--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Barter, F. M. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 19 number: 1 published: 1915-11 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Barter, F. M., "On What Day Was Jesus Christ Crucified?," *Improvement Era* 19, no. 1 (November 1915): 33–43.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1901unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera1901unse start_page: 33 end_page: 43 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1915-11) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1901unse publication_year: 1915 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1915, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # On What Day Was Jesus Christ Crucified? On what Day was Jesus Christ Crucified? BY ELDER F. M. DARTER [By request from a number of people who arc interested in the discussion of this topic, this article is printed for the benefit of students. In the Improvement Era, Vol. 3, page 89, there is a paper by C. F. Watkins, on the same subject; and the reader is also referred to a discussion on "How Long was Christ in the Tomb?" by Rev. T. H. Cleland, D. D., first printed, many years ago, in the "Courier Journal," and reprinted in the "Millennial Star," January 31. 1887. Most of us are content to take for granted the statement of the scrip- tures, that the Savior was "three days and three nights in the heart of the earth," and to go on with work seemingly of more importance than discussing the disputed question of how this could be, and how the four gospels may be harmonized touching the point at issue — which point, however, has been made frequently "the sport of infidel satire and ridicule." — Editors.] The world as a whole accepts Friday (commonly called "Good Friday") as the day of the Crucifixion. If this be true, then, in that event, Christ's own words have failed to come true. However, to this I cannot agree ; rather, I am led to say, "let his words remain true (as indeed they are), though the opinions of all men be in error !" I rejoice that we have more than sufficient evidence from the New Testament writings to prove that the sign which Jesus Christ gave to the scribes and Pharisees ; viz., that he was the Christ — did come true, as recorded in Matt. 12:38-40, both inclusive: "Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, say- ing, Master, we would see a sign from thee. "But he answered, and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; "And there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the Prophet Jonah; for as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." The question then arises, did Jesus Christ give the world a true sign that we might know if he be the true Christ? The answer is that he surely did. There are three things in this sign to which I desire to call your attention : First: The scribes and Pharisees were endeavoring to dis- prove Jesus Christ's own words, that they might have reason for rejecting him ; but the Savior, being fully aware of the motive which prompted them to question him, answered them in such a 34 LMPRI >VEMENT ERA manner that they were unable to find fault with him. Therefore, we must accept this sign as being true. Second: The time allotted for his hody to lie in the tomb was three days and three nights — no more and no less. Third: No portion of this time (72 hours) was to be spent on the cross, as Jesus plainly stated — "In the heart of the earth." We also find the three days and three nights mentioned in the Book of Jonah 1:11: "Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights." We also have a reference to the time recorded in the Book of Mormon, III Nephi, 8:20, 23: "And it came to pass that there was thick darkness upon all the face of the land, insomuch that the inhabitants thereof who had not fallen could feel the vapor of darkness; "And it came to pass that it did last for the space of three days, and there was no light seen." Also, in Book of Mormon, III Nephi, 10:9: "And it came to pass that thus did the three days pass away. "And it was in the morning, and the darkness dispersed from off the face of the land." Also in Mark 8:31: "And he began to teach them, that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again." This is sufficient to prove that his body was to remain in the grave three days and three nights. The second subject which I wish to take up is : WHEN WAS CHRIST CRUCIFIED? Matt. 26:1-5 inclusive: "And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples, Ye know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man is betrayed to be crucified. "Then assembled together the chief priests and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him. "But they said. Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people." From the above reference, we learn that the Lord's Passover was nigh at hand, and that the Scribes and the Pharisees were de- termined to kill him. Matt. 26:17-20, inclusive: ON WHAT DAY WAS CHRIST CRUCIFIED? 35 "Now the first day of the least of unleavened bread, the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover? "And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith. My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples. "And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover. "Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve." It is probable that the above question was asked an hour or so before the first day of unleavened bread actually begun, which began at 6 p. m. Wednesday, which was the beginning of the Lord's passover, being the 14th day of the 1st month (Nisan.) The exact hour of the Lord's passover was midnight, being the hour that the destroying angel passed over Egypt, and it is at this sup- per that the paschal lamb is roasted by fire and eaten with un- leavened bread. And the remainder of this chapter states that Christ tells the twelve that one of them would betray him ; he also at the same time gave them the Lord's Supper; Luke 22:15, refers to the same: "And he said unto them, with desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer." From the two above-mentioned references, we have Christ's own words to the twelve, stating that he would eat the passover with them ; he also makes the statement at this supper table : "With desire have I desired to eat this passover with you." This settles the question as to Christ eating the passover with the twelve before he suffered. After this supper was over, they sang a hymn, and Jesus re- tired to the Mount of Olives, and it was there, on that same night, that he was betrayed by Judas (verses 26-46). He was carried before the high priest's house in the dark of the night, and before the Sanhedrin, or Council at daybreak; (see Luke 22:66) and, from the council to Pilate. You will note that the Jews made quick work of the trial, for they were determined to crucify him before the Sabbath began, which was the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and which began at 6 o'clock p. m., Wednesday, on this occasion, as the day closed at 6 p. m., in that age. The Roman power has changed the limits of our day from 6 p. m. to midnight, as it now exists. This brings up the question : When was the Lord's Passover? and What is the Feast of Unleavened BreadI? Do They Come on the Same Day? These are important questions which must be answered. We have in Leviticus, 23 :5, 6 : "In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord's Passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is (he Feast of 36 IM PR( >VEMENT KRA Unleavened Bread unto the Lord: Seven days ye must eat unleavened bread." And, Luke 22:7, 8: "Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the Passover must be killed. "And he sent Peter and John, saying — Go and prepare us the Passover, that we may eat." Thus we see that on the day of the Lord's Passover, the paschal lamb is killed and eaten. This is not a day on which no work is performed, but is a preparation day for the following- day, which is the Feast of Unleavened Bread, on which day no work is performed, but which is rather a day of holy convocation. And the records tell us that Christ was crucified on the Preparation Day, and that the next day was a Sabbath Day, — not a common Sabbath day that comes fifty-two times a year, but a High Sab- bath. Luke 23:52-54: "This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. And that day was the preparation, and the Sabbath drew on." John 19:31: "The Jews, therefore, because it was the Prepara- tion, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the Sab- bath day, (for that Sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away." The revised version makes no change in John 19:31. Mark 15:25: "And it was the third hour, and they crucified him." Matt. 27; 45: "Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour." (See Matt. 27:33-53.) Mark 15:34-37: "And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying * * * My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? * * * And Jesus cried with a loud voice and gave up the ghost." From the above five references, we learn that the day of the Crucifixion was on the Preparation Day, which was Wednesday, as we shall prove later ; also, that the hour of the Crucifixion was 9 :00 o'clock in the morning, and that he died at 3 :00 p. m. the same day. The last three hours that the Savior hung on the cross there was darkness over all the land. Matt. 27:45. We have followed the events down to 3 :00 p. m. Wednesday, which leads us up to the hour that the Savior gave up the ghost. Now, the disciples, not knowing which was the best course to pursue, it required time for them to decide upon their plans and to put them into effect. Their time was also limited, as only three hours remained in that day, which was the Preparation Day ; also the Lord's passover, being the 14th day of the 1st month (Nisan). ON WHAT DAY WAS CHRIST CRUCIFIED? 37 We find the record of events which followed the hour of his death in Mark 15:42, 43: "And now when the even was come, because it was the Prepara- tion, that is, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathaea, an honorable counselor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus." Luke 23:52-54: "This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. "And he took it down and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. "And that day was the Preparation, and the Sabbath drew on." We know that the disciples could not have returned to Jeru- salem from Golgotha (Calvary), which was on the outskirts of Jerusalem, and obtained permission from Pilate to take the body down. Pilate first had to ascertain if he was dead ; they also had to get linen in which to wrap his body; also, probably water with which to wash the blood from the body, as well as find a tomb in which to bury him. All this could not be accomplished in less than three hours. Therefore, the time of burial was right at 6 :00 p. m., which was the close of the day (Wednesday) and the beginning of Thursday, which was a Sabbath day. Now, you may say, The Sabbath must be on a Saturday. However, this is in error, for "Sabbath" means rest, and the Jews had several feast and rest days which they called Sabbath days. The day following the Preparation Day (or day of Cruci- fixion) is called a Sabbath day by Mark — IS :42, Luke 23 :54 ; also John 19:31. This Sabbath day could not be a Saturday, because the sign of three days and three nights that his body would be in the heart of the earth must come in between the hour of burial and hour of resurrection. We have already proven that his body could not have been put in the tomb before 6:00 p. m., Wednesday, which closed the twenty-four hour day. Therefore, the 72 hours began at this time — viz., — the end of Wednesday and beginning of Thursday. This gives us the end of Saturday, or beginning of Sunday; but one minute past 6:00 p. m., Saturday would be Sun- day, the hour of Resurrection. Before taking up the question of the Hour of Resurrection, T wish to call your attention to the fact that Israel had more than one Sabbath, and that the greater part of them fell on a certain day of the month, and not on a certain day of the week. I have already called your attention to the day on which the Passover occurred, as recorded in Lev. 23:5, 6, being the 14th day of the 1st month, and that the Feast of Unleavened Bread came on the 15th day of the same month, which is a Sabbath day. Also. Mark, Luke and John tell us that the day following the day of Crucifixion or Preparation was a Sabbath day. 38 [MPROVEM ENT ERA Lev. 23:24 says: "Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, — in the 7th month, in the first clay of the month, shall ye have a Sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation." Still another Sabbath is recorded in Lev. 23 :27, 32 : "Also, on the 10th day of the 7th month there shall be a day of atonement; it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord." And the 32nd verse says: "It shall be unto you a Sabbath rest." Also, Lev. 23:24 says: "The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the Lord." Thus, in this case, there are only five days between the 10th day of the seventh month and the 15th day of the seventh month. And, in the same chapter, verse 38 reads : "Besides the Sabbaths of the Lord, and besides your gifts, and be- sides all your vows, and besides all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the Lord." You will note that the word "Sabbath" is recorded as plural in the above 38th verse. I have now given you sufficient proof that Thursday could be a Sabbath Day, which it was on this occasion, being the Feast of the Unleavened Bread, being the 15th day of the first month, and that Jesus had eaten the Lord's Passover with his disciples on the night of the 14th day of the first month. You will bear in mind that the 12 hours of darkness came before the 12 hours of daylight, as 6 p. m. closed the 24-hour day. This appears to be the same order as was set in the beginning of this world's time. Gen. 1 :5 says : "And God called the light day, and the dark he called night, and the evening and the morning were the first day." I can also prove that there were three full days — Thursday, Friday and Saturday — between the day of the Crucifixion and the Day of Resurrection, by using both the revised and King James' versions of the New Testament. Mark 16:1 — (revised version) says: "And when the Sabbath zvas past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary, the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, that they might come and anoint him." From this we learn that Mary returned from the sepulchre Wednesday about 6 p. m. and rested Thursday, the Feast of Un- leaven Bread, a Sabbath day, and bought spices on Friday. The same meaning is expressed in King James' version, Mark 16:1 : "And when the Sabbath zvas past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary, the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him." The same story is here told, thai is, that she did not buy spices until the Sabbath was past. Luke 23:56, takes the events up at this point, and goes on : ON WHAT DAY WAS CHRIST CRUCIFIED? 39 "And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment." This Sabbath day was Saturday. As we in this age often have two holidays in one week, so did the Jews have two holy Sabbath days in one week, as on this oc- casion, the first being Thursday, the Feast of the Unleavened Bread, and the second being Saturday, the regular weekly Sabbath day. Matt. 28:1, 2: "In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And, behold, there was a great earthquake; for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it." This is an account of Mary's first visit to the sepulchre. The Revised Version tells us : — "late on the Sabbath." Matt. 28:5-10 tells of the events of Mary's third visit to the sepulchre, but on her first visit she learns nothing as to where the Lord's body had been taken. The first visit is also verified by John 20:1, 2: "The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. Then she runneth and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said unto them; They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we knozv not where they have laid him." Thus you see that Mary did not learn that the Lord had been resurrected ; nor did she see any angels on that visit. John 20:3-10 tells us of the return of Mary with Peter and John to the sepulchre, but they found nothing, nor did they learn anything in regard to where the Lord's body had been taken, this being Mary's second visit. The 9th and 10th verses say: "For as yet they knew not the Scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again unto their own homes." Verses 11-19 tells of Mary seeing the two angels at the sepulchre, also of her seeing the Lord; but John does not tell us if Mary remained at the sepulchre until morning. (Which she did not). However, Mark and Luke, in giving their description of the Resurrection, mention the last visit of Mary, which would be the third, for they say she came at the rising of the sun. Mark 16: 1, 2: "And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices that they might come and anoint him." Second verse: "And very early in the morning, the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun." 40 IMPR< >VEMENT KRA The first verse tells of Mary's resting on Thursday, the feast of Unleavened Bread, and then buying spices on Friday, and the second verse of the last or third visit, which was at sunrise Sun- day morning. Luke 24:1, 2, 3: "Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. "And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre." "And they entered it and found not the body of the Lord Jesus; And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments." And the following verses of the above chapter tell of the con- versation that she had with the angels, and meeting the Lord a few minutes later — this being the first information that Mary had received. Luke 24 : 9 : "And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest." The 12th verse says: "Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld th" linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass." Now, this was the second visit of Peter, for upon Peter's first visit, Mary had told him and John that she had found the sepulchre open, and that they knew not where the Lord's body had been laid. And Peter returned home the second time ; but he had Mary's testimony that she had :>een the angels, and that she had seen the Resurrected Lord ; that he, as well as the angels, had instructed her on her sunrise visit Sundav morning to "Go tell my disciples to meet me in Galilee." (See Matt. 28:8-10). While Mary did not meet the Lord until sunrise Sunday, yet she was an eye witness to the fact that the Lord's body had been out of the tomb from the end of the Sabbath (Saturday) to the beginning of Sunday. I have already called your attention to the fact that the Lord gave up the ghost at 3 :00 p. m. and could not have been buried before 6:00 p. m., which closed the 24-hour day; therefore, this is almost sufficient proof that the Lord was resurrected at the close of Saturday and beginning of Sunday ; it was on Sunday — the first hour. Matt. 2S; 1: "Tn the end of the Sabbath, as it began In dawn toward the fust of tlie week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre." Or "late on I lie Sabbath" as given in the Re vised Version. "In the end of the Sabbath" does not mean twelve hours into ON WHAT DAY WAS C'lRIST CRUCIFIED? 41 the next day. It was on this visit that they found the tomb open. (Saturday night the beginning of Sunday). Mark 16:9, also speaks of him rising early, "Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Mag- dalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils." I have now given you sufficient evidence that the whole propo- sition may be summed up in a few words : First. — That Christ ate the Passover Supper with the twelve. This is also admitted by Dr. James E. Talmage in his "First Year Outlines for the Sunday School Work." Second. — There were hasty proceedings during the night after the paschal meal. This is also verified by Dr. James E. Talmage in his above-mentioned Sunday School Outlines. Christ being crucified at 9:00 a. m., died at 3:00 p. m., Wednesday; was buried at about 6:00 p. m., and his body re- mained in the grave all of Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and was resurrected on the very beginning of Sunday, vis., — between 6:00 and 8:00 p. m. (Sunday beginning at 6:00 p. m.), but was not seen by Mary until sunrise, on Sunday morning. Thus have the scriptures been fulfilled to the letter. My great difficulty in preparing this little article is that no one writer of the New Testament has given us a complete chain of history, each one giving a link here and a link there, but by placing each link of the four writers we have practically a com- plete chain. Now you will bear in mind, that so far I have confined myself to the Jewish month and week, but I have called their fourth day of the week Wednesday, the seventh Saturday, and the first day Sunday, which we know to be correct. Inasmuch as historians have failed to agree as to the year of the birth and crucifixion of our Lord, I will not undertake to dis- cuss this question in this article, however, I will say that we have good historical records to connect up the day of the week, month and year of the crucifixion as above given, being Wednesday, Nisan 14th, A. D., 33. The Encyclopedia Britanica, under Day of the Jewish month Nisan, states that the Passover came on Nisan 14th. The same authority states that the early Christian tiaditions are unanimous on this point. Also James Hastings, M. A., D. D., states in his Dictionary of the Bible, under title, Jesus Christ, that the date of crucifixion was on Nisan l^th, it also being the day of the Pass- over, and that the Feast of Unleavened Bread was on the 15th to 21st inclusive. He mentions the fact (in his Dictionary of the Bible, Vol. 1, page 411, under "Chronology of the N. T.") that historians have failed to agree on the year of crucifixion ; he therefore fur- nishes us a true table showing on what day of the week Nisan 42 IMPROVEMENT ERA 14th came, for the years 28 to 33 inclusive, taken from the sub- joined table c. f. Salmon, Introduction to N. T., Appendix to Lecture XV. Mas Latrie, Trcsor dc Chronologic, page 94, as follows : A. D. 28 Saturday March 27 A. D. 29 Friday April 15 A. D. 30 Tuesday April 4 A. D. 31 Saturday March 24 A. D. 32 Saturday April 12 A. D. 33 Wednesday April 1 as per present Christian calendar. Therefore, knowing the day of the week, day of the month, and between what limit of years the crucifixion is known to have taken place, with this calendar before us, the question of the year solves itself, being Wednesday, Nisan 14th, A. D. 33. James Hastings in the above referred to Vol. 1, page 412 and 413, quotes several early writers who give A. D. 33 as the date of the crucifixion. We also have in Haydn's Dictionary of Dates, 24th edition, under "Crucifixion of Jesus Christ," quotation of A. D. 33 from Usher. We are told by Murdock in his translations of Dr. Moshcim's Institutes, that "The birth of Christ was made an era from which to reckon dates," and we are told in the Book of Moses, 5 :57 that the Lord's birth was to come in the meridian of time : "For they would not harken unto his voice, nor believe on his Only Begotten Son, even him whom he declared should come in the meridian of time, who was prepared from before the foundation of the world." Therefore, the birth of Christ would come on the beginning of year One ; then from Salmon's table, as shown by James Hastings, we have his age at the crucifixion as 33 years old. We are told in the Book of Mormon, III Nephi 2 :8, that they, the Nephites, began their time at the sign of the birth of Christ, which was two days connected together by continual light. Also that the sign of crucifixion took place on the 34th year, 4th day of the 1st month, which gives us his age at the time of crucifixion as 33 years and 4 days, which checks with Salmon's table, and is also the unanimous traditional report as to his age at date of the crucifixion. We have also in the Doctrine and Covenants, Section 20, that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized April 6th, 1830, it being 1830 years since the coming of our Lord in the flesh. B. H. Roberts accepts this authority as being better than any other to be had. Joseph Smith also accepts this date as being 1830 years from the birth of Christ, and says that the crucifixion took place on the same day 33 years latter. (Recorded in Church History). William Smith's Dictionary of the Bible, under "Jesus Christ" states that the 14th day of Nisan came on April 6, on this occasion. ON WHAT DAY WAS CHRIST CRUCIFIED? 43 From the above references the crucifixion was on Wednesday, Nisan 14th, A. D. 33, and very probably April. We have proven "Good Friday" false, not only as far as the day of the week is concerned, but the day varies as much as 33 days as to the year ; for, the rule says — Good Friday is the first Friday preceding Easter Sunday ; Easter Sunday is the first Sun- day after the first full moon after the 21st of March. This gives us March 21 as the first limit and April 26 as above the latest limit. The above subject was first treated by the delineator in chart form, with the prime object in view to prove to the theological class of Long Beach that Jesus has proved himself the Christ in every instance. This little piece of history and truth, the writer be- lieves, is indeed worth while .for every believer in Jesus Christ to know. I have spent many ^months in verifying each step that has been taken, and if the article be sufficient to prove the above statements to your mind, all the reward I ask is that you pass it to someone else. LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA ST. GEORGE, UTAH The Miracle of Day I rode through the fields at dawn with my Friend, As the world in slumber lay, To see from a bluff at the river's bend The Miracle of the day. Silent we sat in solemn awe. Watching the great sun rise, When clear and sweet from a nearby haw A meadowlark sang to the skies. The air was a-throb with his thrilliner lay, — "It's here! It's here! The beautiful day!" The daisy smiled as a waking child At the kiss of the risen sun, And the m'ountains laved in the sunlight wave 'Round the circling horizon. The Zephyr tripped from its mystic crypt, A-dancing joyously, And the song of the Knight Invisible Was magic-read to me, — "Man seeth not God's mysterious way. But he liveth, and giveth each beautiful day." The river's song as it rushed along On its journey to the sea, Was a sermon clear that all things here In a chosen place must be. With a glow in my breast I gazed in the west At the melting Morning Star, Keeping its course in the vast, calm skies, Where million miracles are, And I seemed to see God smile at me Through miracles near and far. Ethel Jarvis