lingered there. The father of the demoniac instantly appealed to the Saviour, with the statement that the disciples had been unable to effect his cure. Jesus, with a rebuke of their want of faith, directed the man to be brought. And, as in the case of the Syro-Phenician, the faith of the parent caused the child to be restored in answer to her prayer, so was it in this. The father cried in the words which have served as the utterance of many an anxious soul, "Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief!" And by the word of his power he expelled the evil spirit. Though the child fell as one dead, Jesus raised and restored him to his father, and he was cured from that hour. The disciples inquired privately why they had been unsuccessful, and Jesus admonished them of their need of a more spiritual life; for, said he, “This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." The public character of this miracle, and the testimony borne in it to the mighty power of God, amazed the multitude. In the increasing admiration of the people, Jesus saw that the envy of the rulers was increased also, and he sought concealment in Galilee. He again told his disciples the death he should die ;-that he should be betrayed into the hands of men, and that they should kill him, and that he should rise on the third day. They understood not the declaration, and were grieved and perplexed, but feared to ask him any questions.

On the return to Capernaum, those that received tribute demanded of Peter, whether his Master paid tribute. This tribute was a voluntary contribution for

the temple service. When Peter would have spoken to Jesus upon the subject, our Lord anticipated him, and instructed the disciple that Jesus, as the Son of God, was free from tribute in his Father's house; but he directed him how, by a miracle, he should obtain the money; namely by taking a fish, in whose mouth he should find it. This he did lest the tax-gatherers should be offended; or imagine the disciples of Jesus dishonoured the service of God.

In Peter's house in Capernaum, and probably with one of his little children, Jesus taught his disciples a lesson in humility. They had been disputing among themselves, by the way, which should be greatest. He told them that except they became as little children they should not enter into the kingdom of heaven. And at the same time he reproved the jealousy of his disciples, which would exclude those who followed not Jesus, from performing miracles in his name. For he said, "He that is not against us, is for us." Many instructions he also delivered directing selfdenial and self-sacrifice, even to the cutting off an offending limb. He exhorted them to peace and amity, one with another; he directed them how they should reconcile disputes, and delivered the memorable command that not only till seven times, but until seventy times seven a brother is to forgive his brother his trespasses. In this connexion he spake the parable of the Wicked Servant, who cast his fellow servant in prison for the hundred pence, closing the account of the servant's punishment with the solemn warning, "So likewise shall my heavenly

Father do unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses."

The authority which in another place seemed given to Peter alone, was repeated to all the twelve," Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven." And he added, "Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth, as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I, in the midst of them." Thus did our Lord confer power upon his church on earth, and assure to its collected prayers an especial hearing.

As in the second year of his ministry he sent forth the twelve to preach and work miracles, in the third he sent forth other seventy also. His instructions, as when the twelve were sent forth, embodied a warning to those unrepentant cities which had heedlessly witnessed his mighty works. And he closed his words to them with the warrant: "He that heareth you, heareth me: and he that despiseth you, despiseth me: and he that despiseth me, despiseth Him that sent me.”

Six months had now elapsed since the Passover, and the Jews' Feast of Tabernacles was at hand. His brethren, who at this time did not believe on him, asked him if he would be received of the people to go up to Jerusalem, for no man who seeks to be known doth any thing in secret, by which his mission is verified. Since they did not believe on him, neither could they

understand the

wisdom of his course; nor that while the world hated him,

he who it was written should avoid awaking its enmity.

neither strive nor cry, should Jesus sent them up to the

feast, and afterward followed, not openly, but as it were in secret.

At the feast the Jews expected and sought him. There was much debate among them; for while some said, "He is a good man," others said, "Nay, he deceiveth the people." About the middle of the festival Jesus appeared in the Temple, and taught. The same objections, the same cavils, and the same blasphemy met the words of the Saviour, as on all other occasions when the Pharisees were among his hearers. And with the same directions he exposed their hypocrisy. Discerning their thoughts and purposes, he accused them that they sought his death. They answered, "Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee?" The Saviour referred to a miracle which he had in Jerusalem performed upon the Sabbath, and reminding them that they caused the rite of circumcision to be performed on that day, asked, "Are ye angry with me that I have made a man every whit whole on the Sabbath day?" The people, struck with his openness of speech, inquired, "Is not this he whom they seek to kill? But lo he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him." And thence they reasoned that the rulers must think that this was "the very Christ."

While there was this division among the people, some believing, others doubting, and others still adhering to the Pharisees, the rulers sent officers to take him. As he had

declared, in language which those who believed could understand, from whence he had come, now in the same manner he announced that he should in a little while return to Him that sent him. The officers of the Sanhedrim stood among the wondering crowd of his hearers, listening to the debates and murmurings of the people, "but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come."

In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink." The ceremonies and observances of this great day were most joyful and exhilarating. Thanksgiving for the ingatherings, the fruit of the vine and fig-tree, and commemoration of the goodness of God, who sustained the people forty years in the wilderness, were the original purposes of the institution of the Feast of Tabernacles. During the continuance of the feast, the Jews bore in their hands palm-branches and boughs from the aloe-tree, the citron, the myrtle and the willow. They compassed the altar amid the sound of trumpets, saying, "Hosanna, save now, I beseech thee: O Lord, I beseech thee send now prosperity!" On the last, the great day, called also the Great Hosanna, they compassed the altar .seven times. The rejoicings were doubled. The ceremonies took place in the court of the women, that they also might partake in the festivities. Dancing in Jerusalem, music, and at night brilliant illuminations, expressed the thankfulness of the people for the past, and their faith in the future for the prayer, "O Lord, I beseech thee send