deep-seated nerve of man's craving nature, who directed his hearers' eyes to the Mount of Transfiguration, there to find human consolation wrapped up in the outburst of Divine Glory. For what lips' request, what heart's desire, ever seemed more hopelessly denied than in the case of Moses ? who had vainly said, "I beseech Thee, shew me Thy Glory;" who had vainly implored to enter the land of promise. Yet on the holy Mount we behold him having clean over-passed the impassable barrier of Jordan, and gazing with face unveiled upon the unveiled Face of God.

Again: let us not stint to open our mouths wide; God will fill them. Even in that dimmer day of the Law and the Prophets, the miraculous outpouring of the widow's oil stayed not until the vessels prepared to receive it failed: now we live in the noontide fulness of this day of Christ; what shall we have, therefore? "In My Name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full."

O Christ our unfailing Hope, whose hands outspread to bless us are even as gold rings set with the Beryl, consider each heart's hope known to Thee and to none other, and let us not be disappointed of our hope. Amen.

Among alleged wondrous powers, we are told that whoso gazes through the Beryl beholds what was invisible. Nor is our supernatural privilege less :

We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. -2 Corinthians iv. 18.

The Beryl, moreover, has been held to cement wedded love and under the similitude of espoused lovers of

whom the nobler frequents a garden of lilies, we discern a revelation of the spotless undying mutual love of Christ and His Bride the Church:

I am my Beloved's, and my Beloved is mine: He feedeth among the lilies.-Song of Solomon vi. 3.

THE LOWERING RUSH.

More excellent than its fellows.

TATELY and beautiful, standing high above the water-line whence it emerges, the Flowering Rush blooms in quiet streams; and matches their freshness under the brooding fulness of July sunshine, by its own company of cool green leaves contrasted with the glow of a manifold ruddy blossom. Its flower-head is composed of a bunch of flowerets, each a rose-coloured cup encircling a deep-red central star surrounded by nine stamens. Nor should the simple green foliage be overlooked as lacking interest: for while every leaf is flat, two-edged, and sword-shaped in its upper growth, simulating a very sword by keenness of edge; the outline of each leaf at the water level becomes triangular, one form by gradual modification passing into the other, and the number of incompleteness towering upwards based on the number of completion.

Magnificent among its kindred, this Rush appropriately bears a name equivalent to Pride of the Water. It is also called Water Gladiole, and often by elder writers Grassy

Rush; and this last title seems by its humility more noble than the first for the first proclaims a visible glory of this world; while "Grassy Rush," announcing no more than the every-day aspect of a plant not at all seasons striking, bred not in solitary dignity but amid a throng of

neighbours reared like itself from a moist and prolific soil, this unboastful name tells us nothing of that approaching hour when the plant bearing it will be crowned with loveliness above the multitude of its fellows.

Can the rush grow up without mire?-Job viii. 11.

St. Bartholomew,

APOSTLE.

24 AUGUST.

The Sacred Text.

T came to pass in those days, that He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, He called unto Him His disciples: and of them He chose twelve, whom also He named Apostles; Simon and Andrew, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew.-St. Luke vi. 12, &c.

When they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphæus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brethren.--Acts i.

13, 14.

Except for those texts of St. Matthew and St. Mark which correspond with St. Luke's list of apostles, only in the two passages which I have quoted is St. Bartholomew mentioned by name: an opinion of some weight, how

ever (and which in the "memorial" Psalms I have ventured to follow), tends towards establishing his identity with that highly honoured Nathanael whom the Infallible Truth pronounced an Israelite indeed :—

Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found Him, of Whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Joseph. And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! Nathanael saith unto Him, Whence knowest Thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the figtree, I saw thee. Nathanael answered and saith unto Him, Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God; Thou art the King of Israel. Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the figtree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these. And He saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.-St. John i. 45, &c.

Jesus shewed Himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed He Himself. There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of His disciples. Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the