was so completely in harmony with hers that he understood what
his fellows did not. By them she was misjudged and condemned; he saw and
admired the sweetness of her spirit, and the purity and nobleness of her
motive. Upon the monument reared by other Evangelists, he inserted her
name. In her he saw a reflection of her Lord and his. His memory and
his record alone secured for her in particular the fulfilment of the
Lord's prophecy concerning the remembrance of her deed. Every Christian
home in the whole world has been, or will be, filled with the spiritual
fragrance of her offering. But the prophecy is more than fulfilled. That
which she hath done is not only "_spoken of_," for in many a home
inspired by her spirit, her name has been given as a memorial of her
whom John distinguished from all others as "that Mary which anointed the
Lord with ointment and wiped His feet with her hair." It was of Mary
that Jesus said, "She hath done what she could."

John's picture of her is all the brighter because of his dark background
of Judas. He has forever associated their names in contrast. In his
mind, the anointing was ever suggestive of the betrayal. He remembered
how the "thief" asked his hypocritical question at the moment of the
greatest perfume; and how Judas was planning the betrayal while Mary was
meditating on the death to which it would lead. It appears almost
certain that Judas, stung by the Lord's reproof of him and defence of
Mary, ready to sell his Lord's body for a less sum than he valued the
ointment, turned from the feast in anger, hastening to the chief priest
with the cursed question and promise, "What will ye give me, and I will
deliver Him unto you?" Wheresoever the gospel is preached throughout
the whole world, that also which _this man_ hath done is spoken of--but
not for a memorial of him.

John's picture of Mary, Judas and Jesus is a most suggestive grouping.
What harmony and contrast! What light and shade! What revelation of love
and hate, of friendship and enmity, of devotion and sacrilege! To no
other scene does Christ sustain quite the same relation. The friendship
of His first feast--that of Cana--is deeper and tenderer in His last, at
Bethany.

There is something sublime in this Son of God having all power, pleading
with Judas that Mary might be permitted to continue her service of love
for Him.

Add John's own likeness to t