with fear and trembling came and confessed before the multitude the whole truth. And the Saviour, when he saw her, said, Daughter, be of good comfort, thy faith hath made thee whole.

The father still waited. He must have been elevated to ecstasy with hope, as he witnessed the relief of this woman, by a miracle presenting such evidence of the mercy, the power, and the wisdom of the Redeemer. But while he waited, his joy was turned into fear, for there arrived certain which said, "Thy daughter is dead; why troublest thou the Master any farther? Jesus compassionately checked his rising grief, for as soon as he heard the word that was spoken, he said, Be not afraid, only believe." With the woman before him who had just been restored, the ruler could not refuse comfort, and our Lord proceeded to the house, where already the minstrels and the people were making a noise. Already they had surrendered the child of their hopes. Shall we not suppose that there were in that crowd, unbelieving friends, who had chidden the father, that he sought assistance of the Nazarene? Is there not in the very tone of the message with which he was summoned, a rebuke that he had left his dying child to seek the aid of the friend of publicans and sinners? The associations of a ruler of the Synagogue, naturally prompt the belief, that not a few of those who "loved the chief seats," were ready to reprove Jairus for having sought the aid of him whom they decried. And this impression derives new strength, from the fact that when the Messenger of mercy arrived at

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the door, even in the house of mourning, they laughed him to scorn. Friendship, grief, courtesy, could not abate their enmity against him who exposed their hypocrisy : nor could any consideration of respect for the grief of the father, prevent the derisive and triumphant laugh, with which they scorned the Son of God. 'Why," said Jesus, "make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth." And they laughed him to scorn, and thus unwittingly bore testimony against themselves, when they asserted the fact of the literal death of the maiden, of whom Jesus, as he afterward said of Lazarus, said, "She is not dead, but sleepeth."

Jesus would suffer none of these scoffers and unbelievers to be present at the miracle which he purposed, but taking the parents of the child, and the three disciples, Peter and James and John, he entered in where the damsel was lying. And he took her by the hand, saying, "Maid, arise." And her spirit returned to her, and he commanded that something should be given her to eat; for as her parents were astonished with a great astonishment, it may have been that they hesitated to give her food, whom they had seen so lately in the cold arms of death. He charged them that they should tell no man: for since the Pharisees were already exasperated, he did not choose to add to their fury, as his hour had not yet come. Another motive may have been the wish to avoid requests to restore the dead to life; since it was not his mission thus to alter the course of nature, further than to fulfil his prophetic declarations respecting his power over death and the grave.

But the fame of the miracle went abroad throughout all the land.

As he went thence, two blind men, recognising in him the Son of David, besought mercy from him. And when he had returned to the house, they followed him there, and Jesus, testing their faith, conferred sight upon them— for as he touched their eyes, he said, "According to your faith be it unto you." Their eyes were opened; and they too, though charged to tell no man, when they were departed, spread his fame in all that country. And as the blind men went forth, seeing, a dumb man possessed of a devil was brought to Jesus; and when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake. The multitudes marvelled, as well they might, saying, It was never so seen in Israel. In a few hours he had healed the infirm woman, raised the dead, restored sight to two blind men, conferred speech upon the dumb, and cast out a devil. The multitude glorified God; but the Pharisees, unconvinced, repeated their blasphemy-he casteth out devils through the prince of devils.

Jesus proceeded to his own country, and his own city Nazareth. The fame of his mighty works had preceded him there, and he was followed to the scenes of his youth by his disciples. Again he taught in their synagogue, and they that heard him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? And what wisdom is this which is given unto him that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joses, and of Juda and

Simon? And are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended in him. They rebelled against the truth spoken by one of so humble extraction-he was to them a stumbling block. Thus again was he rejected in Nazareth, and he said, a prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house. He could do no mighty work there, because of their unbelief, for the same spirit that charged that he cast out devils through the prince of devils, would have distorted and rejected the evidence of miracles. Still he laid his hands on a few sick folk and healed them; that their faith might not pass unrewarded.

XX.

The Twelve sent forth.

Notwithstanding that he was despised and rejected of his kindred-that he came unto his own and his own received him not-Jesus looked forth with compassion on the people because they fainted, and were scattered abroad as sheep having no shepherd. He saw the multitude. ripening for the grave as the corn ripened for the harvest; he beheld the rich valleys and the hill-sides of the land, teeming with corn, and oil, and milk, and honey. And he made these temporal objects suggest a spiritual lesson. He saith unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few. And he bade them, Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth. labourers into his harvest. He taught them, moreover, that as they prayed they must do: for he caused them to go out as labourers.

Having given them power to execute his commission, he sent them forth, and commanded them to preach to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. And as the evidence of their authority, he commanded them: Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received,