terised their religion, and some think that S. Simon belonged originally to this sect-in which case his conversion would be a singular proof of the power of God's grace in bringing such an one to the gentleness and meekness required of a disciple of Christ; but others think that he received this name after his call to the apostleship, for the great zeal with which he preached the faith of Christ, and the indignation he displayed against those who professed with their lips to be His servants, but dishonoured Him in their lives. Nothing beyond his name and his call by our Lord is related of him individually in scripture, and little in Church history. He is reported (though on doubtful authority) to have preached the gospel in Cyprus, Cyrene, and Mauritania, and to have been crucified in Judæa in the reign of Domitian.

Of S. Jude we know a little more, but only a little. He was a brother, that is, probably, a cousin of our Lord. He is called Thaddeus, for his zeal, and Lebbæus, for his understanding and prudence. He, too, was one of the twelve, and brother of James. One incident of his life is related in the gospel, namely, that when our Lord was discoursing to His disciples before He

suffered, and was telling them that whoever loved Him should be loved of His Father, and that He Himself would love him, and manifest Himself unto him, S. Jude asked our Lord-"How is it "that thou wilt manifest Thyself unto us, and "not unto the world?" Jesus answered and said unto him, "If a man love Me, he will keep แ 'my words; and My Father will love him, and "We will come unto him and make Our abode "with him. He that loveth Me not keepeth not 66 My saying; and the word which ye hear is not "Mine, but the Father's, which sent Me." He wrote a short epistle for the general use of the Church, in which all are "exhorted to contend "earnestly for the faith once (for all) delivered "unto the saints," and to oppose those false teachers who sought to corrupt it; but lest their zeal should make them forget to exercise charity, he bids them use every means to save them, and have compassion on them, and pull them out of the fire of heresy and schism, and build themselves up in their most holy faith, keeping themselves in the love of GoD, and waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. He is said to have laboured for the gospel in Persia, and to have suffered martyrdom there at

the hands of the magi for his faithful reproof of their superstitious doctrines and practices.

This brief summary of the recorded history of these two servants of Christ is very striking, in the first place, from the fact that it presents so few details of their life and labours and character and death. We should have supposed that saints so eminent as they undoubtedly were, would have had a conspicuous place in the scripture history, and that their history would have been handed down from generation to generation. But "GOD's ways are not as our ways, nor His "thoughts as our thoughts." The record of their deeds is not forgotten by Him, their names and their deeds are duly chronicled in the Lamb's book of life; but He keeps for another day the publication of their works of faith and labours of love. And we may learn this lesson in passing: that we may well rest contented to be unknown by the world, feeling sure that "the "Lord knoweth them that are His." We may be "unknown" here, but are "well known" there, if we are truly His. We need, therefore, have no wish to be conspicuous above others, or to have such good deeds as GOD may enable us to do blazoned before men. Our very best actions

must ever furnish us with more subject for self humiliation and shame, than for self congratulation and esteem. GOD ordains our sphere of usefulness for each one of us; and we may depend upon it that we shall glorify Him the most, and do most good both to ourselves and others, by contentedly doing our work in the sphere, however obscure and contracted, of His appointment. To some it is given to bring whole countries to the knowledge of His name, and subjection to His will. It will be abundantly blessed for us if we can, by His help, reclaim never so small a portion from the wilderness, and make it "rejoice "and blossom as the rose." As most cottages have around them little gardens, which their occupants make as bright and fruitful as they can, so we should all try to make some little portion of our world fruitful for God, and turn, by His grace, our dwellings into temples of prayer and praise, and our precincts into gardens of righteousness. And we must not be downhearted if our labours are only partially snccessful, and their fruits apparently unnoticed or forgotten. Of SS. Simon and Jude we know little but their names. But if, like them, we work zealously and lovingly for God, our labour

shall not be in vain, but shall be recognized and rewarded at the last. The words, "Well done "thou good and faithful servant" shall be our welcome hereafter to the "joy of our Lord."

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But let us now proceed to gather some of the lessons which the Church suggests to us in her services to-day. We may mention three lesson, first, of Christian zeal; secondly, of Christian love; thirdly, of Christian unity. Let us briefly consider these three points.

1. This festival teaches us the lesson of Christian zeal. Hear how forcible are the words of S. Jude which we read in the epistle for the day: "Beloved," he says, "when I gave all diligence "to write unto you of the common salvation, it 66 was needful for me to write unto you and ex"hort you that ye should earnestly contend for "the faith which was once delivered unto the "saints. For there are certain men crept in 66 unawares, who were before of old ordained to "this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the 66 grace of our God into lasciviousness, and deny"ing the only Lord GOD, and our Lord Jesus "Christ." "But ye, beloved, building up your"selves in your most holy faith, praying in the 66 Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of