ou to that." And the statement of his suicide in
Matthew, the twenty-seventh chapter, the fifth verse, "And he cast down
the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged
himself."

I

The natural question that comes to every student of the life of Judas
must be, "Why was he chosen?" but as Joseph Parker has said, "We may
well ask why were we chosen ourselves, knowing our hearts as we do and
appreciating our weakness as we must." It has been said that if we
study the Apostles we will find them representatives of all kinds of
human nature, which would go to show that if we but yield ourselves to
God, whatever we may be naturally, he can use us for his glory. It was
here that Judas failed. I have heard it said that Jesus did not know
Judas' real character and that he was surprised when Judas turned out
to be the disciple that he was; but let us have none of this spirit in
the consideration of Jesus Christ. Let no man in these days limit
Jesus' knowledge, for he is omniscient and knoweth all things. Let us
not forget what he said himself concerning Judas in John the thirteenth
chapter and the eighteenth verse, "I speak not of you all; I know whom
I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth
bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me." Again, in the sixth
chapter and the seventieth verse, "Jesus answered them. Have not I
chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?" and finally, in the
sixth chapter and the sixty-fourth verse, "But there are some of you
that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that
believed not, and who should betray him."

There were others who might have been chosen in his stead. The
Apostles found two when in their haste they determined to fill the
vacancy made by his betrayal. Acts 1:23-26, "And they appointed two,
Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. And
they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men,
shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, that he may take part of
this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell,
that he might go to his own place. And they gave forth their lots; and
the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven
apostles."

It seems to me that there can be no reason for his having been called
of Christ except that he was to serve as a great warning to those of us
who have lived since his day. Ther