peered out from the gardens and the darker foliage of the olive plantations. From the

gorgeous Temple buildings, dazzling in their snow-white marble and gold, on which the

slanting rays of the sun were reflected, rose the smoke of the altar of burnt-offering.

These courts were now crowded with eager worshippers, offering for the last time, in the

real sense, their Paschal lambs. The streets must have been thronged with strangers,

and the flat roofs covered with eager gazers, who either feasted their eyes with a first

sight of the Sacred City for which they had so often longed, or else once more rejoiced

in view of the well-remembered localities. It was the last day-view which the Lord had of

the Holy City--till His resurrection! Only once more in the approaching night of His

betrayal was He to look upon it in the pale light of the full moon. He was going forward

to 'accomplish His death' in Jerusalem; to fulfil type and prophecy, and to offer Himself

up as the true Passover Lamb --'the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the

world.' They who followed Him were busy with many thoughts. They knew that terrible

events awaited them, and they had only a few days before been told that these glorious

Temple-buildings, to which, with a national pride not unnatural, they had directed the

attention of their Master, were to become desolate, not one stone being left upon the

other. Among them, revolving his dark plans, and goaded on by the great Enemy,

moved the betrayer. And now they were within the city. Its Temple, its royal bridge, its

splendid palaces, its busy marts, its streets filled with festive pilgrims, were well known

to them, as they made their way to the house where the guest-chamber had been

prepared for them. Meanwhile the crowd came down from the Temple -mount, each

bearing on his shoulders the sacrificial lamb, to make ready for the Paschal Supper.