in any man so much sweetness and tenderness, so much power and wisdom. Every word revealed an unheard-of love for men.

Every act displayed His infinite goodness. When Nathaniel was invited by Philip to "Come and see" the Saviour, we heard Him expressing a prejudice against a place "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" Philip was an apt scholar, and he said: "Come and see." That question of Nathaniel's is often repeated in this age, and the one sufficient answer almost the only possible answer is now, as it was then, "Come and see." That it meant "Come and see One Who speaks as never man spoke; come and see One Who, though He be but a carpenter's son of Nazareth, yet He is the greatest of all men who have ever appeared in the earth.”

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"Come and see One from Whom there seems to breathe forth the irresistible charm of a sinless purity, the unapproachable beauty of a divine life." Come and see," said Philip, convinced in his simple, faithful heart that to see Jesus was to know Him, and to adore Him. In this sense, indeed, we can say Come and see no longer, for since the blue heavens

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closed on the visions which were given to Paul, and Stephen, Philip and Nathaniel, His earthly form has been visible no more.

But there is another sense, no less powerful for conviction, in which it still suffices to say, "Come and see."

Come and see a dying world revivified, a decrepit world regenerated, and an aged world rejuvenescent. Come and see the darkness illuminated, the despair dispelled. Come and see tenderness brought into the cell of the imprisoned felon, and liberty to the fettered slave. Come and see hospitals and orphanages rising in their permanent mercy beside the crumbling ruins of colossal amphitheatres which once reeked with human blood. Come and see the dens of evil and tyranny transformed into sweet and happy homes. Come and see defiant atheists turned into believing Christians, and rebels into obedient children.

Ay, "Come and see" the majestic acts of one great drama continued through nineteen centuries, and as you see them all tending to one great development-as you hear the voice of the Saviour calling "Follow Me," you join the pure and candid Nathaniel in saying:

"Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God. Thou art the King of Israel."

Jesus, as He saw Nathaniel coming to Him, recognized that the seal of God was upon His forehead, and said unto him, "Behold a true Israelite, in whom guile is not.”

We scarcely hear of Nathaniel again. He seems to have been one of those calm, retiring, contemplative souls, whose sphere of existence lies not here, but "where beyond these voices, there is peace."

NICODEMUS is an interesting character, and he impresses us favorably at every point. Among the rulers, scribes, Pharisees and wealthy members of the Sanhedrin, Christ found believers and followers. The earliest and most remarkable of these was Nicodemus, a rich man, a ruler, a Pharisee, and a member of the Sanhedrin. There is a certain timidity observable in all which the Gospels tells us about Nicodemus; a timidity which could not be wholly overcome even by his honest desire to befriend and acknowledge One whom he knew to be a Prophet, even if he did not at once recognize in Him the promised Messiah.

Such was the rabbi who, with that mingled candor and fear of man which characterize all that we know of him, came indeed to Jesus, but came cautiously by night. He was anxious

to know more of this young Galilean prophet whom he was too honest not to recognize as a Teacher come from God; but he thought himself too prominent a person among his sect to compromise his dignity, and possibly his safety by visiting Him in public.

Although he is alluded to in only a few touches, because of that high teaching which Jesus vouchsafed to him, yet the impression left upon us by his individuality is inimitably distinct, and wholly beyond the range of invention.

His very first remark shows the indirect character of his mind-his way of suggesting rather than stating what he wished-the halfpatronizing desire to ask, yet the half-shrinking reluctance to frame his question-the admission that Jesus had come "from God," yet the hesitating implication that it was only as teacher," and the suppressed inquiry, "What must I do?"

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Our Lord saw deep into his heart, and avoided all formalities or discussion of preliminaries, startles him at one with the solemn, uncompromising address, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again (or

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