most without interruption. The family spirit was haughty,
bold, and cruel. It was Hanan, his family, and the party he represented,
who really put Jesus to death. After the death of Jesus was decided, he
escaped for a short time by withdrawing to an obscure town, Ephron, and
letting the storm pass over; but when the feast of the Passover drew
nigh, he set out to see for the last time the unbelieving city. His
followers all believed that the Kingdom of God was about to be realised
there. As to Jesus, he grew confirmed in the conviction that he was
about to die, but that his death would save the world.

During these last days a deep sadness appears to have filled the soul of
Jesus, which was generally so joyous and serene. The enormous weight of
the mission he had accepted bore cruelly upon him. All these inward
troubles were evidently a sealed chapter to his disciples. His divine
nature, however, soon gained the supremacy, and henceforth we behold him
entirely himself and with his character unclouded. Each moment of this
period is solemn, and counts more than whole ages in the history of
humanity. A lofty feeling of love, of concord, of charity, and of mutual
deference, animated the memories cherished of these last hours.

_VICTORY THROUGH DEFEAT_

It was in the garden of Gethsemane that the guards of the Temple,
supported by a detachment of Roman soldiers, executed the warrant of
arrest. The course which the priests had determined to take against
Jesus was in perfect conformity with the established law. The warrant of
arrest probably came from Hanan, and before this powerful man Jesus was
first brought for examination as to his doctrine. Jesus, with just
pride, declined to enter into long explanations--he asked the ex-high
priest to question those who had listened to him. Hanan then sent him to
his son-in-law, Kaiapha, at whose house the Sanhedrim was assembled. It
is probable that here, too, he kept silence. The sentence was already
decided, and they only sought for pretexts. With one voice the assembly
declared him guilty of a capital crime. The point now was to get Pilate
to ratify the sentence. On being informed of the accusation, Pilate
showed his annoyance at being mixed up in the matter, and called upon to
play a cruel part for the sake of a law he detested. Perhaps the
dignified and calm attitude of the accused made an impression upon him.
To excite the suspicion of the Roman authorities, the charges now mad