Part 16 (1/2)

26, C. The Lord's temple desolate (i. 4).

The falling of the temple, ”not one stone left on another,” grandly loose. Square stones again. Examine the text (i. 6).

26, D. ”Thus saith the Lord of Hosts” (i. 7).

Christ pointing up to His ruined temple.

27. ZECHARIAH.

27, A. The lifting up of Iniquity (v. 6 to 9).

Wickedness in the Ephah.

27, B. ”The angel that spake to me” (iv. 1).

The prophet almost reclining, a glorious winged angel hovering out of cloud.

28. MALACHI.

28, A. ”Ye have wounded the Lord” (ii. 17).

The priests are thrusting Christ through with a barbed lance, whose point comes out at His back.

28, B. ”This commandment is to _you_” (ii. 1).

In these panels, the undermost is often introductory to the one above, an ill.u.s.tration of it. It is perhaps chapter i. verse 6, that is meant to be spoken here by the sitting figure of Christ, to the indignant priests.

44. With this bas-relief terminates the series of sculpture in ill.u.s.tration of Apostolic and Prophetic teaching, which const.i.tutes what I mean by the ”Bible” of Amiens. But the two lateral porches contain supplementary subjects necessary for completion of the pastoral and traditional teaching addressed to her people in that day.

The Northern Porch, dedicated to her first missionary St. Firmin, has on its central pier his statue; above, on the flat field of the back of the arch, the story of the finding of his body; on the sides of the porch, companion saints and angels in the following order:--

CENTRAL STATUE.

ST. FIRMIN.

_Southern (left) side._

41. St. Firmin the Confessor.

42. St. Domice.

43. St. Honore.

44. St. Salve.

45. St. Quentin.

46. St. Gentian.

_Northern (right) side._

47. St. Geoffroy.

48. An angel.

49. St. Fuscien, martyr.