went out into the night, to a place
called the Garden of Gethsemane. Then his enemies came with torches,
and found him there, and seized hold upon him, and bound him with
ropes, and led him away.

"After they had treated him with great cruelty, they took him to a
hill called Calvary outside the city, and there, before a great
multitude of people, they nailed his hands and his feet to a cross of
wood, and after he had suffered very much, he died there upon the
cross. Then it grew dark upon the hill, and an earthquake shook the
ground, and the people ran away in terror, because they began to see
what a wicked thing they had done."

"Oh, what wicked people," said Margaret, "to kill dear Jesus!"

{259}{260}

[Illustration]
JESUS IN THE HOME OF MARY AND MARTHA
By Siemiradski (1843- )

"And fast beside the olive-bordered way
Stands the blessed home where Jesus deigned to stay;
The peaceful home, to zeal sincere
And heavenly contemplation dear,
Where Martha loved to wait with reverence meet,
And wiser Mary lingered at Thy sacred feet."
--_John Keble_
[End illustration]

{261}

"Jesus loved even them," said mamma, softly. "He was so good that he
loved them, even while they were killing him, and asked his Father in
heaven to forgive them, too.

"You must remember that when we do what is wrong, we hurt our Father
in heaven very much, but Jesus has taught us that he loves us still,
and is ready to forgive us when we ask him.

"So this is the reason why we love Jesus so much. 'We love him because
he first loved us.' This is the reason why mamma went to church
to-day, to thank God for sending to the world such a loving Jesus, and
to remember the day on which he died for us, and for all the world.

"Now mamma will sing you a beautiful hymn about the cross. The cross
was dreadful then, but we love it now because it makes us remember the
love of Jesus."

"In the cross of Christ I glory;
Towering o'er the wrecks of time;
All the light of sacred story
Gathers round its head sublime.

"When the woes of life o'ertake me,
Hopes deceive and fears annoy,
Never shall the cross forsake me;
Lo! it glows with peace and joy.

"When the sun of bliss is beaming
Light and love upon my way,
From the cross the radiance streaming
Adds new luster to the day.

{262}

"Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure,
By the cross are s