and poverty, some depositing their gifts with
evident devoutness and sincerity of purpose, others ostentatiously
casting in great sums of silver and gold, primarily to be seen of men.
Among the many was a poor widow, who with probable effort to escape
observation dropped into one of the treasure-chests two small bronze
coins known as mites; her contribution amounted to less than half a cent
in American money. The Lord called His disciples about Him, directed
their attention to the poverty-stricken widow and her deed, and said:
"Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all
they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of
their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even
all her living."

In the accounts kept by the recording angels, figured out according to
the arithmetic of heaven, entries are made in terms of quality rather
than of quantity, and values are determined termined on the basis of
capability and intent. The rich gave much yet kept back more; the
widow's gift was her all. It was not the smallness of her offering that
made it especially acceptable, but the spirit of sacrifice and devout
intent with which she gave. On the books of the heavenly accountants
that widow's contribution was entered as a munificent gift, surpassing
in worth the largess of kings. "For if there be first a willing mind, it
is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he
hath not."[1145]

CHRIST'S FINAL WITHDRAWAL FROM THE TEMPLE.

Our Lord's public discourses and the open colloquies in which He had
participated with professionals and priestly officials, in the course of
His daily visits to the temple during the first half of Passion week,
had caused many of the chief rulers, beside others, to believe on Him as
the veritable Son of God; but the fear of Pharisaic persecution and the
dread of excommunication from the synagog[1146] deterred them from
confessing the allegiance they felt, and from accepting the means of
salvation so freely offered. "They loved the praise of men more than the
praise of God."[1147]

It may have been while Jesus directed His course for the last time
toward the exit portal of the one-time holy place that He uttered the
solemn testimony of His divinity recorded by John.[1148] Crying with a
loud voice to priestly rulers and the multitude generally, He said: "He
that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that