explained to them in complete fullness the nature of their work, before their very eyes, He was lifted up above them and borne beyond the clouds, out of their sight, into that world to which He rightfully belonged.

Thus in briefest possible outline is the life story of the Founder of God's Church indicated. Passing as is this glimpse, we gather here the concept of the origin of Christianity. It is the seed of the greatest organization the world has ever known. To human eyes it began in a stable, and was buried in the sepulchre near Calvary. Humbler and more insignificant birth, no project ever had: yet to-day, it fills the world, and even now, seems only commencing its career of marvelous development.

Without the knowledge of this chapter of the Church's history, the story of its Founder, at the very sowing of the seed, the full force of its later growth can never be truly realized. The better to grasp the import of the pages to be deciphered in later conferences, it was necessary to bring the mind back to the first inception of this most absorbing and interesting story, and thus by gradual stages to pass from the very first scenes of the great drama, through each successive period to our own times. Of all the arguments adduced to prove the divinity of the Church's character and mission, none can possibly be stronger than the simple tale of the life of Jesus Christ.

THE APOSTLES THE FOUNDATIONS

THE Gospels tell us that from among those who followed the Lord, Christ chose twelve, and called them Apostles. These were Simon, whom He called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew and Thomas; James and Simon, called Zelotes; Jude, the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot who also betrayed Him. To them He intrusted the mission which He Himself had received from His Divine Father; to represent on earth the person of Christ, to be partakers of His power, to lead the world to the knowledge of the Saviour, and to persuade Jew and Gentile, Greek and Roman, that He was the Son of God, the true Redeemer.

Thus He intrusted to them this arduous task: "All power is given to Me in Heaven and on earth; going, therefore, teach all nations, baptising them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you always, even unto the consummation of the world" (Matt. xxviii). Consider for a moment the import of these words. Christ, who speaks them, was soon, as He Himself knew, to be taken away from the eyes of His faithful followers, ascending up beyond all Heavens to be with the Father as He had been "before all worlds," and, like some great ruler of a conquered nation addressing his generals, He gives them His commands to complete the conquest of that realm He had bought with

His Blood, and govern it for Him till He should come again.

It would seem, according to human wisdom, that this great commission might only be intrusted to men who by talent and known ability were fitted to carry it out. Yet Christ acted otherwise; and for the unspeakably great work of preaching the Gospel, against which forces most obstinate and strong arrayed themselves in opposition, chose men who seemed of all others least fitted to perfect this work; men of the lowest class of society, ignorant, timid, inexperienced, and who even in their own country were looked down upon and despised as mere fishermen. Kings must choose their ministers from among the ablest, wisest, boldest, and most enlightened of their subjects; for in imparting to them authority, they cannot with that impart talent and ability, but must presuppose it. But Christ, with the authority which He communicated to His representatives, communicated also the wisdom, the knowledge, the power and strength necessary to extend and enforce it.

It was evidently the design of Christ to prove from the very beginning the divinity of the Church's origin, and His own omnipotence; since it would be plain to all that, humanly speaking, the means He chose were the least fitted to compass the end proposed. For, behold, on one side a handful of men of lowly birth, of no authority, unlettered, uncultured, and despised; and on the other, the whole world, Jewish and Pagan, emperors, high priests, philosophers, and all that is rich, powerful, and great. Count the forces arrayed for battle on either side, and who will doubt as to which would naturally belong the victory? Picture these twelve standing before the wisest and most learned of their age, and proclaim

ing to the world in the very face of kings and rulers, "Till now you have all gone astray. You are ignorant of the first rudiments of true philosophy. Wise, as you pretend to be, you are less than children in the knowledge of truth. And truth, what is that? It is Christ Crucified, whom you, oh Jewish nation, repute a scandal, and you, Gentiles, consider folly, but who is to us, who have been called of God, Wisdom and Power."

Fancy this picture, and then ask who will listen to these twelve or obey their teaching? If, therefore, notwithstanding, the world listens and obeys, it must be plain that not by human means, but by the power of God, this wonder, this greatest of all miracles is accomplished.

The same power which brought the universe out of nothing transformed these humble instruments into an almost omnipotent agency in the completion of its designs; and made of the lowly fishermen, timid, weak and ignorant as they were, fearless champions, sublime philosophers and most intrepid warriors, who feared not the frown of kings, disputed with great intellects, and challenged the teachings of the most learned scholars. This wondrous transformation came upon the apostles on the day of Pentecost, which is, therefore, considered the Birthday of the Church.

On that great day, the Apostles and disciples "were all gathered in the same place, and there came of a sudden from Heaven the sound as of a great whirlwind, and it filled all the house where they were assembled ; and there appeared to them divided tongues as of fire, and they rested upon each of them, and they were filled with the Holy Ghost; and they began to speak various tongues, according as the Holy Spirit gave them to speak. And there dwelt in Jerusalem, Jews, religious

men of every nation under heaven, and as the word went abroad there assembled a great multitude, and they were all astonished, each one to hear them speaking his own tongue; and they wondered, saying: Are not all these who speak Galileans, and how is it that each of us hears the language in which we were born, Parthians and Medes and Elamites and the inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphilia, Egypt and the countries of Lybia which is near Cyrene, and strangers from Rome; Jews also and proselytes; the inhabitants of Crete and Arabia: we have heard them speak in our tongues the greatness of God.' And all wondered among themselves, saying: What may this be?'”

It was by this means that Christ infused into the Apostles wisdom of mind and strength of heart to commence the difficult work of preaching to every nation the divine word. The Holy Ghost, who on that day descended upon them in the cenacle, was sent to them as a confirmation and consolation; flooding their intelligence with light, illumining their minds whereby truths invisible before, or vaguely seen, became to their vision clear as the day; animating their very tongues to marvelous eloquence, and firing their souls with a zeal that made them burn to carry to the ends of the world the doctrines of the new faith. Before, they were, as we know from the Gospels, vacillating, timorous, almost puerile; always misunderstanding the words of their Divine Master, who even after repeated explanations, still found them incapable of grasping His meaning. Now, all is changed: the deepest mysteries are plain to them, and henceforth, no power on earth can move them from their loyalty.

See, how on that very day, without waiting for the