of her ambition was in a tantalus-cup, and was spilled on the ground when she raised it to her lips. Instead of empire, exile was her lot; instead of peace, remorse; instead of ease, contention. Like her infamous prototype, Jezebel, she mingled tears of bitterness and remorse with the wine of her ambition.

Of her daughter but little is known. She was married to the tetrarch, Herod Philip, a halfbrother of her mother's second husband; and afterwards to Aristobulus, king of Chalcis. No other incident of her life than the one already related is of interest to us.

IV. THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA.

One of the most interesting and instructive incidents in the life of Jesus is his conversation with the woman of Samaria at Jacob's well. Samaria lay between Judea and Galilee; and on the occasion in question Jesus was passing through that district on his way from the southern to the northern province. Sychar, or Shechem, the city near which the well was situated, was one of the most important places in Palestine, as well as one of the most beautiful. The scene which presented itself to the view of Jesus and his disciples when, in their weary journey northward, they came to Jacob's well and saw Shechem nestling between Mounts Ebal and Gerizim, is thus described by Robinson: The whole valley was filled with gardens of vegetables, and orchards of all kinds of fruits, watered by fountains, which burst forth in various parts, and flow westward in refreshing streams. It came upon us suddenly like a scene of fairy enchantment. We saw nothing to compare with it in all Palestine."

The place was the scene of some of the most important events in Jewish history: as the first

stop of Abraham in Canaan; Jacob's residence there on his return from Mesopotamia; the promulgation of the law in Joshua's time; the crowning of Rehoboam, Solomon's son; and the revolt of the ten tribes under Jeroboam. For a time it was the capital of the northern kingdom; and it was always a precious spot to the Samaritans. On the mountain near by, the Samaritan temple had been built as a rival to the Jewish temple at Jerusalem; and the Samaritans believed that only on that mountain could a descendant of Jacob worship Jehovah acceptably.

As Jesus and his disciples reached the well which Jacob had dug eighteen centuries before, and which was situated about a mile and a half east of the city, he sat down on the edge of the well while his followers went to the town to buy food. It was a place where one might naturally fall into musings on former and present conditions. No doubt Jesus thought of the past glories of Israel, now become but a reflection of the splendor of Rome. Perhaps he thought of the division and the late bitter enmity between the two kingdoms; now handed down as a heritage of hatred to the Jews of the south and the Samaritans of the north. And this train of thought would prepare him well for the remarkable conversation in which he about to take part.

was

A woman from the city came to the well, with a pitcher on her shoulder. As she drew water, she was very much surprised at hearing the man who

sat there, apparently a Jew, ask her for a drink. She gave voice to her surprise, asking how he, a Jew, could ask a Samaritan for water, even a conversation between them being contrary to custom. His answer was a most skilful introduction of the subject nearest his heart,--his Messiahship and his mission to bring about the union and brotherhood of man. If she knew who it was that asked for drink, she would ask him for living water, drinking which she would never thirst again.

She did not catch the spiritual meaning of his words; but placing a physical interpretation on them, she asked him for that water, that she should no longer need to make the weary journey to the well and carry water to her home.

Here was his opportunity. He desired to teach her that the spiritual water of which he spoke, could be obtained only by acknowledgment and forsaking of sin. Therefore he brought her chief sin to her remembrance by telling her to bring her husband. She told him she had no husband. He quickly answered: "Thou hast well

said. I have no husband:

For thou hast had five husbands, and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.

His words had a double effect. They brought her sin to her remembrance, and showed her his prophetic power. She was now ready to receive his spiritual message, and she opened the way for it by bringing up the subject of the division and

enmity between the Jews and the Samaritans. The answer of Jesus was a clear declaration of the true nature of the worship of God; and the fact that Jew, Samaritan, or Gentile could approach him in worship, whether on Mount Gerizim, on Mount Moriah, or in the remotest corner of the earth; the only requirement being that they approach him according to proper order and worship him in spirit and in truth. Thus did he proclaim the union and brotherhood of man, and God's universal Fatherhood.

One other fact he desired to impress upon her mind, and she opened the way for that by her next remark: "I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things." Immediately he answered, "I that speak unto thee am he." He had finished his message to the woman of Samaria. In his short conversation with her he had taught her some of the profoundest truths regarding himself and his mission. He had shown her the necessity of repentance, and righteousness of life; had taught her the one true source of the soul's satisfaction; had impressed upon her mind the fact that God is the Father of all mankind; had asserted the fact of his own Messiahship; and had shown her the nature of the true worship of Jehovah. All these truths were imparted in one brief conversation with a woman, and she a sinful woman of a forbidden nation!

When his disciples returned, they were astonished at seeing him in conversation with a Samari