He
might not, however, have had the courage of his convictions, had not
Joseph shown him the way.

Yet this must be praised in Nicodemus, that he was a growing and
improving man. Though he hung back for a time, he came forward at
last; and better late than never. It was a happy hour for him when he
was brought into contact with Joseph. There are many circles of
friends where all are internally convinced and leaning to the right
side, and, if only one would come boldly out, the others would
willingly follow. The hands of Joseph and Nicodemus met and clasped
each other round the body of their Redeemer. There is no love, or
friendship, or fellowship like that of those who are united to one
another through their connection with Him.

III.

Art has described the burial of our Lord with great fulness of detail,
drawing largely on the imagination. It has divided it into several
scenes.[2]

There is, first, the Descent from the Cross, in which, besides Joseph
and Nicodemus, St. John at least, and sometimes other men, are
represented as extracting the nails and lowering the body; while
beneath the cross the holy women, among whom the Virgin Mary and Mary
Magdalene are prominent, receive the precious burden. Many readers
will recall the most famous of such pictures, that by Rubens in the
Cathedral at Antwerp--an extremely impressive but too sensuous
representation of the scene of busy affection--wherein the corpse is
being let down by means of a great white sheet into the hands of the
women, who receive it tenderly, one foot resting on the shoulder of the
Magdalene.

Then there is what is called the Pieta, or the mourning of the women
over the dead body. In this scene the holy mother usually holds the
head of her Son in her lap, while the Magdalene clasps His feet and
others clasp His hands. Next ensues the Procession to the Sepulchre;
and, last of all, there is the Entombment, which is represented in a
great variety of forms.

On these scenes the great painters have lavished all the resources of
art; but the narrative of the Gospels is brief and unpictorial. The
Virgin is not even mentioned; and, although others of the holy women
are said to have been there, it is not suggested that they helped in
the labour of burial, but only that they followed and marked where He
was laid. Joseph and Nicodemus are the prominent actors, though it is
reasonable to suppose that they were assisted by their servants; and
th