VI. MARY AND MARTHA.

The two sisters of Lazarus, who lived with him at the little village of Bethany, just over the Mount of Olives from Jerusalem, are of great interest to us, because of the close friendship of They were apparently independJesus for them. ently wealthy, and lived in ease and spiritual contemplation.

This household is first mentioned in connection with Christ's visit there, probably on the occasion. of his attendance at the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem, a few months before his death. There seems no doubt, however, that he had known the On this family for some time before this visit. occasion the different dispositions of the two Martha proceeded at women are clearly shown.

once to wait on Jesus and the other guests, busying herself with serving, and with directing the labor of the servants. Bustling about, her mind occupied with her multifarious household cares, she gave only casual attention to the group assembled in the spacious banquet hall.

There sat Jesus, delivering an inspiring, enthralling discourse, while about him were grouped

his listening, wondering disciples, and the other visiting Jews. In the midst of the group, charmed and thrilled even more than the others, sat Mary. Her whole soul was in her eyes, as they were riveted upon the face of Jesus, and all her heart was in his discourse.

Anxious to serve him, yet envious of the communion her sister was enjoying, Martha entered the room again and again, only to return to her active service of love.. At length she must give vent to her feelings. Coming to Jesus, she tearfully said, "Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me."

For a man of less tact and wisdom than Jesus had, it would have been a very difficult situation. But as was usual with him, he turned it into an occasion for teaching an important spiritual lesson. He knew how necessary was the work which Martha was doing, as all work pertaining to our physical life is important. Therefore, he did not desire to rebuke Martha, but simply to impress upon her mind the fact that the physical life is not alone or chiefly important. This lesson he felt that Martha especially needed to learn. Therefore he gently remarked, "Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful; and Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her."

The spiritual life and activity which was so strong in Mary was the "one thing needful" to

Martha, in order to complete her nature. That characteristic once acquired and cultivated, it could not be taken from her, for it would pertain not only to time, but also to eternity. Let Martha acquire this spirituality, at the same time remaining sufficiently careful of the comfort of her guests, and there would be but little lacking to the perfection of her character.

The lesson is an important one to all who are so fully engrossed in their temporal affairs as not to be able to devote themselves to spiritual development. Therefore, the remark was adapted to Martha. Whether or not he considered it appropriate to impress upon Mary the necessity of sharing her sister's household duties, we do not know. Perhaps that part of the lesson was not taught at this time.

The same difference of disposition was manifested by the two sisters on the occasion of Christ's raising their brother Lazarus from the dead. When Jesus arrived at Bethany after the death of Lazarus, Martha impulsively ran out to meet him, half rebuking him for not coming sooner. Mary, on the contrary, sat in the house, calm in spite of her sorrow, and full of faith. Nor did she leave the house until Martha had met Jesus, and returned to her with the suggestion that he desired to see her. Then she rose quickly and went to him; and together all the company proceeded to the sepulchre, where the notable miracle was performed.

In this incident the impulsive activity of Martha and the quiet pensiveness of Mary are again illustrated. Yet neither of the women is unfavorably revealed to us. Each in her way was a sincere friend and worshiper of Jesus. It is to the discredit of neither that one manifested her devotion by actively ministering to him, and the other by listening with adoration to his words. One manifested the worship of earnest, loving labor, the other the worship of pensive, listening meditation.

There is need in the world of Marys and of Marthas. Both types are noble, and each has its place. But the final lesson which appears to me in the incidents so far related of the two women, is that it is well for seasons of active service and of meditative devotion to be common to every nature. She who is lacking in either of these capabilities, should cultivate the "one thing needful“ to her nature.

The last mention made of these two sisters is in connection with a most touching and instructive incident which occurred at Bethany a few days before the crucifixion. Jesus and some others were enjoying the hospitality of Simon, a leper whom doubtless Jesus had cured of his infirmity. As they ate. Mary came in with a box of ointment, with costly perfume, and poured it on Jesus' head, while the odor of the ointment filled the room. Some of those present, and particularly Judas Iscariot, objected to the waste of the costly oint

ment, excusing their objections with the plea that it could have been sold and the money given to the poor. The answer of Jesus was a double approval of her act. "The poor ye have always with you, but me ye have not always. For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial." Then he added the prophetic words, the fulfilment of which has been constantly recurring through the centuries: "Verily I say unto you, wherever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.”

This was the last act of kindness, publicly mentioned, which the loving Mary had the privilege of doing for Jesus, and it was then, and has since been more prominently and reverently mentioned than many more pretentious and costly favors. Its very simplicity and loving purpose. have kept it in memory after merely perfunctory services done for him have passed out of mind. And since Mary was not permitted, with Magdalene and the other women, to carry spices to the deserted tomb, and there witness the first evidences of the resurrection, it was fitting that she should perform upon his body, before the great change had been wrought, the official anointing for the burial.

Some Bible commentators have expressed the opinion that Mary of Bethany was "the woman who was a sinner," who anointed Jesus, washed his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the